The LINK March 2013 - Albion Central School District

HighlightsLetter from the Superintendent .............. pg. 2Empty Bowls............................................ pg. 2Albion to Host FFA State Convention....... pg. 2All-County Music..................................... pg. 3Tech Wars................................................ pg. 3Cheerleaders Place 2nd.......................... pg. 4Original Theater Production..................... pg. 4Parents as Reading Partners Program... pg. 4Fall 2012 Scholar Athletes....................... pg. 5Red Cross Scholarship ........................... pg. 6Seminar on Education............................. pg. 6The Little Mermaid ................................. pg. 7C.A.S. “Moving Up” Day .......................... pg. 7Notes from the Music Dept. ................... pg. 8Albion Central SchoolLINKTHEHOME SCHOOL COMMUNITYVolume 28, Number 3 www.albionk12.org Albion, NY March 2013Universal Pre-Kindergarten2013-2014 Student Registration• Applications for the UPK program will be available beginning March 15, in theAlbion Elementary School and District Offices.• All completed applications are due May 1, 2013, by 4 p.m. Deliver application todistrict offices.• Children must be 4 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2013.• To be eligible, students must reside in the Albion Central School District.• AM and PM sessions (9 - 11:30 a.m. and 1 - 3:30 p.m.).• Parents may not choose which session (AM or PM) their child attends.• Parents will be notified by mail of their child’s status for the Pre-Kindergartenprogram.• There are 80 available slots for students. If there are more than 80 applicants, arandom lottery will take place.• In the event of the need for a lottery, students not “drawn” will be added to a waitlist and will be contacted if openings occur during the school year.American Legion Oratorical ContestPictured from (l-r) Albion student oratorical competitors - Madyson Coville, Ashley Lewis,Ali O’Hearn, Allen Sanford, Joyce La Londe and Samantha Dumont.The 2012 American Legion Oratorical Contest was held at Albion High School onNov. 27, 2012. Each participant prepared a speech that was between eight and tenminutes long concerning the rights and duties of American Citizens as outlined in theU.S. Constitution. In order to properly prepare their speech, students must researchboth the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.At the school level, Joyce La Londe placed first, Allen Sanford placed second,Samantha Dumont placed third, and Alison O’Hearn placed fourth. Joyce and Allenadvanced and competed at the county-level on Dec. 15, 2012, where Joyce took firstplace and Allen took third place. Joyce continued on as our county representative inthe District 8 competition which was held in January 2013 and took third place. TheOratorical Contest is sponsored by the American Legion Sheret Post #35. The purposeof the oratorical contest is to give high school students leadership opportunities andpublic speaking challenges while learning about and sharing their knowledge of theUnited States Constitution.Kindergarten RegistrationKindergarten registration for the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School will be heldon Wed., March 20, 2013, from 9:30 a.m. to noon.In order for a child to attend Kindergarten in September 2013, he or she must be5 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2013. Your child’s original birth certificate is requiredat registration time to verify birth date.New York State Law requires that all children must be immunized againstDiphtheria, Pertussis (whooping cough), Tetanus, Rubella (measles), Rubella (Germanmeasles), Mumps, Poliomyelitis, Hepatitis B and Varicella (chickenpox) or providephysician documentation of having had chickenpox.NYS requires each child to have an “entry to school” physical. Physicals can beaccepted if completed after Sept. 3, 2012. If your child has had a well-child physicalwithin this time frame, ask your physician to complete a healthcare appraisal form.Kindergarten registration appointment letters will be sent out to district familieson the mailing list in early March. If you are new to the district, or have not receivedan appointment letter by March 15, 2013, please call the Elementary School officeat 589-2031 to get a registration appointment time for your child.Benefit Recital Raises $2,245The Albion community has demonstrated, once again, its enormous generosity.Over $2,000 was donated by attendees at a benefit recital on Jan. 25, sponsored by theACS Music Department, for the Long Beach (NY) Central School Music Department,which was devastated in the wake of Hurricane Sandy this fall. Long Beach lost asubstantial percentage of its musical instruments, sheet music inventory, rehearsaland concert equipment, music technology materials, and general music classroommaterials. Insurance, FEMA, and NYS recovery payouts will still leave a multi-milliondollar shortfall in their efforts to replace destroyed, missing, and damaged musicequipment and supplies. Just like Albion, Long Beach has a large number of studentswho are heavily involved in music. This service project was an excellent way to assistanother music department in their time of need and foster a greater connection betweenmusic teachers and students, some 400 miles apart.The recital included performances by ACS music faculty members Gary Simboli,Mike Thaine, Carrie Kozody, Greg Martillotta, Karen Conn, Wayne Burlison, Linda Logan,and Megan Zambito, along with audio-visual Director Kevin Smith and district choralaccompanist Catherine Farrell. Performing students were Annabella Salisbury (4thgrade, trombone); Nate Grammatico (6th grade, saxophone); high school Area All-Statevocal musicians Lydia Erakare (with her father, Jan), William Grimble, Kendra Morrison,and Gretta Smith; and high school All-State musicians Michael Patterson (alto sax) andMary Martin (soprano). Retired ACS band teacher Mike Grammatico performed, bothwith grandson Nate and in solo. Three Albion alumni, who are currently working asprofessional musicians in the affected NYC/LI/NJ region, returned to their home-schoolstage and took part in the benefit as well: Eric Deiboldt (2003) is a musical theateractor, currently based in NYC; Michael Platek (2004) is a vocal music teacher atHerricks Central School on Long Island; and Kailey Winans (2008) lives in Manhattanand is a cabaret performer.As a result of Albion’s benefit project, a 4’ x 6’ music staff dry erase board (for ageneral music classroom), a portable amplification system (for a choral ensemble), andtwo violins (for the middle school orchestra) – all replacements for equipment that wasdestroyed in the hurricane – will be purchased and donated to the Long Beach MusicDepartment.Long Beach Instrumental Music Teacher Dave Lobenstein said, “What can I say?Albion’s generosity goes beyond words! Your contribution to our recovery process willbe felt for many years to come. The Albion and Long Beach schools may be separatedby geography and many miles, but our music students are the same... they just want tocreate music. Thanks to all involved!”

2ALBION CENTRAL SCHOOL --- Achievement, Character, and Success for Life!A Message from ourSuperintendent…The seasons are changing at Albion Central! That’s nota weather forecast, but recognition of the transition fromwinter athletics to the spring musicals and spring sports.Our winter sports season ended with the boys’ andgirls’ basketball teams hosting well-played sectionalcontests. Unfortunately, despite their strong efforts,neither team advanced in the sectional tournament.Albion was also represented at the Section VI wrestlingtournament as several grapplers competed and one moved on to the state qualifier. Springsports, despite the current weather, are just around the corner!The music and theater seasons are in full swing as well. Our Middle School dramaprogram takes the stage March 8 and 9 with “Schoolhouse Rock Live!,” while the HighSchool program produces “Beauty and the Beast” on March 22 and 23. The All-DistrictInstrumental Concert on March 13 and the annual Jazz Band Dinner Dance on March 16showcase our students’ musical talents. The Eastman at Albion Courthouse Series kicks offon March 10 with the ACS Flute Choir performing along with artists from the Eastman Schoolof Music.March also finds us celebrating the induction of new members of the National HonorSociety, hosting the Middle School’s annual Empty Bowls event, scheduling Middle and HighSchools Parent-Teacher Conferences, and registering next year’s Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten students. It is a busy month!While our students are involved in all of these events, personnel are busy “behind thescenes” with several other activities. The safety review we began after the Connecticutschool tragedy continues. Law enforcement and safety experts are reviewing their pastrecommendations. I fully expect that we will see changes in their guidance that we willimplement here that will change our procedures. We are moving forward with ourAPPR plan for teacher and principal evaluation that was approved by the State EducationDepartment. And, while budget is a year-round process for us, we have moved into high gearas we prepare the draft plan for consideration by the Board of Education and, ultimately, atthe polls, by district residents. We remain committed to implementing a plan that balancesthe needs of our students with the ability of our taxpayers to pay for the plan.As always, I encourage you to contact the appropriate person at school if you havequestions or need assistance. I look forward to seeing you at many of our spring events!Albion Middle SchoolArt Students present:The 4th AnnualEmpty Bowls EventTo Benefit the Food Pantry at Community ActionThu., March 21, 2013 • 5:30 - 7 p.m.(Doors open at 5 p.m. to choose a bowl)Albion Middle School Cafeteria • $5 donationYour $5.00 donation benefits the Community Action Food Pantry. It gives you admissionto our event, a student-made pottery bowl to keep, a simple soup and bread supper, and ashort student-led service-learning program about hunger in our community and the world.The student-created bowls serve as a reminder that many people live with empty bowls,empty stomachs, and a lack of food every day. Please come out to support the students’efforts and our local food pantry.Geography Bowl WinnersGeography Bowl is a program where students in grades 3, 4, and 5 study continents,countries, capital cities and geographical features of our world culminating in a Jeopardytypequiz-bowl competition. The goal is to challenge and motivate children to learn moreabout the world where they live and celebrate that learning with a fun quiz bowl. After thegrade-level competition, a championship team was named for each grade and from that teaman individual grade-level winner.In the classroom competition, Tyler Gibson, Leah Kania and Zoe Cusson from Mrs.Diebolt’s class won for the third grade. Chris Shabazz, Olivia Morrison and Hannah Brewerfrom Mrs. Kania’s class won for the fourth grade. Mrs. Monacelli’s class team consisting ofEthan Hryhorenko, Taylor Phillips, Kolin Vangorder, Michael DiCureia and Patrick Rickerwon the Geography Bowl for the fifth grade.Third-Grade Individual ChampionsPhotographs of StudentsDuring the school year, students may be photographed for use in school publications. Ifyou do not want your child’s photograph published, please call Mary Ann Donnelly at 589-2050 ext. 2990 or mdonnelly@albionk12.org.Albion Central School HostsFFA State ConventionBy Alison O’Hearn, Chapter Vice President(l-r) Reuben Rivers (3), Tyler Gibson (1), and Loran Reid (2)Fourth-Grade Individual ChampionsFFA Officers pictured (l-r) Alison O’Hearn, Abigail Maines, Mariah Pepe, Logan London, SaraMillspaugh, Riley Kelly, Elizabeth Bentley, Jenny McKenna.Don’t be alarmed when you see hundreds of students clad in blue corduroy jacketsinvading Albion in May. The FFA State Convention is coming to Albion! On May 2-4, theAlbion FFA will be hosting the 88th Annual New York State FFA Convention at the MiddleSchool and High School. This annual event is expected to bring more than 1,200 FFAstudents, 100 chaperones and advisors, 200 career development judges, 200 or moreparents and many farmers and other agribusiness people from all over New York State toAlbion for an unparalleled gathering of potential agribusiness leaders. Attendees will stay atthe various hotels in nearby Batavia. The three-day convention will consist of workshops,competition in career development events, community service, and tours of local farms andbusinesses. The Albion FFA members have been working hard to prepare for this uniquegathering and excitedly anticipate May.FFA Advisor, Adam Krenning said, “This is a huge undertaking. As you can imagine,there is a lot of planning and organizing that goes into hosting an event of this size. Itdefinitely keeps us busy and helps develop the leadership qualities in students that areparamount to our organization. We are grateful to the district and our FFA Alumni for theircontinued support. Our organization has been working on this event since the moment wefound out that it would be here in Albion.” If you would like more information, please emailAdam Krenning at akrenning@albionk12.org.(l-r) Kyle Woolston (2), Derek Osburn (1) and Chris Shabazz (3)Fifth-Grade Individual Champions(l-r) Ethan Hryhorenko (2), Conner Hollenbeck (1), and Taylor Phillips (3)The LINK March 2013

Albion All-County MusicA number of our students were selected to participate in All-County Chorus and Bandensembles this winter. All-County ensembles represent the top student-musicians inOrleans County. Musicians are selected based upon factors including performance ability,instrumentation/voicing needs, attention/focus, and responsibility. Albion Central Schoolhosted the All-County Sr. High Band, Jr. High Chorus, and Elementary Band on Feb. 1 & 2.The Sr. High Chorus, Jr. High Band, and Elementary Chorus rehearsed and performed atKendall on the weekend of March 1 & 2. It is a valuable experience for student-musiciansas they get to rehearse and perform difficult music, in a very select ensemble, under thedirection of a notable guest conductor. The following Albion students were chosen for All-County honor ensembles this winter:ALBION CENTRAL SCHOOL --- Achievement, Character, and Success for Life!Albion Students Compete atN.C.C.C. Tech Wars3Members of the Senior High All-County Band are pictured above. (l-r) Front Row:Rebecca Flanagan, Faith Bentley, Charlyne Olick, Amber Smarpat, Samantha Dumont, EmilyJoslyn, Brooke Chandler, Lydia Erakare, Meredith Patterson, Michael Patterson, Allen Sanford.Back Row: Alan Quintana, Ben Kirby, Zach McMullen, Nick McMullen, Ryan Haight, StevenStauss, William Grimble, Chris Reed and Jon Trembley. Missing from the photo are: TylerNeilans, Jenna Reigle.Jr. High (7-9) Band members were: Kelley Flanagan, Paula Hastings, Cheyenna Eagle,Bethany Bowman, Abigail Maines, Sarah Graham, Nathaniel Trembley, Matt Flanagan, JaredFearby, Kyle Thaine, Zachary Shaffer, Caitlin Malanowski, Dan Beam, Jillian Doyle, JackieQuintana, Emily Blanchard, Joe Madejski, Justin Robinson and Jared Hollinger.Elementary (5/6) Band members were: Nate Grammatico, Evan Allen, Jacob Ettinger,Kaylyn Holman, Melissa Barnosky, Jessica Schleede, Thomas Green, Zoe Chatfield, ArellaIves, Hailey Mack, Kirsten Struble, Hannah VanEpps, Matthew Kovaleski, Nicholas Sacco,Connor McQuillan, Trinity Allen, Evan Van Ameron and Justin Osburn.Fifteen middle and high school students from Albion recently visited Niagara CountyCommunity College to participate in their Tech Wars competition. The students competedin four engineering competitions: Bridge Design, CO2 race car, mousetrap-powered vehicleand the on-site mystery engineering challenge.The middle school bridge design competition involved students designing andengineering a bridge using 1/8” x 1/8” wood members to hold up to 100 lbs. over a 12-inchspan. Albion’s Hannah Yocum placed 25th out of 51 entries. The CO2 cars competitionchallenged students to design, build and race cars powered by CO2 cylinders. MichaylaKovaleski and Jackie Quintana’s CO2 car placed in the top 16 out of 100 entries. Themousetrap-powered vehicles event required students to create a vehicle using a standardVictor mousetrap with a wood base. These unique vehicles were judged on the distancethe vehicle traveled. Albion student, Tyler Nashburn’s vehicle traveled 38 feet during thecompetition. Cody Catlin teamed up with two Albion high school students, Nick Ettinger andAllen Sanford for the on-site mystery engineering challenge. The team placed 5th out of 18entries.Other middle school students competing in the event were: Josh Barnett, Josh Canham,Bailey Maier, Vivian Rivers, Morgan Rutkowski, Sam Slick, and Steve Zayac. The next TechWars was hosted at G.C.C. on March 14.ACS Senior Citizen Day!May 8, 2013 • 9:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Please join us at the Albion High School Gym.For more information, please call Emily Wemmer at 589-2040 ext. 8414.Science Olympiad Team “Drops” the Egg!Members of the Senior High All-County Chorus are pictured above. (l-r) Front Row:Maria Ostafew, Faith Bentley, Charlyne Olick, Rebecca Flanagan, Lydia Erakare, Joyce LaLonde. Back Row: Elijah Martin, Alyssa Lawrence, David Stilwell, Johnathan Krieger, BenKirby, Kyle Worgo, Michael Karcz, Joshua Raymond, Ryan Haight, William Grimble, JordanGrimble, Kendra Morrison and Cassie Hoy. Missing from the photo are: Jenna Reigle, MaryMartin.Jr. High (7-9) Chorus members are: Hailey Bader, Matilda Erakare, Katie Rustay, EmilyCaldwell, Calandra Prentice, Yasmeen Shabazz, Catherine Thom, Joe Madejski, Nate Smith,Connor Zicari, Emilie Barleben, Michayla Kovaleski, Riley Seielstad, Samantha Hollenbeck,Kiara Smith, Kaitlin Zwifka, Andrew Moore, Evan Steier, Shannon Broda, Vivian Rivers,Emma Wadhams, Katie Mann, Zaria Rice, Angela Tarricone, Donato Rosario, Freeman Lattin,Bethany Bowman, Alyce Miller, Sarah Graham, Katy Perry, Cassie Casanova, Cheyenna Eagle,Caitlin Malanowski, Josh Metzler, Kyle Thaine, Ben Miller, Zach Shaffer and Nate Trembley.Elementary (5/6) Chorus: Evan Allen, Dyllan Beach, Chloe Bowman, Noah Duvall,Abby Fitzwater, Lauren Fitzwater, Grace Fournier, Anna Geldard, Nathaniel Grammatico,Thomas Green, Charity Henhawk, Thomas Hollenbeck, Kaylyn Holman, Kate Krieger, MatthewKovaleski, Lindsey Mann, Connor McQuillan, Aja Naro, Sierra Newton, Alana Petronio, TessPettit, Alex Rustay, Pedro Santigo, Jessica Schleede, Haley Smith, Kirsten Struble, JessicaTwardowski, Hannah Van Epps, Sean Weis and Lexi Wolck.spring break 2013Fri., March 29 - Fri. April 5No school for students.(L-R) Ricky Daniels and Noah Wadhams practice for Metric Mastery.The 6th-9th grade Albion Science Olympiad Team has been busy learning about a widerange of science topics in preparation for the regional competition in March. So far thisyear, the team has competed in an Egg Drop competition, Science Trivia contest and hascompleted the application process for the regional competition.In this year’s egg drop, students made a container (excluding glass, metal or wood) thatcaught a raw egg dropped from a height. The objective of the competition was to make yourcontainer short but soft so it would catch the egg without it breaking from the highest height.The winning container was made by Jacob Brower and was only 3 cm in height, but caughtan egg that was dropped 200 cm!In the tournament-style trivia contest teams advanced through a bracket to achampionship round. Winners Ryan Grandy and Evan Howard needed to have well-roundedscience knowledge because the questions came from all branches of science. Eventapplications help organize the team into groups of two for the biggest challenge of theseason, the regional competition against other Rochester area Middle Schools.The regional competition includes events like Anatomy, Crime Busters, Forestry,Meteorology, Mystery Architecture and many more. As you can imagine from the titles ofthe events, students need to incorporate knowledge from all disciplines of earth science,biology, chemistry, health science and technology in order to compete well. As Olympiadmember Cody Catlin says, “Science Olympiad is a great thing to get involved with. It is funand offers many events too. You practice before going to compete against other schools.I’ve done this for several years and plan to continue on.” Mr. Petrus said, “As the longtimecoach of the team, I really believe the Science Olympiad experience leaves a great impressionin the mind of students. In conversations with students after the end of the competition,they are challenged by the task and the competition and are exposed to a variety of differentactivities.”The LINK March 2013

4 ALBION CENTRAL SCHOOL --- Achievement, Character, and Success for Life!High School Musical Theater StudentsCreate Original ProductionAlbion Cheerleaders Place 2nd in Competition!Students in Mr. Simboli’s Introduction to Musical Theater class performed their originalproduction of “Melissa Parkington’s Beautiful Hair” based on a book by author Pat Brisson.The class wrote the script and musical score for the show as part of a service-learningproject. They designed their own set, costumes and performed this production to conveyan important message to the younger students.The story is about a young girl who is known for her beautiful hair, but feels that shehas more to offer people than just her beautiful hair. She makes a list of all the things thatshe could be famous for besides her hair and sets out to make a new name for herself. Shebegins by doing nice things for people and ends up being known for her BEAUTIFUL HEART!At the conclusion of the story, she ends up cutting her beautiful hair and donating it to Locksfor Love. For one of the students in the theater class, Tina Gers, this story really hit home.Tina has donated her hair to Locks for Love and enjoyed donating it so much, that shecontributed three times. In addition to Tina, students participating in the production wereRachel Corke, Samantha Dumont, Rebecca Flanagan, Jordan Grimble, Michael Karcz, RobertKlatt, Cassandra Langdon, Alyssa Lawrence, Ashley Leslie, Kendra Morrison, ZechariahSimpson, Nicholas Tolle, Kyle Worgo and Dakota Zimmer.Currently, in the elementary school students are participating in a service-learningproject to collect pet supplies for Community Action to distribute to elderly pet owners whomay need assistance in caring for their animals. In March, the Elementary School StudentLeadership Council will participate in their annual Pennies for Patients collection to supportthe Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. Last year the Elementary School collection resulted in adonation of $3,332.44 to the Society.Front row- Adryan Cheeseboro, Autumn Zona, Andrea Coccitti, Trisha Brooks, Courtney Depoty,Mahogany Taylor. 2nd Row- Haley Wegman, Carley Adamo, Taylor Mager, Nicole Entz, GabrielleVagg, Kassandra Martinez, Madeline Gibbs, Wynter Dumont, Janie Schutz, Ally Page.3rd row- Mariah Pepe, Kourtni Mietlicki, Karisa Stark, Brooke-Lyn Webster, Makaila Albanese,Jenna Raglan, Natalia Norton, Samantha Gramlich, Elizabeth Banty.The Albion Varsity Cheerleading squad competed in the Greater Rochester Cheer andDance Championships at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester on Jan. 26, 2013. The squadfinished 2nd in the Intermediate division. They have competed in the Intermediate Divisionsince 2011, each year placing higher than the year before. Prior to 2011, they competed inthe Novice Division, which they won from 2008 - 2011. Congratulations Cheerleaders!Elks Club Donates Dictionaries toElementary School Students“Reading Is Magic” Kicks Off The (PARP)Parents As Reading Partners ProgramPictured above are Elks Lodge #1006 members Mr. Champeney and Mr. Ames.For the last several years, the Albion Elks Lodge #1006 has distributed dictionariesto the third-grade students in Albion, Medina, Lyndonville, and Kendall school districts.Third graders eagerly waited as representatives talked to them about why the Elksclub members decided to participate in the national Dictionary Project program. TheDictionary Project’s goal is to assist all students in completing their school year as goodwriters, active readers and creative thinkers by supplying them with their own dictionary.The program targets third graders because it is at this level that students make thetransition between learning to read and reading to learn.The Elks Club members believe that reading and literacy are important to the futureof each and every student. Elks representative, Mr. Ames said, “The lodge members areproud to have supported the project and plan on continuing it.” The Lodge distributesapproximately 500 books annually.Albion Service-Learning Class Pitches In toHelp Local AgenciesThe Albion Elementary School PTA is excited to offer the Parents as Reading Partners(PARP) program again this year. PARP encourages families to read together for at least 15minutes per day, 4 days a week. PTA representative Kathy Harling said, “One of the goalsof the program is to instill a lifelong love of reading, while strengthening the connectionbetween home and school. We would like to show students that reading can be both fun andinformative. With this in mind, the PTA has chosen ‘Reading is Magic’ as this year’s theme.”The PARP program will kick off on Mon., March 11, with a building-wide assemblyfeaturing WKBW meteorologist Mike Randall with his “Reading is Magic” program featuringmagic, ventriloquism and audience participation. On the day of the assembly, students willreceive a packet of information explaining the program as well as a contract that must besigned by both the student and the parent/guardian. Together they will fill out a calendardocumenting when they read. The PARP program will end on Wed., March 27, and studentswill turn in the completed calendar. During the three-week program, guest readers will readto students in classrooms throughout the building.Albion Middle School seventh graders (l-r) Samantha Hollenbeck, Samantha Champeney,and Engracia Perez prepare a mailing for the Arc of Orleans County as part of a servicelearningclass project. Among other things, students in the service-learning classes learnabout local agencies and provide support when they can.The LINK March 2013

ALBION CENTRAL SCHOOL --- Achievement, Character, and Success for Life!Fall 2012 Scholar Athletes5The Albion High School athletic department is pleased to announce that all seven fall sports teams have qualified for the NYS Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA)Scholar Athlete Team Award. This award recognizes varsity level interscholastic athletes who excel in academics. The award is given if a certain percentage of students on the team havea composite score of 90 percent or above. The team percentage is determined based on the number of students on the team. Each student received a scholar athlete patch.Football Composite Grade Point Average 92.01% Girls’ Soccer Composite Grade Point Average 95.039%Front row (l-r): Josh Girvin, Mike Eldred, Brett Zicari, Dylan Burkhardt.Back row: Dean Pittman, Steven Stauss, Jon Warne and Jon Trembley.Missing from photo: Jack Narburgh, Ed Narburgh, Jarrett Thompson and Aaron Mulroy.Golf Composite Grade Point Average 90.385%Front row (l-r): Kelsey Schmitt, Monica Benjovsky and Ali O’Hearn.Middle row: Arianna Smith, Kendall Piccirilli, Abby Squicciarini and Kali Benjovsky.Back row: Mandy Covis, Sarah Papponetti, Tiffany Standish and Taylor Soule.Missing from photo: Joyce La Londe, Kellie O’Hearn and Erika Edwards.Boys’ Soccer Composite Grade Point Average 90.54%Bottom row (l-r): Noah Preston and Dyer Benjovsky.Back row: Tyler Neilans, Johnathan Krieger and Connor Barleben.Boys’ Cross-Country Composite Grade Point Average 96.681%Front row (l-r): Jacob Squicciarini, Alan Quintana, Trevor Hadick and Marcos Sanchez.Back row: Chandler Thigpen, Jackson Hamilton, Tyler Philip and Chris Reed. Missingfrom photo: Allen Sanford, Humza Quinn, Tyler Lombard and Denisolt Beterbiyev.Girls’ Volleyball Composite Grade Point Average 93.024%Front row (l-r): Nick Neilans, Matt Flanagan and Michael Patterson.Back row: Daniel Beam, Evan Pappalardo, Marquise Riddick and Aaron Chen.Missing from photo: Aaron BurnsideGirls’ Cross-Country Composite Grade Point Average 91.991%Front row (l-r): Martha Vallejo Miller, Eboni Taylor and Cady Messmer.Middle row: Dakota Zimmer, Brooke Wilson and Halle Jurs.Back row: Emily Joslyn and Kelsee Soule.Front row (l-r): Clara Stilwell and Megan Rosato. Back row: Shannan Wells,Meredith Patterson and Carly Fox. Missing from photo: Hannah Wehling.The LINK March 2013

6 ALBION CENTRAL SCHOOL --- Achievement, Character, and Success for Life!Students Dance the Night Awayat Cupid’s BallAlbion High School EarnsRed Cross ScholarshipHigh school students enjoyed a night of dancing and socializing on Feb. 9 whileattending Cupid’s Ball. Students were hardly recognizable as they entered the high schoolgymnasium dressed as ladies and gentlemen. Friends greeted each other excited to showoff their new wardrobe or hairdo. The dancing began almost immediately and didn’t stopuntil it was time to leave.Albion High School student Dean Pitman donates during the “Start to Finish” blood drive.Middle School Students Learn AboutWomen’s RightsAlbion High School held an additional blood drive in December 2012 in orderto qualify for a $250 academic scholarship. Organizer, Nurse Jean Swiercznski said,“The high school regularly holds two blood drives during the school year, howeverthe addition of the ‘Start to Finish’ blood drive provides students and staff with anadditional opportunity to donate, as well as making the school eligible for the academicscholarship.”During the December drive, 42 donors came forward producing 30 productiveunits. Red Cross spokesperson, Nicholas Woodford said, “High Schools that sponsorAmerican Red Cross blood drives make a vital contribution to the community. Not onlydo these drives help maintain an adequate blood supply, they also provide students theopportunity to help save lives and develop valuable leadership skills. The American RedCross High School Scholarship Challenge is an exciting initiative that rewards schoolsand students for the outstanding contributions they make to the local blood supply. Weare pleased to award the Albion High School this scholarship. Their continued supportis vital to the future success of the blood donation program.”Seminar on EducationAlbion Middle School seventh grade students recently traveled to the Susan B. AnthonyHouse to learn about the famous Rochesterian who championed women’s rights in thelate 1800s. The trip was part of a combined service learning and history club projectthat included an interactive Change it! activity that encouraged students to address issuesof our day. The students applied for and received scholarships to attend. Pictured neara monument of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas are (l-r) Leeyah Rechtsiegal,Samantha Hollenbeck, Alexis Maines, Garrett Derisley, Engracia Perez, Samantha Vanacore,Mr. Archer, Conte Raymond, Caleb Pettit, Camron Labarge, Devin Cox, and Josiah Finzer.Magician Entertains StudentsPanel member Rebecca Smith, an admissions representative from Roberts Wesleyan College,shares her view on what colleges like to see in prospective students.The students at Ronald Sodoma Elementary School in Albion were dazzled by magicperformed by Rob and Carol Allen on Jan. 14. The Very Dairy Magician amazed the secondgradestudents with various magic tricks using colored scarves, white doves and milk. Thegoal of the program is to promote healthy eating and is sponsored by the Milk for Health andthe Dairy Farmers of Western New York. Rob Allen entertained the students while working inthe importance of dairy and all of the vitamins and minerals that are important to a healthylifestyle. He reviewed the five food groups and detailed what was included in each group.Mr. Allen chose a volunteer from the audience from Mrs. Werner’s class named Emma.Emma did a fantastic job of leading the audience and had a front-row seat on stage for theshow. With the help of the audience, she played “Meal or No Meal.” During “Meal or NoMeal” the students had to decide if a meal menu included at least three of the five foodgroups. Students enjoyed the magic program and came away with a better understanding ofthe importance of healthy eating and including dairy in their daily meals.The Albion High School Rotary Interact Club hosted an Education Seminar on Thu.,Jan. 31, 2013, at the Albion High School. The seminar was held for Albion high schoolstudents who were involved in extracurricular activities, committed to communityservice and viewed as leaders by their peers. The group of over 100 students consistedof Class Officers, Student Government members, Band Officers, FFA Officers, NationalHonor Society Members, National Junior Honor Society Officers and Rotary Interact ClubMembers.The event was organized by club advisor Tim Archer. Archer led the discussionwith questions he had collected from the students in attendance. Members of thepanel included School Board President Margy Brown; Superintendent of SchoolsMichael Bonnewell; High School Principal Leslie Stauss; Guidance Counselor ScottGreen; Business Owner Jerome Pawlak; Rotary Club Representative Bonnie Malakie;and Roberts Wesleyan College Admissions Representative Rebecca Smith. Each panelmember viewed education from a different perspective based on their profession andtheir position in the community. Viewpoints ranged from school district policy maker tolocal business owner and future employer. One theme bound them all together; they allurged the students to value education, stay involved and to give back to their communityand school.Students were able to question current trends in education and gain a betterunderstanding of how state mandates affect their education. They expressed concernsover decisions affecting them and examined the pros and cons of block scheduling,extended school day/year, and other pressing issues in education. The conferenceconcluded by panel members challenging students to effect positive change byvolunteering in their community and leading others to be involved. “The seminarprovided the student body the opportunity to gain insight on topics relevant to theireducation,” Archer said. “But maybe more importantly, it offered them a voice in theeducational process.”The LINK March 2013

Albion National Junior Honor SocietyRings in the Holiday SeasonALBION CENTRAL SCHOOL --- Achievement, Character, and Success for Life!The Little Mermaid7Pictured above (l-r) Flounder (Hannah VanEpps), Ariel (Shannon Broda) revealtheir “collection” to Sebastian (Michayla Kovaleski).Pictured (l-r) Stephen Zayac, Katherine Mann and Shelby Restivo.Members of the National Junior Honor Society filled some of their communityservice hours by ringing the Salvation Army bell at Save-a-lot on Thursday afternoonsduring the month of December. Each year the N.J.H.S. participates in several differentcommunity service projects because service to the community is one of the pillars of theorganization. If members have completed a minimum of 15 hours of community service,they receive recognition in the spring at the induction ceremony for new members. Theyhave volunteered to ring the bell for the Salvation Army for the past several years. ClubAdvisor Lisa Castricone said, “I enjoy participating in this activity because it helps thosein need right in our own community and demonstrates to the community the many goodthings our students are involved in and their level of commitment to Albion.”C.A.S. Students Celebrate “Moving Up” DayThe Middle School production of “The Little Mermaid” entertained audiences atthe end of November through the beginning of December 2012, with colorful costumes,detailed backgrounds, amazing props and lively music. The familiar musical scoreincluded selections like “Kiss the Girl,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and “Part of YourWorld.” Director Carrie Kozody selected this show because it is her all-time favoriteDisney production. She said, “When the opportunity to do a live stage performance ofthe show presented itself... I couldn’t resist. The entire staff of the MS theatre departmenthas enjoyed working on this production! From the talented cast to the elaborate setscreated by our crew members... it truly was a glorious site to behold! Everyone whoworks on a theatre production knows that it takes 110 percent of effort to create asuccessful show. That was certainly the case here. Thank you to our administration andcommunity for all of your continued support of the arts!”In addition to directing the musical, Mrs. Kozody also developed and createdmost of the costumes, with help from a small crew of volunteers. The production alsofeatured several special effects which helped transform the audience from their seats tothe sea!The production was a huge undertaking involving more than 80 middle schoolstudents and several high school students that helped in various capacities. Cast andcrew members included: Emilie Barleben, Lauren Becht, Andre Biemans, ShannonBroda, Courtney Christ, Sierra Chudy, Jillian Doyle, Madison Flor, Owen Foos, CelesteHoffman, Destini Hurlbert, Taylor Johnston, Elizabeth Jurs, Michayla Kovaleski, FreemanLattin, Joe Madejski, Katie Mann, Stephanie Meadows, Calandra Prentice, Bella Prest,Nicholas Reed, Shelby Restivo, Vivian Rivers, Katie Rustay, Sara Sallaj, Skyler Smith,Evan Steier, Angela Tarricone, Catherine Thom, Jessiqua Underwood, Emma Wadhams,Savanah Wirth, Destiny Wolfe, Hailey Bader, Dilon Cowell, Garrett Deirisley, MatildaErakare, Josiah Finzer, John Flanagan, Devin Gaylord, Hannah Grammer, Jules Hoepting,Samantha Hollenbeck, Emma Lonnen, Alexis Maines, Collin McMullen, Andrea Nauden,Brad Sanford, Riley Seielstad, Anastasia Smith, Miranda Smith, Nate Smith, SamanthaVanacore, Noah Wadhams, Taylor Walczak, Evelina Alexandris, Evan Allen, PatrickBrien, Mckenna Boyer, Jace Conn, Kirk Ellison, Nathaniel Grammatico, Kaylyn Holman,Arella Ives, Katelynn Krieger, Matthew Kovaleski, Hailey Mack, Lindsey Mann, ZacharyMoore, Madison Narburgh, Justin Osburn, Tess Pettit, Bryce Pritchard, John Restivo,Mykailah Roberts, Kirsten Struble, Hannah VanEpps, Chantel VanDeGenachte and DaltonWilkins.Prisoners of War - Where?CAS Students pictured above. Front row (l-r): Hillary Ingalls, Mackenzie Ballard and Skyler Green.Back row: Derrick Kibbe, Phil Burley, Travis Mingione and Gerardo Solis.The Community as Schools (C.A.S.) program located at the Villages of Orleans(formerly the Orleans County Nursing Home) celebrated “Moving Up” Day for sevenstudents on Jan. 18, 2013. The C.A.S. program is an alternative-education program forstudents who show promise, but are struggling in the traditional high school setting.Students are given a chance to succeed in an environment that is completely differentthan high school. This innovative program has earned recognition for its ability tointervene both academically and personally with “at risk” students. This interventionis credited for helping get these students back on track academically. C.A.S. studentsattend classes in the nursing home and interact with residents and staff on a daily basis.Some residents have experience that is helpful to students and oftentimes the connectionbetween students and residents is very strong. The relationship between students, staffand residents is what makes this program so unique.The end result has been positive for both the students and the nursing home.Students are able to focus on school work and build relationships with fellow studentsand residents. Some graduates have chosen careers working with the elderly or inthe medical field because of this relationship. This joint partnership between OrleansCounty and Albion Central School has been mutually beneficial and has become themodel for other school districts interested in developing alternative education programs.The C.A.S. program gained national recognition in 2007 by earning the Leading EdgeCare and Service Award presented by the AAHSA (American Association of Homes andServices for the Aging).Ed Evans, representative of the Friends of Hamlin Beach State Park, shares informationand stories with Albion Middle School students about the former Civilian ConservationCorps (CCC) Camp and Prisoner of War (POW) Camp that serviced the Orleans County areain the 1930s and ‘40s. Students in Mr. Archer’s seventh-grade service-learning classeswere surprised to learn that German POWs once worked in Albion at the tomatocanning factory and several local farms. Other area camps were located in Medina, Oakfield,and Attica. In the spring the students hope to help Evans and the Friends of Hamlin BeachState Park continue to restore the site into some type of museum.The LINK March 2013

8 ALBION CENTRAL SCHOOL --- Achievement, Character, and Success for Life!Show of StarsNotes from the Music DepartmentFront row (l-r) Jackie Hastings, Dalton Kelley, Miranda King, Ryan Castrechino and Dakota Monno.Back row: Katty Jackson, Anthony Zajczakowski, Nathanael Sugar, Rory Thompson,Jordan Berg and John GlenaStudents in Mrs. Winans’ class entertained guests during their annual performance.This year the students, with the help of Mr. Simboli and Mr. Thaine, put on a showcontaining many individual and group efforts. Individual performances by somestudents showed off their entertainment skills and included a magic skit, comedysegment, and singing routine. One of the group performances was a crowd favoriteand included a musical chime number with the students playing a beautiful piece on thechimes. The show concluded by the group adding sound effects to an old-time radioshow using everyday items to enhance the story.Albion Middle School StudentsGet in the Holiday SpiritAll-District Instrumental ConcertMarch 13, 2013High School Gym at 7:00 p.m.The Albion Central School Music Department will display student talent in theAll-District Instrumental Music Concert featuring each of the district’s concert bands.The performance will include the Sr. High Symphonic Band, the Middle SchoolBands, the 5th Grade Band, and the 4th Grade Beginning Band, which will be makingits premiere performance.The concert is an excellent showcase of Albion’s Instrumental Music program,and is a chance to hear bands from all levels together in one event. It is a favoriteof many parents and community members, because it shows the progression thatinstrumental students make from beginning band, where students learn fundamentalskills, through the Middle School years, at which time fundamentals are reinforcedand musicians learn basic musicianship skills, to the senior high level, wheninterpretive skills and more complex elements of theory are added to added to themix.The concert will last approximately 45 minutes, and will conclude with a massperformance of the Albion Central School Alma Mater. Save the date for the concert,as it is sure to be an event you will not want to miss!Please Assist Us in Teaching Our StudentsProper Audience EtiquetteOur ACS chorus, band, and drama students work very hard in class and in afterschooland evening rehearsals to perfect the music and theater presentations theyperform. Keep in mind that concerts are a part of the music education processfor students: they are a culmination of months of learning, practice, and skilldevelopment. It’s important that students are able to execute to the absolute best oftheir abilities. With this in mind, you can assist performing students (and keep yourfellow audience members happy) in the following ways:• Please turn off pagers, cell phones and electronic devices, as they can distractthe performers and your fellow audience members. Additionally, they interferewith the wireless sound system. (Merely setting them to “silent” isn’t enoughas they can still receive/send signals, which is what causes the interference withthe microphones.)• Please remain seated during the concert. Moving about the auditorium duringa performance blocks the view of other audience members, and is a visualdistraction to the student performers. A general rule of thumb is to stay out ofthe aisles whenever you hear music. If you MUST enter or exit the auditoriumafter the concert has begun, please wait until the end of a song or a break inthe program.• Please refrain from conversation during the performance. Not only is suchtalking frustrating and distracting to other audience members, but it’s surprisinghow far it travels in a quiet auditorium, often all the way up to the performerson stage!Albion Middle School seventh-grade Service-Learning students (l-r) Leah Schildt,Preston Flugel, Zach Monagan, and Victor Benjovsky help pack food boxes for needy localfamilies at the Orleans Community Action offices in Albion. They, along with Mrs. Berg’sclass, helped prepare over 150 boxes to help make the holidays brighter for many!Albion Student Leadership GroupTeams Up with Community ActionBy Alaina Fleming – Grade 5During the month of January the Albion Elementary School S.L.C. (Student LeadershipGroup) organized a fundraiser. This fundraiser was a pet-supplies drive for senior citizenswho go to Community Action for assistance with their dogs and cats. Our group sent homeflyers and hung posters to advertise our collection. The members of the S.L.C. collectedfrom class rooms three times a week all throughout January. We received pet toys, food,treats and collars. All together we collected 393 pet supply items that collectively weighed164 pounds. The people at Community Action said that they were so proud of us and thatmade us feel good!• Modeling is a very effective teaching tool. Please help us educate our studentsabout proper audience behavior by demonstrating respectful audience etiquettewhile attending plays and concerts.Thank you.35th Annual Jazz Band Dinner DanceThe 2013 edition of the annual AHS Jazz Band Dinner Dance will take place onSat., March 16, in the high school gymnasium. This year marks the 35th consecutiveyear of the event, which will feature a delicious homemade dinner by Gary & LauraSimboli and crew, and over two hours of music for your dancing and listeningpleasure, plus door prizes, and a basket auction (sponsored by the AHS MusicBoosters). The theme this year is “S for Swing.” The evening’s music will consist ofswing selections from the Big-Band era, and the gym will be decorated to depict atypical USO show of the WWII years. The evening will feature an All-American dinnerof baked chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, tossed salad, and dinner rolls, with applepie for dessert.Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. The evening’s music will kick off with theMiddle School Jazz Ensemble at 7 p.m., followed by the award-winning AlbionHigh School Jazz Ensemble at 7:30 p.m., which will perform two sets. AHS Jazzalumni are invited to join the current group for a few numbers in the band’s secondset. (Interested alumni are urged to attend a short rehearsal at 2:15 p.m. on theafternoon of the event - sax/trumpet/trombone players should bring their owninstruments.)Tickets, at $12 (general) and $10 (senior citizens & kids under 12) are availablein the high school office, through any jazz ensemble member, or at Fischer’sNewsroom and Gotta Dance Studio. Tickets may also be available for purchase atthe door, as pre-sale availability allows.The LINK March 2013