National School Bus Safety week is here! Held annually during the third full week of October, the goal of National School Bus Safety Week is to bring school districts together with the community to talk about the importance of school bus safety.
Did you know that the most dangerous part of a school bus ride is loading and unloading? Often, it involves someone who has illegally passed a stopped school bus, and incidents of illegal passing have been increasing nationwide at about four percent per year.
We’ll be covering bus stop safety a few times this week. If you encounter a school bus on the roadway, you should be doing the following:
1. Slow down and be attentive. Buses make frequent stops, so patience and a reasonable rate of speed are important to protect the children, staff, and yourself. Also, remember that school buses are required to stop at railroad crossings. Be even more patient during the winter months, as slick conditions can pose a greater challenge.
2. When yellow lights are flashing, slow down and prepare to stop. When the red lights are flashing and the stop sign/arm is deployed, you must stop completely. It is suggested that you stop at least 20 feet from the bus, as 10 feet or less can be very dangerous. When in doubt, always stop your vehicle until you know it is safe to proceed.
3. Remember that on multiple lane or divided highways, traffic must stop in both directions for a school bus that has its stop sign/arm deployed.
4. When the red lights turn off, and the stop sign/arm comes inward toward the bus, you may continue. However, use caution in the vicinity of the bus. Look around before moving your vehicle, as children may be walking in front of, behind, or on the side of school buses. Check for pedestrians - especially near schools, bus stops, playgrounds, parks, and behind parked cars. Never assume.
5. Even if a bus isn’t loading or unloading right away, be extra careful around buses near our schools, as children may be close by.
6. Obey posted school zone speed limits, such as the one near Camden Elementary School on Oswego Street. Also be mindful of our school zone crosswalks and stop signs throughout the village, especially before and after school. These play an equally important role in getting our students to and from school each day.
If we all do our part, we can keep everyone safe this school year, including our students and transportation staff.
The show will be here before you know it! Opening night of the CHS Drama Club's Fall Play Production, "Emily Bronte: Teenage Ghost Hunter" is almost here!
Don't forget about the coloring contest and the opportunity for your child to trick-or-treat with the cast at the show!
MORE INFO: https://www.camdenschools.org/article/1822362
Presenting the Camden Boys' Varsity Soccer Class of 2025! The Blue Devils took a moment to recognize four seniors for their contributions to the program ahead of Thursday's match against Holland Patent.
Congratulations to James Murphy, Brodie Buckingham, Owen Perusse, and Zayne Geer!
It's Gameday in the Queen Village! Tonight, Blue Devils varsity football hosts Oneida at 6:30 PM at the Camden High School Stadium as the team closes out the regular season with the first outing of a two-game homestand. As always, admission is free for Blue Devil home games.
Live Stream: https://fan.hudl.com/usa/ny/camden/organization/17261/camden-high-school/watch?b=QnJvYWRjYXN0MTExODExMA%3D%3D
Some helpful reminders for tonight's game:
-An adult must accompany all elementary and middle school students. Students not accompanied by an adult will not be allowed in.
- Playing catch or games of any kind will not be allowed.
- Students should not wander around and should be cheering for our Blue Devils!
- Capital project construction is still happening. Please stay away from any taped-off areas.
- Spectators are expected to abide by the Camden Central School District Sportsmanship Policy.
Remember: Senior Night is next week!
Go Blue Devils!
We're just two weeks from opening night of the CHS Drama Club's Fall Play Production!
Don't forget about the coloring contest and the opportunity for your child to trick-or-treat with the cast at the show!
MORE INFO: https://www.camdenschools.org/article/1822362
Winter Sports registration for all JV and Varsity teams, plus Modified Volleyball, Modified Wrestling, and Modified Nordic Skiing is now open! Practices for these sports begin on November 18th.
Registration for the remaining modified sports not listed above will open on November 2nd, and their practices will begin on December 2nd.
Register today on the Arbiter Sports FamilyID platform!
https://students.arbitersports.com/organizations/camden-central-schools-athletics
For more information, including start dates and a date and time for the Family/Player Information meeting, visit https://www.camdenschools.org/o/ccsd/article/1826898
We hope to see you this evening as Camden Girls Varsity Soccer battles Whitesboro, while supporting the globe's ongoing battle against Breast Cancer with their annual awareness game. Kickoff is set for 4:30!
Training Opportunity
Be here. Be on time. Every day. #CCSDAttendanceAwarenessMonth
Scenes from yesterday's modified and varsity cross country race at Oneida!
Photos: Alana Golden
Pictures from yesterday's semifinal defeat at top-seeded Oneida in the Section III Class B Girls Tennis Team Tournament. The Blue Devils got their lone victory of the day from Hailey Heath at second singles.
The team has had a fantastic dual match season with a 12-4 record overall and a second place finish in its division of the TVL. All four of their losses came against the two TVL Division Champions: Oneida and Whitesboro.
Up next is singles and doubles individual tournament play next week!
Photos: Alana Golden
Syracuse.com subscribers: https://www.syracuse.com/highschoolsports/2024/10/lacys-list-who-were-the-top-performers-in-week-4-of-section-iii-football-poll.html
Football's Adam Gonzalez and Isaac Lynch are both nominees for the best Section III performance of week four! Click the link above and get those votes in if you can!
Congratulations to the girls' varsity tennis team on a 3-2 win in the quarterfinal round of Section III Team Tournament play on Monday! The Blue Devils got a long-awaited win by defeating the team that eliminated them last year, South Jefferson.
The Blue Devils got the edge in the match through a win at second singles by Lainie Liberatore, and victories from both doubles pairings. Abigail Arnold and Alexis Albrecht won at first doubles 6-3, 6-3, and Dolmae Honrales and Rylee Greggains secured perhaps the match's most pivotal victory with a three set win at second doubles.
Camden, the fourth seed in the tournament, is back at it today for the semifinals against top-seeded Oneida. The match will start at 3:30 at Oneida High School.
Attendance matters. #CCSDAttendanceAwarenessMonth
Last night was an important one at the CHS Stadium as the Blue Devil Field Hockey programs hosted Morgan's Message Night! The evening raised funds and awareness for the Morgan's Message organization and its advocacy efforts for student-athlete mental health.
All three Camden Field Hockey teams were in action.
Before the varsity game, our Morgan's Message Student-Athlete Ambassador, Ryen Lago, gave a brief speech about what the cause means to her before her squad took on RFA. With the help of Camden High School Social Worker Michelle Mellon, Lago has founded a Morgan's Message club at CHS with the aim of continuing to support this important work.
A special thank you to all who attended, as well as to Dean's Concessions, Two Broke Besties, and Olive Grove Gathering Co. for coming on board to support the cause!
While the score wasn't what we wanted, getting to gather as a community was its own victory.
Photos: Michael Petrie, Valley View Studios
Prior to this school year, the Camden Central School District hired a new agriculture educator, Ms. Erin Curtis, to teach high school level classes and advise that building’s FFA chapter. Since the beginning of the school year, she has hit the ground running while keeping her students moving forward through various events.
The group started the year with a trip to SUNY Cobleskill’s “High School Days” where FFA members competed in various agricultural career events such as the K-9 and Tree ID competition. Students also spent time touring the beautiful campus known for its agriculture programs. Coincidentally, it’s also where Ms. Curtis received her degree!
In October, the high school FFA members were fortunate to meet with the New York State FFA Officers at Tim’s Pumpkin Patch, a popular autumn agritourism destination just outside of Syracuse. The membership had the opportunity to speak 1-on-1 with the organization’s leaders in the state, and in the process, they left empowered and motivated to become the best version of themselves while elevating the FFA chapter and the Camden community.
High school FFA officers also attended COLT this Fall. The COLT (Chapter Officer Leadership Training) program is hosted by Cornell University and the NYS FFA Organization. The officers participated in leadership workshops to grow personally for the betterment of their chapter.
Congratulations to the following Camden High School students on their selection to the 2024 Camden Homecoming Court!
Representing the Freshman Class: Adrienne Chesebro
Representing the Sophomore Class: Gabrielle Lebron and Brianna Stevens
Representing the Junior Class: Evelyn Hotaling and Lucas VanAllen
Your 2024 Homecoming Queen: Leilani Hillabrandt
Your 2024 Homecoming King: Josh Stevens
Prior to Saturday's game, we had the good fortune to welcome a terrific group of soldiers from the United States Army 10th Mountain Division for a public exhibition of one of their Apache helicopters! It's safe to say that our students, staff, and community loved the chance to see one of these incredible machines up close.
A special thank you to the the 10th Mountain Division, 6th Squadron, 6th Calvary Regiment for spending some time with us, and to the Rome Recruiting Station for helping to set this up.
The Girls' Varsity Tennis team will host a Section III Team Tournament quarterfinal on Monday! Come see the Blue Devils as they battle South Jefferson!