Superintendent's Notes Steve Schoonmaker - Van Etten Central ...

A Publication of the Spencer Van Etten Central School District
Superintendent’s Notes
What’s the Relationship
September 14, 2007
At our recent professional development, the guest speaker Larry Rowe (former long time
Superintendent of Johnson City Schools) shared some most enlightening information with our staff. He
indicated research shows that when over 25,000 students were surveyed around the country as to what made
them more successful in school, they responded as follows:
6% Teaching Techniques and Lesson Presentations
16% Things Outside of School Over Which Schools Had No Control
78% The Quality of Human Interaction in the School
To be honest, we were somewhat surprised. Certainly we have all heard that the most important
factor in student achievement is a quality teacher and instruction in the classroom. While these findings do
nothing to refute this fact, they do indicate that we need to seriously look at other priorities. Typically,
schools spend the vast majority of their professional development time and resources on curriculum and
teaching techniques. Likewise, very few schools spend much time on the interpersonal aspects of creating
student rapport and developing positive relationships in school and the classroom.
In this vein, Spencer-VanEtten is somewhat unique. For many years, the district worked on this exact
thing. Through the “Choice Theory” model, teachers and support staff were trained in developing both
classroom and school-wide patterns of positive interactions. The results that the district showed during that
time were, to say the least, impressive. However, over a number of years, due to financial stress and the
turnover of staff, the Choice Theory practices diminished. Clearly, this decrease in focus was to the
detriment of our students, staff, and school community as a whole. Therefore, we are committed to
rekindling this focus.
Over the past school year, about one quarter of our existing staff received training in Choice Theory.
Additionally, over this summer no less than 50 of our staff, including all new staff, received training in
Choice Theory. We will continue this training during the 2007-08 school year and will work to ensure that
all staff are trained in this model and its potential for developing and maintaining positive relationships
between staff and students, between students, and between staff members. The goal is to ensure that we work
to fully address the 78% factor that positively impacts student learning and achievement.
In my meeting opening day with the middle school student body, I addressed the importance of
developing positive relationships. This starts with civility, and includes the critical components of trust,
respect, and the choices we make in our language and actions. Throughout the school year, we will be
monitoring our progress to see how our efforts impact not only the environment in our school buildings, but
also student success.
I routinely talk about the importance of working together to achieve maximum success. Certainly,
working together is all about relationships. These important relationships, to be successful, cannot stop at the
school door. They must include parents and the community. If our students are to feel connected, we must all
play a part in making our school and community a warm and welcoming place in which to grow, learn, and
succeed. As always…
By working together, we can accomplish great things!
Here’s to an Outstanding Year
Steve Schoonmaker

We would like to welcome our
new teachers.
Angela Holmes
Fourth Grade Teacher
Saffron VanGalder
Third Grade Teacher
Michelle Dominguez
Third Grade Teacher
Lisa Butler
First Grade Teacher
Deidre Cornell
Kindergarten Teacher
Katie Park
Kindergarten Teacher
Back To School Night – September 19th
Kindergarten: 6:00 p.m.
First Grade: 6:20 p.m.
Second Grade: 6:40 p.m.
Third Grade: 7:00 p.m.
Fourth Grade: 7:20 p.m.
This evening is intended for parents only. Child Care is
provided, however children must be pre-registered. For
information, please contact the Family Room at 589-7110.

Dear Parents/Guardians/Community Members,
The Volunteer Program, the After School Enrichment, Partners In Education (P.I.E.) and the administration are
working together to create a welcoming environment in the middle school. We invite you assist us with various tasks
throughout the year. There are numerous ways in which parents can be involved in the middle school and help us
educate our S-VE youth. We know that by working together we can make this a great year for our students and
families,
S-VE Middle School Volunteer Questionnaire
Everyday Assistance Needed: (Check times when you are available)
Academic Assistants (during the day)
Times Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Period 1 –
8:07-8:46am
Period 2 –
8:49-9:28am
Period 3 –
9:31-10:10am
Period 4 –
10:13-10:52am
Period 5 –
10:55-11:34am
Period 6 –
11:37-12:16pm
Period 7 –
12:19-12:58pm
Period 8 –
1:10-1:40pm
Period 9 –
1:43-2:21pm
Period 10 –
2:23-2:55pm
Lunch/Recess Supervision (during the day)
Grade Times Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
5th grade 11:47-12:17
recess
5 th grade 11:17-11:47
Lunch
6 th grade 10:55-11:25
recess
6 th grade 12:19-12:49
lunch
7 th grade 11:46-12:16
lunch
8 th grade
lunch
10:55-11:25

Occasional Assistance Needed: (Check any activity that you would be willing to assist with)
_______ School Dance/Activity Nights Chaperones
_______ Field Trip Chaperones
_______ Field Day Team Assistants
_______ Nurse’s Office
_______Modified Athletic Events
_______ Homework Club and/or After School Programming
(3pm-4pm)
_______ Career Days
_______ Parent Room
_______ Library
_______ Student of the Month Breakfast
_______Mentoring
_______Clothing Closet
After School Services/Clubs:
∞ If you have a special skill you would like to share with young adults. 3pm-4pm is a great time to offer a club and
share your special talents. (Example: knitting, photography, snowshoeing, scrap booking, etc.)
Skill you would like to share _____________________________________
Time period of club _________________________________
Days to meet during the week M TU W TH
* This must be coordinated with Bernadette Raupers
How would you prefer to be contacted (Once the questionnaire is returned you will be contacted)
Name: __________________________________
Email Address:
_________________________
Phone Number(s): * Please indicate best time of day to be contacted _________________________
Day ___________________________________
Night __________________________________
Cell ___________________________________
Additional Comments:
Sincerely,
Erica Lilly, Volunteer Coordinator (elilly@svecsd.org) 589-7110
Sandra Holmes, P.I.E. Co-chair (sholmes@svecsd.org) 589-7120
Bernadette Raupers, After School Enrichment (braupers@svecsd.org) 589-7120
Please return this survey to school with your child or send to SVE Middle School, 1 Center Street, Spencer, NY 14883.

Spencer-Van Etten Middle School News
The Middle School Welcomes …
Alan Miller As Our New Guidance Counselor
Alan Miller, our new Middle School Counselor, returns to
the east coast after spending the last 9 years in Oregon
where he worked as a K-8 School Counselor. He and his
wife drove across the country this summer with their two
large dogs and three cats. They are now busy getting
settled in and preparing their home for the arrival of their
first child in November. Mr. Miller is excited to be a part
of the SVE community and is looking forward to working
with the wonderful staff and students for a great school
year. In his spare time, Alan enjoys exploring the great
outdoors, listening to all kinds of music, cooking and
spending time with friends and family. On Sundays, his eternal optimism allows him to
fanatically root for the NY Giants.
and Laura Weisse As Our New
5 th Grade English Teacher
This is Mrs. Weisse’s first year as a full time teacher with the
Spencer-Van Etten School District. She has, however, been a
familiar face within all three schools for the past few years
as both a daily and long-term substitute teacher. She is
thrilled to be teaching Fifth Grade E.L.A. this year! Her
classes have gotten off to a great start and the Middle School
already feels like home!
Mrs. Weisse grew up in Waverly and now has a home there with her husband, Brian, and three
pets: two dogs, Cody and Ralphie, and a cat, Darby. She is an avid reader and loves to travel. She
would like to thank everyone in the Spencer-Van Etten family for making her feel so welcome and
wishes you all a great year!
Coming Events
Homework Help, from three to four o’clock, Monday –Thursday, beginning October 1, 2007 – Details will follow!
After school enrichment classes are being planned, beginning in October!
Character Trait of the Week: EFFORT
You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.
~Beverly Sills
A teacher opens the door, but you must enter yourself.
~Chinese Proverb

SPENCER-VANETTEN HIGH SCHOOL
Another Opening, Another Show!!
The highlight of the year in the music department here at the high school is going to be the
production of the musical "Crazy for You". The show won the Tony Award for Best New Musical
in 1992 and features a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George
Gershwin. The actual performances will be held at the end of March, but we are already working
on many aspects of the show. Auditions for the cast will be held sometime in November. More
information on this exciting production will be available soon.
Summer Band
For two weeks this past July the classrooms and hallways of the S-VE High School were filled
with the sound of 100+ students from Spencer-Van Etten and Tioga Central working on learning
music as part of our annual summer band program. Each student performed in at least two bands
and younger students received nightly lessons from select high school students who worked as
teachers for the two weeks. Bands included a prep band for students who had played for at least
one year, an intermediate band for students who had played 2-4 years, an advanced band for high
school students, a high school jazz ensemble, and a combined band which included all of the
students who attended the program.
In August, a number of the program participants performed on two hay wagons with some of our
alumni as part of the S-VE Music Alumni and Friends float at the Spencer Picnic. We are always
looking for more alumni to play with us, so let Mr. Miller know if you are interested for next
summer!
Music Department on the web
The teachers in the music department have put lots of work into the music department web page
and classroom pages which can be found by visiting www.svecsd.org/music.cfm. The main web
page includes general information about our bands and choruses as well as a list of some of the
past trips and musicals which we have done. You can click on any music teacher’s name and visit
their classroom page to find specific information on policies, upcoming events and projects. The
classroom pages are updated frequently and are always a great place to find information on
anything and everything to do with music here at S-VE.
Important Dates:
9/15/07 ACT Exams
9/20/07 Magazine Sales Begin
9/20/07 Senior Class Banquet 5:30 PM
9/20/07 Open House 6:30-8:30 PM