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February 2008

EFA will transition to a block schedule in September 2008

Inside:

In the fall of 2006, the Board of Education approved the transition of Elmira Free Academy from a traditional schedule to a block schedule. This change will take effect in September 2008. Southside High School already follows a block schedule. EFA staff and administration have been preparing for the transition with professional development about teaching in the block, meetings with parents and students regarding the change, observations of other schools in the block, including Southside High School, and examining the current schedule.

Summer Cohesion now

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What does the change mean?

A block schedule differs from the traditional nine-period schedule in that fewer classes are held each day, but for a longer period of time. Classes generally run for 80 minutes with four classes (plus lunch) per day. Rather than running all year, courses are generally completed in one semester. Classes that must be offered all year, such as music performance groups, will be held during the daily advisement period.

Benefits of the block • • • • •

Fewer class changes. Longer instructional period results in increased time on task for students. Longer classes, which allows teachers more time to teach subjects in greater depth. Less hallway traffic results in fewer opportunities for student behavior problems. Increased number of students fully subscribed in school. Students take four courses each semester instead of eight.

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Fewer study halls. Currently at EFA there are 132 study halls, and many students have multiple study halls. When a student has two or three study halls in a row, there are additional behavior issues. Smaller class size, which allows teachers to support students’ different needs and learning styles. Data shows that when teachers make lesson plans for longer class periods, they include at least three different activities for students. Longer instructional periods result in increased instructional time for students at no extra cost to taxpayers. For example, once block scheduling is implemented at EFA, there will be 3,600 hours of additional instructional time, even with current teachers’ salaries and school day schedule. This is achieved because block teachers teach six classes a year, while teachers in the traditional schedule teach five classes a year. Because more classes are being taught, there is a greater opportunity for additional electives, advanced placement classes and remediation classes, again, at no extra cost to taxpayers. Although data indicates that with block scheduling students do experience difficulties in recovering from absences, there are some indicators that because of this the more motivated students have fewer absences because they don’t want to fall behind. Data suggests that once teachers adjust their traditional lesson plans to block scheduling – usually after experiencing it for two or more years – teachers are more favorable to it.

Page 2 BES students achieve perfect attendance;

hiring for summer

Page 3 Teachers win grants; Students compete for chef scholarship

Page 4 Battle of the Bands needs musicians; Broadway Elementary needs stationery

Page 5 Diven Elementary improves reading scores

Page 6 CTE News, Ernie Davis students give to community

Page 7 Good news

Page 8 Calendar

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Broadway Elementary students lauded for perfect attendance Congratulations to the following students at Broadway Elementary who had perfect attendance for the first marking period. These students received awards in January at the school’s town meetings.

Third Grade: Shane Adams, Morgan Arnold, Alexis Atchie, Kyle Baker, Megan Batista, Brion Berbary, Yashai Brooks (Angel), Jamie Burless, Rebecca Clinton, Mauriana Coleman, Nathan Coppola, Danielle Dille, Noah Dunn, Jonathan Duryea, Tiffany Green, Paige Greenlaw, Emily Hovermale, Shannon Jenkins, Hannah Jerzak, Kylar Kilburne, Hannah Mould, Chloe Reed, Emily Sando, Dylan Semski, Gabriella Seymour, Nicholas Shores, Anthony Spencer, Alexei Starkweather, Bianca Summerville, Collin Tarby, Austin Thompson, Brooke Tobey, Mackenzie Tubbs and Emily Winnick.

Kindergarten: Lindsey Boorse, Keileen Brown, Mikayla Carroll, Colby Cicora, Kendra Clark, Olivia Costello, Olivia Davis, Colin Erikson, Kiarah Groverv, Anthony Harriel, Trent Johnson, Makenzie Knapp, Victoria Kohler, Richard Lewis, Selah Muhammad, Kaden Northrup, Tyler Peckham, Kirstyn Richer, Cody Ripley, Nathan Semski, Nolan Storch, Shawn Stowe-Alington, Michael Fourth Grade: Tyler Barden, Drew Taylor, Melissa Thomas, Theresa Waite, Bennett, Jasiah Brooks, Collin Brown, Alex Yontz and Lexus Zwanka. Jeremiah Bythwood, Zepphaniah BythFirst Grade: Kenneth Bellinger, wood, Benjamin Cardamone, Carley Taylor Berbary, Caylee Boorse, Takota Congdon, Benjamin Connor, Kimberly Chilson, Emily Clinton, Michelle CongDoughty, Alexxis Ector, Andrew Ellison, don, Ethan Coppola, Zachary Costello, Jesse Enlow, Zachary Foote, Thomas Adam Elston, Nicholas Gillmer, Noah Fries, Eric Galpin, Anna Grazioso, Gold, Sophia Grazioso, Jahrell Green, Derek Hamilton, Damian Huffine, MatLoni Harris, Bradley Hoffman, Rachel thew Kent, Dyllon Leather, Matthew Horton, Caleb Kelsey, Jocelyn Matthews, Maycumber, Jaron Mustico, Megan Colby Moretz, Tyler Prior, Sean Richer, Nichols, Amelia Osburn, Zachary Savage, Brandon Snyder, Nicholas Spicer, Gaje Makenzie Schrijver, Adam Speer, Joseph Stickler, Josiah Stowe-Alington, CamStowe, Krisgin Szymanski, Devon Tuneron Squires, Theo Summerville and ing, Jacob Wandell, Jaida Washington, Madison West. Joshua Weaver, Brianna Wenck and Second Grade: Hunter Allington, Morgan Wilson. Alexus Boorse, Brandon Camacho, DaFifth Grade: Hanna Adams, Breonica vid Cole, Lynn Coleman, William ColeAustin, Randy Banks, Brandon Berbary, man, Adam Dieg, Dylan Ector, Caitlin Dakota Brewer, Dominic Clark, Alexis Fitzgerald, Nathanael Fivie-Eden, Erika Green, Kwinne Harris, Martha HemingGlosenger, Madison Glover, Leyshawn way, Tomman Hillman, Derek HollyGreen, Nassier Harriel, Galexy Jackson, Pirie, Jordan Holmes, Xionia Keith, Orian Jackson, Olivia Lovejoy, Sarah Brianna Lopez, Lisa Martin, Shania Magee, Alexander Morton, Jordan MoyMatthews, Morgan May, Bailey Maynard, er, Dakota Mueller, Brianna O’Malley, Shisaiah McCoy, Kyle Morton, Armand Brandon Prior, Daryl Savage, Thomas Pagano, Hunter Prior, Joseph Rickard, Sheehan, Hunter Squires, Mariana Jagger Rimany, Danielle Sampson, Emily Stark, Diondre Stowe-Alington, Jamie Thomas, Ryan Tillotson, Kelsea Troutt, Taber-Plaisted, Nicholas Tarby, Aronde Michael Wheeler and Kayla Wood. Terpolilli, Damon Terwilliger, Lindsay Weaver and Ryan Willsey. 2

Summer Cohesion now accepting job applications The Summer Cohesion Program, which provides recreational, educational and cultural enrichment programs for youth ages 412 in Chemung County each summer, is now accepting applications for site coordinators and recreation leaders for the 2008 season. Site coordinators must have a bachelor or associates degree, concentrating in such areas as education, recreation or human services; or a diploma/GED and two years of full-time experience in conducting recreational and youth-related activities. Site coordinators must be certified in CPR and first aid by June 1. Recreation leaders must be at least 17 years of age by July 1 and be residents of Chemung County. Candidates must demonstrate a knowledge of and interest in working with children. Strong consideration will be given to those volunteering and working with youth in our community. Recreations leaders must be certified in CPR and first aid by June 1. Applications are available in the EFA main office. Forward applications, including a résumé and two letters of reference, to the Chemung County Department of Youth Bureau and Recreational Services, 599 Harris Hill Road, Elmira, NY 14903. For more information call Lisa Bowers at 737-2907, or e-mail [email protected].

CTE News

A SMART class... in more ways than one Information provided by Shelley Bailey, Career & Technical Education

“This is the best class ever,” said a student when asked about the Sales, Marketing and Retail Training (SMART) class he is enrolled in at EFA. “We learn things in here that everyone should know, like how to keep financial records,” said another. The SMART class is a capstone course to the Sales, Marketing and Retail Training career pathway. This pathway has been endorsed by the New York State Department of Education and enables students to earn a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Endorsement on their Regents diploma if they complete all requirements. These requirements include meeting all district and state Regents diploma requirements, earning 5 units of CTE credit, participating in an internship experience and passing the Retail Readiness national assessment. This is no easy task, but the students enjoy every minute of it. Cheryl Sweeney, EFA business teacher and SMART instructor, has arranged the class to be self-paced through the use of computerbased modules using Virtual Business 2.0 software and a practical, real world experi-

ence where by the students run the school store called Tha Spot. The students said this experience enables them to learn retailing, sales, marketing and business operation skills. Students also commented on the flexibility and independence they have over their learning because they constantly get to apply what they are learning and are never bored. One student said that the SMART class helped her get a job. She was able to note on her resume that she could maintain financial records and run a cash register, which appealed greatly to her employer. “The students in the SMART class have had the opportunity to practice the principles of retail marketing that they are learning in class. As the students take part in hands-on activities in running the school store, they are

able to see retailing in action from inventory, sales, stocking the shelves and accounting,” said Mrs. Sweeney.

Above: EFA students in the SMART class staff the school store called Tha Spot. Below: SMART class students collaborate using Virtual Business 2.0 software.

Ernie Davis club gives mittens to the needy Peace Club member volunteers from Ernie Davis Middle School participated in the club’s fourth annual Mitten Tree event, in which staff and students gave mittens and gift bags to those in need during the holidays. The Peace Club thanks Ernie Davis staff and Principal Derek Almy, and especially GST BOCES staff member Louise Paul and Southside High School monitor Udean Meggs for their help. Photo at left: Peace Club members are shown here with their Mitten Tree in the school faculty lounge.

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Attention parents: Go online for new lunch money account Parents or guardians may now prepay their child’s student meal account online using the school district’s new PaySchools Online Payment Processing System. To access this account, go to: www.elmiracityschools.com/schoolmeals Or go to the Elmira City School District’s home page: www.elmiracityschools.com > Lunch Menus & School Meals

Benefits for Parents/Guardians: • • • • •

Call for entries for upcoming ‘Battle of the Bands’ The YWCA of Elmira announces a call for entries from local bands to participate in an upcoming:

Teen Health Fair/ Battle of the Bands May 31 • First Arena, Downtown Elmira

Easy and convenient online access, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No more lost checks. Next day credit to student accounts reflecting the new activity. Ability to view account history of purchases. Assurance of private and secured transmissions.

The YWCA of Elmira, students from area high schools and several community organizations are hosting this event. Details will be announced as they are finalized. Organizers are currently looking for bands who want to participate in the competition. Bands must have at least three members, each between the ages of 14-20. A complete set of rules and an application form are available from student event committee members and on the battle of the bands myspace at www.myspace.com/ywcaelmiraThese Riverside Elementary students – along with one teacher – won time grabbing cash in a battleoftheband. money machine because they were the top sellers in the school’s fall fundraiser. Their names The deadline for application submissions have been deleted for Internet security. is March 1. For more details, call Kim Stanton at the YWCA at 733-5575.

Broadway Elementary needs stationery donations Teaching staff at Broadway Elementary School are asking parents, businesses and other community groups for donations of new note cards, post cards, envelopes, letterhead and stationery for a school-wide mail system they will be initiating to encourage literacy through authentic letter-writing.

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Students will write to each other as well as adults, including parents and staff. The school has mail boxes in every classroom and office, even in the cafeteria. Donate your unused writing materials directly to the school’s main office during school hours, or call the school at 735-3600 to make other arrangements.

If you have any questions, please contact Naomi Avery at the school.

Students volunteer at animal shelter Students in Stacey Graham’s and Gail Wandell’s classes at Southside High School volunteer at the Elmira Animal Shelter caring for homeless cats and dogs as part of a new community service project. Students groom and socialize with the shelter’s cats and dogs to help ready them for adoption. If interested, call the Elmira Animal Shelter at 737-5767. Photo, left: Student volunteers sit with a pair of red and white pitbull sisters, Meg and Rose, who both need homes. Students identify their favorite animals with hearts and messages on their cages.

Broadway Middle students volunteer Student members of Broadway Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society volunteered as Salvation Army Red Kettle bell ringers during the holiday season. The group has an annual tradition of volunteering for this charity. Broadway Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society students rang bells for the Salvation Army at the Arnot Mall on December 15. This photo shows the student volunteers along with NJHS adviser Kim Woltjen (top left).

Diven’s reading teachers help improve student’s reading scores Diven Elementary School reading teachers and special education staff are working intensively with students identified by DIBELS as having reading difficulties. A group of teachers called the Co-Core Team are excited about how well students are responding to this instruction, which has resulted in improved scores in the DIBELS probe that measures students’ phonics skills. Diven’s Co-Core teachers, Laurie Donohue, Heather Donovan, Liz McIntosh and

Tammy Phenes, are implementing Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading programs with fidelity. These programs have been researched for more than 50 years and are proven highly effective for meeting the needs of students most in need. The programs use informed assessment measures to determine individual learning gaps. It then focuses on explicit phonics and word study instruction, with the intent to accelerate students to grade level expectations in reading.

According to Liz McIntosh, the team is excited about the success they are seeing in their students. “We’re seeing a consistent improvement in the DIBELS – Nonsense Word Fluency probe,” she said. “Many students have met the decoding benchmark and are close to making the recoding benchmark. This is in less than 20 days of instruction!”

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Teachers win mini-grants to enhance student learning The following Elmira City School District teachers received mini-grants from the Schuyler-Chemung-Tioga/Corning Teacher Center: •

Jeanette Supple, reading teacher, Riverside, The World of Work.

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Mara McKeever, grade 1, Riverside, Building Fluency & Comprehension; Reader’s Theatre: Expanding the Arts; Reader’s Theatre: Expanding the Arts, part 2.

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Nancy Seward, special education, Southside, Foods of the World; Professional Cake-Decorating; Music in the Classroom. Kathy Rosenheck, reading teacher, Pine City, Scrapbooking Fourth Grade; Our Fourth Grade Scrapbook; Scrapbooking Our Year in Fourth Grade; Using Digital Photographs in Scrapbooks. Kelley Bailey, grade 2, Pine City, Vocabulary Development for Young Learners; Vocabulary Development to Strengthen

Thinking; Robust Vocabulary Development for Learners. •

Catherine Westlake, speech therapist, Pine City and Southside, Visual Aids for Students with Special Needs; The Use of Visual Aids to Enhance Learning.

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David Benjamin, English, Broadway Middle, Multimedia in the Middle School Classroom.

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Diana Cuttica, art, Broadway Middle, Interdisciplinary Art Cart.

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Laurie Marchesani, social studies, Broadway Middle, Multimedia in the Middle School Classroom (2).

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Sheena Scouten, science, Broadway Middle, Multimedia in the Middle School Classroom.

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Cheryle Earl, math, Broadway Middle, Multimedia in the Middle School Classroom.

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Amy Gennosa, math, Southside, Using Derive 6.0 in Calculus Labs.

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Judy Schaeffler, speech therapist, Riverside, Increasing On-Task Behavior; Internal Level of Readiness to Work, Play.

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Chris Thomas, instructional support teacher, Broadway Elementary, Second Grade Mosaic of Thought; Third Grade Mosaic of Thought.

Teachers in the Elmira school district received $18,372 in mini-grants from the Teacher Center.

Elmira students to compete in high school cooking contest

Students in Culinary Arts class at GST BOCES recently met with a visiting master chef, Jake Brach of Rich’s Foods, to learn tips on culinary preparation and presentation, helping them to prepare for a Johnson and Wales University High School Chef of the Year contest. Students developed a dinner entree or dessert. Recipe requirements included appealing presentation, being made entirely from scratch and meeting standardized nutritional guidelines. Each student who entered GST BOCES Culinary Arts students show off the recipes they created for competition. Names earned a $500 scholarship to Johnson and have been deleted for Internet security. Wales. The winner will receive a four-year full-tuition scholarship.

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Good news

Broadway Middle School Pine City donates to earns music honors food pantry Congratulations to the Broadway Middle School Festival Band and Symphonic Band, which recently received “gold” ratings from the New York State School Music Association. This honor from NYSSMA ranked Broadway Middle School’s Festival Band in the top six in the state, and the Symphonic Band in the top 12. According to the official publication of NYSSMA, a total of 1,122 school groups participated statewide in this competition last year. A special thanks to music teacher Al Saginario for his direction in this accomplishment. The awards are showcased in the school’s front lobby.

Beecher students receive awards Congratulations to the following Beecher Elementary students in third through fifth grade who were recently recognized for academic achievement: Highest Achievement: Amarhye Abner, Jeremy Dang, Glennessa Dennery, Anfernee Halloway, Kyle Harkness, Steven Mathew, Mike Parker, Sabrina Taft and Taya Taft. Most Improved: Shannon Bailey, Sam Guerrero, Haylie Henley, Shelby Knapp, Atiim Pittman, Sierra Proctor, Michael Scharborough, Kaylee Smith and Maleah Williams. Highest Effort: Emily Allen, Dae’Jaun Campbell, Nathaniel Coates, Kayla Hallet, Faleasha Hoskins, Sean Loyd, Dakari Massey, Annie Robinson and Alexis Wright.

Cosmetology students win awards

Congratulations to students and staff at Pine City Elementary who recently donated more than 300 food items and paper products to the Pennsylvania Avenue Methodist Church Food Pantry in Elmira. This food drive was organized by Aimee Garrett, school counselor, and the food drive theme was “Together we care... Together we can!” According to Pine City Principal Rhonda Baran, this was a wonderful demonstration of how much Pine City students care about their community.

Congratulations to the following high school students who competed in a local hair styling competition on January 14. This competition included 66 Career and Technical Education cosmetology students from GST BOCES, Bush Campus. In the high school senior category, Tamara Muhammad won first place and Kari Michalko won second place. Both students are from Southside High School. In the high school junior category, Christie Weaver from Southside High School won first place, Chaquita Green from EFA won second place, and Elaine Jenkins from the Elmira Alternative School won third place. The GST BOCES cosmetology program, taught by instructors Darlene Peterson, Kara Broadway Middle Sheehan and Judith Roy on the Bush Campus, prepares students for careers as New York student wins State-licensed hair stylists. Cosmetology is Geographic Bee one of 20 such programs offered through the Congratulations to Broadway Middle CTE program at GST BOCES. School student Dakota Bassett, who won first place in the school’s 2008 National Geo- Ernie Davis art graphic Bee on January 9. All of the school’s students’ work on seventh- and eighth-grade students competed in first rounds of this event. As winner, Dakota display in Albany will advance to the next level of competition, Congratulations to the following Ernie which will be a written exam to determine Davis Middle School sixth-graders whose art state competitors. All school winners are projects celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. eligible to win the national championship and are on display at an Albany exhibit: Monica its first prize – a $25,000 college scholarship Reilly, Kayla Quick, Luke Proudfoot, – at the national competition in May, to be Nikole Weber, Leaghanna Miller and held in Washington, D.C. Dakota Green. Art teacher Dale Witkowski This National Geographic Society-spon- helped sixth-grade students create art projsored competition is now in its 19th year. The ects celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Geographic Bee is open to all fourth- through giving students a portrait of Dr. King with part eighth-graders who live in the United States, of the “I have a dream” speech overlayed. including five U.S. territories, as well as those Students were asked to create an original who attend Department of Defense Depen- piece of art in which drawings and words dent Schools throughout the world. together emphasized meaning. This art, minus those in Albany, was displayed in the school in January. 7

Elmira City School District

951 Hoffman Street Elmira, NY 14905

District Dialogue is published monthly by the Elmira City School District for its employees and patrons.

Superintendent: Dr. Raymond Bryant

Board of Education: Daniel Hurley, President Michael Crimmins, Vice President Anthony Fisher Jr., Lynn Grottenthaler, Robin Long, Rodney Strange, Ethel Stroman, Mary Beth Turner and Robert Woods.

Editors: Kristin Butler, 735-3026, and Pam Hawthorne, 739-3581.

February Calendar February 1

Dibels Benchmark II Testing Broadway Elementary PFO Winter Concert, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

February 4

Dibels Benchmark II Testing EFA TALC, 3:15, Library Beecher Elementary PFO, 6:00 p.m. Hendy Elementary PFO, 7:00 p.m.

February 5

Dibels Benchmark II Testing

February 6

School Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., EFA Community Room MIDDLE SCHOOL Conference DAY – DISMISSAL AT 11:00

February 14 Diven Valentine’s Day Parties, 1:30 p.m. SuperPAC, 7:00-8:00 p.m., Broadway Middle School Library MIDDLE SCHOOL Conference DAY – DISMISSAL AT 11:00

February 15

Fassett Elementary Family Dance, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Broadway Middle School Dance, 7:00 p.m.

February 18-19

PRESIDENTS’ Day RECESS –

February 7

Elmira Free Academy SPFO, 7:00 p.m., Library

February 8

Hendy Elementary PFO Family Dance, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Pine City Bingo Night, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Ernie Davis Dance, 7:00 p.m.

February 11

Fassett Elementary Grade 1 Concert, 9:15 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Ernie Davis SPFO, 6:30 p.m. Ernie Davis Band & Orchestra Boosters, 7:30 p.m. Broadway Elementary PFO, 6:30 p.m.

February 12

Diven DS0, 6:00 p.m. Riverside Elementary SPFO, 6:30 p.m.

February 13 Non-profit org. US postage PAI D Elmira, NY Permit no. 39

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Coburn Elementary PFO, 2:45 p.m.

February 20

NO SCHOOL

School Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., EFA Community Room

February 21

Broadway Middle PFO, 6:00 p.m. Hendy Elementary Grade 1 Program, “A Book is a Magic Carpet,” 6:30 p.m.

February 25

Fassett Elementary PFO, 6:00 p.m.

February 26

Fassett Elementary Grade 2 Concert, 7:00 p.m.

February 28

ELEMENTARY Conference Day – EARLY DISMISSAL