NOVEMBER 2025
CONNECTED SHERBURNEEARVILLE NEWSLETTER
TABLE OF CONTENTS Connected District Bulletin Connected Partners Collaborations & Contributions Training Highlights Initiative Wide Highlights Staff
Blessing Baskets Blessing Baskets The Parker Walsh Team of Keller Williams Realty and Project Manager Carlee teamed up to bring their annual Blessing Basket Event here to SherburneEarlville! The event was successful with the collection of 39 Blessing Baskets to give out to families within the Connected S-E District for Thanksgiving! Special thanks to Gretchen and her team along with everyone who donated a basket!!
The Middle School Halloween Dance, a collaboration between the Connected Sherburne-Earlville Team, Student Council, and Middle School Staff was a success with many students attending and enjoying themselves. Students received candy bags as a treat.
Carol from SNAP-ED teamed up with Connected Site Coordinator Sydney to have students and faculty try this month’s water infusion. The infusion was with oranges and cranberries for the fall season. Over 220 people came to try the water during the school day and about 20 more students came after school asking to drink some more!
This month, Water Fusion Friday featured the delicious flavor of Cranberry-Orange! The infused water was a hit with many students and staff, who are already looking forward to next month's flavor!
Mindy from Bassett Research Institute visited the HUB with preserved pig lungs—one healthy, one cancerous —for a hands-on learning experience. Students used air pumps to simulate breathing and learned about lungs and the effects of smoking. Connected Site Coordinator Sydney and Mindy encouraged questions and discussions, engaging students and even catching the attention of a visiting science teacher.
The HUB hosted Jess from PULSE and Rose from Reality Check for an engaging session utilizing "drunk goggles." Site Coordinator Sydney and Rose created an obstacle course and set up a Jenga game. Students navigated the course and played Jenga while wearing the goggles, allowing them to discuss the impact of altered vision on their coordination. The HUB recently hosted Open HUB where families were invited to shop for food, clothing, and hygiene products. Fresh produce, generously donated by the Sherburne Rotary, was available for attendees. The Open HUB event also featured three community partners: Mary Skillin from Chenango Health Network, Mary Kathleen Close from EFNEP Cornell Cooperative Extension, and Kelsey Zimmerman from CAP’s Permanency Residency Program, all of whom tabled at the event.
Connected Site Coordinator Sydney provided students with a fun and healthy snack activity, offering pre-peeled apple slices, peanut butter, and five different crushed cereals. Students enjoyed spreading peanut butter on the apples and dipping them in cereal, exploring new flavor combinations. She also set up Wordle for students to play, with a unique word for each group, encouraging creative thinking. Additionally, Sydney created a song trivia slideshow for November, giving students a chance to showcase their music knowledge and discover new songs.
COLLABORATIONS COLLABORATIONS & & Contributions Contributions Gayle Hellert, Sherburne Rotary Parker and Walsh Realty Team Kelsey Zimmerman, CAP Permanency Residency Program Mary Skillin, Chenango Health Network Mary Kathleen Close, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s EFNEP Nutrition Educator Jessica Colley from PULSE and Rose Walsh from Reality Check Connected Madison Project Manager Michele Bowen Mindy Robinson, Bassett Research Institute Carol Lyons, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s SNAP-Educator
Connecte d Sherburn e-Earville would lik e to than k everyone that helps! W e cannot do it with out you!
Trends
Trends
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. The holiday season is keeping Connected Sherburne-Earlville Team, Carlee and Sydney, very busy! A major highlight was the Blessing Basket Event, a tremendous success thanks to Parker & Walsh Realty. Through the generous donations received, 37 local families were provided with a Blessing Basket for Thanksgiving. These baskets included a full Thanksgiving dinner with a gift card for a turkey, hygiene products, games, blankets, and treats! We extend a massive thank you to everyone who donated and to Parker and Walsh Realty for hosting this wonderful event for Sherburne-Earlville families! As the holidays continue, Carlee and Sydney have noticed an increase in families needing food and signing up for holiday assistance. If you or a family you know is in need of support this holiday season, please contact our team. You can reach Carlee or Sydney directly or fill out our referral form using the link below: LINK '25-'26 Referral
TRAINING TRAININGHighlights 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
Water Wednesday
December 10
th
During Lunch
Water Fusion Friday
December 19 During Lunch
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HOW CAN I HELP YOU TODAY AND MAKE YOUR TOMORROW BETTER? HOW CAN I HELP YOU TODAY AND MAKE YOUR TOMORROW BETTER?
How can I help you today and make your tomorrow better? How can I help you today and make tomorrow better? If you know someoneyour that may need help, our LINK system is here to assist withIf any worries, ormay needs that mayour arise. you see in you struggle, know someone that need help, LINKIfsystem is someone here to assist need of help (whether it's tangible items, with mental with any struggle, worries, or needs thatassistance may arise. If youhousing, see someone in health, or anything) please contact one with of us.housing, mental needprimary of help care, (whether it's tangible items, assistance health, primary care, or anything) please contact one of us.
Carlee D o
Connected Connected Sherburne-Earlville Sherburne -Earlville Team Team r ate t x
YOUR SHERBURNE PROJECT MANAGER
YOUR SHERBURNE SITE COORDINATOR
315-832-4899 Carleed@connectedcs.org
sydneyt@connectedcs.org
315-983-9279
CENTRAL HUB TEAM
COLLEEN MATTHEWS
ALEXIS TOWNE
RAIN RIDGNER
KALI FOUNTAIN
KAELYNN BARBER
DIVISONAL DIRECTOR OF CONNECTED COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OF IMPACT
DELIVERY TEAM
NORA BAJOHR
SASHA MILLER
KNOW SOMEONE LP? IS IN NEED OF HE O H W Have them reach out to a Site Coordinator today!