South Lewis Central School

Just a friendly reminder that the Modified Sports of Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer, and Girls Swim start Tuesday, September 6th. Practice will take place from 3:00-5:00 with Boys Soccer at Lyons Falls Park, Girls Soccer at Turin Firemen's Fields, and Girls Swim in our South Lewis Pool. All athletes should come to practice with proper attire for the specific sport that the athlete is participating in. School transportation will be provided to the practice site and back to the main campus for the late bus run if needed.

Congratulations to Megan Klossner, South Lewis Junior and Second Year FFA Member, who placed 3rd in the New York State FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation at the New York State Fair in Syracuse. We are so proud of her, the whole FFA Team, and their beyond-compare leader, Mrs. Rachael Howard. We love the way this program grows year after year.

Even though the 2022-2023 school year hasn't yet started, it isn't too early to starting thinking about the Class of 2023 Graduation Ceremony! Please see attached for important information regarding the date of that special event. We will keep you posted!

The FFA Team uses good judgement once again and shows up at the State Fair to show off some great Dairy Judging skills. The Team placed 2nd in the NYS Milk Quality & Products and will advance to the Big E Regional Contest. Individual results are as follows: Mitchell Domagala, 2nd; Ella Sherman, 6th; and Liadan McAleese, 7th. Whey to moooove on, Team; we are over the moooon for you!

These South Lewis FFA Members are at The New York State Fair, where it's "A Great Time, Every Time." This team placed 2nd in the Horse Evaluation division and now advances to the Big E. Pictured here are the following students and their individual placements: (from left to right) Mitchell Domagala, 9th; Ashley Wright, 8th; Brooke Kraeger, 1st; and Lanelle Vile 7th. Hay!, students, way to stop stalling and rein in a good time....

We're switching gears! Our 2022 Falcon Volleyball Camp was well underway last week. Aside from the hot summer heat and being stuck inside the gym, these young ladies showed up and showed out every day!

Last Thursday was the conclusion of our 2022 Falcon Soccer Camp! As you can tell by the second picture we even had a guest appearance from our therapy dog, Lewy! But all this action can really work up an appetite....once all the hard work was over our players got to enjoy a few slices by the field to conclude their last day. Yum! Once again we would like to send out a big thank you to all parties that made this happen for our athletes! Go Falcons!

We couldn't have asked for a better day to kick off the start of our Boys and Girls Soccer Clinic! We would like to thank the Utica City Football Club as well as Varsity Girls Soccer coach - Ms. Gehrke along with JV Girls Soccer coach - Ms. Paluck, for giving our athletes this opportunity to improve their skills and put in some work during the off season. We're less than a month away from the beginning of the season and we can't wait to officially see these Falcons in action!

More shots of our FFA kids pushing their limits with kayaking, rope climbing, paddleboarding, and .... costume-ing at Camp O. What fun ways to grow confidence and promote teamwork. Pictured in the group photo: Isabella Kalitzke, Mrs. Rachael Howard, Kaitlin Hosmer, Mallory Bush, Megan Klossner, and Mason Krokowski.

Congratulations to the South Lewis High School Band members! The band has been accepted to perform in April, 2023, on one of the Universal Studio stages in Orlando, Florida. What an honor! (More details about the trip are forthcoming, musicians.) Click below to enjoy the band's starworthy spring performance. https://youtu.be/Ea6d9YT4g0M

These South Lewis FFA students are spending time at Oswegatchie Educational Center and are finding out what life is like WITHOUT CELL SERVICE. (Apparently, it is possible, who knew?) Yesterday's summer camp agenda included photography, arts and crafts, kayaking, archery, and mountain biking! We are so proud of the following students for learning about and exploring the natural world (and, of course, for working it out without WIFI): Mason Krokowski, Mitchell Domagala, Mallory Bush, Kaitlin Hosmer, Megan Klossner, and Isabella Kalitzke.

Some highlights from the FFA @ The Lewis County Fair. MEGAN KLOSSNER & EMILY WRIGHT show off their "cuddly" friends. ASHLEY WRIGHT & EVELYN FARESE seriously concentrate on plant life. WYATT STARING, MALLORY BUSH, MARIAH LAFOUNTAIN, and MATT MARKS use their best judgment and earn 2nd Place! ALEIGHA HILL keeps everything tidy and clean. Congratulations to all the South Lewis students who represent FFA and are the next generation of leaders who will change the world with agricultural education.

This morning we took a crash course in Driver Ed -- and, by that, I mean NOT a "crash course".... These novice drivers are spending the summer in the classroom and behind the wheel learning the rules of the road. Today they share with us a few items on their "What Have I Learned in Driver Education?" list. Making the list: How to switch lanes, to use the engine brake, and to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Also, the negative effects of drowsy driving as well as drugs and alcohol. Looks like they have covered the basics of safe driving. Keep up the great work and stay alert. Beep, beep.

I love a parade, and I REALLY love a parade when the South Lewis Transportation Department rolls on down the highway ... ahem... the parade path. The message from this crew last night was (and ALWAYS is) "STOP FOR THE LIGHTS!" That's great advice, and our students, parents, and drivers appreciate it when you follow it. Don't you just love this crew -- from start to finish?

It's Lewis County Fair Week and these South Lewis FFA members are already in action as Dairy Ambassadors at the Cheese Auction where funds are raised to support FFA chapters, the Enhancement Calf Program, and other agricultural related student organizations. Pictured here are South Lewis alum Emily Wright and current FFA Officers Megan Klossner, Mariah LaFountain, and Evelyn Farese. These members diligently follow their pledge to develop premier leadership and make a positive difference in the lives of others. We couldn't be more proud of them.

Attention community members who like to utilize the South Lewis Weight Room in the evening -- THE WEIGHT ROOM WILL BE CLOSED ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 20th. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to see you there in the future. And remember ... you are one workout away from a better mood.

You may often wonder, "What does a high school Physics teachers do on summer vacation?" Well, wonder no more! Our very own Ms. Anne Huntress, South Lewis science teacher extraordinaire, was awarded a National Science Foundation Grant Internship at Syracuse University's Paulsen Lab. AND, if that doesn't satisfy your curiosity about what she's doing this summer (and impress you, as well), there's more: Ms. Huntress is making visual models of atomic deformation (which is seen in bending plastic or liquid crystals). WHAT? It's all weird and wonderful science, and we applaud her talent and imagination. Thank you, Ms. Huntress, for continuing in your quest to learn and for sharing with our students what you know to be true: Science is fun!

In more Middle School Summer Enrichment Program news ... The students collaborated to calculate perimeters, to explore science project topics, to creatively write about captivating creatures, and to stitch up some silly critters of their own. These kids are working hard to build skills and grow their knowledge, and we applaud them for it! Keep it up!

It was a busy week for the Middle School Summer Enrichment Program. Special guests included Rosie the chinchilla who taught math with Ms. Swiernik, Mrs. McGovern and two puppies who presented information about grooming at "Bath and Doggie Works", and some froggies that the kids "hunted" to review last week's lessons on amphibians. It was a wild week indeed!

The South Lewis High School Health Class has some reminders for staying safe and healthy this summer. In addition to keeping hydrated, using sunscreen, and being cautious of ticks, these students remind you to remain physically active, to make smart choices, and to surround yourself with good people like family and friends. It's all good advice, and we thank Mrs. Gino for teaching the importance of all of it. Enjoy the sun and have some fun!