Tag Archives: Webster Central Schools

Work means play at the elementary schools

20 Jul
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A view of the work happening at Plank North Elementary (photo courtesy H. Balsamo) 

School’s out, the teachers are taking a much-needed break, and students are spending their days riding bikes, traveling and hitting the pool.

Nevertheless, there’s exciting stuff happening at the elementary schools.

If you drive by your school in the next few weeks, chances are you’ll see a lot of work going on near one of the playgrounds. Each one of the district’s seven elementary schools is getting new equipment this summer.

At Plank North, principal Craig Bodensteiner said the installation should take only about two weeks. “It’s been so long since we provided our ‘wish list’ of the additional equipment, I’m not sure of all the details,” he said, but he thinks the project includes some additional swings and “green/gold fun stations for our kiddos.”

Bodensteiner added that each of the seven buildings asked for different equipment to add some variety throughout the community.

Click here to see several more photos from the Plank North and Plank South work.

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Plank North students in the news

6 Jul

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Just a quick shout-out to two young Plank North Elementary School students who were recently featured on WROC-TV news.

Gabby and Mia Fallone were interviewed on the July 4th, 5:30 p.m. newscast about the school’s recent Jar Wars competition, which was held in anticipation of the end-of-year Field Day.

There’s a dunk tank at the Field Day every year, and every year a handful of teachers vie for the honor of being the one to get dunked. Their photos are plastered to a series of jars set up in the school’s front hallway, and students drop their coins and dollars into the jar of the teacher they’d like to see in the tank. All the proceeds are donated to Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Jar Wars raised $246.38 this year for the hospital. Gabby and Mia presented the check in person last week, and the event was covered by WROC.

Click here for a link to the video.

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Webster mini mailbag

26 Jun

Just two quick events I want to highlight today which came across my email box recently.

art-festThe first is the third annual Webster Waterfront Art Festival, which will return to North Ponds Park on July 28 and 29.

The event features artists from all over Monroe County, food trucks, entertainment, a wine tasting booth and more.

I’ve enjoyed walking the paths these last two years, checking out the artisans, listening to music, and actually picking up a few Christmas presents along the way. It was a great day when Webster landed this event, and it has been an outstanding addition to the town’s summer events calendar. Don’t miss it if at all possible.

I’ll be posting more details in my blog in the weeks ahead, but in the meantime, you can check out the website here.

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CaptureSummer is also reunion time, and just yesterday I was informed that plans for the R.L. Thomas Class of 1978 40th reunion are under way.

You can check out the flyer to the left for the details, but here they are anyway:

  • Date: Saturday September 8
  • Time: 4 p.m.
  • Location: Ukranian Cultural Center, Jackson Road, Penfield
  • Includes: Buffet dinner, cash bar, laughs, fun times, embarrassing memories and photos.
  • Cost $28 per person.

Registration deadline is August 31. You can download the form and mail it in, but if you do that and it’s hard to read…. well, we Webster kids are smart; I’m sure you’ll figure out another way to register.

Keep up on all the latest details at the RL Thomas Class of 1978 Facebook page and make sure to spread the word!

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Thank you, Webster Thomas GeoTech team!

2 Jun
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GeoTech teachers Kurt Mangos and Mike Tuchrello with the new bookshelf.

I’d like to give a shout-out today to the GeoTech team at Webster Thomas High School. The students in this project-based class did an amazing job building a rolling book shelf for the Schlegel Elementary library, where I work.

Librarian Jamie Palmer and I had heard about some of the projects the GeoTech students had completed, including a shed and raised gardening beds for the Schlegel courtyard. So a few months ago, when we started dreaming about a new bookshelf, we approached them with our idea.

I made a pseudo-architectural drawing of our idea, handed it off to GeoTech teachers Mike Tuchrello and Kurt Mangos, and they ran with it. Last week,  much to our surprise,  they wheeled the brand new bookshelf into the library.

The GeoTech team has been busy this year. Mangos said,

We’ve built sheds, raised accessible planter beds, ADA compliant ramps, cornhole game boards, ladder golf games, WTI Chromebook charging stations, many shelving units, walls for sets, etc….

That includes new planter beds at Plank North Elementary, the OTHER school I work at.

GeoTech students receive a technology, local math, and English credit through the project-based learning class.

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Spry staff members tackle Pink Ribbon Run

4 May

CaptureThere’s a wonderful bunch of lady runners at Spry Middle School who are working hard to make a difference.

Led by teacher Toni Lynn Swinson, this group of more than 40 women will be taking on the 17th Annual Pink Ribbon Walk & Run on Mother’s Day, to support the Breast Cancer Coalition.

The ladies have been working for weeks, whipping their legs in shape for the 5K, and whipping up donations for their cause.

It’s a scary fact that 1 in 8 women can expect a breast cancer diagnosis in her lifetime. The Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester is a terrific local organization dedicated to fighting this terrible disease and winning. Their advocacy, research, and funds stay right here at home in Rochester, and that includes every penny raised for this race.

That’s where you come in. These  Pink Ribbon Runners need your support to help make their efforts worthwhile. They’ve already raised more than $2,000, but would like to double that — or more.

It’s easy to donate; just click here to log onto their fundraising page. Even a little bit would help.

 

Next year, these ladies might try to make this a One Webster event, and invite lots more staff members to take part. If that happens, you can count me in.

As for this year ladies, if you’re a runner — or even a walker — and would like to join the Spry Pink Ribbon team, drop an email to Tony Lynn Swinson at ToniLynn_Swinson@webstercsd.org. They’d love to have you.

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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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Spring events have sprung

1 May

HAPPY MAY!

It looks like we’re finally going to get some nice spring weather this week, so perhaps it’s time to come out from hibernation and check out what’s going on around town.

meet the candidates

It’s school-budget-vote time. On May 15, district residents be asked to approve this year’s budget, and the new slate of Board of Education candidates. You can meet the candidates for yourself and pepper them with questions on Tuesday night May 2, at 7 p.m. at Spry Middle School.

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The Webster Public Library has a few fun programs coming up.

* This Thursday May 3 is Star Wars Night at the library. Stop by from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to celebrate all things Star Wars, including crafts and special activities. The whole family is invited and there’s no registration needed. All ages are welcome.

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* Percy Jackson fans will want to be on hand Saturday May 5 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. for the Rick Riordan book release party, celebrating the release of Riordan’s third book in the Trials of Apollo series: The Burning Maze. The event will include crafts, games, snacks, and a special viewing of the video of Rick’s recent visit to Rochester. Costumes are welcome, so come dressed as your favorite character.

All ages are welcome, but space is limited, so click here to register.

* We’ve seen enough rain to last us for a while, but just in case more is on the way, you might want to check out the library’s Rain Barrel & Rain Garden Workshop on Tuesday, May 15 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Learn how to protect local water quality by learning about rain gardens and building a rain barrel for your home. All tools and materials will be supplied at the workshop.

Workshop fee is $40 per rain barrel. Pre-registration is required. Click here.

The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Road. For more information, visit the library’s website here.

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The First Baptist Church of Penfield will host a chicken barbecue this Saturday May 5 from 2 till 6 pm, (or sold out).

Chickens will be prepared on site by Gale-Wyn Catering. Dinners are $10.50 and include a half barbecued chicken, coleslaw or macaroni salad, salt potatoes, roll and butter, plus a dessert.

The First Baptist Church of Penfield is located at 1862 Penfield Road. For more information call 585-586-2876 or visit http://www.fbpenfield.org.

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Webster Library to host unique photography exhibit

30 Apr

Everybody has a story. That’s the intriguing premise behind a brand new photography exhibit opening Tuesday at the Webster Public Library.

Created by Linda Dow Hayes of Hayes Photography, the exhibit features portraits and personal narratives of 25 Webster Central School District faculty and staff members

Hayes, who works as a teaching assistant at Webster Thomas High School, has always been interested in creating insightful portraits. The project grew from remarks made by Webster CSD superintendent Carm Gumina on the opening day of school last year, when he talked about the fact that all faculty and staff members have stories to tell.

Hayes took that thought and ran with it, creating her very personal and meaningful “We All Have a Story” exhibit, where she takes a closer look at the lives and stories of more than two dozen staff members.

“The idea of connecting with interested faculty and staff members by taking their portraits was something that I felt might work to help me grow as an artist and connect with the community-at-large,” Hayes said.

The exhibit, which runs the entire month of May, will be open to the public during the library’s normal business hours, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., friday from 10 to 6, and Saturday from 10 to 5.

The public is invited to an opening reception on Wednesday May 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Road.

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YOU need to come to the Willink play

25 Apr
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Mayli Nitsch, Olivia Freida and Alex Ramirez work on a scene during rehearsal. (Provided)

Paradise Junction is just about the most perfect small town in the world.

It’s a place where everybody gets along, the sun is always shining, and the tomatoes grow as big as beach balls. So when a TV network offers to film a reality show there, the townsfolk jump at the chance. After all, the town will receive five million dollars, while the publicity promises to turn the residents into TV stars.

But host Wink Smiley has his own agenda. Secrets are revealed, old feuds are rekindled, and the town’s annual pie-baking contest is turned into a massive food fight. Now it’s up to Joe Goode, owner of the Rise ’n’ Shine Diner, to save the town.

Find out for yourself if he’s successful when the students of Willink Middle School present the student-run play Paradise Junction on Friday May 4 at 7 p.m. and Saturday May 5 at 1 p.m.

The heartwarming comedy is inspired by the films of Frank Capra such as It’s a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Tickets are just $5 and will be available at the door.

Willink Middle School is located at 900 Publisher’s Parkway, Webster. For more information, visit willinkstudentrunplay.club.

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Julia Maciag, Jakob Rothfuss (Technical Director) and Colby Armstrong (Performing Director) work on set pieces for Paradise Junction. (Provided) 

Thank you to Jakob Rothfuss for providing all this information and the photos!

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Webster community mailbag

20 Apr

Let’s start today’s mailbag with a unique event being hosted next Wednesday April 25 by St. Ann’s Community on Ridge Road, which will be of special interest to anyone with a loved one who is dealing with memory impairment.

From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., people are encouraged to visit The Lifestyle of Rainier Grove, the memory care neighborhood at Cherry Ridge. Staff members will be on hand to demonstrate how they use sensory stimulation to bring enjoyment to residents and increase their social interaction.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be available. Please RSVP by calling (585) 697-6701

Rainier Grove at St. Ann’s is located at 900 Cherry Ridge Blvd. (across from Webster Schroeder High School). The event is open to the public. For more information, click here to see the Facebook event posting.

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29595506_1997052513657004_6508532490232657654_nThe Webster Central PTSA will present a wellness night on Monday April 30 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Willink Middle School cafetorium, 900 Publisher’s Parkway.

The event, called Coping with Stress and Anxiety in Family Life, is in response to PTSA survey results. It will explore stress and anxiety in our daily lives, provide tips on how to identify it and tools to cope with it.

Facilitators will include Erica Ebert, WCSD instructional specialist and mindfulness coach; and Keith Greer, WCSD social worker, progressive recovery coach, speaker, trainer, and advocate at Recovery Coach University.

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St. Martin Lutheran Church will host its bi-annual Spring Chicken BBQ and FunFest on Saturday, May 5 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Dinners will include a half chicken, salt potatoes, cole slaw, roll, butter and beverage, for $10. Pie slices and other desserts will also be available for purchase.  A hot dog dinner for kids is just $2.

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

St. Martin Lutheran Church is located at 813 Bay Road, Webster.

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The Webster Arboretum Association’s spring plant sale is back, scheduled for May 12 from 8 a.m. to noon.

This sale is just blooming with beautiful, healthy live plants which are grown by local garden clubs and local commercial growers in local soil, so they’re going to grow in your garden, too. Garden Club members will also share their favorite plants from their own gardens.

Check it out at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Rd., Webster. It’s a perfect opportunity to grab a Mother’s Day gift.

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Community Arts Day is our kids’ chance to strut their stuff

6 Apr
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One of the incredible pieces of high school art at last year’s CAD

Community Arts Day returns to Webster Schroeder High School next weekend, on Saturday April 14.

If you’ve been a Webster resident for a while, you probably already know about this great event. But if not, please read on, especially if you 1) appreciate artwork of all kinds, 2) have children, 3) like baked goods, 4) like crafts, 5) like seeing your friends and neighbors, and/or 6) like having fun with life.

Allow me to elaborate.

  • Community Arts Day is our school district’s annual show-off day. Students from every one of our elementary, middle and high schools will have artwork on display. We’re talking sculptures, paintings, collages, sketches, you name it. Even the youngest students will be represented. These kids just love seeing their work displayed in public, and you’ll see many a proud parent snapping photos of their children in front of the displays. Especially don’t miss the incredible artwork by our high-schoolers, usually set up in the cafeteria. They’ll make your jaw drop. By the way, make sure to look at the walls as you walk by, because you’ll find written pieces posted there. (Writing is an art form all its own.) And throughout the day you can enjoy music and dance performances, and martial arts demonstrations.
  • Even if your children don’t expect to have anything on display, bring your kids anyway. There are all sorts of free activities and give-aways, there’s a bake sale and hot dogs, arts and crafts, and usually a firefighter hanging around to show off his — or her — gear.  So basically it’s a full day of free entertainment.
  • Did I mention the bake sale? Tons of great baked goods. And here’s an insider’s hint: the last hour of the day or so, everything is half price. You can walk away with whole pies for a steal.
  • Local craft-type people set up their wares in the cafeteria every year, and it’s great fun to see what they bring. This is also where you’ll find the kids’ arts & crafts area and regular live entertainers.
  • Guaranteed, within minutes of walking into the school, you’ll see someone you know — a friend, school acquaintance, a neighbor. Because Community Arts Day is THE place to be that weekend.
  • Having fun with life is what this day is all about. As soon as you walk in the door, you’ll see a dozen things you want to see or do. Around the next corner, there’s another dozen things. Basically, make sure to plan a couple of hours to wander.

Community Arts Day takes place Saturday April 14 from 10 am to 4 pm at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road. Admission is free and there’s plenty of parking. Proceeds from food, craft, and carnival booth sales will benefit cultural arts programs within the Webster Central School District. For more information, visit the Community Arts Day website.

Click here to see photos from last year.

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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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