West Genesee School District
November 30, 2023
Message from the Superintendent
Dear West Genesee Families,
As a native Central New Yorker, I know the variety of weather to expect throughout the year. (I’ve also developed the word “variety” as a way to remind myself of the positive that comes with such change.) Never-the-less, we are all reminded of how quickly circumstances can change and procedures are “dusted off.”
Please remember to look for announcements about school closings, delayed openings, or early dismissal to be posted on the News and Timelines sections of the District website homepage, and the mobile app. They are also sent out through SchoolMessenger, posted on our District social media (X-Twitter/Facebook/Instagram), and also broadcast on the television stations.
Connected, but not through weather, is a thank you to all parents, caregivers, staff, and students of West Genesee Intermediate School and Stonehedge Elementary School for swift action taken following the malfunction of an electrical pole. Also noteworthy was the significant efforts from our transportation drivers and monitors, custodial workers, and members of food services for a complete change and added procedures put in place. The building systems were impacted to warrant an unexpected early dismissal that was met with flexibility, calm, and an immediate change to systems typically in place later in the day. This was an outstanding example of West Genesee Strong.
Unfortunately, the aforementioned weather was met with a cancellation of afterschool and evening activities. This is a subjective decision that considers all parts of the weather forecast, including volume, intensity, and timing. In this particular case, it also impacted a Community Forum scheduled for November 28, 2023 that now needs to be rescheduled. Please know the new date and location is Thursday, December 7, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Camillus Middle School Cafeteria.
The forum is an overview of the Special Referendum Project that is scheduled for a public vote on Monday, December 11, 2023 at West Genesee High School in the Auditorium Lobby. Hours of voting are 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. An overview video can be found here and more details can be found on our website under the tab of Referendum 2023 that includes the Communicator Special Referendum Newsletter 2023 that was sent to community members at the end of October.
Enjoy this edition of the E-Newsletter that is filled with so many examples of accomplishments of our students and staff. This is a special place!
David C. Bills
Superintendent of Schools
WGHS Students Inducted into the Business & Marketing Honor Society
Congratulations to these eight hardworking and committed students inducted on November 15, 2023 into the WGHS Business and Marketing Honor Society:
Ella Bement, Ashton Fassinger, Mia Gialto, Trevin MacCaull, Gary McLane, John Murphy, Matthew Pietrafesa, and George Ponto.
Students must have an 80 average or better overall and an 88 or better in their business classes. Underclassmen must have completed two business credits by the end of the current year and plan to complete a third by the end of their senior year (seniors must have completed three credits).
Pictured above in front, from left to right, are Karey Drake, Jeffrey Dixe, and Carly Boyles. In the back, from left to right, are Victor Vasilev, Iris Eddy, Nathan Smith, Joanna Ray, Nicholas Procopio, and Elizabeth Schneid.
Students and Teachers are Honored by the Camillus Optimists
Joanna Ray and Nathan Smith from West Genesee High School; Elizabeth Schneid and Nicholas Procopio from Camillus Middle School; and Iris Eddy and Victor Vasilev from West Genesee Intermediate School were honored by the Camillus Optimists with the David Kenna Outstanding Student Award.
Jeffrey Dixe (West Genesee High School Special Education teacher), Karey Drake (West Genesee Intermediate School fifth-grade teacher), and Carly Boyles (Stonehedge UPK teacher) each received the 2023 Joseph A. Witowski Outstanding Teacher Award.
Honorees and their families were guests of the Optimists on November 20, 2023 at the Tuscarora Golf Club. School administrators introduced each honoree and described their unique contributions. Optimist David Philippone coordinated the program.
Teachers were selected by their peers for being sensitive to the needs of their students; for creating an exciting and challenging classroom atmosphere; and contributing to the quality of instruction at West Genesee.
Musicians Selected for the Senior All-County Concerts
Forty West Genesee High School musicians will perform in the Senior High All-County Festival on January 12-13, 2024 at Liverpool High School. The senior high group includes grades 10-12.
West Genesee students that will perform in the choir are:
- Soprano-Madeleine Barstow, Dounia Bserani, Lila Hennessy, Maura Hennessy, Amelia Rufa, Audra Vine
- Alto-Sophia Artymovych, Anna Drogo, Sophia Knowlton, Catherine Swete
- Tenor-Joseph Paoli, Ryan Popp, Angelo Procopio, Jason Szakacs
- Bass-Harrison Card, Reis Cleland, Benjamin Korzeniewski, John Panek
Band members from West Genesee who will perform are:
- Flute-Joanna Ray
- Oboe-Amelia Vezey
- Clarinet-Samantha Bullock, Giovanni Capria, Sarai Card, Landon Derbyshire
- Bass Clarinet- Maxim Mostriansky
- Trumpet-Ethan Gage
- French Horn-Daniel Alvaro
- Trombone-Angus Tarolli
- Baritone-Nathan Smith
- Tuba-Evan Perkins, Conor Swete
- Percussion-John Diem
The West Genesee students performing in the orchestra will be:
- Violin 1-Abigail Marchesani, Kote McGlaughlin
- Violin 2- Erica Volik, Camille Bohli
- Viola-Devin Dantuono
- Cello-Cooper Corcoran
- Clarinet-Elena Pacheco
- Mallets-Anthony Mangano
WG Band Director Performed in Macy's Day Parade
Erin McConnell, a Band Director in West Genesee CSD, marched in the historic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® on November 23, 2023, as part of a marching band of 400 band directors from across the country.
The Saluting America’s Band Directors parade entry will again convey its theme, “America’s Band Directors: We teach music. We teach life.” to recognize the extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of band directors and music educators everywhere. Throughout their careers, the music educators in this band have collectively mentored and taught hundreds of thousands of students. These professionals not only teach and direct music, they teach about life itself.
On Wednesday, November 29, 2023 during the CMS 8th Grade Band Concert, NYS Senator John Mannion surprised her with a NYS Declaration in recognition for her selection and participation in the Macy’s Day Parade! Congratulation and well deserved!
Students to Receive Free Breakfast and Lunch Meals
We are pleased to announce that all students enrolled at West Genesee CSD will be able to receive a FREE breakfast and lunch meal at school beginning on December 1, 2023.
This implementation is a result of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expanding access to the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP allows eligible schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to offer school meals at no charge to all students.
What does this mean for your child(ren) attending the school(s) identified above? Effective December 1, 2023 all students enrolled at West Genesee CSD will be able to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day regardless of the family’s household income. Milk is free with a full meal. No further action is required of you.
If you have any further questions, please contact Food Service at 315-487-4661.
Please click here to read a message to parents about free meals for students.
West Genesee Strategic Planning Climate Survey
Our District values your feedback! Over the next few weeks, we are surveying our entire West Genesee Central School District community to gain insight into perceptions of our schools and district effectiveness. Our surveys will be offered to students in grades 5-12, teachers, staff, and to our WG families. To ensure we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of our learners and prepare them for college and career, we need your feedback. We want to know what you think!
To administer these surveys, we have partnered with Panorama Education. Panorama safeguards your privacy, keeping your responses confidential. The survey takes just a few minutes to complete, and is a valuable source of information for us as we work to make our schools and District as good as they can be. The survey is entirely anonymous, and the results will be shared with the District Strategic Planning Guiding Coalition (i.e. District shared decision-making team). Our goal is to gather diverse perspectives that will inform decisions and help us create goals for continuous improvement.
Families may complete the Family-School Relationships survey online between December 4, 2023 and December 18, 2023 using a computer, tablet, or smartphone by visiting the following building-specific websites. For example, if you have a child that attends Camillus Middle School, please be sure to open the CMS link. If your children attend different schools within the District, you are welcome to complete a survey for each building or prioritize the building(s) for which you'd like to provide your feedback.
School Family-School Relationships Survey Links
We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact our Strategic Planning Co-Coordinators:
Robert Leo, Director of Professional Learning: rleo@westgenesee.org
Deb Ratcliff, Assistant Principal, Stonehedge Elementary: dratcliff@westgenesee.org
Kindergarten Registration will Start Soon
Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-2025 school year will open on December 5, 2023 and will go until March 31, 2024.
Watch for registration information on the Central Registration webpage. If you have any questions, email the Central Registrar at centralregistrar@westgenesee.org, or call Central Registration at (315) 487-4683.
When registering, parents should be prepared to upload the following:
- Two proofs of residency (i.e. mortgage or property statement or signed lease agreement, utility bill )
- proof of age
A physical examination and proof of immunizations are also required for entry into kindergarten and a dental certificate is requested for entry into kindergarten. These examinations should be done up to one year prior to the first day of school. Children who enter kindergarten this fall must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2024.
Save the Date: Special Referendum Vote on December 11, 2023
Mark your calendar for the vote on the Special Referendum which will be held on Monday, December 11, 2023 from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the West Genesee High School Auditorium Lobby.
Information about the Special Referendum can be seen in each school lobby on poster boards and also more detailed information is available on the website by clicking here.
Referendum Video Provides a Summary of Information/Community Forum Rescheduled
Please click on the picture below to view the Referendum Video that will also be presented at the upcoming Community Forum that has been rescheduled to Thursday, December 7, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Camillus Middle School Cafeteria. (If you would like to submit a question, please email it to publications@westgenesee.org at least one day prior to the forum.)
Change to 2023-2024 District Calendar
Please note that the Board of Education voted at their meeting on October 18, 2023 to adjust the West Genesee CSD Calendar to move the Half-Day of School for Students-Superintendent's Conference Half-Day from April 10, 2024 to April 8, 2024.
This change is to accommodate a total Eclipse due to occur on April 8 during student dismissal time at some of our schools.
Click here to view/print the updated calendar as posted to the website under the Calendar area.
Mark Your Calendars! WINTER 2023 – 2024 Sports Start Dates
Sign-ups/Registrations on the website at Sports Registration are available 30 days prior to the start date.
WGCSD Job Fair to be Held on December 19, 2023
Come Join Us!!! West Genesee CSD is hosting an in-person Job Fair on December 19, 2023 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Stonehedge Elementary School. We are looking to fill the following open positions:
- Teaching Assistants
- Custodial Workers
- Maintenance Workers (HVAC experience required)
- Bus Drivers and Attendants
- Food Service Workers
- Teacher Aides
Please be prepared to complete an application and be ready for on-the-spot interviewing. Questions, please call (315) 487-4555.
Emergency Closing Information is Important
Announcements about school closings, delayed openings, or early dismissal will be posted on the News Headlines section of the District website home page. They will also be broadcast on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the following stations which you can access by clicking here.
SchoolMessenger communications software allows us to send emails, texts, and make phone calls. (Phone calls will be used for emergency situations only.)
Parent/Guardians and staff will NOT need to sign-up to receive information from schools that you are registered for in ParentVue. (You will have the option to opt-out if you choose not to receive emails, texts, and/or phone calls. To receive texts, you also have to opt-in per the instructions in the Tips article below. )
New Website and Mobile App
We have redesigned the West Genesee website and took into consideration the information shared in the results of the survey we distributed in June. It is now easier to find items directly related to your school from that school's homepage. It is also very mobile responsive and easy to find items from your phone. However, if you have questions about the new site, please email them to publications@westgenesee.org.
In addition to the new website, we have also launched a new mobile phone app to communicate to students, parents, and community members about West Genesee news, upcoming events, and other important information. The West Genny app is available to download free from the Apple App store or the Google Play store. For more information about the mobile app, click here to view a video about the app.
This app is different from your ParentVUE app which you will continue to use to communicate with teachers, check on schedules, and other items that relate directly to your specific child(ren).
Are you Receiving All of our Communications? Helpful Tips about the SchoolMessenger Communication System:
- To be sure that you are receiving all emails sent from the District/schools/teachers please periodically check your spam/junk/promotions folder for emails with @westgenesee.org, then mark that they are not spam/junk/promotions.
- To be sure that you are receiving text messages this year from WGCSD or your school(s) Text a "Y" or "Yes" to 67587.
If you still have questions about receiving emails and/or text from WGCSD please email them to publications@westgenesee.org.
We are Hiring a School Psychologist
West Genesee CSD is hiring a full-time long-term substitute School Psychologist for Camillus Middle School. Information about this position is also available on OLAS.
Inquiries can be made to Human Resources at (315) 487-4555.
WGCSD Needs Substitute Teachers
West Genesee CSD is hiring substitute teachers. We are accepting applicants that are both certified and non-certified (with a Bachelor's degree).
Inquiries can be made to Human Resources at (315) 487-4555.
West Genesee CSD is Hiring a School District Treasurer
Under the supervision of the Assistant Superintendent for Management Services, the School District Treasurer is regarded as a highly important technical position involving responsibility for the accounting of fiscal operations of the District.
The work is performed in accordance with general and specific instructions outlined by the Board of Education, permitting considerable latitude for the exercise of technical accounting judgement in the classification of accounts and preparation of reports. This position also manages the day to day operations of the Business Office and acts as the Purchasing Agent for the District.
Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or business preferred with five years of experience performing governmental accounting and keeping/maintaining financial records.
Inquiries can be made to Christine DeMass at (315) 487-4563 or CDemass@westgenesee.org. Apply online through https://olasjobs.org/
Special Education Teaching Assistants are Needed at WGCSD!
West Genesee CSD is hiring Special Education Teaching Assistants; both full-time and part-time positions are available.
Inquiries can be made to Human Resources at (315) 487-4555.
Upcoming Events
- December 6, 2023 Board of Education Finance Committee Meeting - 5:00 p.m. - High School Library Classroom
- December 6, 2023 Board of Education Meeting - 6:00 p.m. - High School Library
- December 7, 2023 Community Forum about Referendum - 7:00 p.m. - Camillus Middle School Cafeteria
- December 11, 2023 Referendum Vote - 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. - WGHS Auditorium Lobby
- December 20, 2023 Board of Education Claims Audit Sub-Committee Meeting - 5:30 p.m. - High School Library Classroom
- December 20, 2023 Board of Education Meeting - 6:00 p.m. - High School Library
- December 22, 25-29, 2023 No School-Holiday Recess
- January 1, 2024 No School-Holiday Recess