At Our Apalachin Elementary School
by Don Davis
- Your Community Representative of the Shared Planning and Decision Making Team

http://do.oacsd.k12.ny.us

Open House at AES

Open House Jazzy Night Review has come and gone. It went great! (See photos on previous page.) I had the privilege to work on the food line with many great volunteers ranging from students to parents and even a group of Girl Scouts that cleaned and cleared tables for me.

My first two hot dog customers were none other than Mr. Bill Motsko and Henrietta Whitney, two great, respected people in our school system. Can you imagine long-time retired school teacher Henrietta Whitney at the age of 90 still trying to teach a young man like Mr. Motsko good eating habits? She must have done well, because I didn't see Mr. Motsko going to the principal's office. Good job, Henrietta.

It was sure nice to see Henrietta take time out from her busy schedule to visit our Open House, as well as the many parents, grandparents, and friends of our students to spend the evening with us.

That approximately 1,000 people attended our Open House sure shows that AES is a great school.

From the Principal's Desk

Our Jazzy Night Review (Open House) is history. The March/April Cross Level Team did a great job putting all the pieces together to make the evening a memorable one for all involved. Our special guest, Mr. Dominic Catalano, a children's book author and illustrator, was a hit with adults and children alike. One of the nicest events of the evening was the return of many of our former students. It's always nice to see and hear what happens to the students after they leave us.

There were other events that have been part of our world over the last few weeks. We participated in the Tioga County Mathalon competition, where five of our students represented our school very well. The members of the team were Kaitlyn Schultz, Elise Morrison, Sarah Russell, Adam Sabol, and Jonathan Yard. The coach was Mr. Lewis. We also had the second annual Student Council sponsored Talent Show. The special adults involved with this project included Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Zalepa and Mrs. Van Houten. The family night of dancing was the finishing touch to the week of March 22.

When we return from Spring Break, we will begin standardized testing for grades three through five. The tentative schedule calls for us to test the last two weeks in April. More detailed information will be forthcoming as it becomes available.

April is our Environmental month. We will be having a bottle drive soon after we return. All proceeds will go to the purchase of flowers and plants to beautify the area around the building. We will also begin working on our outdoor classrooms between the primary and intermediate wings, as soon as the weather breaks.

All parents should mark April 22 on their calendars. The AESP+G will have a general meeting that evening, centering on college planning. This is a topic that should be of interest to all parents. This presentation will not be a sales pitch, but rather will be informational.

All in all, the next few weeks should be anything but boring for all involved.