READING CHALLENGE
Reading Coach at GES, Erin D'Antonio celebrated with 120 students in UPK-5th grade as a reward for completing the reading challenge. Students loved dipping various snacks (fruit, graham crackers, marshmallows) in the yummy chocolate fountain. Students are now competing in the math challenge organized by 5th grade teacher, Ms. Lathers.
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WRITER'S SHOWCASE
5th graders completed their first personal narrative writing. They went through the entire writing process starting with rough drafts, then edits and revisions and lastly publishing their final piece. The writer's showcase was a chance to celebrate the progress they've made in their writing and collect more feedback from their peers. Stories covered everything from sports to summer vacations and adventures with friends to special birthdays.
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TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM
4th grade students are participating in the Trout in the Classroom initiative where they are raising trout, from eggs to fry, right in their classrooms! Bill Foster, program director, came and spoke to the students about the entire process, starting with the set-up of a cold-water trout aquarium, the trout life cycle, and how to care for the trout. Over the next 6 months, the students monitor aquarium water quality and examine the trout growth, and learn a great deal about streams! In the spring, classes take field trips to local streams to release their trout fingerlings.
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THE DANGERS OF VAPING
Mr. Weeks' junior and senior high health classes hosted Cornell student, Paul Agbaje, to talk about the dangers of vaping (also known as juuling or e-cigarettes). Vaping companies use popular teen products in advertising to target teens. Paul has worked with Jack Waxman, who created a nationally recognized campaign, "Juulers against Juul" to encourage their peers to stop juuling or better yet, never start! Please check out the two videos below for more info:
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Groton Rotary also teamed up with GCSD to host Moira McJury, from the Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County, for a parent presentation on "Vaping and Opioids". She shared how e-cigarettes are used (also referred to as e-cigs, vapes, juules, e-hookahs, vape pens). Although e-cigs do not contain tobacco, they do contain other harmful chemicals and substances, including nicotine. JUUL is a brand of e-cigarettes shaped like a USB flash drive (picture below). According to the manufacturer, one JUUL “pod” contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes. The "2018 Communities that Care Youth Survey of Tompkins County" reported that 25% of 12th graders had reported using an e-cig in the previous 30 days. The risks associated with electronic vaping on brain development are numerous, including negative effects on attention and learning processes, mood regulation, impulse control, and memory. Please review the full report to learn more or contact Moira McJury directly at,
mmcjury@alcoholdrugcouncil.org
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TEEN INSTITUTE 2019
This fall, six students in the high school, Brennan Brockway, Kaija Hoyt, Leanna Jackson, Devyn Roberts, Evan Carlo, and Jacey Hatfield, were invited to Teen Institute or "T.I." T.I. is a youth leadership program on a mission to empower positive change. Junior, Kaija Hoyt, and the others agree that it was terrifying when they first arrived and hundreds of kids from other schools greeted them with loud cheers - it was overwhelming. But by the end of the weekend, it felt like family. Brockway, sophomore, agreed. He said the activities pushed him to come out of his shell, and he left feeling like, "I can make a change." The environment at T.I. was so positive, and "it was so easy to be kind, " said Jackson, a freshman at Groton. Another freshman, Roberts, said "it was all about creating the healthiest version of yourself, mentally and physically." Students left feeling happy and inspired to make our school a better place. A special thank you to school social worker, Trina Luttinger, for organizing this amazing experience for our students!
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MINDFULNESS MONDAYS
The Junior-Senior High School student services staff met with SEL guru, Beth Dryer from TST BOCES to map out a plan for the year to support students’ Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). “Mindfulness Mondays” will take place in the cafeteria, offering students a variety of activities that promote the mind-body connection and dignity around the topic of mental health to reduce the stigma around it. Mindfulness is all-encompassing - it is about being self-aware of everything around you. Activities will include breathing exercises, color therapy, self-awareness discussions, guided meditation, positive thinking strategies, and more.
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ALICE @ WONDERLAND
Congratulations to the cast and crew of the junior high play, Alice @ Wonderland. It was a beautiful production and great performances by all! The future stage is bright with our upcoming talent. A special thank you to John Brehm, John Brehm Photography, for the beautiful photographs.
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FRESH FOOD BOX PROGRAM
We started our Fresh Food Box program to supplement our Backpack program. Nineteen families received a bag full of fresh locally grown produce and other supplies (ex. spices, pasta, sauce, a simple recipe) to create a healthy, delicious, and affordable meal for their family. These bags will go home every two weeks with a new recipe and fresh produce. This amazing program is made possible by funding from the Groton Harvest Grant.
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE - COLLECTING CAN TABS
GES is collecting can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House (RMH). The RMH makes about 75 cents a pound for the aluminum weight. This year, GES has donated 18-gallon bags worth of tabs - a new record! GES teacher, Holly McLean says, "It is so exciting to see students pulling tabs from the drinks at school and hand-delivering baggies full from home to me. They show so much pride in this." For McLean, the cause is extra special because her family stays at the RMH when she takes son, Calder, to the Children's Hospital every month or so. The House supports families in so many ways. They help families with children who are ill or in need of specialized medical care. The students, families, and community are truly helping when they send in the tabs!
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GROTON ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
We are happy to announce, Liana Klumpp, Class of 1991, as our first Groton Alumni spotlight! Janet Watkins nominated Klumpp for her volunteer work creating the illustrations for the "Izzy" book series. Klumpp started out illustrating "Izzy," the cat. The following year she added other animals. Since the third book, Klumpp has been doing all of the drawings for "Izzy's" various adventures. Watkins is grateful for Liana's willingness to do the illustrations for free, "If it weren't for her illustrations, we would not be as successful." 100% of the proceeds from the books support the Literacy Project and Izzy's Closet.
Klumpp is not an artist by profession. She works in the real estate industry as a compliance consultant, but art is in her blood. Klumpp recalls memories of the talented women she grew up with. Her mother was incredibly resourceful and could create anything. Klumpp said, "We might not have had money for the newest toy on the market, but my mom created a better home-made version - from Barbie doll houses to Cabbage Patch dolls to Smurf villages." Klumpp's grandmother was also a well-known china and watercolor painter who traveled the world attending shows and selling her art. "My grandmother taught me how to watercolor, which remains my favorite medium to work with. The Izzy drawings are created with a mixture of watercolor pencils, watercolor, and artist markers." Klumpp also credits former Groton art teacher, Mr. Venturini, for influencing her to use art to channel her emotions. This made a huge difference during the brief "rebellious" phase Klumpp went through after her parents divorced, and she had to switch schools. Klumpp appreciated Mr. Venturini's willingness to help her, "I would regularly take artwork to him that I had created at home and he would offer suggestions, honest feedback and always praise."
The "Izzy" book illustrations are a nice outlet for Klumpp that she enjoys and finds worthwhile; it is her way of giving back to the community. However, it has been challenging. Klumpp has had to figure out how to draw animals that were sometimes acting like animals and sometimes acting like humans. Her illustrations must still be recognizable in both scenarios. Then has to create a world where they looked like they belong (for instance – what does a tree look like in Izzy’s world?). She goes through lots of scrap paper trying to figure out how to make it work!
Klumpp's favorite books growing up were by Richard Scarry. She loved his illustrations because there was always so much to see. She would spend hours making up her own stories. She pulls from these memories as she creates her illustrations for the "Izzy" books. She wants kids to enjoy looking at the books and making up their own stories about Izzy's adventures even if they don't have anyone to read the book to them.
Klumpp's words of wisdom for our current students, "Whatever your passion is, find a way to make it a part of your life and don’t give up on it when life gets too busy. We need these things in our lives. These are the things that keep us going, inspire us, ground us through change, and are our therapy through the ups and downs of life."
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Sydney Coon
1st Grade
Ms. Coon is a first-year teacher with experience as a long-term sub and summer school teacher. She grew up in Madison, NY and has traveled to Australia!
Ms. Coon loves anything artsy and crafty. If she could be anything else, she would be an art teacher. She is also a big Cowboys fan and enjoys watching football!
She is having a great start to the year. She initially thought that "being a first-year teacher seemed very scary and intimidating. However, I have been given a lot of support by faculty and staff here to make me feel at home!"
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Ken Updike
Social Studies
Mr. Updike was born in Syracuse, raised in Cortland. He spent the last 18 years teaching history or coaching basketball in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Both his father and grandmother are Groton alumna so he is excited to return to the area. He is currently teaching US History and Global 1 and coaching varsity boys basketball. He is looking forward to a successful season and school year!
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Please sign up for REMIND if you haven't already:
- GES Code: @26f782
- JSHS Code: @78b62g
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Ryan Martin
Living Environment
Mr. Martin grew up in Newark Valley but has taught in Maryland and South Carolina for the last seven years.
He and his wife, Megan, have been married for a year and a half and they have a tuxedo cat named Small Potato.
Mr. Martin is a huge Red Sox fan and enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and being outdoors. The best place he has traveled to is Fulda, Germany.
He has "greatly enjoyed getting to know the students, teachers and community." He appreciates how welcoming everyone has been and is focused on making a positive impact on his students.
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GROTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
WWW.GROTONCS.ORG
400 PERU ROAD, GROTON, NY 13073
(607) 898-5301
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