FEBRUARY 2026
DOLGEVILLE CONNECTED
NEWSLETTER TABLE OF CONTENTS Connected District Bulletin Connected Partners Collaborations & Contributions Training Highlights Initiative Wide Highlights Staff
This month at our Dolgeville Connected School, Ms. Nicole Meyers from Working Solutions visited us to explore post highschool opportunities with our students! Students completed career assessments and had the chance to ask questions about careers they’re interested in, and the steps needed to achieve those goals. Going out into the world, well prepared!
Dolgeville Connected Project Manager, Sarah Williams-Herringshaw assisted Karris Leonard from DCS Catholic Charities Prevention Program in bringing the Domestic Violence Program into the Connected HUB for presentations. The student presentations were devoted to Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships. Helping get this important information to our youth because we are Connected!
This month Ms. Marina Bridgham, Community Wellness Educator from Oneida County Cornell Cooperative Extension, Child Care Council, came to chat about understanding perspectives, seeing another person’s point of view and compassion! She met with all of our second, third, and fourth graders. It was an amazing lesson!
This month Ms. Deb and Ms. Rachael came to visit our highschool students to discuss Cybersecurity, Scams, and Identify Theft! They helped student learn how to identify what could be a potential scam and how to protect themselves better online! It was such an informative lesson!
Ms. Valarie Pettengill, Nutrition Program Educator is back to visit two of Mrs. Countryman's’ 8 th grade Home and Career classes. Ms. Valarie brings six weeks of nutrition education programming from Herkimer County Cornell Cooperative Extension. The first class is an assessment to determine the students baseline understanding of nutrition. This lesson also unpacked the hidden sugar lurking in a variety of popular drinks and what might be healthier options.
This month, we invited all the elementary classrooms to sign up for a time slot to come visit Ms. Brittany and her therapy dog Xena, Cornell Cooperative Oneida County, in our highschool HUB. What a terrific way to end the week!
HUB HUDDLES HUB HUDDLES
Bracelet making fun, puzzles and more!
Our Connected HUB is a fun place for games, puzzles, homework, a place to chat and lots of supplemental programming. Check out some of the action from this month!
UPCOMING UPCOMINGEvents Events MARCH CONNECTED PROGRAMMING
MARCH 3RD-PANCAKE PALOOZA WITH 1ST AND 3RD GRADE WITH MS WENDY MARCH 6TH-BUTTER LESSON FOR 4TH GRADE WITH MS WENDY MARCH 5TH-NUTRITION PROGRAMMING WITH MS. VAL MARCH 5TH-WILLA AND MS. LISA THERAPY DOG VISIT MARCH 9TH-WORKING SOLUTIONS POST HIGHSCHOOL OPTIONS 3 2 MARCH 13TH-IMPULSE CONTROL AND RESPECT WITH MS. MARINA @ DCS MARCH 24TH-FIRST SOURCE MANAGING MONEY/SKITTLES PRESENTATION
Connect ed Dolgevi lle wou ld like to than k every one that he lps! We cannot do it wit hout you!
COLLABORATIONS COLLABORATIONS & & Contributions Contributions
Connected
Connected
PARTNERS PARTNERS
Joanne Zilkowski Family School Navigator Phone:315-429-3155 x 1801 Text: 315-880-0553
Our mission is to unite families, schools, and community resources to prepare children to reach their full potential in school and life. We assist children ages 0-12 and their families by identifying and addressing any barriers to learning.
Madison Bennett Marriage and Family Therapist 628 Mary Street Utica NY 13501 315-272-2748
Neighborhood Center provides on site mental health support. There are currently 43 students referred to the satellite clinic.
The Liberty Partnerships Program was established in 1988 under Section 612 Subdivision 6 of Education Law to address the significant dropout rate and promote positive outcomes of post-graduation among New York State Youth. One of 52 collegiate programs, SUNY Polytechnic Institute was awarded the Liberty Partnership Program Grant in Fall of 2022. The SUNY Poly Liberty Partnership Program team strives to provide academic support, career and employment preparation as well as social emotional skill building for 5th - 12th grade students within six Herkimer County school districts: Central Valley, Dolgeville, Frankfort-Schuyler, Herkimer, Little Falls, and Mount Markham. The SUNY Polytechnic Institute Liberty Partnerships Program currently serves over 200 students providing a series of engaging and supportive programs to aid in individual goal achievement and positive outcomes. Supports and Services include: Individual Academic Support Meetings Social Emotional Assessments Personalized Learning Plans Career Exploration Employment Preparation School-based academic support programs Summer Programs
LINK LINKTrends Trends This month our LINK trends highlighted a need to address a lot of food scarcity and mental health supports. We support our district families with food boxes, and community resource connections to our Dolgeville Food Pantry, Kings Provision fresh food giveaway, as well as the Food Sense program. We also had several mental health referrals to our Neighborhood Center satellite clinic as well as outside counseling agencies in the area. Our Dolgeville Connected project manager Sarah, was able to set up appointments with different community providers this past month to assist in connecting students and families with needed resources and supports. It can be confusing and overwhelming to seek up support and transportation can be a concern. Sarah set up meeting to have our community partners come directly into our HUB to set up support services such as insurance.
Herkimer County has teamed up with Connected Community Schools as part of the Herkimer County System of Care Initiative in order to provide Mental Health support and connections to Herkimer County Youth. The Youth Ambassador Coordinator will work with school administration, school staff and Connected Community Schools staff to identify students who could benefit from serving as an ambassador within their school district and community. The Youth Ambassador Coordinator will organize and facilitate Youth Ambassador Councils across Herkimer County School districts and within the community. Monthly meetings will be held in order to organize and implement activities, events and programming related to Mental Health support and awareness. Youth Ambassadors may also have opportunities to coordinate with Youth Ambassador Councils across Herkimer County including the Annual Youth Summit. Mother Daughter Mother Daughter Circle Circle
On February 9 and 23, families participated in Mother Daughter Circle, a program designed to provide a safe and supportive space for mothers and daughters to strengthen their relationship skills. During the first session, participants explored beliefs and behaviors within their relationship and identified what is working well and what could improve. The second session focused on healthy communication, where families observed role-playing scenarios of common conflicts and practiced skills such as reflective listening, “I” statements, and affirmations to foster more positive, open communication.
H YOAUST SADOR
B M A COUNCIL
This month, outreach efforts for the Youth Ambassador Council have focused on connecting with students across our school districts, introducing them to the council’s mission and activities, and gauging interest by highlighting leadership opportunities, events, and initiatives that align with their passions and involvement. We are excited to share that eight students have already expressed interest in joining the council. Stay tuned for updates as we prepare to launch our first group meetings!
The Youth Ambassador Coordinator met with students after school to celebrate National Tell a Fairy Tale Day. Students collaborated to create an original fairy tale using a “story in a box,” which contained phrases, pictures, and prompts to inspire the story as it unfolded. The activity was filled with laughter, creativity, and imaginative thinking, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind fairy tale! In addition, students explored their thoughts and habits around social media, screen time, and gaming during sessions in both Connected Dolgeville and Herkimer in February. These discussions gave students a chance to reflect on their daily routines and share strategies for balance and healthy technology use.
UPCOMING UPCOMINGEvents Events
HERKIMER LIBRARY LEARNING SERIES FOR FAMILIES The Youth Ambassador Coordinator joined the Herkimer Connected Team for the Herkimer Library Learning Series, hosted by the Basloe Library, with this session focusing on literacy. This community event featured Cornell Cooperative Extension leading engaging activities, while representatives from Healthy Families, Herkimer County Health Net, Help Me Grow, and Family School Navigation connected with families and provided valuable resources throughout the event.
Mount Markham High School Wellness Fair
March 27th
Herkimer After-School Programming Thursdays from 2:30-3:30 pm
Mother Daughter Circle will begin on Monday, February 9th at the Central Valley Academy Connected HUB and continue for eight Mondays from 4:30–5:30 p.m. We welcome families of Connected Central Valley, Dolgeville, Herkimer, and Mount Markham families to join us. This group offers a welcoming space for mothers and daughters to connect, share, and grow together through meaningful conversations and activities. Please click this link or reach out to Katie to sign up.
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 Katie can be reached at 315-360-4978 Tuesday - Herkimer or katieb@connectedcs.org. Wednesday - Central Valley Thursday - Herkimer Herkimer County System of Care is funded by Friday - Dolgeville
TRAINING TRAININGHighlights Highlights Youth Mental Health First Aid Training – Free & Open to All!
Did you know that Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) Training is available at no cost? This valuable program is designed to help faculty, staff, and community members recognize the signs of mental health challenges in young people, provide support, and connect them with appropriate resources. By participating, you’ll gain practical skills to respond confidently to students in crisis, foster a supportive environment, and make a real difference in the lives of youth in our community. Who can attend: All faculty, staff, and community members Cost: FREE Registration: Registration link Empower yourself with the knowledge to support youth mental health—because every student deserves to be seen, heard, and supported.
INITIATIVE INITIATIVE WIDE WIDEHighlights Highlights
Advocating for Students and Families in Albany
On Feb. 10, Nora Bajhor, Director of Impact, and Daniel Turk, Project Manager of Quality Assurance, traveled to Albany to meet with state legislators to advocate for funding for Community Schools that support students, families, and communities across New York State. The day began with a powerful video highlighting the realities of childhood poverty across New York, which set the tone for the conversations ahead. The video was both moving and impactful, and several colleagues from the Connected initiative were featured in the presentation. After the video Nora presented as a panelist representing Connected. Throughout the day, the group met with legislators to discuss the importance of sustained support for programs that address the barriers many students and families face. One highlight of the day was an impromptu meeting with a local Assembly representative, who graciously took time to speak with Dan’s group. The conversation was encouraging as he has three Connected school districts in his legislative district, there is hope that he will support the proposed legislation should it move forward to a full Assembly vote. The day provided an important opportunity to highlight the impact of Community Schools and ensure that the voices of students, families and communities are part of the conversation shaping policies across New York.
Click here to watch the 1 in 5: Confronting Childhood Poverty in New York Video.
HOW CAN I HELP YOU TODAY AND MAKE YOUR TOMORROW BETTER?
How can I help you today and make your tomorrow better?
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.
Connected Dolgeville Team Connected Dolgeville Team
Sarah Williams-Herringshaw
Katie Rockwell
Dolgeville Project Manager
Divisional Director of Connected Community Schools
Dolgeville Elementary 8-10am Dolgeville Highschool 112:30pm
(315) 717-9748
315-985-0288
katier@connectedcs.org
sarahw@connectedcs.org
CENTRAL HUB TEAM ALEXIS TOWNE
RAIN RIDGNER
KALI FOUNTAIN
DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OF IMPACT
NORA BAJOHR
KAELYNN BARBER
DELIVERY TEAM
DUSTIN TROTZ