Mini Webster mailbag

16 May

Just a few interesting notes this morning.

For starters, Webster Schroeder and Webster Thomas high schools will both have new assistant principals next year.

Karen Murray has accepted the position as assistant principal (alpha M-R) for Webster Thomas High School’s Gold House, effective July 1. Murray is replacing current interim assistant principal Jeremy Slack.

New APs for web

Karen Murray and Dan Sepka

Murray, a Webster resident and graduate, previously served as a middle school ELA teacher and literacy specialist at both Spry and Willink middle schools. She also was a high school literacy specialist at Webster Thomas HS.

 

Dan Sepka will be the new assistant principal (alpha A-E) for Webster Schroeder High School, also effective July 1, replacing current interim assistant principal Jim Vitale.

Sepka is currently an integrated co-teacher at Spry Middle School and prior to that, worked for 10 years at State Road Elementary School as a consultant teacher.
He has spent his entire teaching career in Webster CSD as a co-teacher in all subject areas, and has been a Warrior varsity assistant coach since 2005.  He is also a graduate of Webster Schroeder HS and a Webster resident.

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The Webster Parks and Recreation Department has asked me to remind everyone about their great summer camp programs.

Right now is the time to sign up for programs to keep your kids active and entertained this summer. The Rec offers both full-day camps for children ages kindergarten through 5th grade, and fun camps for teenagers.

In full-day camp, kids are grouped by grade and rotate through a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Campers will also enjoy several field trips to miniature golf, Seabreeze, bowling, movies ad more.

The Fun Camps will take teenagers to a new exciting destination every dayfrom ice skating to RocVenture, a baseball game to paintball.

The Rec also offers a preschool camp for children ages 3 to 5, and half-day fun camp for kids in kindergarten through 3rd grade.

For more details about all the options, click here.

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opioidThe Monroe County Legislature and the school district are teaming up for a very important presentation on May 31 to raise awareness about the rising threat of opioid abuse in our community.

The presentation will be held Wednesday May 31 at 7 pm at the Webster Community Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive. Click on the poster for more information.

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Still talkin’ about parks

11 May

park collageA couple of months ago I had the pleasure of speaking to the Adirondack Mountain Club about my 2016 Tour de Parks. The adventure took me to more than 100 parks all over the east side of Rochester.

I had so much fun doing that talk (and I put so much time and effort into preparing it) that I decided to take it on the road.

So if you didn’t catch it in March and would still like to hear about my adventures, there are three more chances to do so in the coming weeks.

This coming Wednesday May 17, I’ll be at the Webster Public Library, 980 Ridge Road, at 7 pm.

Then on Thursday June 1, I’ll be at the Brighton Memorial Library, 2300 Elmwood Ave, at 6:30 pm.

Finally, on Monday June 26 I’ll end my tour (at least for now) at the Pittsford Community Library, 24 State Street, beginning at 7 pm.

Since I’m only doing these talks for fun, the only compensation I asked for was cookies. So no guarantees, but if you’re able to make one of the talks, you might be able to enjoy some oatmeal scotchies. (Actually that makes it worth seeing several times.)

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Willink to stage student-run play

11 May

posterAnd you thought the spring drama season was over? Not quite.

Next weekend, Willink Middle School will present a student-run production of The Girl with the Golden Locks, performed Friday and Saturday, May 19 and 20. Eight-graders Brynn Smith and Sarah Daniels, and seventh-grader Jakob Rothfuss are directing the play, which involves nearly 50 actors and stage crew.

The curtain goes up at Friday May 19 at 7 pm and Saturday May 20 at 12:30 pm. Tickets are $10 each for adults, $9 for seniors and $8 for children.  Advance-sale tickets are available at http://www.bit.ly/willinktickets. 

Willink Middle School is located at 900 Publisher’s Parkway.

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Webster Rotary invites community members to “Gear Up!”

9 May

rotaryYou’ll read more about this event in my Our Towns East Extra column this Thursday, but I think it’s such a great idea, I wanted to highlight it here in my blog as well.

The Webster Rotary has created a brand new community bike-riding fundraiser in honor of the Rotary Foundation’s 100th year.

The event, called “Gear Up!” is a long-distance community bike ride hosted in conjunction with the Town of Webster, the Webster Chamber of Commerce, and the Friends of Webster Trails. It’s scheduled for this Saturday May 13.

Three different courses have been mapped out. Individual participants can ride 26.5 or 53-mile road routes which take riders as far east as Pultneyville and south to Walworth.

A much shorter, 5-mile long trail ride is designed for families, guiding younger riders and their parents along Webster’s Bird Sanctuary, Chiyoda and Hojack trails. Registration fees are $26.50 for the longer rides, and $45 for the shorter ride, regardless of number of family members participating.

The unusual registration cost and ride distances are based on the fact that the Rotary Foundation began a century ago with a single donation of $26.50.

In addition to this being a nice family event, organizers hope that the longer distances will attract riders who are training for the 100-mile long Ride for Missing Children on May 19 or the Tour de Cure on June 10.

All of the proceeds raised in the Gear Up! ride will benefit the Rotary Foundation and its six areas of focus: clean water, literacy, maternal health, peace and conflict resolution, disease prevention and economic development. This year the Rotary is also focusing on raising money for End Polio Now, an initiative spearheaded by Bill and Melinda Gates.

The Gear Up! benefit bike ride this Saturday May 13 will begin at 8 am at the Webster Parks and Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive. For more information and to register online, click here. Last-minute registrations will also be accepted at the Rec Center the morning of the ride.

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Plank North welcomes return of former student, now a Marine

5 May
IMG_6883

Plank North Elementary teacher Marcia Napolitano welcomes her former student.

Here’s a heartwarming story that happened at Plank Road North Elementary School this week, when students got an extra special visit from a freshly-minted U.S. Marine.

For the last three months, the students of Marcia Napolitano’s fourth grade class have been following the progress of Jason Ingerson, one of Napolitano’s former students, as he worked his way through Marine Corps recruit training.

Ingerson, who was in Napolitano’s class during the 2006-2007 academic year, first visited his old classroom back in January, just after he signed up with the USMC and just before he shipped off for boot camp. He answered the students’ questions about his decision to enlist and his family’s reactions, and described the challenges he was expecting to face once he reached Parris Island.

While Jason was away, Plank North Principal Craig Bodensteiner — himself a Marine veteran — gave Napolitano’s students a taste of what boot camp is like, running them through physical drills and lessons on saluting and standing at attention. He also demonstrated the kind of verbal abuse a recruit would have to take from the drill instructor (physical education teacher Kevin Sayers got to play the part of the recruit for that demonstration).

Last Tuesday, Jason Ingerson returned once again to his old Plank North classroom to greet the students who had helped him through 12 of the most difficult weeks of his life. Standing smartly in blue dress uniform at the front of the room, he answered questions once again. But this time he was a United States Marine.

WHAM Channel 13 was on hand for the reunion, and featured the story as their Tuesday evening Bright Spot segment. You can see that video by clicking here.

Many thanks to Jennifer Calus of the WCSD for her great photographs.

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Friday Webster Mailbag

4 May

mailbag

The Penfield Village Nursery School will be sponsoring a golf tournament on Friday June 2 to help celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary.

The tournament, held at Shadow Lake Country Club in Penfield, costs $100 per player, which includes 18 holes, a golf cart, and goodie bag, raffles and lunch.

Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and play begins at noon.

Interested players, sponsors or businesses interested in donating prizes should contact Kacey Kiley at kldunbar@yahoo.com.  Organizers ask that completed registration forms and payment be submitted by May 15.

The Penfield Village Nursery School and Kindergarten is located at 1862 Penfield Road. Read more about the school in a blog I wrote about them last fall.

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The Webster Arboretum Plant Sale will return on Saturday May 13, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Arboretum, 1700 Shlegel Road.

Visitors will find plants of all varieties offered for sale by the Arboretum, local commercial growers and local clubs. The Country Gardeners of Webster Garden Club members have chosen selected plants from their own gardens. What this means is that all of the plants for sale will definitely grow in Webster with some sun, water and your tender loving care.

Celebrate the much-anticipated arrival of spring by stopping by the Webster Arboretum on he 13th and get some new plants for your garden (and maybe a Mother’s Day gift). Admission is free and the event happens rain or shine.

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And the accolades for our Webster music teachers just keep on coming.

The College Board has appointed Webster Central School District’s Laura D’Angelo to its Advanced Placement (AP) Music Theory Development Committee.

D’Angelo has been teaching music for 23 years, 20 in Webster Central School District where she presently teaches Music Theory I and AP Music Theory at both high schools. Laura currently serves The College Board by grading AP Music Theory exams. She also has been a speaker at the AP National Conference, as well as at the reading sessions for AP Music Theory.

“We have one of, if not the, biggest high school music theory programs in the nation. When I go to Cincinnati to grade exams (for the AP board), Webster is very well known for our program. I am extremely fortunate to be in a district that supports this program,” D’Angelo said.

D’Angelo’s three-year appointment to the AP Music Theory Development Committee will begin in July.

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In other school news, remember that the Board of Education and budget vote is scheduled for Tuesday May 16th, from 6 am to 9 pm at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road.

You get find out more about the proposed budget by clicking here, and you can meet the Board of Education candidates Wednesday May 10 at 7 pm in the Spry Middle School auditorium. Four candidates are running for three positions this year. They are: Andy LaManna, Mike Suffoletto, Bill Kent and Jan Strege.

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Knucklehead Craft Brewing needs your votes

3 May

knucklehead-logo

The Knuckleheads at our favorite local craft brewery need your help.

Len and George at Knucklehead Craft Brewing are in the running to be named New York State’s Best Craft Brewery, and it’s up to us to start showing the love. To do that, all you have to do is go online and vote.

Simply visit https://taste.ny.gov/vote to cast your vote. The website asks for your email address each time, so it might only take one vote per email. But if you have two email addresses (or four, like I do), you can vote from every one of them. The top five finalists are invited to the final challenge to be the best.

Voting runs through May 12, so click on that link right now and cast your vote. And also please share this notice to let as many people know as possible.

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A message for our Wayne County neighbors

3 May

I recently received an email from a representative from Strong Hearts for New York, an organization working with the Cornell Cooperative Extension on a research project in Wayne County.  The study will examine the effects of the “Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities” program on the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The leading cause of death among adults in New York State, including women, is heart disease.

strong heartsThe program will begin either in the spring (May) or fall (November) of 2017, will meet twice per week for one hour each time, for 6 months. Participants will learn and practice good nutrition and physical activity for improved individual, family, and community health.

Project organizers are looking for women aged 40 and over who would like to be more active and achieve a healthier weight. Participants can earn up to $130 for completing the study, and will be given free blood draws and nutrition and physical activity assessments before and after the study.

Organizers are hoping to sign up at least 30 women from Wayne County to participate in the study. They still need about 15 more.

To read some more straightforward information about the study, to find out if you’re eligible, and to sign up, visit http://www.strongheartsnewyork.org.

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Webster Community Chest needs help finding new space

2 May

community chest

The Webster Community Chest (WCC) is currently reevaluating the location where it provides services for the Webster community, and the organization needs your help.

The WCC is actively looking for a new location from which they can continue to provide assistance to individuals and families in our community. That especially means the food cupboard. The new space will house non-perishables most of the time, and fresh donations on distribution days.

Their ideal location would be in Webster (of course), on the smaller side (maximum 2000 square feet) and available for minimal rent. The WCC budget is limited and they’re hoping the vast majority of their donations could continue to go directly to neighbors in need and not to rent. (So donated/shared space would be IDEAL!)

If you know of a landlord or business who might be interested in sharing their space — or if YOU own a business which could help out — please contact Community Chest board member Andy LaManna at alamanna18@gmail.com.

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Webster Village Band: 50 years and still going strong

30 Apr
2016 Christmas concert

The Webster Village Band at their 2016 Webster Schroeder Christmas Concert

Fifty years ago this summer, Webster Village Council member Gerry Barrett proposed that the village create a band that would provide free summer concerts to village residents. The Village Board agreed, and asked Stan Maruszak to lead the new musical group.

A half century later, the Webster Village Band is still going strong, and still providing beautiful music every summer.

Several years after the band started, Sue Siegmund began assisting Stan as Associate Director and Marcia Naukum helped out with band administration. When Stan passed away in late 2004, a group of band members worked together to continue band operations, and establish a solid relationship with the Webster Village Board.

Since then, a music scholarship was created by Stan’s widow, Frances, who has since passed in 2010 at the age 83. This scholarship has been awarded annually to students in the Webster Central School District.

Currently, the Webster Village Band is under the direction of Tom Indiano, Musical Director, and Associate Director Sue Siegmund.

Indiano, now in his 13th year with the band, is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and Nazareth College, with a concentration in saxophone. Sue Siegmund, a graduate of Fredonia majoring in the French horn, brings a variety of musical experiences to the band, having worked with the Webster musical co-op, Webster Central School District, and as organist for many years at Durand United Church of Christ.

Original members and long-time members with 40+ years with the band, who are still playing, include Mary Crockett, Skip Mayo, Marcia Naukam, Bobbi Przybylowicz, and Sue Siegmund.

The Webster Village Band plays a variety of musical genres, including marches, classical band selections, swing, show tunes and pops.

The band performs outdoors most Thursday evenings at 7 pm from mid June through August at the Harmony Station Band Shell, located off Phillips Road and Foster Drive, just south of Ridge Road. In case of inclement weather, the concerts are moved to Cherry Ridge at St. Ann’s Community, 900 Ridge Road, across from Webster Schroeder High School.

Concerts are always free and there’s plenty of lawn space. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, a picnic basket of munchies and relax and enjoy the music. The large lawn area is family friendly and perfect for youngsters who may find it difficult to sit still. Young audience members have been known to dance, run, play and even conduct the band on an occasion or two.

Other venues the band has played in years past include the Webster Arboretum and Genesee Country Museum.

The 50th anniversary season will kick off with a special event on Tuesday May 16 at 7:30 pm with, a “Side-by-Side” performance with students at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road.

The summer season begins on Thursday, June 15, with additional concerts scheduled every Thursday night through August 31, except for June 29, July 13 and August 17. Weather permitting, they’ll also play their annual Christmas in July concert at the Joe Obbie Farmer’s Market on Saturday July 22 at 10 am. Stay tuned for more information about that.

New members are always welcome. Until the performance season begins, rehearsals are held Thursday evenings from 7-9 pm at various Webster schools. New members are encouraged to dust off those instruments and join this vibrant ensemble.

For more information, check out the Webster Village Band website. You can also follow the band on Facebook. Pocket calendars of the upcoming season are available at the Village Hall at 28 West Main Street.

Here’s a slideshow highlighting the great people and directors of our Webster Village Band:

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