STARS Program Field Trip Slated for June 18th!

The annual STARS program end of year field trip is slated to take place on Saturday, June 18th.  All STARS students from grades 2 and 3 have the opportunity to participate in a trip to Stony Brook State Park, where students will have the opportunity to explore all the park has to offer!  As always, students' families are invited to join!

Permission slips have been sent home with students, but if you have any questions or concerns, or if you need another permission slip, please contact Tim Crowe at 607-324-1303 ext 1575! 

Eularian Society - New Math Programming

Junior High Math Teacher, Jordan Titus, is known to be one of our district's teachers who is really able to get students interested in his subject, so we were very excited when he approached us about starting a new math group called Eulerian Society.  The group's focus will be using math in real world applications with a focus on fun and artistic projects students can use math to complete.  Furthermore, the Mr. Titus and the other Eulerians will take a good look at STEM careers and use math as a platform to engage students in thinking about their future!

Leonhard Euler, for whom the group is named, was an 18th century mathematical physicist credit with some of the biggest mathematical breakthroughs of his time. 

6th Grade Summer Reading Program Buys More Books Than Ever Before!

At the end of each school year, ESD funding provides all of the Hornell's 6th grade students the opportunity to pick out a book to read over the summer, and this year we've had the biggest turn out yet!

In hopes that having something to read over the summer will help fight the dreaded "summer reading slide," the ESD grant program has ordered 87 books for district 6th graders!  Research shows that students who don't read over the summer lose many of the crucial critical reading skills they've learned over the school year.  Often, this isn't because they don't want to read; many students don't have the resources to get out there and buy a book.  To help curb this skill loss, the HCSD ESD program has made it our mission to get kids reading over the summer, and the first step is putting books in their hands!

Writer's Ring Publishing Once Again!

The editing process is over, and once again, the junior/sernior high writer's ring is in the process of publishing their books!  This year, students combined to write over 75,000 words, our biggest turn out yet!  In our 3 years of publishing, students have written about 15 books in total, and that number grows each and every year.  Not only is the process fun for our young writers, but it gives them the opportunity to commit to something that is no easy task!  Writing a book requires, patience, commitment, and hard work, and our students have certainly demonstrated that they're willing and able to do what it takes to get their thoughts down on paper!

Teen Book Fest 2016

Each year, our readers group look forward to their end of the year trip to Nazareth College for the annual Teen Book Fest, and each year they have a blast!  This year was no different, with over 25 authors participating.

Over the course of the school year, ESD funding provides approximately 20 junior and senior high students with 6 books written by authors that will be present at the festival.  Over the course of the year, the students read these books, and come fest time, they get to hear the authors speak, meet the authors, and even get their autographs!

Not only is the program a lot of fun for our students, but it also does a great job in meeting our grant's goals!  From literacy to college and career readiness, Reader's Group is successful on so many levels!

The Teen Book Fest is huge event for school-ages readers in Western New York, and every year proves better than the last!

FOCUS Summer Program Sign Ups!

Summer is just around the corner, and with it comes the Summer FOCUS program!  Meant to engage students in fun and educational activities, the summer FOCUS program uses STEM and college and career readiness as a platform to get students excited about learning!

This year's program will run at the Hornell High School from July 11th to August 11th, Monday through Thursday.  The program begins with free breakfast for all students at 7:45 and ends with free lunch at 11:45.  It's open to students entering 3rd grade right on up to students entering 8th grade!

If you'd like your son or daughter to join, please contact me at 607-324-1303 ext. 1575 or Coordinator Stephanie Bergquist at 607-324-1304 ext 1530!

Final Chess Tourney Caps Excellent Year

For the past two years, HHS math teacher, Carl Kossow, has done an excellent job using chess to teach students math, strategy, sportsmanship and team work.  This year was even more successful than the last, with the Hornell team placing second in our end of the year tournament in Friendship, NY.

Chess group has been one of our most highly attended and popular programs for two years running!  In world dominated by smartphone screens and and digital devices, it's nice to know that students still want to engage in face-to-face interactions using a classic game as a platform!

Students facing off at Chess Group's final tournament!