Springville-Griffith Institute

Mrs. Kocz's Reading class recently learned about the morpheme struct/stru, which means “to build.” To help reinforce both the morpheme and its meaning, students took on a fun hands-on challenge: building with LEGOs! This engaging activity allowed them to make a real-world connection to the meaning of the morpheme while practicing creativity and problem-solving skills.

We are counting down the Class of 2026 Top 10! We continue our celebration with salutatorian, Finley Raiber, daughter of Jessica Stack and Brent Raiber. She served as Vice President of the Science Club (10th grade). She is involved in Science Club, Envirothon, Polar Plunge, the Musical, National Honor Society, Tuesday Night Strings, SADD, Yearbook Club and Superintendent's Cabinet. She also enjoys playing the violin, writing, volunteering, hiking and traveling. She earned the College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award, the College Board AP Scholar Award, the President's Education Awards Program, the Mayflower Compact Award, the Student Sage Scholarship Award, and Student of the Month. Finley plans to attend SUNY Brockport, majoring in Nursing. She hopes to become a Pediatric Nurse.

Recently, sixth-grade students were able to Zoom with Julie Brzezicki, a Pioneer Central School graduate and Fulbright Scholarship recipient. Julia discussed her work with Asian elephants in her pursuit for her doctoral program. Julia was able to include pictures of her work with these endangered animals and talk about their behavior, personalities, human conflict and her observations while working with these majestic creatures in Sri Lanka. Since our 6th graders work on an endangered species project in ELA and talk about conservation in science class, this was a perfect opportunity for students to see how those projects relate to the real world!
#ExperientialLearning #RedefiningRural

Mrs. Hamm’s and Mrs. Maybach’s classes came together at CES for a fun-filled First Grade Fiesta Activity Day! Students participated in engaging activities related to the ELA Pilot Program story, "With Lots of Love" by Jenny Torres Sánchez.
The students had a blast playing Fiesta Bingo, writing and drawing wishes, pretending to make tortillas with homemade playdough, and using materials to weave a flag. It was wonderful to see students make connections to the story, share their ideas, and build new friendships along the way.
Most importantly, it was great to see CES and SES First Graders come together, connect, and celebrate learning together!

Recently, seniors watched in real-time the response to an accident and the implications of choosing to drive while impaired. The Mock DWI demonstration was brought to the high school and narrated by School Resource Officer Deputy Pickering. Thank you to the Erie County Sheriff's Office, Springville Volunteer Fire Company and EMS, East Concord Fire Department, Mortons Corners Volunteer Fire Department and Mercy Flight for their continued partnership and to the Students Against Dangerous Decisions (SADD) Club, which sponsored the "Prom Promise" and After Prom Party.
#CommunityConnections #RedefiningRural

We are counting down the Class of 2026 Top 10! We continue our celebration with No. 3, Alana M. Evans, daughter of Gregory Evans and Angela Evans. She served as Vice President of Envirothon, stage manager for the musical and soccer captain. She is involved in SADD, Key Club, Envirothon, National Honor Society, Soccer, Chorus, the Musical, French Club and Science Club. She also enjoys coaching soccer, running with her dog and reading. She earned the Real Love Sports Award, the Excellence in French Award, and the Presidential Education Award for Excellence. Alana plans to attend Daemen University, majoring in Nursing. She hopes to combine her love for adventure and travel with her love of service and become a travel nurse in a fast-paced ER and to be able to give people a voice and reassurance through her career.

Seventh-grade had a great time exploring Niagara Falls! The group rode the Maid of the Mist, walked through the Cave of the Winds, learned about the history and wrapped up with lunch and games at an arcade!

First graders in Mrs. Duerr’s and Mrs. Spielberger’s classrooms at Springville Elementary School recently learned the historical importance of Flag Day. The young learners celebrated with a vibrant mini-parade through the school hallways, proudly waving their own American flags. The memorable civic lesson concluded outdoors, where the students gathered for a group photo beneath the school's flag.

Recently, the fourth-grade classes of Ms. Hamister and Mr. Kohl brought literature to life through their creative Float Book Report projects. To celebrate their final major reading assignment of the year, students were given the freedom to select a book from any genre that sparked their interest.

The centerpiece of this project required students to design and construct a miniature float that signifies a key theme, an important life lesson, or a pivotal scene from their chosen story. These imaginative displays serve as a visual storytelling medium, allowing students to showcase their comprehension and artistic flair. The culmination of their hard work was showcased in a vibrant "Parade of Books" that highlighted the diverse literary interests and ingenuity of our young readers.

We are counting down the Class of 2026 Top 10! We continue our celebration with No. 4, Brooke Hebeler, daughter of Malinda Hebeler and Anthony Hebeler. She served as Senior Class Vice President, President of Key Club, President of Science Club and SYI Soccer Coach. She is involved in Envirothon, Science Olympiad, Yearbook Club, Fine Arts Club, Tuesday Night String Ensemble, IAAP, National Honor Society, Orchestra Concertmaster, Violinist in the Musical PIT, Polar Plunge, National Art Honor Society and was a volunteer for Springville Kiwanis. She also enjoys playing the violin, painting, hanging out with friends, going to the gym and listening to music. She earned SGI Student of the Month, Springville Faculty Association Art Award, SCA High School Invitational Award of Excellence, and the Air Force Recruiting Service Mathematics and Science Award. Brooke plans to attend Daemen University in their Physician Assistant BS/MS program. She hopes to pursue a career in healthcare as a physician assistant.

Congratulations to our talented SES student musicians on their outstanding performances at the Darien Lake Music Festival Competition!
The 5th Grade Band earned 1st Place, the chorus received 1st Place, and our Orchestra brought home 2nd Place. This festival was a moment where students showcased their hard work, dedication, and musical growth throughout the year. Their performances impressed the judges with their beautiful singing, playing and expressive performances, demonstrating excellent musicianship and teamwork.
These achievements are a testament to the countless hours of practice, commitment, and enthusiasm displayed by our students. We are incredibly proud of all of our performers for representing our school with excellence, professionalism, and school spirit.
Congratulations to the 5th Grade Band, Chorus, and Orchestra on a fantastic festival season and an unforgettable accomplishment!

Please join us in congratulating our other SGI Track and Field student athletes who competed at states!
Aubrie Staniszewski (pictured) competed in the 400-meter dash, and she finished in 4th place in Class C to make it on the podium for a medal. Addison Delasandro finished in 9th place in the 100-meter hurdles, and Elke Melnik finished in 15th place in the 3000-meter run.

The SGI Middle School Art Club members visited the WNY Book Arts Center in downtown Buffalo. They took a tour of the gallery, artisan shop & studios. They learned about the screen-printing process from stencil-making to squeegee-holding. After a close vote, eighth grader Skylar Kowalczyk's t-shirt design received the honor of being screen printed on each child's t-shirt!

Please join us in congratulating SGI student athlete Kendra Cook, who won the Class C New York State High School Track and Field Championship on Sunday! Kendra scored 3297 points in the event, placing 1st in class C and 3rd in the federation.

Mario the Maker Magician brought his science and magic to SES! Students had a blast as Mario's robot friends took center stage and performed a variety of tricks! The magician explained that magic is just undiscovered science, as he amazed them with several mind-blowing tricks. He also left the students with some words to live by: Do what you love, use what you have, have fun and never give up.

We are counting down the Class of 2026 Top 10! We continue our celebration with No. 5, Austin Dean, son of Katherine Dean and Christopher Herbert. He served as GSA President, Concert Band President and Percussion Section Leader. He is involved in Jazz Band, Marching Band, Pit Orchestra, Concert Band, Full Orchestra, Chorus, Chamber Choir, GSA, National Honor Society and Varsity Wrestling. Outside of school, he enjoys playing music, wrestling, composing, arranging, rollerblading, hiking and volleyball. He earned Honor Roll, Most Improved Wrestler and the NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Recognition for Merit. Austin plans to attend Buffalo State University, majoring in Music Education. He hopes to become a concert band music teacher and coach wrestling on the side.

Mrs. Brawn's 10th-grade Global class recently took their learning into their own hands! Sophomore Gabe Boldt proposed holding a classroom Model UN Summit. He met with Mrs. Brawn during his study hall multiple times to design the project, and he facilitated a large part of it in class. Students represented countries and researched topics related to current international military conflicts. Each country had time to present its point of view, and then the others could respond. It was a wonderful demonstration of student agency in their learning!
#Agency #RedefiningRural

Please be advised that, on Monday morning, around 10 AM, a Mock DWI demonstration will be conducted at Springville High School. Emergency vehicles will use their sirens to "respond to the scene" and park at the end of Greenwood Place near the tennis courts for the duration of the demonstration. This is a drill meant for the purpose of education. We thank the community surrounding the high school for their cooperation during the demonstration.

Recently, Colden Elementary took a school-wide walk and made a difference in the lives of people living with Type 1 Diabetes.

Over the past several weeks, our school community has come together with generosity, enthusiasm, and compassion. Because of their hard work and support, CES was able to raise an incredible $1,600 for Breakthrough TID.

That number represents much more than dollars. It represents kindness and hope. It also represents a commitment to helping scientists, doctors, and researchers work toward better treatments and, one day, a cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

SADD members recently distributed bags to each homeroom to spread cheer to students during the stressful testing season. SADD member Anna Palmowski spearheaded this student-initiated endeavor. She brought her idea to a SADD meeting early in the year, and with the help of SADD members, connected with many businesses and agencies to create the bag of treats. In addition to the bags, Fidelis kindly donated freezies for students and staff to be distributed in the cafeteria during lunch.
#Agency #InclusionAnd Belonging #RedefiningRural