NOVEMBER 2025
CONNECTED CENTRAL VALLEY
NEWSLETTER
TABLE OF CONTENTS Connected District Bulletin Connected Partners Collaborations & Contributions Training Highlights Initiative Wide Highlights Staff
Spreading
Holiday Cheer at Our Connected Site Coordinator recently led a heartwarming field trip to the Grand Nursing Home with our fourth-grade students. The visit gave students a special opportunity to share love and care with residents in our community. Students crafted thoughtful Thanksgiving cards and enjoyed quality time playing board games and card games, all while sipping hot cocoa and enjoying cookies. The event was filled with smiles, laughter, and meaningful connections—an experience cherished by both students and residents alike!
This month, Marina visited classrooms to celebrate gratitude and kindness. Students each received a small “gift”—from a broken pencil to a tissue—and were challenged to find a positive way to show appreciation for it, then added their thoughts to a Gratitude Garden. At Fisher and Barringer Elementary Schools, students created kindness bracelets while learning how to be kind and support one another. It was inspiring to see so much creativity, thoughtfulness, and positivity in action!
Deb and Rachel came to Jarvis 5th grade seminar to continue their financial literacy program. This visit, they talked about want vs. need. Students were able to discuss items they saw as a want or a need and even had some great debates about some items that might be both! They also learned how to prioritize their money on items they need rather than want.
Carmen Smith from The Runaway and Homeless Youth Program of Catholic Charities of Herkimer County presented a game of Kahoots to the 5th grade Seminar classes based on decision making processing skills. The Kahoots game was an engaging and interactive way to teach decision-making skills. Kahoot’s quiz-based format encourages active participation, quick thinking, and real-time feedback. By presenting students with scenario-based questions and multiple-choice options, the game allowed them to practice evaluating alternatives and making informed choices.
The Connected Site Coordinators had Brittany Amore from Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) bring in her therapy dog Xena. Xena spent time at CVA and Fisher Elementary this month. At Fisher, the students colored pictures and gave them to Xena as a gift. At CVA, she was present in the HUB during lunch periods and gave the students time to visit during their lunch period. The therapy dog is a welcome visitor to our HUBs and the students enjoy learning about her. .
Val with CCE EFNEP program visited Jarvis 5th grade seminar this month to continue her series about health eating with the students. The students played Jeopardy to review what they have learned so far. They had to answer questions and work as a team about food labels, healthy snacks and balanced meals.
Connected Site Coordinator Donna went into the 5th grade seminar classes to talk about gratitude with the students. Students identified what gratitude meant, who they are grateful for and why and ways to express that. Students then worked on posters to show who and what they are grateful for. In the end, we talked about telling those around us that we are grateful for them and students received a gratitude journal that they can write down their thoughts in.
Duwayne with YWCA came to Jarvis to do an assembly for grades 5-8 about Positive behaviors. Duwayne talked with students about positive behaviors, empathy, consideration and acceptance. Students also role played different scenarios to show how they would show these characteristics.
The goal of this activity is to celebrate world kindness day at CVA high school. The students will have the opportunity to write kind works on a kindness bear for a specific person to give it to or just for anyone which they will put up in the HUB. or in the hallway outside the HUB.
As we head into the season of gratitude, our students are taking time to reflect on the positive things in their lives. The goal of this event is to encourage them to think about and share what they are thankful for. Each student will have the opportunity to write their message of gratitude and place it on the Thankful Tree displayed on the back window, creating a beautiful visual reminder of appreciation and community.
In an effort to support student well-being and awareness, the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program (RHYP) hosted an information table at CVA this month. Staff provided valuable resources and engaged directly with students, ensuring they know where to turn for help, guidance, and support.
Reconnect & Restock
During Parent Teacher Conferences, families came into the HUB at Barringer and Jarvis. During this time, they were able to connect with the site coordinator, talk about any additional struggles they might be having . Families that attended were able to be connected with community resources such as LifePlan, Holiday Assistance, SNAP assistance programs and Care Management.The families also received food, hygiene supplies and any other tangible items they might need. Cornell Cooperative Extension Child Care Council and Girl Scouts were present to meet with families also. They were able to give families information on assistance with child care and answer any questions they might have. Students at Jarvis were also given take home bags of food for the long holiday weekend. Students were identified by faculty or by Site Coordinator and were able to take home a small bag of easy to make items.
HUB HUDDLES HUB HUDDLES At Barringer, students took part in several engaging activities designed to build skills, teamwork, and gratitude. During the Microwave Monday HUB Huddle, students learned microwave safety and made simple snacks—including a baked potato. They also contributed to a schoolwide “Gratitude Tree” by writing what they were thankful for on paper leaves. In fourth-grade lunch groups, students practiced teamwork and communication through a nonverbal color-sorting challenge and a sensory drawing activity that required focus and cooperation.
This month, students focused on gratitude and kindness during the HUB Meet Up. They helped fill backpacks with hygiene items, clothing, and other essentials to donate to Loaves and Fishes, learning about the needs of others while adding encouraging notes. Students also spread kindness throughout the school by leaving positive messages on lockers and with staff, and decorated the HUB door with “gratitude feathers,” highlighting people they are thankful for both in and outside of school.
The HUB is a space for students to eat, socialize, and play games during breakfast and lunch, and to relax after school with snacks and conversation. During study halls, students work on school assignments and connect with peers. This month, students celebrated Thanksgiving by adding notes of gratitude to the Thankful Tree and observed World Kindness Day by creating “kindness bears” to share or display in the HUB, spreading positivity throughout the school.
ATTENDANCE ATTENDANCETrends Trends
Throughout November, Jarvis focused on encouraging strong attendance with a Perfect Attendance Challenge. Identified students who attended school every day were entered into a gift card drawing, with bonus entries offered on half days and Fridays. By month’s end, two students achieved perfect attendance and received gift cards, while students with only one absence earned a Stewarts ice cream certificate. Their parents also received a thank-you letter and a Stewarts coffee voucher for supporting consistent attendance. Across Barringer and Fisher, Connected Site Coordinators have been working closely with families and students facing attendance concerns, building positive relationships and offering ongoing support. Regular weekly and monthly follow-ups help reinforce the district’s new attendance policy. At CVA, the Connected Site Coordinator continues to monitor attendance for identified students, with rewards planned in December for those showing improvement, alongside consistent outreach to students and families.
Connected PARTNERS PARTNERS
Connected Referrals for In School Counseling at our buildings are discussed during LINK meetings and are completed by the guidance departments. The in school counselor is present in CVA and Jarvis on Wednesdays.
The Connected Site Coordinator continues to work with the Family School Navigation program at Fisher with any families that can be supported by both programs.
Supports and Services Provided: LPP is present in the CVA and Jarvis buildings once a week. During this time, students who are enrolled in the LPP program meet with the Student and Family Advocate and receive support in the following areas. Central Valley Academy: Jarvis: Students Enrolled: 20 Minutes Spent: Academic Support: 60 Min Assessments: 30 Min Career Readiness: 0 College Preparation: 0 Structured Social Emotional Support: 40 Min Other: 10 Min Total: 140 Min
Trends
Trends
Students Enrolled: 28 Minutes Spent: Academic Support: 70 Min Assessments: 60 Min Career Readiness: 0 College Preparation: 0 Structured Social Emotional Support: 75 Min Other: 60 Min Total: 265 Min
Holiday Assistance and Food insecurity has been the most requested need this month at Connected Central Valley.
LINK is a single point of access embedded within every Connected school. It brings together school staff and community partners to identify student and family needs and connect them with appropriate supports, services, and local resources to promote student success.Families have been referred to many of our community partners such as Catholic Charities for any holiday assistance needs. Families in our elementary buildings have been referred to the Gram Lorraine holiday program through referrals by the site coordinator or the faculty in those buildings. At Jarvis, the site coordinator worked with the guidance department to identify families for outreach that were not sponsored by their Christmas for Everyone holiday assistance program. Connected Central Valley will be part of a family shopping day on December 10th at Herkimer Elementary School for some of our families also. During this time, families are able to come and shop for items for their students. At that time, site coordinators will also assess any additional needs that the family might have and assist in connecting them with those resources. Food insecurity has also seen an increase this month. The district had two Open HUB events this month to help any families that could use some assistance with food insecurity. During this time, families could come to either Jarvis or Barringer schools and connect with a site coordinator to assess additional needs. Families received a food bag as well as additional food, hygiene and clothing items. In the past, response to these events have been minimal , however, this month we had approximately 20 families sign up for assistance. Many families also reached out for assistance with Thanksgiving dinner assistance. Connected Central Valley was able to donate ten turkeys and potatoes to Catholic Charities food pantry where district families were referred for assistance.
Silence The Stigma - Hear The Thunder - Central Valley Academy Sports Psychology & Sports Management faculty faced off in a game of Hoops against First Responders to raise awareness and help to silence the stigma associated with mental health. Youth Ambassador Coordinator was present and provided information and giveaways to attendees. This event was hosted by CVA and all proceeds from this event were donated to The Christopher Newtown Memorial Foundation.
Youth Ambassador Coordinator, Katie has been meeting with district social workers and counselors in order to educate and outreach potential students for Youth Ambassador Council as well as Mother-Daughter Circles groups.
Katie joined the Connected Herkimer Team in November to help with Family Game Night. Katie took this opportunity to engage and build rapport with students and families in the Connected Herkimer District.
MEET KATIE BAKER
Youth Ambassador Coordinator, Katie spends time in each of the Herkimer County Connected Districts. Her schedule is as follows:
Monday - Mount Markham Tuesday - Herkimer Wednesday - Central Valley Thursday - Herkimer Friday - Dolgeville Katie can be reached at 315-360-4978 or katieb@connectedcs.org.
Connec ted Centra l Valley would like to thank everyo ne that helps! We can not do it withou t you!
COLLABORATIONS COLLABORATIONS & & Contributions Contributions Steet Ponte Steet Ponte generously donated winter coats to Central Valley School district students. This annual donation helps students in all our buildings.
Compassion Coalition Central Valley received 10 turkeys and potatoes, which were generously donated to the Catholic Charities Food Pantry. These items will help support families in need throughout the Ilion and Frankfort communities.
Central Valley Faculty & Staff Central Valley faculty and staff have donated numerous items this month to all of our HUBs. Clothing and winter wear has been a welcome donation. Faculty has also began donating holiday assistance items to be used for our Herkimer County Family Shopping Day in December.
TRAINING Highlights TRAINING Highlights November Advisory Board
During the month of November, we hosted our quarterly Advisory Board meeting. For this meeting, we had two agencies present on the programs they offer. The first agency to present was CNY Fair Housing, located in Syracuse, New York. Tysha Martin shared with the group that the primary goal of CNY Fair Housing is to fight discrimination in housing for protected classes. They cover 13 counties in Central and Northern New York. Not only do they investigate and fight for tenants, but they also educate landlords and community providers on tenant rights. The presentation was very informative and a great resource to connect appropriate families that we work with. The second presentation was by the Utica Center for Development. This agency provides a variety of services specifically aimed towards veterans and their families including assistance with tangible items as well as mental health support. One of their programs, called the Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Program, works with veterans who have PTSD and other mental health struggles. This is an essential resource for veterans and their families we may work with.
Connected Partner Highlights: Monthly Connected Partner Highlights are held virtually throughout the school year for staff to discover and build connections with various community partners. During the month of November, we had three different agencies present on the services they offer. One program, the Cornell Cooperative Extension Child Care Council, shared that they offer Classroom Programming opportunities focused on social emotional learning. The Child Care Council has been a great partner of Connected and is frequently booked to come into our schools. They also offer assistance in obtaining child care and financial assistance to pay for child care in Oneida, Herkimer, and Madison Counties. Our second presenter was the Madison Community Action Partnership’s Permanency Resources Program. This state-funded program, which evolved from kinship caregiver programs, provides comprehensive support to kinship caregivers, adoptive families, and families going through legal guardianship or adoption processes, in partnership with the Neighborhood Center in Oneida County. This specific program is available in Oneida and Chenango Counties, but there are similar programs throughout the state. Last but not least, we also had Indium Corporation present to our staff on the Classroom Programming that they can offer. Indium can go into local schools and teach students about what Indium does, considerations for career exploration with Indium, and learning about the manufacturing process along with some STEMrelated education. This is a great opportunity that many of our staff only just discovered during this Partner Highlight. If you are interested in bringing Indium into your school, please reach out to your Connected Site Coordinator!
INITIATIVE INITIATIVE WIDE WIDEHighlights Highlights Holiday Assistance
Connected is in full Holiday Assistance mode, working to ensure students and families have the support they need this season. Last year, we assisted over 2,000 students, and we’re once again committed to spreading warmth and joy throughout our communities. If you or someone you know could benefit from holiday assistance, please reach out to your Site Coordinator or a member of the LINK Team—we’re here to help. If you’d like to help, donations are always welcome! Check out the Holiday Assistance bin map included on this flyer for convenient drop-off locations, or bring your donation to our main office at 207 North James Street, Rome, NY. Monetary contributions can also be made online at https://connectedcommunityschools.org/holiday-assistance/, and every gift helps make the season brighter for local families. Click here to access the Holiday Assistance Bin Map!
Now Open: Connected Purple Flamingo Thrift & Gift Store The Connected Purple Flamingo Thrift and Gift Store is now open! Bright, quirky, and full of character, the store offers a wide variety of thrifted and new items for sale. All proceeds benefit the Connected Initiative, making every purchase a way to support the community. If you haven’t visited yet, it’s definitely worth checking out!
Connected Community Spaghetti Dinner On November 19 in collaboration between The Connected initiative, Oneida County, and the Connected Rome CSD; the very first Connected County Spaghetti Dinner was held at Connected Strough middle school. The true strength of our communities in the Mohawk Valley is the spirit of resilience and collaboration to come together to support one another in the face of current and ongoing struggles. With the support of our volunteers from Oneida County, student volunteers, and Rome, CSD nutrition services staff we were able to distribute approximately 300 eat in and take out meals to anyone who was able to attend regardless of school district or home address. This event was proof that local action can have a wide impact.
UPCOMING UPCOMINGEvents Events
Connected Central Connected Central Valley Valley Team Team How can I help you today and make your tomorrow better?
HOW CAN I HELP YOU TODAY MAKE YOUR TOMORROW BETTE
If you know someone that may need help, our LINK system is here to assist with any struggle, worries, or needs that may arise. If you see someone in need of help (whether it's tangible items, assistance with housing, mental health, primary care, or anything) please contact one of us.
Paola Coe
Indya Countryman
YOUR BARRINGER & FISHER ELEMENTARY SITE COORDINATOR
YOUR CENTRAL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SITE COORDINATOR
315-985-0524
315-269-3343
paolac@connectedcs.org
indyac@connectedcs.org
Katie Rockwell
Donna Senko
YOUR CONNECTED COMMUNITY SCHOOLS DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR
YOUR CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT MANAGER
315-717-9748
315-985-0908
katier@connectedcs.org
donnas@connectedcs.org
CENTRAL HUB TEAM ALEXIS TOWNE
RAIN RIDGNER
KAELYNN BARBER
KALI FOUNTAIN
DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OF IMPACT
DELIVERY TEAM
NORA BAJOHR
SASHA MILLER