April, 2015
BISHOP GRIMES
JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH
•
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
•
SERVICE
Bishop Grimes will provide transportation to the Oswego and Fulton area
for students beginning in the Fall of 2015. Please contact Sue Collins,
Director of Admissions, at 314.7157 for additional information.
A Message from Principal Wheeler
As we progress through the joyous Easter season, we anticipate the Ascension of
Our Lord into heaven on the fortieth day after the Resurrection. This great feast
reflects the completion of Our Lord’s work of redemption. In the presence of his
chosen apostles, He ascended to rejoin His Father in heaven. This year
Ascension Thursday is May 14, 2015.
Our anticipation of the feast coincides with the freshness of spring, the budding
of leaves and flowers, the greening of our lawns, the return of the song birds, and
the very welcome longer, sun lit days. As we contemplate our faith tradition and
Christ’s Ascension in the context of nature, let’s send our prayers of gratitude,
adoration, and petition upwards to heaven as well.
Happy Spring!
Take me out to the Chief’s game…
Please join Bishop Grimes on Thursday, June 4th, as the
Catholic Sun will be sponsoring a “Catholic Schools Work”
event at the NBT Bank Stadium. The Syracuse Chiefs will be
playing Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders on Dollar Thursday!
We want our students, parents, grandparents and alumni to come out to the stadium to
represent BG pride. (Make sure you wear your school colors.) We want to attract the
largest Catholic school audience. Come out for $1 Hofmann hot dogs and $1 Coca-Cola
products. For more information, please contact the Mission Advancement Office.
BG Takes Broadway
Come along on a musical journey through the halls of BG
on Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd at 7:00 p.m.
Follow our group of students as they reminisce about their
time at school while trying to save their prom! Featuring
songs from The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, The
Sound of Music, Hairspray, and many more Broadway hits,
our production is a unique musical creation written and
directed by our very own music department faculty, Mrs. Williams and Mr. Kammerer.
The production will feature some of the most important aspects of school life here at BG.
The group will interact with prospective students, attend some of their classes, and even
journey to the supposedly “haunted” basement of the school, all in an attempt to make
their school year the best it could possibly be. There will even be special guest
performances by our Concert Choir, Jazz Band, and even a few of our very own faculty
members!
This is one show you will not want to miss. Tickets (315)
are $10
for general
Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School
437-0356
admission
6653 Kirkville
and $7
Road,
for students/seniors/alumni.
East Syracuse, NY 13057
We are offering
www.bishopgrimes.org
a unique family ticket
package this year: $30 for a family of 4, with each additional family member only $5
more! We hope to see you there.
MISSION STATEMENT
Bishop Grimes shares in the evangelizing mission of
the Roman Catholic Church, a mission that has been
handed on by Christ and his apostles and received
by generations of believers. Therefore, we seek to
help students take part, with the current generation
of believers, in receiving and handing on their
Catholic faith by coming to know it, live it, and share
it. We accomplish this mission by providing a high
quality and rigorous Catholic education that
prepares students in mind, body, and spirit to
encounter Christ, live their faith in the context of His
Church, and serve others in His name, particularly
the poor and those who are in need.
Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School
6653 Kirkville Road
East Syracuse, NY 13057
(315) 437.0356
www.bishopgrimes.org
March, 2015
BISHOP GRIMES
JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH
•
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
•
SERVICE
Service Project
Serving Those Who Serve
With the recent deployment of the 174th Attack
Wing in Syracuse, Bishop Grimes is collecting
items between April 13th - April 30th to send to
our servicemen and servicewomen. We ask
that you consider donating to this very worthwhile
service project. The following items are needed:
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Powdered drink mixes (lemonade, tea, Gatorade);
Ground coffee;
Individually wrapped snack bars, chips, pretzels, nuts, popcorn, granola
bars, cookies, crackers;
Beef jerky, summer sausage;
Reading materials (books, comics, magazines, puzzle books, newspapers,
sports-themed news/magazines;
Calling cards; and
Money for shipping (any amount will be appreciated).
Please refer your questions to Mrs. Moss at [email protected].
Congratulations!
Our Cobras’ point guard, senior Jordan
Vaught, recently scored her 1,000th career
point at the Rome Free Academy game.
Jordan came into the game with “994
points, hit a 3-pointer with 1 minute, 3
seconds left in the second quarter to reach
the milestone”. Jordan was presented the
game ball during the game. On behalf of
the BG Community, congratulations Jordan.
We couldn’t be prouder.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
A round of applause goes out to our students, parents, and faculty
who participated in this year’s creation of our St. Patrick’s Parade
float in Syracuse as well as our banner carriers. The float placed
Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School
(315) 437-0356
third in
the Bishop’s Category. The float portrayed the four
seasons in Syracuse
6653 Kirkville Road, East Syracuse, NY 13057
www.bishopgrimes.org
with images of the Niagara Mohawk building, the Landmark Theater, Crouse
College and the Syracuse Savings Bank.
March, 2015
BISHOP GRIMES
JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH
•
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
•
SERVICE
Bishop Grimes Valedictorian and Salutatorian
It is with great pride and pleasure that the Bishop Grimes
community announces that Matthew Miller is the Valedictorian of
the Class of 2015 and Rebecca Wolken is the Salutatorian of the
Class of 2015.
Our sincerest congratulations to Matthew
and Rebecca, as well as their families, on
this outstanding accomplishment. We are
very proud of their hard work, dedication,
and determination.
As a reminder, the Baccalaureate Mass
will be held on Thursday, June 11th at 6:30 p.m. at Blessed
Sacrament (Eastwood). Commencement will be held at Bishop
Grimes on June 13th at 10:00 a.m.
Junior and Senior Parents, please be sure to mark your calendars for this year’s AP
Exams. Students should report to the Main Lobby no later than 15 minutes prior to the
start time of the exam.
Exam
AP Psychology
AP Calculus
AP English Lit
AP Physics
AP US History
AP European History
Date
Monday, May 4, 2015
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015
Start Time
12:00 noon
8:00 am
8:00 am
12:00 noon
8:00 am
12:00 noon
We wish our 7th and 8th Grade Students the best of luck on this year’s New York State
Assessments which will take place on the following dates:
ELA Exam
Tuesday, April 14 – Thursday, April 16
Math Exam
Wednesday, April 22 – Friday, April 24
Attention Juniors...
From the desk of Mr. Kinne
The Guidance Department will be hosting
a Junior College Night Panel discussion
on Thursday, April 16th beginning at
6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.
If you are not receiving e-mail reminders
and notices from the school and/or your
son’s/daughter’s teachers, please contact
the Guidance Office at 314-7214.
Representatives from a variety of local
colleges (including Le Moyne, Syracuse,
OCC, and Potsdam) will be part of the
panel discussion. Topics to be addressed
include the college search process,
college application process, and what to
do when visiting a college campus. We
look forward to seeing you at this
informative event.
Academic Games
On April 25th, Bishop Grimes will host the
Academic Games throughout the morning
and early afternoon. The Academic Games
provide Catholic grade school students the
opportunity to showcase their knowledge
and abilities in a wide range of subjects
including Religion, Spelling, Oration, Art,
Science, and Music. If you’re interested in
helping out with the Games, either serving
as a judge, being a host/hostess at a
welcome table, etc., please contact
Mrs. Firenze ([email protected]) at
314-7157. Many hands are needed to help
make the Academic Games a success.
Be sure to check out Bishop Grimes
Facebook page for up-to-date school
information.
Upcoming Dress Down Day Dates:
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April 17: Kelleigh’s Cause Dress Down
Day (Proceeds benefit AVMS research)
April 30: Autism Awareness Month
Dress Down Day
Has your child won an award or
competition? Is he/she being confirmed?
Has he/she participated in a special
project or done something notable in the
community? We are eager to learn about
our students’ accomplishments – even
those not related to school.
Let us know about their accomplishments
by contacting the Main Office at (315)
437-0356 or sending a note to Mr. Kinne’s
attention.
March, 2015
BISHOP GRIMES
JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH
•
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
•
SERVICE
Please Take Notice...
Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School will be providing transportation to and from
Oswego and Fulton for enrolled students beginning in the Fall of 2015.
If you know of a family who is interested
in sending their child to Bishop Grimes
and resides in the Oswego or Fulton
area, we ask that you have them
contact Mrs. Collins, our Director of
Admissions at (315) 314.7157 for
additional information.
Open House
Our next Open House is scheduled for Thursday, May 28th,
from 3:30—5:30 p.m. For Admissions information and testing
registration, please contact the Director of Admissions, Mrs.
Collins, at (315) 314.7157 or [email protected].
Cobra Clubhouse
The Cobra Clubhouse is now open for business
Monday through Thursday. Students from
Mr. McKenney’s Sports and Entertainment
Marketing Class are now running the Cobra
Clubhouse School Store.
Through the generosity of the KeyBank
Foundation, who provided the necessary funding
to get the program started, operating the store is
Greg Macaluso/Toni Leneve working in the
a true-to-life situation, incorporating teamwork,
Cobra Clubhouse
responsibilities, management, and garnering
tangible results using business, advertising,
accounting and banking skills. Students will learn marketing strategies as well as
concepts such as understanding money, prices, and supply and demand.
Students, faculty, administration, and parents are able to purchase school
supplies, snacks and apparel at affordable prices. Profits from all sales go back
into the operations of the school store.
Congratulations…
On behalf of the BG Community, we would like to congratulate
Martin Welych-Flanagan on his recent success at the 2015 CNY
Science and Engineering Fair held in March. A total of 249
students from Onondaga, Cayuga, Madison, Oswego and Cortland counties
competed in the event.
Martin won three awards:
1. Earth Science Department (SU) Geology Award
2. Le Moyne Excellence in Biology - Professor David L. Smith Memorial Award
3. NASA/NY Space Grant Award
Applications for Re-admission
If you have missed the March 27th deadline for turning in your re-application packet, do
not delay in handing it in as soon as possible. Wait lists are growing, class sections are
forming, and course selections are being made. Do not risk your son/daughter being
closed out of a class or course because his/her re-application was not returned.
If you are in need of additional information, please contact the Main Office at 437.0356.
March, 2015
BISHOP GRIMES
JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH
•
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
•
SERVICE
Annual Fund
For almost 50 years, Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School has provided a quality,
Catholic education that is accessible and diverse to all of its students. We
prepare our students to thrive during their time at Bishop Grimes and prepare
them for college and life. We take pride in the past for the tradition of a strong
Catholic identity and rich academic excellence that is the hallmark of Bishop
Grimes and its alumni.
To uphold the mission of Bishop Grimes, we rely on the generosity of our
donors to support the Annual Fund. Parents, alumni, faculty, staff, friends,
grandparents, and board members can all impact the lives of our students with
a gift to the Annual Fund. Your donation will help build the future of our school,
provide a quality, faith-based Catholic education, keep tuition affordable, and
enrich our technology initiatives. Your gift makes an immediate difference in
the day to day life of our students. Every student is a direct beneficiary of your
contribution.
We prayerfully ask that you consider donating to the 2014-2015 Annual Fund.
All donations are important and appreciated. Strong funding commitments
from our constituents is key to outside foundations and grant resources
supporting Bishop Grimes. Your gift to the Annual Fund will ensure that Bishop
Grimes will continue to be a guiding force in our students’ lives fostering a
relationship with God, providing an excellent and affordable education that
includes a strong commitment to serving others in the community.
Donations may be made to the: Office of Mission Advancement, Bishop Grimes
Jr./Sr. High School, 6653 Kirkville Road, East Syracuse, NY 13057 or on line
through the school’s website: www.bishopgrimes.org.
Thank you and God Bless.
Mark your Calendars
April 14
Report Cards Mailed
April 18
ACT Exam at BG
April 24
Cobra Pride Day
April 25
Academic Games
May 1
Adoration (Chapel)
May 1 & 2
Spring Musical
May 2
SAT Exam at BG
May 9
Jr./Sr. Prom
Update on our new website!
Bishop Grimes is pleased to
announce that the new website will be launched in April.
In preparation of the launch,
our old site will be off line for
several days.
Please visit www.bishopgrimes.org.
Award Award description
Road Work on Fly Road
Fundraising Activities:

BG Sweepstakes tickets are
on sale. Please purchase your
tickets today. Only 2,000
tickets will be sold. 18
chances to win a cash prize
with a grand prize of $5,000!

Save the date for the Cobra
Golf Classic scheduled for
Saturday, July 25th at Rogues
Roost.

Mark your calendars for
Bishop Grimes Dinner Auction.
Next year’s event will be held
on Saturday, October 24th.
The Onondaga County Highway Department will be
milling the existing pavement, reconstructing
deteriorated shoulders in isolated areas, and overlaying the entire project with asphalt pavement on
Fly Road. Construction is planned to begin around
April 13th with completion expected by July 1st.
Construction will occur between the hours of 7:00
a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Expect traffic delays
Board of Trustees
Fr. Chris Ballard
Dan Cummings
Mary Ann Donnelly
Henry Fust
Richard Kane
Joseph Mancuso
John Martin
James O’Shea
Brian Schultz
Fr. Christopher Seibt
Patrick Shandorf
Mark Shattuck
Robert Will
David Wheeler
Randy Wolken
March, 2015
BISHOP GRIMES
JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH
•
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
•
SERVICE
BG Gives Back in a BIG Way...
Congratulations to Ben Schultz (‘20),
Wyatt Kinsey (‘17) and Christopher
Donnelly (‘15) who successfully braved
the shave for the St. Baldrick’s
Foundation fundraiser at the start of
March. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is
a volunteer-driven charity committed to
funding research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long
healthy lives. The BG Community is very proud of Ben, Wyatt and Christopher
and your commitment to making a difference.
The faculty and staff of Bishop
Grimes would like to extend our most
sincere gratitude to the Peer Leader
Student Facilitators that led the
morning workshop for the Faculty InService Day on March 20th. These
students were: Zachary Jones,
Madeline Kujabi, Sarah Schultz,
Danielle Yerdon, Anna Cummings,
Jonah Cummings, Megan Robinson,
Lucas Burnette, Jordan Sloan, and
Isabella Naylor. All of the faculty
participants agreed that it was a
wonderful opportunity for the
teachers to be taught by the
students, and we are very proud of
the excellent work that each of these
students did to facilitate discussions
amongst the faculty members.
Thank you to Mrs. Kinne, the BG
Student Council, Mr. Rockwell, Mr.
Kammerer, Mr. Breen, Mr. Carney,
Mrs. Firenze, Ms. Haskins, Mrs. Insel,
Mrs. Collins, Mr. Talarico, the
Kozlowski family, and all of the parent
and student volunteers who helped
make BG’s presence known in this
year’s Syracuse St. Patrick’s Parade.
Between carrying the divisional
banners for the Parade Committee,
having an award-winning float (3rd
Place in the Bishop’s Award category),
and countless parade goers wanting
to have their picture taken with Coby
decked out in his green leprechaun
tuxedo, we had a great and very
productive day!
5th Annual Music & Arts Showcase
Thank you to all of the members of the Bishop Grimes
community who came out and supported the 5th
Annual Music and Arts Showcase. We had a record
crowd in attendance including Mr. Bill Crist, the
Superintendent of Catholic Schools (pictured with Coby
the Cobra). A special thank you to Denise Wolken and
all of the BG Fan Club parent volunteers who put in
countless hours to make this year’s Showcase such a
success.
Reminders from Mr. Kinne…
Students that drive to school are not to park in the first three rows (handicap parking row and
the following two rows) of the parking lot in the back of the school. Those rows are for faculty
and staff members only. Failure to abide by this rule may result in the forfeiture of your driving
privileges. Also, while driving anywhere on school property, please remember to obey the 10
mph speed limit. We have many teams practicing outside and all drivers need to be mindful
and aware of the speed limit. When in doubt, slow down!
Please remember that as Spring has finally sprung, the Bishop Grimes Dress Code is still in
effect! Students are expected to be in Dress Code at all times during the day. Students are not
to wear hoodies, outside jackets or sweatshirts, or team apparel during the school day. There
are BG sweaters and long sleeve shirts available to purchase through Lands’ End or Flynn and
O’Hara. Students may also purchase a BG quarter-zip from the School Store. In addition,
gentlemen, especially our seniors, need to come to school clean shaven. Be mindful that
Crocs, Ugg boots and their look-alikes, beach shoes, flip flops, and moccasins are not part of
the dress code. Refer to page 32-33 in the Student Handbook for a description of permissible
footwear. Students are NOT permitted to wear their dress code shorts until May 1st.
March, 2015
BISHOP GRIMES
JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH
•
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
•
SERVICE
Middle States Accreditation
Update
The Bishop Grimes Internal Planning Team for our Middle States Accreditation Process
has remained busy throughout the past month with weekly meetings and work
sessions. As was previously shared, the Internal Planning Team has created two
Student Performance Goals that will be a major focus for the school over the next
seven years. These revised goals are:
Student Performance Objective #1:
By the year 2021-2022, students of Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School will demonstrate
improved performance in English Language Arts skills as measured by the following
assessments:
a.
An annual 2 percentage point increase in the percentage of students achieving
scores of 3 and 4 of the New York State Common Core ELA assessments in Grades
7 and 8.
b. Eighty-five percent of students in Grades 7 and 8 will achieve scores that reflect
positive annual growth on internal school assessments of benchmarks using a
standards-aligned pre-assessment and post-assessment.
c.
One hundred percent of students will score 65% or above on New York State
Regents Exams in Comprehensive English/New York State Regents Exams in
English Language Arts (Common Core).
d. Eighty-five percent of students in Grades 9-12 will achieve scores that reflect
positive annual growth on internal school assessments of benchmarks using a
standards-aligned pre-assessment and post-assessment.
Student Performance Objective #2:
By the year 2021-2022, students of Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School will demonstrate
improved performance in Math skills as measured by the following assessments:
a.
An annual 2 percentage point increase in the percentage of students achieving
scores of 3 and 4 on the New York State Common Core Math assessments in
Grades 7 and 8.
b. Seventy percent of students in Grades 7 and 8 will achieve scores that reflect
positive annual growth on internal school assessments of benchmarks using a
standards-aligned pre-assessment and post-assessment.
c.
An annual 2 percentage point increase in the percentage of students scoring 65%
or above on New York State Regents Exams and/or New York State Common Core
Exams in Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry.
d. Eighty percent of students in Grades 9-12 will achieve scores that reflect positive
annual growth on internal school assessments of benchmarks using a standardsaligned pre-assessment and post-assessment.
In addition, the members of each academic department conducted an in-depth
analysis of the school’s current curriculum in an effort to make improvements to
current course offerings.
Attention 7th, 8th, 11th and 12th Grade Parents
Please make sure that your son or daughter is on time to school each day of their AP ,
ELA, and Math Exams and that he/she has had a good night’s sleep and a well-balanced
breakfast so that he/she is able to function at his/her full potential. Also, please assure
your son/daughter that while these tests provide Bishop Grimes with important baseline
information about his/her performance, that there is no reason for him/her to become
over-anxious or nervous about the test. Simply remind him/her to do his/her best. We
look forward to making this year’s testing experience a positive and successful
experience. Mr. Kinne
March, 2015
BISHOP GRIMES
JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH
•
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
•
SERVICE
“Fun is Good” Dr. Seuss
MUSIC & ARTS SHOWCASE
Superintendent Bill Crist
Welcomes Audience
FACULTY IN-SERVICE DAY