schools

Press Release:

At the recent meeting of Genesee County Pomona Grange, FFA Chapter advisors and officers from area schools in Genesee County were present. Each presented the program offered in their respective school district.

Jeff Parnapy teaches Agriculture and Home Economics at Byron-Bergen. Forty-five students are members of the High School FFA Chapter. Many of the students will be competing at the upcoming National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN late October. 

The Ag Mechanics Team placed first in NYS, the Poultry Evaluation Team placed second in NYS and sixth place at the Big E, the Horticulture/Vegetable ID Team placed first in NYS, and Taylor Lundfelt placed sixth in the Individual category. Byron-Bergen will be well represented at the National competition. The Columbus Day Apple Cider Sale, the Spring Strawberry Sale, and the Career Speaking Contest are annual events at Byron-Bergen. 

Tracey Dahlhaus is in her sixth year at Elba teaching Agriculture to Middle & HS students. Fifty students belong to the FFA chapter. Elementary Ag classes are taught by the STEM teacher. Two years ago, Elba’s Dairy Judging Team competed at National. This year Maggie Winspear will compete in the National Prepared Speech competition as the NYS first place winner. Her topic was researched and her speech on “Reintroducing Whole Milk into the School Lunch Program” was presented to those present. Elba students participate in the Ag Explore Program each year. Bing Zuber and Maggie Winspear represented the Elba chapter. 

Todd Hofheins, Agriculture teacher and FFA Oakfield-Alabama advisor attended with students, Eli Williams & Amora Mabon to talk about their program. A very busy chapter at Oakfield-Alabama has seen its membership double to 100 students. There is a barn on the school property that houses steers and pigs, cared for by the students. Last year, 1,200 students attended Glow with Your
Hands to see O-A students present the NYS Maple Program. This past summer, the Welding Contest was held at the Genesee County Fair under the leadership of Todd Hofheins and his Oakfield-Alabama chapter. A second Agriculture teacher has joined Oakfield-Alabama this year, teaching Grades 6-8.

Pavilion FFA will share its program on November 4 at its monthly Board of Education meeting. Kylie DeBerardinis is the Pavilion FFA advisor. 

Each of the chapters received a $600 check from Genesee County Pomona Grange to further their program. We are certainly PROUD of these FUTURE FARMERS and wish them well at the 2024 National FFA Convention.

If interested in joining FFA, contact your school advisor or officers. If interested in joining the Grange, contact Joan Phelps at 585-762-8503.

Students from school districts in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties engage with employers throughout the event, exploring careers that could unveil new opportunities they may not have previously considered.

Over 70 businesses provided hands-on activities and simulations in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, skilled trades sectors as well as the various branches of the military. Students learned about career opportunities in their own backyard that offer good-paying opportunities immediately after high school graduation, as well as accelerated training programs available in the region.

 “We have seen GLOW With Your Hands participants grow into successful professionals, and businesses that participate in our manufacturing and healthcare event grow their next generation. Having over 1,000 students and a record number of employers at our event reaffirms that there is a significant need for these connections and a significant benefit created at our events,” added GLOW With Your Hands, Co-Chair Karyn Winters.

Led by Platinum Sponsors LandPro Equipment, National Grid, and newcomer Davis-Fetch, many businesses have participated in every GLOW With Your Hands since 2019, including representatives of the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food and beverage manufacturing, and construction trades.

Davis-Fetch specializes in commercial building construction services focusing on building interior spaces, walls, ceilings, and acoustical wall panels. This is the company’s inaugural GLOW With Your Hands event featuring a hands-on demonstration of installing drywall screws and using a drywall zip tool around electrical boxes. Davis-Fetch used this as an opportunity to engage with the next generation of workforce candidates in the GLOW region.

“Rather than setting up a booth and speaking with students, we were able to interact with the next generation of workforce candidates with a hands-on approach that was educational and informative of our work, " said Davis-Fetch President Frank Kittlinger. “After witnessing the engagement of over a thousand students today, we look forward to being a part of GLOW With Your Hands annually.”

After launching in 2019 with 800 students, GLOW With Your Hands has grown into the premier workforce development program in the region. Including GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare, a hands-on medical careers program held annually in March, more than 5,000 students have participated in GLOW With Your Hands events since 2019.

“Our goal is to provide local youth with family-sustaining career opportunities that lead to fulfilling lifestyles and positively impact local communities,” said GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair Angela Grouse. “By getting hands-on and informational experiences, our students are taking the first step toward that goal.”

 Albion High School Senior Joseph Schoberlein said he was not aware of many of the careers present at GLOW With Your Hands before today and came away with an understanding of what opportunities are available to him after graduation this upcoming spring.

 “There are a number of jobs you learn about at GLOW With Your Hands that you do not experience in a traditional classroom setting, a lot of these careers do not require a college degree. I can enter the workforce immediately out of high school with a good-paying job without taking the college route,” stated Schoberlien.

Press Release:

Manufacturing is coming back to the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, September 24. Since its inception in 2019, the program has welcomed over 5,000 students. This year’s event features over 1,000 students from 30 school districts across the GLOW region arriving at the fairgrounds for the day-long career exploration event.

Over 70 businesses will provide hands-on activities and simulations in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food production, skilled trades sectors as well as the various branches of the military. Students will have the opportunity to learn about career opportunities in their own backyard that offer good-paying opportunities immediately after high school graduation.

“Collaboration between educators, workforce experts, and local companies have created a workforce development blueprint that is connecting our students to in-demand careers right here in the GLOW Region,” said Karyn Winters, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair. “The thousands of students that have experienced GLOW With Your Hands leave with a profound understanding of the opportunities and pathways available to good-paying, hands-on careers.”

Platinum Sponsors LandPro Equipment, National Grid, and Rochester Davis-Fetch lead dozens of event supporters bringing hands-on experiences students look forward to participating in annually.

Among the new companies attending for the first time include Lakeland Concrete Products, a construction company based in Lima, IK Systems, a leading supplier of integrated surveillance & security systems out of Victor, and Zoldaz, a trucking contractor in Alden. 

“Various groups and organizations are working collaboratively to help alleviate workforce shortages in the GLOW region, which is a national phenomenon,” said Angela Grouse, GLOW With Your Hands Co-Chair. “Private sector investment by companies across the region continues to flourish resulting in a strong demand by employers to fill jobs as a result of this growth.”

For more information about GLOW With Your Hands, visit glowwithyourhands.com.

You might call it an open house -- those timeless school events that bring parents to the school to meet their children's teachers.

But in Pavilion, folks call it the Gopher Gathering.

On Thursday, Pavilion High School held its 5th annual Gopher Gathering.

The event is a chance for the school community to come together to enjoy good food, live music, and games and also learn about academic opportunities available at the school.

Besides learning about classes they might have overlooked, it's a chance for students and parents to learn about campus activities, including clubs students might join.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Gov. Kathy Hochul visited East Syracuse Minoa Central School Thursday, and she discussed various school-related issues, including her potential ban on cell phones in the classroom. School districts, students and parents have asked for this, she says, and "we just have to work out a lot of the mechanics of how this will happen."

A partial transcript of the session was shared with The Batavian by Hochul’s office.  

Hochul shared that she was excited about an upcoming state teachers’ union summit later this month. At this summit, she will bring together all of the stakeholders—teachers, administrators, and superintendents—to discuss how to “operationalize a statewide policy” for a phone ban in schools.

“And there's a lot of lessons to be learned from what other schools have already done across the country, but even here in the state of New York. Schoharie, as well, is one example, just outside of Albany. We listened to them in one of our first sessions. And some schools are purchasing the bags that are magnetic and concealed at the beginning part of the day and unlock them at the end of the day,” Hochul said. “There are other schools that are just saying don't bring them to school at all. I'm learning more about what policies are there — but in order to be a policy for the state, we would have to wait until the legislative session and to enact it there.”

A reporter asked if the law would be voted on through a budget or legislative session. 

“I would like to move faster. It could be budget, but it even could be before the budget. If there is sufficient interest, they can pass bills, and I can sign them very early in the session — that's also a possibility,” she said.  “We'll see what other areas we have to find common ground in if there are any obstacles. I'm working on that now already, so I would like to start off early. But the other thing that's important is to start the engagement with parents very early. So I would say, especially after this summit on the 20th, we'll be announcing where we're likely to go.”

Hochul emphasized that school districts should begin hosting parent forums now to allow conversations with other districts that have already implemented bans. This would allow them to share their concerns before taking action and how they overcame them. 

“But also law enforcement. We need to invite law enforcement in to talk to parents and school districts about how, in their best judgment, if there is a crisis that unfolds in the school — you want these students to be focused 100% on the adult in the room who's going to lead them to safety,” she said.  “Going on your cell phone, texting friends, capturing video — this could all put them in harm's way. And that's a strong message that I heard as I did these roundtables, and I want to make sure every parent hears and understands. There's still a process involved, but I feel even more committed than I did at the beginning of this process. After all the stories I've heard from frustrated teachers, anxious parents — and teenagers who are asking us to help save them from themselves.” 

Hochul was asked if she wanted an outright ban on phones. She said her answer is in the listening tour with school districts that began earlier this year. 

“That's what we're looking to — that's part of our listening process. I have personally received enough information for me to believe that we're going to need a ban. School districts have asked for this. Students have asked for this. Parents have asked for this. And we just have to work out a lot of the mechanics of how this will happen — this will take the pressure off of individual school districts,” she said. “I have heard from many superintendents who say, ‘This is hard, it's a lot for us to handle in light of our responsibilities.’ And asking the state to come up with a policy with their engagement that'll be effective. 

“So that's the path we're looking at. But I also have a lot of stakeholders, and I have to work with the Legislature,” she said. “So, we will get to a point where I can announce with finality what we're going for, I still wanted to continue hearing more voices.” 

For the record, Gov. Hochul, there are five voices in Genesee County stating that they don’t want a ban on cell phones in their school districts, primarily because a ban doesn’t offer teachable moments and provide lessons for responsibility for cell phone use. That was the consensus according to superintendents’ responses to questions from The Batavian. 

My earliest memories began at East School on Main Street, Batavia. It was kindergarten, and I only remember it had a wooden playhouse in the classroom.

We had rest time on the floor every day, and it was a half-day session. 

I began school at the new John Kennedy School on Vine Street in 1955 in first grade. I attended John Kennedy School until third grade. I still remember the song “This Is Our School, John Kennedy, the Colors Gold and Blue.”   John Kennedy’s new school was in our back yard, so we could walk through the field and get to school.  My youngest brother, John, remembered that route because he decided to walk home on his first day in kindergarten. I can’t imagine his teacher looking for him!

The following school I attended was St. Joseph’s Catholic School. I entered there in fourth grade. That was the year I met my best friend, Cathy. 

We all have so many memories of the nuns in the Catholic school. My memories are no different. The one thing I remember coming from a family of six was that it was hard to follow my brother Sam; we were nothing alike, and the nuns couldn’t wait to emphasize that. I remember my teacher telling me to stop talking; evidently, I didn’t, so she made me stand in the back of the room in a small corner. I was on the side of the school that faced a group of trees. I was fine. I watched a bird build a nest on one of the branches; it was much more interesting than what Sister Kathleen was teaching. When the principal entered the room, we all had to stand up and say good morning, Sister Mary Evangelist!

I also know that the year "Ben Casey" and "Dr. Kildare" were popular television shows.  Sister Mary Pius was not happy with me again.  I had a picture of Ben Casey taped to the inside of my desk. When I opened my desk, his picture was in my face. Unfortunately, Sister saw me looking at the picture and slammed my desktop down. My best friend liked  Dr. Kildare but was smart enough not to flaunt his picture. I can honestly say that there were times you feared the wrath of your teacher.

Does anyone remember what we were told about wearing patent leather shoes? 

One year, Sister Estelle asked me to come to the front of the room. She told the class to look at my uniform. I was wearing some of my lunch! It was a little embarrassing. I told my husband about this, and he burst out laughing because whenever we went out to eat, and I had spaghetti sauce, I would always come home wearing it.

Another thing I remember is that my youngest sister had a problem staying in her seat, so to help her remember, the nun tied her to her chair. I remember my father saying if you have a problem with my child, you have my permission to discipline them. He also stated that when we got home, he would discipline us. This time was different; he contacted her teacher and said not to tie his child to a chair. What if there was a fire? She was never tied to her chair again, but I can’t guarantee she did not continue to get out of her seat. 

You can’t forget the mission babies. The Sisters would ask us if we had any lunch money change we could donate to the missions. We could pick a name when we had earned enough money to help a mission baby. I was so excited the day they named the mission baby Anne. 

The next chapter of my education was at Notre Dame High School. Again, I was compared to my brother, an excellent student. I do know my conduct mark was always lower than his 99%. The day I wanted to see if I could fit into a locker in our locker room was funny. I could, but Sister Edward Ann, Dean of Students, stood there when the locker door opened. She did not think that was funny. 

You can’t forget the beautiful navy blue uniform, long-sleeved white blouse, and the bolero! They were so attractive, especially to someone who weighed barely 100 pounds. 

I went on to college and graduated in 1972 with a BS in Education. I was a teacher, and my first job was at Wolcott Street School in Le Roy. I loved my time there as a third grade teacher. I knew what kind of teacher I wanted to be. The most important thing I knew I would do was to create an atmosphere where children felt safe and respected, and I would provide them with an atmosphere for learning and always knowing they were loved. 

This is my disclaimer for my early years: I’m 74, so my memories might be fuzzy. 

Batavia City Schools, like other school districts in Genesee County, opened its doors on Thursday morning for the first time of the 2024-25 academic year.

At Batavia Middle School, Superintendent Jason Smith was on hand to welcome students back to classes.

"The opening of school is always a special day for our students, families and staff," Smith said. "There is always a high degree of excitement and optimism with the start of a new school year, and we love having our halls and classrooms filled with the sounds of children, be they three years old or 18 years old, and all ages in between.  Welcome back, Blue Devils!"

With a parent and siblings who attended Batavia Notre Dame High School, Julia Rogers’ story may sound strangely familiar to that of fellow colleague and newly promoted principal Lindsay Warner.

But then again, there are likely many stories of local residents with family members past and present connected to the only Genesee County-based Catholic institution for students through grade 12. 

Nonetheless, it’s a tradition that Rogers cherishes, especially since her mother, Sheila Tehan Rogers, was a graduate of the very first Class of 1955, and her dad, the late Bradley Rogers, coached for the Fighting Irish in Batavia.

“It’s very powerful,” Rogers said of her new role as director of instruction, curriculum and assessment. “I’m definitely following in their footsteps. It’s like coming home.”

A native of Batavia, Rogers opted to attend public schools while some of her six siblings went to Notre Dame. She wanted to teach languages — Spanish and French especially — and Batavia City Schools offered both of those classes. 

As it turns out, the city school district drew Rogers in, for a 31-year career that included teaching and administrative roles and also included coordinating initiatives with community organizations, families and students. Then Notre Dame’s board opted to create a brand new position at the school, and it seemed ripe for her career path, Rogers said.

“It came along at the perfect time for what I wanted,” she said. “I worked in curriculum office as the coordinator of instruction and assessment prior to COVID. I will be assisting staff and teachers in building their instruction. I will be more of a teammate assisting the teachers with instruction and brainstorming ideas and opportunities for learning and crafting their art of teaching.”

She will be in charge of assessments, from Regents and SATs and PSATs, and working on local assessment that teachers will be giving to students and working with various grants.

Even as a child, Rogers wanted into the academic scene. As the oldest of seven siblings, she and her family members would play school, and later she discovered the thrill of real life learning in progress.

“It's seeing the light bulb turn on for children when they get something, it is the most amazing sight that you could see as a teacher and as an educator. There's no words for it,” she said. “It's like a Christmas morning. It's that look that a student gets, a child gets, when they've learned something new and they have that sense of accomplishment, it’s like no other, and that's truly why I do what I do.

“This just takes it to another level, where it’s a cabinet role,” she said. “It’s a different impact that you can have.”

Will there be a learning curve between public and private schools?

“I definitely think there will be,” she said. Private schools have different requirements and reporting needs than public schools, though, students are striving for and achieving the same types of diplomas in the end, she said.

What has changed the most about curriculum, what needs to be considered?

“The biggest thing with curriculum is you want to stay ahead of the game.  You want to, in this day and age, with curriculum, you have to think about what's going on in society, but also keeping in mind, we're a techno savvy community. When you look at the young people in our community, and I used to describe it as the remote control era, where you don't just stick with one TV show when a commercial comes on, you pop to another one, or you're fast forwarding, or you're moving,” she said. “And as educators, you've got to keep that same energy of keeping things interesting for the students in your classroom, because they just can't get up and leave your class to go somewhere else. You've got to keep that intriguing to them.

 “So I think that's even different from when we were in school. You know, it's just everything's faster pace. I guess you would say maybe that's age too, but you can keep that out of it, but … I think also, to make our students be successful in the future, they have to have those opportunities of adding innovation to their learning.”

For example, students that may be into video games may be more adaptable to an opportunity to learn about becoming a game designer, she said.

“One of my first steps is really to look at the curriculum that is being taught here at Notre Dame and also talking to the students to see what they want to do in their future and see how we can assist supporting their dreams and aspirations in their curriculum that they’re learning about,” she said. “And I also feel that we have a very unique opportunity here at Notre Dame to really utilize the Christian faith and the Catholic faith to enhance the students’ learning and making sure that we are also graduating good Christian students here at Notre Dame who have a firm grasp on their beliefs and a great foundation to rely on in the future.”

An important factor for her is that she’s still in the community even though not at the city school district any more: “I’m still working with children of Batavia and now expanding it to children of neighborhood communities,” she said. “My first love is educating children.”

Rogers’ first 30 to 60 days will be filled with meeting the school community as she does a lot of “learning and learning and learning” about this new position and how to proceed toward year one. She can envision a graduation day for students and herself.

“There will be a sense of, wow, this was a powerful year for all of us, and successful for the students,” she said. “The students are going to be graduating, and I will be graduating from year one.”

She’s a believer of community service and is a member of Batavia Rotary, Salvation Army’s Advisory Board, Holland Land Office Museum Board of Directors and a second year chair person for the Alzheimer’s walk.

As part of the Le Roy School Central School District's strategic plan, cultural awareness and what it means to be a good citizen will be a greater focus in the coming year.

Superintendent Merritt Holly briefed the Board of Education on the process to define those terms and goals before the district's retreat on Aug. 6.

"I guarantee I'm gonna get seven, I hope I do get seven different definitions from you of what it means to you and how it applies to both of our buildings," Holley said. " I'm going to have you look at it as a district-wide setup of what cultural awareness means to you. ... The other part I'm going to have you define is what it means to be a successful citizen?"

He's asking other district administrators to provide their definitions as well.  

The results will be shared with the instructional team and they will start take a look, he said, at getting some idea of a definition. 

Other stakeholders, he said, will also be asked for input.

"We're trying to alleviate the craziness of the Aug. 6 retreat and really get some things (in place) ahead of time so we can have good dialogue and conversation," Holly said.

Once the initiative is in place, Holly told the board, he will report back during the year on the progress the district is making in these areas.

The questions will be sent to board members in a Google doc, along with other topics of conversation related to the district's mission statement and vision statement.

"We should get in the routine here now and understand what our mission statement and what our vision statement is, what are the goals inside of those mission and vision statements," Holly said. "Then most importantly, what you're going to hear ad nauseam throughout this year, and it's a point of emphasis for us, is our graduation outcomes."

That includes ensuring students are ready for college or careers after receiving a diploma. 

"Things like accountability, responsibility, effective communicators, community minded critical thinkers, able to persevere, able to embrace diversity," Holly said. "So those are the things you're going to hear from us throughout the year."

 Press release:

The Notre Dame Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of two school administrators. Effective July 1^st 2024, both Lindsay Warner and Julia Rogers will take on key leadership roles for the school. 

Lindsay has been appointed Principal of Notre Dame Junior/ Senior High School, and Julia Rogers has been appointed Director of Instruction, Curriculum and Assessment.

Jim Sutherland, Board President, commented, “As an alumnus and trustee, I am thrilled that we have such passionate and experienced educators leading our fine school.  The board has every confidence that their deep experience, coupled with their commitment to the highest standards, will help our institution reach another level entirely. With these hires, the Trustees strongly feel that we are investing in the bright future of our school.”

About Mrs. Warner
As an ND alumnus, coach, teacher, parent, and administrator, Mrs. Warner is dedicated, compassionate and committed to ensuring the success of all students and staff. She holds a BS in Business Administration and an MS in Business and Marketing Education and is NYS-certified as a School Building Leader and District Leader.

After undergraduate school, Lindsay returned to her Alma Mater were she rejuvenated the Business program and curriculum, winning awards for her innovation and instruction. Her tenure at Western NY Tech Academy also demonstrates her initiative as an educator. It supports her dedication to teamwork, as well as her support of leadership in marketing, recruitment and culture building.  This past school year, Mrs. Warner served as our assistant principal. As Principal, she will continue to ensure an environment where students and staff feel valued, heard and safe. 

About Mrs. Rogers
A native Batavian, Julia’s family has been part of the Notre Dame community since the beginning. Her mother, Sheila Tehan Rogers, was part of our very first graduating class. Her father, Brad, coached basketball at ND. Julia has siblings, a niece, nephews and many cousins who have walked the halls and are proud students and alumni of ND.

Julia’s dedication to the vibrancy of our community is clear. She is a member of Our Lady of Mercy Parish. Julia enjoys volunteering with her church community, golfing, and genealogy. A former volunteer at the NICU at Sisters Hospital, Julia is a member of the Batavia Rotary Club, Holland Land Office Museum Board of Directors, and the Salvation Army Advisory Board and is involved in many other community outreach programs.

Julia holds a BA, an MS in Bilingual Education and a Certificate of Advanced Studies. After teaching at the start of her career 30 years ago, she quickly moved on to school administration. She served as an administrator for Batavia Middle School, coordinator of assessment and instruction, and coordinator for the community schools program, both at BCS.

Miss Rogers is excited about the opportunity to enhance Notre Dame’s strong academic program.    “I am thrilled to be able to be part of the Notre Dame family.  The foundation of ND’s instructional program shows the values of education and achievement.   I look forward to observing and offering diverse and innovative ways to improve student learning outcomes.”

Batavia City Schools celebrated its Pre-K students on Monday with a moving-up ceremony at Van Detta Stadium, where members of the class are likely to receive their high school diplomas in 2037.

The Pre-K students enter kindergarten in the fall.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Students at John Kennedy Intermediate School, Jackson Primary School, and Batavia Middle School, on Friday were joined by the Joint Veterans Honor Guard of Genesee County to celebrate Flag Day.

Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the first national flag on June 14, 1777.  It was declared Flag Day by President Woodrow Wilson in 1926 and Congress made it a national holiday in 1949.

Principal Maureen Notaro noted teachers' role in teaching children about honoring the flag.

"We thank all of you teachers and all of the students here with us today to carry on the work of honoring our American flag," Notaro said during remarks to the students at Jackson.

She told the students about the way the nation is honored through displays of the flag.

"In many different ways and places, it waves its colors on government, state and public buildings all across the country, on our schools, churches and playgrounds,” Notaro said. "It's been placed on the moon by our astronauts. Did you know that? So there's a flag there on the moon. It's on so many uniforms of our law enforcement officers. If you turn around, you'll see our New York State Troopers back there with their dog. And they're here, and they have that on their work gear. You'll see it probably displayed by our veterans active and retired. Every cemetery that you drive by or visit is covered in American flags. And it's internationally recognized in every country and city around the world. But nothing touches one's heart and soul more than seeing the honoring of the flag." Local veterans unfolded the American flag during the Flag Day ceremony at Jackson Primary.

Batavia High School recognized six of its student-athlete seniors Wednesday who will continue both their academic and athletic careers at colleges and universities.

Cole Grazioplene is heading to Brockport State College, where he will play D-III baseball. His parents are Andrea and Jeffery Grazioplene.

Owen Halpin will attend St. John Fisher University and play D-III soccer. He is also receiving a presidential scholarship.  His parents are Graham and Jill Halpin.

Giana Mruczek will attend Keuka College where she will play D-III softball. She is also receiving a partial academic scholarship. Her parents are Brian and Erika Mruczek.

Casper Steward, a NYS champion in wrestling, is heading to West Point where he will wrestle in D-I. He is receiving a full athletic scholarship. His parents are Rick and Katie Stewart.

Anna Varland will attend Robers Wesleyan University, where she will play D-II soccer. She is receiving athletic and academic scholarships. Her parents are Nate and Julie Varland.

Noah Whitcombe is signing with Niagara University where he will play hockey. He is receiving an academic scholarship.  His parents are Jeff and Shannon Whitcombe.

All eight public school district budgets in Genesee County and their related propositions — from vehicle purchases and walking distances to establishing capital reserves — were approved by voters Tuesday,  although that may not have signaled the same message for everyone.

While Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith offered gratitude for a positive outcome and “your support, especially during a challenging budget season,” outspoken opponent Mark Potwora, who encouraged folks on social media to vote no, was disappointed in a poor turnout of less than 500 voters for the day.

"The actual amount of people that came out to vote was terrible. I voted at Robert Morris around 8:30 and was number 224. That is awful out of, I believe, 8,000 eligible voters. I called a few people to go vote and many weren’t even aware there was a vote going on," Potwora told The Batavian. "Such low numbers tell me that, as I said, many didn’t realize there was a vote and that those that knew didn’t go vote because they felt that even if the vote gets turned down, they would revert back to the contingency budget. Which doesn’t solve the problem of spending issues that will keep increasing at least from the few people I heard from.

“Sadly, the school board will see this as a major win and a sign that the tax-paying public supports their increased spending. Which is not true. Instead they should be looking at more ways to get more people involved in voting. Perhaps mail-in ballots might help," he said. "My No vote was to send a message that they must work harder at cutting expenses. Busing would be a big one along with what exactly is the role of a government run school system. It’s to educate and not play social worker.”

Full disclosure: Potwora is often disgruntled with government spending and generous with his opinions. He gives some food for thought about those going to the polls, though, given that the city’s population is just under 15,000 people, which means a percentage of that is still far more than the 460 who showed up to vote on Tuesday. Are people unaware of the vote, or do they not care? Or are they content enough to leave it up to others to decide?

The proposed 2024-2025 budget for the Batavia City School District, totaling $60,294,755, was approved by a vote of 305 to 155. The three incumbent board members were reelected with votes of 325 for Jennifer Lendvay and John Reigle and 322 for Korinne Anderson, followed by 235 for Mike Bromley.

"On behalf of the entire Batavia City School District, we are deeply grateful to the members of our community for their participation in this year's budget vote. Your support, especially during a challenging budget season, underscores the strength and commitment of our Batavia community,” Smith said. “I also want to extend congratulations to Jennifer, John, and Korinne on their reelection to the Board of Education. I am enthusiastic about the unique perspectives they bring and look forward to collaborating with them as we strive to further enhance the quality of education across BCSD. Together, we will continue to make our school district a place of excellence and opportunity for all our students.” 

Alexander Central School’s budget was approved by 89 to 39, and purchases of two 64-passenger school buses and a small school bus to cost a maximum of $450,000 was also given the green light by 84 to 44. The district also approved expenditures of $127,910 for computer hardware, Chromebooks and a floor scrubbing machine by 92 to 36. The district will be establishing a $500,000 equipment capital reserve fund now that voters have approved it with an initial deposit of $50,000 by a vote of 78 to 46.

A school bus reserve fund was also approved by a vote of 74 to 52 for an ultimate amount of $900,000 with a deposit of $50,000. School board member Brian Paris was given 101 votes, and write-ins were cast for David Dunbar, 1; Richard Guarino, 2; John Slenker, 1; Jadriene Baldruf, 1; Dusty Williams, 1; and John Meier, 1.

Byron-Bergen Central School's Proposition #1 was the 2024-25 budget, which passed 255 yes to 105 no; Proposition #2, a school vehicle replacement, 267 yes to 92 no; Proposition #3, new repair reserve, 269 yes to 91 no; and Proposition #4 change walking distance for students was approved by 288 yes to 73 no. The Board of Education election was close, with Deb List receiving 296 votes and Lynn Smith coming in with 292.

Elba Central School's Proposition #1 for the budget of $11,950,150 was approved 113 to 13; Proposition #2 to establish a general capital reserve fund was approved 109 to 15;  and Prop. #3 to withdraw from the existing capital bus and vehicle replacement reserve to purchase school passenger vehicles passed 115 to 9, and two Board of Education seats went to Ryan Hoh, with 112, and Michael Zuber, with 110 votes. 

Oakfield-Alabama Central School’s budget was approved with a closer vote than most, 266 yes to 217 no.

Board member Maria Thompson was reelected to the Board of Education with 367 votes, and Malorie Benjamin received 312 votes for the second open seat.

Pavilion Central School’s budget was approved 201 yes to 55 no. School board seats went to Kirsten Galliford with 133 votes and Roxanne Holthaus with 126 votes. Rick Smith received 109 and Jack Clapper 110 votes. The library tax levy vote also passed by 191 to 65; and library trustees Kristi Jeffres, with 227, Cara Kingsley, 221, and Sharon Fuerch, 208, were voted in as library trustees. 

Pembroke Central School’s budget passed by 271 to 79; and Prop. #2 for the purchase of school buses passed 261 to 87. Proposition #3 for Corfu Public Library passed 255 to 91, and the election of a five-year term for a school board member went to Arthur Ianni with 290 votes and  an unexpired one-year term to Jessica Edwards with 294 votes.  

Corfu Public Library Board members Patrick Weissent, with 280, and Jason Long, 279, were elected, with write-in winner Matthew Steinberg.

John Kennedy Intermediate School held its annual Mud Run on Wednesday.

City Fire supplied the water.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Board of Elections is thrilled to announce the Second Annual "I Voted" sticker contest winners. The contest, coordinated by the Board of Elections, showcased the creative talent of local students and their involvement in the electoral process. 

The contest received many submissions, with over 300 outstanding entries from Genesee County schools.

'It was a tough decision to select our seven finalists,' said Lorie Longhany, Democratic Election Commissioner. 'We can't wait to see the students' graphic designs in print and used in our outreach efforts!'

The winning designs will be featured on the “I Voted” stickers distributed to voters as they cast their ballots in November. They will also be utilized for voter outreach and promoted across social media platforms.

The winners of the contest are as follows: 

• Grand Prize: Tyler Caldwell, Alexander 
• 1st Place: Riley Sharpe, Byron-Bergen
• 2nd Place (Collaborative Design): Alexander Kuszlyk, Evan Bannister, and Zachary Gay, Byron-Bergen
• 3rd Place: Ben Landers, Notre Dame
• Honorable Mentions: Ava Smith, Byron-Bergen; Morgan Kidder, Alexander; Alarai Tomidy, Notre Dame

The Genesee County Board of Elections extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and extends special thanks to every participant for their exceptional contributions.

Submitted photos

Alexander's school district board of trustees is asking voters on May 21 to approve a $22,758,728 budget.

That is an increase from the current academic year, which is $20,847,885.

The proposed budget increases the tax levy by 1.75 percent, or $109,709. The anticipated tax rate is $17.83, up 30 cents from the current rate.

The district is planning no cuts to staff or programs.

The district is not receiving an increase in state foundation aid.

There will be a public hearing at 7 p.m. on May 8.

Proposition #2: Bus Purchases

• 2 – 64 Passenger Buses - $340,000
• 1 – 24 Passenger Bus - $110,000

Proposition #3: Equipment Purchase

• Computer Hardware - $43,200
• Chromebooks - $68,710
• Floor Scrubbing Machine - $16,000

Proposition #4: Establish Equipment Reserve,  $500,000

Proposition #5: Establish Bus Reserve, $900,000

Pavilion Central School District's board of education has approved a $19,178,078 budget with a 2.9% tax levy increase.

District residents will be asked to vote on the proposed plan on May 21 in the high school auditorium lobby.

The tax levy increase is under the 3.3 percent tax cap ceiling.

Superintended Mary Kate Hoffman said The budget reflects a 1.64% increase in spending from last year.

One teaching position, created with COVID relief funds, has been reduced from one full-time equivalent to a half-FTE position.

Hoffman said the district is creating at the elementary school a 12:1:1 classroom, which is a special education class with 12 students, one special ed teacher and one aide.

"We are using existing staff to better meet the needs of our students," Hoffman said. "This classroom will allow us to keep students with special needs in the district."

The budget includes funding for a $100,000 capital outlay exception project and the purchase of two buses.  

The Byron-Bergen Central School District is proposing a $27,563,772 spending plan for 2024-25, up 6.13 % from the current academic year.

The tax levy is expected to increase 1.75%, from $9,223,509 to $9,385,010.

School enrollment is expected to drop from 920 students to 904 students.

The public budget hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on May 9 at the high school auditorium.

The budget vote is from noon until 9 p.m. on May 21.