West Genesee School District

Dear West Genesee Families,

There is a reshaping of schools that occurs each year with new students and staff, changing roles, moving forward to the next grade level, and for some, traveling to a new building! Of course, that is preceded by the planning of schedules, assignments, programs, routes, and events, to name a few. We face the daunting task of filling vacancies left by our recent retirees, the onboarding of new staff, and professional development that is part of a culture of continuous improvement.

Summer provides the opportunity for cleaning, maintenance, and care to keep operations and facilities at the highest quality for our student scholars. A typical visual of this is seeing furniture and equipment relocated to neutral spaces in creative ways. This provides the chance to attend to classrooms and equipment of all kinds in a way that invigorates and freshens for the inevitable next start. Thank you to our custodial, maintenance, mechanics, technology, and buildings and grounds staff for their hard work… often in extreme temperatures or circumstances.

Please note our upcoming Job Fair on August 7, 2024 from 3:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. in the high school library. We are looking for those interested in joining the Wildcat Team in many areas including teaching assistants, food services workers, custodians, maintenance with HVAC experience, bus drivers, and bus attendants.

As we approach mid-summer, be sure to see the accolades and important dates included in this E-Newsletter. Each day we are another step to readiness for the next chapter. For now, continue to enjoy a different pace or experiences that accompany July and August.

Sincerely,

David C. Bills, Superintendent of Schools

Congratulations to the West Genesee students who received perfect scores on their Regents examinations in June!

Click here for the list of students which also includes students with perfect results for World Languages Examinations.

Thirty-nine WGHS students had a total of forty-six perfect scores on their Advanced Placement examinations in May. (Note: There may be a couple of student scores that may not be reported until August.) Congratulations!

Click here to read the list of recipients.

Sixty students and recent graduates of West Genesee High School have been named Advanced Placement Scholars by The College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations.

Several levels of achievement are recognized based on the number of year-long courses and examinations (or their equivalent semester-long courses and examinations).

Click here to read the list of recipients.

On July 17, 2024 nearly 100 West Genesee teachers and paraprofessionals gathered for our first-ever Summer Professional Learning Summit. This year's event was a testament to our educators' passion and expertise, featuring an impressive array of 30 teacher-led sessions in an innovative EdCamp format.

Participants had the opportunity to explore a diverse range of topics crucial to modern education, including:

• Collaborative teaching strategies

• Cutting-edge literacy instruction

• Gamification techniques to boost student engagement

• Tailored differentiation approaches for inclusive classrooms

• The role of artificial intelligence in education

• Implementing EduProtocols for enhanced learning

• Supporting English Language Learners

• Fostering students' social-emotional and executive functioning skills

• Creating culturally-responsive learning environments

• And so much more!

This summit exemplifies our District's unwavering commitment to fostering a collaborative culture of continuous improvement. By tapping into the wealth of knowledge within our own staff, we're ensuring that our educators are at the forefront of educational best practices, ultimately benefiting every student in our care.

The enthusiasm and dedication displayed at this event underscore the exceptional quality of our faculty and staff and their relentless pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning.

Congratulations to WG Hockey Coach Frank Colabufo for being inducted into the NYS Hockey Hall of Fame on July 14, 2024!

Here are some of Coach Colabufo’s achievements:

• He has been the head hockey coach at West Genesee since the 1994-1995 season and has a career record of 512 wins, 170 losses and 45 ties as of July 2024.
• His teams have won 14 League titles and 14 Section III Championships.
• They also appeared in the Frozen Four nine times and played in seven New York State Championship games, winning the title in 2001, 2010 and 2023.
• Frank Colabufo has earned Coach of the Year honors seven times.
• He was inducted into the Town of Camillus/West Genesee Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
• He was inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame in 2024.

As we launch the ParentSquare Communications system over the month of August, please be on the lookout for more information to your email, text, and eventually to the ParentSquare mobile app!

Over the next few weeks, you will:

• Receive an electronic invitation to download the ParentSquare app to your phone and to activate your account. (You will also be able to access this information from your personal computer.)
• Review your contact information, and you may be asked to verify your information. Please feel free to make corrections as we will be notified and will update our Student Management System (Schooltool). After we update the the Student Management System (Schooltool) the correction will show in your account. If you have any questions, please contact centralregistrar@westgenesee.org
• Receive intermittent posts and information with tips on the use of ParentSquare.
• Receive a hard copy instructional page in the mid-August mailing that will come home from your home schools.

The ParentSquare application is used throughout the region in many school districts. We believe this will offer authentic communication capabilities within our school community with features that include: two-way translatable messaging; direct messaging with staff; sign-up forms for events (like field trips, parent conferences, etc.); and submittal of attendance notes directly via the app.

Note: Parents who work in other school districts that use the ParentSquare format will have the ability to combine accounts, if desired, for professional use and as a parent.

*Due to the timing of establishing accounts for students after the start of the fall athletic season, fall coaches may continue with other formats during the fall season.

Please accept our continued thanks for your partnership with strong communication and relationships.

For information about registering your student, go to the Registration Section of the website by clicking here. If you are not sure which school your child should attend, contact the Central Registration at 315-487-4683.

When registering, parents need to send proof of immunizations, proof of age, and proof of residency. These document copies can be sent electronically sent in or dropped off at the District Office front door.

A physical examination is also required and a dental certificate is requested for entry into kindergarten. These examinations should be done up to one year prior to the first day of school. Children who enter kindergarten this fall must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2024. Immunization requirements are located on the website by clicking here.

Central Registration is operating from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the summer, please feel free to contact their office if you need any assistance. Please use the link on the Central Registration website to register. Call our office at 315-487-4683 if you have any questions.

Information to register for fall sports is now available. Here is what you need to know:

The Athletics Department offers the convenience of online registration for athletic sports sign up and clearance through Family ID.

• V/JV Football Registration Opened - 7/19/24; Practices start - Monday, 8/19/24
• All other V/JV Fall Sports - Registration Opens - 7/26/24; Practices start - Monday, 8/26/24
• Modified 7/8/9 Fall Sports - Registration Opens - 7/28/24; Practices start- Wednesday, 8/28/24

A parent/guardian can register by clicking on this link: https://students.arbitersports.com/organizations/west-genesee-central-school-district

Sign-ups on ArbiterSports are 30 days prior to the start date.

Many students enjoy breakfast and lunch at school on a regular basis. It is understandable when families find it challenging to provide those meals during school vacations. Please note the following free lunch and food pantry information.

Food pantries partner with the Food Bank of CNY to provide low cost, nutritious food to those in need. The following is a list of food pantries and services available in our community to assist families. To find your appropriate food pantry location and to sign up, contact the Interreligious Food Consortium (IRC) weekdays at 315-474-8855 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Their website is: http://www.ifccny.org/.

How to keep students connected to learning during the summer break is always a question that is asked. Summer is, indeed, a time for relaxation and rejuvenation, especially since Central NY is not typically granted a lengthy amount of time of warm weather. There are so many ways, however, that parents and caregivers can provide learning opportunities for their children during this time. Here are some resources that might be of interest:

• Camillus Parks & Recreation offer a number of programs that students can sign up for, ranging from reading programs to athletic activities to coding and chess and art and so much more. The department also sponsors a number of concerts each summer where students can be exposed to musicians in the community and different genres of music.

• Read together and participate in the Maxwell Public Library’s Summer Reading Program. This year’s theme is Adventure Begins at Your Library!

• The Fairmount Community Library also has a calendar full of different events, including puzzles, Zoo to You, family game nights, and more, easily supporting social skills and critical thinking, depending on the game and/or puzzle!

• Challenge your child’s math skills by using BedtimeMath.org (or their free app). Short vignettes make it easy to create a storyline for your child to fall asleep to visions of numbers dancing in their heads! The story ends with four levels of questions designed for different ages and skill levels that ask students to use the story and numbers to solve a problem. Choose your story based on age range or skill focus!

• Try one of our very own West Genesee CSD summer programs in the Fine Arts, Robotics, Science, or Reading/Math. More information is available in your child’s buildings.

Truly, any activity that engages your child with other children, or asks them to be physically, cognitively, or artistically challenged is going to keep them connected to learning over the summer. Please enjoy the warm weather, the beautiful landscape of CNY, and some relaxing time together. We look forward to welcoming you all back for the 2024-2025 school year in a couple of short months.

Previously shared by: Stacey Eger-Converse, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction

Ways to support our youth with social media:

1) Speak to your children about reporting any concerning posts or suspicious activities on social media to a trusted adult. It is important that children understand they will not be punished for reporting a post and that we will protect their anonymity as we investigate the concern. It is also important for students to refrain from sharing or otherwise passing along inappropriate posts, as it contributes to a violation of the WGCSD Code of Conduct.

2) Explain how TIP411 works to your children. Tip411 is an anonymous communication tool that allows students to report serious concerns to schools. Tip411 will provide an option for those students who may not have a trusted adult to relay their concerns. (Note: At times, there may be follow-up questions. Because of the anonymity, it is important to check back to the original TIP411 report.)

3) Encourage your children to seek the truth regarding information online and reporting questionable posts to trusted adults rather than sharing misinformation that causes more confusion than clarity.

4) Speak with your children about school shootings and other tragic events and the fear we all feel as we navigate this unfortunate reality of online threats. Having an open dialogue about school safety is important, especially when threats occur. Here is a link from Child Mind Institute that can help guide that sometimes difficult conversation: How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings | Child Mind Institute.

5) Please relay any social media threats to school administrators so we can begin our investigation and involve the police, if necessary. We take each threat seriously and have a protocol to address each incident. As information becomes available, the District will provide updates to parents.

Previously shared by: David C. Bills, Superintendent of Schools

• WGIS Summer Reading Lists for students going into Grades 5-6
  
• CMS Summer Reading Lists for students going into Grades 7-8
• WGHS Summer Reading lists for students going into Grades 9-11 Enriched Classes

These lists are also available from the School Links section from each school's homepage and from the school library homepages.

The District Calendar for the 2024-2025 school year was approved by the Board of Education at their meeting on March 6, 2024 and was revised in July to reflect a change for Regents Examinations from June 4, 2025 to June 11, 2025 (per NYS Education Department.)

The calendar is now available on the website or directly by clicking on the link below..

Did You Know? School Supply Lists for 2024-2025 are available on the website by clicking below..

They are also available from each School's homepage in School Links.

For 15 years, West Genesee PTA/PTO District Council has been collecting and providing school supplies to students in need. Parents/Guardians can register their students to receive supplies by clicking this link. (The forms must be completed by August 20, 2024.)

If you have questions about our program, contact us at wgschoolsupplies@gmail.com.

Come Join Us!!! West Genesee CSD is hosting an in-person Job Fair on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 from 3:00-7:00 p.m. in the West Genesee High School Library. We are looking to fill the following open positions (Please enter through Door #1, the Library entrance.):

• Teaching Assistants
• Custodial Workers
• Maintenance Workers (HVAC experience required)
• Bus Drivers and Attendants
• Bus Mechanics
• Food Service Workers
• Non-Instructional Substitutes

Please be prepared to complete an application and be ready for on-the-spot interviewing. Questions, please call 315-487-4555.

We are looking for a Maintenance Worker I to undertake the responsibility to preserve the good condition and functionality of our premises.

Inquiries can be made to Buildings and Grounds at (315) 487-4630.

West Genesee CSD is hiring full-time custodians on all shifts and substitute custodians for the 2nd shift.

Inquiries can be made to Buildings and Grounds at (315) 487-4630.

• July 31, 2024 BOE Meeting-6:00 p.m.- Camillus Middle School Cafeteria
• August 14, 2024 BOE Meeting-6:00 p.m.-West Genesee High School Library
• August 28, 2024 BOE Meeting-6:00 p.m. -West Genesee High School Library
• August 28, 2024 BOE Public Hearing-District Safety Plan-6:00 p.m. -West Genesee High School Library