PORTVILLE — The second of two Portville Central School board meetings in October took place Tuesday evening.
Elementary Principal Lynn Corder said that in the first 26 school days this year, kindergarteners were introduced to the alphabet through ABC Boot Camp. The youngsters were introduced to a different letter, both lower and upper case, each day.
In addition, Frank Morales, director of St. Bonaventure University’s Office of Veterans Services and a few SBU ROTC cadets came in to do a Fitness Boot Camp with the children, encouraging them to remember their slogan: “Keeping our bodies and our minds strong and healthy.”
To celebrate their graduation from the boot camp, the kindergarteners got to climb in and out of a parent’s Hummer in the parking lot. They were also treated to lunch in the Dubots Room and each child got their own set of dog tags. Corder reported that the youngsters began their traditional core lessons upon coming back to class Tuesday.
For Fire Protection Week, Oct. 6-12, elementary children were treated to a visit from Portville, Westons Mills and Olean fire fighters, who arrived at the school in their fire trucks. The kids got to check out the trucks and the firefighting equipment and gear necessary to the firefighters’ work.
Corder also reported that a new program to help enable elementary students with coping techniques, a “resiliency toolbox,” is being introduced to them. Each month, a new tool from the toolbox, which includes things like patience and empathy, will show them how to deal with situations that may arise in their classroom. The lessons are supplemented with classroom reading and discussion time.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, a budget development calendar for 2020-21 was voted on and approved, as were several personnel issues.
Pam Anderson, business manager, said that the cafeteria was “holding its own,” in that the number of children who are partaking of breakfast is up “quite a bit” while the lunch crowd remains about the same. She reported that sales were up a little bit from last year, but there has been one extra day of school this year as well.
The next scheduled board meeting is Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in the board room.
