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!

Family Programming Slated for 2/11 at Intermediate School!

Each year we offer 4 separate sessions of parent programming which is facilitated by ProAction of Steuben and Yates.  The programs focus on all sorts of topics that affect students and their families.  Self esteem, bullying awareness, online safety and co-parenting are just a few of the topics we've covered in the past.

Our next session takes place at the Hornell Intermediate School on 2/11 from 3:30 to 5:30, and will be followed immediately by a family spaghetti dinner, free to students and their families.  All S.T.A.R.S. and F.O.C.U.S. families are invited to attend.  Please keep an eye on your son or daughter's homework folder for more information and the RSVP form.  If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me!

Community Service Opportunities for Seniors and National Honor Society Students!

This is the second year we've offered National Honor Society and Seniors currently enrolled in Government Class the opportunity to complete their mandatory community service hours, and the turnout has been spectacular!

This year we've had over 20 students complete hours with our Bryant School S.T.A.R.S. and Intermediate School F.O.C.U.S. programs, which translates into over 400 hours of district students working together to achieve their goals!

This program has been beneficial in so many ways!  Senior High Students have the opportunity to complete their hours in a fun and exciting environment, which also offers them some great experience if their looking into the childcare or education fields.  Our F.O.C.U.S. and S.T.A.R.S. students have the opportunity to be mentored and build relationships with older students, with whom they can easily relate, while working on homework, projects and other educational activities.  Finally, having extra people at program to work with students is a big help to our staff!

A huge thanks goes out to all of our senior high students who have helped us over the course of the year!  Your hard work and dedication brings a whole new dynamic to our programs, and offers the younger students so much!

YMCA Winter Break Programming Success - February Break Program Just Around the Corner!

Over our school district's extended breaks, the Hornell City School District's ESD and 21st Century Grant Programs team up with the Hornell YMCA to offer a number of YMCA programming scholarships!  Students who receive the scholarships get full day programming at the YMCA over break, where the caring and creative YMCA staff offer art, music, literacy and PE lessons in addition to recreational time and field trips!

This time around, 18 HCSD students grades 3-8 received three full days of programming!  Not only did the students have a safe, fun and educational environment to spend their time over break, but their families had the opportunity to work without the high cost of childcare being a burden!

We will be offering this program over February Break, which runs from 2/15 to 2/19.  If you're a parent with a child who is interested in attending, please don't hesitate to reach out to us!

The Hornell Family YMCA on Center Street in Hornell has been instrumental in helping the 21st Century and Extended School Day Grants achieve their goals!

ESD/SVP Grant Extended Another Year!

We were happy to hear the New York State Education Department has offered current Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention Grantees a 1 year extension!  Having the grant for another year means that we will be able to provide another year of excellent programming for the district's students and families.  From academics to social skills, we're proud of all that our program has to offer, and we look forward to its continued growth.  Next year, we will be looking to bring back our current programming and add some new things into the mix!

If you have any ideas or suggestions, please feel free to contact me!

Wegmans Cooking Program Continues at Intermediate School

After a successful 3 week program at the high school, our Wegmans afterschool culinary program, facilitated by Wegmans Chef Ken Sanford and hosted by Pat Lamphier and Pat White of Cornell Cooperative Extention, is moving to the Intermediate School.  This is the program's second year running, and it's been one of our most popular and valuable programs.  Promoting healthy and cost effective food options, this program teaches students everything from cooking skills to how to read nutrition information.

A special thanks to Pat and Pat, Chef Ken, Wegmans, and Cornell Cooperative Extension for support our programming and playing a key role in the lives of the HCSD's students.

YMCA February Break Program Successful

Over extended breaks, The Extended School Day and 21st Century Grant programs team up with the Hornell YMCA to provide scholarships in the YMCA's Care For Kids program.  Designed to enrich the lives of Hornell's while offering them a safe enviornment, the program has always proven beneficial to the students who enroll.  This year was no different.

Over February break, we were able to provide 22 students from the Bryant School S.T.A.R.S. and Intermediate School F.O.C.U.S. programs scholarships.  Our students had opportunities to swim, participate in music and art classes, engage in all kinds of games and physical activities, build social and interpersonal skills, and improve literacy skills.  The program has always been successful, and we can't thank the YMCA enough for the role they play in this partnership.

F.O.C.U.S. Program Students Decorate Friendly's

Molly Grefrath, our district's Olweus Coordinator, was able to establish a partnership between the local restaurant and the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.  In order to support Olweus and raise awareness about bullying in our schools, Miss G. and several students from the Intermediate School F.O.C.U.S. program spent one afternoon decorating Friendly's.  From handprints on the wall to footprints leading up to the building, the students did a great job.  And after the decorating was finished, Friendly's was kind enough to provide all of the students with free ice cream sundaes!  Thank you so much to the students for decorating, to Miss G for establishing the partnership, and to Friendly's for supporting the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program!

Two students posing by their work at the Hornell Friendly's Restaurant!

Thanks to the Hornell Evening Tribune!

A special thanks to the Hornell Evening Tribune, city editor Neal Simon, and writer Ryan Papaserge, for offering support to our district's after school programming!  Mr. Papaserge's article, which appeared in the Tribune on Tuesday, September 9th, can be found here.

The Tribune has always been an excellent source for local, regional and national news, and we can't thank them enough for supporting our programs!

Exciting Offerings For The New School Year

With our summer programming successfully completed and the 2014-2015 school year upon us, things are starting to pick up for after school programming.  Below is a list of exciting programs and services that will be offered over the course of the upcoming year at no cost to students or their families.

For more information on any of our programs, please feel free to contact me via telephone at (607)324-1303 ext 1575 or via email at tim.crowe@hornellcsd.org.  You can also use the contact form on the right side of this blog.

Bryant School S.T.A.R.S. Program

This 2nd and 3rd grade program runs from school dismissal until 5 pm beginning on Sept 22.  2nd grade students have programming on Mondays and Tuesdays, and 3rd graders have program on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  3rd grade students also have the opportunity to visit the YMCA on Fridays.  Focus areas include homework, art, STEM (science, technology engineering, math), and physical education. Field trips take place nearly every month, and transportation home after the program is available. 

Intermediate School F.O.C.U.S. Program

This 4th-6th grade program runs from dismissal until 5 pm Mondays through Thursdays, with the opportunity  for interested students to visit the YMCA on Fridays.  Focus areas include academic improvement, homework, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), college and career readiness, art, and physical education.  For more information, feel free to contact me or visit the 21st Century Grant Blog.

Junior/Senior High School

Where Bryant and Intermediate programs are more all encompassing and occur daily, Jr/Sr High Program offerings usually meet once or twice each week and offer a more focused study meant to engage students' personal interests.

• Extended Library Hours/Tutoring:  Every Monday through Thursday from after school until approximately 4:45, the library will be open for student use, and there will be a tutor on hand to assist with assignments.  Last year there were over 4,500 instances of students using the library after school, and we're hoping to build on it this year.
• Extended Science Lab: One of our science teachers is kind enough to stay after school once each week to allow students to make use of her science lab.
• Robotics/STEM: Students design, engineer, build and program robots, then compete against teams from other districts at regional, state, and/or national level.
• Teen Book Fest Reading Group: Students are given brand new copies of books written by young adult authors and meet throughout the year for discussions.  This program culminates with a trip to the annual Teen Book Festival at Nazareth College, where students meet the authors they've been reading all year!
• Writer's Circle:  Students meet weekly to work on and peer review books they write themselves.  At the end of the year, the student-written books are bound and published with an ISBN and all!
• Earth and Sky: This program offers an in depth and interesting study of our planet, solar system and universe, and is perfect for students interested in science and space.  Throughout the year, this group takes multiple field trips to enrich their studies.
• Geocaching:  This is one of the brand new offerings we'll have available.  Students will learn all about geocaching using GPS systems, locating caches in the Hornell Area and beyond.
• Guitar Lessons:  This group, meant for beginners interested in learning how to play guitar, gives students the opportunity to work in small groups and build their skills.
• Partner Programming:Over the course of the school year, our grant partners will be offering several short term programs focusing on particular areas of student interest, so be sure to check back to see what's on the horizon.  Last year's highlights in this category include a 6 Week Culinary Program Through Cornell Cooperative Extension, Alfred University's Drawn to Diversity Comic Book Art Program, and a visit from the Wildlife Defenders, a rehabilitation and animal advocacy group from Bridges For Brain Injuries.  This year, we plan to have even more offerings!

21st Century Consortium Event - Hornell YMCA

The 21st Century Consortium Event was held last week at the Hornell YMCA, and what a success it was!  There were over 100 students from 5 districts in attendance, participating in Gym, Swim, Project-Based Science Enrichment, Art and Music, Drums Alive Aerobics, and to cap it all off, a consortium-wide game of dodgeball!

Hornell's 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Program offers 3rd through 8th grade students in the Hornell, Canisteo-Greenwood, Bradford, Addison, and Campbell-Savona Districts many afterschool activities they wouldn't receive otherwise.  Like the ESD/SVP Program, 21st Century strives to enrich the lives of the students involved, both academically and socially, and invites the community to take part in making our little section of New York State a great place to live.

Girl's Group Update

Our Hornell Intermediate School Girl's Group, led by at-risk counselor Molly Grefrath, is continuing to play an integral role in both the school and the community.  Not only is the group proving beneficial for the girls involved, giving them the opportunity to discuss with their peers the hardships they face, but  also for the community; they're currently working diligently for the upcoming community art show, planning volunteer work throughout the community, and helping their peers tackle some difficult issues.

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program - Bully Free Week

In order to recognize the progress of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in the Hornell City School District, we will be introducing a week-long celebration.  From May 5th to May 9th, there will be daily themes to show our unity in making the Hornell City School District bully-free.

To kick off the celebration, we will be taking part in the Second Annual Hornell Art Walk on Saturday, May 3rd, at 4 pm.  Monday through Friday of the following week will be dedicated to the prevention of bullying in our schools!

Monday, 5/5: Give Peace a Chance

All students and staff are invited to wear tie dye, reminding us of the importance of keeping our school and community a peaceful place.

Tuesday, 5/6: It Takes A Team To Stop Bullying

All students and staff are asked to wear sports apparel to demonstrate our commitment to working as a team to put an end to bullying!

Wednesday, 5/7: Bully-Free T-Shirt Day

All of our districts students and staff have been provided with Olweus Bully Free T-Shirts, and on Wednesday, they're asked to wear them in support of the Olweus Program!

Thursday, 5/8: School Spirit Day

All students and staff are invited to wear our district's colors, Red and Blue, to symbolize the unity our school district has shown in the fight to end bullying a promote a happy, respectful and safe community.

Friday, 5/9: Feel Comfortable Being Yourself

It's important that students remember they are special and can be comfortable being themselves.  To show support, students and staff are invited to wear "comfy" clothes (PJs, Sweatpants, etc) to stay comfortable!

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program To Support Community Art Show!

To promote our Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, we are inviting students to create projects that express the importance of a Bully-Free school and community.  Students are encouraged to use their imaginations and be as creative and unique as possible in developing their art project.  What's more, 6 lucky students will win the opportunity to display their work at Steuben Trust Company!

All of the submissions will be displayed for families and the community to enjoy at 4 pm on Saturday, May 3rd, during the Second Annual Hornell Art Walk.  Come check them out at the Intermediate School!

STARS Program - Swain Trip

On Friday, 3/21 the STARS and PRISM students traveled up to Swain to spend an afternoon at the tubing park.  Over 65 of our students were able to participate, and with the assistance of parents, the school staff, and the staff over at Swain, the trip was a huge success.

STARS Program - Wildlife Defenders!

On Thursday, 3/20, the Wildlife Defenders paid a visit to the Hornell Intermediate School.  Both Intermediate School PRISM students and our Bryant School STARS students were introduced to some really cool animals!  The Wildlife Defenders introduced each animal to the students, gave a brief history of each animal, information on the species and habitats in which the animals can be found, and walked the animals around the auditorium so the students could get a closer look.

They Wildlife Defenders did a great job with the animals and the students, and we can't thank them enough for coming in to the school and offering our students such a great experience.

The last animal the students met was an adult porcupine!  Other animals included a giant toad, an armadillo, an opossum, an alligator, and wallaby!

S.T.A.R.S. Program - Upcoming Events

The Bryant School S.T.A.R.S. program has a busy couple of weeks coming up.  With three special presentations/field trips, they're bound to have some fun!

On Thursday, 3/20, students will travel to the intermediate school for a special presentation by "Wildlife Defenders,"  a group of adults who've suffered traumatic brain injuries.  They're coming in to tell their stories and introduce students to the wild and exotic animals that have assisted them in their rehabilitation.

On 3/21, students from the S.T.A.R.S. program and the PRISM program will be taking a trip up to the Swain Tubing Park, where they'll enjoy some tubing and science/math enrichment.  Mr. Gebhard, a teacher at Intermediate school, has prepared a special Math/Science lesson for students, here they'll measure distance, time, incline and force to determine their top speed when tubing down the hill!

On 3/25, The Elmira Jackals professional hockey team will be visiting the Bryant School (and all of the other schools in the A3 Consortium!) to talk about their lives on and off the ice!  The students are looking forward to getting a glimpse into the life of a professional athlete!

If you're a student or parent whom would like to join us for one of these events, please don't hesitate to contact me!