Pembroke Intermediate School

Fayth Rose eagerly volunteered to talk about being in K Kids, an offshoot of the Kiwanis Club, during a recent get-together with Joanne Patri of Crossroads House.

Fayth is one of 26 “kids” in the junior club at Pembroke Intermediate, and they collectively raised $2,950 for Crossroads by selling 2,950 $1 chocolate Oliver’s suckers. Her first year in the club, 10-year-old Fayth joined “so I could help the community,” she said.

“I think it’s a very good thing to do,” she said, admitting to being somewhere in the middle of shy and outgoing as a salesperson. She did learn more about Crossroads House along the way, she said, a nonprofit comfort home based in Batavia for those with a terminal illness.

Her favorite project so far has been the Halloween Trunk or Treat, handing out candy to dressed up ghosts and goblins and such, and also enjoyed this recent chocolate sucker sale. Fayth has no plans to leave the club any time soon, she said.

“Because the longer I’m in the club, the longer I can help people out and just carry them on and cheer them up,” she said.

As a representative for Crossroads, Patri said the group has continued to outperform itself each year.

“They've done a fantastic job for many years. They started out with less than 600 suckers, and they're now up almost to 3,000,” she said, with an armful of recognition certificates and chocolate bars for the kids. “We greatly appreciate what they do for us. (The money will go) toward the functions of the house. It’s kids doing something positive.”

Teacher Jessica Phelps is the K Kids adviser this year, and one of her goals has been to instill a sense of ownership and confidence by having them serve in leadership roles, including president and vice president, she said, and charging them with the responsibility to get tasks done.

“So we're building on leadership, and then also Kiwanis kids is about the community, to bring everyone into the community and doing community service. So just making the kids, showing students that they are role models and leaders and being able to go out and be part of the community,” Phelps said. “We went over to Homeslice and we sold chocolate suckers over there one night when the teachers were making pizzas. So being part of the community, lifting people up and showing everyone that we bring people together, and praising them, no matter where you come from or what you do.”

The K Kids were responsible for sales involving the entire school — with flyers going home, sign-up sheets for those interested in buying and/or selling, and assignments of counting and double counting to ensure there were no miscalculations in what was going out or coming in, delivering the product, learning about the cause from their teacher and talking about how the money raised will help to support it, Phelps said.

And what did they get out of the experience?

“They get out of it pride for helping the community, they get out of it pride for themselves, taking that role in being a leader and feeling good about themselves. The success of being able to do something for the community and for Crossroads, bringing the money back and seeing how much each year it grows, and some of these kids have been in this club since they were in third grade,” she said. “Now it's only fifth and sixth grade, but these kids have been in since we changed it, because it was just easier, because there's 26 students in it now. So just being able to give back and help the less fortunate, help people out there.”

Leah DiPalma and Silas Stock were pleased with their individual results of having sold at least 500 suckers each. Leah, 12, doubled up with her mom and sold a lot at the family diner where her mom works. She thought maybe they had hit the 200 mark, and after continuing to get bags of 25 and 50 each week to sell, Leah finally added it up. “I was surprised,” she said. She’s not at all ambiguous about her club.

“I love K kids. I just feel I like helping people, and when I get that opportunity, I'm just gonna jump right on it,” she said. “I’ve been doing K kids, helping out with it since probably two years before I actually could in third or fourth grade, because I would help at the car show with the bounce house. So I've been helping for a while.”

Many of the kids have also been arriving at school at an unusual time to help prepare for the upcoming Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt on April 19, Phelps said. It has been a sight to behold.

“The kids getting up early in the morning, coming in at 7:15 to 7:30, taking 45 minutes, stuffing the eggs, and just to see that joy on their face being able to do that. I give them directions, they organize it, they put them in bags, they're making the labels,” she said. “And just to see them start to organize and be able to do it without me — seeing them grow, growing on their own, and supporting one another. They want to be here. They want to be part of the community and help with community service around here. So it's a huge community service.”

Press Release:

The Intermediate School Student Council hosted their annual December Drive to help collect food donations for the Corfu Food Pantry. 

Currently, the Pantry is helping 50 families in our Corfu/Pembroke communities. In total, the Intermediate School students and staff collected 1,889 items!

On December 20, students and staff braved the elements to deliver donations. It took the entire 6th grade, entire 5th grade, and two 4th grade classrooms to deliver all of the food!

The Intermediate School Student Council also held a friendly competition to see which classroom in each grade collected the most food. The winners are:

• 3rd: Mrs. Amuso
• 4th: Mrs. Fenik
• 5th: Ms. Stoldt
• 6th: Mr. Brown

Submitted photos.

When Arron Brown, a sixth-grade teacher from Pembroke Intermediate School, heard about an opportunity to get money for their school to plant trees, he knew he had to see what it was all about.

Arron applied for a grant through the New York State Urban Forestry Council and was selected to receive $500 for his school to purchase trees. He decided on two trees to plant in celebration of Arbor Day (the last Friday of April). 

“I chose the red maple tree because they are strong and resilient, just like the district is helping them to grow up to be. I also chose a Japanese cherry blossom for its beauty and positivity. If the students are having a bad day they can come look at the tree and think of positive things, like when they all planted the tree this Arbor Day,” said Brown. 

There were two different ceremonies one for the third and fourth grade classes, which planted the red maple tree, and one for the fifth and sixth grade classes, which planted the Japanese cherry blossom.

Students participated in a week-long celebration, where they learned about the history of Arbor Day, the importance of trees, and got creative with a poem contest. 

Students who participated in the poem contest were only given the topic of trees. There was a total of 42 submitted poems. The winners were announced at each ceremony and were awarded a certificate and a Tim Horton's gift card. 

The teachers also awarded a few selected students to help shovel the first scoops of dirt. Students were recognized for their character traits of resilience and caring throughout the year.

Norman Foster, Pembroke Intermediate School Principal, also spoke to the students about how trees play a vital role in our everyday lives and how Arbor Day was recognized in 1972 by former President Richard Nixon who officially made it a holiday.

“Most importantly the students get to remember that they have planted these trees for future students to admire and enjoy,” Brown said.

Press release:

Sixth Grade students at Pembroke Intermediate School participated in the Korman Challenge Reading Contest during the month of October.

Students were challenged to read a book written by author Gordon Korman during the month to be invited to the Korman Party, which was held on Nov. 4.

By the end of the month, 24 students completed the challenge!

Students were invited to a special party where they watched a special video message from Gordon Korman himself! Students then received a special certificate recognizing their achievement.

To wrap up the special day, students enjoyed pizza generously donated by Homeslice Pizzeria 33! 

Submitted photos.

Press Release: 

The students, teachers, and staff at Pembroke Intermediate School participated in their annual December Drive which benefits the Corfu Food Pantry. This year, almost 1,400 items were collected! Student Council members, 5th grade students, and 6th grade students delivered the food on Friday, December 17.   

“This is one of the Intermediate School’s favorite holiday traditions. The entire school and community comes together to help those in need,”  said student council and 6th grade teacher Arron Brown.

Pembroke Central School District residents Thursday overwhelmingly approved a $1.69-million multifaceted capital project for repairs and renovation of the bus garage at the Intermediate School at 58 Alleghany Road (Route 77) in Corfu.

The work is being funded by state aid and $400,000 from the district’s Capital Reserve Fund, and will have no impact on the local property tax rate, according to Superintendent Matthew Calderon.

The vote was 139 in favor and 35 against.

Improvements to the bus garage include replacing: the bus lift; fuel island; interior lighting; windows in the lift bay; offices and drivers’ area; entry doors; and overhead door operators.

Additional work involves adding electrical power on three light poles, repairing building electrical ground, repointing brick, splitting the heat system to provide greater efficiency, and installing screen wall/wind screens and parts storage shelving.

The district's board of education has scheduled another capital project proposition for May to address Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and Building Condition Survey issues, Calderon said, noting that the spring proposal also will not result in an increase to the taxpayer.

Pembroke Intermediate School in Corfu is promoting community and wellness this week with a program called “Start with Hello."

On Tuesday morning students were greeted by police and firemen saying hello and handing out apples. The event today is part of a weeklong effort to promote emotional wellness at the school.

Photos and information submitted by Aaron Brown.

Last week, the Pembroke Intermediate School celebrated Red Ribbon Week. Throughout the week, students and staff participated in Spirit Days, celebrating choosing a life that does not include drugs. The week concluded with a school-wide assembly and balloon launch.

Students, faculty, staff and friends at Pembroke Intermediate School raised more than $10,000 this morning in a "Bald for Bucks" program for cancer research.

The young son of one of Pembroke's fourth-grade teachers, Jill Bojarski, has been diagnosed with cancer.

Funds will be donated to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Above, Joyce Saleman, the child's grandmother, has her head shaved by Darlene Curtis. Saleman became quite emotional when the amount of money raised was announced and she spoke to the children, thanking them for their generosity and caring.