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FALCONER CENTRAL SCHOOL
Home of
the
Golden Falcons
Upcoming Events:
October:
10: Conference Day (No School)
11: SAT Test @ Jamestown H.S.
13: Columbus Day (No School)
15: PSAT Test (Juniors)
16: Homecoming Parade @ 6 p.m.
Bonfire following parade
MS/HS Progress Reports
Fenner Pictures
17: Homecoming Game @ 7 p.m.
18: Dance @ 8-11 p.m.
21: Board of Education Meeting
@ Temple, 7:30 p.m.
22: Flu Shots @ Fenner, 2-5 p.m.
24: MS/HS Picture Retakes
25: ACT Test @ JCC
30: Temple Pictures
November:
4: Board of Education Meeting
@ MS/HS 7:30 p.m.
7: Elementary Schools 1/2 Day
End of 1st Marking Period
MS Play @ HS Aud 7:30 p.m.
8: SAT Testing @ Fredonia H.S.
MS Play @ HS Aud 2:30 p.m.
10: Conference Day (No School)
11: Veterans’ Day (No School)
District Newsletter
THE FALCON
October 2014
Welcome, New Faculty and Staff!!
Mrs. Sonya Bingham
Bus Driver II
District
Mrs. Holly Brainard
AIS Teacher
Temple
Miss Michelle Buccola
AIS Teacher
Temple
Mr. Michael Herdzik
Bus Driver II
District
Mr. Gary Gilbert
Principal
Fenner
Miss Andrea Matecki
Teaching Assistant
Middle/High School
Mrs. Sandra Sharpe
Kindergarten Teacher
Temple
Miss Joni Thomas
Teaching Assistant
Fenner
Mrs. Alicia Brandi
2nd Grade Teacher
Temple
Mrs. Holly Hannon
Principal
Temple
Mr. Brett Muscarella
Special Education Teacher
Middle/High School
Mrs. Sarah Wagner
Social Worker
District
THE
FALCON
Stephen M. Penhollow
Superintendent
Board of Education
President
Todd Beckerink
Vice President
Cathleen Kimball
Members
Gordon Buck
Robert Carpenter
Tom Frederes
Jennifer Ribaudo
Jamie Zaranek
Administration & Supervision
Superintendent
Stephen Penhollow
High School Principal
Jeffrey Jordan
Middle School Principal
Terry English
Fenner Elementary Principal
Gary Gilbert
Temple Elementary Principal
Holly Hannon
School Psychologist
Ashly Warner
Business Executive & Purchasing
Agent
Brent Agett
Director of Special Education
Julie Possai
Director of Instruction & Staff
Development
Judith Roach
Building & Grounds Supervisor
Randy Ingrao
Transportation Supervisor
Scott Peterson
Coordinator of District Data
Judith Roach
Falconer Central School
2 East Avenue North
Falconer, NY 14733
(716)665-6624
FCS
Superintendent’s Letter
2
As we have now entered into this new school year, we hope to build on the
many successes we had across the District last year, while continuing to build toward
our new challenges.
This past summer has allowed us to prepare for and welcome our new administrative staff. We want to inform you of our administrative changes and also welcome
our new Principals. Mr. Gary Gilbert has been appointed to the position of Harvey C.
Fenner Elementary Principal. Mrs. Holly Hannon, who previously served as Paul B.D.
Temple Reading Specialist, has been appointed to the position of Paul B.D. Temple
Elementary Principal. Mrs. Judy Roach, who previously served as Paul B.D. Temple
Elementary Principal, has moved to the position of Director of Instruction and Staff
Development.
Education continues to change throughout our state, and we have worked
very hard this summer to prepare to meet these ever changing challenges in standards and assessments. There is a lot of work involved in adapting the Learning Standards, as well as all the lesson plans, units and resources that were previously used.
This will continue to require professional development for our teachers and administrators as they work to provide a rigorous instructional program and meet these mandates. We will continue to build on the success we developed through the use of instructional strategies that were implemented to keep our students engaged in their
learning. We will continue to develop lessons designed to provide higher level thinking skills and writing across the curriculum.
The District will again use i-Ready as our Kindergarten–Grade 8 adaptive diagnostic tool for Reading and Mathematics that pinpoints student needs down to the
sub-skill level, and ongoing progress monitoring shows whether students are on
track to achieve end-of-year targets. Teacher-Led Instruction provides rigorous, ongrade-level instruction and practice with additional downloadable lessons to help
meet individual student or small group needs.
We will continue to use pre-assessment exams designed to help teachers
have a better idea of what concepts students are familiar with and what areas will
need additional focus. We have used previous instructional outcomes and data to
allow us to make some significant reductions in our pre-assessment exams. The preassessment results will still serve as a guide and will also assist in directing instruction to help improve student learning. Progress will still be measured at interim
points and also at the end of the year by post-assessment tests, as well as the annual
State and Regents’ Assessments.
If you have not been to the website lately, please take the time to view it. We
have added directions for PowerAnnouncement, our automated parent notification
system that Falconer Central School District has implemented. Parents are able to log
in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and determine how they want to be contacted for
General Announcement, Attendance Alerts, School Cancellation Messages and Lunch
Balance Alerts as well as monitoring their children’s grades and attendance. We
want the community to share in the school’s accomplishments and activities. You can
find many pictures and news updates at our site. We continue to add highlights to the
website each week. Please visit our website at www.falconerschools.org!
We certainly have a lot of work to do, but we are a great District with great
teachers and great support. Together, we will achieve great things.
Stephen M. Penhollow, Superintendent
[email protected]
October 2014
www.falconerschools.org
THE
FALCON
High School
JCC Credit Courses at FCS
Annual Fruit Sale
There are 75 students from Falconer Central School
that are taking at least one JCC credit course this
year. Five of these students are involved in the new
online JCC independent study course in Psychology.
Two of these students are taking the new Virtual
Advanced Placement course in Music Theory, and
Twenty-Four of these students are enrolled in our
own AP Government and Economics class.
Falconer After-Prom has started its annual Fruit
Sale. It started September 10th and ends on
October 25th. If anyone is interested in buying
grapefruit or oranges see a Junior or Senior
student. You may also place orders by calling
Rosie Digirolamo at 665-6624 (press #1).
3
This all amounts to: 75 different students enrolled in
college credited courses and 167 total individual
college credit course
enrollments including the
AP courses. These students
do not get credit granted to
them until they pass the
given exam with an
http://www.questionswelcomed.com/
approved score.
uploads/images/jcc%20logo.gif
Spanish 2 Classes
The 10th graders of Spanish 2 started this school year off with a
challenge. Their challenge was to identify at least 20 Spanish
speaking countries on a map and name their capitals. You can
also try your mapping skills at:
http://www.purposegames.com/game/spanish-speakingcountries-quiz
Classes Utilize Schoology
College Consortium
Students in grades eighth through twelfth, in a variety of
classes, are using the Online Learning Environment,
Schoology. In these classes, Schoology allows the teacher to
post assignments, messages, and assessments to students.
Students are able to hand-in assignments, ask questions,
have teacher facilitated discussions, and take assessments.
Schoology models other Online Learning
Environments that students may encounter as
they continue their education after high
school. It also allows classes the ability to be
almost paperless.
In early September, 16
many colleges from the
Western New York
region visited our
Juniors and Seniors.
Students visited with
college representatives.
Teachers gave words of encouragement
on the types of questions that students
should ask the college recruiters.
https://www.schoology.com/images/schoology_thumbnail.png
FCS
October 2014
www.falconerschools.org
THE
FALCON
Sports & Clubs
Key-Builders Club
The Key Club and Builders Club will be
combining their efforts this year to raise funds
for Chautauqua County Humane Society's annual
"Walk4Paws" campaign. Some of the members
may be coming around to ask for donations, but
if you would like to donate, email Mrs. Cheney
at [email protected]. You can also
donate online.
Key Club members also sold baked goods at this
year's Falconer Rotary Chicken BBQ. Proceeds
from the sale will help Key Club continue to do
good works for their school and community.
Falconer Marching Band
Golden-Cougars Take The Field!
The positivity and pressure of our varsity coaching staff
have helped to recreate two athletic programs and
become the glue to making a single sports family both
on and off the field. Since summer practices, and going
to a free football camp thanks to the efforts, support
and team work of both athletic booster clubs, the team
has merged together in more ways than simply on the
field. The players have formed friendships, and rely on
one another.
With a season, already looking more successful than
the past year for both schools, the merger has been
proven to be one based on nothing but the efforts of the
coaches to bring back the Falconer and Cassadaga
boys’ varsity programs; showing that effort, dedication,
and willingness to band
together for a single purpose,
any goal can be reached.
The merger should be
considered nothing less than
a success.
The Falconer Marching Band worked
throughout the summer in order to prepare for
the fall competition season and the home
football game half time shows. They took 1st
place at their first competition against other
Western New York and Pennsylvania bands at
the Jamestown Pageant of the Bands with the
highest start up score in recent years. The band
is now ranked in 2nd place in the state for small
schools. The band won the NYS title in 2001 and
2002 and is working hard this year to finish as
one of the top 3 bands in the state or better yet
win the NYS title back!!!
FCS
4
Honor Society
Helping Honorable Causes
Falconer Honor Society already has had a great
start to their 2014-2015 year. Students are choosing
to get involved in their school and community. Six
students recently volunteered their time and also
donated to the “Out of the Darkness” suicide
prevention walk, held at Tracey Plaza. Pictured left
to right are Morgan S, Kaylei R, Erin R, Isabella B,
Carrie B, and Emma B. There is no limit to the
potential of this group of seniors!
October 2014
www.falconerschools.org
THE
FALCON
Middle School
New 8TH Grade Module
Book Fair
q
Common Core is implemented in Falconer’s
Eighth Grade English
Classes. This new
curriculum is set up
with modules. The
modules are divided
into many units. A way
that Eighth Grade
English Teacher, Miss
Main, is incorporating
the new guidelines to
her classroom is
through the book
Inside Out and Back
Again by Thanhha Lai.
She will be connecting
http://www.litstack.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/
the book to the first
lai-thanhha-inside-out-and-back-again.jpg
lesson of unit one that
engages students through the Fall of Saigon.
Q
The Middle/High School Scholastic Book Fair
was held in the Media
Center, September 1824. The fair featured
many popular books and
provided a great
opportunity for students
to get excited about
reading. The fair
benefits our school
library with a
percentage of sales used
to buy new books. People have generously
donated to Scholastic's One for Books program.
This provides the double benefit of allowing
our library to make a purchase with whatever
money is collected as well as Scholastic will
also donate the number of books matching our
donation amount to a school in need of reading
materials.
Student Council
Q
Student Council representatives are looking forward to an
outstanding year of making a difference in our
community and school. Council Reps held a
campaign speech rally on October 6, complete with
patriotic music from some of our High School Band
members. Reps will be choosing class themes and designing our
class t-shirts, and all interested students will have a chance to
create a class design. Each class will vote on their favorite
submission. At the end of the October, they will holding an
annual pumpkin decorating contest. If you have pumpkins you
can donate, please email the advisor, Ms. Plumb, at
[email protected]. They will also hold a community
service project this Fall, raking leaves for those who need help
in the community near the school. If you know of someone that
can benefit from this service, please email Ms. Plumb. Finally,
the Middle School will hold an October fundraiser, selling
SaveAround coupon books worth $7,500 in
savings, for only $20 each. This fundraiser
will help pay for student activities, programs
and field trips.
FCS
5
October 2014
The Seuss Odyssey
On September 23, Middle school students auditioned for a chance to be in
the Falcon Productions Fall Middle
School Comedy Play “The Seuss Odyssey”. This Don Zolidis play is the Dr.
Seuss version of the Greek drama the
Odyssey. Directed by Mrs. April Binkley and Miss Jennifer Fisher, the show
will be presented in the High School
Auditorium on November 7 at 7:30 pm
and November 8 at 2:30 pm.
f
SUPPORT DRAMA AT FCS!
www.falconerschools.org
THE
FALCON
Fenner
P.T.O. Sponsored
October 7 was a day to remember when the Harlem
Wizards returned to the
Falconer School District. This
year was the last year for Tojo, a
veteran Wizards member, after
50 years of service. The Falcon
Team included three high
school students plus the veteran staff players from last
year. All around it was a great evening.
http://olentangyrotaryclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Main-Logo-Low-Res-web.jpg
Raising Monarchs
Library Card Sign Up
On September 15th, the Fenner A.I.S. teachers
held an assembly
celebrating Library
Card Sign Up
month. They
explained the
importance of
owning a library
card and also read
the book Library Lil
by Suzanne Williams. The A.I.S. teachers
challenged all students and staff to get a "smart"
card of their own. Between September 16th and
September 30th, students and staff that brought
their library card to school, received a small
prize. Classes that had 100% participation
received a special surprise party. To learn more
about Library Card Sign Up Month, visit
www.falconerschools.org/elementary.
FCS
Harlem Wizards
Playground Installed
The students in Ms. Bloomquist's
fifth grade have been raising
monarch caterpillars. They had 23
caterpillars at the beginning of
school. Monarchs eat milkweed,
and the students have watched
them eat and eat until they turned
into chrysalises. Many of
the monarchs have
already changed into
butterflies. The class was
6
lucky enough to see a couple of
butterflies emerge from their
chrysalises. This year, the class
tagged the butterflies and sent the
information to "Monarch Watch".
If anyone finds a butterfly during
its migration to Mexico, the class
will hear back from the
organization and find out
how far the butterflies
flew.
Students Studying
Rocks & Minerals
q
The students in Mrs. Garrison and Mrs. Pawlak's
classes have been studying rocks and minerals.
The students learned how to look at the different
properties of the rocks and minerals to help
classify them into groups.
October 2014
EmmaLeeann, Nicolas, Emily, Ethan
www.falconerschools.org
THE
FALCON
Temple
Temple’s New Welcome
The Spectacle at Temple
This school year, the PTO gifted Temple with
2 new welcome signs.
Temple proudly
displayed their signs in
the flower beds outside
the front of the school
as a great way to
welcome back the
students and the staff at the beginning of the
new school year.
Temple’s new AIS Teacher, Holly
Brainard has created an inspiring
new display in the hall at Temple.
She titled it “Make a Spectacle of
Yourself” and began taking
pictures of various staff members
at Temple. She even took a
picture of Superintendent, Steve
Penhollow, in the spectacles
reading a book.
Temple Fundraises for After Prom
Temple’s Reading Encouragement
Mrs. Conlan’s class is holding a Smencil sale
to benefit the After Prom. Students in Temple Elementary
will be able to go to her class
room from 3:00-3:15 to purchase their Smencils for $1.00.
Julian is really excited to sell
these scented pencils!
http://www.ilovefundraising.com/catalog/images/images_big/
Smencils_Pencil_PTO_Fundraising.jpg
Temple’s display case welcomed back students
with encouraging words about reading. This display inspired Julian, a student from
Mrs. Conlan’s
class, to become the
“Popcorn”
man. Julian
makes popcorn for the faculty and
staff to enjoy every morning, he even delivers it.
Growing Gardens at Temple
The students in Mrs. Long’s UPK class went
outside to investigate the mysterious things
growing in the garden they planted. It
is a round and green
object that is attached to a vine.
Some students say it
is a pumpkin, while others say it’s a watermelon. The class will continue investigating
and watch it grow to see what it will turn into.
FCS
7
Temple’s Math Night
Temple is hosting a parent night on October 21st.
This night will be focused just on Math.
Times for the workshops on the 21st are as follows:
Kindergarten:
3:30 p.m.— 4:15 p.m.
Second Grade:
4:30 p.m.— 5:15 p.m.
First Grade:
5:30 p.m.— 6:15 p.m.
AIS:
6:30 p.m.— 7:15 p.m.
October 2014
www.falconerschools.org
THE
FALCON
Mission Statement
The Board of Education, collective
staff, and community of the Falconer School District are committed to
preparing our children to be productive members of society,
through continuous evaluation and
improvement, this partnership will
a quality educational environment
for students to meet the graduation
requirements.
Alma Mater
Falconer High School here’s to you
best in the land. ‘Neath the old gold
and blue, we will proudly take our
stand in classroom study, field, or
track with you dear as our guide, no
honor ever shall you lack. We’ll win
your pride.
Back Cover
8
Falconer Cheerleaders Cheer on the V.F.D.
Tammy Yager, Falconer firefighters, and several Falconer High
School Varsity Football Cheerleaders visited H.C. Fenner Elementary on Safety Day.
Ms. Yager talked with the students about fire
safety and fire prevention. A key component
of the presentation was to have students see
and hear what the firemen look and sound
like when they enter a building or home.
Firefighter Jason Lynn
and daughters. Ms. Yager stressed the importance of fresh
batteries in home smoke detectors. Working Smoke Alarms Save
Lives; Test Yours Every Month! Several of the varsity football
cheerleaders attended, the presentation and performed various
cheers affiliated with fire safety and fire prevention.
Order Your
Falconaire Yearbook
Simply click on the link shown
here to place your order. You will be given
the option to pay for the
order in full or set up
installment payments.
Don’t delay...the current price of $55 will
only be available until
December 1.
Newsletter Produced by...
Falconer Ranks Fifth
Early in September the employees of the
school district battled in the county wide
YMCA Battle of the Businesses. Falconer
showed some improvement from the year
before, taking 5th place overall and not to
far behind the top three. They also
managed two first place finishes in the 800
Medley Relay and the Expresso Bike
Relay. The team also finished second in
the 2-Mile Run and Dodgeball, and the Women’s Golf and Table
Tennis finished third. Attention Falconer Central School Alumni
Justin Gould and Elizabeth Hanson
Desktop Publishing Students
Instructed by Miss. Fisher
Educational Technology Specialist
FCS
New this year, we will be displaying FCS alumni information in the
Middle/High School Lobby. It is our hope that past graduates will
share their accomplishments, activities, and other happenings since
their graduation from FCS. If you would like to submit information for
display, visit our website, www.falconerschools.org, to access the
fillable form or contact Julie Zahm at [email protected].
October 2014
www.falconerschools.org