Superintendent's Weekly News Brief
For the week ending February 10th, 2023
SCHOOL COUNSELORS WEEK
School counselors work to maximize student success, promote access and equity for all students, and create a school culture of success for all. School counselors constantly delve into data to devise and deliver school counseling programs that improve student outcomes.
Dr. Sharon Loughran, Director of Pupil Personnel Services says, "In their roles, school counselors provide individual student academic planning and goal setting, classroom lessons, short-term counseling and social-emotional support to students, crisis intervention, referrals for long-term support, collaboration with families/teachers/ administrators/ and community resources for student success, student scheduling, advocacy for students at meetings and other student-focused meetings, data analysis to identify student issues, needs and challenges and ways to help students achieve success. Our School Counselors further help students identify their strengths and interests as a foundation to develop post-secondary and future career plans while promoting access and equity for all."
Thank you to our outstanding and dedicated School Counselors for all they do each and every day in our buildings and in our district!
School Counselors and Social Workers below.
Susie Clar, Kelly Page, Jill Smilinich - East Senior
Trisha Walsh, Jacqueline Kivari, Eric Meslinsky, Erin Elze, and Jodi Smith - West Senior
Steven Mariglia, Robert Lares, and Kathleen Kubiak - West Middle
Warren Yokom, Annmarie Canaple, and Leanna Parzych - East Middle
Reading Specialist Lisa Renee Peña
Last week, during Read Aloud Day at West Elementary, we had the pleasure of seeing newly hired teacher Lisa Renee Peña, working with students on a make-and-take bookmark craft - because every reader needs a good bookmark.
This is Mrs. Peña’s first year teaching in West Seneca, and she and her students are making great strides. Hired as a Literacy Specialist in August, Mrs. Peña brings 16 years of teaching experience to the district she grew up in. A graduate of West Senior in 2000, she also attended Winchester and West Middle.
After graduation, she attended Geneseo State University for her education degree, did a "Summer in the City" program in New York City, and went to Buffalo State College for her master’s degree. At the time, there was a surplus of teachers in the region, so she headed back to New York City to teach 2nd grade for 10 years, and then become part of a Universal Literacy Initiative (ULit) that paired students with a dedicated and highly trained reading coach. ULit concentrated on K-2, diverse, high-needs students.
Returning to West Seneca this past summer with her husband and 5 and 8-year-old children, Mrs. Peña is happy to be near her parents and extended family again, and because her children are also enrolled at West Elementary, it’s all family, all day long. Mr. Peña, who grew up in Puerto Rico and moved to New York City when he was 16, has adjusted to life in West Seneca, where work is pleasurable and people are “so nice”.
Watching Mrs. Peña with her students, one-on-one, is a little bit like witnessing magic. She has enough educational materials that she can essentially switch gears to different mediums to suit her students’ needs on any particular day - all while staying on task for specific reading skills. In short, there are multiple activities for focus at the ready.
Mrs. Peña describes a 4th-grade student who tested at the end of kindergarten for skill level in October, and who is now testing at the end of 1st. For some students in these post pandemic times, hopping a grade level in 3 months to catch up is essential, and the sort of growth that needs to be sustained. That same student volunteered to read out loud to the class for the first time this week. This is proof that reading skills and confidence go hand-in-hand. It is also a testament to the importance of one-on-one sessions with a specialist like Mrs. Peña.
Mrs. Peña says, “I look to fill gaps, and those gaps close as we work.” To an observer, it doesn’t look or feel like work. The students are tasked with identifying ending sounds and letters, memory, digraphs and glued sounds, and they love it. “It’s a learning element whether they know it or not,” Mrs. Peña says.
We watch as Austin leaves the room, probably feeling like he just took a classroom break to play a great game rather than cement and further his reading skills. When it’s time for Zach’s lesson to begin, a classmate comes along with him to Mrs. Peña’s corner. She explains that she stays flexible around the social emotional aspect of a student’s needs. Two-to-one works also.
Mark is the tagalong student today, and Mrs. Peña explains that when she first arrived in September, her way of breaking the ice with students - and inspiring them - was to read to them. Mark was particularly impressed with Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Last week, he burst into her room to let her know that he’d checked the book out at the library. That sort of excitement is exactly what a reading specialist wants to see. Inspiration, confidence, and, finally, excitement about reading.
Welcome back to West Seneca, Mrs. Peña!
Second Quarter Scholars at East Middle
Academy Program Advisory Boards Meet and Greet
One of the best features of our Academy Programs are our professional Advisory Boards. Last week we hosted an Advisory Board meeting for the Academies of Business & Finance, IT/Digital Media, and Life Science. During the “Meet and Greet,” our sophomores, the newest members of our Academy Programs, have a chance to exchange business cards with industry professionals during this important annual networking event.
The students had a wonderful time getting to know some of our Board members, and the Board members had a chance to understand the value of having our talented students involved with their companies. Anyone wishing to become involved in our Academy Programs, can contact Robert Merkle at 716-677-3318 or rmerkle@wscschools.org.
Mean Girls @ West
Enjoy your weekend!
Superintendent