BLUE DEVIL NEW STAFF SPOTLIGHT
In the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to members of our Blue Devil family who are new, or are changing roles between buildings for the school year.
Today, we’ll tell you more about our new High School Agriculture Teacher, Erin Curtis! You may have already seen Erin out and about, as she was very proactive in getting to know our students and families this spring. She is a recent graduate of SUNY Cobleskill, where she rocked this outstanding cap at graduation, and spent her high school years at Cazenovia.
As an eighth generation farmer, Erin has been very involved in agriculture throughout her life from the very beginning, and is especially passionate about dairy farming. She has been a major advocate for the Ayrshire Cattle Breed, which her family raises. She has amassed countless awards for showing her dairy cattle at major events like the New York State Fair, the World Dairy Expo, and the All-American Dairy Show.
Curtis is also the new High School FFA advisor, and recently led a group of Camden FFA members to competition at the New York State Fair. She will draw heavily on her experiences as an active member of her hometown chapter at Cazenovia. She was a state champion and national medalist in the FFA Nursery/Landscape Career Development Event. Her brother, Andrew, is the current New York State FFA Treasurer for the 2024-25 school year.
Her favorite thing about Camden so far is meeting her students and seeing them get excited about animal agriculture.
When Erin’s not with her students, or with her cows, she is probably hiking or fishing.
Pictures from yesterday's Girls' Varsity Soccer match against VVS.
The Blue Devils fell behind 2-0 in the first half, but showed a lot of determination in the second half to cut the lead to one on a simply fantastic goal from Emily Gilsenan. The Blue Devils gave their visitors all they could handle, but were unable to find an equalizer as they fell 2-1 in a TVL match. The team will be back on the pitch on Saturday morning when they head to the Copper City to take on Rome Free Academy.
The Camden Central School District is looking for a student-centered, detail-oriented candidate for the position of Substitute Registered Professional Nurse. The ideal candidate will possess their certification to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse in the State of New York, along with excellent communication skills and a passion for helping children.
This is a 10 month, as-needed opportunity with variable hours, and pays $25.00 per hour when on duty.
Applications will be processed through the Oneida County Civil Service portal under “Other Opportuntities”. Select “Camden CSD” when prompted to do so.
More Information: https://5il.co/2wkvf
To Apply: https://oneida-portal.mycivilservice.com/post/otheropp
Tito, the guinea pig in Mrs. Willson's 6th grade math class, enjoys helping students during their W.I.N. period at Camden Middle School!
W.I.N stands for “What I Need” periods. They are a new addition to the program at Camden Middle School this fall. They are taking the place of ELA Lab, Math Lab, Learning Lab, and Guided Study.
W.I.N periods offer a flexible student-centered approach to learning, allowing teachers to group students based on their individual needs. This will allow our staff a better opportunity to provide targeted interventions and personalized instruction, and give students the support they need to thrive. And perhaps some time with a friend like Tito, too!
BLUE DEVIL NEW STAFF SPOTLIGHT
In the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to members of our Blue Devil family who are new, or are changing roles between buildings for the school year.
Today, we welcome Camden Elementary School music teacher Scott Ferrare!
Scott, a Rome native, brings some very expansive and diverse experience to his position in Camden. He is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz and Hunter College. He has taught in the small town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the city of Tacoma, Washington, and has also taken on assignments in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia!
His favorite thing about his career in education is connecting music knowledge with fun activities for his young learners. Some things he has enjoyed about Camden so far include the fresh air, nice people, and the spacious lands across the countryside.
When he’s not teaching, Scott is quite a dedicated musician and enjoys writing music of his own!
From the choppy and unpredictable waters of the Bering Sea, to the Camden Middle School Auditorium, Nick "Sunshine" Tokman certainly brought an incredible message to CMS students today! The former Commercial Fisherman and "Deadliest Catch" star talked about life on the open seas in one of the most challenging occupations on earth, while also weaving in plenty of anecdotes about perseverance and staying true to your authentic self.
Afterwards, he made plenty of time for autographs!
In the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to members of our Blue Devil family who are new, or are changing roles between buildings for the school year.
Today, we say hello to Mrs. Rebecca Wallace, who is joining us as a special education teacher working with third and fourth grade students at Camden Elementary. She is a 1997 graduate from nearby Adirondack Central School. She completed her undergraduate studies at Geneseo, and her Masters degree from Michigan State University.
Mrs. Wallace just might also answer to “Mrs. Worldwide”, as she has gained a wealth of international experiences. She has been in Switzerland, Singapore, and China over the years, but is also very excited to return to her home state. That said, she still loves to travel!
She is passionate about helping students grow. Her favorite thing about Camden so far is the helpful and caring people around her. When she’s not working with our students, she’s probably hiking, singing, drawing, or on an adventure somewhere!
We’re glad you came back and are close to home! Welcome, Mrs. Wallace!
Greenhouse management students are learning about strawberry plant propagation through project based learning!
Today, we take time to reflect. We remember the lives lost, the heroes who emerged, all who had their lives changed forever, and the remarkable resilience shown by our nation 23 years ago on September 11, 2001. Never forget.
Did you know that at school, at home, or around the globe, the WCHS News Morning Announcements are just a click away? They're posted every school day here! https://www.camdenschools.org/o/chs/page/current-announcements
Auditions have begun for the 2024 Camden Middle School Musical, Willy Wonka Jr.! Over 40 students have turned out for the first day to start preparing for this year's production!
Mark your calendars for the show! Performances will take place on Thursday, November 14th, and Friday, November 15th in the CMS Auditorium!
Smile and say "Cheese!" if you're ready for Pre-K!
A new classroom carpet makes a great gathering place for Mrs. Cochran's first grade class!
We have a special guest coming to Camden Middle School tomorrow! Nick "Sunshine" Tokman, formerly of the hit television show "The Deadliest Catch", will be meeting with our students and inspiring them to be the captain of their own futures!
Thursday nights are Open House nights for the rest of September!
In addition, there will be Title I stakeholder meetings at 5:30 PM at the start of both Elementary School open house events. See this link for details!: https://www.camdenschools.org/article/1751503
Three members of the Camden High School FFA chapter recently put their knowledge of poultry to the test against their peers from across the state, and proved that they could “talk turkey” - and other birds - with the best of the best. Students Mary Hall, Matthew Albrecht, and Kayla Winn competed in the New York State FFA Poultry Evaluation Career Development Event held at the Great New York State Fair on Friday, August 23rd.
A Career Development Event is a competitive exercise that is designed to build knowledge and skills in an agriculture-relevant area, while also promoting critical thinking, teamwork, communication, and problem solving among its participants.
In the case of the Poultry Evaluation CDE, students were tasked with evaluating chickens, eggs, and finished products, along with providing justification for their decisions. They also must identify poultry parts, do a carcass grading exercise, and complete a written general knowledge exam. The contest is an intensive experience that lasts about two hours from start to finish.
Camden sent its competitors to participate as individuals in the senior (Grades 7-12) division.
In the individual standings, freshman Mary Hall placed fifth, sophomore Matthew Albrecht was tenth, and freshman Kayla Winn placed 13th.
The group was led by High School FFA advisor Erin Curtis Szalach.
“I am so proud of the effort these students put into practicing for this CDE,” She said. “This was one of their first times competing in a state CDE and they rocked it! They are already EGG-cited for next year and have set great goals for themselves individually and as a team!”
A new year has begun, and we are pleased to say the popular "Look at Me, I'm Three!" program is back for the 2024-25 school year! This program is a free monthly Pre-K prep program for students eligible to enroll in Pre-K for the 2025-2026 school year. To participate, a child must reach the age of three years old on or before December 1st, 2024.
The program starts at 5:30 PM and runs for approximately 45 minutes.
Contact our Family School Navigator and program director, Patti Ferretti, to reserve your spot for September's program, which will be held on Wednesday, September 18th. You can also contact her with questions.
(315) 245-2616, Ext. 5200, or pferretti@camdencsd.org.
Afternoon scenes from the first day of Pre-K! Day two gets started very shortly!!!
Do you have a question or concern, and aren't sure where you should start? This chart will get you on the right track toward the answers.
The very first day is always unforgettable. Congratulations to these awesome young learners and their families on completing their first day of Pre-K today!
