Photo of Batavia Lions speaker Julia Rogers, coordinator of Community Schools, and Batavia Lions President Ronald Metz. Submitted photo.
Press Release:
At the Lions Club most recent meeting, guest speaker Julia Rogers, coordinator of Community School Programs, spoke about her work and a grant that the Batavia City School District received.
The grant is designed to help students overcome barriers that affect or interrupt their education. Focus on these issues is also available to the families. Necessities such as clothes, food, toiletries, and hygiene materials can be provided to the students, and the program can also help with beds and mattresses for children as well.
She added that the grant can be used to get mental health for students. The program is looking for volunteers and volunteer groups that can help students through mentoring and other activities.
Rogers thanked the Lions Club for the sight screening program for preschoolers. In return, she’s boosting the Lions Club among the faculty when she can, and was almost drafted into membership before she left. Rogers said her group looks forward to community contacts for problem-solving.
The Batavia Lions Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month. Everyone is welcome to visit the American Legion at 8960 Alexander Road, Batavia.
Elijah Abdella wins the 11th Annual Mr. Batavia competition Friday at Batavia High School. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Probably the best Mr. Batavia in its 11th year history.
That’s how contestant Harry Southall described this year’s contest, which featured 13 young men on stage Friday evening at Batavia High School. After Southall came in as first runner-up, he was elated to have been part of such a team effort even though each individual was competing for the number one spot.
“I mean, it was just electric,” Southall said. “We all did amazing. I knew it was gonna be close, all of us did really good. But I was really excited. When I heard my name, it was an awesome feeling.”
He spoke about the backstage bond that he and the dozen others forged, including Mr. Batavia himself, Elijah Abdella. The contest appeared to be “a complete toss-up” until that very moment when his name was called, Abdella said.
“I was very surprised. Every single person in Mr. Batavia this year did phenomenally,” Abdella said. “It definitely had a lot of ups and downs. In the beginning, I was actually very confident. And then in the week going into the show, I was very nervous because some parts of my lip sync and my talent just weren't working properly, and I was very stressed. But I'm very glad that they they worked during the show.
“There's so many guys in here that I just would not have ever spoken to if we didn't do Mr. Batavia together,” he said. “And there are so many connections that we've made by doing this that will last a very long time.”
Southall agreed that he would likely remain friends with the entire group “for years to come.”
The 11th annual Mr. Batavia packed in a big crowd for another well-attended, exciting competition, event Chairwoman Lisa Robinson said. This year's competition surpassed the fundraising total of $5,000, bringing the 11-year total to more than $42,000, Robinson said.
The 13 contestants competed in various categories from talent and lip sync to dance, swimsuit and tux. Each one represented a different charity, and the first place winner, Elijah Abdella, will receive 50 percent of the proceeds to donate to his selected charity, Genesee Cancer Assistance.
Brian Calderon, who said he was feeling nervous in the week leading up to Friday, came in second runner-up.
“I was pacing back and forth backstage, but after getting it done, it feels like such an accomplishment to me and just a big, big obstacle to overcome in my high school career,” Calderon said. “Some of these guys, I haven't really known that well beforehand, but now I've known them like they're my friends for five years. We've all gotten close as a group and it's been really a joy.”
Southall and Calderon will each receive 25 percent of the proceeds for their charities, the Batavia VA and Suicide Prevention of Genesee County, respectively.
Other contestants and their charities were:
Ryan Cox – Habitat for Humanity and Uconnect Care
Owen Halpin – The Michael Napoleone Foundation
Orion Lama – The American Heart Association, Buffalo
Eli Michalak – The Ricky Palermo Foundation
Ryan Plath – The Batavia City Schools Foundation
Parris Price – The Salvation Army
Emmanual Richardson – Go Art!
Patrick Suozzi – The Red Cross
Brock Warren – Crossroads House
Peyton Woeller – Genesee County Mental Health
Judges were Trevor Sherwood, Quentin Branciforte, Cameron Hardy, Dominick Brown and Carly Morgan.
Batavia City School District’s Summer Meals Program, or “Grab and Go” meal distribution for the summer months, will begin on Monday, June 29.
Distribution will be on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 9-11 a.m. at Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate Schools.
The Jackson distribution site will be at the school’s Hutchins Street entrance; JK's will be in the main loop on Vine Street as it has been this spring.
Each M-W-F distribution will include two days of breakfasts and two days of lunches for each child, age 18 and under.
No enrollment is necessary, and there is no-cost for families.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Meals Program is a federally funded, state-administered program that was established to ensure that children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session.
The Batavia City School District Board of Education and administration invite District residents to serve as a budget ambassador to assist with the 2020-2021 budget process.
Residents of the District are invited to become budget ambassadors and make recommendations regarding the School District budget.
No experience is necessary, but ambassadors will be expected to attend three Monday evening sessions on Feb. 24, March 2, and March 9, with an alternate/snow date of March 16. All sessions are from 6:30-9 p.m. in the District Administration Conference Room #49.
If interested in serving, please notify the District in writing by Friday, Jan. 24. The letter of interest should be mailed to: Scott Bischoping, Interim Superintendent of Schools, 260 State St., Batavia, NY 14020, or emailed to SABischoping@bataviacsd.org.
For questions or additional information, please contact the Superintendent’s Office at 343-2480, ext. 1000, or e-mail Bischoping at SABischoping@bataviacsd.org.
Musicians Of Note, a Wall of Fame to honor past Batavia graduates in music, debuted at Batavia High School last May. The Music Department's Musicians Of Note Committee spearheaded the long-overdue recognition of the excellence of musicians who have graduated and made careers all over the world in the music field.
“We want to keep recognizing the outstanding musicians that Batavia High School has graduated for many years," said Jane Haggett, chair of the Batavia City School District Music Department. "Along with these excellent musicians, we have had outstanding music educators throughout the years that we will continue to recognize.”
Sean Williams, Middle School Band director, said: “Many famous musicians have graced our stages and our city over the past 90 years, including the inaugural performance last May. Many returning alumni performed a top-notch concert with Batavia High School students to the great delight of the crowd! We will continue to be recognize and salute great musicians from Batavia High School!”
The Batavia Music Department and community members will be working once again as a committee to go through the nomination and selection process.
It will culminate in honoring five alumni and one former faculty member of BCSD. They will be recognized on Thursday, March 26 during the Second Annual Musicians Of Note Ceremony with a dinner for the honorees and guests, the presentation of plaques, and a concert open to the public.
Honorees will have a plaque with their visage and their accomplishments hung from the Musicians Of Note wall in the High School.
Criteria
Recipient should have been an active performer or music educator We will also be including deceased musicians/educators from BCSD in the honor.
Potential recipient must be 10 years out of High School.
Recipients who have passed had a successful musical career in either performance, composition, education, theater, or audio recording.
To nominate a Batavia graduate in music for this prestigious honor, please contact the Music Department through the high school, or click here and go to the fourth link down ("nomination") to access the Batavia City School District's nomination form.
To visit the BCSD's new Musicians Of Note website, click here.
To learn about the inaugural inductees of the Musicians Of Note, click here.
The BCSD Foundation lnc.'s Board of Directors is pleased to announce Chris Dailey as a recent recipient of the BCSD Foundation Apple Award. He was nominated by Stephen Ognibene in June.
Ognibene nominated Dailey and presented him with a Foundation Apple for many reasons. First he would like to "thank Mr. Dailey for his 11 years contributing to much success in our school district." He is a leader to his staff, students, and parents who have connected with him. He has fulfilled his motto "Take Care of BCSD" in so many ways.
Dailey has been engaged in every way with our students and family members. He attended many sporting, events, Mr. Batavia, music concerts, and his worked helped achieve the number one workplace for our district. He was a Blue Zoo participant and a Blue Devil at heart. Our community is truly thankful for the years of commitment to BCSD.
About theBCSD Foundation Apple award
It is given by a member of the school and/or local community to a Batavia City School District employee or volunteer. In the opinion of those giving the honor of this distinction, the awardee has gone above and beyond in their role and is being recognized by one or more people for these accomplishments.
Local artist, Mark Jensen, will be making each individual resin apple -- none will be exactly the same. If you are interested in giving a Foundation Apple award, please submit your nomination form and $75 (payable to the BCSD Foundation Inc., 260 State St., Batavia NY 14020, att: Allison Chua). Nomination forms may be found on our webpage (at www.bataviacsd.org under Quick Links).
Photo: Nominator Stephen Ognibene and awardee -- former BCSD Superintendent Chris Dailey, now superintendent of Gates Chili Central School District in Monroe County.
Four alumni, one retired teacher, and one posthumous Batavia teacher will receive the Batavia City School District's first Musicians Of Note Award on Tuesday, May 14, at Batavia High School.
The alumni to be honored are: Robert Sullivan, Class of 1950, George Whittier, Class of 1951, Derek Reiss, Class of 1971, and Joey Pero, Class of 1999.
Former Batavia teachers honored are: Frank E. Owen, BCSD first director of Music for 37 years; and Kenneth Hay, BHS Band director and BCSD Music Department chairperson for 21 years. Ken Hay will defer his award until the Spring of 2020 and we will celebrate his success at that time.
They will be honored on the Wall of Fame for making an impact in their field.
From 5 to 5:30 p.m., there will be appetizers for guests and recipients in the cafeteria, with dinner to follow. The awards ceremony/concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.
Dinner and awards concert will be $25 per person. You may attend just the 7 p.m. concert/awards ceremony for only $10, either in advance or at the door.
To reserve tickets for the event, please call Batavia High School (585-343-2480, ext. 2000) and ask for Lisa Brown. She will either reserve or mail them once they have been paid.
Please pay either cash or check, made payable to Batavia Music Boosters. Ticket reservations must be made by May 1st.
The awards ceremony/performance will feature Joey Pero and Derek Reiss performing with the BHS Jazz Ensemble and BHS Brass Ensemble. Robert Sullivan will conduct a musical number performed by Mighty St. Joe’s Alumni Corp.
Donations for the Batavia High School Musicians Of Note can be made through the Batavia City School Foundation Inc.
The results are in on workplace satisfaction and, for the second year in a row, the Batavia City School District was recognized as one of the best places to work in the Rochester area.
In addition to receiving a Democrat and Chronicle 2019 Top Workplace Award at a celebration event held at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, the District also received an “I Love My Job” award in the large business category for the quantity and quality of the employee responses to a satisfaction survey.
Each year, the Democrat and Chronicle partners with a research and consulting firm to administer an anonymous employee survey on which the awards are based. All employees are invited to respond to questions that cover a variety of workplace factors such as meaningfulness of work, confidence in leadership, availability of training and support, inter-departmental cooperation, evidence of ethics and values, communication, and fair wages and benefits.
For Superintendent of Schools Christopher Dailey, the results of the anonymous and voluntary survey confirmed what he already believed to be true: “Our administration, faculty and staff are outstanding,” he said. “Together they create a culture that is dedicated to helping each student in our schools achieve his or her potential in every aspect of personal growth.
"In addition, our Board of Education, backed by our community, supports the administration in creating a positive environment for our students and staff to work, learn and grow.”
“This independent survey of all of our employees is an excellent recognition that defines our district as a great place to have a career that makes a difference in our world."
The future, he noted, will hold more of the same.
“We offer very competitive salaries and benefits to our employees, and outstanding professional development opportunities for their continued growth and development," the superintendent said. "BCSD also has tremendous facilities for enabling our employees to positively impact the lives of our students, and our 2020 Vision Capital Project will serve to enhance that.”
