Give it up for Baylee Mills and Colton Spink, our Physical Education Students of the Month for December!
Baylee, a freshman, and Colton, a sophomore, were named Students of the Month for displaying positive behavior during physical education classes, showing a desire to learn new skills and putting forward their best effort 100 percent of the time.
Bravo!
SAVE THE DATE: Our Future Farmers of America chapter is hosting its 8th annual Pancake Breakfast at the North Java Fire Hall, 4274 NY-98, North Java, on Sunday, Feb. 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
FFA members will be serving pancakes, ham, eggs, cheesy potatoes and drinks. Tickets will be sold at the door and are $10 for adults and $5 for children 10 and under.
In addition to the breakfast, Attica Partners for Agriculture has generously sponsored a spring raffle in support of our FFA chapter.
Tickets are $10 and are being sold by FFA members. The drawing will take place at 12 p.m. Feb. 9, at the end of the pancake breakfast. You don’t need to attend the breakfast to claim your prize. For more information, contact FFA Advisor Alyssa Wright at awright@atticacsd.org.
And don’t forget to check out the accompanying image to see all the great stuff you could win!
Yesterday, our athletic director Mrs. Lisa Young took four of our student athletes - Abigail Wilkinson, Isaac Herman, Vanessa Schlau and Alyssa Elmore - to the Section V Leadership Conference at Monroe Community College where guest speaker Eric Kussin addressed attendees on the topics of mental health and sports.
Kussin was a professional sports executive with the Chicago Sky, Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers before his mental health took an unexpected and rapid decline. He struggled with PTSD, anxiety and depression for several years before getting a handle on things. Kussin now speaks across the globe about how to navigate the stress, anxiety and trauma that all people experience.
“He spoke about his experiences and challenges and provided the student athletes with ways to identify when their mental wellness is not OK,” said Clark. “This initiative goes along with the #SameHere the global mental health movement that is providing awareness for mental health.”
Attention, Attica: All after school activities are cancelled for today - Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 - due to the current and forecasted inclement weather.
Few shots from the Mighty Marching Blue Devils’ trip to Florida over Winter Recess.
During the eight-day trip, our student musicians performed at Icon Park and Disney’s Magic Kingdom while also taking in some of the many attractions the sunshine state has to offer.
Head on over to our Facebook page at the link below for a full photo album and many thanks to all those who submitted photos from the trip!
Link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=100057106403663&set=a.1114177033829166
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!
