WVCSD EdTalk: December 4, 2024

The 2024 WVCSD Winter Concert Series begins next week! At Warwick Valley Central School District, we create as many opportunities as we can for our performing arts students to showcase their talents for the Warwick Valley community. It brings the district endless pride to see our instrumentalists and vocalists bring such incredible performances to the stage each year, and we hope you will join us this year for one (or all) of this year’s concerts. There are seven performances over five nights, showcasing musical ensembles from both the middle and high schools.

The Winter Concert Series is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of our performing arts calendar every year and, as I’ve said before, it is one of the strongest testaments to our district’s commitment to artistic excellence. It is a great chance to experience not only some fantastic performances, but to see what can happen when students approach learning with the dedication and enthusiasm that Warwick students demonstrate every day.

All concerts will be held in the Warwick Valley High School Auditorium:

• WVHS Winter Band Concert Tuesday, December 10 @ 7 pm
  (Snow Date: 12/16)
• WVHS Winter Orchestra Concert Tuesday, December 11 @ 7 pm
  (Snow Date: 12/16)
• WVHS Winter Chorus Concert Thursday, December 12 @ 7 pm
  (Snow Date: 12/16)
• WVMS 7th Grade Winter Concert Tuesday, December 17 @ 6:30 pm
  (Snow Date: 12/19 @ 6:30 pm)
• WVMS 8th Grade Winter Concert Tuesday, December 17 @ 7:30 pm
  (Snow Date: 12/19 @ 7:30 pm)
• WVMS 5th Grade Winter Concert Wednesday, December 18 @ 6:30 pm
  (Snow Date: 12/19 @ 6:30 pm)
• WVMS 6th Grade Winter Concert Wednesday, December 18 @ 7:30 pm
  (Snow Date: 12/19 @ 7:30 pm)

The Warwick Valley music department educates, encourages and empowers students to find inspiration, engagement and fulfillment in the arts, and that is accomplished by our outstanding WVCSD music faculty. The dedication to our students’ musical development that I see from our music educators every day – and many times on weekends and evenings – is endless, and it is seen and appreciated. Beginning with our elementary music faculty and proceeding to our high school faculty, I share my deepest gratitude with Keely Blaikner, Katlyn Chester, Alison Echevarria, Ryan Muehlbauer, Christy Brown, Ashley Head, Tamara Moser, Shane Peters, Peter VanDeWater, Noreen Hanson, and Elissa Maynard.

This week, two Warwick Valley High School musicians are performing at the 88th Annual NYSSMA All-State Winter Conference in Rochester, and four were named as festival alternates. Congratulations to Anthony Gomez and Abigail Yurchuck, who performed in the jazz choir and treble choir respectively, as well as Shi Wu Lee (concert band alternate), Addison O’Donnell (jazz choir alternate), Conner Price (jazz choir alternate), and Olivia Samberg (jazz choir alternate). This is a prestigious statewide honor for students who earn a perfect score on their NYSSMA solos. To add some perspective, the auditions welcome about 7,000 students, who are vying for chairs in one of five ensembles; just under 600 musicians are selected to participate.

Additionally, 49 WVHS musicians were selected to this year’s OCMEA High School All-County ensembles! Auditions were held in October and the concert is coming up in January. Join us in congratulating Madison Buliung, Shea Fleury, Layla Mesiano, Addison O’Donnell, Riley Portka, Emmerson Powers, Denali Vazquez, Abigail Yurchuck, Paisley Felker, Caterina Pleva, Sophie Ragans, Olivia Samberg, Benjamin Del Canto, Anthony Gomez, Finn Kennedy, Matthew Poje, Conner Price, Andrew Redling, Gerydan Bruckner, Wyatt Cirbus, Noah Goetz, Nathan Link, Salvatore Spinelli, Dania Barillas, Anika Brezina, Nina Cerillo, Jane Cornelius, Grace Cornelius, Sydney Stirpe, Cavan Byrne, Ava Cauda, Isabella Costanza, Caitlin Moser, Charlene Petreshock, Zachary Plsky, Isabelle Redling, Eliana Schlesinger, Arielle Seid, Madison Lijoi, Victoria Martinez, Lucia Meehan, Angelina Nguyen, Michael Hansen, Anya Campbell, Grace Stough, Rowan Roepe, Shiwoo Lee, Stephen Barillas, and Valentino Kron.

Here are some highlights from our schools this week:

Park Avenue Elementary School
Park Avenue Drama Club presented the musical Frozen Kids. A total of seventy five third and fourth grade students performed their hearts out, singing and dancing across the stage for sold out audiences. Thank you to director Christy Brown and producer Amy Buliung for their leadership and dedication to our students. Thank you, also, to set and costume director Lisa Fasano, vocal director Carolyn Weller, and acting coach Donna Berghahn. And thank you to the many parents and staff members who helped guide the process. Throughout the planning and preparation process, including many rehearsals, these folks all modeled a key trait of Warwick’s Portrait of a Graduate, namely collaboration. Everyone’s teamwork led to the success of this year’s show!

Park Ave Student Council participated for the fourth year in a row in the Trees of Heroes program. Trees for Heroes provides friends and families of US service members a special way to honor their loved ones with personalized tree ornaments. For two weeks, Student Council members crafted the ornaments and, on Sunday, November 24, joined with families and the loved ones to decorate trees at Orange County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. This annual tradition is a heartfelt tribute to the service members who have given so much for our country, and the Park Ave Student Council is honored to participate in such a meaningful program. Thank you to Student Council advisors Amy Buliung and Theresa Canfield. 

Sanfordville Elementary School
The best Thanksgiving Day parade isn’t the one in NYC, it’s the one at Sanfordville Elementary!  After reading the book Balloons Over Broadway, first grade classes created their own balloons and Thanksgiving hats prior to stepping off the 2024 SES Balloon Parade. As our proud students marched their way through the halls of Sanfordville, they were cheered on by schoolmates and staff who lined the parade route to wish our marchers a happy Thanksgiving!

Fourth graders were excited to participate in the inaugural Turkey Bowl Kickball Game on Wednesday. Each fourth grade class competed in a multi-tier tournament, and it was a thrill to see the students come together to support one another and work in teams throughout the kickball games. You might say that the fourth graders rally put their “best feet forward” during the turkey tourney.

Some kindergarten classes celebrated Thanksgiving with a delightful array of activities that engaged our learners and fostered a sense of gratitude and community. With the help of dedicated parent volunteers, the celebration featured several interactive learning stations, each designed to spark creativity and curiosity. A Pine Cone Science Observations & Predictions station explored how pine cones fit into the ecosystem by observing and making pine cone predictions about shape, size, and texture, and discussed. The Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie Spices Painting & Voting station had students use various apple and pumpkin pie spices to create beautiful paintings, exploring different colors, scents and textures of each spice. The Paper Plate Turkey Designs station was a definite favorite, as students explored their imaginative sides to design their own turkey out of paper plates and craft supplies. The activity also taught them about why the turkey as a symbol of Thanksgiving. At the Grateful Feathers Writing Project station, children wrote down things they were grateful for on colorful paper feathers. The feathers were glued to stuffed paper bags to create three dimensional turkeys, fostering a sense of appreciation and reflection on the things that bring joy to our lives. Thank you to every parent volunteer who helped make the celebration such a wonderful success, filled with laughter, learning and community spirit. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Warwick Valley Middle School
Seventh-grade scientists explored the fascinating world of biological classification, learning how scientists use a two-part naming system called binomial nomenclature to identify and categorize organisms. This system is part of a broader classification hierarchy that includes seven levels: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. The genus groups species with similar characteristics, while the species name provides specific details about the organism. Students have learned that this two-part name, along with the seven levels of classification, helps scientists organize and understand the relationships between all living organisms in a more precise and meaningful way.

As part of their learning experiences, students researched animals that sparked their curiosity, applying their knowledge of classification to create detailed poster projects. Each student chose an animal, investigated its genus and species, and researched  into its broader classification, identifying its kingdom, phylum, class, order, and family. They also explored other important details, such as the animal’s habitat, diet, behavior, and unique traits. This hands-on project not only reinforced the concepts of classification but also encouraged students to engage with life sciences in a creative way, practicing both research and presentation skills.

After completing their projects, students presented their findings to the class, acting as true collaborators and communicators. These presentations allowed students to share their knowledge about the animals they studied and demonstrate their understanding of classification. The project helped students see the importance of scientific classification as a tool for organizing and studying the natural world, while also fostering teamwork, critical thinking, and a sense of wonder about the variety of organisms on Earth.

Warwick Valley High School
Warwick Valley High School athletics proudly hosted its annual Division I Signing Ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of seven outstanding scholar-athletes. Surrounded by family, friends and teammates, these athletes were recognized for their hard work, dedication, and perseverance, which have brought them to the significant milestone of signing their National Letters of Intent to continue their educational and competitive careers at NCAA colleges and universities.

During the event, coaches from each sport spoke about the athletes, highlighting their commitment both on and off the field. Their tireless efforts and exceptional achievements have earned them opportunities to compete at the collegiate level while pursuing their academic aspirations.

Join us in congratulating:

• Alyssa Dovico, Track – Iona College
• Etta Garofalo, Softball – Rutgers University
• Eva Garofalo, Softball – Rutgers University
• Brielle Isernia, Track – Hofstra University
• Kaitlyn Larney, Lacrosse – University of Vermont
• Michael Molenelli, Baseball – St. John’s University
• Rachel Venter, Track – University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The entire Warwick Valley community is proud of these talented athletes and wishes them continued success in their academic and athletic endeavors.