Wayland-Cohocton Central School

RECESS! The mild fall temps are perfect for outdoor recess time. For WC Eaglets in the elementary school, playtime uses some extra energy, increases concentration, allows for free play and socializing and clears the brain. Students have an opportunity to build friendships and breathe the fresh outdoor air. Under the watchful eye of their teachers, this play becomes as much a part of their learning day as their classroom activities.

September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness. Remember, that families can access the Care Solace service at any time to get help finding services. The link is located at the top right corner of the schools website if you are looking from a browser or at the very time of the website from your smartphone. If you have immediate emergency concerns, please call 911 or use the Safe Schools hotline located in the same place on the school’s website and also on the school’s App.

Good Afternoon: Wednesday afternoon buses from Wayland-Cohocton will be a little late this afternoon. Please be patient as we get everyone safely boarded onto their buses. Thank you.

Today is the day!!! Welcome Back! We are so excited to have our Eagles and Eaglets back to school! We can’t wait to see you all this morning!

1 day to go for students but today we welcome back our instructional faculty and staff! It is so exciting to see our educational partners back on campus. Remember, tonight there are Open Houses and the Welcome Back Fair! PreK and Elementary Open Houses are from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Middle and High School Open Houses are from 5 to 7 pm.

2 days to go! Happy Labor Day! Do you know the roots of Labor Day? Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.

3 more days to go - Enjoy some downtime with family or friends. Read a good book - reminisce over your summer! We are excited to see our students return and promise to do our best to make it a great start!

4 days to go - Just a final reminder to get those chromebooks around and ready to roll on Wednesday for the first day of classes! Enjoy your Saturday!

Check out this great first-ever event - the Welcome Back to School Fair!

5 days and the last weekend before school begins! The 12-month employees have done a fantastic job of getting everything ready for the return of students. This includes the cleaning and maintenance personnel who have made sure that the buildings are sparkling and repairs are being made. Outside the groundskeepers have been mowing, made necessary repairs and are now getting fields ready for competitions. Inside the tech team has been getting technology updated and systems ready for a significant increase in students this year. Administrators have been prepping educational programs and taking advantage of professional development. Central office personnel have been processing payroll, registering new employees and processing all of the supplies. Mechanics have been getting the fleet services and in top working order so those buses can roll safely! Secretaries had been doing all the work that makes the first day happen including communications, info packets, enrolling new students and so much more. Athletics are already underway. The list goes on and on of the personnel that make the summer click along and everything falls into place for that first day.

6 days to go - The great gift of September and the Back-to-School season is that it gives us a chance to think, “What will I accomplish this year?” Maybe a great goal for all of us is to try something new? A new activity, a new sport, a new course of study? School is a great place to try out new things and to discover your life’s passion. Say, “Yes!” to new opportunities. Don’t underestimate what your skill set is - by trying something new you may tap into a passion or ability you never knew you possessed. And really, if it doesn’t work out, you can try something else. Think about what you might be interested in and let school help you find a path toward a new experience. Teachers, counselors and staff all want to see their students find their magic and the activity, interest or skill that drives them to learn more and grow. Let us help you!

7 days and counting! This week the district welcomed incoming Kindergarteners and their families to Kinder Camp. Children had an opportunity to get over some of those first day jitters by familiarizing themselves with the building and some of the new faces they will be getting to know. Freshman Orientation is Thursday, August 29th from 8:30 am to noon so that newcomers to the high school will also have an opportunity to get to know the building and meet their mentors. Open houses are slated for Tuesday, September 3rd. Prekindergarten and Elementary Open Houses will run from 4:30 to 6:30 pm and Middle and High School Open Houses will run from 5 to 7 pm. We encourage families to attend and get to know WC personnel and facilities. Students will be able to check out their classrooms, get their schedules, and practice their locker combinations. Also, for the first time ever the district will be hosting a special event - look for details on Thursday!

With 8 days to go it is an excellent time to start regulating your sleep patterns back to early rising and getting a healthy night’s rest if you’ve gotten into other habits during the summer break. Families can help little ones master the time restraints of breakfast and lunch by practicing eating during the time allotment for school meals while still at home. Eating in the busy cafeteria is a big change for young students and the distractions of socializing can often mean they don’t finish their meals. Check to see if little ones can open any containers students may have in meals they pack. There are helpers in the cafeteria, but when everyone raises their hand, it can take time to get the necessary help and may reduce their time to enjoy their meal. Remember, lunch and breakfast is free for all students without filling out any paperwork. However, we ask families to complete the paperwork included in the school calendar that was mailed home. This helps to guarantee that the universal free meals will continue in future years. Even if you don’t plan on your children eating the school meals, completing the paperwork helps families who utilize the school nutrition program.

There are just 9 days before the start of school! Remember, if you are using school transportation, the buses will be a little off the schedule for the first couple of weeks. Please be outside waiting a few minutes early and expect afternoon delays, particularly on the 3:30 run, as it is imperative that school makes sure that little ones are on the correct buses. The same goes with parent drop-offs at any of the buildings. Please be patient as new students and families learn the process. Schedule additional time in your routine to accommodate the return to school. Once schedules and routines are familiar, transportation and parent drop-offs will become much more efficient. Families with students transitioning from fourth grade to fifth grade, please remind your students to check their bus numbers as they board in the morning. Fifth graders are dismissed to their buses on their own and must know what buses they are riding home. There will be staff our at all points assisting students.

WOW! 10 days to go - time is flying! Please remember when you are on either of the campuses to obey the speed limit. Please be cautious of students coming and going at all times of the day for physical education, recess and outdoor class activities. During arrival and departure times this is particularly important as students walk to and from school, particularly while fall weather is cooperating. Please remember that during school operating hours, we ask the community not use the outdoor facilities including fields, courts, track and playgrounds. After dismissal please enjoy the outdoor grounds where it does not disrupt outdoor after school programs.

With 11 days to go we hope you are enjoying the upcoming weekend. Remember, WC is always glad to welcome back groups attending class reunions that would like to tour the school buildings, on either the Wayland or Cohocton campuses. Please reach out to Melonie Coley at mcoley@wccsk12.org or ext 3070 to schedule a tour. This weekend the district is hosting the WCS Class of 1964 celebrating 60 years!

It's just 12 days - a dozen to go - until students return to the halls! District calendars have been mailed to all families. If you didn’t receive one stop by the school offices next week or grab one at an open house. There are more events included than ever before as well as the attendance schedule for students. The instructional calendar can also be found on the school’s website if you are looking for a quick way to check attendance schedules.

13 days and counting! Reminder to families that once again breakfast and lunch are free for all students. No paperwork is required, however the district does ask that families complete the information found in the back calendar in order to secure this program in future years. Even if you are packing meals for your child, completing and returning the paperwork is essential to keeping this program going for all WCCS families.

14 days until Eagles return to the Nest - Do you know how you are getting here? Parents, particularly those of PreK 4 and Kindergarten students, please make sure that your information is correct as the transportation department is going to run the bus schedules and the district needs to know who is getting picked up and where drop-offs are as well. This is particularly important for students who may be going to a childcare place. If you haven’t already done so, please reach out to the bus garage at (585) 728-2213.

15 days to go! Freshmen - remember to save the date for Freshmen Orientation on August 29th, 2024. If you have any questions, reach out to the high school.