Lessons in sharing and giving:
When he met with kindergartners just last year, Marvin McQuaid talked about the importance of caring for animals through the winter. And he talked about the importance of sharing -- and giving -- in general.
"All we ever have in this life is what we share. That's all you ever have — what you share," he said when visiting.
This year, in his honor, kindergartners made donations to the Pet Food Pantry in Auburn that he started with his wife, Marylou McQuaid.
McQuaid died in August. He had visited Skaneateles kindergartners for five years to read books, discuss the needs of animals and collect food for pets over the holidays. His wife is continuing the mission along with some helpers, said teacher Kristin McKee, who has helped coordinate the pet food drive at ...
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PTC speaker is huge hit:
Skaneateles High School students and staff are still talking about the funny, lively and inspiring messages they heard Thursday, December 17, from inspirational speaker Matt Bellace.
A combination psychologist and stand-up comedian, Bellace urged students to make healthy life choices. He gave humorous examples and practical wisdom that everyone could benefit from hearing. Throughout the classrooms and hallways of the high school, people raved about the experience, calling it one of the best assemblies ever. Thanks go to the PTC.
Bellace used his background in neuropsychology (and his experiences with a brother who “made poor choices”) to tailor his program to the developmental stage of his audience. He promoted “natural highs” and delivered ...
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Collaborating for the gingerbread man:
This is a story about how collaboration brought the gingerbread man to life this holiday season.
The third grade team at State Street Elementary School was looking for a large gingerbread man cookie cutter. They searched and asked and were unable to come up with one anywhere that was large enough. (At least 12 inches tall).
Teacher Mary Whirtley contacted teacher Heather Buff (known for her technical wisdom) to see if it was possible to 3d print something like that. “Of course it can be done,” Buff told her.
Buff (who was out that day) asked Middle School technology teacher Scott Stagnitta if he could help. “It was a pretty tight timeline so he set right to work, designed it and printed it. He said he could have ...
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Two advance in Poetry Out Loud:
Skaneateles High School seniors Aimee LaFrance and Allison Priest took first and second places in the recent in-school contest for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. The two winners go on to compete in the regional POL Contest at Storer Auditorium at Onondaga Community College at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23. The NYS competition will be Monday, March 14, at the Everson Museum in Syracuse.
The competition, presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.
Nine students participated in the third annual Poetry Out Loud school contest at Skaneateles High School – the most ever, ...
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Squires gives encore, says goodbye:
Terrance (Terry) Squires took a final bow with his string students at the State Street School December 8 annual holiday concert. He has been teaching young musicians in Skaneateles nearly 20 years, after a previous long career with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.
At the conclusion of the evening concert for parents, Squires and his beginner orchestra received a standing ovation after playing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”, and so they performed an encore. This time, the students played the song again and Squires sang along, with the words to the ABC song.
Superintendent Ken Slentz said it was so perfect and touching to see the “elementary school professor of music” singing with his students that he (Slentz) and others sat there grinning from ear to ear. ...
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Middle School students are Santa's helpers:
This is the sixteenth year that the Middle School Student Council has spread cheer by buying gifts for countless children and families.
How to define the results of the annual Skaneateles Middle School shopping spree at Walmart?
25 feet of receipts
More than 65 carts filled to the brim with games, puzzles, dolls, Play-Doh, sleds, skateboards and other toys.
Nearly $14,000 spent, thanks to donations from Todd’s Fund, Dave Pirro Foundation and the Skaneateles Middle School Student Council (with special discounts provided by Walmart).
A busload of tired but happy students and chaperones who worked in 13 groups to carefully select toys and other items for the children on their lists (spending an average of $1,000 in 90 minutes, with each item under $15. ...
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Music for the season:
The sounds of the season can be heard in school hallways as musicians and their teachers prepare for upcoming concerts, listed below.
December 10: 7th and 8th grade Holiday Concert at 7p.m., High School Auditorium
December 13: HS Choral Concert, 2 p.m., High School Auditorium
December 16: HS Band and Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m., HS Auditorium ...
December 17: 1st Grade Winter Concert, 2 p.m., Waterman School Auditorium
December 18: Renaissance Dinner, 6:30 p.m., Welch Allyn Lodge (Tickets are $50.00)
December 23: Third Grade Holiday “Around the World Concert”, 2:30 p.m., State Street School
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Dancing to learn science:
Students in Maureen Collier’s life science classes learn some important lessons while doing the Mitosis Square Dance.
They learn the steps of mitosis by acting out the major DNA events through dance. “In this activity, the some students volunteered to be ‘chromosomes’ and the rest of the class was the ‘cell membrane’,” Collier explains.
During "Prophase" the student chromosomes are in pairs (doing a little do-si-do), which then leads to "Metaphase" where those pairs line up in the middle just like during the cell cycle.
Curriculum Coordinator Ella Briand happened to stop in and catch the action. “This is great,” she said. “I love that students get physically involved ...
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State Street School students sing in honor of vets:
The fourth grade chorus entertained students at State Street School and reminded everyone what Veteran's Day is all about. In addition, the entire school watched a moving video about what it means to be an American.
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Skaneateles exchange with Fowler begins:
The popular and much-awaited “exchange program” between Fowler and Skaneateles High Schools is in full swing.
Skaneateles students “shadowed” at Fowler first and then Fowler students spent a day at Skaneateles High School. It is the beginning of what will become an intense experience for about 20 students from each school who are involved in the exchange.
Over the course of five day-long sessions, students (led by trained student facilitators from each school) will have raw and intimate conversations that will break down stereotypes and biases. Each year, students from the two schools start out as strangers. They part as friends, and as people with broader perspectives.
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Three are Commended:
Three Skaneateles High School students have been named Commended Students in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program, Principal Greg Santoro announced today.
Vincent Viego, Jack Van Slyke and Sam Clymer received their letters of commendation after placing among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2016 competition by taking the 2014 preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
Pictured, from left: Vincent Viego, Jack Van Slyke, Principal Greg Santoro and Sam Clymer.
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Syracuse City Ballet brings laughter, fun:
Students district-wide enjoyed performances by the Syracuse City Ballet today. During the morning performance for the entire high school, some Skaneateles High School football players participated – demonstrating agility and lifts as guided by the experts. This took on a festive flare that was fun for all. There's a free community performance of the Syracuse City Ballet tonight at 7 p.m. in the This event is sponsored by the Skaneateles Music Guild.
All HS students will attend an assembly with the Syracuse Ballet during second period on October 22. Dancers will provide short performances and provide an overview of what goes into bringing the pieces to stage. There will be some audience participation.
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Focus on parenting: great session Nov. 18:
Lisa Cavallaro is an author, speaker, blogger and master certified coach who shares true wisdom about how to parent teenagers. Perhaps her most important qualification is this: she is a parent; a mom who experienced many of the challenges and frustrations that parents face on a daily basis. And now, with all her training and wisdom to go along with her experiences, she can look back and share how she might have done it better … and easier.
Cavallaro will share her frank and seasoned advice with Skaneateles parents during a session in the high school auditorium beginning at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18.
Sponsored by the high school PTC, Cavallaro will present “Parenting Teens – How to Make it Easier.” She will share a plan that significantly ...
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Intensifying art with critiques:
Whenever students finish a project in Studio or Advanced Art, they have a Group Critique day. Everyone takes their work out into the hall and hangs it up. “I tell them that it is almost as if they are showing their art in a gallery,” explains teacher Jessica Sawchuk.
They study each other’s projects and then choose one piece to critique. They describe, analyze, and interpret the work – and then they give helpful advice that will enable the artist to improve, or share why they feel the piece is a success and needs no more editing. “After they spend this quiet time thinking and writing, we discuss each piece as a group,” she said.
“This activity allows students to learn from each other, and to share their experiences, trials and successes ...
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Teachers are Passionately Pink:
Staff members district wide wore pink to their Professional Learning Day on Friday, October 23, to raise money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Skaneateles Center Schools faculty and staff participate annually in a Passionately Pink Day. State Street School teacher Kelley McQuiggan spearheaded the effort. She baked dozens of heart-shaped (and pink) sugar cookies to hand out to staff members, who paid $5 or more to wear pink. Superintendent Ken Slentz, in advance of the day, pledged a larger donation to be made by his family in the name of the person who wore the most pink. The winner: Waterman School teacher Pam Anastasio.
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