Attica Central School District

We had 20 donors give blood at ConnectLife’s blood drive earlier this week! Many thanks to all who donated - Blue Devils know how to come through when it matters most! (Photos courtesy of Lisa Young)

Reading rocks, so wear silly socks! We love to see the different ways teachers get our students excited about reading - well done, Mrs. Fagan!

What’s a meal without a little dessert? Deputy Sam West puts the cherry on top of our Reading Week with the classic “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” by Laura Numeroff, illustrations by Felicia Bond. Head on over to our YouTube channel at the link below to watch it now! A huge shout out to our guest readers and members of our food service staff who worked long and hard to make Reading Week extra special for our kiddos. And thank you to all of YOU for following along with us this week! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdynO_delE4

It’s our fifth and final day of Reading Week and we decided to make it a twofer! First up, Counselor Amanda Crowley whets our appetites with “Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party,” by James and Kimberly Dean. You can find Crowley's read aloud on our YouTube channel at the link below. Keep an eye out for our final Reading Week read-aloud, dropping here in a couple of hours! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Cggn1XVeM

Mustard, ketchup, relish - all great hot dog toppings. But do you know what OUR favorite thing to accompany a piping hot dog is? A book, of course! Today, STEAM Teacher Sarah Stenson is our guest reader and for her book, she chose “The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog,” by Mo Willems. You can follow along with Stenson's read aloud over on our YouTube channel at the link below. Enjoy! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDM2b_C-giU

Heads up, Attica - we’ve uploaded last night’s Band in the Round Concert to our YouTube channel at the link below. We’ve also posted a photo album from rehearsal over on our Facebook page - likewise at the link below. Concert video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL7o28W5YhQ Photo album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=100057106403663&set=a.1150638293516373

Please welcome guest reader Carin Krawczyk and her book, ““Lady Pancake, Sir French Toast,” by Josh Funk, illustrations by Brendan Kearney, to Reading Week! Everything’s better with a little syrup and our featured book and French toast sticks lunch entree are no exception! Head on over to our YouTube channel at the link below to see Krawczyk's read aloud! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhkTwQ5MgvU

Our student-teacher volleyball game is always a fun time. Don’t ask us who won - we have no idea, but if we’re talking MVP, our vote goes to Mr. Collin Wheeler. The man was everywhere - can you say RINGER? Full photo album over on our Facebook page at the link below. Link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=100057106403663&set=a.1149979003582302

Don’t miss our 39th annual Band in the Round Concert, tonight at 7 p.m. in our High School Gym, 3338 East Main Street Rd., Attica. Student musicians in fifth through twelfth grade under the direction of Amanda Hofheins, Julie Daley and Stephanie Gietler have been rehearsing hard and are ready to share their work with all of you! We stopped by rehearsal this afternoon to see how things were going and let’s just say it left us craving a Josh Allen-Mack Hollins touchdown REAL bad. Check out our video from the rehearsal over on our YouTube channel at the link below. We hope to see you tonight, Blue Devils! If you can’t make it in person, tune into our livestream at the link below. Rehearsal link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFeefTeVu60 Livestream link: https://fan.hudl.com/usa/ny/attica/organization/18238/attica-high-school/schedule?date=2025-03-02T05%3A00%3A00.000Z&range=Week&s=U2NoZWR1bGVFbnRyeVB1YmxpY1N1bW1hcnk2N2M3NWI4MTU2NDM3ZjFiNGQzYTA2Nzg%3D

When that serve comes at you just a LITTLE faster than you were expecting… Thanks to Mr. Spink for being a good sport - more photos from this morning’s student-teacher volleyball match dropping here soon!

GREAT OPPORTUNITY: The Wyoming County Business Education Council has partnered with the Western New York Rural Area Health Education Center and the Genesee County Business Education Alliance to offer a one-day Emergency Medical Services Camp this summer! The camp is open to students who will be entering grades 9-12 in the 2025-26 school year. Camp goers will receive hands-on training from certified EMS professionals and learn about different healthcare-related careers. The camp is July 28 and the application deadline is May 30. Attendance is free, but spots are limited so students shouldn’t wait to register!

Principal Sherry Bennett is our guest ‘Reading Week’ reader for Tuesday. For her book, she chose “Dragons Love Tacos,” by Adam Rubin, illustrations by Daniel Salmieri, to go along with Build-A-Taco day in the cafeteria. Head on over to our YouTube channel at the link below to see Bennett's read aloud. Yum! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLjy86czIj8

It’s Reading Week in Attica Elementary School and we decided to start things off with everyone’s favorite vehicle for gooey goodness - grilled cheese! Art Teacher Sara Lewinski was our guest reader for Monday - she chose “The Big Cheese,” by Jory John to go along with the grilled cheese entree today at lunch. Check out her read aloud over on our YouTube channel at the link below. We hope you’ll encourage your child to choose the main menu item each day this week and dive into the story behind it by following along with these book read-alouds, courtesy of our Attica Elementary School teachers and staff! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KblChnkqPYg

PLEASE SHARE: The Wyoming County Health Department is actively working on the current edition of its Community Health Assessment and is seeking input from county residents by conducting a survey to get a better perspective on the physical health, mental health and social challenges that are experienced by county residents. This survey will also help the county gain a better understanding of what community members want to see the Health Department specifically focus on over the next 3 to 5 years. The more responses the county receives, the more robust its assessment will ultimately be. The survey will remain open until March 31. You can access it in English or Spanish at the links below. Thank you in advance for your participation - together, we can help make Wyoming County a healthier place for everyone! English survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2025 Spanish survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOWCHA2025Espanol

REMINDER: Our special Reading Week lunch menu kicks off tomorrow down at Attica Elementary School! Our food service staff has teamed up with Principal Sherry Bennett and Food Service Director Kris Wicks to create a special menu that pairs our students’ favorite meals with books to match! We hope you’ll encourage your child to choose the main menu item each day this week and dive into the story behind it! Oh, and don’t forget - lunches are free for all students this school year!

🥞🎉 Did you know that March 3rd - 7th is National School Breakfast Week? At Attica Central Schools, we LOVE breakfast and are proud to offer nourishing menu options to help our students kick-start their day! 🌞🍽️ Each day this week, our cafeterias will be serving up special menu items to celebrate school breakfast, leading up to the introduction of BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE FRIDAYS at Attica Elementary! 🍓🥤 Plus, we’ll have the ever-popular smoothie line at Attica High School and Middle School. 🎉 We’re excited to make breakfast a part of the school day EVERY day, ensuring that NY kids are #PoweredbyBreakfast! 💪 Fact: Kids do better when they start their day with a nutritious breakfast. That's why we’re celebrating #NationalSchoolBreakfastWeek and supporting our students with the morning nutrition they need to THRIVE. 🌟 Join us in celebrating #SchoolBreakfastNY this week! Let’s make sure all our students are fueled for success! 🚀 #NationalSchoolBreakfastWeek #SchoolBreakfastNY #BreakfastForSuccess

Meet our Food Service All-Star for March - Stephanie Hartgrove! Stephanie's dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to delivering the best food service experience are unmatched. Whether it’s working behind the scenes or helping wherever she can, she’s always there with a smile and a can-do attitude. We’re so lucky to have her on the team! “I appreciate her always being eager to help in any way that she can,” said Kayle George, Hartgrove’s co-worker at Attica Elementary. “She shares my desire to provide top-notch food and love to our students, and together we make an excellent team in achieving that. She’s my right-hand lady, for sure!” Elementary School Principal Sherry Bennett called Hartgrave “an amazing asset” and said her positive personality is contagious. “We love the energy that comes from our cafeteria and are thankful for the effort they put in to provide the best experience possible for our students,” said Bennett. Thank you, Stephanie, for everything you do to make our food service top-notch and for always being there to lend a hand. You truly make a difference! #FoodServiceAllStar #Teamwork #AboveAndBeyond

Best of luck to our Attica Blue Devils today at the Section V Track and Field State Qualifiers at Nazareth University! We’ve got 7 student athletes competing tonight: • Tim Lamparelli: Shot put • Preston Bannister: Pole vault • Lauren Nelson: Pole vault • Addyson Zawilski: 4x400-meter relay • Bailey Nixon: 4x400-meter relay • Nichole Leitten: 4x400-meter relay • Amy Ennis: 4x400-meter relay Go get ‘em, Blue Devils!

Earlier this month during Kindness Week, our third grade students collected coins to raise money for the Snack Pantry at Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo. The pantry provides patients and their families coffee and treats during their stay so they don’t have to leave the hospital while receiving treatment. Well the coins have been counted and the results are in - our students collected $350! Incredible! Acts of kindness help children develop empathy, compassion, and social skills, while teaching them the value of small, positive actions. These experiences foster a sense of belonging, boost self-esteem, and promote a more positive outlook on life. We really couldn’t be prouder of our third graders - their efforts are going to make a positive difference in the lives of others going through a challenging time. (Photo courtesy of Cheryl Allein)

Our Fresh Connections Club got together earlier this week to bake an Amish Friendship Sourdough Bread! The meeting began with a hands-on baking session using a sourdough starter, introducing the kids to the versatility of sourdough. They had the opportunity to make: • Chocolate Chip Cookies: A unique twist on a classic favorite, using sourdough for extra depth of flavor. • Cinnamon Raisin Bread: A warm, spiced treat perfect for breakfast or snacking. • Traditional Sourdough: Learning the basics of shaping and baking a rustic loaf. Club members participated in mixing, kneading, and shaping their dough while learning about the natural fermentation process that makes sourdough so special. The kitchen was filled with the amazing aroma of fresh-baked goodies as the kids enjoyed tasting their creations! After baking, the meeting shifted gears to gardening, focusing on the importance of growing fresh produce: • Tomatoes and peppers: Each child planted different varieties, learning about their growth cycles and how to care for them. To later be planted in the school gardens. • Herb Planting: Every kid was able to choose an herb (such as basil, parsley, or cilantro) to take home and nurture on their own. Club members were excited to get their hands dirty, plant their seeds, and label their pots. They left with their new plants and a greater appreciation for where their food comes from! This meeting was a wonderful blend of baking and gardening, giving the kids a chance to create delicious treats and start growing fresh ingredients for future meals. They left with homemade goodies, planted seeds, and the knowledge to care for their new herbs at home. (Photos courtesy of Becky Sphar, Jenelle Bauer, Melissa Brooks and Alicia Spoth)