By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 September 2020 at 7:55 am
LYNDONVILLE – The school district won’t be having classes today due to a power outage caused by a transformer fire.
National Grid is reporting 1,790 customers are without electricity in Orleans County. The company estimates power will be restored at about 9:30 a.m.
Lyndonville’s combined team practices hosted by Medina are still on for today. Transportation from Lyndonville will be available. Athletes should be at the school for a 3 p.m. departure time. A return trip will be provided as well, said Jason Smith, Lyndonville district superintendent.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 September 2020 at 11:16 am
Provided photo: Jerod Thurber congratulates his wife Bliss Thurber after she was honored last week as Lyndonville’s Educator of the Year for 2019-20. She was announced last June as the district’s top educator but the recognition was delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Mr. Thurber in July joined the Lyndonville Board of Education.
LYNDONVILLE – The school district last week gave overdue recognition to the Educator of the Year from 2019-20, and also recognized retiring staff.
The district normally recognizes the top educator and retirees during a Board of Education meeting in June. But the district was meeting remotely back then. It has returned to in-person meetings.
Bliss Thurber, a sixth grade teacher, was honored as Educator of the Year. District officials said she is “creative, talented, dedicated and committed, all while having high expectations for her students.”
She also has been a leader in the district in utilizing technology to connect with students. Thurber also serves as co-leader of the AVID program for grades kindergarten through 6.
She received a plaque and a $1,000 district grant to be used for an educational initiative or project.
RETIREES – The district also recognized four staff members are retiring: Diane Thurber, clerical; Nikki Robison, teacher aid; Kathy Payne, a long-time bus driver; and Dave Balcer, director of Buildings and Grounds.
Balcer was known for his customer service approach to all members of our community, as well as the great pride he had for the school buildings and grounds, said Jason Smith, the district superintendent.
Robison was known for her innate problem solving ability, behind the scenes dedication, and her ability to connect with all students to instill positive and productive relationship.
Thurber held several positions in the district before her clerical assignment. She was known for her quick and out-of-the-box thinking, commitment to students, and overall wonderful efficiency, Smith said.
Payne was dedicated to students for many years as a bus driver.
Photos courtesy of Lyndonville Central School: This group of students settles into a classroom where the desks are spaced at least 6 feet apart.
Press Release, Lyndonville Central School
LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville Central School welcomed back a portion of their students to campus today. Students in grades 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12 were greeted with warm welcomes from staff and administration.
Throughout the next two days the remainder of the students who selected in-person learning will return to campus.
Mitzi Fredericks, an aide with the school district, checks the Thermal Scan, which can show students with temperatures at 100 degrees or more. Those students will be then be checked with non-contact thermometers to see if they are at 100 or more degrees. If they are, they will be sent home.
“The district is looking forward to the 2020-21 school year and has worked diligently to ensure the health and well-being of our students,” said Superintendent Jason Smith.
While the school has two body thermal scans stationed at the main entrances and non-contact thermometers to assess student and staff temperature, the district reminds families to check their child’s temperature before coming to school. If a student’s temperature is greater than 100 degrees and/or exhibits Covid-19 symptoms he/she must remain home.
To ensure social distancing, Lyndonville is utilizing the Main Street elementary school for PreK and grades 5 and 6. Classrooms and a lunch area have been set up for these students. To reinforce safety procedures, district administration are hosting classroom meetings to discuss the importance of proper hygiene, masks and social distancing.
“All of us have a role in keeping our schools safe and preventing the spread of Covid-19,” Smith said. “Together we can work to keep our district healthy and open.”
Photos by Tom Rivers: Jason Smith is pictured in a high school Spanish classroom were desks have been spaced apart to allow for social distancing. Classrooms will be limited to 12 to 15 students in person to start the school, with teachers working with some students remotely as well. The district has had 15 percent of the students opt for remote learning.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 September 2020 at 8:59 am
Jason Smith and Lyndonville district welcome back students today
Classrooms are stocked with hand sanitizer, masks and cleaning products.
LYNDONVILLE – Jason Smith has served as Lyndonville’s superintendent of schools since December 2011. The superintendent and district will begin welcoming back students today for a new school year. Lyndonville is staggering the grade levels this week before all grades come back next week for in-person classroom learning each school day.
Lyndonville is able to offer all students the option for in-person learning each day, rather than a hybrid approach like many districts where students come in to school for classes two or three days a week with the other days remotely at home.
Lyndonville, which has 630 students in grades PreK to 12, can accommodate all students with social distancing guidelines in place. The district has three grade levels at the elementary school, which is being used again after closing after the 2011-12 school year.
This year the district will have PreK and grades 5 and 6 in the elementary school.
The district has many new protocols in place to reopen during the Covid-19 pandemic, including taking students’ temperatures, spreading out desks, having students wear masks when social distancing isn’t possible, and making hand sanitizer available.
Jason Smith was interviewed last week in his office at Lyndonville Central School on Housel Avenue.
The district has signs and decals throughout the hallways, classrooms and campus, urging people to maintain social distancing and wear masks.
Question: This is your 26th year in education. (Smith started his career in 1994 as a social studies teacher in Albion.) How radically different is this start of the school year?
Answer: It has been a radical start, going back to March. I was telling the families when I did the reopening meetings, I began tongue in cheek by saying I’m a history teacher by trade. We’re learning this as we go.
I’m basically saying I am committed to learning about this and making changes, but understand I was brought up as a history teacher.
March 13 was the last day we had students here. It was unreal because on March 14th I started talking with the superintendents in the county and Paul Pettit (the public health director in Orleans County) and we all closed that day. It was a Saturday.
It was almost like when I was at Albion (as a social studies teacher) and we watched the towers come down in New York City (on Sept. 11, 2001). I watched with eighth-graders in the cafeteria hallway. Standing next to me was Joe Martillotta (another social studies teacher).
March 14th was another surreal moment. It took about four hours from 1 to 5 to get everything done that I needed to get done. Then my wife and I went out to dinner for the last time for a while. Then I went back to work that night and had a call with my administrators. It was very much like I can’t believe this is happening.
It’s been six months. It’s definitely been out of the ordinary. I’ve had many calls with superintendents in Orleans County and also in the Niagara-Orleans BOCES.
There has been a lot of communication, a lot of problem solving and working to meet the new challenges. There has been a lot of pieces to put together.
The district has two thermal scanners that doing rapid screens as students enter the hallways in the main building. That scanner will identify students who may have temperatures at 100 degrees or more. Those students will then be checked individually with infrared touchless thermometers. If they have a temp of 100 degrees or more, they will have to go home.
Question: Last year there was such abruptness with the schools closing and the switch to remote learning. This year I know Lyndonville is starting with the option of in-person learning all five days of the school week. At least you know what you’re getting into at the start of the school year.
Answer: We do have about 15 percent or about 80 students who have opted to do remote only, even though we are offering full person instruction. We are offering the remote instruction to our families.
But the other piece is if we get switched to remote by force or by choice, we wanted to make sure we had a better plan in place. As we developed our plan for reopening, we wanted to make sure we had plans for full in-person which we’re doing, hybrid or full remote.
If we have to go full remote, we wanted to make sure we have enough devices and that there are expectations for teachers, students and families for what it looks like.
For example, last year from March, April, May and June, we were on pass-fail. There wasn’t traditional grading because of the challenges we had. But this year, anyone who is on remote, whether they chose it or were on it by force, it’s going to be regular grading and feedback with tests.
We’ve upped our game and everybody needs to up their game and understand it’s going to be graded, whether you are here or not. That is one of the lessons we learned.
We learned to do mobile hotspots. We actually started planning on March 12th in anticipation of what could happen. We had started that inner game plan a couple days before not knowing it would go on for the rest of the year.
Question: Do you have a sense of the percentage of kids that need the mobile hotspots?
Answer: We purchased 40 of them. The ones that we purchased work very well with a Verizon signal.
When Aaron Slack (high school principal) and I drove around the whole district during the graduation parade, oftentimes our phones died because there wasn’t a Verizon signal out on this road or that road.
So there is a strong need (for mobile hotspots). Our school board is committed to having better high-speed internet. We want to engage in the political process to open up broadband.
We opened up the campus here in the library and later on we placed two hotspots at the White Birch and the Oak Orchard Assembly of God.
So obviously the need is strong. It is definitely a handicap for us.
Jason Smith is shown in the cafeteria at the elementary school, where there will be clear dividers in place at the lunch tables. The school building gave the district the option to shift two grade levels, fifth and sixth, from Housel Avenue to free up more space and reduce the number of people in the main school building.
Question: Are the two hotspots still there at the White Birch and the church?
Answer: They won’t be there right to start. We’re going to monitor it and see how it goes. They didn’t get a lot of use last year. It was a cost for us to have them. We will monitor it. People can still use this campus. They can use the Yates library. The students will have access to Chromebooks, too.
Question: People might wonder what has been the hardest part of being a superintendent during the pandemic?
Answer: Just the changing rules. The changing regulations. The communication from the state and making sure I get that communication out to the staff and the parents.
I think one of the new normals for us is we’ve all had to up our communication game. I’ve used all of our systems. I’ve become much more proficient with it. I’ve got the calls out, the texts out, links, all kinds of stuff and getting the website updated.
Those have been some of the challenges, getting as much information out as much as we can.
Question: You function as the chief communication person?
Answer: I do a lot of it or I have someone else do it but I have my hands on the button all the time. We have our website set up with all the alerts on there. I have a great staff, too, and we have BOCES service that helps us out. But if it’s an immediate need I’ll get it up there.
Certainly we miss our students. While we weren’t open since March, I saw one of our students at the EZ Shop. We just kind of smiled at each other and had a prolonged hello because we just missed seeing each other. You miss the hustle the bustle of students and staff in school. So that’s been hard.
And just the unknown and not knowing, and all the planning.
Mary Kurz, the school nurse, holds one of the infrared touchless thermometers.
Question: The fall sports starting on Sept. 21 is confusing with some sports able to go and others not.
Answer: The practices can start on the 21st. The frustrating part for all of us has been we’ve been able to have youth sports with contact but now there seems to be conflicting guidance. Our infection rate in our state is lower than other states, yet those states with higher (infection) rates are able to play football. Why can’t we do that or something similar here?
That’s been a frustrating part.
But we are excited to get the athletics back and again do that in a smart manner. The guidance says maybe two spectators per child and we’ll have to decide how we’ll manage that and keep the density down.
Question: Two spectators per kid that will be a hard deal.
Answer: That will be tough. Some of what is being tossed around is do we give each child two passes? We’re also going to try to livestream some of the events. If people can’t come in person they could watch it on YouTube. We’re going to look at a service for that.
The elementary school last year was used for an expanded PreK program after being closed since 2012. This year it will have PreK, fifth and sixth grades.
Question: If you didn’t have the elementary school option, would you have been forced to do the hybrid without in-person each day for everyone?
Answer: It would have been tight. By having classes there we’ve opened up space here so we can have spillover rooms. So it was definitely to our advantage to have that building. We’re even able to feed students over there.
It definitely made the process easier knowing that we had that space over there.
Question: In terms of a silver lining, I have to think the kids will be really happy to see each other and they will value in-person friendships.
Answer: Yes, we saw how quickly it all ended last March.
Another challenge we had going back to June was graduation. It was one big task at a time. In March and April it was getting the meals out and the technology out.
In May and June we started having talks about graduation, which is a huge event.
We kind of took a breath and waited for guidance from the state about reopening the schools. We formed a committee, and had that going on the last two weeks in July. Ultimately I did nine presentations, one to the board, six to parents and two to teachers.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed, trying to keep up with the federal laws and the state laws. You want to balance parent needs, student needs and staff needs.
Question: I’m guessing you haven’t had much of a break personally since March?
Answer: Me, no. I had a vacation I was going to take over Memorial Day weekend but it was cancelled.
I will say this, I try to give myself so downtime because the job can be so demanding. During the shutdown I was looking at emails 24-7 trying to keep up with what parents and staff needed, what students needed. I was in constant contact with the administrators. It wasn’t until July when I took every other Friday off. That’s what I was able to do. The idea of taking a week off, for one, where are you going to go? Every place I wanted to go was quarantined.
So you try to balance it out and keep your Sundays free. The job is challenging enough and you add (Covid) to it, it’s another 25 layers.
Question: What else would you like to say?
Answer: It’s been a good process, we’ve learned and we’ve grown as administrators, as staff, as teachers. We’ve all learned.
There are some things we will keep on doing when this (Covid) is done. For example I used to have to drive to Sanborn once a month for a meeting (with the Niagara-Orleans superintendents). Do I have to do that anymore when we can do the same thing online? It saves money. It saves time. It saves gas to do things here. Why do I have to drive there when every Tuesday I’ve been doing Zoom meetings with the superintendents, although there is value to meeting in person, but maybe we’ll do it once every three months in person.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 September 2020 at 11:42 am
Provided photo
LYNDONVILLE – This bench was added to the Lyndonville school campus last Thursday by the Lyndonville Sports Boosters. It is in memory of Brooke Allen and Richard Forder.
They passed in a car accident on Oct. 10, 2019 on their way to work at Lake Ridge Fruit, an apple packing facility on Route 104 in Gaines.
Brooke’s mother Mandi Howell is seated at left next to Brooke’s name on the bench. Christine McIntyre Miller (Richy’s mom) is sitting to the right next to his name.
Others pictured are family members and Lyndonville Sports Boosters members. The Boosters wanted the bench to remind the two families of the everlasting love and support the school and community has for them. The bench is also a visual reminder for Lyndonville students that life is precious and that Brooke and Richy will live on in our hearts forever.
Allen, 21, was a 2016 Lyndonville graduate. She loved the outdoors. She was in band and chorus, played volleyball and attended Orleans-Niagara BOCES for cosmetology. She was a devoted mother to her son, River.
Forder, 20, a 2018 Lyndonville graduate, enjoyed fishing and spending time with his nephews. He was a key player on Lyndonville’s playoff basketball teams.
Provided photos: Jason Smith, Lyndonville Central School superintendent, greets teachers during a staff development day.
Posted 1 September 2020 at 9:06 pm
Press Release, Lyndonville Central School
LYNDONVILLE – It has been almost six months since the staff from Lyndonville Central School District have been all together on campus.
Donned with masks and sitting an acceptable distance apart, staff members listened to the new procedures and policies that are in place for the 2020-21 school year.
Superintendent Jason Smith welcomed new and returning staff during today’s staff development day. The district nurse discussed the importance of proper handwashing, mask wearing and overall hygiene reminders.
Signs have also been placed throughout the building to remind staff and students of these policies and to encourage social distancing whenever possible. While Covid-19 continues to be a concern and the district will maintain ongoing health and safety precautions, Smith encouraged staff to not change their focus.
“Our focus will continue to be our students and our mission, values and core beliefs,” he said.
Christine Merle spoke about the importance of social and emotional learning.
Smith presented staff with a small bag of coffee beans. He explained that when an egg is added to boiling water it will harden. A carrot will do the opposite and become soft.
The coffee beans, however, will make coffee. Each of these items faced the same adversity, the boiling water, but each reacted differently. He encouraged everyone to be like the coffee bean; when things are at their worst, get better and change the situation. This year may be difficult but with the right attitude, 2020-21 can be great.
During the meeting many new staff members were welcomed to the district, including Kevin Czaja, the district’s new Director of Facilities. Staff awards were given to eight employees for earning tenure, and Years of Service awards were given, including an award of 35 years to Sandra Kosiorek.
This year’s keynote speaker, Christine Merle, focused on building resilience through self-care and discussed the importance of social and emotional learning. After lunch, staff members attended breakout sessions to continue learning with Merle and had additional training on remote learning practices.
The district looks forward to welcoming students back next week. Students will have a staggered start but by the end of the week all grades will be on campus together five days a week.
Although the majority of students will be on-campus for learning, some families have selected to go fully remote.
“We look forward to working with all of our students again,” Smith said. “Whether on campus or learning remote, we will provide a high standard of education for each of our students.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 August 2020 at 3:40 pm
Provided photo
LYNDONVILLE – This bench arrived on Thursday and is in front of the Lyndonville school on Housel Avenue. The Lyndonville Sports Boosters paid for the bench in memory of Brooke Allen and Richard Forder.
They died in a car accident on Oct. 10, 2019 on their way to work at Lake Ridge Fruit, an apple packing facility on Route 104 in Gaines.
Allen, 21, was a 2016 Lyndonville graduate. She loved the outdoors. She was in band and chorus, played volleyball and attended Orleans-Niagara BOCES for cosmetology. She was a devoted mother to her son, River.
Forder, 20, a 2018 Lyndonville graduate, enjoyed fishing and spending time with his nephews. He was a key player on Lyndonville’s playoff basketball teams.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 August 2020 at 11:32 am
County approves 2-year agreement to assign deputies to districts
ALBION – The Kendall and Lyndonville school districts will continue to have an Orleans County deputy sheriff as school resource officers the next two years.
The County Legislature approved an agreement with each district on Wednesday. The officers will serve in the schools and on school grounds, from Sept. 1, 2020 until June 30, 2022.
The Sheriff’s Office and the districts first reached the agreement two years ago. The districts each paid $100,000 a year to the county.
With the new agreement, each district agrees to pay $95,070. However, there is no built-in overtime. If a district needs overtime, that will be invoiced separately, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.
The Sheriff’s Office two years ago pushed for an expanded presence in Lyndonville and Kendall, the two schools in the northern part of the county that do not have a full-time police presence in their communities.
The officers will provide security for the schools, and also educate students with anti-bullying programs, anti-drug education and also guide them in using a new STOP DWI Driving Simulator, where students and other users can see the effects of driving while texting, drowsy or if they are impaired or intoxicated.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 August 2020 at 3:16 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
GETZVILLE – Steve Goodrich, the American Legion commander in Lyndonville, and Anna Stelianou received their “Outstanding Citizen” awards this morning from the Orleans Hub.
They were among a group of citizens who would have been recognized during a March 16 awards program, but that event at Tillman’s Village Inn was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Each year we recognize about 8 to 10 residents who made extraordinary efforts on behalf of the community that year. The Orleans Hub has been trying to present the 2019 awards individually, and do it in a way with some fanfare. (We still have three left to give to the Outstanding Citizens from 2019.)
Stelianou recently moved from Lyndonville to Asbury Point Assisted Living in Getzville. She was presented her award today in the courtyard in front of many of her new friends.
Anna Stelianou wanted to do something to honor veterans – every one of them in Lyndonville. She read about the Wreaths Across America program. Medina has been doing that at Boxwood Cemetery since 2013. Each year, a wreath at $15 each can be set on a veteran’s grave in December.
Photos by Lucy Rivers: Tom Rivers, Orleans Hub editor, presents a plaque to Anna Stelianou in appreciation for her efforts as an Outstanding Citizen of Orleans County.
Stelianou liked the idea of the wreaths for veterans’ graves. She saw Steve Goodrich, commander of the American Legion in Lyndonville, while they were each pumping gas. She told him about an idea. She wanted to purchase a wreath for every veteran’s grave in Lyndonville. That adds up to 402.
Goodrich said that would be a nice tribute. He thought Stelianou was making a one- or two-year commitment. The annual cost is about $6,000.
Stelianou said she wanted to do it – forever. Goodrich and Stelianou then met with the Lyndonville Area Foundation and she provided the funding. The anticipated interest on the donation is enough for an endowment to pay for the wreaths for long into the future.
Stelianou said she is doing it in appreciation for the community’s kindness to her parents, Ary and Konstantina. They emigrated to Lyndonville from Greece after WWI. Stelianou also donated the money for the program in honor of her five brothers who served in WWII and the Korean War.
Stelianou said the community looked after her parents and their children, especially during the lean years of the Great Depression. Farmers in particular made sure the family had enough food to eat.
The Stelianou couple ran a small store on Main Street serving lunches, candy and ice cream. Anna Stelianou said the Lyndonville community welcomed her parents and helped them achieve the American dream.
Steve Goodrich also was presented with an Outstanding Citizen plaque today for his work on behalf of veterans in Lyndonville.
Goodrich also was recognized as an Outstanding Citizen for his efforts to organize the wreath program in Lyndonville. He worked with Wreaths Across America to arrange for the delivery and the placement of the wreaths. He had identified all the veterans’ graves about five years ago.
At the time, he was researching the veterans’ graves for when the Legion organizes placing American flags on each veteran’s grave just before Memorial Day. He was prompted to research the grave sites after a discussion with Peter Stelianou, Anna’s brother and a long-time Legion member. Peter served in World War II. He was 94 when he passed away on Nov. 8, 2018.
The wreaths were set in six cemeteries last year. Goodrich said he has since discovered about a dozen more veterans’ graves and they will have wreaths later this year.
Stelianou made another significant donation recently to assist veterans in the community. She gave money to help the Houseman-Tanner Post 1603 purchase a new ADA-certified trolley to be used in parades. The Post took possession of the trolley in June.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Steve Goodrich, commander of the American Legion in Lyndonville, and Anna Stelianou are pictured in early December 2019 at the grave of her parents, Ary and Konstantina, who emigrated to Lyndonville from Greece after WWI. Anna Stelianou provided the funding for an endowment to pay for about 400 wreaths to be set at veterans’ graves each year in Lyndonville.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 17 August 2020 at 9:37 pm
Russ Martino and Lyndonville Lions looking for long-term solution to overseeing the service
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Russ Martino stands in his barn with just a fraction of the medical equipment which has been donated to Lyndonville Lions Medical Equipment Loan Closet.
LYNDONVILLE – Russ Martino isn’t exactly sure how many years ago he helped start the Lyndonville Medical Equipment Loan Closet with fellow Lions members Jeff Johnson and Roger Wolfe.
Russ Martino of Lyndonville gets a phone call nearly every day for someone in need of a piece of medical equipment. He was instrumental in starting the Lyndonville Lions’ medical equipment loan closet several years ago. He recently announced he could no longer keep it up and has turned it over to a group of high school students and potential Lions members, called Leos.
What Martino does know is it grew into a major project for himself and the Lyndonville Lions, a project which has helped hundreds of local residents in need of medical equipment.
When the Lions first started accepting donations of medical equipment, they had about 15 items, which were stored at Jeff Johnson’s farm. Martino said things were just dropped off and no records were ever kept of who borrowed it or where they lived. He stepped up to change that.
He had a barn on his property and the items were moved there. Donations grew and grew to the point they were running out of room. Martino’s parents lived next door to him and after they died, he thought about selling their home, but didn’t want strangers living so close to him.
“I decided to clean out the house and devote it to storing the medical equipment,” Martino said.
Every room in the home is still filled with items, such as wheelchairs, crutches, hospital beds, commodes and more.
“We must have 18 to 20 hospital beds, 50 walkers and numerous wheelchairs, in addition to shower chairs, tub transfer benches, knee scooters, bed rails and more,” Martino said.
They also have an assortment of back braces, which have been donated.
Russ Martino, who helped start the Lyndonville Lions Medical Equipment Loan Closet, shows some of the medical equipment they have to loan out, including commodes, walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds and crutches.
Recently, Martino, who is 78, realized overseeing the loan closet was getting to be too much. The Lions have a group of teenage student members at Lyndonville High School called Leos, who work with the Lions on community projects. The Leos agreed to take over managing the loan closet, and about a month ago, three pickup trucks and a trailer took most of the equipment to the elementary school, where it is stored in a large area under the bleachers.
Then the question arose as to who would accept phone calls from residents requesting to borrow a piece of equipment and it was suggested the Lyndonville Lions approach Medina Lions to see if they would be interested in taking over the loan closet as a community project.
At their latest meeting, Medina Lion Jim Hancock said they appointed an exploratory committee to look into the project. The biggest issue, he said, is finding suitable space to store all the equipment.
So for now, the future of the Lyndonville Loan Closet is in limbo. One thing everyone agrees on is it is a needed community service, but one which is a big responsibility.
Local agencies also approved for significant donations
Press Release, Lyndonville Area Foundation
LYNDONVILLE – At its recent July combined annual and quarterly meetings, the Lyndonville Area Foundation actively continues its mission of community support.
The Foundation in July approved full funding for new dialysis and dialysis-related equipment to Orleans Community Health/Medina Memorial Hospital.
The Foundation’s Board of Directors also approved significant donations and grants to the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, Christ Church Community Kitchen in Albion and the Arc of Genesee/Orleans.
At its previous quarterly meeting in April, the Foundation expedited nearly $40,000 in grants throughout Orleans County including several Orleans County food pantries that had exhausted supplies for the needy due to high unemployment rates and other Covid-19 related issues.
In June, the Lyndonville Area Foundation again provided numerous scholarships to college and/or military-bound graduates from Lyndonville Central School. The Foundation has provided annual scholarships each year for nearly 25 years. Initially beginning with three scholarships of less than $5,000, the Foundation’s annual scholarship fund has since grown to a dozen scholarships totaling nearly $50,000 per year.
Three current scholarships are made possible by private contributions in liaison with the Lyndonville Area Foundation. On behalf of its board of directors, current Foundation President, Darren D. Wilson, expresses his sincere thanks for the continued support and ongoing generosity of Lyndonville’s Cook family, former Lyndonville resident Mr. Donald O. Skinner and the estate of the late Frank B. Housel, Jr., a lifelong Lyndonville resident, for making the Trevor T Cook, Skinner-Wilson and Housel scholarships, respectively, possible.
The Foundation’s Board of Directors meet again in late October.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 July 2020 at 10:55 pm
Grades 5 & 6 would be shifted to former elementary school
File photo by Tom Rivers: Lyndonville will move some classes to the former elementary school which closed after the 2011-12 school year. The district last year used part of the building for an expanded prekindergarten program.
LYNDONVILLE – The school district’s reopening plan would give all students, in grades kindergarten through 12, the chance to attend in-person classes every school day.
Lyndonville would have reduced class sizes to allow for social distancing, spacing desks at least 6 feet apart. The district would like to move grades 5 & 6 to the former elementary school on Main Street.
That building has been largely closed since after the 2011-12 school year. Last year it was used for an expanded prekindergarten program. Pre-K would stay at the former elementary school as part of the reopening plan.
The district submitted the plan (click here) to the State Education Department today. That was the deadline for the 700 school districts in the state to send in their reopening plans, which need to include options for in-person learning, a hybrid model with in-person and remote learning, and an option that is entirely remote learning.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo next week will announce whether schools can return to in-person learning this fall.
Lyndonville’s plan includes many safety precautions with masks or face coverings required to be worn in the hallways and on buses.
The district will also increase cleaning and disinfecting of classrooms, the school buildings, and buses.
There will be daily health checks, and promotion of proper hand hygiene. The district won’t be offering any after-school activities until at least Sept. 21.
If Lyndonville gets the state OK for in-person classes, students will still have the option for remote learning.
“Next week, each family will receive a survey to complete that will indicate your preference for your choice of instruction: either 100% in person or 100% remote,” District Superintendent Jason Smith said in a message to the community posted on the district’s website. “These surveys need to be returned by Friday, August 14th so we can plan accordingly.”
Smith said the district’s Re-Opening Committee has been meeting on a regular basis to develop the plan, and meet the required components from the State Department of Health and the State Education Department. The committee included representations from the Board of Education, administration, faculty, staff, parents, community and students.
Some highlights of the reopening plan include:
• Face coverings will need to be worn during passing times, on the bus, at arrival and dismissal, and when 6 feet of social distancing isn’t possible. “It is our goal to reduce the requirement for face covering as much as possible by staying with current requirements,” Smith said. “In some cases, we are assigning larger classes to larger classrooms. We are purchasing protective barriers that can be used in the classroom and lunchrooms. Disposable masks will be made available to students if needed.”
• Health screenings will be required for every staff member and student, with health checks to be done at home.
“If your child has a temperature of over 100 degrees F, experiences a new cough, respiratory distress, vomiting or shortness of breath, she/he MUST stay home,” Smith said. “I have been and will remain in regular contact with the Orleans County Health Department. We will continue to consult with the Health Department, as they will with us, of any suspected or confirmed cases, and respond accordingly by following all guidelines from State Education and the State Health Department.”
• Hygiene and Sanitation – Signage and proper hand and hygiene cleaning will be posted throughout the school, and students will be given direct instruction on this important practice. Hand sanitizer will be available in every classroom and stationed throughout the school.
• Transportation – Face coverings will need to be worn on the bus and we will social distance to the extent possible. Families should notify the district if they plan to transport their children. Buses will be cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis.
• Staggered start the first week of school – Lyndonville is planning a staggered start to the first week of school only. Not every student will start school on the same day, but within three days, all students will be on a regular schedule.
“Do not plan on every student’s first day of school being the same, as we have done every year in the past,” Smith said. “The purpose of this plan is to introduce our students and staff to the new procedures in a structured and safe basis.”
• Parent meetings will be held on Aug. 12 and Aug. 13. The Aug. 12 schedule includes noon: PreK-Grade 6; 4 p.m.: Grades 7-12; 7 p.m.: PreK to Grade 12.
The Aug. 13 schedule includes noon: grades 7-12; 4 p.m.: PreK-grade 6; 7 p.m.: PreK to Grade 12. Parents need to register for a meeting. The district sent letters to families with information about the meetings.
“We hope that all of you will return your children to school, but fully understand if you have concerns,” Smith said in his message to the community. “Again, we are offering the option for a full remote learning program, and we ask that you make that decision for the semester by August 14, 2020.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: About two thirds of respondents in a school survey said they want students back in classrooms, with precautions in place, in September. This photo shows Lyndonville’s L.A. Webber Middle-High School.
LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville Central School District recently conducted a reopening of schools survey. Over 550 family members, caregivers and staff responded with the majority, 66 percent, indicated they believe in-person school should resume in September with new procedures in place.
Last week Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Education Department released detailed school building reopening guidelines. The state developed a list of mandates and best practice recommendations. In developing Lyndonville’s reopening plan, the district will incorporate the mandates and guidance provided by the state and suggestions made through advisory meetings.
“The reopening survey reflects what we have been hearing from families,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. “Many in the Lyndonville community feel confident the district will comply with the NYS guidelines and will be able to provide a safe and healthy school environment for their children in the fall.”
The top measures the community felt the district should implement for the safety of the students and staff include:
Hand sanitizer in classrooms/common areas (90%)
Wearing masks when unable to maintain social distancing (52%)
No sharing of resources or materials (51%)
Limited hallway travel (51%).
Many parents/caregivers also indicated they would be willing to help transport their children to help reduce the number of students bused to school daily.
In addition, over 60% indicated they would like student athletics, performing arts and extracurricular activities to resume in a traditional format with reasonable safety precautions in place.
Unfortunately, the NYS Public High School Athletic Association recently voted to delay the start of the Fall 2020 sports season to Sept. 21. NYSPHSAA also canceled the Fall 2020 Regional/State Championships and are preparing to implement a condensed season schedule in January 2021 if high school sports remain prohibited due to Covid-19.
While a final decision has not yet been made by NYS to reopen in-person school this fall, Lyndonville Central School remains hopeful. The governor stated schools can reopen if the region is in Phase IV and if its daily infection rate remains below 5 percent or lower using a 14-day average. Schools will close if the regional infection rate rises above 9 percent, using a 7-day average. NYS will make the formula determination August 1-7.
“I would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the reopening survey,” said Board of Education President Theodore Lewis. “We will do the best we can to incorporate your suggestions with the NYS mandates to create a workable plan that allows our students and staff to safely return to school in September.”
The district will continue to develop their reopening plan with a series of advisory meetings this week. Lyndonville’s full reopening plan must be submitted to the state for approval by July 31. The plan will also be posted on the district website on July 31.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 July 2020 at 9:03 am
Provided photos: Roman is a seizure alert response dog in a training program by Canines 4 Hope in Palm Beach, Fla. Jade Moore, an incoming junior at Lyndonville, looks forward to meeting Roman next month. Roman will be trained to alert Jade’s family and friends if she is having an epileptic seizure.
LYNDONVILLE – There will be a fundraiser on Aug. 1 to help a Lyndonville family pay for a seizure alert dog.
The Grove Inn United Methodist Church will host Parker’s Pitt Barbecue, which will serve pulled pork or chicken with two side dishes from 1 to 4 p.m. The church is at the former Apple Grove Inn at 11004 W Center St. Ext.
Elizabeth Moore needs about $8,000 more to pay for Roman, a dog being trained by Canines 4 Hope in Palm Beach, Fla. She has $10,000 so far for the dog, with $2,500 raised through donations and $7,500 earned by working overtime at Mizkan, a vinegar plant in Lyndonville.
Her daughter, Jade Moore, epilepsy and needs to be careful around loud noises, and bright and flashing lights – which are often unpredictable. She never knows what will trigger an epileptic seizure.
She can’t watch the Lyndonville fireworks because of the exploding colors and tries to stay clear of the loud booms. Even her brothers need to be careful with the sounds and screens from video games if Jade is closeby.
The seizures aren’t always started by a thunderous noise or flashing light. Sometimes they strike while she is sleeping.
Jade will be a junior this year at Lyndonville. She has had seizures at school, with the ambulance called. It’s worrisome for her and her family, and the school, because her breathing will often slow down during a seizure.
Jade’s mother stays close to Jade at night and may need to spring into action if there is a seizure. The family, including Jade’s siblings, keep emergency pills on them to give to Jade to help bring her out of a seizure.
Each day she takes 10 different pills to help stave off the seizures. Her mother said the medication seems to work for a few weeks, then the seizures start up again and doctors try other medicines.
The family had an new challenge last month when their home burned down on Townline on June 1. They lost all of their belongings. They have since moved to Ridge Road and remain in the Lyndonville school district.
Tickets for the Aug. 1 benefit are $11. Elizabeth Moore said people can text her or call to reserve tickets at (585)735-5501. The event is drive-through only.
LYNDONVILLE – Due to the long period of warm temperatures and lack of precipitation the Lyndonville-Yates municipal system is nearing their maximum daily pumping capacity.
Any extra measures that users can voluntarily do to reduce water consumption and high volume use for the next four days would be greatly appreciated. If voluntary conservation measures are unsuccessful, mandatory conservation may be enacted.
