Superintendent's Weekly News Update

On Tuesday, November 14th, I presented results from our Thought Exchange survey regarding redistricting. Based on survey results, the summary is as follows:

• It is important to note that the Board of Education is still in the Information Gathering Phase of this process. They have no plans to implement any Redistricting measures for the 2024-2025 school year.

• Based on the results of the Thought Exchange, the Board of Education will need additional information and ideas to be reviewed and discussed before any Redistricting Plans are moved forward.

• A new comprehensive committee, along with an outside facilitator should be initiated in the Spring of 2024 and work until a viable Redistricting Plan is agreed upon.

• In the meantime, alternative measures, such as scheduling, space utilization and resource evaluation needs to be studied and adjusted to meet the needs of our students.

These activities WILL NOT result in any Redistricting measures. These will merely be

intermittent steps prior to an implementation of a Redistricting plan, perhaps for the

2025-2026 school year.

To view the full presentation, click here.

Kerry Martino, West Middle English Teacher and Capstone Experience Advisor, reports on

the outcome of West Middle's Capstone students annual Friendsgiving Food Drive. The drive began on Monday, October 30th, and included a drive-through donation event at the bus loop on November 4th.

Members of the National Junior Honor Society donated their time to help Capstone collect, sort, and box up over 50 boxes of food, which benefited the West Seneca Food Pantry. In addition, the students in Builder's Club held three "Turf Nights" at West Senior on November 6th-8th. Students in grades 6 through 8 were able to attend a night of fun and games for their individual grade levels with a donation of two canned food items as the price of admission. This netted an additional 23 boxes of canned for the West Seneca Food Pantry.

The students at West Middle express their appreciation to the community for their generosity and help to make this Friendsgiving Food Drive a success! These three student groups worked together with their school community to make it all happen.

Extra Credit Bonus: During the school week, a competition was held between all West Middle homerooms, and Mr. Paige's 7th grade brought in 125 donated items, for which they won a breakfast.

On Wednesday, November 15, the Academy Program Advisory Board and a handful of teachers who keep the programs running, got together at Buffalo Sports Garden for a holiday mixer. Enough good can't be said for these community partners from industries that align with our students' interests in Business and Finance, IT/Digital Media, Visual Arts, Life Science, and Engineering.

Our Advisory Board partners fund scholarships, offer internships and jobs, and they all want to see our students succeed as much as we do. Academy Programs are a two-way street that pairs our Academy Program students with professionals in their field of interest. Local businesses lend our students practical applications for what they are learning, and our students supply bright, young talent.

There has never been a better time to grow this program that trains students in essential professional roles. It is truly a crown jewel of the West Seneca Central Schools. Tell your children and businesses you may be involved with, our Academy Programs are a sure path forward to fuel future careers.

West Senior's National Honor Society induction ceremony took place on November 15th in West Senior's auditorium. The ceremony, emceed by senior Cameron Whitaker, was appropriately impressive. Anna Blickwedehl, Carly Lawrence, Meghan Mulderig, and Hannah Becker gave readings on the four pillars at the heart of the NHS: Leadership, Scholarship, Character, and Service.

Each student was introduced by their school averages, activities, leadership positions in various clubs, and their places of employment. These high achieving students are very busy in and out of school. Principal John "Jay" Brinker lauded the students for being the "best students of the best state school system in the nation."

One of the highest honors conferred in high school is a student’s selection to the National Honor Society. Students who are members of the National Honor Society (Amana Chapter) have worked hard to become members and have earned the respect of faculty, peers, and the wider West Seneca community. Membership in the Honor Society is an ongoing commitment to the ideals of the Honor Society.

Special thanks go to guest speaker Jon McGrath of the P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative. Mr. McGrath is known to many of our students as a volunteer coach for West Varsity Football, and through the fundraising efforts for P.U.N.T. that our students have participated in. He encouraged the students and their families to recognize the importance of "service" and how it benefits both the community and the inductees themselves.

Thank you also to the West Select String Ensemble and especially NHS Advisors, Mrs. Patrica Carlone and Mrs. Jennifer Schubring.

The new inductees (pictured below) are as follows:

On Thursday, November 16th, the Rho Kappa Social Studies National Honor Society inducted 23 new members (names below). The ceremony was held after school, and Mr. Paul Glieco from East Middle was the guest speaker. A reception in Veterans Hall followed the induction. Congratulations to all of the new inductees listed below!

Read more about Rho Kappa on East's page of our website.

EAST

Ella Krumpek – Canisius University – Division 1- Cross Country / Track

Parents – Bernadette & John Krumpek

Attending - Brother Connor Krumpek; Coaches (left to Right) Scott Page (XC ), Kelly Page (XC), Ryan Colbert (Outdoor Track), Mike Schermerhorn (Indoor Track)

Talan Jaglowski – Gannon University – Division 2- Lacrosse

Parents – Margaret & Michael Jaglowski

Attending - Alex Krytus & Coach Jeffrey Bauda

WEST

Adison Pollutro – Daemen University – Division 2 - Lacrosse

Parents – Amy and Mike Pollutro

Attending - Ben Pollutro (Brother), Megan Barone, (Coach), Lauren Fibich (Coach)

Isabella Christopher – Penn State New Kensington – Division 3 - Softball

Parents – Jessica Copece & Sal Christopher

Coach - Ashley Bonetto

Mikayla Hussar – Canisius University – Division 1 - Softball

Parents – Jason and Christine Hussar

Attending – Mr. Brinker (Principal) Ashley Bonetto (Softball Coach)

Eliza Freeland – Hobart and William Smith – Division 3 – Field Hockey

Parents– Shane and Christie Freeland

Attending –Mr. Brinker (Principal), Madeline Freeland (sister), Kelli Ruchalski (Coach), Maegan Roberts (Coach)

Delaney Banks – Niagara University – Division 1- Lacrosse

Parents – Michael Roberts and Rebecca Banks

Attending – Mr. Brinker (Principal), Megan Barone (coach), Mason Banks (Brother), Cole Banks (Brother), Lauren Fibich (Coach).

What happens when a young marketing and advertising guy meets a young financial guy with a love of golf? They're just buddies working in New York City until both of them lose their jobs at the same time, and then it's time to get seriously entrepreneurial.

Bret Blakely and Steve Coulton, co-founders of OnCore Golf started with a kernel of an idea that has turned into a major company, with unique technology, that has garnered the interest of serious golfers everywhere.

Blakely and Coulton talked to East students about starting a business, what a day in their work life looks like, and new ventures that they have coming up - now that they have the attention of golfers and celebrity athletes like Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

Their story goes like this - they had an idea, lack of funding, and tons of research on golf ball technology. Then they identified a unique opportunity to make a better and more accurate ball based on new perimeter weighted technology. Next came business plans, working with the Small Business Administration, building prototypes, and a lot of networking. Mindset came into play also. Blakely encouraged the students to read up on Blue Ocean Strategy, something he says helped him and Coulton to identify a unique opportunity in an ocean full of brand name sharks in the golf ball industry.

The duo told the students how entrepreneurs need to stand out and leverage their talents and skill sets. They also noted the evolution of the golf industry, which took off during the pandemic with an explosion of younger people playing golf. From the beginning, it was OnCore's goal to grow the game through diversity and inclusion. Online commerce, also a byproduct of the pandemic, has been a boon to them from the beginning.

The importance of a good team of experts to fill in the gaps and solid funding, paired with perseverance and emotional stability are the best tools once an entrepreneur identifies a unique product. Perimeter weighting technology is where OnCore started with the Vero, ELIXR and Avant, and coming up is the "Genius" ball. It will have a set of embedded electronics at its core with battery, Bluetooth, and sensor technology that will not only help golfers locate their ball, but also collect data that they can use to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of their game.

Look for OnCore to have a presence at the Masters Tournament in April of 2024. Blakely and Coulton fought for two years to get golf ball design regulations rewritten to accommodate their perimeter weighted balls for competitive use.

Blakely told the students, "Find something you're passionate about. Buffalo has become an east coast Silicon Valley with access to great information and innovation. It’s all about the people you’re around day to day."

Coulton, as an example, was working on a course at the age of 14 and playing it after work like it was his job. And it may not be the private island the co-founders fantasized about owning when they started, but some time in 2025, they will be opening an OnCore golf entertainment center in downtown Buffalo.

Thanks to OnCore for the inspiration, and kudos to the East staff who invited them to speak. I'm sure our students will be watching OnCore's success and remembering Bret and Steve's journey as they plot their own career courses.

An annual tradition at Allendale, The Turkey Trot was organized by the Special Area Teachers to promote wellness and celebrate being THANKFUL!

This year's fundraising goal was the purchase of a book vending machine. Students will be able to select a book of their choice from the machine as an incentive/reward for various good behaviors, and it will encourage more reading!

Families were invited to attend with their students to trot, as well as dress up in fun turkey or football themed costumes. There were laughs and smiling faces all around!