May 19, 2013
5 Chelsea Place, Clifton Park, NY 12065 • 518-881-0600
Posted 6/20/12
Ken McDermith was appointed as the Director of Learning
Technology and Educational Communication Services as of
July 16, 2012 . He will lead the IMS department and
supervise the teachers of technology. Ken has worked at
Shenendehowa as an Academic Administrator since 2005. He
has co-facilitated the DITIC committee and is involved
with the US First Robotics , working with our Team-20
students. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in
Technology Education from the State University at Oswego
and a Master of Science degree from the College of St.
Rose. He completed his administrative work at the
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2005.
Michael Gutchell was appointed as the High School
Associate Principal position at the West building as of
July 1, 2012. Most recently he served as the Class
Assistant Principal at HSW. Mike came to Shenendehowa in
2004 , joining the social studies department as the
Academic Administrator. He graduated from Niagara
University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary
Education/ Social Studies and the University at Albany
with a Master degree in Educational Administration &
Policy Studies.
Posted 6/14/12
JIM CARRESE STEPS DOWN AS SHEN’S HEAD BASEBALL COACH
Jim Carrese, Shenendehowa’s long time head baseball
coach, will be stepping down effective June 15, 2012
after 22 years. Coach Carrese has decided to step away
from the baseball program for personal and family
reasons. Coach Carrese has been the head baseball coach
at Shenendehowa since 1991. His overall record is
349-163 (.682), including a 237-95 (.714) record in the
Suburban Council. Coach Carrese guided the Plainsmen to
Section II Championships in 1994 and 1996 as well as
Regional Championships in those same years. The 1996
Shenendehowa baseball team was a New York State Public
High School Class A Finalist. Under Coach Carrese,
Shenendehowa’s varsity baseball team has won 16 Suburban
Council division championships, participated in five
Section II championship games and qualified for the
playoffs in 17 of 22 years. Since 1991, this program has
produced 83 student-athletes who have participated in
baseball at the intercollegiate level and nine players
have signed professional contracts. In 2011, the
Shenendehowa varsity baseball team earned the
prestigious NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete award as the top
performing academic baseball team in New York State.
Jim Carrese, Shenendehowa Head Baseball Coach: “My
retirement from the baseball program is simply about my
desire to focus my attention on the greater priority in
my life which is my family and my ten year old son`s
travel baseball team. After 22 seasons I believe the
words ‘Shenendehowa Baseball’ have a tremendous
significance in NYS and Section Two Baseball. I am
deeply indebted to all the families, players, athletic
directors and coaches that I have had the opportunity to
work with these past 34 years as a public high school
coach. I am especially thankful for the dedication and
tireless work ethic of the current Shenendehowa Baseball
staff. Most importantly I am most grateful for the
support of my family, specifically my wife Jacqueline,
who has allowed the little boy from Ballston Lake, NY to
pursue his lifelong dream of being a coach.”
Chris Culnan, Director of Athletics and Physical
Education, Shenendehowa Central School District:
“All of us at Shen are very appreciative of Jim’s
efforts with the baseball program for the past 22 years.
His commitment to develop true student-athletes has
always been his first priority. All of us at
Shenendehowa want to thank Jim for his years of service
to the baseball program and understand his reasons for
stepping away.”
A search for a new baseball coach will begin
immediately.
Posted 6/14/12
The Shenendehowa Educational Foundation would like to thank all those who attended and sponsored the first annual Green and White Night. The event raised more than $40,000. Thanks also for supporting the foundation by purchasing drinks at the Clifton Park Cumberland Farms. After three weeks, $3,107 has bee raised for the foundation. This promotion is good for one more week!
Posted 6/14/12
Congratulations to Lizzie Predmore on winning the NYS Championship in the 3000 meters and also to the 4 x 800 meter relay team (Bailey Kowalczyk, Kristen Jordan, Gina Stalica, Lizzie Predmore) for their runner up performance. Good luck next weekend at the National Championships!
Posted 6/11/12
The purple triangular boxes are Emerald Ash Borer traps. They are used for early detection of EAB’s, when it is easier to manage an infestation. The EAB is an invasive species capable of killing native ash trees. Most trees die in 2 to 4 years of becoming infected. The High School East Environmental Science classes are participating in tracking and counting this invasive species. Data will be reported back to DEC for analysis. For a picture of the Emerald Ash Borer, video and more information visit the DEC website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7253.html.
POsted 6/6/12
We are writing to inform you that an Okte student was
diagnosed with the MRSA staph infection. The student is
undergoing treatment. Although this case pertains to a
Okte, the district is taking
extra-precautions by providing this notification to all
parents via the SIS Messenger and the District's
website.
The difficulty with staph is that it is present
everywhere and, while students have the commonality of
being in school, it is never certain where the exposure
took place. We strongly encourage parents to contact
their physicians if they suspect any signs or symptoms
of MRSA and encourage students to practice basic
hygiene.
Below is some information prepared by a group of
pediatric doctors:
• MRSA is a type of Staphylococcal aureus which has
several unfortunate characteristics - it is resistant to
many of the common antibiotics used for skin infections
and it has the tendency to progress (worsen) rapidly.
Staphylococcal aureus is a common bacteria which lives
normally on human skin.
• MRSA is not a new infection! In fact, MRSA has been
present in our communities for years. Your health
professionals have been aware of MRSA for years and have
adapted their diagnosis and treatment of skin infections
accordingly.
• MRSA is not exclusively a school problem. In fact,
MRSA is common throughout our local and national
communities. Taking this into account, the reaction of
the school district in Virginia (closing and cleaning
the schools) makes no medical sense. People carry MRSA
on their skin - sterilization of the school will
interrupt education of our children but will not
eliminate the presence of MRSA infections.
• There is effective antibiotic treatment for MRSA,
though choices are limited. Most MRSA infections are
treated successfully without need for hospitalization.
It is true that in some cases, some of these infections
can rapidly progress and require hospitalization. The
few cases involving death reported in the media are very
unusual - this is not the norm for this type of
infection.
• People who have MRSA and are being adequately treated
do not need to be restricted from work or school.
• If a person has signs of a skin infection that seems
to be worsening rapidly despite good hygiene and topical
antibiotic use, they should seek evaluation by a medical
professional. This medical advice does not differ from
what you already know.
For more information, go to:
• Center for Disease Control
• NYS Health Department
• Brochure for athletes on how to avoid MRSA
Our utmost concern is your child's welfare and that is
why, as a precaution, we are providing you with this
information.
Posted 6/4/12
Congratulations to our Section II Champs in Girls Softball! They move on to play Cicero-North Syracuse tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Veeder Park. Ticket prices will be $8 per person (students and adults).
Posted 6/4/12
Shenendehowa High School was listed as one of the best 1,000 public high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine. Schools were selected based on the fact that they have been proven to be the most effective in turning out college-ready grads. Shen was ranked 898. The list is based on six components provided by school administrators: graduation rate (25 percent), college matriculation rate (25 percent), AP/IB/AICE tests taken per student (25 percent), average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10 percent), and AP courses offered per student(5 percent).
Posted 6/4/12
After careful deliberations, the Health
Advisory Council will be presenting its findings and
recommendations for Shenendehowa’s sexual health unit to the
Board of Education on Tuesday, June 5 at 7 p.m. in the
Gowana Middle School Library.
