Attica Central School District

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)

Our indoor track and field teams put up solid performances at the Section V Class B2 Championships this past weekend at Nazareth University as both captured 5th place team finishes. Top finishers for our boys team were: • Elijah Crandall, who took 3rd in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 9.8 seconds and 4th in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 4 inches. • Preston Bannister, who won the pole vault, clearing 11 feet, 6 inches. • Taylor Zimmerman, who took 4th in the shot put with a distance of 43 feet, 1.25 inches and 4th in the weight throw with a distance of 48 feet, 4 inches. • The 4x400-meter relay team of Dylan Ozimek, Preston Bannister, Eli Crandall and Taylor Zimmerman, which took 2nd with a time of 3:59.44. Top finishers for the girls were: • Bailey Nixon, who took 2nd in the 1,000-meter run (2:27.29). • Jaslynne Watts, who took 5th in the 55-meter hurdles (10.09) and 6th in the high jump, clearing 4 feet, 6 inches. • Anna Martino, who took 5th in the high jump, clearing 4 feet, 6 inches, and 5th in the triple jump (30 feet, 10.5 inches). • Lauren Nelson, who took 2nd in the pole vault, clearing 8 feet, 6 inches. • Blakely Pratt, who took 2nd in the long jump with a distance of 15 feet, .25 inches and 4th in the triple hump (30 feet, 11 inches). • The girls 4x400-meter relay team of Bailey Nixon, Addyson Zawilski, Amy Ennis and Ashlyn Beitz, which took 3rd with a time of 4:58.15. Congratulations!

It’s been an eventful week down at Attica Elementary School! In physical education classes, Ms. Biniaszewski's and Ms. Landin's 2nd grade classes participated in a 100-cup stacking challenge to celebrate 100 days of school! On Wednesday, third graders came together for the All-Star Floor Hockey game, organized by Mr. Ianni and Mr. Fromwiller. And today, our first graders marked the 101st day of school with a 101 Dalmatians-themed photo shoot! (Photos courtesy of Shawn Fromwiller and Marcia Danahy)

Don’t worry, Blue Devils. They’ve got this… or do they? Members of our drama club’s “Freaky Friday: A New Musical” cast and crew came together yesterday to give our students a special preview of their upcoming production, and we stopped by to check it out! You can check out a portion of the preview over on our YouTube channel at the link below. “Freaky Friday” debuts TONIGHT - Friday, Feb. 28 - at 7 p.m. in our Performing Arts Center, 3338 East Main Street Rd., Attica. S matinee performance is also scheduled for Saturday, March 1 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 or $8 for students and will be sold at the door starting at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 28 and 1:30 p.m. on March 1. “Freaky Friday” follows Katherine and Ellie, a mother and daughter who just can’t seem to understand one another. After magically swapping bodies, Katherine finds herself having to navigate the harsh teachers and drama-filled hallways of daughter Ellie’s high school while daughter Ellie scrambles to ensure her mother Katherine’s long-awaited wedding goes off without a hitch while also keeping her catering business afloat. Will the mother-daughter duo be able to track down that magic hourglass and switch their bodies back in time for Katherine’s wedding and Ellie’s all-important Hunt, a high school right of passage? You’ll have to attend one of our Drama Club’s upcoming productions of “Freaky Friday: The Musical” to find out! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swAHh-6Ji1U

Give it up for senior Nichole Leitten, who signed her National Letter of Intent this afternoon to attend Alfred State University in the fall! Nichole plans to study nursing and run track for the Pioneers, who compete in the NCAA Division III State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). Nichole’s been a stalwart of our varsity track and field program since the 7th grade. In indoor, she’s a three-time school record holder in the 300-meter dash, the 4x200-meter relay along with Amy Ennis, Jaslynne Watts and Addyson Zawilski and the 4x400-meter relay with Bailey Nixon, Amy and Addyson. In outdoor, she’s a three-time Genesee Region All-Star and was a key contributor on our varsity girls track and field squad that captured three straight Section V Class B2 outdoor track titles in 2021, 2022 and 2023 Heading into her senior outdoor season, Nichole’s already a two-time sectional champion for the Blue Devils. She teamed up with Aleah Brauen, Mia Ficarella and Bailey Nixon to capture the Class B2 4x400-meter relay title in 2023 and, last year, won the 400-meter hurdles - likewise in Class B2. She was also part of the 4x100-meter relay team along with Ellie Cusmano, Mackenzie McLeod and Lily Wheeler that set a new school outdoor record of 52.13 seconds at the Genesee Region Athletic Association Championships in 2024. Congratulations, Nichole - can’t wait to see what you can do this spring in your 6th and final season as a Blue Devil and next year as a Pio!

Few shots from our varsity boys basketball team’s Teacher Appreciation Night over February Break. Shout out to Sue Herman and junior Robert Beck for the photos!

THROWBACK THURSDAY: All the way to… 2 weeks ago (gasp!) when fourth grader Charlotte Eddy wowed us with her homemade Valentine’s box, which she made to resemble Attica Elementary School’s beloved grow towers, Norman and Nancy! Well done, Charlotte! (Photos courtesy of Jessica Edwards)

Attica’s own Joe Parkhurst getting it DONE at the Horizon League Championships in Indianapolis last week! Swimming for the NCAA Division I Cleveland State Vikings, Parkhurst placed in 7 events over the course of the four-day meet: • 50-yard freestyle: 14th (20.42) • 100-yard freestyle: 14th (45.15) • 100-yard breaststroke: 13th (56.13) • 200-yard medley relay, freestyle leg: 3rd (1:27.98 overall, 20.22 freestyle leg) • 200-yard freestyle relay: 4th (1:19.78 overall, 19.76 50-leg) • 400-yard freestyle relay: 2nd (2:56.06 overall, 44.09 100-leg) Highlights from the meet for Joe were probably his 19.76-second swim on his 50-yard leg of the 200-yard freestyle relay, the 4th fastest time in Cleveland State Swimming history, as well as the Vikings’ 400-yard freestyle relay time of 2:56,06, which set a new school record. The Vikings men’s team took 3rd overall in the 7-team meet with 491 points and end their season at 4-2. Way to go, Joe! (Photos courtesy of Nici Parkhurst)

Our Attica Elementary Food Service Program is excited to celebrate READING WEEK with our students next week! Members of our food service staff are teaming 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 and dive into the story behind it! Mark your calendars—this is one week you won’t want to miss! Oh, and don’t forget - lunches are free for all students this school year! #ReadingWeek #AtticaElementary #FoodAndBooks #FreeLunch #ExcitingTimes

Get excited, Blue Devils, because next month, Mr. John Versage and his students’ homemade apple chips are coming to a cafeteria salad bar NEAR YOU. Starting March 13, the apple chips will be a featured offering on our salad bar every second Thursday of the month, a day which will henceforth be known as Apple Chip Thursday! We’re always looking for fresh, local products to feature as options on our lunch lines and it doesn’t get much more local than down the hall! Parents, don’t forget to remind your kiddos about this tasty treat when discussing their lunch choices. In anticipation of our first Apple Chip Thursday on March 13, we recently stopped by one of Versage’s middle school intro to technology classes to see what goes into making these crispy, healthy snacks - check it out over on our YouTube channel at the link below! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5rthwUe1uc

What an unforgettable night! Before February break, a few of our students had the honor of attending A Night To Shine, courtesy of the Tim Tebow Foundation. This prom night experience was designed to celebrate our students. The night was filled with joy, laughter and shining moments for all involved. A huge thank you to everyone who made this night a reality and to all the volunteers who helped create a safe and supportive atmosphere for our students! (Photos courtesy of Kimberly Maerten)

We stopped by rehearsal yesterday for our Drama Club’s upcoming production of “Freaky Friday: A New Musical” and take it from us - you’re not going to want to miss this show! This is the first time in at least 20 years that our Drama Club has chosen to stage a musical and our cast and crew have been working hard to make sure it’s sufficiently freaky! Two performances are scheduled in our Performing Arts Center, 3338 East Main Street Rd., Attica. The first is Friday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. The second is Saturday, March 1, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 or $8 for students and will be sold at the door starting at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 28 and 1:30 p.m. on March 1. We hope to see you this weekend! Full photo album over on our Facebook page at the link below. Link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=100057106403663&set=a.1144635027450033

Our Blue Devils Dispatch for February 2025 is live! Each of our principals has created a parent newsletter specific to their school with the help of our teachers and staff - use the links below to read all three! • Attica Elementary School January Newsletter: https://secure.smore.com/n/3b4cf • Attica Middle School January Newsletter: https://secure.smore.com/n/1sa6q • Attica High School January Newsletter: https://secure.smore.com/n/hbwgy

It’s with great pride that we announce our students selected to represent Attica in the Wyoming County Arts Council’s annual High School Art Show in Perry. “I can only select 10 students to represent Attica,” said High School Art Teacher Laura Steves, “which is tough, because we have so many incredible student artists here.” This year the following students have been selected: • Stephanie Silvernail (12th) • Evelyn Walthew (10th) • Mara Hernandez-Veliz (10th) • Rebekah Hess (9th) • Alanna Blackshire (9th) • Bella Thie (9th) • Emmett Vincton (9th) • Jason Mincer (9th) • Amber Szuniewicz (9th) • Landen Nagel (9th) Congratulations! The show opens Friday, Feb, 28 and runs through March 22 at the WYCO Arts Council Gallery, 31 South Main St., Perry. Pictured are pieces from Stephanie Silvernaul (tic-tac-toe board), Alanna Blackshire (landscape painting) and Amber Szuniewicz (neuropathic painting). (Photos courtesy of Laura Steves)

Our February 12 Fresh Connections Club meeting was a sweet success! Sixteen students (Grades 5–7) joined Becky Sphar & Melissa Brooks for a hands-on baking workshop with Alex, owner of Bubbys Breads-Maplewood Market! What We Did: Learned how to make homemade cinnamon rolls from scratch; picked up expert tips on perfecting texture and flavor; practiced proper dishwashing, kitchen safety and sanitation. The best part? Getting to enjoy our delicious creations! Students left inspired by Alex’s baking expertise and with valuable kitchen skills to last a lifetime. Next Meeting: Thursday, January 23 – Embracing Our Roots: Turning Veggies into Treats! #FreshConnectionsClub #BakingWithBubbysBreads #SweetSuccess #CulinaryCreativity

Exciting things are happening at our Elementary School Library! Melanie Loranty, our library media specialist down on Prospect Street, has recently made some fantastic agriculture-focused book purchases to add to our collection, helping our students connect with the rich farming and growing traditions in our community. But that's not all! Some talented students in technology teacher John Versage's class have built a special barn to house these books, making them even more accessible for students eager to dive into the world of agriculture! A huge thank you to sophomores Gavin Duffy, Justin Stockweather, Blake Kines, and Noah Sabatino for their hard work and creativity in building this awesome project! Next up? Painting the barn! We can't wait to see the final product and hear how much our students enjoy using this new space. Stay tuned for more updates! #CommunityRoots #AgricultureEducation #LibraryLove #StudentProjects #GrowingTogether

We’ve been scouring the classrooms and hallways of Attica Elementary School for random acts of kindness all week and today, we spotted students in Mrs. Audra Landis’ kindergartners doing just that! McDonald’s class used teamwork to make Valentine’s Day cards for their special area teachers, then delivered them, one by one, to each teacher’s mailbox! Well done, kindergarteners! (Photos courtesy of Audra Landis)

Hey Blue Devils - send some good vibes out Cleveland way to help Attica’s own Joe Parkhurst as he prepares to compete in the Horizon League Championships in Indianapolis next week! Joe, who graduated last year, is having one heck of a freshman year for the NCAA Division I Cleveland State Vikings. He’s currently 6th on the team in points scored on the season and was part of Cleveland State’s 200-yard freestyle relay that set a new, Magnus Cup record of 1:20.24 back in November. It’s going to be a busy few days for Joe in Indianapolis as he’s slated to swim events each day of the four-day championships, so some extra love from his hometown sure isn’t going to go amiss! The Horizon League Championships run from Feb. 19-22 and will be livestreamed on ESPN+. Best of luck in Indianapolis, Joe! (Photos courtesy of Nici Parkhurst)