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2019 STAR Program Changes
Mr. Silky, Otselic Valley's Business Administrator, has information to update the community on the STAR Program. New York State School Tax Relief, or "STAR," is a school tax rebate program available to those who own a home that is their primary residence in New York, provided they earn $500,000 or less per year. Homeowners eligible for the STAR credit are now able to choose whether to receive this credit as an exemption on their tax bill, or through a rebate check after paying the tax bill in full. Read More

3rd Annual Career Day
The 3rd Annual Career Day hosted by Student Government last spring was a great opportunity for Vikings in grades 7-12 to hear from area professionals about their careers. Students moved through sessions in which they heard from presenters and were free to ask questions. Information about accreditation, education, the challenges of running a business, and real-life experiences of these professionals will help students imagine what they might do after life at Otselic Valley. New this year: a special panel of recent graduates who talked about succeeding at college. Read More

Books and whimsy in the reading corner, with thanks

Last spring, tucked into the intersection of the elementary school hallways, a magical new place was waiting for readers. A convenient, shared reading corner was open to everyone, from our smallest students to adult staff. The idea came from an online find by Mrs. Stacie Morse, but it became real over spring recess through great effort by the community, guided by the thoughtful direction of Mrs. Wendy Derochie-Roodenburg. The time and talents of many got it started: from identifying free chairs, to picking them up, to hours spent taking off the old varnish, to painting fresh designs, to designing the corner arrangement, to finding functional items to add, to putting it altogether. It takes a village to do wonderful things but not because it's too hard -- it's because many have the vision and heart for giving.

The 6th grade takes the stage to learn, and share, more about ancient history
At the end of June the 6th grade was both a class and a cast, with an assist from 5th graders singing backup, to perform the musical "Dig It! A Musical Tale of Ancient Civilizations" for a small audience of families and friends. Clever writing and fun music let students experience Ethiopia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Asia, Greece, and Rome through the lens of a pair of imagined archaeologists and Lucy, a skeleton fossil who, we discovered, can't drink water because, well, she's all bones. The musical was fun, funny, and packed with information that will not be forgotten by these student actors. Read More

How to learn Shakespeare: let me count the ways
You can study a play by reading a script, or you can learn it another way. How about experiencing the work of art from the inside by actually being on stage? By actually playing a character? That was the option for a group of lucky Vikings. In June Mrs. Kalin’s 9th grade E L A students had a Shakespeare Day which included time on stage. It wasn’t a formal performance exactly: in class students had studied “Romeo and Juliet,” one of William Shakespeare’s most frequently staged plays, and they prepared scenes to act out with classmates on the M P R stage. Read More

Mrs. Lori Youngs, 6th grade teacher, named the DCMO BOCES 2019 Library Support Staff of the Year
The D C M O B O C E S 2019 Library Support Staff of the Year recognition was awarded to an Otselic Valley 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Lori Youngs. She was nominated by Mrs. Julie Hammer, our school librarian, who noted how effectively and persistently Mrs. Youngs keeps reading central to her classroom. "She is a collaborator...we have spent many hours discussing units, digging deeper into curriculum, and finding resources to support student learning." Read More