Where Do I Start?

When I woke up on Thursday, I had no idea what the next four days were going to bring. They turned out to be a movie script about the power and success of public school education, and I got to get a first-hand screening.

Planning Strategically: First up was the meat and potatoes of our strategic planning process. The team is comprised of stakeholders from all walks of our school and outer community. We finished the session with some great plans for next year including a more vigorous attack on bullying, a renewed focus on academic results, and a further exploration of multiple pathways towards graduation. GREAT stuff!

Girls Basketball Senior Night: Then it was on to senior night for the Girls Varsity Basketball team. Four fierce competitors were recognized, and the team continued to do what it has done all season; win with intent.

Mary Poppins! Lands at the High School: That night it was also curtains up for the musical, Mary Poppins!. It was everything I thought it would be. From the pit to the stage crew to the actors and actresses, the performance was delivered to the highest level.

To say I loved it would be an understatement, and I kept finding myself humming along to the tunes. Check out this video from the musical of Steppin' time by clicking here.  Bravo to all!

I have never been more irritated about a snow day than Friday. A two and a half hour delay would have done the trick; but we don't have those. Fortunately, the weather continued to clear up throughout the day, and the musical was able to go on as scheduled. Had that not happened, we would have had a cancellation on Sunday for certain, and THAT would have been a bummer.

A Buzzer Beater: Then came Saturday. Another knock your socks off Mary Poppins! performance. At the same time, the boys basketball team won a thriller with a buzzer beater from half court by Malik Zachery, and then things went right over the top. See the video below (or click here) from syracuse.com.

Girls Skate to a State Championship: First, the Girls Hockey team, undefeated on the season, won the New York State Girls Hockey Championship. This made me very proud, because the athletes are part of a shared team with Skaneateles. The effort they have to go through to make it to practice, keep their grades up, and then travel to compete (there aren't many other girls hockey teams locally) shows a true dedication, and I for one sincerely applaud that. Congratulations to them! West Genesee students on the team are Emily Cox, Johna Halko, Katie Halko, Katrina Harter, Lauren Jones, Cecily Kawejsza, Anne Rubel, Grace Schnorr, Jessica Smith, and Heather Tanzella. Thank you for representing your families, yourselves, and our school so well!

WGMS Student Wins Spelling Bee!: So you would think that would be enough excitement. Nope. Ava Propper, an eighth-grader from West Genesee Middle School, shot it over the top by WINNING the  2017
Post Standard / Syracuse.com / WCNY Spelling Bee. Seriously! First, it was her against other very worthy competitors. Then it dwindled down, and as the last person standing, it was Ava against words. Which words you ask? How about "glitterati" followed up with "cinephile" for the win! We get to be proud of her and she gets to go to Washington, DC, in May and compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee; yes the one that is broadcast on ESPN. You can view a video from Syracuse.com below or lick here.

If you have paw prints on your car, wear West Genesee gear, or are a silent supporter, take a victory lap (if taking this literally, please follow all posted speed limits). You live in a great community where magic like I have written above, happens due to your support, the efforts of all of the adults who work with our children, and of course, the performance of our students. I wear my blue and gold with pride every day.

Unless completely necessary, I will be writing again after the mid-winter break. Thanks and enjoy the week!

Chris
#wildcatpride