This month at our Dolgeville Connected School, Ms. Wendy from Herkimer County Cornell Cooperative Extension, came to visit our Dolgeville Elementary fourth grade classes. They learned about setting up science experiments and chemical changes by making butter together. What a great way to show our students how a liquid becomes a solid!
Science + Pancakes = A Delicious Lesson!
We kicked off March with Ms. Wendy Richardson from Cornell Cooperative Extension Herkimer County! Ms. Wendy visited six elementary classrooms for a hands-on science experience!
Students explored chemical changes by making pancakes and seeing firsthand how a liquid turns into a solid.
WORKING SOLUTIONS WORKING SOLUTIONS W O R K I N G S O L U T I O N S
Ms. Lisa Mang from Working Solutions came to visit our highschool friends in the HUB to chat about post highschool planning and resources including what is FAFSA and how to pay for education, tradeschools, and employment/career plans.
Ms. Lisa and her beautiful therapy dog, Willa, from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County came to visit!
Students loved spending time with Willa, and her visit brought so many smiles throughout the day. It was truly a fabulous day for our Dolgeville School community!
Ms. Valerie Pettengill, Nutrition Program Educator from Cornell Cooperative Extension Herkimer County , visited Mrs. Countryman’s 8th grade Home and Career classes. Students learned about the importance of including a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in their meals, practiced knife safety skills, and worked together to make a delicious hummus snack!
Ms. Valerie Pettengill, Nutrition Program Educator from Cornell Cooperative Extension Herkimer County was back to chat with our 8 graders, this time about fast and nutritious meals! They were very hands on during this lesson making a delicious and creamy macaroni and cheese dish together!
Mr. Kevin Morales, Community Educator from the YWCA, came to meet with the The Council boys group this month at Dolgeville. The Council is an inclusive, strengths base group that builds leadership and respect amongst our young men. The group will meet for about ten sessions on Tuesday afternoons!
HUB HUDDLES HUB HUDDLES
Bracelet making fun, puzzles, games, lunches, and hang
Bracelet making games, hang Bracelet making fun, games, outs! outs!
UPCOMING
April
April 2, 16, 23-Ms Val Nutrition Education Programming
April 14, 21, 28-Amend Meeting Elementary
April 20-Working Solutions-Summer Youth Employment
April 22-DES Wendy (Seed Planting) Elementary
April 28-First Source-Mock Interviews
April 30-Marina @ DES-Coping Skills
LINK LINK LINKTTrends rendsTrends
This month was busy working with families getting them connections to local resources and community supports including mental health supports and addressing food insecurity concerns. We also have been seeing an uptick in housing concerns as well as coordinating care for several of our members between our school and their care team including care managers.
Dolgeville Connected has also been working year long on post highschool support, options and readiness. We have brought in Working Solutions, Job Corps, and RCIL to help connect our students to supports and planning as needed.
Connected Connected Connected
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.
Our Liberty Partnership Project currently supports 25 students!
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.
Eva S. Fuess
Student and Family Advocate
SUNY Research Foundation Hilltop 235 315-792-7340
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 postgraduation 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.
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.
A AM MB BA AS SS SA AD DO OR R
Mother Daughter Mother DaughterCircle Circle
The first cohort of the Mother Daughter Circle concluded successfully this month. Hosted by the Central Valley Academy HUB, this eight-week program brought mothers and daughters together to strengthen their bonds, build empathy, and develop healthy communication strategies. Through a supportive group setting and guided activities, participants were able to connect more deeply while navigating their evolving relationships.
Y YO OU UT TH H
UN NC CIL
Outreach activities for the Youth Ambassador Council continued in March. We have received referrals for students interested in the Youth Ambassador Council. We are working on outreach to parents and are planning our first meeting in April!
Herkimer Connected HUB has been hosting Herkimer County System of Care’s after school drop in programming on Thursdays with structured activities for students. This month students celebrated National Cheez Doodle Day & doodled together about what they enjoy about their connected hub and how they like to spend their time. Students took part in answering questions that encourage positive interactions in 3 categories: Presence, Possibility and Play, in which group challenges got students up and moving. Spring break kicked off in The Hub with “Egg-cellent Fun” where students were challenged to many silly games using Easter Eggs.
Youth Ambassador Coordinator assisted the Central Valley Connected Team at their annual Bunny Trail held at Barringer Road Elementary. The Silent Disco was a huge hit at this event and Youth Ambassador Coordinator kept students dancing and smiling.
Mt Markham High School hosted a Wellness Fair for students. Herkimer County System of Care, Community Engagement Supervisor, MJ and Youth Ambassador Coordinator teamed up to quiz students on their knowledge of issues today's teens are challenged with in the areas of mental health, substance abuse issues and teen social media use.
The questions lead to great open dialogue among students and offered opportunities to gauge the understanding youth have in these important, complex issues.
After-school Programming
Herkimer
Central Valley Dolgeville
in the Middle School/High School HUB. in the CVA HUB.
Every Tuesday beginning April 14th.
Every Wednesday beginning April 22 . nd
Every Wednesday beginning April 22 . nd in the Middle School/High School HUB.
Mother Daughter Circles Groups are starting again in April! We are gauging interest in the community to see where the next location of the groups will be. Please click this link or reach out to Katie to sign up.
Katie can be reached at 315-360-4978 or katieb@connectedcs.org.
Herkimer County System of Care is funded by
Gu
We recently explored an exciting new programming opportunity available to all Connected districts—and our team got a firsthand look. At a recent all-staff event, we welcomed Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. to the Impact Center for an engaging training experience.
Through their unique “Hometown Training™” model, they provide guide dogs at no cost to individuals in the Eastern U.S. who are legally blind and may also have additional physical challenges. This approach allows clients to receive support and companionship from a guide dog while continuing their daily routines at home and, in many cases, in the workplace.
This opportunity not only offers meaningful educational programming for students—highlighting the importance and impact of guide dogs—but also serves as a valuable resource for community members who may benefit from these life-changing services.
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.
Celebrating Excel
We are proud to share that our Co-Leader, Melissa Roys, was recognized by Assemblywoman Maryann Buttenschon as a Woman of Distinction this March. Melissa’s tireless dedication to connecting our community and ensuring every individual feels seen continues to make a lasting impact. Congratulations, Melissa!
Co-Leader Danielle Martin was thrilled to lead the Education, Mentorship & Community Impact Hub alongside of Dr. Patricia Washing, Director from On Point and Sarah Gomex, Principal at MO BOCES. They all shared their career journeys, highlighing the importance of learning from the obstacles in life, importance of networking, advocating and never giving up! More than 200 students, educators, and regional leaders were in attendance.
Strengthening Child Safety Through Partnership
Connected is excited to announce a collaboration with the Ride for Missing Children and our new Ride for Missing Children Educator, Amanda Galindo. Connected plays a vital role in advancing the mission of The Ride for Missing Children-Mohawk Valley to promote child safety and support the prevention of child abduction and exploitation. We deliver engaging, age-appropriate safety education programs foster awareness of the Ride for Missing Children initiative create meaningful connections between students, educators, and the broader community.
