It’s been a bustling time for Home and Career students at the Middle School, as they ready for the 10^th Annual “Valentines for Vets” Breakfast, on Tuesday, Feb. 13. 

In the sewing room, fifth and sixth graders collaborated to create a quilt and pillowcases to be raffled at the event. Seventh grade students rolled up their sleeves in the kitchen to prepared baked goods and fruit assortments. 

On Tuesday, seventh graders will also cook breakfast items and serve our honored guests and their families. The entire school community is looking forward to welcome our veterans to show them our care and appreciation. 

Warwick Valley High School is proud to honor Dane Sorensen as this week’s Bill Garcia ALLSTATE Insurance Student-Athlete of the Week.

Dane Sorensen, Student-Athlete of the Week

Dane is the Division, County and Section IX 2018 Champion in the pole vault. He qualified for the 111th NYRR Millrose Games with an indoor vault of 14’7.25″. Dane will be looking to qualify for the NYSPHSAA State Championships on Saturday, Feb. 24, at West Point.   

Upon graduation, Dane plans to pursue education and history. He has applied to Cortland, High Point University, and the University of Rhode Island. He has taken a challenging course load and is enrolled in AP government and politics for college credit.

Dane is currently completing his Eagle Scout rank for Boys Scout Troop 121 of Greenwood Lake, NY.  He is the son of Robert and Lisa Sorensen of Greenwood Lake. His sister Madeline is a sophomore at Warwick Valley High School.

High School members of SADD.

Of six students gathered for a recent meeting of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), four are close to someone whose life has been affected by substance abuse. They know it’s a problem in their community, and among their peers. They wish adults would acknowledge it and talk about it. They wish their peers would listen.

SADD is primarily concerned with promoting smart decisions and positive behaviors. The club’s awareness and prevention efforts begin at the Middle School. During Red Ribbon Week in October, SADD members set up shop in the school’s cafeteria and invited students to pledge to make smart decisions and achieve their future goals. The pledges were posted on a banner that now hangs in the cafeteria. This spring, SADD members will bring a “just say no” message to the middle schoolers during health classes.

Banner created by SADD members and Middle School students during Red Ribbon Week.

Concerns of SADD members…

“I joined SADD because of what it stands for, and because I was aware of the prevalence of substance abuse,” said Anabel Field, a junior. She finds that her peers don’t take these issues seriously enough.

Club president Emma Davis, a senior, has been with the club since it resumed in 2016-17. She is most proud of the club’s Red Ribbon Week pledge banner at the middle school, but she is cognizant of what they are up against. “Drug abuse has become such a common place that some of our peers don’t think we can have an impact,” Emma said. “We are growing and trying out different things, but it’s a process.”

Jillian Queen, a junior, is especially concerned with the awareness aspect of the group’s efforts. “Kids get involved with substance abuse without considering the consequences, Jillian said. “They don’t think they run the risk of becoming addicted, or that it can ruin their lives, but actions have consequences.”

Natalie Manelis, senior, believes that a motivational speaker could have a powerful impact. “I saw Marc Mero online presenting to an high school assembly,” Natalie said. “He left everyone crying. I was crying. I contacted him, and he said he’d be happy to speak to our school.” Natalie is also concerned about the prevalence of vaping among younger teens. “I know 14-year-old kids who are already addicted to nicotine.”

A conversation with Raymond Mark, SADD advisor…

I always felt that this was important. Kids need help making good decisions. It’s nice to know we have students concerned about their peers,” said club advisor Raymond Mark, a math teacher. “We’re here to help them, help each other.”

According to Mr. Mark, while substance abuse and other destructive decisions are difficult subjects, mired in negativity, SADD is focused on engaging students in positive activities.

That was the case with a recent flower fundraiser conceived around the idea of spreading positive messages, from student to student. Participants purchased a carnation and chose a positive message from a selection of 12. SADD members delivered their flowers and messages to the intended recipient: “Thank you for being a friend”; “You are amazing…just the way you are”; “You are important to me”; or simply, “Hakuna Matata!”

In its comeback year, the club attracted only six students. Now, in its second academic year, the club has 20 members. “We want to grow our numbers, so we can get more students involved, and get them ready to empower themselves to make better decisions,” Mr. Mark said. “If we can change one person’s outlook, we’ve done our job.”

You can never know too much about penguins, or science. Third and fourth graders at Sanfordville Elementary were only too happy to host penguin expert, Nicole Bender, a Class of 2010 Warwick graduate.

Ms. Bender began her research with penguins as part of her graduate work at Stony Brook University. She traveled to Antarctica to collect demographic data on penguin populations and contribute to an environmental study on the impact of climate change on ecosystems.

Students were eager to listen to Ms. Bender’s exciting experiences in the South Pole, and they gained valuable insight into the nature of field work and its role in scientific research.

Braving 35 windy degrees, Sanfordville fourth graders followed members of the Warwick Historical Society (WHS) on a historic walkabout of the school grounds.

The tour began at the historic site of the DeKay House, a small area around the school’s flagpole. Yellow tape delineated the walls of what was once the home of the DeKay family, settled here in 1724. The original 1200-acre property was owned by the Wawayanda Patent and negotiated with the local Lenape tribes. The land would later be sold to the Baird and Sanford families and farmed till the late 1900’s–before becoming the home of Sanfordville Elementary.

Tour guide Lisa-Ann Weisbrod, WHS executive director, made several historic connections, including the French, Indian and Revolutionary wars. References to notable military officers promoted a conversation about local road and street names.  

Students were also challenged to imagine the reason behind certain practices of the early settlers, such as building homes close to a road, or with very low ceilings.

While the tour is mainly about early history, the recent installation of the solar project on school property bought recent history into the discussion.

The historic walkabout is but one of several programs offered to Warwick schools by the Warwick Historical Society.

Congratulations to Mr. Vezza’s Grade 8 English honors class

Essays created by Grade 8 English honors students at Warwick Valley Middle School (WVMS) were part of the Empire State 2018 Dr. King Fine Arts and Essays Exhibit, Jan. 8-Feb. 28. WVMS’s contribution was recognized with a certificate of appreciation from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Proudly displayed on the concourse of the Empire State Plaza, the essays submitted by Elio Vezza’s English honors students were a source of inspiration to the thousands of visitors commemorating Black History Month and the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Your creative work is a meaningful commentary on the life of a visionary leader and civil rights advocate who understood the importance of education in the lives of our youth,” Governor Cuomo said in his words of appreciation to participating students.

The annual Chair Auction spectacular will culminate the combined STEAM Fair and K-12 “Rock-n-Roll Art Show” at the Warwick Valley High School on May 11. Doors open at 5 p.m. 

“Rock-n-Roll Art Show” Program

Auction item #4: Rustic Gardening by Vanessa Bosch.

• K-12 Student Artwork Exhibit – 5-7 p.m. – WVHS main lobby, old gym, north cafe and adjoining hallways
• Newspaper-Dress Fashion Show – 6:30 p.m. – WVHS main lobby
• Chair Auction – WVHS lobby – Silent Bidding begins at 7 – Advanced online bidding is now open.

About the Chair Auction                         

Art students transform ordinary chairs – stools or benches – into works of art, painting them in the style of an art movement, technique or particular artist. Chair artists include the junior and senior art portfolio class and art faculty.  

Ranging wildly in style and theme, there’s a chair for everyone in this year’s 25+ collection. Arrive early to find yours, or go online for a sneak preview and advanced bidding.

The Chair Auction benefits a scholarship fund for WVHS seniors who plan to pursue art in college. The “Rock-n-Roll Art Show” is co-sponsored by the WVHS Art Department and Warwick Art Booster Club. 

There are hundreds of e-cigarette brands on the market, and they are now the most commonly used tobacco products among youth. Middle and high school students are increasingly using these battery-operated devices, often marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, to inhale nicotine, THC and various synthetic chemicals.

And that has health officials – and school officials – worried.

Inhaling liquid nicotine is concerning on its own, but vaping unknown and potentially more dangerous and damaging substances is even more so, they say – and parents need to be on the alert.
 

Vaping: What is it?

Vaping is the “act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, produced by an e-cigarette or similar device,” according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (NCASA).

Vaping has become more popular among teens than regular cigarettes, especially since vaping devices can be used to inhale flavored substances – such as mint, crème brûlée or mango – and substances that contain nicotine or THC, the chemical compound in marijuana that produces the high.

E-cigarettes also can be used to vaporize opiates and synthetic substances.

What do e-cigarettes look like?

Many e-cigarettes and vaping devices look like everyday items – such as pens, asthma inhalers, iPods and lipstick tubes – which makes it easy to disguise their use. One popular vaping device that kids are bringing to school these days is the Juul vaporizer, which looks like a USB flash drive and can be charged by plugging it into a laptop. The Juul is small enough to conceal inside an enclosed hand and comes in eight different kid-appealing flavors. Packaging designs for some vaping liquids look a lot like popular candies, which could confuse some children and lead to accidental poisonings.

Is vaping safe?

Some people claim that vaping is less harmful than smoking, but “safer” does not equal safe. Nicotine – in any form – is a highly addictive drug. Teenage years are critical to brain development, which continues into adulthood. Vaping over a long period of time puts individuals at risk for negative long term effects, including:

• Damage to the brain, heart and lungs;
• Cancerous tumor development; 
• Pre-term deliveries and stillbirths in pregnant women.

What are the risks associated with vaping?

While researchers are still learning about the effects of e-cigarettes, some dangers are clear, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control:

• Chemicals in e-liquids can be more concentrated and dangerous than chemicals in a cigarette.
• Inhaling from a vape pen or e-cigarette that contains nicotine or THC could amplify the drug’s side effects.
• The additional synthetic chemicals that make up e-liquids – such as synthetic marijuana – could expose the lungs to a variety of chemicals, including carcinogens and toxic metal nanoparticles.
• Chemicals from these devices can damage the inside of the mouth and create sores.

Are nicotine-free e-cigarettes safe?

Many teens – and adults – are under the impression that it’s safe to inhale nicotine-free water vapors, but recent studies say otherwise.

Much of the respiratory risk appears to come from the flavoring agents found in some e-cigarettes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. When inhaled, these flavoring agents can cause “popcorn lung” – a scarring of the tiny air sacs in the lungs that results in the thickening and narrowing of airways. Popcorn lung mirrors the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says e-cigarettes are not safe for young adults. Some of the risk comes from the aerosol itself, which can contain lead, volatile organic compounds and cancer-causing agents.

Are there any regulations to protect my children?

Currently, there are no safety regulations in place related to e-cigarettes. The FDA states that minors are not permitted to buy e-cigarettes in stores or online, but that doesn’t prevent an underage person from buying them online by simply clicking a button that says they are 21 or older.

In New York state, e-cigarettes are treated the same as regular cigarettes. Vaping is banned in all public spaces, including bars and restaurants, the workplace, on public transportation, inside all public and private schools and colleges, and in outdoor areas where smoking is forbidden.

Did you know?

• Half of middle school students who use e-cigarettes say they were the first type of tobacco product they ever used. Source: NCASA
• More than 60 percent of teens believe occasional use of e-cigarettes causes only little or some harm. Source: U.S. Surgeon General
• Many teenagers post photos on Instagram of themselves vaping or holding vaping devices. Source: U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency

What can parents do?

Find information about vaping and how to talk with your children about the risks here:
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Know the Risks: E-cigarettes and Young People

Parent Today Article: Vapin’ in the boys’ room

Congratulations to WVHS Honors Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble, first-place winners of the Music in the Parks Festival and competition in Agawam, MA, last weekend. 

The Jazz Ensemble received the top trophy for the highest scores in its class. Sophomore Granger Ottley was honored with the most outstanding jazz soloist medal. Both bands received the “Esprit de Corps” award for demonstrating the best spirit, professionalism and maturity throughout the festival.

Would you know what to look for if you suspected your teen was using drugs or alcohol?

This FREE interactive and informational workshop can help.

HIDDEN MISCHIEF
Monday, June 4
7 pm
WVMS Media Center

• 7 – 7:45 pm – First walk-through of mock teenage bedroom
• 7:45 – 8:15 pm – Facilitated discussion
• 8:15 – 9 pm  – Second walk-through of mock teenage bedroom

Sponsored by the Warwick Valley Community Center and Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Orange County.

The artwork of Warwick Valley Middle School seventh graders (2017-18) takes center stage in the debut exhibit of a StoryWalk project at the Albert Wisner Public Library.

A celebration of children’s literacy through the students’ portrayals of favorite childhood storybook characters, Warwick’s premiere StoryWalk is installed on the library grounds, along the grassy path extending between the new patio area and the far end of the parking lot.  Future StoryWalk exhibits will present picture books, frame-by-frame, and give children the opportunity to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time.

StoryWalk® was conceived and developed in Montpelier, VT, with the support of its public library.  There are now StoryWalks® in all 50 states and in 14 countries across Europe and Asia.

The first of its kind in Orange County, Warwick’s StoryWalk project was made possible by the generous support of the Albert Wisner Public Library Foundation, and members of the Village of Warwick Department of Public Works who installed the standing frames.  

The current exhibit will be on view through mid-September. A new StoryWalk will go up in time for the Children’s Book Festival on October 6.

You’re feeling anxious about sending your child off to kindergarten, and rightfully so. We get it. It’s kind of a big deal. Routines can reduce anxiety and provide predictability — and children crave predictability. This Parent Today article offers a few strategies to help make the transition to kindergarten a smooth one.

A free email newsletter produced by Capital Region BOCES, Parent Today helps parents play a more engaged and supportive role in their children’s education. In addition to age and development-appropriate topics with accessible, easy-to-implement tools and strategies, Parent Today also addresses current issues and developments in the education landscape.  

The start of the new school year can be an anxious time for children, who see their daily routines change overnight. But what is the start of a new school year like for students who might have ADHD, be on the autism spectrum, suffer from anxiety or have other concerns that impact learning?

This Parent Today article offers helpful insight and suggestions for parents, teachers and staff to help ease the transition for students with special needs.

A free email newsletter produced by Capital Region BOCES, Parent Today helps parents play a more engaged and supportive role in their children’s education. In addition to age and development-appropriate topics with accessible, easy-to-implement tools and strategies, Parent Today also addresses current issues and developments in the education landscape.  

September is National Attendance Awareness Month. 

Every Student Present is a public awareness campaign developed by the New York State Council on Children and Families. It is intended to help families, school leaders and communities understand the importance of consistent school attendance and the impact of absences on student learning. 

Parents/guardians, you can go to everystudentpresent.org for helpful resources, including short videos, on these important topics:

• Boost your child’s confidence: Helping children gain confidence and build coping skills

There are times when getting children to school can be a struggle because children are anxious. They may feel uncomfortable being in new situations or feel uncertain about their ability to get along with others. This section describes times when children may worry about school and offers ways you can work with your children to help them feel more comfortable and confident in new situations and settings.

• Keep your child on track with school work: Supporting children’s learning

Children who are struggling with schoolwork can become frustrated and look for ways to avoid going to school. Our goal is to provide them with the support they need so they feel good about learning and good about themselves. Parents and teachers need to work together to help children can succeed in school and feel connected.

• Keep your child healthy: Effects of health on school attendance

There are times when children need to miss school due to typical childhood illnesses. Learn how to reduce the amount of time your children miss school due to health concerns.

• Protect your child from bullies: Confronting bullying

Children may want to stay home from school if they are being bothered by bullies. This section provides information on how you can learn if children are being upset and what you can do to support them.

September is National Attendance Awareness Month. 

Every Student Present is a public awareness campaign developed by the New York State Council on Children and Families. It is intended to help families, school leaders and communities understand the importance of consistent school attendance and the impact of absences on student learning.  

Parents/guardians, you can go to everystudentpresent.org for helpful resources, including short videos, on these important topics:

• Boost your child’s confidence: Helping children gain confidence and build coping skills

There are times when getting children to school can be a struggle because children are anxious. They may feel uncomfortable being in new situations or feel uncertain about their ability to get along with others. This section describes times when children may worry about school and offers ways you can work with your children to help them feel more comfortable and confident in new situations and settings.

• Keep your child on track with school work: Supporting children’s learning

Children who are struggling with schoolwork can become frustrated and look for ways to avoid going to school. Our goal is to provide them with the support they need so they feel good about learning and good about themselves. Parents and teachers need to work together to help children succeed in school and feel connected.

• Keep your child healthy: Effects of health on school attendance

There are times when children need to miss school due to typical childhood illnesses. Learn how to reduce the amount of time your children miss school due to health concerns.

• Protect your child from bullies: Confronting bullying

Children may want to stay home from school if they are being bothered by bullies. This section provides information on how you can learn if children are being upset and what you can do to support them.

September is National Attendance Awareness Month. 

Every Student Present is a public awareness campaign developed by the New York State Council on Children and Families. It is intended to help families, school leaders and communities understand the importance of consistent school attendance and the impact of absences on student learning.  

Parents/guardians, you can go to everystudentpresent.org for helpful resources, including short videos, on these important topics:

• Boost your child’s confidence: Helping children gain confidence and build coping skills

There are times when getting children to school can be a struggle because children are anxious. They may feel uncomfortable being in new situations or feel uncertain about their ability to get along with others. This section describes times when children may worry about school and offers ways you can work with your children to help them feel more comfortable and confident in new situations and settings.

• Keep your child on track with school work: Supporting children’s learning

Children who are struggling with schoolwork can become frustrated and look for ways to avoid going to school. Our goal is to provide them with the support they need so they feel good about learning and good about themselves. Parents and teachers need to work together to help children succeed in school and feel connected.

• Keep your child healthy: Effects of health on school attendance

There are times when children need to miss school due to age-typical illnesses. Learn how to reduce the amount of time your children miss school due to health concerns.

• Protect your child from bullies: Confronting bullying

Children may want to stay home from school if they are being bothered by bullies. This section provides information on how you can learn if children are being upset and what you can do to support them.

September is National Attendance Awareness Month. 

Every Student Present is a public awareness campaign developed by the New York State Council on Children and Families. It is intended to help families, school leaders and communities understand the importance of consistent school attendance and the impact of absences on absences on student learning. 

Parents/guardians, you can go to everystudentpresent.org for helpful resources, including short videos, on these important topics:

• Boost your child’s confidence: Helping children gain confidence and build coping skills

There are times when getting children to school can be a struggle because children are anxious. They may feel uncomfortable being in new situations or feel uncertain about their ability to get along with others. This section describes times when children may worry about school and offers ways you can work with your children to help them feel more comfortable and confident in new situations and settings.

• Keep your child on track with school work: Supporting Children’s Learning

Children who are struggling with schoolwork can become frustrated and look for ways to avoid going to school. Our goal is to provide them with the support they need so they feel good about learning and good about themselves. Parents and teachers need to work together to help children succeed in school and feel connected.

• Keep your child healthy: Effects of health on school attendance

There are times when children need to miss school due to typical childhood illnesses. Learn how to reduce the amount of time your children miss school due to health concerns.

• Protect your child from bullies: Confronting bullying

Children may want to stay home from school if they are being bothered by bullies. This section provides information on how you can learn if children are being upset and what you can do to support them.

September is National Attendance Awareness Month. 

Every Student Present is a public awareness campaign developed by the New York State Council on Children and Families. It is intended to help families, school leaders and communities understand the importance of consistent school attendance and the impact of absences on student learning.  

Parents/guardians, you can go to everystudentpresent.org for helpful resources, including short videos, on these important topics:

• Boost your child’s confidence: Helping children gain confidence and build coping skills

There are times when getting children to school can be a struggle because children are anxious. They may feel uncomfortable being in new situations or feel uncertain about their ability to get along with others. This section describes times when children may worry about school and offers ways you can work with your children to help them feel more comfortable and confident in new situations and settings.

• Keep your child on track with school work: Supporting children’s learning

Children who are struggling with schoolwork can become frustrated and look for ways to avoid going to school. Our goal is to provide them with the support they need so they feel good about learning and good about themselves. Parents and teachers need to work together to help children succeed in school and feel connected.

• Keep your child healthy: Effects of health on school attendance

There are times when children need to miss school due to age-typical illnesses. Learn how to reduce the amount of time your children miss school due to health concerns.

• Protect your child from bullies: Confronting bullying

Children may want to stay home from school if they are being bothered by bullies. This section provides information on how you can learn if children are being upset and what you can do to support them.

Three weeks into the school year and you’re still trying to organize the kids’ new schedules and routines. Are they keeping up with their homework assignments? Is Junior having trouble focusing and staying on task? Did Annie miss soccer practice yesterday? Is everyone doing their part to help around the house? Well, you know what comes next: There’s an app for that! This Parent Today article shares 10 of them. Find the right ones for your family. 

A free email newsletter produced by Capital Region BOCES, Parent Today helps parents play a more engaged and supportive role in their children’s education. In addition to age-appropriate topics with easy-to-implement tools and strategies, Parent Today addresses current issues and developments in the education landscape. 

You’re getting breakfast ready for the family, running late for work, when your third grader announces he doesn’t like today’s school lunch and asks you for a bagged lunch. Let him do it! In fact, tomorrow let the kids prepare their own breakfast, and leave the house feeling less stressed.  

This Parent Today article offers tips on how to get started and what to expect. You may be off to a bumpy start, but they’ll soon get the hang of it, and everyone will benefit.

“It’s empowering for children,” says clinical social worker, writer and parenting coach Carla Naumburg. “It helps them build confidence in themselves, it helps them feel connected to the family in a meaningful way, and kids really crave that.” 

A free email newsletter produced by Capital Region BOCES, Parent Today helps parents play a more engaged and supportive role in their children’s education. In addition to age-appropriate topics with easy-to-implement tools and strategies, Parent Today addresses current issues and developments in the education landscape.