Tag Archives: Missy Rosenberry

Radio Club Field Day will broadcast again from Kent Park

23 Jun

Several days ago I wrote about an extra-special Field Day event hosted at Webster Schroeder High School for some preschoolers. Today I want to remind you about a completely different Field Day, the XRX Radio Club Amateur Field Day, taking place next Saturday and Sunday June 27 and 28.

This Field Day does not have popsicles or hoop games, a huge parachute or bubbles. Instead, its main attractions are antennae, laptops, solar power stations and radio contact with people from around the world.

On Field Day, operators are challenged to transport their equipment away from their homes, set up in a park or remote area, rebuild their stations, put up antennas and broadcast in quasi-emergency conditions, “off the grid,” without drawing electricity from RG&E or using the internet or cell phones. Operators use generators, batteries, or solar cells for power, along with temporary antennas to simulate emergency conditions. (Last year’s effort even featured a completely solar-powered station and antenna held aloft with a kite.) They communicate via voice, Morse code and computers connected to transmitters. The goal is simply to contact as many other stations as possible during a 24-hour window, overcoming any challenges thrown by weather or technical problems along the way.

Last year, in addition to the operators’ usual communications with stations across the US and Canada, they also made contact with several European stations, demonstrating their ability to “get through” in the event of a real emergency.

Visitors making their own contacts
GOTA kite antenna

Field Day takes place every year on the fourth weekend of June at more than 1,000 parks and publicly accessible sites across the country, and involves more than 30,000 radio amateurs. It’s part competition — to see who can make the most contacts — but also an educational opportunity, a chance for the amateur radio operators to showcase their equipment and skills to the general public.

Visitors are welcome and encouraged, so if you’re even a little bit interested in amateur radio, you should stop by. You’ll probably even get a chance to go on the air.

It all happens in the soccer field area at Kent Park, 1700 Schlegel Rd., at the end of the long driveway. Set up begins on Saturday June 27 at 10:30 a.m. The exercise officially starts at 2 p.m. and runs through 2 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors can stop by anytime.

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(posted 6/23/2026)

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

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JF Jones celebrates Grand Opening

22 Jun

Congratulations to Brittany Jones and her new jewelry store, JF Jones Jewelers, which celebrated its grand opening last Friday morning with an official ribbon cutting ceremony.

Several family members, friends and local officials attended the gala event. It celebrated the next chapter for the family-owned business, which has a history that stretches back to 1928 when Brittany’s grandfather, Joseph F. Jones, founded the business. It also marks the first time JF Jones has operated on the east side of Rochester, after decades — and many locations — in Greece. (Read more about the JF Jones story in this blog.)

The gala event featured a whimsical Alice in Wonderland theme, complete with a “tea party.” After all, Brittany explained, “Growing up in a jewelry store was kind of like growing up in my own little wonderland,” so the theme seemed like a natural fit.

Welcome to Webster, Brittany and JF Jones!

JF Jones Jewelers is located at 1170 Ridge Rd., next to Heart to Heart Bride.

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(posted 6/22/2026)

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Elementary students got to meet “Reboot” the robot last week

21 Jun

Students at Dewitt Rd., Schlegel Rd. and State Rd. elementary schools got a chance to come face-to-face with an actual rolling, climbing and basketball-playing robot last week when high schoolers from the Webster SparX Robotics Team visited the schools to demonstrate their robot, which they’ve named “Reboot.”

Along with getting to drive the robot ans asking the SparX team members questions, the students learned some interesting tidbits about the club and the robot including,

  • Students from Webster Schroeder and Webster Thomas built the robot in six weeks.
  • Reboot weighs 115 pounds.
  • It can shoot balls over 10 feet in the air and exceed 30 mph.
  • It uses XBOX controllers to control it.
  • Students designed the robot using CAD technology.
  • SparX competed at the Finger Lakes Regional in March at RIT and the Tech Valley Regional at MVP Arena in Albany in April, and had very strong showings in both.

The 2026 competition season featured an archaeology/history-inspired theme called REBUILT. The game required alliances of three robots to race around the field, collect foam balls called “Fuel,” and launch them into large goals known as “Hubs.” To get maximum points, the robots had to pull themselves up and hang from different vertical levels of a ladder-like tower before the buzzer sounded.

So, basically, Reboot had to quickly scoop up foam balls, aim and launch them into a shifting goal, and then lift its entire 100+ pound frame up a metal tower. Pretty impressive.

The demonstrations will continue this coming week at Klem North and Klem South elementary schools and Willink Middle School.

For more information about joining, mentoring, or sponsoring the Webster robotics team, visit gosparx.org or contact David_Schenk@webstercsd.org and Keith_Karnisky@webstercsd.org.

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(posted 6/21/2026)

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

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Webster Village Band summer concerts begin soon

20 Jun

The Webster Village Band concert season is just about upon us.

The band’s first FREE concert is Wednesday, June 24, held in conjunction with the Webster Arboretum’s 250th Anniversary Celebration. It will begin at 6 p.m. (STay tuned for more information about this huge party.)

The special Arboretum event is just the first of four concerts the Village Band will be presenting this summer, the other three scheduled for Thursday July 2, Thursday July 23 and Thursday Aug. 27.

Here’s what you can look forward to from this year’s performances:

  • July 2: Patriotic Music Night — Celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday with favorites like “Armed Forces Salute,” “America the Beautiful,” and classic marches.
  • July 23: Great Band Repertoire — Enjoy a wide mix of concert band classics plus music from Billy Joel, Hello, Dolly!, and Ray Charles
  • Aug. 27: Celebration Concert — A fun, upbeat program featuring Hollywood themes, big band tunes, 60’s vibes, and a Disney medley.

The Webster Village Band is directed by Andy Kittleson. The July and August concerts are held at the Harmony Park band shell (Foster Dr. & Phillips Rd.). They always begin at 7 p.m. and audience members are encouraged to bring a blanket, lawn chairs and a cooler, and stretch out on the spacious lawn area in front of the band shell to enjoy some beautiful music under the evening summer sky. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, they’ll move inside to the Cherry Ridge chapel at 900 Cherry Ridge Blvd.

These concerts are always free and open to the public.

I’ve always thought of the Webster Village Band as a hidden gem in our community. These musicians have been performing and providing free concerts for our village for 59 years now. It’s exactly the kind of thing that makes small-town life so special.

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(posted 6/20/2026)

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

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Grad parades celebrated the Class of 2026

18 Jun

I’m not sure how I manage to be so lucky, but every school year I somehow find myself subbing in one of the elementary school buildings on the day of the Graduate Parade.

Anyone who reads my blog regularly is familiar with this very fun and meaningful tradition. Parade Day is a chance for our Webster Thomas and Schroeder seniors to revisit the elementary and middle schools where they began their Webster School careers.

This year I was helping out in the library at Plank North Elementary when the Webster Thomas High School Class of 2026 came parading through. This was an especially meaningful year for me since it was the first time I was in a building where I had actually worked when these students were in 5th grade. So, for the first time, I actually knew many of these kids and some of them remembered me.

It’s really an experience to see these young people stream through the halls. Nodding to the fact that it’s sometimes difficult to recognize these tall, mature adults for the freckle-faced young people they once were, each senior wore a sign with his or her name and post-graduation plans. As they paraded down one hall, then another, they passed hundreds of cheering and applauding preK through fifth grade students, many of them holding signs of congratulations. Every so often the parade was slowed when a graduate stopped to take a photo or get a long hug from a favorite teacher.

After the seniors headed back outside, it didn’t seem like anyone wanted to leave. Friends clumped in small groups to take a final Plank North photo together, and a handful of teachers took the chance to catch up with some of their former students. Finally, everyone gathered in front of the building for one last photo, a final memory of the place where their school journeys began.

What a wonderful way to celebrate our seniors, congratulate them on their success, and remind them how much they’ve accomplished.

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(posted 6/13/2026)

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

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Schroeder and Thomas pre-K students have their own Field Day

16 Jun

Perhaps the biggest day every elementary school student looks forward to each year (aside from the last day of school, of course), is Field Day. This is usually a whole morning packed with relay races, water games, popsicles, dunk tanks and bubbles. Every student participates, from pre-K through 5th grade, to celebrate the end of another school year.

But one group of students is always left out: the pre-K students whose classes are held at Webster Schroeder and Webster Thomas high schools. The high schools don’t hold Field Days, so their building’s pre-K students are out of luck.

That was, until this year.

Last Tuesday morning, 54 students from the Webster Schroeder and Webster Thomas preschool classes gathered on the Schroeder turf field for an hour of running, jumping, noodling, spinning and sweaty Field Day fun.

It all began at 9:15 a.m., when the classes lined up behind large paper banners emblazoned with their class names. Then, one at a time, as each class team was announced (“Thomas Titan Busy Bees!” “Schroeder Warrior Butterflies!” “Schroeder Warrior Busy Bees!“) they burst through the banners like a college football team erupting from their tunnel, signaling the start of the festivities.

For the next hour, led by Webster Schroeder P.E. teacher Mike Ciaburri, PK staff members, and a dozen high school helpers, the young students rotated through a series of ten stations, with fun names like “Hoppy Turny,” “Slappy Hands,” Switcheroonie,” “Noodle Heads” and “Super Scoopers.” Parents and grandparents watched and cheered from the stands.

Little did the little athletes know, while they were having a blast running and playing games, they were also improving their core strength, hand-eye coordination and teamwork skills, and priming their early reading and literacy skills.

The morning’s activities were planned and coordinated by Webster Schroeder pre-K teacher Jamie Palmer. But it was a huge undertaking with a lot of moving parts, and she’ll be the first to tell you that it wouldn’t have happened without support from so many other people — the school nurses, cafeteria staff, main office, athletic office, the GOAL program, child development classes, National Honor Society, Key Club, custodians, security, transportation, and even the librarians.

Together, they created an amazing event that these kids will remember for a long time. And judging from all the smiles and laughter from the athletes, helpers and staff members alike, it was a terrific success, and will certainly be back again next year. And when it does return, it’ll be even bigger; plans are for Webster Thomas to add a second pre-K class for 2026/27. So next June, watch for even more bees and butterflies to be flexing their muscles at the 2027 Pre-K Field Day.

Here are a few more photos from the day. Thank you to Jen Calus from the Webster Central School District for the photos!

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(posted 6/16/2026)

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

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Celebrate our nation’s birthday at the Arboretum

15 Jun

Our country is marking a HUGE birthday this year, and the Webster Arboretum’s planning an equally huge party to celebrate.

For four hours on Wednesday afternoon, June 24, the Arboretum will be filled with music, dance, storytellers, games, food trucks, kids’ activities, information tables from two dozen community organizations, and much more.

It all happens from 3 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday June 24 at the Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Rd. A very entertaining variety of activities are scheduled all afternoon, so bring a folding chair for the music, and try to be there for as long as you can.

Here’s the whole schedule:

  • 2:45 p.m.: Kidet Marching Band (WCSD’s elementary school marching band)
  • 3 p.m.: VFW Patriot Guard
  • 3 to 4 p.m.: Continental Army Tent with Michael Grenier
  • 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.: Fathers’ Night Out in the gazebo (Dixieland band)
  • 3:30 to 4 p.m.: Storytelling Circle with Ganondagan (traditional Haudenosaunee stories)
  • 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Striking Strings dulcimer group (including harp, penny whistle, flute, guitar and marimba)
  • 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Uncle Bucks food truck
  • 4 to 4:30 p.m.: Life of the Seneca with Ganondagan, a talk about the daily life of the Seneca
  • 4 to 4:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 5 p.m.: Children’s Militia Program
  • 4 to 5 p.m.: Paint-a-pot activity for kids
  • 4 to 5:30 pm.: Guided tours of the Arboretum
  • 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.: Dance Party with Dancing with Denise
  • 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Poetry Trail guided tours
  • 5 to 5:30 p.m.: Wildlife Rock Stars, exotic animals show-and-tell
  • 5 to 6 p.m.: Story time with Nancy Nesbitt of the Webster Museum
  • 5:30 to 6 p.m.: Flint and Steel presentation
  • 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Flower-seed paper cutouts at the craft table
  • 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Scoops ice cream truck
  • 6 to 6:30 p.m.: Duck Derby! Purchase a duck and race them in the pond
  • 6 to 6:45 p.m.: Webster Village Band
  • 6 to 7 p.m.: Chorus of the Genesee, barbershop harmony
  • 6:30 to 7 p.m.: Story time for kids with the Webster Public Library
  • 6:45 p.m.: Firing of the musket

Plus, all afternoon, you can check out incredible art displays with Joe Altieri, play lawn games with the kids, stop by the Patriotic coloring table, and try your hand at a scavenger hunt and history trivia quiz.

See? You’re not going to want to miss a minute of this event, so plan to come early and have dinner and dessert there. (P.S. make sure to stop by the Women’s Club of Webster information table and say hi to me!)

This amazing event is being presented as a collaboration of the Webster Arboretum with the Webster Public Library (Jason Poole), the Webster Community Chest (Ginny Nguyen), the Webster Museum (Sharon Pratt) and Lala’s Gift Shop & Boutique (Lisa Schlonski).

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(posted 6/15/2026)

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

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Those crazy skeletons are at it again

14 Jun

You know those whimsical skeletons that show up occasionally at the corner of Holt Rd. and Klem? They’re the ones that were riding bicycles last Halloween and were dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus at Christmas. Well, they’re at it again. This time, the display honors the graduating class of 2026.

Right now, the three skeletons propped up in the yard are all wearing graduation gowns and clutching diplomas, just in time for the Webster Schroeder and Webster Thomas high school graduations ceremonies scheduled coming up in the next several days.

The banner above the skeletons congratulates all the 2026 grads, but the skeletons themselves are dressed especially in honor of Ryan Moorman, grandson of George and Melissa Baker, who own the house, and his two cousins, Nora Curry and Tyler Martin. Ryan will be graduating from Schroeder on June 18 and Nora and Tyler from Thomas on June 23.

By the way, before they changed into their graduation gowns, the skeletons were dressed to represent the graduates themselves.

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(posted 6/14/2026)

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

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SMT Mobile Notary named Webster Chamber Business of the Month

13 Jun

Congratulations to Susan Tripp and SMT Mobile Notary, honored as the June 2026 Business of the Month by the Webster Chamber of Commerce.

Tripp founded SMT Mobile Notary in March, 2024 out of a desire to make notarization services easier and more accessible for individuals who might not be able to travel to a bank, attorney’s office or town clerk. By bringing professional notary services directly to the clients, Susan has built a business centered around convenience, reliability, flexibility, and compassionate customer care. Those services include document notarization, real estate closings, loan signings and more. 

What Susan enjoys most about her work is the opportunity to meet new people and hear their stories. She likes to say, “every document has a story.” Some of those stories are joyful milestones, such as adoption paperwork or loan documents for first-time home buyers. Other times, her work takes her to hospitals or care facilities, where she helps individuals complete important documents during difficult moments of their lives. In every situation. Susan takes pride in helping provide peace of mind, and one less thing for her clients to worry about.

As a proud “solopreneur,” Susan operates the business independently and has quickly become known for going wherever her customers need her. That flexibility has led to some memorable experiences over the past two years. One of her favorite stories is when she was called to a Wayne County football field, where a coach urgently needed a certification notarized before practice could begin. Susan arrived with clipboard in hand, completed the notarization right on the field, and practice was able to continue.

“I feel incredibly lucky to do work that I genuinely love,” Susan said. “I get to help people during some of the most important moments in their lives — whether it’s buying a home, caring for family members, planning for the future, or handling difficult situations. Being trusted in these moments is something I never take lightly.”

Beyond her business services, Susan is deeply involved in the community. She serves on the board of directors for both the Webster Chamber of Commerce and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of the Webster Chamber’s events and Honors Committee. She volunteers with the Ontario Clothes Closet and Ontario Food Pantry, is a member of the Greater Rochester Area Partnership for the Elderly, and regularly donates her time and notary services to individuals in the community who are unable to afford them, including visits to hospitals, shelters and adult living communities. 

The Webster Chamber of Commerce Events and Honors Committee presents a Business of the Month award to one of their member businesses at each of their monthly breakfast meetings. Less than 3% of the members are chosen annually.

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(posted 6/13/2026)

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

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Cross-district collaboration sparks young artists and authors

11 Jun

A unique exhibit on display now at the Webster Public Library showcases the artistic and writing talents of 71 of our Webster CSD elementary school students.

The project is called “Spark, Jr.: Art From Writing, Writing From Art,” and it’s a creative blend of imagination and words, where paintings inspired stories, and stories inspired art.

Four classes across the district participated: Jamie Palmer’s preschoolers at Schroeder High School; Leslie Ambler’s first graders at Klem North Elementary; and from Schlegel Elementary, Kathleen Hall’s second graders and Becky Margiotta’s third graders.

The project unfolded in two creative waves. First, students in the four classrooms each created an original work of art and a piece of writing. These were then shuffled and passed along to other classrooms, where students used them as a springboard, creating new art sparked by the other student’s written words, and new writing sparked by another student’s artwork.

The idea for the “Spark, Jr.” project has been percolating in Jamie Palmer’s head for about 15 years, ever since she was a fifth grade teacher at Klem South Elementary, and through her years as the librarian at Schlegel Rd. Now, as a preschool teacher at Schroeder High School, she was finally able to make it happen.

“I was working with (author) Amy Ludwig VanDerwater in my fifth grade classroom,” Palmer said. “She shared that she was taking part in this experience. I thought it was a really cool idea and wanted to see what would happen if we tried it out with students in multiple grade levels, and possibly across our district. This was finally the year to try it out with three amazing teachers.”

The students and their families were invited to an artists’ reception (complete with refreshments) at the library on Wednesday evening to see their own work on display and how other students had been sparked by their artwork and writing. It was delightful to see how proud the young authors and artists were to show off their work, and how excited they were to see the results. But it was especially touching when actual connections were made between writers and artists from different classrooms.

The project sparked the teachers as much as the students. Kathleen Hall perhaps said it best when she told Palmer, “This is literally the best thing I’ve ever done as a teacher.”

More than 280 individual pieces of art and writing were created, and they’re all on display at the Webster Public Library through June 19. You’ll find them spread between two locations: under the huge feathers in the main lobby, and in (and on) the display case near the information desk. The library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

Meet some of the artists/authors:

  • PreK student Mila Levy reading everyone’s written pieces
  • Emerson Cocquyt, 2nd grade
  • 2nd grader Benjamin Popielarz with Leslie Ambler
  • PreK student Peyton Mahns with her bubble gum portrait
  • Writer/artist connection: Emma Fischer (2nd grade) and Jaxson Williams (preK)

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(posted 6/11/2026)

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

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