SUMMER & SEPTEMBER 2025
CONNECTED CAMDEN NEWSLETTER TABLE OF CONTENTS Connected District Bulletin Connected Partners Collaborations & Contributions Training Highlights Initiative Wide Highlights Staff
Visit Alex from the Camden Life Center visited the middle school to introduce students to the Teen Drop-In Center and share information about the opportunities and support available to them. Students also participated in a fun “You Know” card game, choosing between different scenarios—such as having the ability to fly or teleport—and sharing why they would make that choice. The activity encouraged conversation, creativity, and connection while giving students a chance to learn more about a resource available to them.
July Recap The Connected Camden Team worked with the FOC to host a family Bingo Night, bringing students and families together for an evening of fun and community.
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Families enjoyed several rounds of bingo and had the opportunity to win a variety of prizes throughout the evening.
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Paint & Snack
Paint & Snack
Connected Camden families were welcomed to the Middle School Cafeteria for an evening of creativity, snacks, and family fun. Families had the opportunity to paint their own mini canvases, with children creating artwork inspired by Lightning McQueen, Minecraft, flowers, dragonflies, and more. It was a great opportunity for families to spend time together while expressing their creativity.
July Recap To kick off the summer, Connected Site Coordinator Walker visited the McConnellsville Elementary playground to share popsicles with families enjoying the beautiful weather and time together. Families also received information about summer programming and upcoming activities, helping everyone learn about the many opportunities available throughout the season.
Make AND Make AND TAKE TAKE Slime Slime
Connected Camden families gathered at Camden Elementary for a hands-on slime-making activity with Project Manager Valarie. Students each received a bowl and worked together to determine which ingredients were needed to create their slime. The activity provided a fun opportunity for families to learn, experiment, and create together.
August Recap Families enjoyed a creative summer-themed activity using sidewalk chalk. Participants had the opportunity to create colorful illustrations while spending time together and enjoying the warmer weather. The activity provided a fun and creative way for families to connect and express themselves through art.
Chalk art Chalk art Popsicles on Popsicles on the the Playground Playground
Camden Elementary families gathered before the start of the school year for an opportunity to meet the principal and get familiar with the school community. Families enjoyed time on the playground, selected a book to take home, and enjoyed a sweet treat. The event was especially exciting for the many new Pre-K and kindergarten students who were getting ready to begin their school journey in the coming weeks.
September Recap OPEN HOUSES Connected teams welcomed students and families at the Camden Elementary, McConnellsville, and Camden Middle School Open Houses as everyone prepared for a new school year. At Camden Elementary, the Connected and Resiliency Teams connected with families, shared information about available services, and welcomed students as they checked in and dropped off their school supplies. At McConnellsville, Connected Site Coordinator Walker greeted students and families in the hallway before joining the Back to School Bash outside, where students enjoyed a variety of large games. At Camden Middle School, the FOC and Resiliency Teams joined Val to welcome families, while students proudly introduced their parents to teachers and shared their work. The HUB also welcomed many visitors, including parents of students participating in HUB Club, making each open house a great opportunity to connect with students and families as the school year got underway. CAMDEN
Families visited the Open HUB to access groceries and additional food items for the month while connecting with the Connected Families FOC team. The team was on hand to share information about available services, answer questions, and help families learn more about the resources and support available to them.
HUB HUDDLES HUB HUDDLES
CONNECTED MCCONNELSVILLE & CAMDEN ELEMENTARIES
Throughout September, Connected Site Coordinator Walker spent recess connecting with students across grade levels through games and activities at CES. Students enjoyed playing catch, four square, the Ten Second Game, and “Don’t Drop the Ball Three Times,” creating opportunities for fun and positive interaction during recess. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Walker also spent time with a student who was unable to participate in regular recess activities due to a broken arm, playing building blocks together. These simple activities provided opportunities for students to stay engaged, build connections, and enjoy their recess time.
Throughout September, students in grades 5–8 joined us for lunch each day and enjoyed a variety of games, activities, and opportunities to connect. Students put their skills to the test with Jeopardy, Pictionary, Trivia, and Hues and Cues, while also learning about haikus and creating a thank-you poster for the custodians in recognition of Custodian Day. Students also enjoyed getting creative and making slime, adding plenty of hands-on fun to their lunch periods.
HUB HUDDLES
CONNECTED CAMDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
COLLABORATIONS COLLABORATIONS & & Contributions
September
July & August CFLR Summer Rec
Weeden’s Mini Mall collected school supply donations to support students in the Connected Camden School District. Joyce Rogers delivered the generously donated supplies, helping ensure students have access to the materials they need throughout the school year.
Connected Camden would like to thank everyone that helps! We cannot do it without you!
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Connected Camden saw an increased need for food support throughout the summer months and into September, with more families accessing food boxes. As the new school year approached, the team also helped students and families access school supplies and clothing. September also brought an increase in mental health referrals among secondary-level students. Through these efforts, the team continues to connect students and families with resources and support to help meet their needs throughout the school year.
Connected PARTNERS The Neighborhood Center continues to provide therapy services to students at all four schools throughout the district, allowing students to access support right at school. This school-based option can be especially helpful for families who may face transportation challenges. The Connected Camden Team continues to work alongside families to help streamline the process, ensuring necessary paperwork is completed accurately so students can begin receiving services in a timely manner.
Family Family Opportunity Opportunity Center Center The Camden Family Opportunity Center continues to work closely with families to address essential needs, including assistance related to housing stability, heating costs, and other basic supports. When appropriate, families also receive additional direct assistance with essential items and transportation needs The Connected Families FOC and CLFR have been hosting Active Parenting classes at the Camden Life Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The team is also planning different fun events for the holiday season like a Make your own Monster, Family dinner and a craft and snack.
The Resiliency Team has continued to build strong relationships with the Connected Team, building administrators, and students and families throughout the Camden community. With a larger team in place, collaboration has strengthened efforts to help ensure students’ and families’ basic needs are met while providing support that encourages positive choices and continued growth. Lauren and Val are also working together to develop a Girls Circle lunch group focused on life skills, decision-making, and building the skills students need to navigate everyday challenges.
During the summer Val and Sarah are working together to plan Active Parenting Classes at the Camden Life Center for the FOC, providing families with an opportunity to build practical parenting skills, strengthen family relationships, and learn strategies they can use at home.
TRAININGHighlights
CONNECTED ACADEMY
Every summer, all of our staff come together for a training series called Connected Academy. This time is used for staff to get refreshers to start the new school year ready to go, learn new updates within the Connected Initiative, and learn about new resources available to bring into the schools and support the students and families we work with. This year’s Connected Academy included the opportunity to talk to a panel of experts from our schools and community about the work they do, and how our staff can use their advice in their own work. Many staff appreciated the different perspectives and ability to learn from those who have been making an impact in our schools and communities. That same day, Jim Sodja with the Rome City School District, presented to our staff on safety, so that staff who facilitate home visits and go out into the community can do so safely. Lastly, our staff received a full day One Trusted Adult training. Many staff shared that this training was extremely helpful and engaging, teaching staff how to be a support and trusted adult for the students that come into their HUBs. Connected Academy was a success for yet another year, and got our staff energized and ready to tackle a new school year!
ADVISORY BOARD
In August, we had our quarterly Connected Advisory Board meeting. Many of our Project Managers attend these meetings in order to discover what our community partners are up to and report back to their teams. At this particular meeting, we had Terri Salisbury and Gabrielle Cornish from Kindred Connections with The Neighborhood Center share information about their program and services. Terri and Gabrielle were able to provide handouts and information about the support they can provide to families who have adopted or have guardianship of a child, as well as how to connect families to them. This is a great resource for many of our schools’ families that Site Coordinators can help connect them to.
CONNECTED PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS September kicked off the start of our Connected Partner Highlights for the ‘26-’27 school year. These are held every month throughout the school year for staff to discover and build connections with various community partners. Our first presenters included Susan Gehrig with Oneida County Child Support Services and Sarah Quigley and Rob Mansfield with Epicured. Susan shared with our staff how they can direct families to apply for child support, what the process looks like, as well as how we can support parents who pay child support and are having trouble keeping up with payments. Sarah and Rob presented to our staff on a program called Epicured, which is a service available through the Social Care Network that provides medically tailored food boxes, delivered directly to families. Food insecurity continues to be a significant need for many of the families we work with, and this is a wonderful resource that can meet that need for those who are eligible. We look forward to building additional partnerships in future Partner Highlights.
INITIATIVE INITIATIVE WIDE WIDEHighlights
CONNECTED BOOKWORMS
Connected Bookworms continues to bring families together through a love of reading, offering stories, hands-on activities, and plenty of bookish fun! Held twice a month at the Connected Impact Center, these themed gatherings encourage children to explore books, spark their imaginations, and enjoy reading in a fun, welcoming environment. With activities designed to make reading engaging for all ages, Bookworms is open to families from all Connected districts, giving readers of every age an opportunity to learn, create, and discover the joy of books together.
UPCOMING Events
W H O A R E W E A N D W H AT D O W E D O ? The Ride for Missing Children (RFMC) - Mohawk Valley is a community-driven organization dedicated to the prevention of child abduction and exploitation. While our mission is famously represented by our annual bicycle ride, our impact continues year-round through our dedicated Community Education program. In partnership with Connected Community Schools, we provide students and families with practical personal safety strategies, empowering the next generation with the tools they need to stay safe both online and in their everyday lives.
TOUCH A TRUCKS: T R U C K LOA D S O F F U N Safety education was on the move at several local TouchA-Truck events, where The Ride for Missing Children – Mohawk Valley connected with children and families through interactive activities and resources. At Mount Markham, Clough, and GWF, children enjoyed safety puzzles, coloring activities, and trivia games, while the Firetruck Spectacular offered safety trivia and prize giveaways. Families received tips on bike, personal, child, everyday, and online safety, along with reminders about trusted adults and staying visible while riding. These events provided a fun and engaging way to make important safety information accessible to local families.
N O T R E DA M E S U M M E R CA M P Students participating in Notre Dame’s summer program enjoyed an interactive safety presentation led by The Ride for Missing Children - Mohawk Valley’s Educator alongside Ride volunteers. Through engaging discussions, students explored bike safety, personal safety, and online safety while learning practical skills they can use every day. The visit concluded with a lively safety trivia game that gave students the opportunity to test their knowledge and earn fun prizes while reinforcing the important safety lessons they learned.
M O N T G O M E R Y C O U N T Y YO U T H D AY The Ride for Missing Children - Mohawk Valley joined families from across Montgomery County for Youth Day in Fonda, providing safety education through interactive games and resources. Children tested their knowledge with the Safety Trivia Wheel, completed hands-on activity pages, and earned prizes while learning important bike and personal safety skills. Parents and caregivers also had the opportunity to take home educational materials designed to encourage meaningful conversations about child safety at home.
F 3 C O N N E C T E D C A R N I VA L Families attending the F3 Connected Carnival in Rome stopped by The Ride for Missing Children’s booth to participate in interactive safety activities, spin the Safety Trivia Wheel, and take home educational resources. Along with prizes and safety materials, children were delighted to receive balloon animals, adding an extra element of fun while creating opportunities for meaningful conversations about personal and bike safety with local families.
HERKIMER CONNECTED C A R N I VA L The Ride for Missing Children - Mohawk Valley continued its summer outreach efforts at the Herkimer Connected Carnival, connecting with children and families through interactive safety education. Visitors tested their knowledge with our popular Safety Trivia Wheel, explored engaging activity pages, and took home resources designed to reinforce bike safety, personal safety, and online safety. Community events like these help extend safety education beyond the classroom and into neighborhoods across the Mohawk Valley.
H O L L A N D PAT E N T S U M M E R S C H O O L Students participating in Holland Patent’s summer school program took part in an engaging safety presentation focused on staying safe throughout the remainder of summer. Students reviewed important bike and personal safety skills before putting their knowledge to the test with a “Spot the Hazards” activity. The interactive game encouraged students to identify potential hazards and think critically about the safe choices they can make in everyday situations.
O N E I DA C O U N T Y C O M M U N I T Y H O P E A N D H E A L I N G D AY The Ride for Missing Children – Mohawk Valley joined families and community members at Oneida County Community Hope and Healing Day in Rome for an afternoon of safety education, activities, and connection. Children and adults alike were invited to test their knowledge with the popular Safety Trivia Wheel, while families could take home safety tip sheets and resources designed to encourage conversations about bike, personal, and online safety. Interactive puzzles, coloring activities, and other hands-on materials gave children a fun way to engage with important safety concepts.
F L OY D T O W N PA R K S U M M E R R E C P R O G R A M Students participating in the Floyd Town Park summer recreation program spent time learning about the 4 Rules of Personal Safety and what it means to have trusted adults in their lives. Students shared their ideas about the qualities that make someone a trusted adult and practiced identifying people they can turn to for help and support. The group then put their knowledge to the test with an active True or False game, moving around the space as they made safety decisions and explained their thinking. The combination of discussion, movement, and play made for an energetic and memorable safety lesson.
S T R O U G H L E V E L U P B O O T CA M P Students participating in Strough’s Level Up Boot Camp explored the challenges of making safe and responsible choices online, particularly when navigating peer pressure and group conversations. Through an interactive “Post It, Pause, or Don’t Post It” activity, students considered how they might respond to realistic online situations and discussed the potential consequences of different choices. The group also explored digital footprints and the importance of taking responsibility for their online behavior before learning about the STOP skill (Stop, Take a Step Back, Observe the Situation and your Feelings, and Proceed Mindfully) as a strategy for making thoughtful decisions online.
B AC K T O S C H O O L E V E N T S Connected Educator for RFMC-MV brought safety education to families at both the Ridge Mills Back to School Bash and the Adirondack Back to School Backpack Giveaway, helping students kick off the new school year with fun, learning, and important safety information. Children put their safety knowledge to the test through puzzles, coloring activities, and our spin-the-wheel safety trivia game, while families could explore helpful safety resources. The excitement grew as children returned throughout the events to answer more questions and challenge themselves, with several becoming safety trivia pros and earning our “big prize” of a bike lock and/or helmet. Through games, conversation, prizes, and handson activities, Connected helped make safety education engaging while giving students the knowledge and tools to start the school year prepared.
OPEN HOUSES
GOOD FOOD, GOOD TIMES Families at both the Canastota Back to School Cookout and General William Floyd Elementary School’s Back to School Cookout came together for food, fun, and community connection as they prepared for the new school year. At each event, The Ride for Missing Children – Mohawk Valley brought safety education to the festivities, giving children and families opportunities to explore interactive activities, puzzles, and helpful safety resources. Students tested their knowledge with our Safety Trivia Wheel, answering questions about bike, online, personal, and everyday safety, as well as trusted adults. Families also took home practical resources to help continue important safety conversations at home, while students enjoyed showing what they knew, learning something new, and earning prizes along the way.
The Ride for Missing Children – Mohawk Valley brought safety education to the Willard Prior, Mt. Markham, and Denti Open Houses, giving students and families a fun and interactive way to start the school year with safety in mind. Families stopped by our table to explore takehome safety resources, puzzles, and coloring activities, while students put their knowledge to the test with our popular Safety Trivia Wheel. At each open house, students selected from a variety of safety categories and answered questions about online and bike safety, trusted adults, and making safe choices in everyday situations. The trivia wheel quickly became a favorite, with students lining up for their turns and often returning for more questions—and a chance to win a prize along the way!
D E N T I L U N C H T I M E AC T I V I T Y We kicked off our new monthly safety program at Denti Elementary with a conversation about an important question for every child: Who can help me? During our first visit, students explored the qualities that make someone a trusted adult, focusing on the words and actions that show us a grownup is someone we can turn to for help. Students identified trusted adults in their own lives and created a take-home activity by listing and drawing pictures of people they trust. They were also given a bonus discussion question to bring home and talk about with a trusted adult: “What are some other ways you can help me when I have a problem?” Our monthly visits will continue throughout the school year, giving students opportunities to build their safety skills one topic at a time. In October, we’ll focus on Check First, where students will practice recognizing situations when they should stop and check with a trusted adult before going somewhere, trying something unfamiliar, or accepting something from someone.
J E F F E R S O N E L E M E N TA R Y B A C K T O S C H O O L C A R N I VA L We helped Jefferson Elementary families celebrate the start of a new school year with a little safety mixed into the fun! Students could stop by our table for safety-themed activities and take-home resources before stepping up to the trivia wheel for a chance to test their knowledge. With five categories to choose from and prizes for participating, the game kept students coming back for another spin, turning important safety conversations into something they were excited to be part of!
A D I R O N DAC K H I G H S C H O O L P R E S E N TAT I O N S We spent two days with Adirondack High School social studies classes taking a closer look at what youth safety looks like in today’s world and, most importantly, what students can do when something doesn’t feel right. We started with “The Truth in Numbers,” exploring current statistics and facts from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help students understand the real-world challenges young people are navigating both online and in person. Students then learned how to recognize red flags and manipulation tactics that can appear in different types of relationships and interactions, including online conversations, texts, DMs, and face-to-face situations. We discussed what they can do when they notice those warning signs and how trusting their instincts can be an important part of staying safe. We also explored the lasting nature of our digital footprints (or “digital tattoos”) and how our words and actions online can create a ripple effect that reaches further than we may realize. We wrapped up by discussing the growing concern surrounding AI-generated child exploitation material and the importance of knowing where to turn when something goes wrong. Students were reminded that making a mistake does not mean they have to face the situation alone, and sometimes, even when someone does everything they were supposed to do, they can still find themselves in a difficult situation. There is always help available. Students were left with NCMEC tools and reporting resources, so they know where to turn for support and what steps they can take if they or someone they know ever needs help.
UPCOMINGEvents
Oct. 20th - Lunchtime Activities at Connected Denti Elementary - (Monthly - 3rd Tuesday of each month) Oct. 20th - Connected Canastota Fall Festival Nov. 9th: Lunchtime Activities at Connected Bellamy Elementary Nov. 10th & 16th: Presentations at Connected Jarvis Middle School Nov. 17th: Lunchtime Activities at Connected Denti Elementary (Monthly - 3rd Tuesday of each month) Dec. 1st: Presentations at E.A. McAllister Elementary Dec. 7th: Lunchtime Activities at Connected Bellamy Elementary
MEET AMANDA GALINDO As a Community Educator for The Ride For Missing Children - Mohawk Valley, Amanda dedicates her time to engaging with each of the Connected Districts as well as other districts.
Amanda can be reached at amandag@connectedcs.org.
RFMC COMMUNITY EDUCATOR
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YOUR CAMDEN ELEMENTARY & MCCONNELLSVILLE SITE COORDINATOR
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YOUR CAMDEN PROJECT MANAGER
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Connected Camden Connected Camden Team Team
315-985-5348 walkerk@connectedcs.org
315- 271-8780 valariem@connectedcs.org
COLLEEN MATTHEWS
KELLEY BENNETT
LAUREN NEWMAN
SABRINA ENGELBRECH
DIVISONAL DIRECTOR OF CONNECTED COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OF COUNTY PROGRAMS
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
ALEXIS TOWNE
CENTRAL HUB TEAM
VICE PRESIDENT OF CONNECTED INITIATIVES
DELIVERY TEAM
KALI FOUNTAIN
NORA BAJOHR
DUSTIN TROTZ
KAELYNN BARBER