education

Richmond Memorial Library will offer several free classes this fall to help folks get the most out of their computer, whether they're looking to bone up onthe family history, spruce up their photography or turn their junk into cash. There are some real worthwhile opportunities here, so be sure to take advatage.

There is no cost to attend the classes. They will be held at the library at 19 Ross St. in Batavia. Call the library at (585) 343-9550, and dial 3 to register for the classes.

Classes:

Genealogy and Family History on the Internet - See some of the sources available online to assist you with your genealogical researach. Find access to census records, military records, passenger  and immigration lists, and even charts to record your infomation.  This is a three-part series. Taught by Kathleen Facer.
Tuesdays, September 30, October 7 & October 14 at 6 PM.

Digital Photography - "Everything you wanted to know about digital photography - because you asked." Bring your own camera and ask questions. Find out how to save, preserve, and arrange digital photos on your computer as well as looking at various options for viewing, including printing and slide shows. Taught by Jim DeLooze.
Monday, October 27 at 6:30 PM.

Buying and Selling on Ebay - Learn the ins and outs of buying and selling on Ebay.  Taught by Veronica Frost of Genesee County Job Development Bureau.
Tuesday, October 28 at 6 PM.

Upgrade vs. Repair - Should you buy a new computer or just update/repair the one you have? Learn the things to consider when making this potentially costly decision. Learn some of the software issues to consider, and don't forget the impact of antivirus and firewall software. Taught by Paul McCullough.
Monday, November 17 at 6 PM.

All class information provided by Richmond Memorial Library.

Gensee County home schoolers can look to their local library as a central resource in their education this coming school year. Richmond Memorial Library has countless books and magazines for teachers that any parent, any patron, can check out and incorporate into their routine. This fall, the library will show itself ever more valuable as it kicks of a series of weekly home school programs hosted on site. Children ages 8-14 can participate in the hour-long classes that range in topic from United States geography to recycling and enivironmental awareness. Students interested in participating in the courses must register by September 26. Classes begin October 2.

Schedule of programs:

• October 2: Getting to know your library resources.
• October 9: Ecology. Read and discuss, The World that Jack Built, by Ruth Brown. Learn how to recycle envelopes.
• October 16: Ecology. Read and discuss, The Great Trash Bash, by Loreen Leedy.
• October 23: Ecology. Environmental Awareness Project: Write a classified ad inviting Community members to participate in a cleaner environment.
• October 30: Ecology. Design and make an Earth Friendly bag.
• November 6: Fifty Nifty United States. Part One: Music activity & research a state.
• November 13: Fifty Nifty United States Part Two: Complete state report.
• November 20: Just for fun. Learn the history and nutritional value of peanut butter. Make Homemade Peanut butter to take home!
• December 4: Measurement. Part One: Read and discuss, How Big is a Foot?, by Rolf Myller. Decorate a ruler and measure away!
• December 11: Measurement. Part Two: Using graph paper we will make a scale plan based on your measurements!
• December 18: Holiday Craft and Party.

Contact Children's Librarian Sandra Gillard at (585) 345-9550 for more information. And, as always, be sure to check out the library's Children's Room blog and Web site for more fun facts and stories than you'll know what to do with.

Genesee Community College lands at Number 19 in the Holland Land Office Museum's countdown of "The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous." Museum Director Pat Weissend tells us that when the county first imagined building a community college — back in the early 1960s — county leaders had little hope that it would ever be a success. In fact, explains Weissend, the Board of Supervisors at the time didn't think enrollment would ever exceed 75 students!

Along came the Batavia Area Jaycees, who were a little dubious of the results, and they put  together a survey of their own. Here's what they found out:

1.        A community desire for a two year college

2.        The need for a community college

3.        The financial ability to support the college

4.        Favorable economic growth in the region

5.        Population Increase

6.        A sufficient student population for a college

When the first classrooms opened in September, 1967, the first class numbered 378 full-time and 243 part-time students. Today, there are about 6,500 students enrolled at the institution that now offers nearly 60 degrees and certifcates.

Visit the Holland Land Office Museum Web site for more information on Genesee Community College and the other things that made Genesee County Famous.

Pavilion Central School Pre-K teacher Betsy Collins was honored with the Partners in Education Award, the first of its kind bestowed by the students of Genesee Community College's Teacher Education program.

Students in the program nominated teachers as a way to recognize not only the important work teachers do in individual classrooms, but also the tremendous mentoring service they provide for future teachers.

"The mentorship students receive in these teachers' classrooms provides a relevant real-life experience that not only helps our pre-service teachers learn and practice valuable skills but also assists them in formalizing their decision and commitment to becoming a teacher," said Christine Belongia, Genesee's Teacher Education program coordinator. "We are so grateful to each and every teacher who generously opens his or her classroom to our students. The educational benefit is immeasurable!"

Call Christine Belongia at (585) 343-0055 ext.6278 for more information about GCC's teacher education.

Congratulations are in order for one of our favorite guest posters: Patrick Burk, president of the City of Batavia Board of Education.

Patrick was recently elected as the president of the Genesee Valley School Boards Institute, a nine county organization that represents over 70 upstate school districts.

From the press release:

The purpose of the organization is to promote and train school district support personnel in the areas of Food Service, Transportation, Teacher Aides, Safety & Security, Educational Clerical and Facilities. Training Conferences are held annually in these areas in the nine county area.

"I am pleased to once again be serving nine counties in Western New York as we strive to continually train our educational support employees," Burk stated. "It is by far an honor to be chosen to represent our member districts. This is just one way that we all can work together to improve and enhance our districts."

Batavia's public schools are helping to drive local economic growth, according to observations by Ann Flynn, director of education technology programs for the National School Board Association.

Flynn was recently in Batavia and made these observations:

In driving around the community, I noticed that new commercial development was underway and after meeting the students, teachers, district staff, and board members, it was clear how the quality of the district's schools must surely contribute to that growth. Sixty-seven educators from 10 states joined me last week to gain a deeper understanding about how Batavia developed its vision and found the funding to create student-centered classrooms. A great example was seen during the visit to a middle school social studies class that had students working in three areas of the room: one group completing work sheets by listening to pre-assigned segments of campaign speeches on iPods; another group using an interactive white board with the instructor; and the remaining students working in pairs on a WebQuest with computers located in the rear of the room.

Throughout the visit, we saw excited, engaged students focused on their assigned tasks that encouraged them to think rather than simply recite facts. Although many factors impact an area's economic well being, the visit to Batavia, reminded me how critical it is for school board members to understand the role public schools play in a community's long-term economic health. It is evident that the city of Batavia is now reaping the benefits from years of thoughtful planning by school leaders.

One of the things that excited us about launching The Batavian in Batavia is the strong sense of economic vitality.  If the schools are helping to drive that, all the better for the community's long-term economic health. 

We certainly believe in education.  Education not only helps create entrepreneurs and a talented work force, but it also leads to a better engaged citizenry.  These are the things that make a community strong.