OCSD District Newsletter May 2017 COLOR

Oneida City School District May 2017

Oneida City School District

Oneida High School Otto Shortell Middle School Durhamville North Broad Seneca Street Willard Prior


 Class of 2017: Top Ten Graduates

B2u0d1g7e-2t0V1o8te

Tuesday, May 16
Noon to 9:00pm

See pages 2-4 for details

Valedictorian Salutatorian Ranked in Ascending Order
Dylan Ratnarajah Kevin Spooner Dylan Ratnarajah, son of Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Ratnarajah
Kevin Spooner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Spooner
Congratulations Oneida for Jeffrey Coulter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Coulter
receiving the Shea Nashton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Myles Nashton
Jonathan Campanie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Campanie
2017 Best Rachael Kohler, daughter of Mr. Ralph Kohler Jr. and Ms. Rebecca Kohler
Communities for Kylie Chesebro, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Chesebro
Music Education Vincent Jutton, son of Mrs. Mary Edmond-Jutton
Award! Lauren Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Smith
Aidan Yazell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Yazell

what’s inside
connect
Building Project Update ………………Page 5 www.oneidacsd.org
OHS Les Miserables……..…………….Page 8 facebook.com/oneidacsd
OSMS Junior Honor Society.…….…Page 10
Durhamville Poetry Month…………Page 11 twitter.com/OneidaCSD
Science at Seneca Street..……………Page 15
#OneidaStrong

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Oneida City School District May 2017

2017-2018 School Budget Update

The Board of Education and administration have finalized a sound and cost effective
budget for the 2017-2018 school year. We continue to focus on the districts fiscal goal as
we work through balancing the budget. The goal is to: Provide fiscal oversight for the
District by ensuring financial resources are adequate to prepare students for life, college
and career being respectful of the community’s ability to pay for education.

We believe that we have prepared a budget that maintains the high quality of education in
the Oneida City School District that this community has come to expect. We have been able to
implement savings and utilize reserves to offset increased costs.

We are proposing a tax levy increase of 2.36% which is our calculated allowable tax levy limit. On average,
what this 2.36% increase represents for property owners in the Oneida City School District is:

Here are some important dates in relation to the budget:

May 9: Public Hearing, 6 p.m., Costello Center

May 16: Board of Education Meeting and Vote by Public on Proposed 2017-2018 Budget, propositions and
members of the Board of Education- noon to 9:00 PM at Durhamville Elementary and Oneida High School

Additionally, we will be narrating a PowerPoint presentation that will be placed on our website. This will allow
staff and community to ‘see’ the presentation if they are unable to attend the public hearing.

Our appreciation goes out to all of our parents, families, volunteers, organizations and businesses for all that
they do to contribute to the success of our students and our District.

Mary-Margaret Zehr

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Oneida City School District May 2017

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Oneida City School District May 2017

WHAT YOU WILL BE VOTING ON
2017-2018 School Budget

Proposition No. 1: Budget

“Shall the Board of Education of the Oneida City School District, City of Oneida, County of
Madison, New York, be hereby authorized to expend the sum set forth in its proposed budget for the
2017-2018 school year in the amount of $44,230,233 and to levy the necessary tax therefore?”

YES NO

Proposition No. 2: Buses

RESOLVED that, pursuant to Chapter 472 of the Session Laws of 1998, the Board of
Education of the City School District of the City of Oneida, Madison County, New York, is hereby
authorized to lease and expend therefore, including costs incidental thereto and the financing thereof,
an amount not to exceed the estimated cost of $106,500, and for a term not to exceed five (5) years,
the following motor vehicles: five (5) seventy seat passenger school buses; AND, that such sum, or so
much thereof as may be necessary, shall be raised by the levy of a tax collected in annual installments;
and that in anticipation of such tax, obligations of the District shall be issued.

YES NO

Board Seat Election
(Five-Year Term 7/1/17 – 6/30/22)

• Two seats currently held by Mr. Robert Group and Ms. Melinda Bowe will be voted on at this

year’s school district vote.

• The following community members have submitted a petition to appear on the ballot:

□ Mr. Robert Group □ Ms. Melinda Bowe

You can read more about our candidates on our website: www. oneidacsd.org

VOTER REGISTRATION: ALL VOTERS MUST BE REGISTERED
Call your County Board of Elections for information on registering in person or obtaining a registration
form.

Madison County………366-2231 Oneida County……...798-5765 Toll Free………1-800-367-8683

POLLS WILL BE OPEN FROM NOON – 9PM AT 2 LOCATIONS:

1. ONEIDA HIGH SCHOOL 2. DURHAMVILLE ELEMENTARY
Voters living SOUTH of the NYS Thruway Voters living NORTH of the NYS Thruway

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Oneida City School District May 2017

Building Project Update

In April, the school district received notice from NYS Education Department Office of Facilities
that they had misplaced the architectural drawings for the pending building project. Since
we have encountered a delay at NYSED, we have will be going to bid later than anticipated.
This will stretch the construction into the following school year (2017-2018) and the summer

of 2018. The architects and construction managers will be reviewing all aspects of the project
and will provide the district with a decision about timelines.

We also have asked the architects and construction managers to prioritize the roof at the MS, ceiling
work at Seneca Street, basement work at North Broad, extensive main office construction, and field
work on our athletic fields.

The building project highlights:

High School- Mechanical replacements in classrooms, exterior masonry work, replace various exterior
and interior doors, and miscellaneous site improvements.

Otto Shortell MS- Replace roof, fire alarm system, smoke detection system, emergency lighting, select
window, select lockers and exterior doors.

Willard Prior Elementary- Replace fire alarm system, smoke detection, and emergency lighting

North Broad Elementary- Reconstruct basement floor settlement issues, replace emergency lighting,
and miscellaneous exterior masonry work.

Seneca Street Elementary- Replace fire alarm system, smoke detection system, ceilings in classrooms,
and cafeteria table.

Durhamville Elementary- Replace septic pumps, controls, and water heaters.

All school buildings will also undergo a main entry and office renovation to improve security and add carbon
monoxide detection throughout.

Capital Outlay Project

State law provides that a district may receive building aid in the following school year for one project each
year not to exceed $100,000. These projects must be paid by budget appropriation (no borrowing) and
require full voter authorization through passage of the annual budget. This year the Board of Education has
decided to include a capital outlay project to upgrade the High School main lobby ceiling and lighting and
upgrade pole mounted, as well as wall mounted, outside lighting fixtures with LED type lighting.

Would you like a print copy of the newsletter?

We are more than happy to provide any community member with a copy
of the newsletter if they are unable to access our electronic versions.
Please contact Melanie Fountain at 315-363-2550 for a copy of the
electronic newsletters.

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Oneida City School District May 2017

BOE Committee News

The BOE Policy Committee is reviewing several sections of the BOE policy manual this year. The committee
has finalized a review of the Oneida City School District Code of Conduct. An ad hoc committee consisting of
teachers, administrators and parents will be created to review the preliminary draft of the revised policy at the
conclusion of the policy committee’s work. The policy committee will review the suggestions of the ad hoc
committee and make adjustments to the policy. The Committee has also begun reviewing all of the districts
fiscal policies.

The Oneida City School District Policy Manual can be found online in two locations. All policies can be found
at http://www.oneidacsd.org/district/district_policies New policies will be found by clicking on the left hand
link on this webpage titled Recent District Policies. Policies that have not been updated yet can be found
directly at the link listed above.

The BOE Facilities Committee has been discussing the timeline of the building project, the potential of selling
the Oneida Castle building, and future plans for the school district. Next month the committee will be
meeting with a consultant to study the district’s facilities and grade organization at their next meeting. The
study will fully engage our stakeholders in the study.

Oneida City School District Foundation

Annual Golf Tournament: Oneida Community Golf Club

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Lunch/Registration begins at 11:30 AM

Wall of Distinction Annual Dinner: Rusty Rail, Canastota

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Cocktails begin at 6:00 PM

The Memorial Brick Garden is located in front of Oneida High School. Bricks can be ordered at any time.
Proceeds fund Student Scholarships and Teacher Grants. Check the Foundation Website at:
ocsdfoundation.org , find the Foundation on Facebook @oneidacsdfoundation / https://www.facebook.com/
oneidacsdfoundation/, email us at [email protected], or contact the District Office at
363-2550, ext. 2010 for more info on any of the above.

Calling All Substitutes!

Oneida City School District is always looking for Substitutes for the following job titles:
Teachers (must have two years of college), Nurses (must have LPN or RN license), Teacher
Aides, Clerical, Food Service Workers, and Custodians. This is a great opportunity for
retirees or someone who is looking for part time work. For more information call
363-2550 or pick up an application at 565 Sayles Street Oneida.

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Oneida City School District May 2017

New York State Grades Four and Eight Science Tests

All grades four and eighth grade students are required to take the New York State Grades 4 and 8 Science
Tests. The performance component of this assessment will be administered between May 24 and June 2,
2017. Students will take the performance component of this assessment on one of the three aforementioned
days. All fourth and eighth grade students will take the written portion of the science assessment on
Monday, June 5, 2017.

The New York State Grades 4 and 8 Science Tests consist of written tests and performance tests. The
written test consists of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The performance test consists of hands-
on tasks that are located at three stations. Past editions of the science assessment may be accessed on the
Internet at http://www.nysedregents.org/elementary-intermediate.html.

Announcing Student Portal

The Oneida City School District is proud to announce the opening of Student Portal starting in May 2017.
Schooltool Student Portal will provide access to the information stored in our Student Data Management
System. A component of this system is a secure, web-based portal for accessing student’s grades, attendance
and other important information. The District has long provided parents and legal guardians of students in
grades 4-12 access to information in Schooltool through the Parent Portal as a way of encouraging participation
in a child’s education and improving communication between students, parents/guardians, and District Staff.
Now, students in grades 6-12 will have access to the same information with their own usernames and
passwords.
For more information please visit our website at www.oneidacsd.org and click on Student Resources > Student
Portal. Please note that if Student Portal is accessed on a phone or mobile device, it is highly suggested that
they have a passcode.

How do students sign up?
All students in grades 6-12 will be registered automatically for student portal. Any parent that does not want their
student to have access to student portal will need to fill in the form being sent home and return it to the secretary
in the main office. The form is also available on our website www.oneidacsd.org under Student Resources >
Student Portal.

What information will students see when they log in?
First & Last Name, Address, Counselor Name, Current Grade, Locker, 6-8 Testing (Assessments), Assignment
Grades (Grades 6-12), Marking Period Average, Marking Period Grades, Progress Report Grades, Final
Grades, Schedules, and Course Selections.

What is the username and password?
All students currently have a log in username and password at school and is maintained by the Technology
Department. Students in grades 6-12 will use the same username and password they use to log in to the
network at school. If a student feels that their password has been compromised they need to speak to their
guidance counselor or teacher to get their password reset by the Technology Department.

Do I need any special software to access Student Portal?
No, you do not need any special software to access the portal. You only need Internet access. Please note:
Schooltool works best on Chrome and updated browsers. To access the portal please visit https://
schooltool.oneidacsd.org/schooltoolweb/ If you would like to download the App, please visit the website
www.oneidacsd.org Student Resources > Student Portal for instructions.

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Oneida City School District May 2017
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Oneida High School

NAfME All-Eastern Honors Ensembles

On April 5-8, 2017, more than 800 of the most musically talented high school
students in the Eastern region of the United States were selected to perform in
the 2017 NAfME All-Eastern Honors Ensembles, at historic Boardwalk Hall
in Atlantic City, NJ.

Oneida High School seniors, Lauren Smith & Kevin Spooner were among
approximately 300 students from 13 states selected to represent their home
state of New York and perform in the All-Eastern Honors Mixed Chorus
Honor Choir.

With assistance from their music teacher, Heather O’Connell, these
exceptional students prepared remarkably challenging music that they
rehearsed for three days, and then performed under the leadership of their
conductor, Dr. Timothy Seelig, of California. Their performance took place in
the Adrian Phillips Hall in Historic Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, April 8th, in
front of an audience of thousands. We are proud of their accomplishments!

Les Miserables

"Do you here the people sing" We certainly did and the
cast, crew and staff delivered the most spectacular
production of Les Miserables in this years spring musical
production. Oneida High School is so proud of our
students and teachers. Many have stated that the OHS
production rivaled the stage performance of Broadway!
Oneida High School would like to thank all those who
supported this years production and the continued
support of the arts. In the words of Pablo Picasso : “Art
washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

Mock DWI

Oneida High School students team up with first responder
agencies to deliver a powerful message to the junior class prior
to their prom with the annual mock DWI enactment. Students
are reminded of the tremendous responsibility they have while
driving and the additional responsibility that comes with prom
season. The students would like to thank the following agencies
for their support in keeping the class of 2018 safe. Thank you
to; The Oneida City Police Department, Oneida Fire
Department, Vineall Ambulance, Campbell-Dean Funeral
Home, the Madison County District Attorney’s Office, and the
senior actors of OHS.

Oneida City School District May 2017

Otto Shortell Middle School

OSMS Emotion into Art

On Tuesday April 4th, OSMS students were treated to an assembly performance of
“Emotion into Art” with artist Tom Varano. Mr. Varano creates beautiful portraits of
people through the art form of photography. He has adopted speed painting mixed
with inspirational speaking as an additional form of encouragement. This year’s
theme for OSMS is Anti-Bullying, with an emphasis on “Is it Bullying?”. With the use
of fingertips, palms and multiple brushes to paint custom portraits and famous
people on a canvas in just a matter of minutes, Mr. Varano brings his message to life.
He shared personal stories along with music to inspire our students to Be Yourself, Be
Creative, Follow your dreams and Take Chances. He also helped to encourage our students to “Think B4 U
Post”. His message also helped students to understand the differences between being rude, being mean or
bullying. This year Mr. Varano painted, Abe Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Adelle, and Albert Einstein. Our students, at
the end of the performance, vote on pieces to keep here at the Middle School. This year’s winners were Abe
Lincoln and Albert Einstein. They will be prominently hung in our cafeteria next to last year’s choice, Derek
Jeter, for all to enjoy!

Common Thread Art Show

Congratulations to the OCSD art students and their art teachers who were chosen for the The Common
Thread art show, an art show that showcases art teachers as artists along with work from one chosen student
that has a similar piece with the same theme/technique as their teacher's piece. The exhibit was held at the
Artistree Gallery in Rome, NY.

Melissa Kringer, SS/Durhamville Art Teacher and McKenna Durante, 5th Grade, Seneca St.

Lisa Billington, OSMS Art Teacher and Theresa Diamond, 8th Grade

Randy Wilczak, OHS Art Teacher and Deena Marji, 10th Grade

Heather Cigeroglu, OHS Art Teacher and Brooke Baker, 10th Grade

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Oneida City School District May 2017

National Junior Honor Society

Otto Shortell Middle School inducted 37 new members to the National Junior Honor Society on April 5th
2017. An evening ceremony was held at the Middle School to celebrate this honor. Mrs. Lisa Zamperetti, Mrs.
Megan Kelly, Mr. Todd Widrick and Ms. Amanda Larson congratulated each inductee with a certificate
ceremony and cake reception for family and friends. The inductees were:

Brandon Amuso Kylee Loosman
Kayla Babcock Sydney Lusher
Andrew Brown Rowen Marshall
Madison Carroll Dylan McClelland
Chessney Buell Hannah Mendillo
Eliza Colvin Cody Miller
Zackary Durr Maddison O’Moore
Megan Dwyer Julia Orzechowski
Mayson Earl Cameron Ostrander
Adrianna Ferrucci Naomie Pawlikowski
Zoey Fox Aimee Peebles
Aidan Hicks Ella Ryan
Ajay Hicks Samantha Simchik
Mattie Hicks Andrew Smith
Natalie Hoffman Arieanna Stevens
Karissa Jones Marissa Terrell
Noelle LeBlanc Jackson Urtz
Jacob Leggett Olivia Zeun
Hannah Loosman

These students all pledge “to uphold the
high purposes of the society to which they
have been elected. They will be loyal to
their school and will encourage and
maintain high standards of: Scholarship,
Character, Citizenship, Leadership and
Service”. Congratulations to each student!

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Oneida City School District May 2017

Durhamville Elementary

National Poetry Month

Did you know that April was National Poetry Month? National Poetry Month is the largest literary
celebration in the world. This event started in April 1996 to assist us in remembering the importance of poetry
in our lives. Our wonderful librarian, Mrs. Carnevale, shares books of poetry. Interested students sign up to
read a poem during our morning announcements. Isabella, Sam, Kaylee, Kaylee, Caylee, Fallon, Kendra, Chloe,
Nicole, Lexi, Abrielle, Lily, Berlyn, Addison, Cash, Tyler, Maura, Brianna, first and second graders shared a
favorite poem. Our readers shared the following comments:

“It was fun! It was interesting because it was about something up in the attic. I was kinda nervous because the
whole school was listening. I picked my poem because I don’t like cleaning. I liked our poem because it was
fun to say. I said alligator instead of elevator! She was pretending to be sick because she didn’t want to go to
school. When Mom said it was Saturday, she said, good bye. I am going out to play!” We could not enjoy
poetry month without our fabulous volunteer readers!

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Oneida City School District May 2017

Fifth Grade State Project at Durhamville

Written by Katie Mitchell, Abrielle Chesebro, Landen Carter, and
Maura MacDonald

There were many states to choose from. Katie picked New York,
Landen picked Maine, Maura picked Wyoming, and Abrielle picked
Ohio. First, we did lots of research from books and online. We had
to make tons of decisions! We wrote the details we found on a state
facts sheet. Then we had to write a rough draft on all the details we
found. We added voice to make it actually interesting! We had to try
to persuade the people to come to our state. We took a few days to
check it over with the teacher to find mistakes and add more
information. After we did this, then we had to type a final copy. We
also had to present our information to the class using the choice of
two media. We had a choice of using Google Slides, or a presentation board. All four of us picked the
presentation board because it was fun to decorate! We had to have at least three props to get a good grade.
After we finished typing and printing the project, we practiced the project on our own time! We had to score
ourselves on the ideas and organization, and if one place in the rubric wasn’t a full score, then we had to
improve it. We did this by doing more research to see if we left anything out. When we were completely done
typing we started to make our presentation board. Every single student’s board is unique in its own special way!

Second Grade Celebrates Earth Day at Durhamville

What can you accomplish in five minutes? Mrs. MacDonald’s
class cleaned the playground in just five minutes. Second
graders want us to know, we are supposed to clean the Earth
on Earth Day, April 22. We can do this by picking up garbage,
planting a tree and celebrating our Earth with a cake. We
went outside for five minutes and cleaned up the playground.
We picked up some nasty stuff. We found candy wrappers, a
headband, weed eater string, etc. Students wrote the
following comments regarding Earth Day:

If we don’t take care of the Earth, our water will end up
garbage. Our water will be gross. We will hurt our water.
Water is good for us! By Jacob Vanderhoof

If we don’t take care of the Earth our water will be destroyed. If we don’t take care of the Earth our water will be
nasty and gross. If we don’t take care of the Earth our water will be disgusting. By Olivia Anania

If we don’t take care of the Earth, our water is going to dry out. And we need water for health. Dogs need water.
Our plants would not be growing. By Brianna Graham

If we don’t take care of the Earth, our water wouldn’t feed the trees. If we don’t take care of the Earth, our water
would not make flowers grow. If we don’t take care of the Earth, our water would spill everywhere and we won’t
get to drink that much. By Giulianna Ferrucci

If we don’t take care of the Earth, our water will be rotten. It will be rotten because there will be lots of garbage.
There won’t be clean water. By Hudson DuBois

So please do your part and help our second graders keep our Earth clean!

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Oneida City School District May 2017

North Broad Elementary

Grade 5 Falcon Invasion

The North Broad Falcon fifth graders will invade “The Big
Apple” on Friday, June 2, 2017. This annual all day excursion will
include coach transportation to and from New York, the city
that never sleeps. The Falcon contingent will arrive at the
Falcon’s Nest ( North Broad ) by 4:00 am on 6/2 and depart for
the city by 4:30 am.

Fifty- five feathered faithful Falcons will arrive in New York
City by late morning with a full slate of activities planned. The
agenda will include a subway ride, a trip to the 9/11 Museum/
Memorial and Oculus, the South Street Seaport and a Shark Speedboat Thrill Ride on the Hudson River. The
speedboat ride will include stunning views of the New York City skyline, Statue of Liberty, Freedom Tower and
the Brooklyn Bridge. This action-packed day will end with a subway ride from the South Street seaport area to
mid-town Manhattan and exploration of the amazing Times Square area. ( Perhaps we might find the cricket? )
The coach bus will begin its trek back to the Upstate region in the early evening of 6/2 and expects to arrive in
the great city of Oneida by midnight.

Between now and 6/2, our fifth grade feathered friends will be collaborating with the staff of the Oneida
Public Library to research New York City so that their excursion will be all the more meaningful for them.
The North Broad Falcon trip to the Big Apple will most certainly be an invaluable opportunity for our fifth
graders!

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month

Every year, May is designated as Better Hearing and Speech Month to raise awareness about different
communication disorders, as well as to promote treatment for speech and hearing difficulties. This year’s
theme is “Communication: The Key to Connection.” Here are some fun facts and tips about speech and
hearing disorders:

*Many famous people experienced some kind of speech, language, or hearing disorder, including Marilyn
Monroe, Elton John, James Earl Jones, Tiger Woods, and Nicole Kidman.

*1 in every 10 Americans has some form of hearing loss. Be sure to protect your ears when around lawn
mowers, power tools, loud music, etc.

*Ears not only help you hear, but they also aid in balance.

*Speech Therapists do not just work on pronouncing sounds. They also work on listening, vocabulary,
grammar, phonemic awareness, voice, stuttering, social skills, processing, and augmentative communication

*By first grade, students should have developed all sounds with the exception of r, th, s, and z.

*By the end of first grade, students should be able to answer who, what, where, when, and why questions.

If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language, please contact your school’s Speech Therapist.

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Oneida City School District May 2017

Seneca Street Elementary

Celebrating Poetry Month at Seneca Street

Seneca Street students have been busy having fun with poetry for the month of April! The month started off
with a challenge to all the students from Mrs. Raux, the reading teacher, to fill up the PARP “poet-tree” with
original student poems. Students from K-5 wrote their original poems on leaves to fill up the PARP “poet-
tree.” Seneca classrooms were also extremely busy during the month long celebration. Mr. Arthur’s and Ms.
Piccola’s 4th grade classes explored poetry in the library and had fun picking out poems that they wanted to
share with the school. Every day, during morning announcements, 4th graders read original works and poems
by famous authors. The 4th graders were also busy in their classrooms writing acrostic, cinquain, diamante,
couplets, and free verse poems. The students not only worked hard writing their poems, but they also typed
their poems in Google Docs and learned how to share their work electronically with their teachers. Mrs.
Buschatzke’s 2nd graders collaborated with Mrs. Gillander from the Oneida Public Library. Mrs. Gillander
came in to share some poetry and wrote poems with the students. Mrs. Rodegher’s Kindergarten class showed
their enthusiasm for poetry and spring! The students wrote fun and colorful spring acrostic poems. Their sweet
poems in the hallway brought spring to everyone at Seneca Street! Mr. Hicks’ class beautifully illustrated the
thoughts and imagination of 2nd graders by writing list poems. Mr. Hicks showed his class how to convey big
thoughts and dreams with just a few words to come up with great poems. The month long poetry celebration
at Seneca Street culminated with a Poetry Recitation Assembly on Thursday, April 13th. Students from grades
K-5 were invited to sign up for the Poetry Recitation contest. The students needed to find a favorite poem,
memorize the poem, and recite it in front of the school. Guest judges, Mrs. Mary-Margret Zehr and Ms. Tina
Lane, assigned points for memorization, voice, expression, and body language. The first place trophies went to
Catrin Mahony, 1st grade, Dylan Roberts, 3rd grade, and Kaiden Cannistra, 5th grade. Special thanks to Mrs.
Raux and Mrs. Mahardy for co-chairing this building event. Drop by our Seneca Street homepage to see some
original poems by our dedicated students!

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Oneida City School District May 2017

Science at Seneca

What happens when you engage students in problem solving activities, allow for collaboration, and help
them to discover answers to the mysteries around them? You create a love for science that sticks with them.
Ms. Jen Herzog, a college science professor at Herkimer County Community College, has been volunteering
her time to provide enrichment science lessons to Mrs. Linda Buschatzke’s classroom at Seneca Street
Elementary School since 2014.

During the two and a half year time period, students have explored many topics in science, performed hands-
on experiments, and have gotten the opportunity to learn from a scientist on a monthly basis using “real”
science tools. Some of the topics explored included static electricity, phases of the moon, good hygiene,
Halloween science, crystal ornaments, petri dish ornaments, animal habitats, life cycles, and states of matter.
Two activities that are a favorite every year include a Monarch butterfly project where butterflies are hatched
and includes a connection with students in Mexico through the mail and the incubation and hatching of
chicks, after learning about the life cycle of chickens. This project also includes a connection with a BOCES
program through SKYPE that watches the incubation and hatching of various species of birds. The energy
that Ms. Herzog has for teaching science is contagious. She teaches at the students’ level and asks them to
“dig deeper” in finding explanations for mysteries of the world.

During February, first grade students in Mrs. Pitoniak’s and Mrs. McCall’s class also collaborated with Ms.
Jen for engaging science lessons. She came in to present a lesson that tied in with the astronomy unit that
first grade was completing. She had an amazing Power Point presentation and there were many fun activities
which included using Oreos to create the phases of the moon. Students were able to be “astronauts” and
NASA engineers for a day. The hands-on experiences put smiles on their faces and filled their hearts. Ms.
Jen, as the students call her, instilled the love of learning into the lesson and activities that were included.
She is “out of this world!” There is a plan for more collaboration with the first grade team to plan other
exciting science activities tied to the standards.

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Oneida City School District May 2017

Willard Prior Elementary

Trout in the Classroom

Did you know students in Mr. Weaver’s class at Willard Prior hatched brook trout in their classroom this
year? With the help of local fish expert, Fred Zufelt, Mr. Weaver engaged in a program called Trout in the
Classroom. A very large fish tank was set up in the classroom in late October. A special water chiller was
connected to the tank to keep the water temperature between 48 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit for a few weeks!
Finally, in early November, the fish eggs arrived. Students watched and waited patiently for the eggs to hatch.
After a few weeks, the eggs hatched and fish began swimming around in the tank. All winter, the fish have
grown bigger and bigger. Students have learned a lot about life cycles and the stages of trout development.
Right now, the trout are almost ready to be released. With the help of Mr. Zufelt, Mr. Weaver and his entire
class will be heading out on a field trip to release the trout into their natural habitat in early May! Students
have learned about the life cycle of the brook trout from the eyed egg stage, to the avelin stage, fingerling
stage and the adult stage. We will keep you posted on the release of our Willard Prior brook trout! Stay
tuned!

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Oneida City School District May 2017

Willard Prior Gets Jazzy

Thursday, April 13, 2017 was a very special day at Willard Prior! All students in Pre-k through grade 5 were
treated to a special performance by the Jazz bands of OSMS and OHS to celebrate Music in our Schools
Month. All students gathered in the gym to hear special selections played by the middle school and high
school bands. Students were introduced to the various instruments in the band. While the bands were
playing, students clapped and moved to the music. We even spotted some returning Piranhas in both bands!
Thank you to Mrs. Hawthorne and Mr. Anderalli for bringing the students to Willard Prior. It was a great way
to start Spring Break!

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Oneida City School District May 2017

The Pre Kindergarten program is designed to meet the needs of the four year old child. Class size is limited
and staffed with a certified teacher and teacher assistant/aide. Our program is based on the New York
State Learning Standards. Classroom learning opportunities include experience with dramatic play,
language/literacy, outdoor play, art projects, creative manipulatives, and sand/water table play.

A child’s eligibility for Pre-Kindergarten is determined by the following:
1. The child is four years old on or before December 1, 2017.
2. The child resides within the Oneida City School District.
3. A certain number of slots must be filled based upon economic guidelines as set by the
New York State Education Department.

In order for your child to be considered for the program sponsored by both Madison Oneida BOCES and
Oneida City School District you will need to complete and submit the following to our student registration
office:

1. Application 7. Health Record form
2. Copy of your child’s Birth Certificate 8. Developmental History Form
3. Copy of your child’s Immunization Record 9. Physical Examination form
4. Completed School Lunch form
5. Proof of Residence - (mortgage/lease, utility bill) (Copy of most recent physical form)
6. Transportation form 10. Dental Form

All information obtained in this application process is needed for placement consideration and will be kept
confidential.

Parent participation is highly encouraged and an essential component of the Pre-K program. Creative
opportunities are provided for working and non-working parents to become involved in a variety of activities.
These include volunteering in the classroom, parent meetings, family functions, parent conferences, “at
home” activities, and home visits.

If you have any further questions, please call Beth Williams at 363-1050, Lori Cimpi at 361-6072, or visit the
student registration page on our website www.oneidacsd.org.

Thank you for your interest in the Pre-Kindergarten program!

Colleen Wuest Moira Yardley
Director of Early Childhood & Community Services Willard Prior Principal

18

Oneida City School District May 2017

Safety First

Oneida City School District has a responsibility to focus on the safety
and well-being of our students. Should our schools be impacted by a
national or local emergency, the district has response plans in place
that follow the lead of law enforcement. Depending on the nature of
the issue at hand, students may be transported home or kept at school
until it is safe to transport them home. In the event of an emergency,
we ask that parents refrain from coming onto our campus or calling
our schools since it is critical that we have full use of our telephone
lines for emergency communications.

In an emergency, parents can get information, instructions, and
updates from the following communication sources:

✓ District Web site- www.oneidacsd.org
✓ We will also be using our School Messenger phone system to notify parents of closures, delays, and

early dismissals. Please visit www.oneidacsd.org > Stay Connected > School Messenger for more
information. Or you can call Lori Cimpi in Student Registration at 315-361-6072.
✓ Oneida school closings will be announced on the following broadcast outlets:
✓ RADIO stations: WFRG-104.0, WLZW-98.7, WIBX-950 AM, and WODZ-96.1
✓ TELEVISION stations- News 10 Now, WKTV (Channel 2), WSTM (Channel 3),
✓ WIXT (channel 9), WUTR (channel 20) and WFXV (Channel 33)

There are a variety of ways that you can help the district with emergency preparedness and
communication.
✓ Make sure the personal information provided to the school is accurate and up to date. If you have a

change in work or emergency contact phone numbers, please let the school know as soon as possible.
✓ Make sure caregiver information is current.
✓ Do you remember where you recommended your child go if dismissed early? Does that person know

your child is designated to come there?
✓ Make sure the person that you have designated as an emergency contact for school is aware of this

designation. Make sure your child knows as well.
✓ Make sure your child has a key to your house in case of early dismissal. Have a back-up plan if they are

locked out of the house (e.g., go to a neighbor’s house?).
✓ Discuss what you would like your child to do if they come home early due to emergency/weather related

dismissal. Should they call you or someone else to confirm their arrival home?
✓ Be patient. If you are having difficulty getting through to the school during an emergency, remember -

the district may be flooded with incoming calls. Stay tuned to the media.

We live in a challenging period and face many complex issues. Please be assured that we will take all
necessary steps to keep your children safe.

A copy of the Oneida City School District’s Emergency Response Plan is available at the district office.

19

Oneida City School District May 2017

administrationOneida High School 315-363-6901 Willard Prior Elementary 315-363-2190
Brian Gallagher, Principal Moira Yardley, Principal
Jennifer DePerno, Assistant Principal
District Office 315-363-2550
Otto Shortell Middle School 315-363-1050 Mary-Margaret Zehr, Superintendent
Todd Widrick, Principal Tina Lane, Asst Sup. for Instruction
Amada Larson, Assistant Principal James Rowley, Asst Sup. for Finance
Genevieve Brauner, Admin for Technology
Durhamville Elementary 315-363-8065
Margaret Visalli, Principal Student Registration 315-361-6072
Lori Cimpi
North Broad Elementary 315-363-3650
William Simmons, Principal

Seneca Street Elementary 315-363-3930 Transportation 315-363-5470
Molly Hagan, Principal Mike Klenotiz

B Mr. Robert Group, President www.oneidacsd.org
O Ms. Melinda Bowe, Vice President facebook.com/oneidacsd
E Mr. John Elberson twitter.com/OneidaCSD
Mr. Hank Leo Jr  #OneidaStrong 20
Ms. Alicia Lippert
Ms. Jennifer Parker
Ms. Gail Whipple