J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 6
C O N N E C T E D
C A N A S T O T A
N E W S L E T T E R
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Connected District Bulletin
Connected Partners
Collaborations & Contributions
Training Highlights
Initiative Wide Highlights
Staff
ASPIRE NY Visit ASPIRE Visit
Don McPherson with ASPIRE NY along with Clark Oliver from the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence stopped in to talk with students about Aspirational Masculinity. This discussed how students should embrace their whole self and others’ whole selves as it is a key to understanding one another. Students truly had their eyes opened as they realized there’s more to them than just the shell that’s visible to the outside world. Thank you so much for coming!
Ms. Marina from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County visited Connected Canastota RSMS HUB for Terrific Tuesday. The students had a fantastic time playing Jeopardy! The game of Jeopardy! focused on the coping skills that Ms. Marina has been teaching during her visits. It was wonderful to see the students so engaged, and many shared that they learned new coping strategies and improved their ability to identify negative coping skills. Looking forward to her next visit!
Thismonth’sflavorwaslemonlime,andstudentsloved havingaflavorthattheyarefamiliarwith.Ms.Carolwas amazinginshowinghowitcanbesuchanicehealthy alternativeasarefreshingbeverage!
WaterWednesdaywasahitwithourHighSchoolstudents!
Ms. S from CCE of Madison County Agriculture in the Classroom led the Connected SSES 4th grade in an engaging lesson titled "Total Mixed Ration." During this lesson, students participated in an experiment while learning about what cows eat and the concept of total mixed ration. The core concept involves mixing foods together so that it is not as easy for the cows to pick and choose what they eat. It was then related back to the importance of well-balanced diets and good nutrition for the students. The 4th grade had a wonderful day of learning and is excited to see what is in store for her next visit to Connected SSES.
friends to talk about kindness! Students were able to receive a non traditional gift and were tasked with coming up with a creative answer of what they liked about it. Thank you so much for stopping in!
Ms. Carol from SNAP-Ed CCE Chenango County tackled the snack attack at Connected Canastota RSMS! Ms. Carol talked with the students about My Plate food groups. With help from students and Ms. Rogan, Ms. Carol whipped up delicious and nutritious peanut butter and banana pockets. This was a snack that everyone enjoyed!
Ms ValfromRealityCheckstoppedintovisitourHS students!Thismonth'stopicsurroundedtheupcoming legislativeeducationday,andhowstudentsshouldbe preparingforthat Thisisagreatopportunitytobevocalfor theircommunities,andweappreciateMs.Valstoppingin.
Ms.CarolfromCCEofChenangoCounty stoppedintovisitourPSESfriends!Ms. Carolspokewithusabouttheimportanceof ahealthydietbyutilizingtheMyPlatechart, andevenletustryahealthysnack!Thank youforstoppingin.
Connected RSMS Terrific Tuesday Huddle was full of fun challenges with Ms. Jocelyn from Canastota Public Library. Ms. Rogan and students stacked marshmallow towers, scooped “snowballs” while blindfolded and scrambled to see how many 3 letter words they could spell before the timer ran out. Afternoons with Ms. Jocelyn are always AMAZINGLY FUN!
Families of Connected Canastota’s South Side and Peterboro Street Elementary Schools had an absolute blast with the LEGO night event!
Participants were able to choose an animal to build and put their creative minds to work constructing their very own unique creations. Thanks to our generous PTA, families were even able to take their creations home! We are truly appreciative of the Canastota PTA for including us on this wonderful event.
This month’s highlight was the blindfolded obstacle course activity! Students were challenged to work in pairs and find a misplaced item in our media center to return to the HUB. One student provided directions, while their teammate navigated the student-created course to find the item. This activity taught students the importance of clear communication as well as active listening!
HUB HUDDLES HUB HUDDLES
We are happy to share that we’ve started a Lunch Buddies Visit! Students are able to visit Mr. Will’s office and play a game with peers while enjoying their meal. This visit’s game was Trouble! Students raced each other to get all their pieces to their home base safely. There were a lot of laughs as each student moved their piece around the board.
HUB huddles are always fun at SSES! Connected Site Coordinator Denise and the students have had a blast drawing, crafting and playing games such as Sculpt It, Color Hop and UNO! Students are excited to spend time in the HUB, and we can’t wait to have them visit again soon.
Roberts Street Middle School Terrific Tuesdays keep growing! Every week we have new students join us for fun, laughs and learning. A particular favorite activity among the students is the Minute To Win It games hosted by Ms. Jocelyn from the Canastota Public Library.
The HUB has been hopping lately! HS students truly value having the HUB as a resource for after school and weekend food items. One item in particular that is popular with students is our microwaveable meals! Students are welcome to grab these items on the go as we work to keep students well fed so they can continue to have success in and out of the classroom.
Connected Connected
PARTNERS PARTNERS
Madison County Mental Health continues to work collaboratively with your Connected Team to ensure that students are supported in all possible angles where applicable.
INITIATIVE WIDE INITIATIVE WIDE
The Connected Community Schools Advisory Board brings together a diverse group of leaders, educators, families, youth, businesses, and community partners to guide and sustain the initiative’s work across our region. The Board meets quarterly at the Connected Court at the James Impact Center and represents over 400 established partners On February 5, members gathered alongside guest speakers from Fidelis and the Oneida County Department of Family & Community Services to continue strengthening collaboration and impact.
Oneida County Department of Family & Community Services
Oneida County Department of Family & Community Services Director, Kari Barber, shared updates with the Advisory Board on regional Warming Centers in response to the cold temperatures, announcing cold blue. Under state regulation, a Code Blue is automatically in effect whenever temperature and wing chill equal less than 32 degrees The discussion emphasized the importance of spreading the word and connecting individuals and families especially those experiencing housing instability—to safe, warm spaces and critical support. Community members are encouraged to share this information and help ensure neighbors in need know where to find assistance during the winter months.
Nicole Patrei of Fidelis Insurance provided a comprehensive overview of Fidelis Care's offerings, including vital health plans like Child Health Plus, Managed Medicaid, and various Senior Care options, alongside ancillary benefits such as vision and dental coverage. She also detailed the organization's commitment to community engagement and accessibility through multiple outreach channels, specifically mentioning the Fidelis Mobile Vehicle, the physical community center in Utica, and providing her direct contact email, npatrei@fideliscare.org, for further inquiries. NIcole shared that her and her team strive to be a valuable resource to our community and encouraged those looking for assistance in finding medical coverage and providers to follow up with them whenever the need arises
Fidelis
TRAINING TRAINING Highlights Highlights
Cornell Cooperative Extension's Energy HUB
Monthly virtual Partner Highlights give staff the opportunity to learn about and connect with community partners. In January, We were joined by Brittany Amore, Daniel Sharfarz, Josephine Roman and Juliet Jalonack, and Lucas Russell from Cornell Cooperative Extension's Energy HUB in order to learn about their programming opportunities and services. CCE's Mohawk Valley Regional Clean Energy HUB's goal is to provide education and support to help Upstate New York residents save money, aiming for a healthy and affordable home or business. The Hub covers Herkimer, Fulton, Montgomery,Oneida, Otsego and Schoharie Counties.
