A Note from Dr. Whipple
October 14, 2023
Homecoming!
Check out all the action from Homecoming below. We also started an Instagram account for the HS. Give us a follow @ganandarachs.
Spring Musical Announced!
5 Week Interim Reports & Ineligibility List
The first 5 week interim reporting period ended on 10/6 and can be accessed on Schoology. Students who are failing one or more subjects will be considered ineligible to participate in athletics, drama and school clubs for a minimum of one week after report cards or progress reports are published. During this period in which a student is ineligible, they may practice but are ineligible for games or performances. Once report cards or progress reports are published, students have a minimum one-week ineligibility to make-up all work and get their average to a passing grade before the first opportunity to be reinstated. After the initial one-week ineligibility, a student may get removed from the list by completing the “Ineligibility Sign-Off Google Form” from the Counseling Office secretary.
PSATs for Juniors - 10/12
The PSAT will be taking place for Juniors that signed up on Thursday from 7:30-11:30am in the Auditorium.
The PSAT is now digital, requiring students to take it on their school issued Chromebook. Juniors that are taking the exam will be turning in their Chromebook and charger to the Counseling Office on Wednesday at dismissal to make sure they are fully charged for the exam. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Kelleher (kkelleher@gananda.org) or Mrs. Bertram (cbertram@gananda.org) at (315) 986-3521, ext: 3172.
Lockdown Drill - RESCHEDULED TO 10/23
Please be advised that we will be conducting our second Lockdown Drill on 10/23. Law Enforcement will be on site to assist with the drill.
Social Emotional Learning Survey - 10/13
On Friday and next Monday, students will be participating in a district wide survey on social emotional skills and well-being during their English classes. The survey should take approximately 15 minutes and will ask questions in five areas: Grit, Growth Mindset, Self-Management, Social Awareness and Emotion Regulation. Responses from this survey will help inform us of the type of supports and interventions we need to prioritize for the school. If you have any questions please reach out to Sue Thoen at Sthoen@gananda.org or by calling 315-986-3521 ext. 1702.
Online School Store Open!
The online school store will be open this week and will close on 10/16. You can access it here.
Financial Aid Night 2023 - 10/17
The Gananda High School Counseling Office is pleased to host our annual Financial Aid Presentation on October 17, 2023 at 6:30 PM in the High School Library. We will be hosting Cindy Cockhern, Financial Aid Counselor from Finger Lakes Community College, to discuss a variety of financial aid topics, including the FAFSA, scholarships, grants, loans and more!
We highly encourage parents and guardians to bring their student(s) with them to this session so that they are informed and aware of the costs associated with higher education as well as the programs available to them through financial aid. This session is open to all high school families.
Senior Yearbook Photo Information
#GanandaPROUD
Check out this Android app that 9th grader Brody Oleksyn created all on his own. It creates a widget on your phone that tells you the letter day and the options for lunch. Nice job Brody!
Exploring Program - Alasa Farms Opportunity
Alasa Farms - Cracker Box Palace in North Rose -- open to ages 14-20.
The program with Alasa Farms will encompass agriculture, large animal care and some veterinary exposure, conservation, and non-profit/ business operation tasks. If you love working with animals and with the land, this could be for you!
Joining / Information Night is October 19th, 5:30-7pm at 6450 Shaker Rd, North Rose. Refreshments will be served! Questions? Contact casey.west@scouting.org.
EXPLORING provides exciting activities and one-on-one mentorship for high school aged students to discover their future by having them “try a career on for size!”
Young people ages 14-20 can explore their career interests in a hands-on real-world environment with professionals in that field. There are Explorer Posts for areas in
- advanced manufacturing
- aviation
- cosmetology
- culinary
- engineering
- firematics/EMS
- health care
- law enforcement/legal
- military
- skilled trades
- sports management
- veterinary, and many more!
Mrs. Marang is our EXPLORERS contact and can help you research options and complete an application! Find out about upcoming Open Houses and events this Fall HERE.
SUNY Free Application Week
Beginning Monday, October 16th, and ending Sunday, October 29th, students can apply to up to five SUNY campuses with no application fee. A savings of up to $300! This includes all campuses, no matter which application vehicle the student uses. Details are available here: www.suny.edu/apply or through the Common App.
Please remember that students can submit their application during this time, but supplemental materials such as transcripts and letters of recommendation can be submitted after Free Application Week.
A full list of programming can be found at www.suny.edu/studentevents.
Town of Walworth Volunteer Opportunities
The Town of Walworth is looking for volunteers for the Harvest Moon Festival to help on the pumpkin walk trail and maybe some odd jobs. The date is October 14th, 4:00-7:00 pm.
They are also looking for volunteers for their Altitude Trip on the October 27th (our Half-Day). It will be from dismissal to 4:00 pm.
If interested in either of these opportunities please reach out to Amelia DeVolder at adevolder@townofwalworthny.gov
They are also looking for volunteers to help with their Hometown Heroes Veteran's Day Commemorative Ceremony. Specifically they need volunteers for the following tasks:
- Leading the Pledge of Allegiance
- Singing the National Anthem
- Playing the TAPS
- Serving beverages & cake to guests
- Setting up the event (chairs, tables, sound equipment, etc.)
- Cleaning up (end of the evening: chairs, tables, sound equipment, etc.)
- Photographing or Videotaping the event
If interested, please contact Christine Kubida (hthwalworth@gmail.com) or Mike Kunzer (HTHwalworth.Kunzer@gmail.com).
The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Application
The New York State TAP Application will open on November 1, 2023, for the 2024-25 academic year. Students do not need to wait for the FAFSA release in December to apply for TAP. Students who will be attending college in the Fall of 2024 can jumpstart the NYS financial aid process by visiting www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/apply-for-financial-aid/nys-tap.html for more information or on November 1 to complete the application.
Building the Pipeline for Women in Engineering and Medicine
The Perry Virtual Experience is a free, 2.5-hour, interactive online experience for high school and college-aged students who gender-identify as female or nonbinary and are interested in pursuing careers in orthopedic surgery and engineering. Participants will hear from women leaders in these fields and dive into online orthopedic simulations and biomechanics experiments. Additional information can be found on our website: https://perryinitiative.org/pve/
Women in high school and college who have an interest in science, medicine and/or engineering are now invited to register for a session of the Perry Virtual Experience. Students should fill out the online registration for one session that best fits their schedule. Most sessions are available to participants in any location, but some sessions are for a focused geographic area.
The upcoming program dates are:
November 4th, 2023 @ 10:00am-12:30pm EDT
November 27th, 2023 @ 6:00pm-8:30pm EDT
Details for each session can be found at: https://perryinitiative.org/calendar/
Please feel free to contact us directly with any questions you may have.
FLCC Admissions Coming to Gananda
FLCC Admissions will be here at Gananda on Wednesday, November 11th at 8am to help make the enrollment process as easy as possible for you! Interested students will be guided through completing the application and will receive an Instant Acceptance to FLCC for the Fall of 2024! The application is ALWAYS free to FLCC!
The Admissions rep will also help you with next steps and important deadlines, and connect you to additional resources: Financial aid opportunities, FAFSA assistance, Scholarships, Net cost of attendance, etc.
WHAT you need to bring: you'll need your laptop/Chromebook to do the online application, and you'll need to have your social security number as part of your personal information.
If you are interested, please stop in the Counseling Office or send a message to Mrs. Richards drichards@gananda.org for a pre-signed pass for you to attend this event!
Here are some other opportunities coming up at FLCC as well:
- Nursing Exploration Day: Monday October 9
- Fall Open House: Saturday November 4
- Veteran’s Day Visit: Friday November 10
Details and registration information at www.flcc.edu/visit/
Yearbook Photo Submissions Welcome!
Student ID Scanning on Buses
Please remind your student that they need to have their ID card with them to scan when boarding the school bus. This is for safety reasons by helping to ensure people are on the correct bus and so that in case of an emergency we have an accurate account of who is present.
In addition to their ID card, students may obtain a barcode on their phone to use for scanning. Instructions on how to obtain the code are posted on each bus or can be found here.
Reporting Absences & Extended Student Absences Work Request
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.
HELP WANTED!
Part-Time HS Counseling Office Secretary - The Gananda CSD is seeking clerical support for the Ruben A. Cirillo High School Guidance Office and Athletic Director. This is a job share position working 5-days per week, 3.75 hours in the afternoons - if interested please apply here.
Desktop Installation Helper - The Gananda CSD is seeking a 1.0 FTE provisional Desktop Installation Helper. Four to eight students will be completing Dell certified repairs to Dell devices. This person will need to supervise students, track time spent on repairs and complete paperwork for submission to Dell for reimbursement. They will also serve as the first point of contact for students and staff that are having issues with various technology: computers, interactive flat panels, Wi-Fi connections, password resets, projectors. Will escalate to the Technology Department when not able to resolve the issue. Asset tracking: provide and track student loaned computers, headphones and other technology devices using spreadsheets or word processing. If you or someone you know might be interested please apply here.
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.
Important Upcoming Dates
9/15-10/15 - Hispanic Heritage Month
10/9 - Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day (No School)
- Nursing Exploration Day at FLCC, register here
10/11, 5:45pm - Girls Soccer Senior Night vs. Marion
10/12, 7:30am, HS Auditorium - PSAT (Juniors)
10/17, 6:30-8:30pm, HS Library - Financial Aid Night
10/18, 5:15pm - Girls Volleyball Senior Night vs. Clyde-Savannah
10/19, 6:15pm - Football Senior Night vs. Haverling (@East Rochester)
10/20 - Blood Drive
10/20 - Senior Yearbook Submission Deadline
- Senior pictures, baby pictures, bios, wills, quotes due! Any questions see Mrs. Zebulske (rzebulske@gananda.org)
10/23-10/27 - Red Ribbon Week
10/25 - Retake Photo and Group/Club Photo Day
- Picture retake day is October 25th - to order pictures, go to inter-state.com/order. For further questions contact their office at 585-310-7781.
Group and club photos will also be taken on October 25th.
11/1-11/30 - American Indian Heritage Month
11/4 - FLCC Fall Open House
- Register here
11/10 - Veteran's Day (observed - no school)
12/31 - Senior Send-Offs for Yearbook Deadline
- Any questions see Mrs. Zebulske (rzebulske@gananda.org)
Hope everyone enjoyed the nice long weekend. Lots of college info sessions coming up and senior nights and sectional playoffs for our fall athletes as well.
Respectfully,
Dr. Christopher J. Whipple
Principal
(315) 986-3521 ext. 3154
Ms. Mairi Greibus
Assistant Principal
(315) 986-3521 ext. 3154