Families were provided the opportunity to restock their pantries at no cost to them. Families were able to pick up dry goods as well meat, eggs (donated by Chris Haar ) , cookie dough (donated by MOMMS), and frozen vegetables & fruit. Students who accompanied their parents were able to enjoy some movie time with popcorn while their parents shopped! Eric Radley, from Fidelis, was present offering his knowledge and resources to families.
Marina Bridgham with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, spent time with us once again this Month. Students had the pleasure of participating in Perspective taking, where they would look at images zoomed in and guess what it was. Seeing the different guesses of one image shows their take on the world through other’s eyes.
Deb Grogan, with First Source Federal Credit Union, came to Connected Mt. Markham High School this month to answer any questions outside the cafe. Bringing along goodies and her knowledge, students love to see Deb in the building!
This month, first graders in Mrs. Iorio’s class had a special visit from Melo and her handler, Ron. The students were excited to meet them and had lots of questions for Ron. He shared some of his favorite stories with the class, and both students and teachers enjoyed some quality petting time with Melo.
BBOOKWORM OOKWORM
NIGHT NIGHT
Families were invited to attend our first Connected Mt. Markham Bookworm Night. Ms Nevills read some of our favorite winter stories like The Snowy Day By Ezra Jack Keats. Afterwards, families drew their own picture of a “snowy day”.
Colby Thall, from the Family And Community Education Center, presented to parents on literacy at home. She also handed out information on resources for families of school age students with a disability.
HUB HUDDL HUB HUDDL
The Elementary HUB offers HUB Huddle opportunities for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students during lunch hour. Students have conversations with each other about what is happening in their day to day, relatable home life scenarios, and just typical elementary school chats. Friendships are formed and supported here in the HUB. In addition to social skills, our HUB Huddles are filled with craft time, games, bracelet making, and HUB decorating for Valentines Day!
In January, HUB Huddle consisted of visits with peers, games of battleship and prizes for the winning captain! Students continue to visit when they can in the HUB to enjoy conversation, peer bonding, and relax in between busy classes.
In the High School this month, students enjoyed coloring, board games, and classroom programming with Marina with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County. Students continue to come into the HUB to talk about challenges and goals in their daily lives as the HUB has a sense of belonging, community and support.
CONNECTED CONNECTEDPartners Partners
The Neighborhood Center is currently providing counseling services to 17 students across the district, including 6 students at the Elementary School, 4 students at the Middle School, and 7 students at the High School. These services continue to support students’ well-being and social-emotional growth at every level.
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 LPP team includes:
Caryn Schweinsberg – SUNY Poly LPP Project Director
Mrs. Schweinsberg is a graduate of SUNY Polytechnic with a B.S. in Community and Behavioral Health. Caryn’s professional interests are in the areas of school prevention, mental health support and social emotional learning to promote positive outcomes in children and adolescents. Prior to assuming the Director role for LPP, Mrs. Schweinsberg worked for several other local non-profit agencies serving vulnerable populations experiencing mental health and substance abuse challenges. Mrs. Schweinsberg is currently seeking a master's in social work from Keuka College.
Amelia Vella – Assistant Project Director
Ms. Amelia Vella is a current SUNY Polytechnic Institute student. Prior to assuming the role of Assistant Project Director, Ms. Vella has worked in a variety of community engagement, behavioral health outreach and youth and family engagement-based roles across Oneida County. Ms. Vella’s professional interests include Ms. Vella’s professional interests include supporting vulnerable populations through community-based outreach, proactive and preventative support services, and initiatives that strengthen access to behavioral health, youth, and family resources. Ms. Vella also serves as the Student & Family Advocate of Central Valley and Dolgeville School Districts.
Eva Fuess – Student & Family Advocate
Ms. Eva Fuess is a graduate of SUNY Polytechnic with a B.S. In Community and Behavioral Health. Prior to receiving this role, Ms. Fuess was involved with advocating for student mental and physical health on her campus. Ms. Fuess is currently seeking a master's in social work from the University at Buffalo. Her professional interests include student mental health and school prevention. Ms. Fuess serves as the Student & Family Advocate of Herkimer, Little Falls and Dolgeville School Districts.
Sophie Valente – Student & Family Advocate
Ms. Sophie Valente graduated from the College of Saint Rose with a B.S. in Psychology with a clinical counseling concentration. Before starting at LPP, Ms. Valente worked with children and students in a variety of capacities, including individual and group settings. Ms. Valente’s professional interests include student mental health and how social media influences mental health and self-image. Ms. Valente serves as the Student & Family Advocate of Mount Markham and Frankfort-Schuyler School Districts.
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
Many families in our community continue to face challenges with food insecurity, compounded by rising grocery and energy costs. Our Connected Team supports these families by hosting Open HUB sessions at the end of each month to help meet immediate needs. We also provide food boxes as needed and share information about local food resources. In addition, we assist families in finding dental providers who accept their insurance and help navigate transportation challenges by connecting them with community resources.
UPCOMING UPCOMING
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.
Youth Ambassador Coordinator Katie connected with students at Jarvis during lunch, sparking both laughter and reflection using PEP cards from The One Trusted Adult curriculum. Students were asked fun, thoughtprovoking questions—such as describing their day as a weather report— and did a wonderful job sharing their responses while enjoying a few laughs along the way.
Mother Daughter Circle will begin on Monday, February 9 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.
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.
