Extra Credit: Education News From Around the Region

Friday, March 6, 2015

Troy: Oakwood Christian School Receives a Visit from Senator Kathy Marchione

New York state Senator Kathy Marchione (R, C, I-Halfmoon), chair of the Senate’s Local Government Committee, recently visited Oakwood Christian School at 260 Oakwood Ave. in Troy. She spoke to 70 students in kindergarten through grade 8, along with their parents and teachers.

Marchione was invited to discuss her role as a New York state senator and the importance of public service.

--Jennie Grey

--Please note my new contact information below--

Education reporter
The Saratogian and The Record newspapers
20 Lake Ave.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
jgrey@digitalfirstmedia.com
Office: 518-290-3898
Work cell: 518-222-2109
Blog: "Extra Credit: Education News from Around the Region": http://regionaleducation.blogspot.com/

WSWHE BOCES: Barnes and Noble Donates 2,300 New Books

Recently, representatives from Barnes and Noble presented more than 2,300 new books to the librarians of 18 local schools. Towers of tomes were distributed at the WSWHE BOCES Gick Road Conference Center at 27 Gick Rd., Saratoga Springs.

The sheer volume of books is a result of Barnes and Noble Saratoga Springs’ annual Holiday Book Drive, though which generous customers give the gift of reading.

“The Holiday Book Drive is one of our most popular community partnerships,” said Barnes and Noble Saratoga Community Relations Manager Beth Austin. “Our booksellers and customers share the pure joy of giving a book to a child in need. Because each Barnes and Noble store chooses its local nonprofit beneficiary, the donations are very personal. We love the fact that customers can pick their favorite children’s book, designate a school and give the gift of reading for years to come!”

Barnes and Noble coordinates the book delivery to each school with the help of the WSWHE BOCES School Library Services.

“We really want to thank Barnes and Noble, and the community for making it possible to get more books into the hands of children,” said WSWHE BOCES School Library Services Coordinator J’aimé Pfeiffer.

The books will be used for each school’s 1,000 Book Club, which is a reading program designed for preschoolers, kindergarteners and their families. Families borrow a bag of 10 books to read together and return for another bag, with the goal of reading 1,000 books by the completion of second grade. This helps children develop a lifetime bond with books while fostering a positive connection between home and school.

Troy: Sacred Heart Elementary School raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Sacred Heart School collected one week’s worth of loose change for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients Program in honor of the students' hero, Father John Yanas. Yanas, a 30-year leukemia survivor, is the Sacred Heart School pastor and spiritual leader.

Sacred Heart is an elementary school on the east side of Troy that serves children three through 12 years of age. The school supports families, the first educators of children. Together, staff and families encourage students to become involved, responsible, contributing members of the church and the community.

For the penny drive, the schoolchildren found loose change around their homes, earned money by doing chores and bought raffle tickets for three special incentives. Teacher Mrs. Ciccone’s 20 fifth-graders collected more than $188; that is an average of $9.40 per student.

A special segment of the school's daily morning assembly was added to the Feb. 27 gathering at 8 a.m. in the church. Students created cards and gave notes of encouragement to Yanas, and a check for $724 was presented to the local Leukemia and Lymphoma Society chapter representative, Brandy Farber.

Yanas spoke of his long battle with cancer, which he will continue to face in the years ahead. Farber congratulated the children for their efforts and closed with a round of applause.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Troy: Sacred Heart Sixth-Graders Receive Scholarships to Troy Catholic Central High School

Sacred Heart Elementary School Principal Susan Merrill was informed by Christopher Bott, principal of Catholic Central High School (CCHS), that four Sacred Heart sixth-graders have been awarded scholarships to CCHS for the 2015-2016 school year. The winners are: Timothy Harper, Rachel Malek, Gigi Kataoka and Grace Rogers.

Sacred Heart is an elementary school on the east side of Troy that serves children three through 12 years of age. At Sacred Heart, the staff supports families, the first educators of children. Together, staff and families encourage students to become involved, responsible, contributing members of the church and the community.

Monday, February 9, 2015

New York State: Bioconnex held a Speed Mentoring Event: What's Your Next Step? Paths from College to a Career in Science

bioconnex: connecting the region's biotech community

Feb. 6 at TEC-SMART in Malta, Bioconnex held a Speed Mentoring Event: What's Your Next Step? Paths from College to a Career in Science. This event provided an opportunity for students in the life sciences to learn from senior members of Capital Region scientific organizations about career objectives and goals. The focus of the event was various Speed Mentoring Roundtable discussions during which mentors and students discussed various career paths and objectives. The roundtable discussions included:

Getting the Job: It’s Self-Marketing with Jennifer Preville of Albany Molecular Research Inc. (AMRI)
The Academic Career Path: The Entrepreneurial Spirit with Sridar V. Chittur, Ph.D., MBA of the Center for Functional Genomics at SUNY Albany
The Business of Science: Making a Difference with Jamie C. Rusconi, Ph.D. of the Denali Center for Wellness
Making Science Happen: Nontraditional Careers in Science with James F. Grabowski, Ph.D. of AMRI
Working in Industry Laboratories: Making Science a Career with Peter C. Michels, Ph.D. of AMRI

Following the discussions, attendees enjoyed networking and refreshments. Students from Hudson Valley Community College, Skidmore College and Union College attended.

Members of the Bioconnex Advisory Committee include: Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany Medical Center, AMRI, Center for Economic Growth (CEG), General Electrics Global Research Center - Biosciences GTO, Hudson Valley Community College, Krackeler Scientific, NewYorkBIO, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Skidmore College, Taconic and SUNY Albany.

The Bioconnex network is dedicated to the development and growth of the biotechnology community, and to strengthening the competitiveness of the Capital Region and Tech Valley as the premier global location for biotechnology research, education and industry. Visit www.bioconnex.org.

CEG is the leading economic development organization in New York’s Tech Valley and serves as the Capital Region’s designated Regional Technology Development Center (RTDC). A private, nonprofit, membership-based organization, CEG drives economic growth by working with partners in business, government, and education on strategic initiatives to grow local companies, attract new industry and investment, and prepare communities for future growth. CEG receives significant financial support from Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation, which works to facilitate the integration of innovation and technology throughout New York’s economic development efforts; the National Institute of Standards and Technology/Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and National Grid.

As the designated RTDC for the New York State’s Capital Region and one of nearly 350 MEP locations across the country, CEG is charged with assisting local manufacturing and technology companies to generate new sales, create stronger operational infrastructure, and overcome barriers to growth. Visit www.ceg.org.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Albany: Some 300 Students Attended NanoCareer Day at SUNY Poly CNSE

Hundreds of middle and high school students from seven New York state counties attended the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering's (SUNY Poly CNSE's) popular NanoCareer Day Feb. 5 at the Albany NanoTech Complexat 255 Fuller Rd. in Albany.

Students from Long Trail School in Bennington, Vt., will also take part in the day’s activities as interest in SUNY Poly CNSE’s innovative public/private partnership model expands beyond New York state.

NanoCareer Day occurs quarterly. During the event, students learn about the 21^st century science behind New York’s rapidly expanding high-tech economy through hands-on experiments and presentations. Students learn about various innovation-based opportunities.

The nanotechnology-enabled activities include the chance to gown up in cleanroom “bunny” suits, learn how small a nanometer is, investigate polymers and tour SUNY Poly CNSE’s $20 billion Albany NanoTech Complex. Students will also gain a better understanding of clean-energy technologies by experimenting with thin films, solar panels and ultraviolet beads, in addition to seeing firsthand the growing number of high-tech careers at New York’s top global corporations and at SUNY Poly CNSE.

Participating schools and counties included: Cohoes High School, Cohoes City School District (Albany); SUNY Adirondack Career Academy P-TECH, Saratoga Springs City School District (Saratoga); SUNY Adirondack Career Academy P-TECH, Queensbury Union Free School District (Warren); SUNY Adirondack Career Academy P-TECH, Hudson Falls Central School District (Washington); Walter B. Howard Elementary School, New Lebanon Central School District (Columbia); Long Trail School (Bennington, Vt.); Hoosick Falls High School, Hoosick Falls Central School District (Rensselaer); Richard H. O’Rourke Middle School, Burnt Hills–Ballston Lake Central School District (Saratoga); Hudson River Catholic Homeschools Co-op (Dutchess); and Berkshire Junior-Senior High School, Berkshire Union Free School District (Columbia).

Troy: Sacred Heart Elementary School Supports Albany's Ronald McDonald House

Nancy Damato from the Albany Ronald McDonald House during the kickoff presentation. Photo provided.

Nancy Damato from the Albany Ronald McDonald House recently visited Sacred Heart School, kicking off the Read for Ronald McDonald House: Kids Helping Kids Program for the upcoming month of March. Principal Susan Merrill, the ruler of the land of Sacred Heart, accepted the Story Wars Challenge on behalf of the school population.

"This is a great community outreach fundraiser," wrote Sacred Heart Director of Development and Public Relations Karen Snyder in an email to the Saratogian.

All students are encouraged to keep track of the time they spend on reading in and out of school on a special calendar while earning the support of their family and friends. All forms of reading and variety of materials count. Each village/town (classroom) will record the accumulated reading time within their room, thus earning rewards for both Ronald McDonald House and their kingdom (school).

Sacred Heart is an elementary school on the east side of Troy that serves children three through 12 years of age. At Sacred Heart, the staff supports families, the first educators of children. Together, staff and families encourage students to become involved, responsible, contributing members of the church and the community.

Nancy Damato from the Albany Ronald McDonald House with ruler Sacred Heart Principal Susan Merrill. Photo provided.