We made it to the final week of classes! As we go through our end of year checklists, we want students to finish strong and take advantage of their teachers' Regents review so they can confidently go into exam week. The last day of classes will be on Thursday. This will be our annual Moving Up Day celebration. Exams will start this Friday. Let's close out the school year on a high note!

Please make sure to check out info regarding the following:

• Moving Up Day Schedule - 6/13
• Seniors bring cap and gowns for the Senior Walk at the ES & MS!
• Final Exam Schedule & Info
  
• Please be sure to read about transportation & food service
• Senior Events!
• Senior Sunset - 6/18
• Graduation Rehearsal - 6/26
  
• AHEC Scholars Opportunities
• Summers Jobs - Roseland Waterpark

The class advisors have been preparing a fun day of activities for Thursday's Moving Up Day! Students will report to first period for attendance and then be called down to the Auditorium to kick off the day. We'll have class competitions in the gym from 9am-10am and then an activity period from 10am-12pm. Teachers will be hosting all different kinds of activities for students during this time at sites around the building. After lunch we'll gather back in the Auditorium to end the day with the MUD slideshow and switching of seats. Seniors will then leave for their Senior Walk in both the ES and MS. Seniors, make sure to bring your cap and gowns! Looking forward to a great day to end the school year!

Please be aware that Regents and final exams count 20% of a student's overall course grade.

Please also note that there are no exams on the following days:

• Monday, 6/17 - Eid al-Adha Observed
• Wednesday, 6/19 - Juneteenth (buildings closed)

Transportation:

Buses arrive around 7:30 a.m. each morning and depart at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:25 p.m., and 3:05 p.m. during exam days. Transportation to school for a noon exam will be between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. Students must sign up for an 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. pick up in the Main Office. You do not need to sign up for the regular morning bus run.

If your student has extended time and will need transportation beyond these allotted bus times, please fill out this Google Form: https://forms.gle/6oARpuhhzZqTgdNT7

Students will need to sign up in the Main Office to receive lunch during exams. The cafeteria will serve lunches only to those who have exams all day and have made reservations.

During Regents testing the school building will be considered a secure exam site per guidance from NYS. Only students scheduled to take an exam or attend a review course will be permitted to enter the building. Backpacks, cell phones, and all other electronic equipment cannot be beyond the front foyer of the building. A staff member will have students label and store their property in the foyer.

Beverages in plastic containers must not have labels in exam rooms.

Students should arrive ten minutes before their exam time and have all of their supplies with them – they will not be permitted to go to their lockers. Students are encouraged to use the restroom before taking their exam. Only students with an emergency can leave the exam room to use the restroom. A proctor must escort students to and from the bathroom in case of an emergency.

• Students must stay in the exam room for a minimum of two hours.

Once students finish their exam and meet the two-hour requirement, they must leave the building. Students who have an exam later in the day and wish to remain in the building must report to the cafeteria and remain there until the start of that exam.

We have lots of fun activities to celebrate our seniors! See below for an outline of the dates and times for them.

The first batch of graduation tickets were distributed at the Senior Decision Day luncheon on Friday. The rest of the tickets will be distributed at our Graduation Rehearsal on June 26th, 10:00 AM. Graduation Rehearsal is mandatory to attend and seniors should bring their cap and gown for their group photo.

Please also be advised that students that participate in "Senior skip days" or Senior pranks that are destructive or disruptive may result in not being able to attend these events. We want to keep the focus on having fun as a class and being safe!

As we wrap up the 2023-2024 school year and prepare for an exciting 2024-2025, we are seeking enthusiastic parent/guardian representatives to join our High School Proud Team. Your participation will involve attending one meeting each quarter, where you will provide valuable feedback and suggestions for our campaigns and agenda.

We believe that your insights and perspectives are crucial to enhancing our initiatives and creating a positive environment for our students. Please email Mrs. Zebulske at rzebulske@gananda.org if you are interested in participating!

Gananda Rotary is in jeopardy of losing their main leadership team for the Haunted Hayride. They are looking at other adults who might step up to keep the event going. It is very important for two reasons that they continue:

1 - It is their major fundraiser for scholarship, awards, and Rotary projects throughout the community
2 - It is their MAIN contact with the high school students, for their community service hours and for their scholarship awards.

They are working on some solutions, and hopefully some new leaders to replace their regulars.. … they would also ask if you know of anyone at the school who might be interested in joining the team for the Haunted Hayride. It is a commitment of time of about four hours during the week up until the event and about 6 hours on each of the weekends of the actually Hayride (Fridays and Saturdays in October).

For more information contact Patti Holdraker at pholdraker@gmail.com

Seniors! As we progress into the academic year, don't forget to please complete a Panther Paw Submission Form when you have been accepted into a college/trade school/military branch/apprenticeship program. We will hang a Panther Paw on the #GanandaGoals wall as you enter the building to celebrate your accomplishment! PANTHER PAW Submission Form

Once you've made your decision, then fill out this new little form on the Counseling website so we know about what you've committed to. We want to celebrate you!!!

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month! Since it was first recognized on a federal level in 1999, Pride Month has served as a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ pioneers who fought for equality through art, culture, civic action, community service, and more. Check out the following resources below to learn more about the history behind Pride Month.

• Library Congress
• Smithsonian
  

All 10th graders will have the opportunity to take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. The test takes approximately 3 hours and will be held during normal school hours, from 7:30-11:30 AM.

The PSAT is an assessment administered to 11th grade students that helps prepare them for the SAT, college, and future careers. Students who take the PSAT, score higher on the SAT on average, than those who do not take the test. The PSAT includes reading, mathematics, writing and language components that focus on college and career readiness.

Students should bring their Chromebooks as the PSAT/NMSQT is now digital. The test is easier to take, shorter, allows more time per question, and comes with a built-in calculator.

The cost of the test is $18.00 per student. Checks should be made out to Gananda Central School- no cash can be accepted. All checks are due to the HS Counseling Office by August 1st- No Exceptions. If you’d like your student to participate, please follow this link to register:

PSAT Registration 2024

Fee waivers are available to students enrolled in, or eligible to participate in, the National School Lunch Program. Please email Mrs. Kelleher (Students A-K) and Calisha Bertram (Students L-Z) if you think you qualify.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Kelleher at kkelleher@gananda.org.

Congratulations to Nick, Mason and Derek for signing job contracts after graduation! Mason will be working at Optimax, Nick will be at The Ideal Group, and Derek at OptiPro Systems. Well done!

There were plenty of fantastic performances at the Spring Concert, including a fun finale with plenty of "Ken-ergy!" Thank you to Mr. Strausser and Mr. Farnsworth for instructing this talented group of musicians and singers. You can check out the link to a recording of the concert here: https://www.facebook.com/GanandaSchools/videos/2024-gananda-hs-spring-concert/998166305166152/

Reliving memories from the time capsule the Seniors made back in 8th grade and writing thank you notes to staff for all the support over the years at Senior Celebration Night.

Fun and good laughs at Decision Day and the Senior Luncheon. Thank you Counseling Office for organizing this!

Autumn Molisani, a 2022 Gananda graduate, and Alyson LaBarr, a 2020 Williamson graduate, were among the winners of a graphic design competition for promotional materials at Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC). Autumn designed an event poster, shown here, while Alyson designed the concert pass. The winning T-shirt was designed by Laura Daniela López Sánchez, and international student from Colombia.

FLCC graphic design students participate in competitions to design wine labels and CMAC promotional materials to get real-world experience in their field. Read more about the competition on our blog and use the buttons below to share this news about these Wayne County grads.

Here is a link to our prom photos for 2024: Prom Photos 2024

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Seniors will send their official FLCC transcripts to the institution they attend in the Fall. Please wait until after July 4th to order transcripts. This ensures spring grades are verified. Official transcript requests are placed online. There is a $5 per address fee that is payable online via credit or debit card. This system will send a notification when the transcript is processed and received, and includes online tracking. Refer students to this link for instructions.

Most Gemini students will not know their MyFLCC login or password, so they can select Option 2 and set up an account directly through the Parchment Exchange website. Students should check the box “Send when grades are posted” to ensure all spring grades are reflected on the transcript.

Students will also need to send a transcrupt from College Board for AP courses. Please visit https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/sending-scores to request an official transcript be sent to the college you are attending prior to Freshman Orientation.

Any seniors interested in applying for the Excelsior Scholarship, please use the link below to start your application.

https://www.hesc.ny.gov/find-aid/nys-grants-scholarships/excelsior-scholarship-program/#programs-deadline-application

Check out this list for more upcoming scholarships due from now through May!

Gananda Rotary is interested in continuing to participate in our student of the month program by honoring a student who has demonstrated service in school or the community. If you would like to nominate a student, you may do so by completing this form.

National Honor Society students are now offering tutoring help for any high school students looking for help in science and/or writing. We will be offering tutoring both during advisement and after school on certain days.

All tutoring will be held in room 131. Students can use this Google form to sign up. It is not necessary to sign up, but it will help to ensure we have the right students and enough students available to help.

Absences need to be reported to the school health office by the parent/guardian of the student. This may be done so online by completing this form.

If your student will miss an extended period of time during the school year, please make sure they complete this Extended Student Absences Work Request form. This form should be completed a minimum of 2 weeks in advance if it is a planned absence. Students who have an excused absence will have one day for each day absent to make up work. Students who have an unexcused absence will have no additional time to complete work. Please note that family vacations are considered unexcused absences.

Substitute Teachers - We are always looking for people to help cover teachers when they are out. This can be a great opportunity for someone trying to break into the field of education. If you or someone you know might be interested please apply here.

Dollars for Scholars is looking for volunteers to help support this great scholarship program available to our students. If you are interested in helping them out, please contact them at gdfscholars@gananda.org.

6/11

• 7, Athletic Awards Ceremony

6/13

• Moving Up Day

6/14

• Flag Day

6/14-6/25

• Finals and Regents

6/17

• Eid al-Adha Observed - No exams

6/18

• 7, Senior Sunset

6/19

• Juneteenth - BUILDINGS CLOSED

6/26

• Graduation Rehearsal

• Darien Lake Trip for Seniors

6/29

• 10, Graduation

Respectfully,

Dr. Christopher J. Whipple

Principal

(315) 986-3521 ext. 3154

cwhipple@gananda.org

Ms. Mairi Greibus

Assistant Principal

(315) 986-3521 ext. 3154

mgreibus@gananda.org