Sports Physicals
Make-up physicals for fall athletes (both JHS and modified participants) will be given at Johnstown High School on Monday, August 11, starting at 1:30 p.m.  Please call the athletic office at 762-7636 to secure a time.

School Supplies
September will be here before you know it! For parents and guardians who want to take advantage of summer sales, or just get a jumpstart on back-to-school shopping for the 2008-09 year, your Knox students will need the following items:

Five 1-inch binders for English, Spanish, math, science, and social studies. We recommend purchasing a blue binder for English, a white binder for math, a green binder for science and a black binder for social studies. This color coding system helps students to stay organized, while the 1-inch size binders make best use of limited storage space inside of lockers. Students will also need blue or black ink pens, pencils, loose-leaf paper, pocket folders and binder dividers for class each day.

Markers, crayons or colored pencils, and poster board will be needed for projects throughout the year. These materials should only be brought to class when necessary and stored at home until needed.

Athletic Dept Announces Summer Recreation Schedule
Enjoy the nice weather, get some physical activity and have some fun! The district is again offering a variety of activities to students through its Summer Recreation Program. View the Summer 2008 Recreation Program Flier and, should you have any questions, feel free to contact the Athletic Department at 762-7636.

Knox News Available Online & In Full Color!
The following editions of the Knox Newsletter are currently available on line:
June 2008, May 2008, April 2008, March 2008, February 2008, January 2008, December 2007,  November 2007 & October 2007.

Green Fair
The students in Mrs. LaMena's classes held a "Green Fair" on June 11, showing off projects and ideas for "green living." In these photos, students vote for the project they think should win, while Mrs. LaMena wears a "reused" outfit.  See more photos here.

Knox Musical Pirates of Penzance Jr.
Enjoy these photos from the Knox Musical, "Pirates of Penzance Jr.," as presented May 16, 17 and 18.

In The Pirates of Penzance, the young pirate apprentice Frederic (played by Josh Muzzi) is about to be freed from his indentured period. The honorable Frederic, who was mistakenly apprenticed to the pirates by his partially deaf nursemaid Ruth (Julie Smicinski), has decided to leave the pirate life. Now a free man, Frederic leaves for the shore. Frederic, who has never seen a woman besides Ruth, instantly falls in love with Mabel (Lexi Swatt), one of the daughters of Major-General Stanley (Travis Miller). Soon after, the pirates arrive and want to marry the rest of Major-General Stanley's daughters. Major-General Stanley enlists the help of the police to stop the pirates. Frederic desires to help Major-General Stanley and the police protect the ladies, but discovers that, due to a technicality, he is still bound by duty to remain an apprentice to the pirates. All is well in the end, when it is discovered that the pirates have noble blood and will in fact be suitable husbands for Major-General Stanley's daughters.

Other cast members:
Pirate King: Matthew Miller; Samuel: Stephanie Ovitt; Edith: Ashley Polidore; Kate: Stephanie DeLorenzo; Isabel: Katelyn Christenson; Sergeant: Elizabeth Griffin

Ensemble: Jamie Calderwood, Michala Gallt, Travis Gallt, Elizabeth Betz, Jessica Orfan, Adrianna DeMarco, Molly Kennedy-Svolos, Travis Munson, Alexis Munson, Kambry Shea, Korlina VanNostrand, Sarah Perras

Director: Aaron Flynn
Assistant Director/Choreographer: Cynthia Fiorenza
Accompanist: Merrill Rockwell

New Principal at Knox
At a meeting held on January 9, the Board of Education approved the appointment of Mr. Steven Drescher as principal of Knox Junior High, effective February 21, 2008. Mr. Drescher comes to Knox from the Taconic Hills Central School District, where he served as the middle school principal . A resident of Duanesburg, New York, he is involved in his community through the Duanesburg Youth Soccer program, the Duanesburg Little League and Equinox Community Services Agency. A graduate of the State University of New York at Cortland, Union College and the College of St. Rose, Mr. Drescher began his career as a math teacher, with many of his students enjoying great success in passing New York State Regents exams. Welcome to the Greater Johnstown School District Mr. Drescher!

Knox Student Council Members Visit Glebe Street
Prior to the holiday break, members of the Knox Student Council took a trip to Glebe Street School, where they enjoyed an afternoon of crafts and fun with their elementary buddies.  See photos here.

McDonald's Night Raises Money for Scholarship
On December 12, Knox Student Council members helped to organize and clean up at a McDonald's Night Fundraiser, raising money for the Maureen Clark Scholarship Fund.  See photos of our "crew" in action!

A Whole Lot of Activities Going On
Knox students had a chance to participate in a variety of fun theme days sponsored by the Student Council during the week of December 17-21, including Twin Day, Crazy Hair Day, Holiday Spirit Day, Dress in your Favorite Era Day and Purple & Gold Day. Students also enjoyed a Winter Activities Day on December 21, with opportunities to take part in such things as a talent show, craft making, caroling, a game show and board games, all put together by our teaching teams, and concluding with a staff versus student volleyball match.  See Photos.

Adopt-An-Angel
The sum of $453 was collected and donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation through an "Adopt-An-Angel" fundraiser recently sponsored by the Student Council. Leading the "adopters" with the most donations was Dr. Bell's homeroom.

Halloween Dance Draws Cast of Characters
The annual Knox Halloween Dance was a rousing success. Many students attended in costume and had a fantastic time. The PTSA held a contest and the following students each won a free ticket to the JHS International Club Haunted House: Travis Miller, Caitlyn Hayward, Elizabeth Hayward and Morgan Colasanti.

Experiencing the Nineteenth Century
Eighth graders in Mrs. Bruno’s social studies classes recently completed a six-week unit with a “Late Nineteenth Century History Fair.” Working in small groups, the students created  fictional identities based on their research of some of the main characters of the late 1800s. A total of 35 exhibits, featuring displays, games and a puppet show, were presented for Knox staff and students to evaluate. Travis Bevington, Lindsay Lavicka, Amanda King, Elizabeth Moses and Gary Hill acted as judges. Congratulations to the students for their diligence and hard work!

Hats Off to Hat Day
Our Student Council sponsored a "Hat Day" on September 28 and, for a $1 donation, students and staff were allowed to wear their favorite hat for the day. A grand total of $110 was collected and will be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Check out these photos taken by Dan Benway to see some of the headgear du jour!

21st Century Community Learning Center After School Program
The 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) After-School Program for students in grades 6-8 will begin on September 18. Get more Information and a Registration Packet here, or by calling 762-5891 or 332-8367. Completed registration forms should be returned to the main office of your child's school.

Get The Latest Edition of Rose's Chronicle
Read the May/June 2007 edition of Rose's Chronicle.

Check Out Knox's Online Art Gallery
Knox's Online Art Gallery features artwork by Erica Sucy, Dylan Quinn and others.

Tips From the Banish Bullying Program
This year, once again, all seventh grade students will receive the “Banish Bullying!” curriculum via Mrs. Lynch’s Health program. The main focus of this curriculum is to teach student bystanders how to best become “caring allies” if they know of a bullying situation. One strategy is to report bullying to a trusted adult. In order for students to feel safe in reporting, it is imperative that all adults in the school community are familiar with the reporting form and understand the strategy the students are learning. In “Banish Bullying!” students are not required to name the bully. Instead, they report out of concern and compassion for the target of such bullying. On the form on the opposite side is the question “Who are you worried about?” When adults become aware of who the bully’s targets are and when and where the bullying is happening, they can then focus their attention on those students who are being bullied. Ideally, this knowledge will enable adults to witness the bullying themselves and they can intervene appropriately, or the bully will cease his/her behavior due to the adult presence. In all cases, the main goal is for every student to feel safe in school.

Please be aware that students have been encouraged to report to any trusted adult in school. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the main office 762-3711 or the guidance office 762-3726. Bully reporting forms are available in the Guidance Office. (Photo: Ms. Lou Ann Pioli works with students learning lines for their upcoming play about bullying.)

Greater Johnstown School District Helping Parents Realize the Dangers of Blogging and Unsupervised Internet Use
In the past, children used to keep their deepest thoughts and secrets in diaries under lock and key — times have changed. Blogging has become extremely popular among junior high and high school students — and even among elementary children. Students may be posting pictures of themselves and their friends, as well as their full names, their cell phone numbers and even their addresses. (Find out more)

Practice Tests Online at Local Libraries
The Johnstown Public Library now has access to online databases that help students practice for a variety of tests, such as Firefighter and Real Estate exams, GED, SAT, ACT and GRE exams, grammar and math skills, and much more. The database is called Practice Tests from Learning Express Library, which can be found by visiting Johnstown Public Library’s public access catalog at www.mvls.info. The practice tests can be found in the “Databases” link under the “Education” section, off of the homepage. The process is so simple — the sample tests can be accessed by using your library card. If you only have a short amount of time to take an online test, you can save your work and revisit it later, what a great resource!

Just a Reminder: Visit District Homepage
Information of importance to all schools in the district (i.e., stranger-danger tips, NYS Test Sampler links, etc.) is posted to the district homepage of the GJSD Web site. When checking your individual school’s page, please remember to check the district homepage, as well.

Wondering what Greater Johnstown School District news you may have missed?

News items previously listed can be accessed in our Archives.

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