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C O N N E C T E D R O M E N E W S L E T T E R

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Connected District Bulletin

Connected Partners

Collaborations & Contributions

Training Highlights

Initiative Wide Highlights

Staff

Connected Holiday Assistance 2025

The Connected Initiative hosted it’s annual Community Elves Holiday Assistance project this month in preparation for the holiday season. Community Elves is an amazing collaboration with, local businesses, and generous donations from our community members to provide support and the opportunity for local families to ensure that their children have a joyous holiday. Over 100 of our stylized collection bins placed at local businesses were filled and returned to help ensure we were able to prepare for this year’s event.

This year, just over 500 Connected Rome families were able to come to the Connected Court on James Impact Center and “shop” our shelves that remained stocked from the 1st day on 12/15 through Christmas Eve on 12/24. Roughly 900 Connected Rome children ages birth through 20 were supported in a way in which parents are empowered to select the toys and gifts that they know their children will appreciate and benefit from.

Many great community volunteers including from First Source FCU, Oneida County government, teachers and staff from the Connected Rome and other Connected school districts were on hand equipped with tape, scissors, and ribbon to provide gift wrapping services as well. The Annual Holiday Elves continues to be an amazing event, and we are honored to be able to support the community in this way

Connected RFA HUB students celebrated their accomplishments in 2025 by writing down their successes during the year. Students wrote about their scholarly, and personal achievements and realized they were much more successful this year than they had thought! It was a great way to remind ourselves that we are doing good work and are continuing towards an even more successful 2026!

Bellamy Elementary celebrated winter holidays with fun family activities! Families created their own ornaments, decorated cookies, and took holiday photos! In addition, Bellmay’s ENL department also participated in the event with their Holidays around the world activity Families of Bellamy Elementary showcased how they celebrated different winter holidays in their respective cultures. Students and their families could get henna, try cultural foods, and participate in activities like hitting a pinata!

Connected Site Coordinator Brandon joined in on the Holiday Fun with John Joy PTG. During the annual Cookies with Santa event students enjoyed a variety of stations. The Connected station was to design your own ornament. Students used their creativity to create their very own ornament to hang on their trees this year. The activity and event were a huge success.

The Rome Connected team joined with the Rome Branch NAACP and many other community partners at the Rome Polish Home for the return of KAri’s Warm and Cozy winter event. Over 70 families joined us for a meal, pictures with Santa, many activities, and for those who needed them, hats, gloves, and coats. Rome Connected hosted a “Dunk” Contest featuring Oreo vs Chocolate Chip cookies By a 2:1 margin, Oreos were chosen as the superior dunking cookie.

CONNECTED ROME WINTER FESTS CONNECTED ROME WINTER FESTS

The Connected Rome Team joined the Denti PTO for the annual Winter Fest filled with activities, snacks and special guests! A holiday dance troupe was incredible and our friend The Grinch also stopped by! Students, along with Connected Denti Site Coordinator Shannon, had a wonderfully messy time decorating Christmas Cookies! It was a wonderful kickoff to the holiday season!

Students, families, and staff came together for a fun Family Winter Festival filled with holiday cheer Families enjoyed cookie decorating, crafts, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and Christmas music while spending time together. Along the way, families engaged with the Rome Connected team to color holiday and winter-themed sheets, and write letters to Santa before visiting the Big Guy himself. It was a joyful event, and fun was had by all.

Forty two families braved the winter weather this month to join us for the Rome Connected Open HUB and Pantry Restock. In addition to the large variety of non-perishable and frozen items families took home, they also were able to meet with the navigator from Cayuga Centers and learn about the services and programs going on in the community. Open HUB continues to be a support to Connected Rome families leading into longer holidays and school breaks.

Students in the Bellamy HUB helped Site Coordinator Chasity create her Bellamy HUBs very first Christmas tree, Charlie brown style! Connected Site Coordinator Chasity cut out a tree from cardboard, and Students showed their creativity and passion by decorating their own paper ornaments to display on the tree.

HUB HUDDLES HUB HUDDLES

Connected Site Coordinator Brandon worked with his 6th grade Enrichment group on a Kindness Tree for all students to show how they show kindness in school. Students designed a Tree and provided classmates with a variety of leaves to write down ways they show Kindness in school. At the end of the month the tree was filled with an abundance of leaves showcasing all the ways students are kind throughout the day.

Students in the Connected Ridge Mills HUB worked with Ms. Alaia on Gratitude Mugs. Students were able to design paper mugs of hot cocoa and label them with things that they were grateful for. Ms. Alaia also used this activity as a way to meet students and introduce herself to them as she steps into her new role as Connected SEALs Coordinator.

ConnectedStroughHUBstudentsemphasizedandcelebrated theiruniquenessbydesigningsnowflakesandwritingwhat makesthemanindividualonthem Theythenaddedthemtothe StroughSnowmanWinterLandscapetosharethosewiththeir fellowstudents.

continuestodo homeworkHUB!Studentsenjoyutilizingtheir freeperiodtocomeinanddohomework,or catchuponworktheymight’vemissed!Other thingswedidintheHUBthismonthwas celebratetheholidayseasonbyhavingaHUB ChristmasCards,SweatersandSweetsparty! StudentsthroughoutthedaycametotheHUB tocelebratetheholidayseasonbyenjoying food,cookiesandcandyprovidedbySite CoordinatorMs Nelsonandtheconnectors! RFAHUBalsoparticipatedinmakingtheirown slimeasascienceandsensoryactivity.

StudentswereabletoutilizetherecipeprovidedbyMs N Thisactivityhelpedstudentstorelaxandlearnmore abouttheconceptoffollowingstepstocreateascientificendresult ItwasaproductivemonthofDecemberherein theRFAHUBandwearesoexcitedforallofthefunactivitiesplannedfor2026!

Connected Connected

PROJECTS PROJECTS

The Connected SEALs project serves to support students and staff in navigating social emotional barriers to success in an academic setting. Our team members work in a highly collaborative manner with school counseling and social work teams to provide individual and group level student engagement to foster SEL strengths like coping skills, conflict resolution strategies, and communicating emotional needs that allow students to regulate themselves and remain able to engage in their education. The team also works with building level staff to support them in building these skills with their students through modeling and working side by side in the classroom.

The Rome SEALs Team was privileged to wrap up Group Crisis Intervention Training with RCSD Counseling Staff and Admin The SEALs Team completed the training feeling more informed on tasks and skills necessary to serve groups in crisis. Thank you to Amanda Jones and Course Instructor, Amy H. Scheel-Jones for the opportunity to gain understanding of such sensitive and impactful information! The SEALs Team agrees, all Members of the community shouldconsiderexposuretothiscontent.

The Rome Connected SEALs team is also pleased to share that we have started many great projects across the district. We are especially proud of our Stalls for All project in collaboration with Connected John Joy, in which affirmations and positive posters with coping techniques are being put up in the restrooms In the spirit of meeting people where they are, literally, and when things get stressful the restroom is a quiet place many people can retreat to. This helps provide some visuals and reminders to those during these breaks that there is help and gives guidance on how to stay grounded.OurgoalistobringthisprojecttotheentireConnectedRomeDistrictshortly.

The Resiliency Project is a collaborative effort between Oneida County DFCS, The Connected Initiative, and Safe Schools Mohawk Valley to provide support and bridge the gap between home and school for students and families at risk of entering the child protective services. Our goal is to support families prior to this step, and avoid escalation of the struggles that impact children and families in a way that ensures positive and healthy familial relationships and allows families to thrive.

In December 2025, 75% of the Resiliency Project Referrals across all four covered districts were generated from the Rome City School District. The year to date total number of referrals received by Rome City School District is 417 students and families. In the month of December, clothing, cleaning supplies, and furniture were the most utilized tangible resources. The families that utilized clothing predominately needed winter jackets, boots, gloves, etc. The families that utilized cleaning supplies and furniture were successful in obtaining housing and needed assistance with newitems

In December 2025, 10 youth graduated and met the goals for themselves and their families to be successful One family that had moved from Florida over a year ago needed housing, and other assistance was referred to Resiliency. They not only obtained their new identification documents for NY State, they found housing, their child is enrolled in school, and they also were supplied with all the necessities from OCDFCS and Resiliency for the new apartment to start theirlifefresh.Thisfamilyexperiencedmanyhugesuccesses.

Connectors- Trusted Adults for Many! Connectors- Trusted Adults for Many!

The Connectors serve as guides and support within your secondary schools, providing a friendly face that students can rely on to ensure they are making it through high traffic and transition times in a safe and orderly manner throughout the day. Whether it is in the cafeteria, auditorium, or in the hallways, The Connectors are additional trusted adults that the students can connect with if they need help or just want to share how their day is going. By promoting a safe and welcoming environment, The Connectors help every student be able to engage in their education by ensuring that students truly feel that Rome is Home.

-One of the most rewarding moments in Connector Tiffany’s role came when one former student—an RFA School graduate—returned to visit and share her college experience with Tiffany. When Tiffany first met this young lady, she faced a few challenges that made the idea of graduation feel distant. Through consistent support, goal-setting, and encouragement, the student began to believe in her own potential. Over time, Tiffany watched the student’s confidence grow, her academic focus sharpen, and her resilience strengthen. She successfully completed her program at RFA, a milestone that once felt out of reach. When she returned—she was no longer a student seeking guidance, rather a college student eager to share her journey. The student spoke proudly about navigating college classes, managing her time, advocating for herself, and adjusting to a new level of independence. She reflected on how the skills she developed at RFA—self-discipline, perseverance, and accountability—helped prepare her for the demands of college life. Seeing her come full circle was a powerful reminder of why this work matters. Her success is a testament not only to her determination, but also to the importance of supportive relationships and believing in students even when they struggle to believe in themselves. Moments like these reaffirm Tiffany’s commitment to empowering youth to see beyond their current circumstances and pursue futures they once thought were unattainable.

-Since the start of the year, Connector Paige has been trying to build a trusted relationship with a student, who often is seen by themself in the halls. Paige has greeted her every morning or given her a hello in the hallways, and over time they have gotten to know each other better. On Friday, the last day before our Holiday break, the student came to Paige in the bus loop and gave Paige a Christmas card and a thank you for acknowledging her daily.

-Connector Michelle had a student come down to the HUB in need of a pair of pants due to her having a hole in hers. After having the student try on several pairs of pants, we were unable to find anything that fit her. Michelle immediately contacted her supervisor, Veronica for help. Michelle told her what sizes she was looking for and Veronica was able to gather a few different sizes and styles at the Central HUB that might work for the student. Central HUB staff, Kali brought them over to Michelle at the school for the student. Michelle was able to confirm that there was a pair that worked for the student. Michelle helped turn a stressful situation into a sense of relief for the student.

The Rome Connected Team supported five new students in enrolling in Neighborhood Center embedded clinic services. Our families continue to share that transportation and navigating schedules are barriers to being able to attend services at the community clinic, and that having these services available in the school setting are crucial to being able to access them.

ThismonththeConnectedRometeamreceivedthemostlinkreferralsfortheidentifiedneedofHolidayAssistance Roughly500ConnectedRomefamiliesweresupportedthroughourHolidayElvesassistanceprogram However, LINKisacomprehensiveassessmentoffamiliesandexplorestheunderlyingcausesofthesymptomsfamilies experience,includingfoodinsecurity,financialstruggles,andotherlackofresourcesthatleadtotheneedfor holidayassistance.RisingcostsofgoodsandthelapseofsocialservicefundinginNovember,particularlySNAPand thedelayinHEAPhaveacceleratedexistingfinancialgapsthatpeopleintheareaareexperiencing.Thereachof thesestruggleshasalsoexpandedbeyondthoseexperiencingchronicpovertyorregularlymovingaboveandbelow thepovertyline Manymoremiddleclassfamiliesarealsoexperiencingfinancialstrugglesandhavereachedoutto existingsupportslikeConnectedtosupplementemerginggaps

SupportsincludingourHolidayElvesandourOpenHUBshavebeenextremelyusefulinsupplementingfamilies existingresources.Wehavealsobeenabletoworkwithmanyfamiliestoidentifyresourcesandareasindirectly thatfulfiloneneedandfreeupresourcesforotherareasthatdonotcurrentlyhaveexistingresources.Wehave workedwithnavigatorsatNationalGridtoassistwithheatingandelectricalbills,providedfinancialliteracy resourcesthroughourpartnerslikeFirstSourceFCU,andsoughtadditionalsupportliketheBreakingBarriersto YouthSuccessgrantfromTacoBellthroughMohawkValleyCommunityAction.

Connected Elves Holiday Project 2025

Celebrating 8 Years of Community Impact

December 2025 marked the 8th successful year of the Connected Holiday Assistance Program, supporting students and families across our Connected Districts during the holiday season. What began as a small act of care has grown into a powerful community-wide effort spanning all 13 Connected districts, rooted in generosity, collaboration, and compassion

16 Stone Brewpub th

Affair with Hair

Agway Holland Patent

Alteri's Restaurant

Arizona Tacos

Artani's Pizza

Bassett Medical Offices

Big Jay's Pizzeria - Rome

Bliss Environmental

Boss's General Store

Boyz From Italy

Central NY Academy of Dance

Cianfrocco's Subs & Wings

Collis True Value Hardware

Community Bank, N.A.Camden

Community Bank, N.A.Rome

Franco's Pizza - Ilion

Full Lotis

Gehring Tricot

Grande's Pizzeria

Haven Salon and Lash

Studio

Home Outlet Utica

Jervis Library

Joey's Pizza

Kylie's Diner

La Roma Pizzeria

Matteson Hotel

MetLife Insurance

The Power of Community Partnerships

This year, over 40 local businesses partnered with Connected by hosting donation bins for new, unwrapped toys and gifts Their willingness to open their doors and rally their customers played a vital role in making this program possible.

We are grateful to the 40+ local businesses that served as donation sites and helped make Holiday Assistance possible.

Mister Mikes Gyros

NBT - Rome & Utica

New Hartford Public

Library

Nola’s of Clinton

Oneida County

Department of Comm.

Family Services

Petzotics

Remington Federal Credit Union

Rome First United Methodist Church

RT Federal Credit Union

Shook 40

Sorrento Pizzeria

Spresso’s Coffeehouse

Square One

Coating

State Farm Michael Collea

Stuff the Bus

Style on Main by Nikki Marie Tanners Insurance Agency Toy for TOTS

Tucker Backyard Pools & Spas

Twin Rivers Paper Company

Woolner Family Eye Care

Connected Elves Holiday Project 2025

CONTINUED

Holiday Assistance Shopping by the Numbers & Gratitude

Through the collective efforts of donors, community partners, and dedicated volunteers, the Connected Holiday Assistance Program supported a total of 1,576 children during Holiday Assistance Shopping this season. With an estimated $59,000 in donated toys and gifts, this milestone reflects the generosity and commitment of our community-wide network, working together to ensure students across our Connected districts experienced the joy, care, and support they deserve during the holiday season.

Holiday Assistance would not be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, who generously gave their time to sort donations, support families, and assist throughout Holiday Assistance Shopping. Their compassion and commitment helped bring this program to life

We extend our heartfelt thanks to every business, donor, volunteer, and community partner who helped make this season brighter. Your generosity continues to strengthen our mission of supporting students and families during the holidays and all year long.

Together, we are Connected

TRAINING TRAININGHighlights Highlights

Mid York Library

Monthly Connected Partner Highlights are held virtually for staff to discover and build connections with various community partners. In December, Stephanie Markham and Diana Cassulus presented to our staff regarding what the Mid York Library has to offer. They detailed services such as the "Library of Things," through which people can borrow available items including snow shoes, games, and more! Library cards are free to apply for and can give access to the Library of Things as well as discounted museum and park passes, books, magazines, movies, and affordable in-building services like printing. They highlighted that libraries are safe spaces, resource hubs, providers of free, unfiltered computer access and paper tax forms, and hosts of free early literacy programs and events listed on the Mid-York website calendar. The Mid York Library is a great partner to our Connected schools and are eager to attend events with free books and tailored materials in Madison, Oneida, and Herkimer Counties!