A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 27, celebrated the beginning of Herkimer Central School District becoming part of Connected Community Schools.
“I have watched the impact of Connected Community Schools in neighboring districts and am so excited that we were able to bring this resource to Herkimer through the support of the Board of Education and community,” Herkimer Superintendent Kathy Carney said, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Herkimer officially joined the Connected Community Schools initiative at the start of the 2023-24 school year on July 1, 2023. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was a celebration of the partnership. Herkimer is the 15th school district to join in the five years since the start of Connected Community Schools. The initiative now serves 63 schools within those districts – including more than 25,000 students, their families and communities.
The mission of CCS is to partner with public school districts to create community schools that physically center all community services and resources into the school building to ensure students and families have their basic needs met to be successful in their everyday lives.
Connected Community School Co-Executive Director Melissa Roys spoke during the ceremony about the growth of CCS and bringing the initiative to Herkimer. In addition to all of the school and CCS officials in attendance, Herkimer sixth graders, Show Choir members and Student Council members were at the event as well. Roys told the students they were the most important part of all this.
“The reason that every single person today is in this room is our students,” Roys said.
CCS has been able to help students through collaboration among schools, families and the community.
“What we’ve learned is: We’re better together,” Roys said.
The CCS site coordinators for Herkimer – Vinci Aiello at the Jr./Sr. High School and Shae Voorhees at the Elementary School – have already been having a positive influence at the schools. CCS also set up CCS HUBs at both school buildings and established the Link referral system. Additionally, CCS supported the National Night Out event in August and sponsored a Trunk or Treat event on Wednesday, Oct. 25, outside the high school that drew more than 400 children, Carney said.
“The feeling that both of these events brought to this community is something that will only get stronger,” Carney said.
Connected Community Schools
CCS states that there are four components to Connected Community Schools: family engagement, classroom programming and community connections, the CCS LINK referral system and the CCS HUBs:
Family engagement includes seeking to assist families with creating more positive experiences through fun and engaging activities with their children and their school.
Classroom programming and community connections includes working with community partners to provide engaging, creative and hands-on education opportunities to support teachers.
LINK is a single point of access for service delivery that connects students and families to the appropriate resources and services within their community based on identified needs.
CCS HUBS are physical spaces within the Connected Community Schools that house a variety of items such as snacks, groceries, hygiene products and school supplies to meet the needs of students and the school community. They also provide a safe and environment for student and community engagement through lunch or afterschool activities, learning opportunities and games.
With Herkimer Central School District’s location in the center of Herkimer County, the CCS team looks forward to a wealth of opportunities for the district and also to collaborating with bordering schools including Central Valley, Dolgeville, Little Falls and more, CCS Co-Executive Director Danielle Martin said.
“The Connected team is developing and enhancing existing relationships with students, families, faculty and staff, along with our community partners to support the needs within our community,” Martin said.
Ribbon-cutting ceremony
Herkimer school officials, CCS officials, the Herkimer students in attendance and Herkimer Board of Education President Brian Crandall all went to the front of the Jr./Sr. High School Auditorium for the official cutting of the red ribbon near the end of the ceremony on Friday, Oct. 27.
As Carney noted during the event, students were in an extra-enthusiastic mood due to it being a Friday afternoon, and that energy continued throughout the ceremony. Herkimer Show Choir students performed the song “I’ll Be There” and sang the Herkimer Alma Mater.
In addition to Carney and Roys, the other speakers at the ceremony were Katie Rockwell from Connected Community Schools, Herkimer Elementary School Principal Renee Vogt and Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School Principal Zach Abbe.
Rockwell said the relationships that CCS has built over the last five years – and will continue to build – will support the Herkimer school community.
Vogt and Abbe talked about the impacts of CCS they have already seen in their school buildings. Vogt said she is excited the district has partnered with CCS and looks forward to the continued collaboration. Abbe also commented on the vast amount of services CCS provides.
“It’s definitely been a great addition to our school so far, and many, many more things to come,” Abbe said.
During her comments, Carney also spoke about the many opportunities that working with CCS will provide for Herkimer students, their families and the community.
“I am excited to see how Connected Community Schools continues to grow and am thrilled to see this vision come to fruition,” Carney said.
The ribbon is cut during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 27, to officially celebrate Herkimer Central School District joining the Connected Community Schools initiative.
Students in the Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School Show Choir perform during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 27, to officially celebrate Herkimer Central School District joining the Connected Community Schools initiative.
Students in the Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School Show Choir perform during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 27, to officially celebrate Herkimer Central School District joining the Connected Community Schools initiative.
Herkimer Central School District Superintendent Kathy Carney speaks on stage during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 27, to officially celebrate Herkimer Central School District joining the Connected Community Schools initiative.
Connected Community School Co-Executive Director Melissa Roys speaks on stage during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 27, to officially celebrate Herkimer Central School District joining the Connected Community Schools initiative.
Herkimer Elementary School Principal Renee Vogt speaks on stage during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 27, to officially celebrate Herkimer Central School District joining the Connected Community Schools initiative.
Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School Principal Zach Abbe speaks on stage during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 27, to officially celebrate Herkimer Central School District joining the Connected Community Schools initiative.
A reception was held on Friday, Oct. 27, in the Connected Community Schools HUB in the Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially celebrate Herkimer Central School District joining the Connected Community Schools initiative.
A variety of free supplies are in stock in the Connected Community Schools HUB in the Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School. There also is a CCS HUB in the Herkimer Elementary School.