The Lion's Pen Bi-Weekly Newsletter

William P. Bohen, Ph.D.

Principal

There are so many things to look forward to as we approach the second half of October! Our students are very excited about the upcoming Fall Fun Night, and classroom parties and costume wearing on October 30. Below are a few updates from school this week:

School Safety

We successfully completed our first lockdown drill of the school year yesterday, and our students and staff did an outstanding job! Conducted four times a year in close cooperation with the Amherst Police Department (APD), all of our drills are fully trauma-informed. A trauma-informed approach means our drills are carefully designed to prioritize student well-being—focusing on calm, age-appropriate instruction that builds safety awareness without creating anxiety or fear. School safety is our top priority, and our building features an upgraded lockdown system, secure entry points, and classroom doors that automatically lock during an emergency—accessible only by the APD. In addition to our dedicated Amherst PD School Resource Officer, Officer Novika Vukovic, we maintain agreements with neighboring law enforcement agencies, including the State University Police at UB, who provide a visible and supportive presence on our campus. Our comprehensive safety plan is regularly reviewed and updated by a dedicated Building Safety Team, which includes representatives from every department and grade level, ensuring we are exceptionally well prepared for any emergency. Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our school community safe, and please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

New Curriculum

At Maple East, we are excited to introduce Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) as our new English Language Arts curriculum! The program is being implemented across the District at every elementary and middle school. CKLA is a research-based program designed to build strong readers, writers, and thinkers by combining explicit phonics and foundational reading skills with rich, content-filled topics. Through engaging stories and read-alouds, students won't just learn how to read—they will also explore history, science, literature, and world cultures to expand their background knowledge and vocabulary. We look forward to partnering with you as our students build a lifelong love of reading and discovery!

Fall Fun Night

Our largest PTA-sponsored event of the year, Fall Fun Night, is fast approaching! This year, it will take place on Friday, October 23 from 6:00-8:30 PM. We will have activities for students stationed all around the school, and students are welcome to wear a costume. Thanks to the generosity of our PTA, the event will be free for all students this year! We hope to see you there.

Important October Dates

• Wednesday, October 21: Unity Day- Wear Orange

• Friday, October 23 from 6-8:30 PM: Fall Fun Night

• Red Ribbon Week: October 26-30:

Monday, 10/26: Wear Red

Tuesday, 10/27: Wear Blue

Wednesday, 10/28: Wear Yellow

Thursday, 10/29: Wear Green

Friday, 10/30: Wear Orange, Black, or a Costume!

• Friday, October 30 at 8:30 AM: Halloween Parade

Halloween Guidelines

Our students start thinking about Halloween early! Students are allowed to wear a costume to school at Maple East on Friday, October 30, provided it adheres to the following guidelines:

• All-Day Wear: Costumes should be comfortable enough to wear the entire day. Students must arrive at school in their costume; staff will not be available to assist with changing in or out of costumes.

• No Face Masks: Masks covering a child’s full face are not permitted.

• No Weapons: Toy swords, guns, or weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited.

• School Appropriate: Costumes must not contain references to drugs, tobacco, alcohol, or inappropriate language, and must not disrupt classroom instruction or obstruct others’ view of the board.

• Safety: Costumes must allow students to travel safely throughout the building and stairs.

If you are unsure whether your child’s costume is appropriate, please check with your child’s teacher prior to October 30.

Kristy Giardina, Assistant Principal

A Quick Reminder About Morning & Afternoon Drop-Offs

Hi everyone! As we work to keep our morning and afternoon transitions running smoothly and safely for all of our students, we’d love to share a quick refresher regarding our parking lot:

• Bus Loop: To make sure our buses can safely load and unload students, cars are not permitted in the bus loop before 8:30 AM or after 1:30 PM.

• Accessible Parking: The handicapped parking spaces are reserved strictly for vehicles displaying a valid permit or tag. If you are using these spots, please make sure your tag is clearly displayed on your dashboard or rearview mirror.

Thank you so much for your cooperation and help in keeping our school grounds safe and accessible for everyone!

BEGINNING OF YEAR REMINDERS

Reminder for Pick Up

Please remember to always have ID when coming into school as you may be required to provide it when picking up your child.

Visitor Sign In Procedure

Our District utilizes the Raptor System for visitors coming into the building. With this procedure, you will need to provide photo ID that will be scanned into the system for security purposes. Once you are scanned the first time, subsequent visits will only require us to sign you in with your last name. Your name remains in the system from year to year.

Attendance Reminder

If your child will be out sick, please be sure to contact the Attendance Office via WITS Mail or by calling 716-626-8800/option 1.

Dismissal Reminder

If there is any change to your child’s regular dismissal routine, please call the MAIN OFFICE at (716) 626-8801 as teachers may not always get the message in time for dismissal.

Joelle McCormack, RN, School Nurse

Just a reminder for the 26-27 school year

If your child needs an emergency medication( EPI, INHALER) to be kept in the health office please drop off during school hours. A current doctor order is needed at the time of drop off. Thank you.

Please consider sending in extra clothes with your child to store in their cubby, the health office has a limited supply.

Getting back to school. Some tips on distinguishing between cold and flu season vs allergies

Allergies:

A change of season may trigger some seasonal allergies. Allergy symptoms include:

• Sneezing

• congestion

• runny nose

• Itchy eyes

• Clear nasal drainage

• Fever free

These are some ways the body can respond to allergens in the air

Seasonal allergy symptoms can come on suddenly and last awhile.

Colds:

• Runny nose or stuffy nose

• Cough

• Sneezing

• Sore throat

• Watery eyes

• Occasional fever

Cold symptoms are contagious and usually peak in 2-3 day

Good hand washing is encouraged.

Influenza “the Flu” has been confirmed in your child’s school. Influenza is a very contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Influenza can cause mild to severe illness. Most cases will resolve on their own within seven to ten days, but some cases may require hospitalization.

Common symptoms one to four days following exposure to Influenza may include:

- fever or feeling feverish/chills

- cough

- sore throat

- runny or stuffy nose

- muscle or body aches

- headache

- fatigue

- some may experience vomiting and diarrhea

Children experiencing the following symptoms require immediate medical attention:

- fast breathing or trouble breathing

- bluish skin color

- not drinking enough fluids

- very sleepy or lethargic

If your child develops the above symptoms, please do not send your child to school. Instead, please contact your child’s health care provider and mention that Influenza is in the class, for a prompt and proper diagnosis and treatment. Young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic medical conditions such as heart and lung disease, asthma or diabetes are at higher risk for a more severe illness and complications such as pneumonia, ear infections, and dehydration. A child with Influenza may return to school 24 hours after the child’s last fever and when the child is well enough to learn.

The best way to prevent the spread of Influenza is to get a flu vaccine each year, wash your hands frequently with warm soap and water, refrain from putting your hands to your face and mouth, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school nurse or your child’s health care provider. For additional information, please visit the NYS Department of Health website at https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/fact_sheet.htm

At Maple East, we care about our students and families, and we know that sometimes a little extra support can make a big difference. Below is a link to a form that is a great way for us to learn how we can help with things like food, winter clothing, and holiday gifts.

Everything you share will stay confidential and will only be viewed by the Social Worker to connect your family with resources and assistance. Please complete the form below if interested to let us know what would be most helpful for your family. Together, we can make sure every child has what they need to feel cared for, learn, grow and feel included. Please feel free to reach out at any time for any support that your family may need.

https://forms.gle/kUaUHhDsnhaiLdpH6

Please feel free to reach out to Nikki Klatman (nlklatm@williamsvillek12.org or 716-626-8806) at any time for any support that your family may need.

Go Bills!!

Andrea Armstrong

Wellness Facilitator

Together We Stand Against Bullying!

Get ready to wear ORANGE! On Wednesday, October 21, our school will celebrate Unity Day, a special day dedicated to kindness, acceptance, inclusion, and standing together against bullying.

Started by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, Unity Day reminds us that every student deserves to feel safe, valued, and welcomed at school. Wearing orange is a bright and powerful way to show that we care about one another and believe that no one should ever experience bullying.

To celebrate, we invite all students and staff to wear orange on Wednesday, October 21! Let’s fill our school with orange and show our commitment to creating a kind and caring community.

We’ll also come together in our hallways to sing and dance along to Glen Colton’s anti-bullying song which celebrates friendship, respect, and the importance of standing up for one another.

Remember, Unity Day is more than just wearing orange for one day. It’s about the choices we make every day: including others, using kind words, helping someone who is being bullied, and speaking up when something isn’t right.

Let’s show that when we stand together, we can make a difference. Wear orange, spread kindness, and let’s unite against bullying!

DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion)

Coming soon!

SDM (Shared Decision Making) Update

The Maple East Shared Decision Making Committee held its first meeting of the school year on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

2026–2027 SDM Team Members:

• Administrators: Principal William Bohen and Assistant Principal Kristy Giardina

• Teachers: Kelly Cecchini, Jennifer Grohusko, and Jennifer Wulf

• Parents: Courtney Slabyk (and one position TBD)

During our September meeting, the committee reviewed, revised, and finalized our school goals for the 2026–2027 school year. These goals will be posted on the school website in the near future, and we will send an update as soon as they are available for you to review. At upcoming meetings, committee and department chairs will share updates on the progress being made toward these goals.

Our next SDM meeting is scheduled for November 18, 2026.

Stacie Durnford

PTA President

September 18, 2026

Become a member - www.mapleeastpta.com

@maple.east.pta

Maple East PTA

Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Location: Williamsville East HS (Commons)

This townhall style meeting will give students, families, staff members and residents a chance to talk about any education-related issue they wish. There is no agenda or set topic.

School Board members and the Superintendent will be on hand to listen, answer questions, and discuss the latest topics impacting Williamsville schools and public education.

On Tuesday, October 20th from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at Williamsville South High School, the Williamsville Central School District will be hosting a Hands-Only CPR/AED event in coordination with the American Heart Association for students, families, staff, and community members.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Learn life-saving, hands-only CPR through guidance and training with the American Heart Association. Please note, individuals do not become CPR certified at this event.

Additional Community Resources and Activities

Reach Out to 911 – Erie County

· Educates the general public, elementary, middle, and high school students on when and how to call 9-1-1, enhancing community preparedness and reducing anxiety associated with emergency calls

American Heart School Engagement – Jump Rope Challenge

· A program that teaches students physical and mental well-being through jump rope and other active challenges

Swormville Fire Department

· Learn more about the Swormville Fire Department, their EMT unit, and explore an ambulance

Main & Transit Fire Department

· Learn more about the Main & Transit Fire Department, their junior firefighter program, and training exercises

Erie County Sheriff’s Office

· Meet and greet with the Erie County Sheriff Office’s Bomb Squad, K-9 Unit, and more

Amherst Police Department

· Meet and greet with the School Resource Officers

Stop the Bleed – Erie County

· Learn how to recognize life-threatening bleeding, how to apply direct pressure, and address wounds

Narcan Training – Erie County

· Learn how to identify overdoses and administer Narcan

There will also be several skills challenges and additional educational activities that are led by our athletic teams and staff.

ALT TEXT: A hands-only CPR information save the date flyer for Tuesday, October 20th from 4:30 - 6:30 pm at Williamsville South High School. It also features a woman doing hands only CPR to a mannequin.

Date: Monday, October 26, 2026

Time: 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Location: Casey Middle School Cafeteria

• Accepted Insurance: IHA, BCBS, Highmark, Blue Card, Univera, NOVA, MVP, Excellus, Medicare Part B, United Healthcare, etc.

• Insurance not accepted: Fidelis, Medicaid, The Empire Plan, Molina Health

http://www.williamsvilleseptsa.org/

Important/Save the Dates - (every Friday is Wear Blue Spirit Day!)

Monday, October 19 East Amherst Fire Dept Fire Safety, 9:00-

11:00am

Wednesday, October 21 Student of the Month Parade & Ceremony,

8:20-8:45am

Friday, October 23 Fall Fun Night, 6:00-8:30pm

Mon., Oct. 26 - Fri., Oct. 30 Red Ribbon Week

• Monday Wear Red

• Tuesday Wear Blue

• Wednesday Wear Yellow

• Thursday Wear Green

• Friday Wear Orange or Costumes

Join us on Tuesday October 27th at Williamsville East's parking lot. This event starts at 4Pm and goes until 6pm. Please bring a canned good for donation! We will have face painting, games, popcorn for sale and CANDY!

Main Office:

William P Bohen, PhD, Principal

Kristy Giardina, Assistant Principal

Laura Mietz, Senior Clerk Typist

Cynthia Carlino, Clerk Typist

Kimberly Beck, Part Time Clerk Typist

Phone: 716-626-8800
Fax: 716-626-8808

Attendance:

Lindsay Pecoraro, Attendance/ Health Office Aide

Phone: 716-626-8800

Health Office:

Joelle McCormack, RN, School Nurse

Phone: 716-626-8810
Fax: 716-626-8831

School Website:

https://mapleeast.williamsvillek12.org/

Address:

1500 Maple Road
Williamsville, NY 14221