High School News
April 1, 2020
Contacting the School
Our school buildings are closed to the public. On site staff in each of our buildings has been reduced to a small rotating group of essential employees. Teachers and office staff are working remotely from home.  

Teachers have posted their contact information on the Distance Learning Portal which is accessible from the District website. A staff email directory is available from the High School website. As a general rule, staff email is the person's first initial and last  name   @cortlandschools.org.

If calling our main office, please leave a voice message. We will make every effort to respond within a 24 hour period.
Technology Needs
For those who received a laptop, please read through the directions that were provided with the device. You will need to connect to your own home WiFi. If you have any questions or problems using the laptop, you can email:  helpdesk@cortlandschools.org or call: 607-758-4188.

This same email may be used if you did not previously request a laptop, but would like one.
Food Service Continues
Breakfast and lunch will be available for every student, Monday through Friday, at locations across the community from 11 a.m. to 1p.m. Locations include:
  • Barry Primary bus loop
  • Junior Senior High School bus loop
  • Randall Middle bus loop
  • Smith Intermediate bus loop
  • Virgil School bus loop
  • Additional sites added: 
  • Parker School (parent drop-off area)
  • Penguin Trailer Park (11a - noon only)
  • Rickard Street Apartments (11a - noon only)
News from the Nurse
 It is important to practice good hand washing to protect yourself and others from getting sick.
Good hand washing should be done:
  • after coughing or sneezing
  • when caring for the sick
  • before during and after you prepare food
  • before eating
  • after using the toilet
  • when hands are viable dirty
  • after handling animals or animal waste

The new term we keep hearing about is "social distancing." Together we can slow the spread of COVID-19 by making a conscious effort to keep physical distance between each other. Read more about social distancing by clicking here .
Library News
Please join the CHS Library Databases & Resources Google Classroom (code: fjomcr2) We will be updating this with all kinds of resources for you to use at home. Many companies have made their resources free during this time of learning at home. There are ebooks, audio books, databases, home makerspace activities and more. Keep checking it to see what’s new.

Don’t forget to check out Overdrive for some Ebooks to read and audio books to listen to! Use your Google login to access.

Any questions about available resources email Mr. Abbuhl
Technology Department News
Mr. Blasko and Mr. Petit took a tour with Chris Barber of Gutchess lumber just before the quarantine. Their Cortland mill is one of the largest producers of hardwood lumber in the US, and employs many Cortland alums! We are looking forward to a continued relationship with Gutchess, who have been a great community supporter of our woods program.
Science Department News
Nicole Latham, Abe Johnson, Jim Ulrich and Tami Lippert have been enjoying group chatting and still collaborating on student progress. The Earth Science team has been texting and emailing in order to keep each other informed of student progress through work and also have been working together to create Google Form answer sheets for students to submit their work. It has been a big learning curve but a great time learning all of these new technology based things with each other. Students in Earth Science have been completing their work and enjoying the videos and pictures of the day being posted by their teachers, with the hashtag, #WeAreAllInThisTogether.
Orchestra News
String and Chamber Orchestra students have been completing a variety of different assignments on Google Classroom. Ms. Miller’s personal favorite is an assignment where students get to really show their creativity by playing along with or recreating their favorite pop songs. There have been some great renditions where the students play the melody and accompany themselves with the bass line, and versions where they show off how versatile they are as musicians by playing a different instrument than their primary. Students have even submitted extra videos!

If your instrument is out of tune and you need help tuning it, you need help with your work, or you just need someone to talk to, please send an email to rimiller@cortlandschools.org and Ms. Miller will set up a Zoom Meeting with you.
First Aid, Culinary and Child Development News
First Aid and Safety students are completing the American Red Cross Blending Learning for Adults and Pediatrics CPR and AED. Students are also focusing on peer teaching of specific skills in responding to cardiac emergencies and sharing current events each week with the class.

Culinary students have been busy sharing their skills in their home kitchens with some of their favorite recipes. They are learning about baking skills while predicting the winners of the Food Network’s Spring Challenge.

Child Development students are learning about infants using the Netflix series “Babies” responding to questions and developing activities appropriate for the care, development, health and safety of infants.
Virtual Homework Help
Mr. Levinton and Miss Kinsinger are holding zoom homework help sessions Wednesdays and Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. for students who need extra assistance. Students are having a good time in these meetings and enjoying the video assignments for their math lessons. Algebra 1A is also using the online program deltamath for extra practice that the students can work on remotely.
Art News
Mr. Bender and Mrs. McMahon hosted the High School Art Show on March 11 in the West Commons. Over 200 artworks were showcased by all of their 9-12 art students. It was a well attended event taking place during the National March is Youth Art Month . Thank you to all who attended. A special thank you to all the students for your efforts on your work in the set up, providing and serving refreshments and take down of the show.
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