Message from House Principal - Mr. Peter Parisi

GE House student Colby Peterson is going above and beyond to make the GE House and Schenectady High School a more comfortable place for all students! Colby recognized that eating lunch in our large and active cafeteria can be an unsettling experience for many of our students. So Colby proposed creating a quiet more intimate environment where a small number of students could gather, hang out, talk about their interests, and get to know one another.

Colby’s idea became a reality for his fellow students on January 14th. As we move forward through the remainder of the year, we are all hoping that Colby’s Lunch Life-Line will positively impact an ever increasing number of students in the GE House. Thanks Colby for your concern for your fellow students!

Don’ forget February is Integrity Month in GE House: All content area classes and some elective classes are offering simple lessons to students each month focusing on the theme of the month. Remaining Themes of the Month for this School Year include: March: Responsibility, April: Creativity, May: Discipline, June: Reflection

Students of the Month

November:
9th Mallory Schettine, Omesh Tomby
10th Angel Rivera, Rebecca Doodnauth
11th Zoeliz Santos, Joseph Comer-Leva
12th Adam Williams, Shana Joseph

December:
9th Elizabeth Lawyer, Jayce Scheuer
10th Bhanupeiya Boodram, Alex White
11th Jessica Tyree, Terry Burke
12th Alicia Brown, Screll Royal

After months of watching construction crews work endlessly in the back area of SHS, students returned to school this week to find a whole new wing available to them. E Wing, as it is being referred to, opened this week.

Effective February 1, 2010, all students and visitors to SHS will be required to enter the building through the new entranceway, located in the rear of the building, through the Sayles School of Fine Arts doorway, which is on the left side of the building if you are facing the front on The Plaza, and through the Flagpole Entrance.

The new entrance, parking lot, and bus loop can be accessed via McClellan Street. The change has been made to decongest the traffic on The Plaza and to enhance the safety and security of the students.

Food Innovations Project

On January 14th and 21st, students from GE House Food & Nutrition Class demonstrated their knowledge of basic concepts of food product development by cooking a Potluck dish. Students used the planning process to brainstorm what they were going to make, figured out how to get their dish made, and served their dish to participating faculty during all three lunches in the Commons. Faculty provided feedback on all dishes.

Each dish included a poster display with the production of the product at various stages, nutrition information, equipment used including safety and sanitation procedures, and product summary.

Students had a great time preparing and the food was delicious!

The Counselor’s Corner

Guidance Office- (518) 370-8200

Seniors- If you haven’t already applied to colleges, please get going. Many colleges have deadlines or accept students on a first come first serve basis. Please see your Guidance Counselor if you need help. Also, you should be working on your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) if you are interested in financial aid for college. Keep working hard in all of your courses. The college you decide to attend will be seeing your final transcript and have the right to deny your acceptance if your grades fall dramatically. It’s rare, but it can happen. Seniors should also be checking out the “Guidelines” to see what scholarships are becoming available. You can find a list on our website or in the guidance office.

Juniors- You will be having your “Junior Interview Meeting” with your Counselor sometime in March or April. Relax, it’s not really an interview. It’s just a chance for you and your Counselor to discuss your future plans and prepare for senior year. This usually includes reviewing your transcript, course selection for 12th grade, the college search process, and signing up for the SAT/ACT’s.

Sophomores- As Juniors next year, you will have more opportunities to take classes that will give you college credit. Here are a few of the classes that we offer to Juniors at SHS: Child Development, AP Psychology, Cisco, IT Essentials, Business Law, Human Resource Management, E-Commerce, International Business, Intro to Management and Marketing, and Microsoft Office Specialist. If you didn’t sign up for any of these during your scheduling meeting, then go see your Guidance Counselor as soon as possible.

Freshman- Have you joined a club yet? SHS has so many clubs to choose from. Come into Guidance and grab a Clubs and Activities Book and find the club for you!

All Students- If you aren’t getting the grades you would like, why not try something different? Attend the GE Scholar Hour After-School Program in room AB17. The Program meets Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. There is plenty of room, all you have to do is show up.

GE Mock Trial Team

The 2009-10 Mock Trial season is now underway with two practice trials before the Presidents’ Week break. The regular season will then follow through the end of March to determine seeding for the playoff rounds in April. SHS will be competing against teams from Niskayuna, Scotia-Glenville, Duanesburg, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons, and a Home School team. The winner of the playoffs will be the Schenectady County Champion and go on to compete for the NYS Championship.

According to GE Faculty Advisor Gerry Chapman, this is going to be a rebuilding year. Last year’s team (which lost to the eventual county champ in the playoffs) was made up of eight seniors who have all graduated. Current GE senior Julian Delgado is the only returning veteran from 2009. This year’s team hopes to make up with enthusiasm what it lacks in experience.

Associate Superintendent Mr. Gary Comley goes to China

Mr. Comley was noticeably missing from the high school last month as he spent a week traveling to China with other educatorsvisiting schools and tourist sites. Mr. Comley visited the Lama Temple and Confucius Temple. The Lama Temple was where people prayed to Buddha and the Confucius Temple was where the Chinese philosopher, Confucius went to study. Mr. Comley also visited the Great Wall and sites where the Olympics were held. According to Mr. Comley, he tried to climb the Great Wall which is very steep. Mr. Comley cited an Old Chinese proverb: “he who climbs the Great Wall is a true man or true woman.”

First Annual Native American Night

SHS presented its first Annual Native American Night November 19, 2009. Those in attendance viewed the movie: “Trail of Tears” from the award-winning PBS series “American Experience We Shall Remain.”

Child Guidance

Through the Safe Schools Healthy Students grant, SHS partnered with Child Guidance to receive counseling services for students in school. SHS has a clinician from Child Guidance, Laura Lokenburg, located in the building to work with students identified as needing counseling services for a variety of reasons that may include: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Trauma, Mood Disorders, Adjustment Disorders, and Oppositional Defiant Disorders.
Child Guidance offers individual and family counseling; home based services, as well as psychiatric services. Child Guidance also provides emotional well-being screenings and assessments to determine what kind of services may be needed for a student and their family. This year Child Guidance offered a TEEN SCREEN to incoming freshman to screen for concerns of depression and/or suicidal ideation.

If you feel your child may need services or would like them to be screened please contact Child Guidance at 381-8911 or stop in at 530 Franklin St. 2nd floor Schenectady NY 12305.

A child’s emotional health and well-being plays a key role in determining his or her success in school, ability to get along with others, and ability to deal with the challenges of growing up.

Annual Variety Show

The annual Variety Show, featuring a tribute to the late Michael Jackson, will be held Friday, March 19, 7:00 PM in the Auditorium and will showcase SHS’s dancers, singers, rappers, and instrumentalists. Tickets are $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for students, and free for children 6 and under. For more information contact Mrs. Harman, (518) 881-3942.

College of St. Rose Trip

On December 7, 2009, GE 11th and 12th students visited The College of St. Rose. Members of the St. Rose admissions department provided an overview of the college's academic and extracurricular programs, and a tour of the campus. GE students enjoyed lunch in the dining hall.

GE Career Fair

The 2nd annual GE House career fair will be held on Thursday, April 29th in the SHS library from 12:30-3:00 PM. Between 10 and 15 area employers have agreed to talk with GE seniors about future career opportunities. The US ARMY, Schenectady Police Dept, Schenectady Fire Dept., Schenectady ARC, Sunmark Federal Credit Union, Animal Protective Society, and Price Chopper are just a few of the many prospective employers who will be present this year. Students will be able to speak to representatives and collect materials about each job opportunity.

Black History Night

Thursday, February 4, 2010. Come enjoy a night of entertainment and FREE food as we celebrate Black History in the Cafeteria.

SHS Science Fair

Tour new Science classrooms after school Feb. 25th!

AFJROTC

The semester ended on a high for JROTC. Michael McLean initiated Operation GPA in an effort to keep our students on track with their academics. They met every Monday and Friday, culminating with three Saturday Mid-Term Prep events building up to regents week. Overall, 39 students concentrated on academics, homework, and midterms for 3 hours in the morning, and played X-Box in the afternoon.

JROTC contributed to Native American Heritage Night with 22 students assisting in making the evening a success. 28 students spent the weekend prior to Thanksgiving packing and delivering Thanksgiving baskets in the Feed the Hungry drive – putting food on the table for over 10,000 people. It was rewarding and humbling with the recognition that there are so many within our community needing assistance.

Upcoming: Staff Training/Retreat in Binghamton, NY – setting up corps events for Semester II; Leadership Challenge Weekend at Norwich University, VT.

National Green Week

Green Education Foundation (GEF) is mobilizing two million children to participate in environmental educational programs during National Green Week 2010 (Feb. 1-5, 2010). The objective is to empower students to become environmental stewards within the context of their own lives.

Students are encouraged to volunteer in a number of environmentally friendly activities. This spring, at SHS students will learn about the gardening and composting if they participate in Nature’s Classroom Club. Students are encouraged to adopt a plant– did you know that using one house plant for every 100 square feet help remove toxins and pollutants indoors. If you don’t already– RECYCLE! Students in some Science classes will learn about auditing classrooms and homes to find energy leaks and correct them in an effort to reduce energy consumption. NY Residents– look for rebates when purchasing energy efficient appliances coming in February.

GE Teachers Win Grant

Two GE SHS teachers receive grants for classroom & community collaboration programs totaling $1,000 -

Colette McCarthy, a GE Science teacher and advisor of Nature's Classroom Club and Kris Foote, GE Family and Consumer Science teacher and advisor of Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) at Schenectady High School received a $500 Kids Growing Food Garden grant from Cornell University and a $500 Climate Change Energy Education Award from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

The Kids Growing Food Garden program is designed to connect kids to agriculture by actually growing food at school. The grant provides educators with financial start-up funds and educational tools that help integrate knowledge of the food and fiber system into the classroom.

The teachers were awarded $500 as "seed" money to help them purchase what is necessary to start a garden classroom. Garden-based lessons will be integrated into regular classroom studies such as math, science, language arts, and history.

Ms. McCarthy and Mrs. Foote said they wanted to find an opportunity for students to increase their understanding and appreciation of agriculture, nutrition, and the food system. They agree that growing food at school will help the students gain an understanding of how the local food system works and serves as a link to local farmers, businesses, and others involved in agriculture. As recipients of the grant, the teachers will receive educational resources, workshop opportunities, and access to a growing network of school food gardeners through the Kids Growing Food Network.

The cross-curricular plan includes an array of teachers of different grades and subjects, as well as administrative and custodial staff from both SHS and Central Park International Magnet School. The grant not only requires that students from elementary to high school be involved but also calls for community involvement. Representatives from the Central Park Greenhouse and Roots and Wisdom both Schenectady County Extension programs are partners in the program.

Since 1998, Kids Growing Food, a New York Agriculture in the Classroom program, has helped create and support over 325 school food gardens, providing K-12 students throughout New York with hands-on food growing experiences. For more information about the program, visit the NY Ag in the Classroom website at www.nyaged.org/aitc/ New York.
Ms. McCarthy and Mrs. Foote were also awarded a Climate Change Energy Education Award from NYSERDA. The teachers received $500 to support their proposal, A Blooming Idea: Implanting Climate Change in Indoor/Outdoor Gardens.

Within the proposal they presented an opportunity for students to increase their understanding and appreciation of using energy wisely and moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The teachers said their goal is to promote sustainable pro-green behaviors in Schenectady High School students, their families, and the community. The program will support efforts to involve students in community-based energy projects. This grant program will also include an array of teachers of different grades and subjects as well other staff members from SHS. For more information about the Climate Change Energy Education Award, visit the NYSERDA website at http://www.nyserda.org/