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Cortland Schools

District Newsletter, December 2024

CortlandSchoolsDistrict Newsletter, December 2024

Season of Caring Season of Caring

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Bob Edwards

Dear Cortland Community,


As we approach the close of another year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the many accomplishments and milestones that have defined our school year so far. Our Early College High School cohort is up and running; fall sports and club seasons were successful; our teacher collaborative teams, guiding coalitions and SEL teams continue to innovate; celebrations throughout our buildings continue. December is a time for celebration, gratitude, and coming together as a community, and this newsletter offers a perfect opportunity to highlight some of the incredible work happening across our district.


In the spirit of the season, I am proud to see our students, staff, and families continuing to work together in support of our shared mission: to ensure high levels of learning for every student. We help every student to be ready for career, college, and citizenship, having reached competency in our essential social emotional and academic learning standards.


As always, I am deeply grateful for the ongoing partnership and commitment from our staff, families, and community members. Your unwavering support plays a crucial role in making our district a place where students thrive both inside and outside the classroom.


In this edition, you'll find updates on exciting initiatives, upcoming events, and a look at the achievements that make Cortland such a special place for learning. I encourage you to take a moment to read through and reflect on all that we’ve accomplished together. Most importantly, please consider joining us for a winter sports game or for one of our many upcoming concerts. This is the season to enjoy all the talents of our students!


Wishing you all a peaceful and joyous holiday season. Here's to a bright and promising year ahead!


Warm regards,


Bob Edwards

Special Events This Month

  • Wednesday, December 04

    • Music Booster Club Meeting

  • Thursday, December 5

    • Randall Middle School Winter Concert at CHS

  • Friday, December 6

    • Class of 2025 Crispy Cream Fundraiser

  • Wednesday, December 11
    • Randall Art Show

Weekly Blast Features Thanksgiving Weekly Blast Features Thanksgiving

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Vitamin Z in Print

The Positivity Project is loaded with important character traits for the month of December. Students will hear about the importance of “Self-Control”, “Optimism”, and “Perseverance”.

The week of Self-Control will offer good advice like, “Be selective in your battles. Sometimes peace is better than being right”.

The week of Optimism will teach the importance of positive thoughts, especially when it comes to self reflection.

When we learn about Perseverance, students will know that hard times are normal and that you don’t always achieve your goals on the first try. I will leave you with this quote… “Never give up. Normally, it is the last key on the ring that opens the door”.


Concert Season is upon us!

Come check out the December concerts to see what our ensembles have been up to!


December 5th - Randall @ 6:00PM - High School

December 10th - JSHS Bands @ 7:00PM - High School

December 11th - District Orchestras @ 7:00PM - High School

December 12th - Smith 4th Grade Band, Orchestra, and Chorus @ 6:00PM - High School

December 18th - JSHS Choirs @ 7:00PM - High School

December 19th - Modern Band @ 6:30PM - Rose Hall

January 9th - Smith 3rd Grade @ 6:00 and 7:00 PM at Smith School

Exciting News from the Art Department!

The Junior High Art Club and High School Art Club are excited to host the Black Light Art Show on Wednesday, January 22nd, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM at the Junior-Senior High School. This event will feature an electrifying display of art that glows under black lights. Be sure to wear your neon to join in the fun!


Art Takes Off at Syracuse Airport
Artwork created by our talented Junior-Senior High School students is now on display at Syracuse Hancock International Airport. This exhibit showcases the creativity and talent of our young artists, giving travelers the opportunity to enjoy their work. Be sure to take a look next time you’re at the airport.


Exciting News! Cortland High School students have submitted their artwork for the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.


We are thrilled to announce that talented high school students have officially entered their submissions for the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards! These budding artists and writers have shared their most creative, thought-provoking, and inspiring work, with the hopes of earning national recognition and even scholarship opportunities.

This year's entries span a wide range of mediums and categories, including:

  • Art: Painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, and more.

  • Writing: Poetry, short stories, essays, screenplays, and beyond.

  • Special Awards: Students have also submitted work for special categories like the American Visions & Voices Awards, highlighting their ability to tackle pressing social issues and evoke change through creativity.


What Happens Next?

Judging is now underway, with regional award winners to be announced in January 2025. National medalists will be revealed in March 2025, followed by celebrations in New York City for the most distinguished young creators.


Why This Matters

For nearly a century, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have been a launching pad for creative legends. Past awardees include visionaries like Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, and Robert Redford. This year’s participants are continuing that legacy, sharing their unique voices and perspectives through their artwork and writing.


The work submitted this year showcases the incredible diversity and imagination of today’s youth. From poignant personal stories to breathtaking artistic innovation, these students are pushing the boundaries of creativity and making their mark on the world.

Stay Tuned for the Winners!

We can’t wait to see which young artists and writers will be recognized for their exceptional talent. Be sure to follow along as we announce the regional and national winners over the coming months. You might just witness the beginning of the next great creative movement!

Follow the journey on our social media channels and celebrate the achievements of these incredible students. The future of art and writing looks brighter than ever!


Follow Us on Instagram
Stay connected with all things art at Cortland by following our K-6 & Junior-Senior High School art Instagram page at @cortland_enlarged_elem_art and @cortland_enlarged_srjr_art. Get updates on events, highlights of student work, and additional opportunities to support our artists.


Thank you for celebrating and supporting our art community!

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Student work from Hancock Airport

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Student work from Hancock Airport

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Stock Market Game

Mr. Colt’s Microeconomics and Economics R are getting close to the end of the fall semester SMG simulation. With $100K in start cash, students have to invest in real-time stock trades to grow their equity. Presently, Cortland students are in first, second, third, and fourth places with over 1200 teams in the competition!! Keep up the great work, let’s see if we can win this! Cortland continues the trend of being top investors, job well done.

History Through Film Field Trip to Movie Tavern

The students in Miss Barrett’s History Through Film class recently travelled to Movie Tavern in Syracuse to view Gladiator II. Earlier in the year, the class watched Gladiator and were able to compare and contrast different aspects of the sequel to the first movie, such as music, lighting, themes, and character development. When asked which movie the students liked better, it was an even split with half liking Gladiator and half liking Gladiator II better.

Cinderella on the Stage

As part of the English 9 curriculum, students will be traveling to Syracuse Stage to see a performance of Cinderella on Tuesday, December 10th.


This wonderful and unique opportunity is provided at no cost to the students. The ticket price is paid for thanks to a grant from BOCES and Arts-in-Education, and a bagged lunch is provided for students thanks to Cortland Enlarged City School District’s free lunch program (students are also welcome to bring lunch from home if they wish due to food preferences or dietary restrictions).


The trip to see Cinderella serves as an introduction to Drama and Theatre for many students. This live performance presents the opportunity to teach students about proper theater etiquette, aligns to New York State Next Generation Learning Standards related to theme development and adaptations of a narrative over time, and serves as part of a larger unit on Fairy Tales. This event provides students with an experience unlike those typical to the classroom and has been a highlight in past years for many students!

Smith Intermediate Book Cart

Students are excited about reading at Smith Intermediate thanks to the new book cart, sponsored by the PTO. The cart itself was donated by the Tompkins County Public Library and is restocked daily thanks to the thousands of new and used books donated by Smith teachers and staff at the end of last school year. In an email to a teacher, a parent commented, “I just wanted to thank you for implementing the book cart. My kids absolutely love it – and it means so much to see my son reading. He has historically been way behind with regard to ELA and reading and been adamantly opposed to picking up a book until just recently. He was so excited to pick out his book yesterday AND HAS NOT PUT IT DOWN SINCE. He read it aloud to his sister yesterday after school, this morning before school and even on the way to school. I’m amazed to see him like this and I just want you to know how big an impact this has had. What a cool and meaningful idea!” Readers can visit the cart from 8:10-8:45 daily and purchase a book for 25 cents or 5/$1.00.

There are a lot of Great Things going on at the Junior High!

Mark your calendars for December 10th @ 7pm (Band Concert), December 11th @ 7pm (Orchestra Concert), December 18th @ 7pm (Chorus Concert), and December 19th @ 6:30pm (Modern Band Show at Rose Hall).

Also, don’t forget to check out Schedule Galaxy for sports schedules. We have a lot of kids working hard and participating in positive activities.

The Musical Ranked was a HIT!

Cortland HS students produced an amazing musical titled Ranked that was enjoyed by everyone who saw it! Great job Tigers!

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Tiger Paw Awards

Kaci Rolewicz presented a Tiger Paw award to Nichole Zarcone at the October 26th Board of Education meeting.

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