This month, our food service program is celebrating the delicious, locally grown New York potato!
Did you know New York ranks 14th in the U.S. for potato production, with many of those potatoes coming right from Wyoming County? It’s true!
Last Friday, our talented food service team prepared homemade potato salad, which was offered on our salad bar and as a grab-and-go sample. The feedback from students was fantastic with “Delicious,” “Two thumbs up,” and “Can I have some more?” just some of the comments we heard from our kiddos.
This tasty dish is now a part of our rotating specialty salad bar offerings, bringing fresh, local flavors to our school! Stay tuned for more exciting Harvest of the Month features and student taste tests!
We were walking down the hall earlier this week when, out of the corner of our eye, we spotted three of Mrs. Sarah Michalak’s 1st period global history students sporting some, shall we say, unusual headwear.
We obviously had to investigate further and, as it turns out, Michalak’s freshmen students were in the middle of performing a skit about how Ashoka, a king of the Mauryan Empire in modern-day India, converted to Buddhism which, in turn opened the door to religious tolerance in his kingdom and the eventual spread of Buddhism across Asia.
The skit is part of students’ ongoing unit on classical civilizations, said Michalak.
We’ve got to give it up for Emmitt Vincton, whose portrayal of a Buddhist scholar was PARTICULARLY compelling.
Just a quick shout out to our own Ms. Jenelle Bauer, who’s created a comfortable environment in her 5th period classroom where her students can learn casually and often through conversation.
In fact, students are so comfortable that when it’s time to buckle down, they have no problem at all kicking off their shoes and getting to work - literally!
(Photo courtesy of Melissa Brooks)
Our 7th-12th grade chorus students took in a performance of “The Lion King” at Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo last week and let us tell you - these Blue Devils were NOT sleeping that night because they just couldn’t wait… to see this show!
(We’ll see ourselves out)
Join us in offering our hearty congratulations to our December High School Students of the Month!
McKenna Green, our Student of the Month for 9th grade, was nominated by Mrs. Becky Sphar for her “consistent willingness to help with any task, no matter how big or small.”
“McKenna is always eager to lend a hand,” Sphar continued, “and her positive attitude and commitment to making good choices and treating others with kindness make her a true role model for her peers.”
Mrs. Elizabeth Winters nominated sophomore Justin Stockweather as Student of the Month for 10th grade.
“Justin has a positive attitude during class, actively participates, is well behaved, and has a good sense of humor,” Winters said. “He’s recently made good use of some test-taking strategies and has really improved his performance on assessments in a variety of content areas.”
Junior Carrie Harris is our Student of the Month for 11th grade.
“Carrie is polite to her teachers and peers,” said Mrs. Joy Stoldt, Carrie’s nominator. “She tries her best and works hard to complete her assignments and is outgoing in sports.”
Ms. Jocelyn Pierce nominated our 12th grade Student of the Month, Bailey Nixon, in no small part because of her consistent service as secretary for the class of 2025, a position she’s held since she was a freshman.
“Her role as secretary goes above and beyond recording minutes. Bailey has helped collect non-participation fees, help with organization and collection of fundraisers, and has helped tremendously with homecoming activities and the floats,” said Pierce. “For Christmas hall decorating, Bailey and her friend, Catharine, hung up all of the paper decorations without help from any other classmates. They gave up their time to make the halls look amazing.”
Outside her involvement in student government, Pierce said Bailey is respected by her teachers and classmates, always has a smile on her face, is a top 10 student and dominant athlete.
“Attica will definitely miss her next year,” Pierce said.
Rob Crowley, our varsity boys basketball coach, organized his team’s first Teacher Appreciation Night seven years ago and the tradition has been going strong ever since.
“I’d seen other teams do this across Section V before but it was something I felt was really necessary here at our school,” said Crowley. “I think it’s a good opportunity for our student athletes to connect back to their classrooms and recognize teachers that have had a positive impact on them over the years.”
This year, we decided to tag along and grab a little footage as our varsity basketball players headed to their chosen teachers’ classrooms to tell them they’d been selected and some of the reasons why they’re appreciated.
Check it out at the link below - might want to have a few tissues on hand before you watch this one, though!
This year’s Teacher Recognition Night ceremony will take place Jan. 21 immediately prior to the Blue Devils’ 7 p.m. home game against Kendall.
We hope you’re able to join us!
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePTjJZ0qzMs
Meet our Food Service All-Star for January - Kayla George!
Kayla, a cook at Attica Elementary School, has brought enthusiasm, energy and amazing new ideas to Prospect Street.
With the support of her dedicated team, December was an unforgettable month for students enjoying breakfast and lunch in our cafeteria. From introducing Waffle, our Elementary School’s Elf on the Shelf, to special Grinch Day treats and festive decorations, Kayla truly brought holiday magic to both students and staff alike.
“She continues to go above and beyond for our students in the cafeteria,” said Teacher Assistant Ashlee Camp, who nominated Kayla as an All-Star.
“Kayla has been an amazing addition to our building this year, always greeting the staff and students with a smile,” added Elementary School Principal Sherry Bennett. “She goes out of her way to check in with the students and helps them whenever she can. Her positive attitude is contagious and we’re lucky to have her on the team!”
Looking forward to 2025, Kayla is excited about our team's Farm to School Program and expanding special events for our students.
Thank you, Kayla, for your hard work and unwavering dedication to the students of Attica Elementary and congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!
PLEASE SHARE: The Attica Landmark Society will present a screening of "Conversations with Friends" next week in our Performing Arts Center, 3338 E. Main Street Rd., Attica.
The documentary showcases the lives of four local residents who tell their stories regarding World War II.
All proceeds will go toward the restoration of the chapel at Forest Hill Cemetery in Attica.
The screening is set for Tuesday, Jan. 7 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Let us be the first to wish you a Happy New Year, Blue Devils!
Heads up, Blue Devils - our fall newsletter will be delivered in this weekend’s edition of the Attica Penny Saver.
You can also read it on our website at the link below.
Link: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/2319/ACSD/5140962/Attica_Fall_Newsletter_Final.pdf
Merry Christmas, Blue Devils!
Santa’s Workshop returned to Attica Elementary last week!
This annual pop-up holiday market is a great way for our youngest students to shop for holiday gifts for members of their family.
Many thanks to our National Honor Society members, many of whom volunteered to help students shop, and the Attica Elementary Parent Teacher Group, which organized this year’s market - they did a great job!
We’ve decided to center final Attica All-Star recognitions of 2024 on the theme of giving and highlight one staff member in each of our three school buildings who goes above and beyond to improve the lives of those around them.
In the elementary school, our Attica All-Star is Nurse Missy Dispenza!
“In addition to coordinating the collection of items at Thanksgiving and Christmas for the Attica Basket Committee, Missy also coordinates and maintains the collection of clothing, shoes, jackets, hats, and mittens for kids that may be in need,” said Elementary School Principal Sherry Bennett. “The collects, washes, sorts and organizes these items all year round so that we are able to ensure our students have exactly what they need. This year she also helped to collect holiday apparel so that more students are able to participate in our theme/dress up days and no one was left out.”
Our Attica All-Star from the middle school is fifth grade teacher Heather Smith, who also serves as advisor of our National Junior Honor Society chapter.
“Heather exemplifies generosity and dedication through her unwavering commitment to community service. As the advisor for the National Junior Honor Society, she inspires students to give back and engage in meaningful activities,” said Middle School Principal Paul Clark. “Her leadership in organizing a food drive for Gateway House demonstrates her compassion for those in need, while her efforts in coordinating our recent Wounded Warrior speaker event and walk-a-thon showcase her commitment to supporting veterans. Through these initiatives, Heather not only fosters a spirit of service among her students but also makes a significant impact in the community.”
Our high school Attica All-Star is Matt Struzik who, among many other things, takes a leading role in coordinating the Attica Basket Committee and We Care Club’s annual Holiday Gift Drive.
This year, the drive helped provide a merrier Christmas for 96 students from 32 families within the Attica Central School District.
Congratulations to our three Attica All-Stars and thank you for setting a positive example for our students, and us, to emulate!
Earlier this week, members of our 5th/6th Grade Chorus and 7th/8th Grade Band visited The Manor House Senior Living Facility in Batavia to spread a bit of musical, holiday cheer among residents.
Students sang and played Christmas carols and even had their picture taken with a couple residents who are from Attica.
“Students then went to St. Luke’s church in Attica, where they performed for the Attica seniors group and then frosted cookies with the seniors,” said Music Teacher Julie Daley, who accompanied students on the field trip. “It was a great time with lots of good conversation, laughs and wonderful memories for everybody involved.”
(Photos courtesy of Julie Daley)
Our Middle School teachers and staff wish you a happy holiday!
We welcomed a special visitor down at Attica Elementary School earlier this week!
(Don’t worry, Mrs. Bennett checked to make sure his heart was still a size too big before we let him in the door).
And make sure you check out the video from his visit we posted over on our YouTube channel at the link below!
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbFqZGLhJVM
Our third graders have been working extremely hard over the past couple weeks learning about Christmas traditions from around the world.
Yesterday, they shared what they’d learned with their classmates, presenting in small groups on the holiday traditions of their assigned countries.
Great job, third graders!
(Photos courtesy of Molly Kirsch)
At our Fresh Connections Club meeting earlier this month, students combined creativity, teamwork, and delicious snacks to create a memorable and productive evening.
To start, students made loaded baked potatoes in the microwave—a quick and easy snack they can replicate at home. They enjoyed personalizing their potatoes with a variety of toppings like butter, cheese, sour cream, and green onions while learning how to make a simple, nutritious meal independently.
Once energized, the students turned their attention to decorating the FACS and Ag hallway. Using colorful streamers, banners, and hand-drawn designs, they worked together to create a vibrant display that highlights the Fresh Connections Club, Farm to School initiative, and Agriculture Program. The hallway now celebrates our mission to connect local farming with healthy eating and raise awareness about agriculture's importance in our school and community!
After completing the decorations, the group shifted to the kitchen for a sweet treat. Students baked chocolate chip cookies and prepared personalized hot cocoa, adding marshmallows, whipped cream, cinnamon sprinkles, or caramel drizzle to make it their own. This activity brought joy and warmth to the evening, as students enjoyed their creations together.
To wrap up the meeting, each family received a produce box packed with fresh fruits and vegetables from the farm stand. This thoughtful gesture allowed students to bring a piece of the club's mission home, sharing fresh, local produce with their families.
(Photos courtesy of Becky Sphar and Jenelle Bauer)
We know you’ll join us in congratulating our Attica Middle School November Students of the Month!
McKayla Spencer is our 5th grade Student of the Month and was nominated by Mrs. Dawn Woodhouse and Mrs. Krystal Dominick.
“McKayla is always kind and goes above and beyond,” said Woodhouse. “She’s a wonderful student and friend to her classmates.”
Added Dominick: “McKayla is an absolute pleasure to have in class. She is responsible, hard-working, bright, and most importantly kind and respectful. We can always count on McKayla to do the right thing and be a good classmate and friend, but more importantly to be true to herself!”
Mrs. Melissa Mitchell and Mrs. Allison Cali nominated our 6th grade Student of the Month, Emma Lathigee, for consistently doing things to make the middle school a better place.
“Emma spends much of her time encouraging others by writing kind notes for her peers and teachers and is a good friend to everyone,” said Cali. “She's kind, positive, and has a great attitude each day. She lightens our class with her upbeat attitude and smile!”
Our 7th grade Student of the Month is Arianny Rudolph, who’s a new student this year having previously attended school in Texas.
Arianny was nominated by Mrs. Jody Hruby, who described her student as a ”polite, well-mannered and extremely diligent” student.
“This past week she forgot her book and was not able to complete an in-class assignment to the best of her ability,” said Hruby. “The next day she brought me a sheet of lined paper with the questions she remembered and extremely detailed answers to be sure I knew she'd read the book and cared about the work. I'm impressed by her!”
Hruby also nominated our 8th grader Student of the Month, Makayla Foster.
“Makayla is a beacon of kindness,” Hruby said. “She welcomes everyone to her table at lunch, is always eager to share a smile and is a source of daily encouragement for a classmate who likes to write songs and sing. Makayla demonstrates good character and is a great friend.”
Our Food Service Team and Cafeteria Committee are always striving to enhance the Blue Devils meal experience.
Earlier this week, Food Service Director Kris Wicks, Cook Shawn Drysdale, Farm-to-School Coordinator Alicia Spoth and Attica Board of Education members Thane Wright and Susan Herman attended the New York School Nutrition Association’s Regional Industry Seminar in Rochester.
They explored new menu items, revisited some fan favorites and brainstormed creative ideas to continue growing our school meal menus.
We're so grateful for this dedicated team and their commitment to providing delicious and nutritious meals for our students - thank you for everything you do!
