Mid March News

Dear parents and community members:
With the coronusvirus emergency in full swing, we are definitely in tumultuous times.  We will be updating students and parents as we obtain new information and directives.  Below is a link to Mr. Zielinski's updates along with a few good stories and upcoming events.  Thank you very much for looking, and I hope you have a great day.
Tim Houseknecht, Principal  


Coronavirus Updates

School districts' responses to the coronavirus crisis are evolving on a daily basis, and we are no different.  Please check the page that Mr. Zielinski is managing, which includes daily updates when available. You can find the page linked directly from our announcements on our website at www.southseneca.org.




Athletics Update from Mrs. Mott

At this time all regional and state winter championship games have been indefinitely postponed.

At this moment how spring sports, practices and contests, are being conducted is being left up to school administrators in conjunction their local health departments.  With this being said, I am strongly advising you to keep up with the sanitary and personal hygiene practices being recommended, hand washing, personal space, cleaning equipment after use etc...
No measures to postpone or suspend spring sports have been taken as of today at South Seneca.

There are many unanswered questions right now regarding the direction New York State is heading concerning this virus. Best practice in these situations is to stay vigilant, use common sense and seek out correct information from credible sources. I will keep you informed as the situation continues to develop.  Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Mrs. Mott's email address is hmott@southseneca.org.


A few interviews from Mr. Houseknecht's not so famous Youtube channel:

Get To Know
Mr. David Turken

Click on the title for my talk with Mr. Turken.  He's enjoying his time here, and he loves the community support.



Courageous Beauty - An After School Group

Mrs. Kylie Allen describes her Courageous Beauty group for girls.  We're happy to have her.

New from Khan Academy: Meditation Basics!
Khan Academy is a wonderful online tool for students.  It started with math tutorials, and has grown exponentially from there.  Below is a post from the academy's founder, Sal Khan.  If you're not familiar with Khan Academy, it's worth a look.  The tutorials are top notch and free for everyone. 

From Khan Academy:
Do you sometimes feel stressed from juggling school, friends, family, and extracurricular activities? If so, don’t worry! You’re not alone. We’ve got you covered! Sal’s recorded a few short meditations to help you relax.

You may be wondering—what is meditation? Why should I do it? Meditation, a simple practice of mindfulness, can help you reduce stress and improve your focus. Watch this quick introduction to meditation from Sal.

When you’re ready to start meditating with Sal, check out these videos. They’re short—about 10 min or less—and introduce you to simple techniques you can use immediately.

Meditation doesn’t need to take a lot of time. Even a few minutes a day can be helpful. We hope these videos can help you manage your stress so you can do better at school or whatever you set your mind on. To stay updated about future meditation videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.



Farm to School Newsletter

Check the latest Cornell Cooperative Extension newsletter. The Farm to School program is great for our kids!  You can see the complete CCE website here.  



From Mr. Green:
Green Energy Career Day

As some of you may already know, Ithaca has pledged to become Carbon-neutral community wide by 2030.

What this means, specifically for our students is that there will be high demand in this area for many middle skilled careers in the near future. Just to name a few, careers in plumbing, electricity, heating, ventilation & air conditioning are all anticpated to see a large demand for skilled workers. That being said, In preparation for this growing workforce, on March 25th TST BOCES will be hosting a Green Energy Career Day. The objective is to expose students to professionals working in these soon to be in demand trades. This event consists of a panel discussion followed by break out sessions aimed to inform students and to help them get a better understanding of who they are, how they got there & next steps they should be taking.

While currently enrolled TST BOCES students will be attending during their school day, all students interested are welcomed and encouraged to attend. I will have sign ups available for students next week, just wanted to put it on everyone's radar.

For more information on Ithaca's Green New Deal please visit: https://www.cityofithaca.org/642/Green-New-Deal

Sean Green
High School Guidance Counselor


The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  Now Accepting Applications for National Youth Preparedness Council

FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD) is now accepting applications for the national Youth Preparedness Council, a group of students in grades 8 through 11 who are selected to support disaster preparedness and make a difference in their communities. This is an opportunity for young people to engage with FEMA on their perspectives, feedback, and opinions related to preparedness, to grow their leadership skills, and to support the resilience of their communities.
Youth Preparedness Council members hold two-year terms and are selected based on their involvement in extracurricular activities, their leadership experience, and any experience related to preparedness and emergency management.
The newly redesigned online application, which officially launched on January 27, 2020, is expected to enhance the experience for applicants and encourage more young people to apply. Students may complete their applications and submit online through March 8, 2020. Selected candidates will be notified in May 2020.
Interested students should apply online at https://community.fema.gov/applytoYPC.
For more information about the Youth Preparedness Council or other youth-focused preparedness initiatives contact FEMA-Prepare@fema.dhs.gov.


Office of State Assessment Releases Online Resources for Parents in Advance of the 2020 Grades 3-8 Assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics

• Several resources for parents have recently been made available on the NYSED website.  These resources have been updated to reflect the most current guidance concerning the Spring 2020 Grades 3-8 Assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics.
• The Parent Resources include four documents: Things Every Parent Should Know About Student Participation in Statewide Assessments Under ESSA, Additional Things Every Stakeholder Should Know About Student Participation in Statewide Assessments Under ESSA, What Parents Need to Know, and the 2020 Parents FAQs About New York State’s Annual Grades 3-8 ELA and Math Tests
• The Parent Resources can be found at 2020 Parent Resources.

Another Great Musical on the Way!

March News

Hello,
Welcome to our latest newsletter.  I have put some good news stories here.  There are always room for more, so if you'd like to see stories on particular topics, please let me know.  You can reach me at thouseknecht@southseneca.org.  

Thank you very much for your support.
Tim Houseknecht, Principal


HS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southsenecahigh/
HS Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ssenecahigh/
MS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SSCSMiddleSchool/


Guidance Concerning the Coronavirus

Please click on the title above for guidance information that Mr. Zielinski recently posted.  This page is also available in the District section of our website.  South Seneca CSD is in contact with the State Education Department and the Department of Health as we monitor guidance related to the spread of the novel coronavirus in the spring of 2020.

Be assured that we are following guidelines from the state and other agencies.

Our Wrestlers - Our Role Models

Please read the letter below.  These young men and their coaches are role models for us all.

Check our Events Calendar

All important events are directly linked from our home page at www.southseneca.org.




The School Social Worker’s Corner

From: Brooke Habberfield MS, LMSW

How to Help Teenage Girls Reframe Anxiety and Strengthen Resilience
This is a great article explaining the female teenage brain along with the hormones. It also gives tips on how to handle emotional situations and what other factors play a vital role in their development.

“Teenage girls are particularly sensitive to the cues they receive from parents and teachers –  from words to facial expressions. How adults respond to teens’ emotional reactions matters a lot," said Dr. Lisa Damour. "When adults become anxious in response to a teen’s anxiety, it exacerbates the situation.”


Healthy Coping Strategies

As humans, we consciously or subconsciously cope with life (stress, perfectionism, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem/worth, etc.), whether that's in healthy or unhealthy ways.
Here are a list of *healthy* coping strategies you can utilize in school, at work, while driving or even at home:

• Stretch
• Take deep breaths
• Count to 10 or 50
• Listen to relaxing music
• Doodle
• Adult coloring pages (my fav!)
• Journal
• Go for a walk/run
• Push your palms together
• Ask for help
• Ask for a hug
• List 3 things you are grateful for
• Visualize a happy place
• Look at happy pictures
• Make a schedule/list
• Chew gum
• Read positive quotes
• Talk to a friend

Another Great Musical on the Way!

Mondays with Molly!

We recently welcomed Molly Kennedy to speak with both schools.  Molly has a great message for young people.  She recently started her Mondays with Molly Youtube talks.  I hope you enjoy it!





Community Conversation at the Middle/High School

Please click the title for more information.

January News

Hello and Happy New Year!

As usual, our students are busy with school and activities. There's never a dull moment in our Ovid building. From classes to sports and other extracurricular activities, our students are learning academic and social skills to help them succeed. In our stories below, there are a few supporting links. If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact me. My email is thouseknecht@southseneca.org, and the office number is 607-869-9636.

Thank you very much.

Tim Houseknecht, Middle/High School Principal

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We regularly post to these social media pages.  Feel free to subscribe!

High School Instagram page

High School Facebook page

Middle School Facebook page

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January Regents and Midterm Week

• Our January Regents week schedule is in effect this coming week.  A few key points:
• Click here for our Regents and Midterm testing schedule. This is also linked from the
  High School home page. 
• High school classes in Ovid are not in session. High school students report for testing and review sessions. 
• BOCES classes are in session as usual. Students should report for their bus trips at the usual times. 
• Middle school classes are in session as usual. 

BOCES LipDub

For the past few years, BOCES has been doing a great and fun event called a Lipdub.  One of our students, Amanda Bennett, starts things off.  Check it out by clicking on the title!

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Great Sports Make Great Adults!
Mrs. Mott recently received the message below about one of her players that's definitely worth sharing:

Good afternoon!  I wanted to reach out and thank you for all that you do. 

For anyone that knows my daughter, it killed her to not be able to play Monday night.  It comes with the game, all that happens with injuries, but she was really upset because it is the first game ever that she has had to sit.  After the game, Hailey Bentley stopped her and said she was sorry my daughter was injured and asked her what happened.  My daughter was so thankful that Hailey cared enough to ask, out of a mutual respect for an athlete, that loves the sport.  It really made her night.

That behavior comes from good coaching.  She didn't have to say anything, could of just walked through the line saying good game, but she chose to because the values/sportsmanship you have taught that young lady about the "whole game" resonates with her.  It means a lot. 

It only takes one.  THANK YOU!

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Ms. Habberfield's Corner
Every month or so, our social worker Ms. Habberfield will share mental health and social-emotional health information.  I hope you like it!

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United Way's Positive Messages

Please click the title for United Way's December message of positivity. The monthly flyers offer very positive messages for youth and their parents.

Click here for a letter which explains the program.

Click here for all of this year's flyers. Thanks!

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Farm to School Newsletter

Candace Riegel is the Farm to School and Nutrition Educator with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Seneca County. Here is their latest newsletter. Please take a look, as this program is benefiting our students! Thanks.

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Yorkers Club Paint Nite!

Where: Thirsty Owl Wine Company
When: Saturday, Jan 25   6-8pm
For more information & to register:  CLICK HERE

We will be painting the beautiful daisies on a tote bag above. This project will be fully customizable so you can choose your own colors!

All proceeds will be donated to South Seneca Yorkers Club. Please consider spending an evening helping a great cause.  This club makes international travel possible for many students.  We are trying to lower the bus cost to the NYC airport for our trip to London, Amsterdam & Paris in April.


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Volunteers needed

Want to see the pantry in action? Volunteer once a month on a Saturday! Set out the feast at 12:30 PM, help neighbors make their selections between 2 and 4 PM, and then there's an easy clean-up. Ben's favorite part of volunteering? Coffee and snacks with folks who take a load off at the the hospitality table, of course!

Time frames are flexible, so give Karel Titus a call at 607-279-2571 or email her at advent89@empacc.net to get more information.

Spread the word to our students of ALL ages!!!


From Mr. Green in our Guidance Department

Recently, we heard about scams targeting parents of high school students preparing for college. Here is a link to an article from the Federal Trade Commission.  The scammers claim to be from The College Board – the organization responsible for the PSAT and SAT tests. They call or email you, asking for credit card numbers so they can send PSAT prep materials that the student has supposedly requested. Often the scammers have the student’s name, address and phone number – making them seem more believable. Except your student didn’t ask for materials, and it’s not this group calling.

Below are some tips to avoid a test prep scam.

The College Board will never ask you to give credit card, bank account or password information over the phone or via email.

Make sure the company offering test prep materials is legitimate. How? Before you give up your money or personal information, research the company online. Search for their name plus the word “scam” or “complaint.” See about other people’s experiences. And talk to someone you trust, like another parent or your child’s school counselor, before you pay.

Consider how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in – meaning that, if you find out you paid a scammer, you may be able to get your money back if you report it quickly. And if anyone asks you to pay by wiring money or by using a reloadable card or gift card, it’s a scam.

Spotted a scam? Whether you lost money or not, let us know at ftc.gov/complaint.