Cazenovia Senior Sammy Sparks will play field hockey at Converse University next season.
After excelling on the field and in the classroom, Cazenovia High School senior Sammy Sparks recently signed her National Letter of Intent to play field hockey at Converse University in South Carolina.
In a press conference held at the school, Sparks announced her decision before many proud family members, friends, and district staff. Sparks said she hit the recruiting trail this summer and instantly fell in love with what Converse University had to offer.
“I went down in the summer to visit and decided I loved it,” Sparks said of her new school. “After meeting with the coach and a few of the players I decided I really wanted to be there.”
While Sparks has always put in maximum effort to her game, she said her success wouldn’t be possible without an incredible support system behind her.
“My parents and my coaches have always just pushed me to do better,” Sparks said.
Sparks, who will study Interior Design at Converse University, said she is excited to begin a new chapter in both her athletic and academic careers.
“I’m so excited to meet new people,” Sparks said. “I also can’t wait to be in a warmer climate!”
Athletic Coordinator Michael Byrnes said the district is proud of Sparks’ accomplishment and mentioned Sparks as a role model for other student-athletes to emulate.
“All of her hard work has paid off and it’s just a great accomplishment to see her goals being achieved. It’s just a good reminder to other students that hard work pays off,” Byrnes said.
Live theater returns in November 2021 for the Cazenovia Jr. High Drama Club! The cast of 7th and 8th graders will present High School Musical Jr.
Based on the hit Disney Channel movie, and adapted by David Simpatico, High School Musical Jr. follows Troy (Max Reger), Gabriella (Becca Brooks) and the students of East High as they deal with issues of love, friends and family while balancing their classes and extracurricular activities. The show’s infectious, danceable songs are sure to delight.
Performances of High School Musical Jr. will be on Thursday, November 4 at 4:30 p.m., Friday, November 5 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 6 at 2:00 p.m. in Cazenovia’s High School Auditorium.
Seating capacity will be 100%, but all cast, crew, and audience members are required to wear masks while in the school building, regardless of vaccination status. Questions about safety protocols may be directed to Ben Wightman (bwightman@caz.cnyric.org) or Connor Carroll (ccarroll@caz.cnyric.org).
Tickets are $8.00 and may be purchased at the door, or pre-purchased online from the Cazenovia School Store until November 2nd. Patrons may also download an order form from the Cazenovia Fine Arts page. Completed forms should be mailed to the school, c/o Ben Wightman, or e-mailed to Mr. Wightman. Checks should be made out to Cazenovia Central Schools.
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes Kyle Prenoveau, New K-4 PE Teacher
Please join Cazenovia Central School District in welcoming new elementary Physical Education Teacher Kyle Prenoveau.
Mr. Prenoveau has been teaching for two years. Prior to joining Cazenovia CSD, Mr. Prenoveau taught K-4 Elementary Physical Education (PE) in the West Genesee School District. Mr. Prenoveau earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from SUNY Cortland.
When not teaching, Mr. Prenoveau can be found playing and coaching sports. He also enjoys listening to live music, hiking, skiing, and attending sporting events as a fan.
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes HS Business & Computer Teacher Ken Hammond
Please join Cazenovia Central School District in welcoming new high school Business and Computer Teacher Ken Hammond.
Mr. Hammond will be entering his second year of teaching. Prior to Cazenovia, Mr. Hammond taught one year at DeRuyter Central Schools in the Business and Computer Science program.
Mr. Hammond became a teacher after several years in Sport Event Production. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sports Management from SUNY Cortland and holds a Master of Science in Education degree in CTE with a focus on Business and Marketing from SUNY Oswego. He has spent the last 11 years working for IRONMAN/World Triathlon Corp. as a Race Director for several IRONMAN 70.3 events and continues to do so.
Mr. Hammond is a proud father of a son who is entering the first grade this fall and has a wife who has worked in education for the past 12 years as an English Teacher in the Fayetteville-Manlius School District. He is an avid cyclist and a person who enjoys all sports.
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes Spanish Teacher Laura Shippee
Please join Cazenovia Central School District in welcoming new Spanish teacher Laura Shippee to the sixth and seventh grades.
Sra. Shippee has spent the last twenty years teaching Spanish. She earned her master’s degree in Secondary Education from SUNY Oswego as well as a bachelor’s degree in Public Justice and Spanish. She studied at the University of Barcelona, Spain and has travelled to Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
Growing up in Clifton Park, NY, Sra. Shippee currently resides in Baldwinsville where she enjoys spending time with her three children (ages 6, 11 and 14).
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes Middle School Physical Education Teacher Christopher Bubble
Please join us in welcoming new physical education teacher Christopher Bubble to Cazenovia Central School District.
Mr. Bubble has coached basketball for 15 years and has experience coaching football, baseball and softball and plans to continue his coaching career at Cazenovia. He said he looks forward to teaching, mentoring and being a resource for all young people.
Mr. Bubble has been a physical education teacher for 13 years, teaching elementary, middle and high school P.E. at Newfield Central School District and also served as Dean of Students prior to joining us at Cazenovia.
“I’m passionate about teaching students to become physically active for a lifetime and challenging them to maximize their athletic potential,” he said.
Growing up in the Ithaca area, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education Teaching from Ithaca College and his master’s degree in Physical Education (Coaching Pedagogy) from SUNY Cortland. Currently, he is pursuing a CAS in School Building and School District Leadership from SUNY Cortland.
Mr. Bubble lives in Cazenovia with his wife Tara and their two children Colton and Hayden.
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes new Registered Nurse Renee Fuller
Please join us in welcoming new registered nurse Renee Fuller to Cazenovia Central School District.
Mrs. Fuller has been a registered nurse (practicing in pediatrics), for the past eight years, the last four of which she served as an elementary school nurse in the Oneida City School District.
Mrs. Fuller first earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition from Cornell University before pursuing her nursing degree from Crouse Hospital College of Nursing. She said she is excited to bring her passion for helping people to the Cazenovia students and community.
Mrs. Fuller enjoys staying active and exploring the outdoors with her husband and two young boys, one of whom will be joining her at Burton Street for his first year in school!
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes new Fifth Grade Teacher Kaelee Cleary
Please join us in welcoming new fifth grade teacher Kaelee Cleary to Cazenovia Central School District.
Ms. Cleary is from Waterville, New York, where she grew up on a small family farm. She attended Mohawk Valley Community College, where she received her Associate’s degree in Childhood Education with a concentration in English. She then transferred to SUNY Cortland where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood/Childhood Education with a concentration in mathematics. Ms. Cleary is currently attending SUNY Brockport to complete her Master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). As of now, she is certified to teach birth through sixth grade.
Ms. Cleary has been substitute teaching since her freshman year in college. She has worked in a variety of districts, including Waterville, Sauquoit, Brookfield, and McGraw. She has been a part of Cazenovia Central School District for one year. Last fall, she student taught at Burton Street Elementary in second grade with Pam Rightmyre. She then began substituting for the district and completed a long-term placement in third grade. In her free time, Ms. Cleary enjoys spending time outside hiking, kayaking, camping, and traveling. She also loves to cook and spend time with her family (especially her niece)! Ms. Cleary said she is incredibly excited to become a member of the Cazenovia community and family. She is looking forward to working with students, families, and the faculty here at Cazenovia!
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes new MS Art Teacher Julia Macreery
Please join Cazenovia Central School District in welcoming new middle school art teacher Julia Macreery.
Mrs. Macreery is a graduate of Fayetteville-Manlius High School, SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelor’s in Art History and Studio Art, and Syracuse University with a Master’s in Art Education.
Prior to Cazenovia, she worked as an art teacher in the Syracuse City and ESM School Districts, as well as at the YMCA and Bright Beginnings Preschool. Aside from art and teaching, Mrs. Macreery enjoys scouting, camping, and spending time with her family. She said she is very excited to start teaching art to the students in Cazenovia!
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes Katie Carkey, K/1 Special Education Teacher
Please join us in welcoming Katie Carkey to Burton Street Elementary as the new K/1 Special Education Teacher.
Previously, Mrs. Carkey spent 13 years teaching at Jowonio School (an inclusive preschool in Syracuse). Katie earned her undergraduate degree from Utica College in Psychology Child Life and her Master’s degree from Syracuse University in Early Childhood and Special Education.
When she’s not teaching, Mrs. Carkey can be found exploring parks and going on adventures with her husband, 3-year-old daughter, and Great Dane. She also loves Syracuse basketball and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.
She said she’s super excited to join the Burton Street team and can’t wait to get to know all the teachers and students.
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes ENL Teacher Dana Cole
Please welcome Ms. Dana Cole to the Cazenovia Central School District as an English as a New Language (ENL) Teacher in the middle school and high school.
Ms. Cole, who has been teaching for seven years, previously taught ENL in the DeRuyter Central School District, working with all English Language Learners district wide.
Ms. Cole earned her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Teaching English as a Second Language and Spanish from SUNY Cortland. She also holds a Master of Science in Education degree in Literacy Education (Birth-Grade 6 and Grades 5-12) from SUNY Cortland.
When not teaching, Ms. Cole can be found tutoring migrant students in the local area or playing piano. In her free time, Ms. Cole enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, camping, hiking, and traveling.
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes Miss Samantha Kio, New School Psychologist Intern
Please welcome Miss Samantha Kio as Cazenovia Central School’s new School Psychologist Intern.
Miss Kio is a graduate student at SUNY Oswego where she is completing the requirements for her M.S. in School Psychology and her Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) in trauma studies. She earned her undergraduate degree at SUNY Oneonta where she received a B.S. in Psychology.
When Miss Kio is not working in the district or on her graduate degree, she can be found reading, playing music, or spending time with her twin sister. She also enjoys swimming during the warmer months of the year and skiing or snowboarding during the cold months. Her favorite football team is the Buffalo Bills.
Cazenovia CSD Welcomes Seventh Grade Math Teacher Connor Carroll
Please join us in welcoming Mr. Connor Carroll to the middle school as the seventh-grade math teacher. Mr. Carroll earned his Bachelor’s in Mathematics with a minor in Education Studies from Ithaca College. He is currently certified for grades five through nine in mathematics and has spent the last several years teaching Geometry and Spanish at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse.
Mr. Carroll is a graduate of Cazenovia Central School District and has been an assistant coach in the district for the Boys’ Varsity Cross Country team the last three years. He also enjoys coaching teams outside of the district in high school esports and outdoor track.
Mr. Carroll said he became a teacher because of the experiences he had while attending CCS. His mantra is to never stop learning because his students teach him while he is teaching them.
In his free time, Mr. Carroll competes in esports and spends time with family. He is thrilled to be returning to Cazenovia Central Schools in his new role.
Please join us in welcoming Mr. Jayson Pritchard as the new physics teacher at Cazenovia.
Pritchard currently resides in Baldwinsville but grew up in the Rochester area. He earned a BFA in Theatre Design & Technology with minors in Math and Physics from Otterbein University near Columbus, OH. He earned an MSed in Inclusive Physics Education at The College at Brockport, near Rochester, NY.
Pritchard has worked all over the United States and Europe as theatre technician prior to becoming a teacher. He is excited to bring his technical theatre expertise to the Cazenovia CSD community.
This year, he will serve as a co-advisor to the HS Drama Club and Technical Director for the Spring Musical. Mr Pritchard is very excited to journey through the world of physics with his students this year in both AP and Regents Physics. When he is not teaching, Mr. Pritchard enjoys spending time at home with his cats. He enjoys reading and occasionally playing video games.
We are excited to announce that the Yearbooks arrived sooner than expected and we would love to get them to students as soon as possible! The prepaid yearbooks will be available for pick up on TUESDAY August 3rd from 2pm-6pm. Students should wear masks and enter through the portico door, turn right and pick up their book at the high school nurse’s office and then exit the building using the West Parking lot door just past the nurse’s office to promote a one direction foot traffic pattern. Families are encouraged to use extra precaution in the West Parking Lot and DRIVE SLOWLY. On this first pick up day, only Class of 2021 members without pre-ordered books will be allowed to purchase one of the extra books for $80 plus tax for a total of $86.40 cash or check payable to CCS Yearbook. The second pickup day for WEDNESDAY August 4th is from 3pm-5pm. ANY student who did not reserve a book in advance may purchase one of the few extra copies on a first come, first served basis that day. Students who pre-ordered books may come either day. Anyone who cannot make these two pickup times, will be able to pick up their book the first day of school. Remember, the best time to purchase the Yearbook is in September when they first go on sale and are at their cheapest price. Be watching for the back-to-school article promoting the sale of the 2022 Yearbook. Please contact Co-Advisors Kathy Hudson (khudson@caz.cnyric.org) or Elise LaHart (elahart@caz.cnyric.org) with any questions.
“Congratulations to rising seniors: Wyatt Hartley and Benjamin McPherson for their winning ice cream recipe. Be sure to try it at Nelson Creamery this summer!”
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