“Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”

I had the pleasure of speaking this past Saturday at the graduation ceremony for our senior class. As the Interim Superintendent for West Genesee this was an honor for me. This is certainly an exciting time for the graduates and their families as they look back on their years here at West Genesee and begin to look forward to all the wonderful opportunities that are waiting for them as they begin this new chapter in their lives. Congratulations to the Class of 2019!  

Kindergarten Screening: Students who will be entering Kindergarten in September will be screened this week at their home school. If you are not sure of your child’s scheduled appointment, please check out the calendar on the website for dates and times or you can call our Central Registration office at (315) 487-4683 with any questions.

Last Day of School: Today is the last day of school for students! Over the summer I will be slowing down on publishing my blog posts, but  you will hear from me from time to time. I want to wish you a happy and safe summer. This is certainly a great time to relax, rejuvenate, and enjoy our families as we create some great summertime memories.

~Mike

There Is Excitement in the Air

This past week our buildings have been filled with lots of exciting and fun end of the year activities for our students. This is also the time when students who are in elementary school look forward to moving into middle school, and middle school students look forward to high school. It is certainly a time of change for many of our students. 

OCM BOCES CTE Programs Ceremony: This past Tuesday I attended the OCM BOCES Career and Technical Education Certificates and Awards Ceremony where West Genesee had 31 students who were recognized. Congratulations to Jared Raichlin and Jala Williams who were named the Student of the Year in each of their respective programs. Congratulations to them both on this honor. Congratulations to all these students on a job well done! Click here to read the full article about this event.

Last Day of Classes: The last day of classes for seniors was last Thursday. The next day they participated in the Annual Senior Walk at their respective elementary schools. This is always a favorite day for the seniors as they get to visit some of their former teachers and take a walk through the school where their West Genesee days began. It was fun for me to watch the students at Stonehedge welcome the high school seniors throughout their hallways!

The last day of classes for the rest of the students at the high school was last Friday, and this week is the start of exams. Click here to access the exam and bus schedule, along with information about breakfast and lunch.

Elementary and Middle School students will be dismissed early on both Monday, June 24 and Tuesday, June 25; elementary students at 11:30 a.m. and middle school students at 10:10 a.m.; with the last day of school on Tuesday. 

Flag Day Celebrations: This past Friday our elementary students celebrated Flag Day with parades and ceremonies. It's always fun to watch our students honor our flag. Hooray for the red, white, and blue! The students at Onondaga Road welcomed me at their assembly, which unfortunately had to move inside. The move of venues didn’t keep anyone at any of the schools from enjoying themselves.

High School Graduation: Graduation will be held this Saturday, June 22, at the SRC Arena at Onondaga Community College starting at 12:00 p.m. This is a most important and exciting highlight of the school year. We look forward to celebrating with our seniors and their families all their accomplishments throughout their years at West Genesee. Congratulations!

A New Superintendent is Announced: I would like to congratulate Mr. David Bills on being selected as West Genesee Central School District’s new Superintendent! Please visit our website to view his credentials and message.

I am looking forward to a busy week of field days, exams, and graduation preparations!

~Mike

June is a Busy Month!

Last week was a busy one to say the least!

Superintendent Search Update: Last Tuesday the three final candidates for Superintendent of Schools spent the day with different members within the District. They spent an hour with each stakeholder group where they were interviewed and asked many questions. 

We had a great turnout at a Community Forum that evening where each of the three candidates spoke to members of our community. The participants were then asked to fill out feedback forms for each candidate which is being reviewed by our Board of Education. 

The Board will review all criteria, and they anticipate appointing a new superintendent on or about June 19. The candidate is expected to officially begin in the superintendent’s position on or about September 3. So be on the lookout for updates on the process!

Retirement Celebration: Last Thursday I had the opportunity to speak at the West Genesee Retirement Reception. It was a wonderful experience  to congratulate all who will be retiring at the end of this school year. I did notice a lot of happy faces as many of the retirees and their families look forward to a more relaxed routine. I know all of West Genesee is grateful for all their years of service, and we wish them all the best in retirement.

Last Day of Classes: The last day of classes for seniors will be Thursday, June 13, and they will participate in a Senior Walk at their respective elementary school the next day, Friday, June 14. The last day of classes for students in grades 9-11 will be Friday, June 14. 

Elementary and Middle School students will be dismissed early on both Monday, June 24 and Tuesday, June 25; elementary students at 11:30 a.m. and middle school students at 10:10 a.m. with the last day of school on Tuesday. 

Athletics Update: Congratulations to West Genesee student athletes Kayla Hoovler and Stefan Atanasov for winning the Section 3 Scholar Athlete Awards last night!

Technology Fair: The WGHS Technology Education Students held the first inaugural Tech Fest showcasing their work this past Thursday night at the high school. It was a great success! They raised over $1,700 for the Tech Club and Tech Education Department. Thank you to all the participants, and to Mr. English, Mrs. Leonardo, Mr. Ficarra, and Mr. Makowiec for inspiring these students to do great things!

Giving Back to the Community: I want to thank the 50 WGHS students (including their technology teachers), 25 Woodworkers of CNY, Camillus Solvay Geddes Rotarians, and the Syracuse Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace for building beds this past Saturday for children in our community that don't have a bed of their own. I can only imagine the smile on the faces of the children when they see that they will get to sleep in their bed for the first time.

Representation at the STANYS Congress: This past Saturday senior Philip Martin presented his neuroscience project at the STANYS (Science Teachers Association of New York State) State Science Congress competition at the MOST. Congratulations on this opportunity to share your project with the rest of NYS!

I am looking forward to a busy week of meetings, concerts, banquets, and Flag Day celebrations!

~Mike

Full Speed Ahead

It is hard to believe that we are now in the last month of school. As I look back to when I started here at West Genesee, and where I am today, I realize how fortunate I am to be part of such a great community. I continue to be impressed with the staff, students, and the families that I have met.

Community Forum with Final Superintendent Candidates: Tonight you are invited to attend the Community Forum with the Final Candidates for the Superintendent of Schools. This will be held in the high school auditorium from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

It is an opportunity for the community to hear presentations from the three final candidates for the superintendent’s position. Participants will then be asked to fill out feedback forms on each candidate so members of the West Genesee Board of Education can review them and take them into account before making their final decision. Click here for more information about the candidates.

Athletics Update: Exciting news for Nick Bove, a member of the Golf team. He finished the final round of state competition tied for 10th place at the NYS Championships and was the top Section 3 Golfer. Nick also won the Sportsmanship Award for the event over the weekend. Great job!

Fine Arts Update: It is going to be a busy week with a concert at CMS tonight along with an exhibit of selected artwork from seventh graders; the Music Honors Reception at the high school this Wednesday; and a Dance Concert (with over 100 dancers to entertain us) at the high school on Thursday. 

“We Celebrate Learning” Videos: This week we unveiled two great videos that showcase how “We Celebrate Learning” here at West Genesee. Check them out below.

This video highlights the journey of an English as a Second Language (ESL) and Seal of Biliteracy student; senior Khrystyna Adam.

This next video highlights seniors Jared and Kyle Raichlin and their journey at West Genesee.

We hope you enjoy this sampling of wonderful success stories here at West Genesee; we are beaming with #WildcatPride! 

~Mike