I don’t plan to become an NFL scout, but I would’ve helped plenty of teams in 2018.
I was an early supporter of Josh Allen. I’m thankful every season that the Bills saw what I did - an outstanding athlete and leader.
Why did he stand out?
It started, for me, with the story of Josh staying true to his dreams after getting zero college scholarship offers after high school.
I was impressed by his now-famous letter sent to every single head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in the country. And I was won over by how he performed after getting his hands on the ball for the only college that offered him an opportunity.
Facing adversity, Josh had to perform. He had to make incredible downfield throws, bulldoze linebackers on the run, and lead his teammates. He also had to put himself out there to coaches that had never heard of him.
That’s a lesson I want every student to take to heart.
It’s why I’m so passionate about programs that put students into hands-on experiences.
I see what students gain from taking the controls of an excavator, grabbing a hammer and driving a nail, or inputting control panel instruction at GLOW With Your Hands, how they grow in youth apprenticeships at Genesee Valley BOCES, and putting all that together during the Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
Showing what you can do, for the people that need to see it, is how you succeed. They’ll take notice.
But if you haven’t gotten those opportunities, be like Josh. Find a way to win!
When I’m speaking to students as the GCEDC’s career coach, or guiding a recent graduate through our Career Checklist, there are plenty of ways to win.
One requires only a few clicks - joining LinkedIn.
Asking teens to get on social media isn’t a challenge, but I’m amazed by the way some students are getting ahead of their peers on LinkedIn, a business and employment-focused social media platform designed to connect you with peers and professionals in your network.
By showing every certification gained, accomplishments made, and programs participated in, they have a live resume that keeps putting them in front of the right people. They show they’re professional and able to engage positively, and that their skills are growing.
These are all things that every student does whenever they participate in a sport, a part-time job, a special class or training program, or as a volunteer.
As parents, teachers, coaches, and leaders, we all see it.
But so many more people can too!
And the benefit of putting your story on a professional network is that as your career grows, those past experiences, the skills, and classes you took, may become your most valuable asset down the road.
Maybe the connection that makes your career is someone who worked in the same restaurant you did.
Maybe it’s a GLOW With Your Hands vendor that remembers the interest you showed in their exhibit. But it may not happen if you aren’t involved.
Finally, there’s nothing wrong with posting about your passions. As I share the good news about Genesee County, our business growth, and our workforce programs on LinkedIn, there’s something that always gets the most activity on LinkedIn, talking about Josh Allen.
Let’s get started! I’m happy to meet with parents and young people looking for guidance during and after high school. Call me at 585-409-1301 or connect with me at csuozzi@gcedc.com. But if you really want to stand out, find me on LinkedIn. And Go Bills!
Chris Suozzi is the Vice President of Business &Workforce Development at the Genesee County Economic Development Center.
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.
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.
Participants in 2024's Camp Hard Hat in Genesee County Park celebrated the completion of a new foot trail bridge in the park with a ribbon cutting. Photo by Howard Owens.
A group of 25 6th through 10th graders from throughout Genesee County celebrated on Friday the completion of a trail bridge in Genesee County Park & Forest.
It's the 10th project members of Camp Hardhat have completed in the park in the past eight years.
"This is part of bringing this park into the community," said instructor Rich Monroe. "These kids are part of this community as if they were CCC workers way back in the 30s. This is your park kids. It's your park forever."
The names of the participants, along with business sponsors, are enshrined on a metal sign attached to the bridge.
The program introduces the students to the building trades, combining math, process thinking skills, the use of power tools, safety, and the advantages of teamwork.
They also learn the principles of design and construction from area industry leaders such as Bill Hayes from Turnbull HVAC, Keith Berlinski from Hot Wired Electrical, Joma Akana of the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC), Dustin Beardsley from Rochester Davis-Fetch Corporation, Lindsie Cook from Livingston Associates, and Taylor McCabe from McCabe Enterprises Electrical Contractor.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Karyn Winters, Business Education Alliance director, and Rich Monroe, a Camp Hard Hat instructor. Photo by Howard Owens.
Rich Monroe introduces Claudia, part of that Camp Hard Hat team, complimenting her positive energy and noting that even at her small size, she's a fierce rugby player. Photo by Howard Owens.
Rich Monroe noted that Fernando Cacho is as good a person and hard worker as he is happy, handsome and charming. Photo by Howard Owens.
Merritt Holly, Le Roy superintendent. Photo by Howard Owens.
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."
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.
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.
Having spent more than 35 years working in higher education, Dr. Edward J. Leach is stepping down as the executive director of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) when he retires in August 2024.
Leach joined NISOD in September 2013. Leach came to NISOD after the 2012 retirement of Dr. John E. Roueche, the head of The University of Texas at Austin’s Community College Leadership Program, to which NISOD was closely linked for 41 years. Not only was Roueche stepping away, but the renowned doctoral program he built was being discontinued.
Leach stabilized the situation, returning the focus to NISOD’s original mission — empowering and celebrating community and technical college educators.
“My time leading NISOD has been the best professional experience of my life, and I’m very proud of what our outstanding staff has accomplished, including being recognized by the American Association of Community Colleges as ‘the country’s leading provider of professional development for community college faculty, staff, and administrators.’” said Leach.
“My reason for making the announcement now is straightforward. I want to give the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin plenty of time to search for and select a new Executive Director.”
During his tenure, Leach led NISOD’s implementation of the Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges Award, which, in partnership with Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, recognizes community and technical colleges for their exceptional commitments to diversity; launched NISOD’s Student Essay Contest and Student Graphic Design Contest; the Suanne Davis Roueche Faculty Scholarship, in honor of the late Suanne Davis Roueche, who served as NISOD’s director from 1985 to 2000; and the offering of CEUs as evidence of professional development accomplishments.
As NISOD’s executive director during the pandemic, Leach successfully led NISOD through its transition to remote operations and virtual learning experiences, including a fall virtual conference that continues to be offered.
Leach began his own college education as a first-generation college student and Pell Grant recipient at Genesee Community College (GCC), earning an associate degree in Liberal Arts/General Studies, before adding a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and, finally, a doctorate in Educational Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. Leach has dedicated his last 25 years to providing community and technical college educators access to high-quality professional development.
“I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Dr. Leach on his retirement as NISOD’s Executive Director” said Dr. Pedro Reyes, Chair of the Education Leadership and Policy Department at The University of Texas at Austin.
“Dr. Leach’s visionary leadership and tireless dedication have been instrumental in advancing NISOD’s mission of empowering community and technical college educators. Under his guidance, NISOD has provided high-quality professional development opportunities and celebrated student and staff excellence in the field. We are grateful for Dr. Leach’s invaluable contributions and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”
Dr. Leach’s resignation will be effective August 15. The Department of Educational Leadership and Policy and the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin will have more information to share about transition planning in the weeks to come.
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 public hearing for the budget will be at 7 p.m. on May 13 in the high school auditorium.
Batavia resident and Flower City music teacher Zach Arenz, with some of his ukulele band musicians, is competing for America's Favorite Teacher and a $25,000 prize. Submitted Photo
In the days, weeks and months after the COVID pandemic protocols settled down and kids were able to return to school after all of that isolation, an odd phenomenon occurred, and many struggled with the desire to return.
For Batavia resident and Flower City School teacher Zach Arenz, he was able to spark student interest through the magic of music.
“I just think at the core of teaching, it's so important for kids to feel connected. And in a world where I think we're increasingly disconnected from one another, it's important to grow those relationships at the school, with their teachers, and get the kids excited to be at school each day,” Arenz says. You know, we're four years post the beginning of the pandemic … but attendance is still a big issue in schools; getting kids to want to come to school is a struggle for a lot of them. And I had one kid recently tell me that the reason he came to school that day was because he had band with me. And, I mean, in the days that I feel most stressed, and I just feel like am I doing it the right way? You hear something like that and you're like, wow, the teachers make such a huge difference in our kids’ lives.”
His work with students as a music teacher and efforts to establish a school-based Community Closet for donations at Flower City School in Rochester has earned Arenz a 2024 New York State Teacher of the Year Award and a Top Two spot so far in his group for a Readers Digest online contest that will award the final winner a $25,000 prize.
Not to boil down school absenteeism all to COVID, but a large reason was the aftermath of pandemic shutdowns and the resulting psychological and social effects, as noted by school experts, that online learning, removal of face-to-face friendships and classroom learning caused to kids.
Add to that a school with demographics of pervasive poverty for students of color, and there are attendance obstacles, said Arenz, who has been a music teacher at Flower City since 2013. In the same way that he first became attached to an instrument — the clarinet in fourth grade and bassoon in college and now in the Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble — Arenz has been helping his students connect with music through general music and instrumental music, modern band, a garage band type model, and a ukulele band for students in grades kindergarten through six.
“Just a lot like my kids, there was a teacher who was brave enough and gave me a clarinet. And from that moment forward, my life has circled around music. I just I always find that it's the comforting spot for me to be, it's where I feel most connected,” Arenz said.
There are certainly other needs, which Arenz has not let go unfilled. He first began to notice a student coming to school in the same white T-shirt, getting dingier day after day after day, he said. He then saw sweatshirts on clearance at a Big Box and thought, ‘I can buy one’ for this student.' Then he bought five. And then he put out a call for donations on his social media site.
The Community Closet grew out of those simple and caring steps to fulfill students’ basic needs five years ago. The response was “more than I could have imagined,” he said.
“Because, if I could at least give them a clean shirt to feel comfortable in for the day, that's fine, I can do that. And then that has spawned into this community closet that I started at school, where I bring in donations from the community, and people will bring their trash bags and their spring cleaning. So there's all this stuff that we don't need anymore, and I have a whole closet and a portable closet rack that houses the clothes that the kids need," he said. "And the moment a kid sees me in the hallway, it may be, ‘I don't have any clean clothes at home anymore.’ But sometimes it's something just like, ‘Oh, I spilled my apple juice all over my pants. Can I have a new pair of pants?’ It's so easy now for me to just say yes, we have those things. And if it's something little like that, I can also run a load of laundry at school because there's a washer and dryer across the hallway from me. So it's doing stuff like that. It just makes the kids feel proud.”
An array of clothing filled the closet for students and their families. Then, several items were donated, including toiletries for personal hygiene. It became about more than just providing for someone in need, Arenz said; it was about providing for anyone in need at the moment. Most anyone could use a squirt of hand lotion at some point, right?
He said there hasn’t been an issue with kids being too proud to accept the goods because of the way the closet is set up. There can be, but he has instead seen “the gratefulness” that develops.
“It’s not something I hide; it’s not something I do in secret. The community closet is immediately when you walk into my door, it is to your right. So there are things that are out, and kids will get first,” he said. “And you know, I think by increasing visibility, you also increase accessibility. I will get interrupted in the middle of class (by a student asking for something). It’s not a big deal; I try to make it as shameless as possible. I also teach the difference between taking something because it’s there and it’s free or taking something because you need it.”
A transplant from Long Island, Arenz, 36, settled into Batavia as a comfy midway point between Buffalo and Rochester after Fredonia State College pulled him closer to Western New York. He first taught music for a middle school class in Sweden (the country) for a year before landing the Rochester job.
A believer in supporting local business, Arenz is no stranger to the Downtown Batavia and Genesee County trivia circuit and considers Eli Fish one of his home bases to hang out. He will proudly wear a Charles Men’s Shop tux to his New York State Teacher of the Year Award dinner at the White House on May 2.
The Board of Regents named Arenz for the 2024 honor based on his being “an exceptionally skilled and passionate educator.” He will also serve as an ambassador for the state teachers and become a nominee for the National Teacher of the Year program.
“Zachary Arenz is the embodiment of a dedicated and inspirational teacher. His ability to engage with students and inspire and ignite a passion for lifelong learning through music is exceptional,” Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said. “His determination to help all students achieve success by providing them with a safe and supportive environment is a model for all schools across the state.”
For Arenz, “It was the dream job I never knew I wanted,” he said.
“I went in growing up in the suburbs, unsure what it was going to be like,” he said. “But my first school, I fell in love with my colleagues, I fell in love with my students. I’m very lucky to have the job that I have. It’s not a position that I take for granted ever.”
When he more recently came across an advertisement for the America’s Favorite Teacher contest and, more notably, the $25,000 prize, he thought, “I could effect some change with that money.”
“I would love to be able to pour money into building up a sustainable classroom or not even just a classroom closet, but a true community space where it's not just in my classroom, it's not something that's mine, I think one for my school," he said. "I think what I would dream ofis having a space that is more central, something that is more accessible, not just by the kids, but also a community space, a sort of, if I was dreaming, maybe it's a space that includes a food pantry, maybe it's a space that includes a shopping experience sort of thing, where we do have a variety of donations that are available to anybody. So when I do my spring cleaning, I would love to return my stuff to the school.”
Voting for this round ends at 7 p.m. Thursday before the next level goes on to compete. Arenz is hoping to continue with the support of everyone’s vote. To do that, and for more information, including about the Teach For America fund and boosting your votes even more, go to America's Favorite Teacher.
At Monday's board of education meeting, the Pembroke Central School District board approved a $27,289,194 spending plan for the district.
Pembroke Superintendent Matthew Calderon said the state provided the district with no increase in foundation aid.
He said the tax levy will stay within the tax cap limit, with an increase slightly below the cap for the 13th consecutive year.
"We needed to pair down our initial budget draft by $870,000 to get down to the final number," Calderon said. "Thankfully, no current full-time employees were cut."
The proposed budget will be presented at a public hearing at 6 p.m. on May 14 at Pembroke Central School.
The budget vote is scheduled for 5 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. noon to 8 p.m. on May 21 in the high school auditorium.
The Le Roy Central School District is planning to ask voters to approve a $31 million spending plan that won't increase the tax levy.
The total budget is 2.7 percent, or $821,312, more than the 2023/24 budget.
The plan to not increase the total tax levy is based on anticipated state aid for the fiscal year.
The budget will create 5.4 new full-time equivalent positions, including a part-time physical therapist (currently contracted at 0.6 FTE through BOCES), a new full-time speech therapist, and three new teacher assistants.
There is an anticipated 0.6 FTE reduction in a teacher for "language other than English."
Other factors driving increased spending are higher health insurance premiums and an increase in state-mandated retirement and contractual obligations.
Last week, the school board approved the proposed budget on a 6-0 vote (with one member absent).
Total spending for 2024-25 is projected to be $31,048,820, an increase from the 2023/24 budget of $30,227,508.
There will be a public hearing on the budget at 6 p.m. on May 14 in the Memorial Auditorium.
The budget vote for district residents will be on May 21 from noon to 8 p.m. in the Wolcott Street School Library Media Center.
Students from the GLOW region partake in the second annual healthcare career day on Friday. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Of the 235 representatives from various areas in the healthcare field at a four-county event, student Rylee Serusa-Herndon connected with someone in particular during her visit with BOCES Health Dimensions classmates to Genesee Community College Friday.
“I came to the GLOW With Your Hands field trip to be a neurosurgeon, I’m interested in that, and I came to kind of understand, to know what I have to do to be able to be that,” she said. “I did go to a booth, and one of the girls was actually a neurosurgeon, and she told me it is very difficult; you have to do a lot of schooling. But she said ‘you know, there’s not many girl neurosurgeons,’ and that kind helped me out. I definitely want to do it.”
Rylee was one of more than 500 students in grades eight through 12 from 31 schools in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. The event was to help connect interested students to a couple hundred representatives from 57 companies, municipal agencies, nonprofits, and educational institutions and further excite, educate, and empower them to seek success in the healthcare field of study after high school.
Educational providers and employers were on hand to demonstrate in the fields of emergency medical services, healthy living, healthcare, nursing, occupational and physical therapy, pharmacy, and the various sciences.
There were mannequins stationed so that students could get some CPR lessons, a physical therapy demonstration, and a virtual reality program to offer more high-tech ways to explore careers, “which is cool,” said Chris Suozzi, Vice President of Workforce Development for Genesee County Economic Development Center.
“The whole reason that we do these events and career exploration in high school is so kids can really expand their horizons. It's so difficult for someone to really know what they want to do for a career. It's taken me 30-some years to figure out what I wanted to do … but for kids, the more they see the, the better. So they're seeing careers that they would never see in a classroom and in a textbook,” Suozzi said. “And then there's careers that they may look at and say, ‘Oh, I definitely don't want to do that.' And I know it's a good thing. But when you look at the opportunities for what are possibilities, it's almost endless here.
“So, you know, when you hear about healthcare, you think a doctor or nurse, but then when you look here, there's a lot more than doctors and nurses,” he said. “There's all these technicians and EMTs, physical therapy, and the list goes on and on. So that's the whole idea. Explore their mind, explore opportunities for a great career.”
Social Emotional Learning Coordinator Megan Wahl assists the Compost Crew. Submitted Photo.
Press Release:
Byron-Bergen Elementary School doubled down on its commitment to reducing food waste in landfills and instead producing clean soil for gardening and farming. This was done through a partnership with an earthworm named Lloyd and 1.8 million of his friends.
Lloyd lives in a compost facility operated by Impact Earth, a not-for-profit organization out of Rochester that works with the community to repurpose food waste and paper products into nutrient-rich soil. The composting program is a school-wide effort under the leadership of the third-grade students.
“Byron-Bergen Elementary is one of the first schools in the area to undertake this kind of project,” said Impact Earth Educational Manager Doug Carney. “Instead of going to the landfill and doing nothing useful, this waste will compost into nutrient-rich soil to grow better food. It’s an investment in the future.”
Each day at lunch, students sort their uneaten food items and disposable paper products into blue buckets next to the garbage cans.
At the end of all the lunch periods, a rotating group of third-grade students, the Compost Crew, assist Cleaner and Lunch Monitor Nancy Smith in loading the buckets onto a cart and emptying them into Impact Earth dumpster totes behind the cafeteria.
Smith then washes the buckets, and the Compost Crew dries them and stacks them for the next day.
Every Friday, Impact Earth removes the waste from the dumpster totes to be mixed with wood chips and added to the piles for Lloyd and his friends.
“It’s something we can do to try to help the environment,” said Smith. “The soil needs the nutrients, and (the students) are going to be the helpers.”
Byron-Bergen's third-grade student Mackenzie Wilcox is looking forward to participating. “I think (composting) is great! I like it. The best part is that we get to feed our leftover food to the worms at the composting plant.”
The idea for the composting program began at the Earth Day 2023 assembly. Each grade level collected their trash from lunch and discovered that each class produced an average of 15 pounds of landfill waste per lunch. The discussion of how to reduce this amount led to a waste survey carried out by the student council in October of 2023.
Impact Earth Educational Manager Doug Carney helped the students separate their lunch-time waste. According to Carney, 60% of the cafeteria waste assessed from one day of lunch, over 115 pounds, could be composted or eaten later. Carney noted that “anything that is unopened should be taken home or saved for a snack.”
“I’m really excited for kids to use the compost bins and put our waste to better use, especially being in a community affected by waste management,” said Elementary Principal Kristin Loftus. “I think it will be great for us to do our part to reduce what we are sending to the landfill.”
Part of the Impact Earth partnership includes a soil give-back. Byron-Bergen will receive a delivery of composted soil in May to use in or around the schools or in the greenhouse.
“It’s a great opportunity for the adults and students to work together to have a positive impact on the earth,” said Byron-Bergen Facilities Director Roger Caldwell.
“The students are very excited about this project. We will continue to reinforce that the priority is for them to eat their lunches,” said Loftus. “Lloyd and his friends will get plenty of food. Only after the students are full should we add their leftovers to the apple cores and napkins in the compost bins.”
The composting program serves as a leadership opportunity for the third grade as well as a chance for all students and staff to take a moment to look at what is in their lunch, how it is packaged, and the best choices for their food waste. The waste assessment and assembly were sponsored by the Byron-Bergen S.T.E.P. Booster Club.
Third-grade students act as the day’s Compost Crew. Submitted Photo.
