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Spreading kindness, one locker at a time

14 May

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This is another great story from the schools.

Last Friday morning, every single student in all four Webster secondary schools arrived to find inspirational notes taped to their lockers. The previous evening, teams of parent volunteers had fanned out at each school — Schroeder and Thomas high schools and Willink and Spry middle schools — and taped thousands of positive, uplifting messages to students’ lockers.

The project was coordinated and implemented by the Webster Central PTSA, in conjunction with the Webster Teachers Association.

PTSA representative Stacie Peters wrote,

My co-president, Allison Fedyk Featherly and I along with WTA President Chris Wojtas and WTA/PTSA liaison Linda Law thought as the year is winding down it can be a stressful for our older students with exams, papers, homework, etc. We wanted to send some encouraging vibes to them during this time.

We are excited to surprise the students as they come in Friday morning. We did this last year as well and the smiles it brings to students/staff was awesome!

What a wonderful, simple way to bring a little sunshine into our schools during a dreary spring.

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Schroeder athlete needs our votes!

13 May

sydney 1Sydney Bolton, one of our finest high school athletes — a star on the field and in the classroom — has been nominated by the Democrat and Chronicle as their Female Athlete of the Week for May 6-11. But the only way she’ll win is with OUR help.

The D&C is now taking votes to decide who will be the the male and female athletes of the week each week. Sydney, a Webster Schroeder Varsity softball pitcher, is one of four Rochester-area athletes in the running for this week’s honors.

Sydney, a junior at Schroeder, pitched two complete games last week for the Warriors, allowing just three runs in two wins, and driving in five runs of her own. But her academic achievements are equally impressive.

Sydney…carries a 94.5 cumulative GPA while taking enriched AP courses and interesting electives. She is a member of Schroeder’s National Honor Society (and) volunteers with Link Crew. Her academics have allowed her to be on High Honor Roll every quarter, and she was recently accepted into the New Visions program at St. Ann’s. In addition to softball, Sydney plays the trumpet in the wind ensemble and symphony orchestra.

Future plans include becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner in oncology/ hematology, and coaching a youth softball team.

Sydney was also recently named the Webster Schroeder Female Athlete of the month at school (the above quote was taken from that display) and was recently inducted into Tri-M music honor society.

Sydney is an exceptional scholar-athlete who deserves to be recognized. It would be great if all of Webster could get behind her and show the entire Rochester area how proud we are of our young people.

Click here to vote for Sydney. (You don’t have to be a D&C subscriber.) You can vote once per hour, and votes will be accepted until noon on May 17.

Sydney 2

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Webster Community Mailbag

4 May

You might want to warm up your coffee before you read today’s mailbag, because it’s a pretty long one.

jakeJake Gorski, the son of one of my Plank North teaching colleagues, is working on his Eagle Scout project and is looking for some help collecting supplies. He explains in this letter:

My name is Jake Gorski and I am a senior at Fairport High School. I am also a Scout in Fairport Troop 207 in the final stages of my Eagle project. 

My Eagle project is to create and distribute packets of essential hygiene items for those in need at the Blessed Sacrament soup kitchen, where I have been volunteering for the past 12 years. They are located on the corner of Monroe Avenue and Oxford Street in the city of Rochester, and serve dinner to a large and diverse population of homeless and needy individuals five nights a week.

I am looking for donations of socks, tooth paste and tooth brushes, deodorant, baby wipes, and razors. I will accept both travel or regular size items. Blessed Sacrament serves many individuals in need, so I am trying to make around 80 packs. Any donations are greatly appreciated.

If you think you can help out, contact Jake at jwgorski22@gmail.com.

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swan lakeThe students of Willink Middle School will present their student-run production of Swan Lake on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11 at the school, 900 Publishers Parkway.

Two of the school’s our 8th grade students, Mayli Nitsch and Shanna Smith are directing the play, which involves nearly 40 cast and stage crew from grades 6 through 8. Their hard work has been impressive, and the show will surely be outstanding.

Tickets are only $5 and can be purchased online here. They will also be available at the door.

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Just in time for spring planting and Mother’s Day, the Webster Arboretum Association will host their annual Plant Sale on Saturday May 11 from 8 a.m. to noon.

The sale features beautiful, live, healthy plants offered by locak commerial growers and local garden clubs. Garden Club members will also share their favorite plants from their own gardens.

The sale will take place at the Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Road in Webster.

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These next items are from the schools:

The Webster Teachers Association (WTA) has secured approximately 25,000 free books for Webster schools via the First Book program. In order to get these books distributed before the end of the year, the WTA is partnering with the Webster Central PTSA to get books unpacked, sorted and organized by age group for delivery to all of our 11 schools.

Lots of volunteers are needed. The WTA is looking for a minimum of 2 adult volunteers per school, per time slot to help on Saturday, May 18 from 8 a.m. to noon in the Thomas Field House. Click here for more information and to sign up.

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Speaking of the PTSA, they’re in urgent need of sponsors for next year’s PTSA calendar. Here’s the plea:

It’s community that makes Webster so special. We’d like to thank the local businesses and organizations, past and present, who have supported WC PTSA with generous donations, sponsorships and member benefits, making our work possible.

We are asking for your support once again. Please consider sponsoring our special edition 60th Anniversary 2019-20 calendar!

Whether it’s your first year, or thirty-first year sponsoring our calendar – your support is needed and appreciated more than ever. We’ve made it even easier this year, you can do it all online if you choose! Click here to learn more.

All donations are tax-deductible, and you’ll receive a receipt along with a sample copy of the calendar by September.  Families or individuals may become sponsors too.

Your donation funds community-wide programs supporting students and their families on critical topics like mental health and substance use prevention, annual scholarships to outstanding graduating seniors, annual Oak Tree Awards for exceptional educators, and helps us support the PTSA committees in all eleven WCSD schools, so they can provide services unique to their school population.

Questions? Email SponsorHelp@websterptsa.org.

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The school district has announced the hiring of four new assistant principals:

Jill Doyle

Jill Doyle is the new assistant principal at Plank South Elementary School. Doyle is a WCSD graduate and former Plank South student herself. She is currently a fourth grade teacher at the school, a position she has held since 2016.

Matt Mietelski

Spry Middle School White House welcomes new assistant principal Matthew Mietelski, who is replacing Interim Assistant Principal Jim Vitale. Mietelski is currently assistant principal of cooperative summer school for Monroe #1 BOCES and a literacy specialist at Johanna Perrin Middle School in Fairport CSD, where he has taught since 2013.

Two new assistant principals will greet students at Willink Middle School in September: Ashley Socola in the Blue House and Jason Simoni in the Green House.

Ashley and Jason comboSocola is currently an assistant principal at Merton Williams Middle School in the Hilton Central School District, a position she has served in since 2016. She is replacing interim Blue House assistant principal Annette McCabe.

Simoni is a WCSD alum who is returning to the district from Bishop Kearney HighSchool, where he has served as principal since 2015. He replaces Jeremy McBride who will be a new assistant principal moving at Webster Thomas High School.

All four new administrators will begin their positions on July 1.

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Stay tuned for upcoming blogs I’m still working on about new developments at Knucklehead Craft Brewing; special events at the Webster Museum; May programs at the Webster Public Library; a look at the new Spiedielicious restaurant in town; this summer’s special events schedule in the Village of Webster; a big anniversary for Webster Eye Care, and OH! the village is getting BIKE RACKS!! Start thinking about where you might like to see them installed.

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Thomas student play opens Thursday

1 May

IMG_6942Laughs, love, and the kind of family drama we all have experienced all take the stage Thursday night when the students of Webster Thomas High School present the comedy Things My Mother Taught Me by Katherine Savino.

The story follows Olivia and Gabe, a young couple moving into their first apartment together. They’ve just packed up all of their belongings and driven halfway across the country to start a new life together in Chicago. Their moving day doesn’t go exactly as planned, though, and things become slightly more complicated when all of their parents show up to help! Things get a bit crazy as everyone tries to squeeze into their new two-bedroom apartment.

Things My Mother Taught Me will be presented Thursday, May 2 and Friday May 3 at 7:30 pm in the Webster Thomas auditorium, 800 Five Mile Line Rd.  Tickets are $7 and will be available at the door.

Director Chelsea Muller (12th grade) is supported by a small but mighty cast, including:

* Alexander Ramirez (9th grade) as Gabe Lawson
* Isabelle Nitsch (10th grade) as Olivia Keegan
* Nico Pantojas (12th grade) as Wyatt Lawson
* Haley Warren (10th grade) as Lydia Lawson
* Brynn Smith (10th grade) as Maxine Mirowski
* Celia Darling (11th grade) as Karen Keegan
* Tim Dudinski (10th Grade) as Carter Keegan

Here are a few photos from a recent rehearsal:

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Golden Apple Award follow-up

30 Apr

CindyAs I ramp my blogging back up from my newly situated dining room table/office, I’d like to begin by posting a long-overdue follow-up.

Back on April 8, my good friend and Plank Rd. North teaching colleague Cindy Barnard was surprised with a Golden Apple Award from WROC-TV channel 8. She was in the school’s library with her kindergarten class when the news crew arrived to present the award. You can read more about that happy event in this blog I wrote.

It took a few weeks for film of the presentation to make it to the newscast, but WROC did finally run it last week. Click here to see it.

It was a fitting tribute to an excellent teacher and an even better person.

film of Cindy

Click here to see video of Cindy Barnard’s Golden Apple award presentation. 

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Webster community mailbag

16 Apr

I need to start today’s mailbag with something of an apology.

Many of you may have noticed that my blogs of late have been somewhat sporadic. I have not been my normal loquacious self. But I do have a good excuse. My husband and I are in the middle of purchasing a new house, and selling our family home of almost 23 years.

So naturally, I’ve been a little distracted. But there is light at the end of the tunnel with regards to both deals, and the move itself should commence sometime next week. So hang in there and I’ll soon be my normal, annoying self once again.

In the meantime, here’s what’s happening around town (and sorry again, some of these are repeats; I’m taking a few shortcuts even today).

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mailbag iconIf you’re interested in running for the Webster Central School District Board of Education, you’re reminded that petitions are due this Monday April 22. Packets can be picked up from District Administrative Offices at their new temporary location in Towne Center Plaza (Target/Kohl’s Plaza), at the former Paychex location.

For more information, visit the WCSD website.

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Earth Day 2019 is this coming Monday April 22. You can help the Webster Public Library celebrate the occasion by lending a hand on Saturday April 20, as they clean up their outdoor space and plant their garden.

The entire family is invited to join in from 1 to 3 p.m. Crafts and activities will be provided for the kids, and there will be information about the seed library. Don’t forget to dress for the weather!

Reminder that the Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale happens Thursday April 25 through Saturday April 27.

Hardcover books are just just $1 each, paperbacks only 50 cents, and credit cards are accepted. Shopping hours are Thursday April 25 from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Friday and Saturday you can fill a whole bag for just $4.

Visit the Webster Public Library website to get more information about these and lots more April programs. The library is located at 980 Ridge Road, on the back side of the plaza off of Van Ingen Drive.

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The next Flapjack Saturday Community Fundraiser at the First Baptist Church of easter rabbit in egg clipartPenfield, on Saturday April 20, is going to be a special one.

From 8 to 10 a.m., enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, sausage and more for just $5 per person. Plus, at 9 a.m., children up to fifth grade can also participate in an Easter egg hunt, rain or shine.

April proceeds will benefit the Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf, a supplemental food relief organization serving the 14526 and 14625 areas and families of children in the Penfield school district since 1997.

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St. Rita School will be hosting a Sticky Lips fundraiser on Saturday April 27 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the school, 1008 Maple Rd., in Webster.

On the menu that night will be BBQ chicken, pulled pork, fresh cornbread, two homemade sides as well as a coupon for a free appetizer card when you visit the restaurant.

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the school, or through the school’s website.

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It must be chicken BBQ season.

St. Martin Lutheran Church on Bay Road will host its Spring Chicken BBQ and kids’ FunFest on Saturday May 4 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The dinner will include a half chicken, salt potatoes, cole slaw, roll, butter and beverage. Pie slices and other desserts will also be available for purchase. A hot dog dinner for kids is $2.00.

Dinners are eat-in or take-out. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling the church office at 671-1899, or purchased at the event while supplies last. Proceeds support St. Martin’s Christmas Stocking Project, which reaches more than 500 youth in Monroe and Wayne counties.

St. Martin is located at 813 Bay Road in Webster.

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Finally, here’s a reminder about the free English classes being offered the Pickled Paintbrush in the village, for adults looking to improve their English language skills.

The classes will run on Monday evenings from April 29 through May 20. Each session is 90 minutes long, and are designed to help adults improve their English skills through interactive activities, while getting to know people living in your community.

One of the best parts of the program is that childcare will be available during these sessions, for potty-trained children ages 4 and up. The Pickled Paintbrush will provide an art program for children while the adults are in class.

logoAll skill levels are welcome to join the classes. There’s no charge, but participants are asked to register in advance so they know how many adults and children to expect. Click here for more information and to register. You can also call The Pickled Paintbrush at (585) 704-8809 or email thepickledpaintbrush@gmail.com.

If you’d like to check out the Pickled Paintbrush ahead of time, owner Marissa Birke is hosting an open house on Monday April 22, where prospective students can meet the instructor and kids can check out our studio space. The adults will complete a brief questionnaire to get a better feel for their English needs. We’ll also provide an art project for the kids while their parents are meeting with the instructor. If they’d like to enroll, registration will also be available that day.

The Pickled Paintbrush is located at 36 East Main St. in the village of Webster.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Plank North teacher earns Golden Apple

8 Apr
IMG_20190405_104034466

Plank North kindergarten teacher Cindy Barnard with Brooklyn

I am pleased and proud to spread the news that my good friend and Plank Rd. North Elementary School teaching colleague Cindy Barnard received a Golden Apple Award from WROC-TV Channel 8 Friday morning!

Cindy was in the school library with her kindergarten class, lured down there by an admitted “fib” from Principal Craig Bodensteiner,  when Channel 8 came in to present the award.

Brooklyn Lown’s mother Lindsay nominated Cindy for the award.

It was clearly an emotional moment for Cindy; after the requisite interviews and photos were completed, she had her class help her do some mindful breathing to calm her nerves.

Afterwards, she told me, “I feel blessed to have been working for Webster for 22 years, and I have been at Plank North the entire time. I call everyone at Plank North my family.”

The presentation and interview were captured on camera, and will be aired in a few weeks. As soon as I know when it will be on, I will be sure to share that information.

 

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Webster Community Mailbag

2 Apr

mailbag iconThe Webster Central School District invites community members to complete an engagement survey to help guide the district’s strategic plan.

The Community Engagement Survey, which is now available online here, will help guide the district’s implementation of new district initiatives and evaluate ongoing programs that impact all students and families.

The survey can be accessed on the school district website, and will be available through Thursday April 11. WCSD staff members and students will complete a different version of this survey in school.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Paper surveys will also be available at all 11 school buildings, the Webster Aquatic Center, Webster Recreation Center, Webster Public Library, and Penfield Public Library. Accommodations can also be made if you would like the survey translated into another language. Visit the WCSD website for more information.

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The next Flapjack Saturday Community Fundraiser at the First Baptist Church of Penfield, on Saturday April 20, is going to be a special one. 

From 8 to 10 a.m., enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, sausage and more for just $5 per person. Plus, at 9 a.m., children up to fifth grade can also participate in an Easter egg hunt, rain for shine. 

April proceeds will benefit the Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf, a supplemental food relief organization serving the 14526 and 14625 areas and families of children in the Penfield school district since 1997.

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St. Rita School will be hosting a Sticky Lips fundraiser on Saturday April 27 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the school, 1008 Maple Rd., in Webster.

On the menu that night will be BBQ chicken, pulled pork, fresh cornbread, two homemade sides as well as a coupon for a free appetizer card when you visit the restaurant.

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the school, or through the school’s website.

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It’s April, so all sorts of fun events are popping up at the Webster Public Library. Here are a few:

The Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale happens Wed. April 24 through Sat. April 27. This is an excellent opportunity to stock up on some new books for your home library, for just a few bucks!

Hardcover books are just just $1 each, paperbacks only 50 cents, and credit cards are accepted. Members of the Friends are invited to beat the crowds at special hours, Wed. from 5 to 8:30 p.m. (If you’d like to join the Friends that night, memberships will be available at the door.)

The general public is invited to shop on Thurs. April 25, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Friday and Saturday you can fill a whole bag for just $4. 

And here’s a quick reminder about the library’s Volunteer Fair, taking place Wed. April 3 at the library.

If you’ve ever thought about spending an hour or two a week — or more — using your many skills to help out a worthy organization, this is your chance to find the perfect fit. You’ll be able to connect with almost a dozen local agencies including Friends of the Webster Public Library, Friends of Webster Trails, Heritage Christian Services, Maplewood Nursing Home, Never Say Never Foundation, Webster Comfort Care Home, the Webster Arboretum, Webster Museum and Historical Society, and the the Webster and West Webster fire departments.

No registration is required; you can pop in any time between 3:30 and 6 p.m.

Visit the Webster Public Library website to get more information about these and lots more April programs. The library is located at 980 Ridge Road, on the back side of the plaza off of Van Ingen Drive.

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Webster Thomas grad in the news

18 Mar

sutera

Proud momma Maria Sutera sent me this update on one of Webster’s own, Phil Sutera, who is making his mark in the field of science.

Phil, a 2010 Webster Thomas grad, is the first author of a cancer-focused research study, which was published in the January edition of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.

Maria reported in her email that the study focused on “findings regarding stereotatic radiation therapy for oligometastic cancer (one to five metastases).” The clinical trial indicated that “a newer, more aggressive form of radiation therapy – stereotactic radiation – can extend long-term survival for some patients with stage-IV cancers while maintaining their quality of life.”

At least a half dozen news outlets have reported on the findings (you’ll see a few of those links below).  In addition to his recent publication, Phil recently received American Society of Radiation Oncology’s “Best of Astro” award for this research, chosen from more than 2,000 entries.

After graduating from Webster Thomas, Phil attended the University of Rochester, where he received dual Bachelor of Science degrees with highest distinction, in chemistry and neuroscience. He is currently studying at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and will graduate in May. Philip hopes to match into a radiation oncology residency program.

“WCSD played an important role in Philip’s success,” Maria wrote, adding,

The teachers and staff at Webster laid a strong educational foundation, helped foster his scientific curiosity, advised him regarding his educational future, reinforced strong character traits, such as the desire to aid others (staff at Willink encouraged/recognized this with their annual Make a Difference Award, circa 2005), as well as awarded him various academic scholarships, which helped alleviate some educational expenses. We are extremely grateful and fortunate Phil had his start at Webster Central.

Click here to see the whole article, “Initial Results of a Multicenter Phase 2 Trial of Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy for Oligometastatic Cancer.” And here are a few links to some news reports about their findings:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-02-stereotactic-feasible-oligometastatic-cancer.html

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190131101051.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6349603/

https://appliedradiationoncology.com/articles/study-high-dose-radiation-therapy-improves-long-term-survival-in-patients-with-stage-iv-cancers

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Webster’s SparX team heads into competition season

2 Mar
SparX

Webster CSD’s SparX robotics team

Webster’s high-flying robotics team is heading to space.

The One Webster high schools 1126 SparX FIRST Robotics team has been working hard for weeks to prepare for this year’s competition season, which begins the weekend of March 14-16 with the Rochester area regionals at RIT.

This year’s theme is “Destination: Deep Space.” The goal is to use the 130-pound robots to deposit cargo (13-inch playground balls) into a rocket ship and cargo ship. Each match lasts 2-1/2 minutes, and robots can score extra points by climbing up blocks. Six robots from different teams compete for points at the same time on the same field.

Our Webster SparX team is comprised of 47 students and 21 adults, who for the last six weeks have been working together to design, build, test, and practice operating a robot capable of completing the Destination: Space challenges. Following the RIT competition, the team will travel to Cleveland’s Buckeye Regional the weekend of March 28.

All SparX events are free to attend, and these kids would love to see (and hear) some Webster fans in the crowd.

For more information about the robotics program, visit www.FIRSTInspires.org, and to learn more about our local team, visit www.GoSparX.org.

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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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