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Webster high school plays just around the corner

20 Jan

If you happened to see Saturday’s D&C, you might have seen my article about high school plays taking place this spring all over Rochester’s east side.

Of particular interest to my readers here in Webster, I was able to spotlight Webster Schroeder’s upcoming production of Les Miserables. Unfortunately, the parameters of the article did not allow me to include information about Webster Thomas’ spring musical, a slight I would like to correct now.

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Webster Thomas High School will present Pippin from March 22-24.

Director Brenda Nitsch writes,

This is the 10th anniversary (we did it 10 years ago!) but with a different spin. However, the basic plot line is the same. The story is about a boy who is trying to find the “extraordinary” in life but realizes in the end that you can find joy and fulfillment in the ordinary.

We like this show because it has lots of layers and makes you think. We will, and already have had, lots of discussions around the plot, characters, motive, etc. That is one of the cool things about this show–there aren’t really right answers. It is all perception. The choreography is in the style of Bob Fosse.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on March 22 and 23, and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on March 24. Ticket information, when available, can be found at websterthomasplayers.com.

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As I mentioned, there was a short blurb about Webster Schroeder’s production of Les Miserables in Saturday’s paper, which read,

Les Miserables’ sweeping ballads and show-stopping tunes make it the perfect musical at which to experience the incredible vocal and acting talent of our high school students, which may make you question whether you’re in a high school auditorium or at the RBTL. Plus, we’re told, “there are some awesome wigs happening.”

Yes, that’s right: “awesome wigs.” But I was able to sit in on one of the rehearsals, and I’ll tell you right now, there’s a whole lot more awesomeness than just wigs happening on that stage. I am a huge fan of the music of Les Miserables, and from what I saw, I will not be disappointed.

Webster Schroeder High School will present Les Miserables on February 8, 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m., and Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.  For more information and tickets, visit websterschroedermusicals.com.

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ROC & Soul Fitness opens this weekend

11 Jan

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Webster’s newest business, ROC & Soul Fitness, is slated to open on Saturday, and the community is invited to check it out for free.

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Malena and Joe Guadagnino (E. Rosenberry)

Owners Joe and Malena Guadagnino call ROC & Soul a “boutique fitness studio,” offering barre, yoga, and other classes in their sparkling new studio at 43 East Main Street. You’ll find it tucked down in the new little “Shops at Main Street” plaza behind Prime, kind of where the OTB and Rubino’s once were.

Joe and Malena plan to start offering classes on Saturday (hopefully the weather isn’t too nasty). The first, Vinyasa Flow, is scheduled for 7:30 a.m., followed by a SOUL Barre class at 9 a.m. Four other Vinyasa and Barre classes are scheduled throughout the rest of the weekend. And every one of them is free, in  honor of their grand opening.

To register for the classes, and more information about their drop-in and package fitness class rates, visit their website and Facebook page.

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Here’s an important program update from the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester.

Thanks to the winter storm that’s headed our way, Saturday’s comedy hypnotist show at Webster Schroeder has been cancelled. The diocese hopes to be able to reschedule the event this summer sometime.

Eventbrite.com is issuing refunds for all tickets purchased through their website. Check there for more information.

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Comedy hypnotist brings show to Schroeder

9 Jan

jasonIt’s been a quiet start to the new year. Perhaps everyone — including me — has been hunkering down trying to will away the cold and snow. But now that the holidays are officially over, it’s time for me to get back to work…

 

Let’s start with this event, which promises to be very funny, and is a fund-raiser to boot.

The Episcopal Diocese of Rochester will be sponsoring nationally-known comedy hypnotist Jason Christopher, who will bring his show to Webster Schroeder High School on Saturday January 13 at 7 p.m.

Jason’s 90-minute show is totally family-friendly. No one gets singled out, and he only hypnotizes groups of people who want to be hypnotized. Proceeds will support 34 different mission projects throughout the diocese.

Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for children under 12, and $15 at the door. Click here to purchase tickets online.

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Kate Lee and the O’Connor Band are coming to town

4 Jan
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The O’Connor Band, with Webster native Kate Lee, will be coming to town the week of January 18.  Kate, second from left, is pictured with Forrest, Maggie and Mark O’Connor.

Grammy-winning bluegrass/Americana group the O’Connor Band– including Webster’s very own Kate Lee (Webster Schroeder ’10) — will be visiting from Nashville in a few weeks to perform at the Eastman Theatre and share their skills in our schools.

The O’Connor Band’s debut album, Coming Home, reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart in 2016 and won Best Bluegrass Album at the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2017.

The band features legendary fiddle virtuoso and composer, Mark O’Connor, his wife Maggie O’Connor (fiddle/vocals), son Forrest O’Connor (mandolin/vocals), and Kate (fiddle/vocals), who last April officially joined the family when she married Forrest.

Before their Eastman Theatre performance, the group will spend two days educating students through Mark O’Connor’s O’Connor Method: An American School of String Playing. The O’Connor Band will perform at both high schools for Webster Central School District instrumental and choral ensemble students in grades 4-12 and high school junior-level social studies’ students. Mark will provide educational narrative regarding the historical time and place of the band’s bluegrass genre across generations. The O’Connor Band will also be visiting Rochester City School District’s School No. 19 to give a performance and master class to the school’s Strings for Success program.

On Friday night January 19, the band will conclude their visit with a performance at the Eastman Theatre, beginning at 8 p.m. Singer-songwriter Chris Wilson will open the show, which will feature music from the O’Connor Band’s Grammy-winning album as well as music from their 2017-released O’Connor Band LIVE! album.

Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre is located at 26 Gibbs Street in Rochester. For tickets, visit www.eastmantheatre.org/events/oconnor-band.

To learn more about the O’Connor Band, visit their website at www.oconnorband.com.

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Oak Tree Award nominations still being accepted

2 Jan

oak leafAs students and staff members head back to school again, this important reminder about the Oak Tree Award.

Nominations are still being accepted for the annual Oak Tree Recognition, given to an outstanding WCSD teacher.

Co-Sponsored by the Webster Teachers’ Association (WTA) and the Webster Central PTSA, the Oak Tree Award recognition program is an annual award that is designed to recognize teacher excellence in Webster Central Schools.

Any Webster resident or district employee, current or former student, parent, teacher, or administrative colleague may nominate a teacher for the Elementary or Secondary Teacher of the Year Oak Tree Award.

Award nominees must meet the following criteria:

  • Currently teaching in a full-time position in Webster Central School
  • Have a minimum of 5 years teaching experience in Webster Central Schools
  • Plan to continue to teach the next school year in, or retire from Webster Central Schools
  • Be a member of both the Webster Central PTSA and the Webster Teachers’ Association

Nominations must be submitted by February 1, and must include a 1-page typed narrative describing:

  • How the teacher has demonstrated expertise in the subject matter, connects well with students, engages students using a variety of teaching methods and strategies, and/or incorporates a variety of teaching approaches to best benefit all learners.
  • Special talents or commitments of this teacher, including extracurricular or school community endeavors.
  • How has the teacher touched your life or the lives of his or her students.

Click here for the nomination form.

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School 17 says Thank you, Webster

31 Dec

Here’s a very nice end-of-the-year feel-good fuzzie, which I received in my email this morning. It’s a video thank-you to the Webster community from School 17 for helping bring Christmas to the children, many whom wouldn’t otherwise get even one present, let alone anything else resembling Christmas.

Click on the image to see the video. May the new year continue to bring more instances of people helping people, every day and in both big and little ways.

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Webster CSD to study school start times

28 Dec

If you’ve ever had to cajole, whine, plead, yell at, or pour water on your high-school aged child to extract him or her from bed in time for school, you’ll be interested in this news: the Webster school district is going to take a serious look at changing the high school start times to something more reasonable.

To that end, I share with you this column written by Webster Supervisor Carm Gumina:

“I think it’s time.” Those are words I shared with the Webster CSD Board of Education during its November 2 meeting. I had just returned from a conference on mindfulness and neuroscience, and the topic of school start times came up once again in a forum filled with scientists, educators, and most importantly, individuals who really care about the overall health and wellness of young people.

As a district, we strive to educate the whole child in all that we do both inside and outside the classroom. There is an abundance of undeniable scientific evidence supporting the fact that our middle and high schools start too early for teens whose changing biological sleep patterns require them to sleep later in order to maximize their ability to learn. Medical studies also show that a lack of sleep for older students can negatively impact their physical and their mental health. That fact alone got my attention and the attention of so many of us in the district who care for your children.

The possibility of later start times for secondary students in our district is a critical one that deserves a mindful, in-depth study. The science is convincing regarding sleep research and the biological and neurochemical effects that adequate rest has on the physical and emotional states of our teens. That said, Webster CSD, along with other districts throughout our region, state, and country, still grapple with the challenges of changing school start times. This will be a year-long process of exploration, study, and problem-solving, and it involves all of us in the One Webster community.

During that November 2 meeting, the board of education asked me to design a process and gather feedback that would explore this important issue. I invite any of you who are interested in learning more to attend an initial Webster CSD Start-Time Study Group meeting on Tuesday, January 9, 2018, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. at the Spry Middle School auditorium, 2nd floor, 119 South Avenue, Webster. We’ll hear from a University of Rochester researcher, local pediatrician, and district administrators during that initial meeting so you can begin to learn more. If you would be interested in attending, please RSVP by e-mailing Larry_Wahl@webstercsd.org. Mr. Wahl is WCSD’s coordinator of strategic initiatives and will be leading the group’s work.

In all honesty, I have no idea what conclusions and solutions will come from this study group’s formation; I can tell you this is not a short-term study. If the group determines that changes in our district are necessary and possible, those changes wouldn’t take place until fall 2019 or 2020, however, it is important that we begin to research this critical issue.

Again, I do think it’s time.

Once again, that informational meeting is Tuesday January 9 at 4 p.m. at Spry Middle School, 119 South Avenue.

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Holiday fun at the elementary schools

19 Dec

Holiday time at the elementary schools is always a fun time for both students AND staff

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Schlegel Road teacher Bill Ambler the Jolly Elf. 

members. And since I have the pleasure of working in two different elementary schools, that fun is kind of doubled.

On Monday I was at Schlegel Road Elementary, where silly outfits were the order of the day. We also enjoyed a  concert by the Webster Show Choir, comprised of outstanding vocalists and dancers from both Schroeder and Thomas high schools. I was told that it was the first time in 16 years the choir had visited Schlegel.

Later that afternoon, Show Choir traveled to Plank Road North later that afternoon for another performance. Here are a few photos from that concert, courtesy Sarah Rosenberry:

I’m not sure the link will work, but try clicking here to see some video from that concert.

And here’s some icing for the holiday cake: A holiday video created by Schlegel Road staff members. Click here to see it. It’s kind of fun.

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Schlegel students get real-life lesson in charity

7 Dec

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If you happened by Walmart on Wednesday night to do some holiday shopping, chances are you saw a very festive group of elementary school students. They were fifth graders from Schlegel Road Elementary School, manning the Salvation Army’s red kettle, ringing bells and singing Christmas carols.

According to fifth grade teacher Jill Mancini, this is at least the sixth year the classes have taken a bell-ringing shift for the Salvation Army.

“We do it to teach students about giving to others,” she said, adding that the volunteer effort was integrated into a lesson about charitable agencies.

“(The students) have been researching community organizations including the Red Cross, Salvation Army and UNICEF,” she said. The experience “also helps introduce our upcoming lesson about human rights, getting them thinking about that,” she added.

You can find a short video of the kids singing on the Schlegel Elementary School Twitter page. Click here to see that.

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Webster Saturday Mailbag

25 Nov

mailbagThe Penfield Public Library is looking for a few enthusiastic people.

The library is looking for two new members for its Board of Trustees to replace outgoing trustees whose terms have expired.

The nine board members must be strong library advocates. Board members support the library by crafting a strategic plan and vision in conjunction with library personnel, by developing and reviewing policies, by reviewing and approving the budget and financial matters, and by communicating with the community and local legislators.

The Board of Trustees meets regularly at 7 pm on the third Tuesday of each month in the Ruth Braman Room of the Penfield Public Library. Meetings usually end by 9 pm and are open to the public.

Any resident of the Town of Penfield interested in applying for the Penfield Public Library Board of Trustees should submit a letter of interest and a resume to Chris Fluit,
Personnel Committee Chairman, Penfield Public Library, 1985 Baird Rd, Penfield, NY, 14526. Applications should be received by November 30, 2017. Interviews will be scheduled for early December and the new trustees should begin their term in January 2018.

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A group of 15 Webster Schroeder High School upperclassmen shared the fruits of their fundraising efforts with Rochester families in need through a unique partnership with Mt. Hope Family Center (MHFC).

Last Monday, several MHFC vehicles arrived at Webster Schroeder’s main office, 875 Ridge Road, to pick up boxes and bags with all the fixings for Thanksgiving meals that will be provided to at-risk children and families supported by MHFC. The groceries were purchased by Webster Schroeder students who began fundraising for these Thanksgiving meals last month.

This is the sixth year students have partnered with MHFC to raise funds to supply Thanksgiving meals for those served by the organization. What makes the students’ fundraising efforts so unique is that they personally reached out to other Webster Schroeder High School clubs, sports teams, organizations, faculty, staff, and Webster businesses to raise $3,500 for the Thanksgiving meals. Extra funds raised will provide holiday gifts for children from each of the 20 families that receive a basket.

Schroeder students with Thanksgiving donation - Photo 1

15 Webster Schroeder High School juniors and seniors collected $3500 to provide Thanksgiving meals to families served by the Mt. Hope Family Center.

The Country Gardeners of Webster, Klem Road Garden Club and the Webster Arboretum will hold their annual Garden Club Holiday Sale on Saturday December 2 from 9 am to noon at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive.

This huge sale features fresh wreaths, arrangements, poinsettias, centerpieces and gifts that are created by hand by the club members for this sale.

This is always a very popular event, so you want to get there early. I stopped by at about 11:30 last year and pretty much everything was sold out.

The sale is the Country Gardeners’ annual fundraiser, so think about decorating your own home, and purchasing gifts for family, friends and holiday hostesses.

Admission is free.

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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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