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June Banner 2009

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Congratulations Graduates!

Look inside for:Summer Recreation Information and Application

Spring Sports HighlightsStudents of the Month

Graduation PhotosAn Update on the Grasslands Management Project

and much more

Vision Statement: The Barker Central School District is a place where every person is secure, respected and appreciated. The resources of the school district will be used

to inspire each student’s confi dence as a learner and develop all to their full potential.

The Lockport Union-Sun & Journal recently reported “If public school districts were graded on their high school graduation rates, Barker School District would get an A.” The report further states that according to recently released New York State Department of Education graduation fi gures for 2008, Barker led the way with 91% of students who entered school in the fall of 2004 graduating in 2008.

Superintendent Klatt attributed these results to, “...a team eff ort in which students, teachers, parents and community all work together to help students reach academic goals.”

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A Message From Your Superintendent

On Saturday, June 27th, 85 members of our senior class were proclaimed “Graduates” of the Barker Central School Class of 2009. This was a celebration to honor our graduating seniors, as well as a day to recognize parents and other family members for helping these students achieve this milestone. This acknowledgement also included Barker teachers and support staff (Pre-K through grade 12), school board members and administrators. Collectively, these people were as much a part of this celebration as our graduates. I thank each of them for guiding these young men and women to this stage in their lives.

It is understood that each of the graduates met or exceeded all requirements established by the New York State Board of Regents from their very fi rst day of Kindergarten in 1996. Equally important is the contributions to our school and community that members of

this class have made to Barker Central School. These contributions are many and span all areas of the curriculum.

Academically, these students helped our District achieve the rank of #20 out of 97 districts in an eight county area. Athletically, numerous individual and team championships have also contributed to a district ranking of #20 among all Western New York schools, both large and small. Combining academics and sportsmanship, members of this class contributed to the remarkable achievement of obtaining the School of Distinction Award, meaning all 17 varsity sports were recognized as Scholar Athlete Teams.

In the performing arts, numerous drawings and paintings by members of this class were showcased in a variety of venues including the New York State Council of School Superintendents Conference last October. Others delighted audiences with entertaining band and chorus concerts. In addition, several more competed in regional and state instrumental and vocal competitions. This year’s musi-cal, “Grease”, received such positive reviews, that all three shows were “standing room only” per-formances. And fi nally, a sculpture located outside the Herbert F. Ludwig Fine Arts Hall will forever symbolize the pride this community has for the performing arts.

Thank you to the Class of 2009 for leaving these memorable accomplishments and tributes with our school and community.

I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable summer.

Roger J. Klatt, Ed.D.

Many more graduation

photos may be found at

www.barkercsd.net/grad09

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Pratt Students of the Month for May: 2nd grade - Zachary Richbart in Mrs. Thibault’s class, 3rd grade - Victoria Mace in Mr. Ingro’s class, 4th grade - Kyle Moeller in Mrs. Dissek’s class are shown with Principal Sinnott.

Ms. Sinnott is shown with Pratt Students of the Month for June: Gabrielle Baker in Mr. LaRock’s 2nd grade class. Austin Sullivan in Mrs. Calandra’s 3rd grade class. Jack Hopkins in Mrs. Zablocki’s 4th grade class

5th and 6th Grade Students of the Month for May and June: Front Row: Alexandrea VeRost, Mary Rounds, Kayli Fox, Paige Fudella. Back Row: Patricia Bautista, Mrs. Converso, Miranda Watts, Spencer Zimmerman. Camera shy: Patrick Connolly.

7th and 8th Grade Students of the Month for May and June: Front Row: Mrs. Converso, Leah Smith, Courtney Cain, Amanda Austin Back row: Brewer Butski, Dalton Grosshans, Benjamin Johnson, Nicole Heitzenrater, Timothy Flint.

Peter Benoit

Heather Cooner

Peter Benoit is a member of the Class of 2010. His parents are Peter and Susan Benoit. Peter has been on the Honor Roll every semester. He has been a member of A.F.S. and Student Council, having served as Treasurer for both clubs, Varsity Club, Spanish Club, and National Honor Society. Peter also takes part in golf and tennis, where he made 1st Team All-League. Outside of school, Peter enjoys playing tennis and golf with friends, as well as taking tennis lessons. His future plans are to attend college to study Engineering.

Heather Cooner is a member of the Class of 2009. Her parents are Darlene and John Cooner. Heather has been on the Honor Roll 19 times. She has been a member of English Club since 9th grade, having been a past Secretary and President. She has been a member of the Soccer team since 7th grade, having won the Coaches Award in 8th and 10th grades, as well as M.V.P. in 12th grade. Heather was also the Captain her senior year. Outside of school, Heather enjoys Summer Soccer League, 4-H Rabbit and Cavy Program and Girl Scouts. She plans to attend Paul Smith college for Biology and Environmental Sciences.

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Felicia Haag is a member of the Class of 2009. Her parents are Jennifer and Daryl Haag. Felicia has been on the Honor Roll 3 times. She was the recipient of the Principal’s Award as well as the Thomas Mauk Memorial Award and the Perfect Attendance Award in 2009. Felicia was a Basketball cheer-leader at Barker, and was a cheerleader at her former school. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, attending church and youth group and many other activities. Felicia’s future plans include attending Niagara County Community College for elementary education.

Felicia Haag

Marjorie Hill is a member of the Class of 2012. Her parents are Richard and Jane Hill. She has been on the Honor Roll 2 times. Marjorie ran for the Cross Country Team. Outside of school, she enjoys hanging out with friends and family. Her future plans are to attend college for an undetermined fi eld of study.

Marjorie Hill

Emily Klatt is a member of the Class of 2010. Her parents are Roger and Kristen Klatt. She has been on the Honor Roll every semester. Emily has been a member of A.F.S. , having been an offi cer-recorder as well as having been a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Student Council, Class of 2010 Secretary, and Treasurer of the Varsity Club. She has also participated in fi eld hockey and tennis. Emily’s future plans include a career in the fi eld of medical/pharmaceutical re-search.

Emily Klatt

Ellen Diez

Corina Giannone

Ellen Diez is a member of the Class of 2010. Her parents are Michael and Christine Diez. Ellie has been on the Honor Roll 20 times. She has been a member of A.F.S., participating in the short-term exchange twice, Spanish Club, Concert Choir, Concert Band for trumpet and Jazz Band. Ellie also plays J.V. Softball, Varsity Softball and was the MIP of the Varsity Volleyball team her freshman year. Outside of school, Ellie enjoys participating in her church youth group and choir, and playing on the Somerset Softball Summer League. Her future plans are to attend college to study early childhood education and special education.

Corina Giannone is a member of the Class of 2011. Her mother is Geraldine Puglisi. Corina has been on the Honor Roll 15 times. She plays bass clarinet in the Barker school band, has participated in the high school musicals, “Beauty and the Beast” and “Grease”, and has been a member of the Latrator, having acted as Treasurer for 2009. Corina has also been a member of the Volleyball team since 7th grade, as well as Track, where she represented Barker in the discus for Sectionals. Outside of school she enjoys long walks on the beach and watching the fl owers sway delicately in the warm summer breeze. She plans to attend medical school to pursue her goal of becoming a medical examiner.

Johnathan Mangan is a member of the Class of 2009. His parents are Deborah and Michael Jordan and James Mangan. He has been on the Honor roll 1 time and on the merit roll all through High School. John has received the Technology Academics Award as well as the National Physical Fitness Award. John has been active in football throughout his high school career. Outside of school he enjoys playing roller-hockey, golf, fi shing, and hunting. His future plans are to attend Niagara County Community College.

Johnathan Mangan

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Faith Worthington is a member of the Class of 2009. Her parents are Constance and Richard Worthington. Faith has been on the Honor Roll every semester since 6th grade. She has been a member of the Drama Club A.F.S., co-president of the Latrator, president of the Class of 2009, Student Council Representative, and a mem-ber of the English Club, having served as vice-president in 11th grade and Treasurer her senior year. Additionally, Faith has participated in J.V. and Varsity Soccer, and Varsity Tennis. She received the Scholar Athlete honor every year for both sports. Outside of school, she enjoys being a Girl Scout Ambassador. Faith’s future plans include attending Canisius College for a double major in International Business and International Relations with minors in French and Modern Language.

Faith Worthington

Sara Payne

Brooke Robinson

Sara Payne is a member of the Class of 2011. Her parents are Bonnie and Tim Payne. Sara has been on the Honor Roll 8 times. She has been a member of A.F.S., the high school musical “Grease”, and has played the clarinet in the school band. She plans to play the bassoon next year. Sara also plays Soccer and Field Hockey. Outside of school, Sara enjoys being a high schooler while living out a relationship with God and enjoying concerts. Her future plans are to attend college with an eventual internship.

Brooke Robinson is a member of the Class of 2011. Her parents are Michelle and Jeffrey Dewart. Brooke has been on the Honor Roll many times. She has participated in the high school musicals, “Beauty and the Beast” and “Grease”, and has been a member of A.F.S., Video Club and Student Council, having been the Class president in 07-08 and Vice president in 08-09. Brooke has also been a member of the Softball and Field Hockey teams. Outside of school she has enjoyed being the treasurer of the Junior Firefi ghters for the past 4 years and hopes to host a foreign exchange student next year. Her future plans include attending college.

Eighth grade Social Studies teacher, Melissa Bundrock, pre-sented a creative lesson for her students with the assistance of Barker Town Historian, Mrs. Lorraine Wayner.

Students were taken on an in-school field trip to the Herbert F. Ludwig Auditorium, where they learned the history behind the construction of the school. They also learned about some of the diff erent organizations that were created during the Great Depression such as the W. P. A. (Works Progress Administration) and P. W. A. (Public Works Administration). They learned how funding of the building was facilitated by a grant from the Fed-eral Public Works Administration under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Program. This new building contained eight class-

rooms, gymnasium, shop, cafeteria, music room, typing room, teachers’ room, physical director’s room, library, study hall, homemaking room and auditorium. Dedication of the building was on Saturday March 11, 1939. The shop wing was added in 1939 by the government to house vocational training for the National Youth Administration (N.Y. A.), another one of F. D. R.’s New Deal programs.

Students were amazed to learn that during the Depression, people would line up from the auditorium all the way down to the creek, right before the Barker Fire Hall, waiting in line for employment as construction began at the school.

They also talked about the significance of the mural that is prominently displayed in the main foyer of the auditorium, how the subjects were chosen, and how they represented Barker at the time the mural was painted. Students also made comparisons and noted various changes from the past to today.

This activity and project helped the students put a face on the Great Depression and see the relevance of what they are studying, rather than look at it as just another chapter in the history books. Students were excited to go home and talk to grandparents and even great-grandparents to see what further information they could gain. The lesson gave the students a new appreciation of their community and the school, as well as the daily struggles in society.

One student stated, “This whole unit on the Depression really taught me to make do with what my family has at hand”. Another student added, “I learned that we need to come together and work together as a community”.

Barker Middle School Students learn From the Great Depression

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Front row: Luz Bautista, Abigail Chavez, Madison Greenwald, Meghan Menz. Back Row: Kaitlyn Upton, Alexis Wolanczyk, Patricia Bautista, Katherine Krisher.

Katherine Krisher put together an anti-drug assembly and poster contest on June 9th for the middle school with the support of Reality Check, Madonna House, Mr. Hoar and Mrs. Converso as part of her senior project.

Katherine was able to provide information for the students at the assembly about the dangers of drug abuse. She also supplied prizes for the best posters. The students shown above were the prize winners.

Story Turns Into Teachable Moment, and Lots of Fun for 2nd Grade!

“It was one of those projects that just took on a life of it’s own”, stated teacher Sara Thibault. “We were reading a story about Petecas and they sounded like they would be fun to make”.

We decided to turn it into a teachable moment. Petecas are decorated bags fi lled with beans or rice. They are used in a game, much like a hackey-sack. Competitive court games have been played in Brazil since the early 1930s. It was only in 1973 that the fi rst rules were written.

The students had to write out directions on how to make them using a graphical organizer. They used their listening skills to follow the directions to make their Petecas. The students had a great time making them and even more fun learning how to use them.

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The Barker Teacher’s Union sponsored a fun activity in support of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Over $500. was raised through donations. Students and staff voted to have their “favorite” teacher receive pie in the face. Additionally, one person was chosen to “deliver’ the pie from those who donat-ed. Thank you for being such great sports Mr. Cantella, Mr. Jurewicz, Mr. ingro, Mr. Gerstung, Mr. LaRock, and Mr. Norris.

Barker students competed at Art Alive at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery on Saturday, June 6th. They earned an honorable mention for their portrayal of Jacques-Louis David’s Oath of Horatii. Posing left to right are: Dilan Chrysafi des, Alexander Rasmussen, Shaun Gendrue, Timothy Flanagan, Emily Gendrue, Ginni Platt, and Shannon Mangan.

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Barker Central School2009 Summer Recreation Registration Form

Name ______________________________________ Date of Birth ______________________Phone______________________________________ September 2009 Grade_______________Music Lesson: Yes No If yes, what instrument?_______________________________Swim Lesson: Yes No If yes, what is most recent card received?_________________Address______________________________________________________________________ (Road/Street) (City/Town) (Zip Code)

Mailing Address________________________________________________________________ (If different than above)

Parent/Guardian_____________________________ Signature___________________________Emergency Contact___________________________ Emergency Phone___________________Allergies or Health Concerns___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________RESIDENCY (Check one): ____ DISTRICT RESIDENT—$5.00 One time fee per district resident covers all activities (gym, outdoor, pool, fi tness room, arts & crafts) including music lessons. ____ NONRESIDENT—$50.00 Fee for nonresidents.

OPTIONAL FIELD TRIPS (Deadline for fi eld trips is Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 12:00 NOON. Check all that apply. Must be registered and entering at least third grade in order to attend): ____ MARTIN’S FANTASY ISLAND FIELD TRIP—$12.95 for Wednesday, July 15. Depart at 10:00 AM. Return at 6:00 PM. ____ BUFFALO ZOO FIELD TRIP—$4.50 for Thursday, July 23. Depart at 10:30 AM. Return at 5:00 PM. ____ BISONS GAME FIELD TRIP—$9.00 for Thursday, July 30: Buffalo Bisons vs. Pawtucket Red Sox at 1:05 PM. Depart at 11:00 AM. Return time determined by length of game.Total Payment $________________________Check #__________________ (Please make checks payable to Barker Central School) ______ Cash

Recreation is 9:00 AM12:00 PM, Monday Friday from July 6August 7. Please be sure your child is picked up by noon each day. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated. Each student must be registered on his/her own form. A detailed list available offerings is printed on the back of this form and is posted at www.barkercsd.net/summer. Preregistration through the mail is preferred, but registra-tion will also take place in the Elementary Gym on Monday, July 6 and Tuesday, July 7. All prereg-istration mailings should be received by Tuesday, June 30. Registration forms and payments can be dropped off in the Pratt, MS or H.S. offi ces or mailed to:

Jeff Costello, Recreation DirectorBarker Central School

1628 Quaker RoadBarker, NY 14012

7953201 x5185jcostello@barkercsd.net

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Barker Central School2009 Summer Recreation Offerings

Name _____________________________________ September 2009 Grade________________Any student entering Pre-K through 12th grade in the fall is eligible to participate in Summer Recreation, but you must be registered in order to do so. Activities for all areas will be age/skill specifi c. The H.S. gym is for students entering grades 6-12 while the elementary gym is for students entering grades Pre-K through 5. The following is just a sample of the activities that will be available this summer at the Barker Central School Summer Recreation Program:

Arts & Crafts: Daily activities like tie dye, boondoggle, jewelry, gliders, etc. (Look for weekly updates posted in the Arts & Crafts Room or on the web site.)

In The Gym: Daily team games, individual games, tournaments, sports camps.

In The Pool: Daily swimming lessons, free swim and competitive swimming.

In The Fitness Center: Daily supervised fi tness activities with weights and fi tness equipment.

Outside: Daily picnic games (Kan Jam, Bean Bag Toss, Lasso Golf, etc.), pick-up games, team games, nature trail, playground, sports camps, etc.

Off Campus Field Trips: Martin’s Fantasy Island on Wednesday, July 15 (Cost is $12.95 with a departure time of 10:00 AM and return time of 5:00 PM). Buffalo Zoo on Thursday, July 23 (cost is $4.50 with a departure time of 10:30 AM and a return time of 5:00 PM) and a Buffalo Bisons game on Thursday, July 30 (with a departure time of 11:00 AM and a return time to be determined by the length of the game.) Admission, supervision and transportation are included in each fi eld trip fee.

Sports Camps: Offered during the normal recreation day. Camps will be held based on interest level and are subject to change. Check all that apply.H.S./MS Sports Camps: ___Field Hockey, 7/13-17, 9:00-10:30 ___Basketball, 7/13-17, 10:30-12:00___Wrestling, 7/20-24, 10:30-12:00 ___ Football, 7/27-31,10:30-12:00 ___Volleyball, August 8/3-7, 9:00-10:30 ___Soccer, 8/3-7, 10:30-12:00.Elementary Sports Camps: ___Football, 7/13-17, 11:00-12:00 ___Field Hockey, 7/20-24, 11:00-12:00 ___Wrestling, 7/20-24, 11:00-12:00 ___Basketball, 7/27-31, 11:00-12:00 ___Soccer, 8/3-7, 11:00-12:00.

Special Days (TBA): Tournament Championships, Wacky Olympics, Freeze Pop Days and Make Your Own Sundaes

Due to construction the high school gym parking lot, high school bike rack, tennis courts and track will not be available. All students attending any type of Summer Recreation activity should plan on entering/leaving the school just west of the main middle school entrance. From there they will have access to the elementary gym and cafetorium along with the H.S. gym, fi tness center, pool and locker rooms. We will provide supervision for students to walk from the elementary gym and cafetorium to the H.S. area. Students riding bikes to school should plan on parking them at the M.S. bike rack. Students tak-ing music lessons will be able to enter the building at the outside band room entrance or from the above mentioned Summer Recreation entrance just west of the M.S.. In addition to posters around the designated areas at Summer Recreation, we’ll use www.barkercsd.net/summer to post updates for activities, schedule changes or new information as it becomes available. Should we need to inform everyone of a major change, a note will be sent home with all students.

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Grassland Management UpdateThe Grassland Management Stewardship

Project which was adopted in June 2008 by the Board of Education has resulted in an outstand-ing example of environmental improvement at Barker Central School.

Mr. Paul Harvey states, “I am pleased to inform everyone that I personally walked along the area today with Gail Damon. As we walked from the east to the west we saw a truly awesome display of bird activity. Bluebirds were seen on nesting boxes along with many Field Swallows. Bobolinks that have seen their nesting habitat eroded dramatically in recent years were evident throughout the grassland area. They require nesting grasses that are at least two years old and make their nests on the ground. Red-winged Blackbirds as well as Chirping Sparrows were also seen. In short, everyone looked happy and everyone who made this happen deserves a big THANK YOU!”

National Honor Society Inductees for 2009: (seated) Matthew Sweeney, Aileen Hinton, Peter Benoit, Michael Maines, Hannah McGee, Emily Quinn, Chelsy Cervi, Megan Kieffer, (standing) Emily Klatt, Kimberlee Daigler, Olga Chavez, Paisley Butski, Ryan Lamb, Sienna Dear, Ethan Dewart, Rachael Engert, Nicole Estep, Garret Fuerch, Erick Bennes, and Staci Palacios.

BARKER CENTRAL PROMOTES STUDENT AND STAFF WELLNESS Issue

Obesity has tripled among teenagers and doubled among children 6-11 years old in the last 20 years. In 2005, BCS educators noted that their students were becoming more sedentary and exhibited poor eating habits. Obesity increases the risk of many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers. Diets high in saturated fat, excess calories and sodium can contribute to the development of chronic diseases.

Intervention The Healthy Schools Leadership Institute (HSLI) is a fi ve year, professional development program that focuses on building organizational capacity for healthier schools, effectively advocating for healthier schools, using assessment strategies to evaluate the school environ-ment, leading and motivating others responsible for school health promotion, managing coordination of healthier schools, and soliciting resources for this initiative. HSLI recruits schools to participate in the initiative. The Barker Central School District is one of twenty that the HSLI has worked with since 2005. David Carson and Gail Damon have been involved in the initiative. In November of2005, BCS completed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s School Health Index, a self-assessment and planning tool to improve school health and safety. The process brought faculty/staff, administration, and community together to discuss areas of strength and areas needing improvement. Physical activity, parent and community involvement, and staff health promotion were all areas identifi ed needing improvement.

Impact In the fall of 2005, BCS had their fi rst Health Council meeting with membership from administration, staff and the community. Since then, the following activities/changes have taken place:

• Wellness themes incorporated in the Middle School and Pratt buildings. • Collaboration with the Healthy Community Alliance for the Fit and Fun program. • Building Wellness Teams formed to formulate activities in each building. • Wellness Fair for the community. • Healthy Vending machines purchased and stocked. • Milk Vending machine in use. • Salad bar equipment purchased. • Applied for the Carol White Grant for funding of fi tness equipment to meet the needs of our Middle/High School students. • Blood Drive by the Middle School. • Fund raising for various charitable causes such as the American Heart Association and Caring Bridge. • Collaborated with BC/BS on wellness for the faculty and staff.

Importance of Impact Healthy school environments allow students to establish healthy habits that last a lifetime and encourage faculty and staff to be healthier, too. BCS has recognized this by involving students and staff in the process and providing them with the tools needed to improve their environment. It is our hope that it will increase attendance and academic performance.

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2009 Gettysburg/Washington, DC Class Trip

This past April 28 – May 1, the 8th grade class traveled to Gettys-burg and Washington D.C. This is an educational field trip. The students work on a school packet throughout this trip and it is turned in for a grade upon arrival back at Barker.

Even though it rained as they ar-rived at our Nations Capitol, it did not slow them down, as there was so much to see, do, and learn about. Two very knowledgeable tour guides led them

through the Gettysburg battlefields. They were able to visit three Smithsonian Museums, Air and Space, Natural History, and American History. The class toured the Holocaust Museum including the permanent exhibit, the Franklin D. Roosevelt and Jefferson Memorials, The National Mall, with a class picture taken at the Lincoln Memorial (shown above).

At the World War II Memorial, they were able to speak to some veterans that were there, and some students were able to have their pictures taken with them. They had a walk around the outside of the White House, and a visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Pictures were taken at the Iwo Jima Memorial, and a visit the new Pentagon Memorial that just opened this past September was enjoyed.

Washington DC is an awesome experience for our middle school students. They always look forward to traveling there, and have many stories of what they learned and experienced when they get home.

Fourth Graders enjoyed a visit from “Surly Sal” (played by Gretchin Sepik) who told them about the life of an Irish cook traveling down the Erie Canal on a packet boat. Stu-dents were fascinated by her stories of “the olden days”.

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3, 2, 1 - Blast Off!Third grade students built and launched their own

rockets under the supervision of Talent Development Program teacher, Mrs. Leann Briggs.

Teachers and a few parent volunteers also assisted on launch day. This project was an enrichment activity for all in relation to their unit of study on energy.

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Congratulations to Niagara-Orleans Individual Scholar Athletes

Kelsey Alvarez and Shawn Thompson

Boys Baseball: (L-R) Anthony Diez, Mark Sutch, Joshua Jackson, Ryan Lamb, Martin Shaft, Cody Blackley. Camera Shy: Austin Blackley, Andrew Carmer, Ethan Dewart, Kyler Hare, Tyler Mason.

Boys Track & Field: (L-R) Luke Aitchison, Tyler Scheving, Nicholas Britt, Peter Cantella, Matthew Sweeney, Adam Carnes, Griffen Raymond. Camera Shy: Shaun Gendrue, Nathaniel Jackson, Ryan Levy, James McGovern, Mark Prunella-Miller, Shawn Thompson, Elliot Vanderwalker.

Girls Track & Field: Front Row (L-R) Alexandra Gancasz, Alexandra Tillman, Sarah Scott, Savanna Gancasz, Eliza Dewart, Deanna Platt, Larissa St. Louis. Back Row (L-R) Jennifer Barnum, Crystal Mott, Lindsey Soles, Corina Gian-none, Hannah McGee, Rachel Anderson. Camera Shy: Jamie Przybyl.

Girls Softball: Seated (L-R) Alexis Targus, Alexandra Denny, Ellen Diez, Jessica Hillman, Aileen Hinton, Sara Sullivan. Standing (L -R) Brandy Adams, Paige Remington, Nicole Estep, Sienna Dear. Camera Shy: Jessica Haight

Tennis: (L-R) Michael Maines, Peter Benoit, Megan Kieffer, Derek Fuerch, Erick Bennes, Alexander Niethe, Madeline Klatt, Emily Klatt, Rebecca Cooner. Camera Shy: Kelsey Alvarez, Sarah Carpenter, Garret Fuerch, Zachary Hilton, Kayleigh Murray, Vincent Rinaldo, Elizabeth Tillman, Faith Worthington, Travis Wright.

SCHOLAR

ATHLETES

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The J.V. Raiders were a very young team with no sophomores on the roster and very few players who had ever played on the larger diamond. Most of the team was either com-ing off the 60 foot little league diamonds of the Somerset Town Hall or hadn’t even played organized baseball in the past. Of the 16 players who fi nished the season the team was made up of seven 7th graders, fi ve 8th graders and four freshmen. That’s an extremely young team playing against other J.V. teams that are mostly comprised of freshmen and sophomores.

There is some very good talent coming up through the program as the team regularly started 7th graders at many of the key spots – shortstop, second base and center fi eld. The catching duo of Brett Cole and Zach Shaft is only in 8th grade.

One of the brightest spots on the team was the pitching of Spencer Moore, Tony Diez, Jake Haight, Mitch Luckman, Josh Bergman and Hayden Gooding. There is a lot of potential with those arms, and when they had support from the defense did a solid job on the mound.

Josh Haight provided plenty of stability on the mound, behind the plate and in the batter’s box until his call up to the Varsity team early in the season. Although his absence hurt the team he was an impact player at the Varsity level. When his J.V. spot opened up, it gave others on the team a chance to see more game action.

The team hosted it’s fi rst ever tournament on Saturday, April 11th as Barker, Holley, Kendall and Alexander squared off for a semi-fi nal round, followed by a championship game and a consolation game. Barker defeated Kendall in the semis before losing to Alexander in the fi nals. It was a very successful tournament for the J.V. team and the Barker Baseball program as parents assisted in running a concession stand to raise money for the program and more than covered the cost of the awards. We look forward to doing the tournament again next season.

Anthoy Diez received the Most Improved Player Award, while the Coaches Award went to Spencer Moore.Barker’s highlights this season included:

• Jake Haight’s Ya Ya (Home run) against Alexander in the fi rst game of the season. The team may have lost the game, but it was an exciting event for the team when the 7th grader crushed it to right center fi eld. Haight also put on a fi eld- ing clinic in the home game against Newfane registering eight assists at short while making two outs to be in on 10 of the 19 fi elding play outs.

• Spencer Moore’s pitching and 12 strikeout performance at Akron.• Tony Diez’s late season hot hitting where he fi nished the year with a double and a triple in the fi nal two games while battling illness.• Austin Blackley’s towering shots to right fi eld at Barker for extra base hits.• The close win against Kendall in the Barker Tournament.• The come from behind win at home against Medina.• The development and improvement of all the players on the roster was great to see. There could be 16 awards given out for MIP to

this team as they all did well from day one through the end of the season.

J.V. Baseball has Building Season.

Varsity Baseball Season is Action Packed!The 2009 Varsity Baseball season was fi lled with action-packed highlights

which included seven, one run ball games, a set play to steal home for a win in the bottom of the seventh inning, and towering home runs.

The Raiders fi nished the season with an 11-14 overall record and 6-8 Niagara-Orleans League record.

The team got the season off to a red hot start by beating a good Alexander team 10-0 followed by a 19-1 thrashing of Pembroke, both at home. The end of the season was just as hot as the team won 4 games in a row, including a home sectional Pre-Quarter victory against Chautauqua Lake, before ultimately getting beat by Cassadaga Valley in the sectional Quarter-Finals.

Individual honors were awarded to junior, Cody Blackley, who made 2nd Team All-League as a fi rst baseman and sophomore , Andrew Carmer, who made 1st Team All-League as an infi elder for the second year in a row. The team will surely be strong for many years to come as only two seniors will be graduating from the squad. Outfi elders John Puglisi and three-year starter Tony Sonberg. The lineup this year included a two-year starter in Ethan Dewart, and starting Juniors Tyler Mason, Ryan Lamb, Marty Shaft and Josh Jackson. Sophomores Mark Sutch and Kyler Hare were called upon to play key roles and rounding off the lineup was Freshman call up Josh Haight who clearly displayed he deserved to be on the Varsity squad.

The Most Valuable Player for 2009 was Andrew Carmer, Kyler Hare received the Most Improved Player Award, and the Coaches Award went to Cody Blackley. Additionally, the Varsity Baseball Scholar-Athlete Team is made up of: Ethan Dewart, Ryan Lamb, Tyler Mason, Joshua Jackson, Cody Blackley, Austin Blackley, Mark Sutch, Andrew Carmer, Kyler Hare, Anthony Diez, Martin Shaft.

Coach Mucha says, “I wish next year’s season started tomorrow. I can’t wait!”

Page 13

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The Varsity Softball Team’s record was 5-9 in the league and 7-15 overall. The Lady Raiders started the league with 2 wins, but then they had a little slump when things just didn’t go their way. They struggled through the middle part of the season. The girls worked hard in practice and turned things around. We beat Medina, CSAT and Akron. They played well against Roy-Hart and had a strong game against Albion.

They were seeded 7th in this sectionals and hosted Franklinville in the pre-quarters and won 15 to 3; lost to Randolph in the quarter fi nals 8-7 in 9 innings.

Aileen Hinton earned 1st Team All-League Honors, Rebecca Quackenbush made 2nd Team. Honorable mention honors went to Kate Moore, Ellie Diez, Nicole Estep and Paige Remington.

Additionally, the Lady Raiders are a Scholar-Athlete Team. Scholar Athletes for the Girls Softball Team are: Sienna Dear, Jessica Hillman, Alexis Targus, Alexandra Denny, Aileen Hinton, Nicole Estep, Sara Sullivan, Ellen Diez, Paige Remington, Jessica Haight, Brandy Adams.

Nicole Estep received the Most Improved Player Award for 2009. The Coach’s award went to Ellie Diez and M.V.P. went to Aileen Hinton.

Varsity Softball - Hard-working Team

J.V. Softball Has Best Record in LeagueThe J.V. Softball Team fi nished the season with the best record in the league. In

the Niagara/Orleans League they fi nished12 -2, Overall: 14-2-1.Jessica Hillman helped by pitching 81 innings. She had 148 strikeouts,46 walks,

and only allowed 40 hits for a record of 11 and 1. Jessica also had a 546 batting aver-age. Allie Denny had a 3-0-1 record with a 436 batting average also.

Additionally, the defensive core only allowed 85 runs in 17 games. Key players at defense included Nicole Rinaldo, Venesa Berardi, Lietta Wells, Brooke Robinson, Haley Sherwin, and Jessica Hillman, who will be moving up next year.

Right behind them were key players such as Allie Denny, Daniela Senior, Destiny Metzler, Stephanie Pyra, Amanda Mandaville, Jessica Heff eron, Olivia Den-ny, Abby Heitzenrater, and Catherine Bergman. Some great plays also came from Mary Brady and Morgan Bussenger.

The Most Improved Player Award for 2009 went to Brooke Robinson. Alexandra Denny received the Coaches Award.

This was the fi rst season as head coach for Coach McCracken. He states that he “enjoyed coaching this team very much and is looking forward to next year because we have a lot of returning talent, and we should have another good season”.

Barker Tennis - 2009 Niagara-Orleans Champions!Thanks to the ladies and gentleman of the 2009 Varsity Tennis team, there

will be a new championship banner hoisted to the ceiling of the H.S. gymnasi-um. The Barker Raiders Varsity Tennis team completed its best season of tennis this year, fi nishing 11-1 and winning the Niagara Orleans League Championship, something never before done at Barker. Previously, our best fi nish had been a tie for 2nd place. In addition to winning the championship, 6 players were awarded All-League distinction: Erick Bennes and Peter Benoit—1st Team; Alex Duff y, Michael Maines, and Vinny Rinaldo—2nd Team; Tommy Budde—honorable mention.

As the year began, expectations for Varsity tennis were high. The players expected to do well, and had confi dence in their ability and in their standing, relative to the rest of the league. Each competition consists of 5.5 points, for a total over 12 matches of 66 available points. Playing consistently, with fo-

cus and enthusiasm, the team managed to win 59 of those 66 points. Most matches were not close, with the lone exception being the match we dropped to Wilson, losing by ½ point in a 3rd set tiebreaker. In the championship-deciding rematch against Wilson later in the year, Barker won 5 to ½ point, not only winning the match but doing so decisively. Though we shared the co-championship with Wilson because of a tied record and lack of a tie-breaking scenario, our decisive win against them and the

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fact that they managed to win only 43 of the 66 available points (compared to the 59 Barker won), left no doubt in our minds as to who the number one team is—Barker.

Some individual highlights are as follows: Erick Bennes qualifi ed as the fi rst seed singles player from the Niagara-Orleans league and represented the league at the Section 6 sectionals tournament. Erick is the fi rst singles player to qualify for section-als as the number 1 seed in Barker history. He played very well, taking 10 games from the number 7 seed player in W.N.Y. before losing in two sets. Erick fi nished the season 11-1. Peter Benoit also fi nished 11-1, playing great tennis at the fi nal Wilson match to punctuate Barker’s win.

Alex Duff y also fi nished 11-1, playing solid tennis and taking Peter Benoit to three set challenge matches twice in the season. Their competitive drive and the relative closeness of their games kept them striving to improve against one another. Michael Maines and Vinny Rinaldo were not only undefeated at 12-0, but they did not lose a set all season, a truly remarkable feat. Tommy Budde and Derek Fuerch played well at second doubles and Kelsey Alvarez played at 2nd and 3rd doubles as well, fi nish-ing off her 4-year tennis career as arguably the best female tennis player in the league. Garret Fuerch earned a spot at 3rd dou-bles while his brother Derek was able to earn a spot on the 2nd doubles team. This is the fi rst year of tennis for each of them.

The single most impressive aspect of this season was the team’s will and desire to focus and play hard when it was needed. After unexpectedly dropping the match to Wilson, the team rallied and ran through the rest of the schedule to win the champi-onship. I applaud each player’s determination and desire.

Coach Scofi ll states, “It is important to note Coach Pyskaty’s impact on the program. He helped to build and train this group of players and his assistance at key matches was invaluable. Once more, congratulations to the fi rst Varsity Championship Ten-nis team in Barker history!”

Varsity “A” Tennis Most Valuable Player Award went to Erick Bennes. The Most Improved Player was Vincent Rinaldo, and the Coaches Award recipient was Kelsey Alvarez.

Varsity “B” Tennis Most Improved Player Award recipient was Emily Klatt. The Coaches Award went to Cody Maedl.Additionally, the Tennis team was a Scholar Athlete team. The Scholar-Athlete Team includes: Erick Bennes, Travis Wright, Al-

exander Niethe, Vincent Rinaldo, Garret Fuerch, Madeline Klatt, Emily Klatt, Rebecca Cooner, Michael Maines, Derek Fuerch, Pe-ter Benoit, Kayleigh Murray, Megan Kieff er, Kelsey Alvarez, Elizabeth Tillman, Faith Worthington, Sarah Carpenter, and Zachary Hilton.

Boys Track - Many Accomplishments in ‘09Coach Jurewicz states, “We are very proud and excited about

what both the boys and girls teams accomplished this year. After enduring a long pre-season, both teams were chomping at the bit to compete against anyone besides themselves”. The boys’ team had to open up against a strong Albion team in rainy 40-degree weather, and lost a competitive meet. They bounced back with a strong victory against Medina, and went on to win against Roy-Hart and Wilson. They dropped close meets to Newfane and Akron, to round out their league schedule to an even 3 and 3. The boys also competed in three invitational meets at Ken-West, Wilson, and Niagara Wheatfi eld.

Even though they faced much bigger schools, the boys and fi nished 3rd in Wilson and 5th at the Niagara Wheatfi eld meet. The boys had three 2nd place, and fi ve 3rd place fi nishes at All-League, and sent 3 boys, Tyler Scheving, Robert Adams, and John Austin to the Sectional meet. Robert fi nished 11th in the section in the long jump, John Austin fi nished 6th in the shot-put, and Tyler had 5th place fi nishes in the 800 and 1600 meter runs. On top of a vigorous practice schedule and many athletes participating in other school activities, the boys track team still earned the Scholar Athlete team award. Scholar-Athlete Team: Tyler Scheving, Matthew Sweeney, Mark Prunella-Miller, Nicholas Britt, Shaun Gendrue, Griff en Raymond, Ryan Levy, Shawn Thompson, Luke Aitchison, Nathaniel Jackson, Adam Carnes, James McGovern, Peter Cantella, Elliot Vanderwalker.

The M.V.P. award for the boys this year goes to Tyler Scheving. “Tyler lead the team in points, put everything he had into his workouts, and is the top freshman distance runner in section”, stated Coach Jurewicz.

The MIP award goes to a Jake Greenwald. Jurewicz states, “Jake is a fi rst year track athlete who came over from baseball with little knowledge of what he was doing, but worked hard and fi nished as our best discus thrower”.

“This year’s Coaches’ award recipient worked hard no matter what was asked of him, and never complained”, states Coach Jurewicz. “He had to train himself back into running shape from a broken foot this past winter and ended up a 5th place fi nisher at All-League in the 400 hurdles”. The Coaches Award recipient is Matthew Sweeney.

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Congratulations to the 2008-2009 Athletes of the Year!Shelby Branch and Tommy Budde!

Girls Track - New School Records SetThe girls’ team also opened up with a loss to Albion, but we could

see early on that this was going to be strong team. The girls earned victories against Medina, Newfane, and Wilson. In their last dual meet of the season, they took the eventual league co-champion, Akron, down to the last race on the track, setting a new school record, but in the end being edged out in a very exciting fi nish. The girls also competed in the Ken-West, Wilson, and Niagara Wheatfi eld invitational meets, fi nishing an impressive 2nd in the Wilson meet and 3rd in the Niagara Wheatfi eld meet, losing only to division I schools Niagara Wheatfi eld and Olean.

At the All-League Meet, Corina Giannone earned the teams only All-League honors by winning the Discus event. The team also had several 2nd and 3rd place fi nishes. Additionally, Alexandra Gancasz took 2nd

Place in the 100 Meter Hurdles and 3rd Place in the 400 Meter Hurdles, and Rachel Anderson took 2nd Place in the Long Jump. The girl’s team also earned the Scholar-Athlete team award, with the Scholar-Athlete Team being made up of: Larissa St.

Louis, Alexandra Gancasz, Rachel Anderson, Eliza Dewart, Savanna Gancasz, Corina Giannone, Lindsey Soles, Hannah McGee, Sarah Scott, Deanna Platt, Crystal Mott, Jamie Przybyl, Alexandra Tillman, Jennifer Barnum, and has a great future with all of its top point scorers returning next year.

School Record Holders: 1600 Meter Relay: 4:15.3 Sarah Scott, Eliza Dewart, Crystal Mott, Savanna Gancasz 3200 Meter Relay: 10:42 Sarah Scott, Sarah White, Crystal Mott, Margie Zaepfel Girls Steeplechase: Deanna Platt Alexandra Gancasz received the M.V.P. award for the girls this year. Coach Jurewicz states, “Alex earned the most points

in individual events this season, was always willing to run through pain to earn the team points, and competed in 3 diff erent events in sectionals.”

The MIP award goes to Rachel Anderson. “Rachel”, according to Coach Jurewicz, “is one of the hardest working young ladies on the team who, over the course of the season, improved her running and jumping abilities so much that she fi nished a very close 2nd place in the long jump at the All-League meet.”

“This year’s girls Coaches’ award recipient was a young lady that was always willing to do whatever workout I had for her, and was willing to tackle new running events to help the team succeed”, stated Jurewicz. This attitude earned her a spot on the sectional 1600 meter relay team. The Coaches Award recipient for 2009 is Sarah Scott.

Page 16 June Banner 2009

Trooper Pezzino’s Corner.08 - It’s the Law in New York State

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, and is used as a measure of impairment. In New York State, the legal limit for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) is .08 BAC and above. If your BAC is .06 or .07, you will be charged with Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI). New York State has also recently added an additional charge of Aggravated DWI for BAC .18 or higher. The fi nes are higher, and the licensing consequences are more severe. The Zero Tolerance law applies to a person under age 21 who operates a motor vehicle with a BAC of .02% or more but not more than .07%.People often ask how much they can drink before driving. Alcohol is a depressant and even small amounts slow your physical reactions and thought processes. People react to alcohol differently, depending on how recently they have eaten, their metabolism, how tired they are, the medication they take, their emotional state, and their weight.If you are out with a group of friends, be sure to have a designated driver, someone who agrees not to drink at all. If you or someone else makes one mistake -- illegal drinking -- don’t compound it with a second mistake – driving under the infl uence of alcohol.This information provided with the assistance of The National Crime Prevention Council. More information on New York State’s Zero Tolerance Law can be obtained from my web page at www.barkercsd.net/sro.

Health Examinations and Dental Health Certifi catesEach student enrolled in public school is required to have a satis-

factory health examination conducted by the student’s family physician upon the student’s initial entrance in school at any grade level and for each student entering the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 10th grades. Such exam-ination shall be acceptable if it is administered not more than twelve months prior to the commencement of the school year in which the ex-amination is required.

Any student who does not submit a physical examination within thir-ty days after his or her initial entrance into school or within thirty days after his or her entry into the 2nd, 4th, 7th or 10th grades, shall have an examination by the school doctor.

New York State Education Law recently expanded the health exami-nation to include the dental health of students. Therefore, when your child is required to have a physical examination, we will be requesting a dental health certifi cate as well.

A list of dentists to which children who need comprehensive dental examinations may be referred for treatment on a free or reduced cost basis is available upon request at the nurse’s offi ce.

Dental health certifi cates and health appraisal forms are available on the BCS website, and are also available from the nurse’s offi ce upon request.

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Barker Central School Board of Education

1628 Quaker Road Barker, NY 14012 James R. Fisher, President Gordon D. Kenyon, Vice President Randall B. Atwater Fred Bennes Ronald L. Clemens Louis J. Mead William F. Smith

Postal Customer

Bulk Rate Non-Profit

Organization

PAID Barker, N.Y. 14012

Permit No. 10

Middle School students took part in the annual Medieval Days celebra-tion. This fun-fi lled day has become an annual event. Students dressed in period costumes, built and launched catapults, heard a medieval story-teller and much more. For more photos, please visit the Middle School Photo Gallery at www.barkercsd.net

It is a tradition that the graduating class is served breakfast by their teachers and staff following graduation rehearsal. More photos from this year’s senior class breakfast held on June 25, 2009 may be found at www.barkercsd.net

Gregg Rosowski (standing right) and Sean Christopher (standing left), from Erie 1 BOCES, came to Barker to teach 9th grade students from Mr. Ross’s English classes about internet safety in June. Topics such as chat rooms, texting, social networking and other forums were discussed in order to give students the tools to use the internet safely.