Ms. Nelsen’s Life Skills class had a busy week getting life-ready and spending time with some new people who they knew of, but never officially met until now! In their group with Ms. Pleszewski and Ms. Nelsen, two weeks ago, they wrote formal letters to two people who have been “behind the scenes” fans of theirs, Lieutenant Jeff Ortolano of the Dunkirk Police Department, and Makala Nelsen, who works for Bridgewater State University. They asked these two amazing individuals to come speak to their class about communication.
Lt. Jeff Ortolano brought along Chief Chris Witkowski and the both of them surprised the class on Wednesday with a visit! The Chief and Lieutenant spoke about being in law enforcement, the importance of community, how they communicate among their department and with their community, and even enjoyed some pizza with the students! The students ended the time getting some fun prizes as well.
Makala Nelsen zoomed with the students from her office in Massachusetts and spoke about her career working as a Coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life for Bridgewater State University. She discussed what it is like in higher education, working with students who are in college, how she learned to interact with others who speak different languages or have different cultures, and she even got to hear about how amazing her mom is!
The students will continue to work on written communication next week by personally writing thank you cards and mailing them to the speakers. They are having a blast learning skills for their future after The Valley!
Cassadaga Valley 7th Grade Capstone Project 📱
Under the guidance of Social Studies teacher, Mrs. Tammy Rice, our incredible 7th-grade students have completed a powerful Capstone Project focused on cell phone use in schools—a topic they explored with dedication and civic purpose.
Over the past few months, these students have engaged in in-depth research, reading, and data analysis, including the creation and distribution of surveys within the school community. Their work reflects key steps on the path toward Civic Readiness as outlined by New York State.
These young civic leaders didn’t stop at research—they stepped up as speakers and presenters at the May 21st Board of Education meeting, where they shared their findings and solutions with district leaders and guests.
👏 We are proud of their leadership, teamwork, and commitment to making their voices heard on issues that matter!
#CivicReadiness #StudentVoices #FutureLeaders #CapstoneProject #CassadagaValley
Hello Cassadaga Community!
At our May 21st Board of Education meeting, we reviewed the updated Code of Conduct which was revised over several committee meetings between September and February. The committee consisted of administrators, a board member, faculty, support staff, students and parents. Please take time to review the following:
~Revised Code of Conduct https://5il.co/3h2ow
~Suggested Discipline Matrix https://5il.co/3h2ov
~Personal Electronic Device Policy https://5il.co/3h2ou
If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to the MHS office or District Office to share your insights. We will also have a public hearing on July 1, 2025 before we approve the updated Code of Conduct.
Tuesday night the merged Varsity Girls Track team held their Senior Night. There were two Cassadaga athletes, Journey Alaimo and Anastasia TenPas, as well as two Falconer athletes, Natalie Dossey and Hannah Madonia. Congratulations to all four girls! #StudentInfluencerAnastasia
📚✨ Powerful Lessons in History and Humanity ✨🎭
This month, students from Cassadaga Valley’s 8th Grade, 9th Grade Honors, and Human Rights classes had the profound opportunity to experience a moving one-person play, "Through the Eyes of a Friend", which tells the story of Anne Frank through the eyes of a fictional friend.
Presented as part of our ongoing Holocaust education efforts, this emotional and thought-provoking performance gave students a deeper understanding of the impact of intolerance, hate, and the strength of the human spirit.
Special thanks to the Robert H. Jackson Center for hosting this unforgettable event and for continuing to support meaningful civic and human rights education in our region.
#CassadagaValley #HolocaustEducation #AnneFrank #ThroughTheEyesOfAFriend #RobertHJacksonCenter #HumanRights #NeverForget
Cassadaga Valley CSD is pleased to announce that Cougar U will be offered this upcoming summer! The program is intended for students in K - 8th grade (current grade enrolled during the 2024-2025 academic school year). The program will be offered for three weeks from July 14th to July 31st, Monday through Thursday, 8:30-11:30 AM and will take place at the Middle/High School. Transportation, breakfast, and lunch will all be provided to the students enrolled.
PARENTS/GUARDIANS! The registration packet is going home with students today! Please return pages 2-5 no later than June 2nd for registration purposes. Students in grades K-5th should return their registration packet to the SES office and students in grades 6th-8th should return their registration packet to the MHS office.
You can also download the packet here https://5il.co/3gwzp complete it electronically and email it to the main office secretaries (SES - rturk@cvcougars.org or jrunge@cvcougars.org / MHS - pheath@cvcougars.org or jpasquale@cvcougars.org).
Please call the MHS main office with questions.
The next Middle School PTO meeting will be on Wednesday, May 28th, at 6:00 PM, in MHS room #133. Join us!
A few reminders!
~The budget vote is today from 1-8 PM in the M/HS gym!
~The middle school concerts are tonight, 6 PM and 7:30 PM
~The M/HS art show is from 5-6 PM
Tomorrow is an important day for our school community! District residents will have the opportunity to vote on the proposed school budget and elect a member to the Board of Education.
Want a quick overview? Check out the video below for a summary of what’s on the ballot 🎥
If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to contact the district office — we're here to help!
Thank you for being an active part of our school community. Every vote makes a difference!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xmda30sgtWkiqCjH969hjoPA3xYOvHYU/view
Last week we wrapped up an incredible season of Unified Basketball! 🏀 Huge thanks to all the players, coaches, and families who made this season unforgettable! 🙌 A special shoutout to our two amazing seniors, Matthew Huch and Charlie Taylor! 🎉 #ValleyProud
Two of our freshmen, Makenzie Lahnen and Anastazia Hale, spent their Friday evening working alongside Mrs. Meeder in the school gardens. Their commitment, focus, and strong work ethic set a wonderful example for their peers.
When students approach their responsibilities with the same drive and determination, there’s no limit to what they can achieve together!
Excellent work, Makenzie and Anastazia — your efforts are truly appreciated! 🌱👏 #ValleyProud
We're excited to welcome one of our new buildings and grounds employees, Bradley Lang! Bradley, an alumnus of CVCS, is a new cleaner who is excited to build his future with CVCS. Welcome, Bradley!
Congratulations to De Rosenow on 20.5 years as a School Bus Driver at Cassadaga Valley CSD! Today she heads out for her last bus runs!
Attention Cougar Community! 🐾 The Main Entrance to the Middle/High School is CLOSED for a few hours for blacktop patching! 🚧🚧 Please use the Moon Rd entrance until dismissal time!
Thank you for your patience and understanding while we improve the conditions of our driveway!
🚓💙 National Police Week Spotlight 💙🚓
This week, we’re proud to recognize and thank Officer Kent, our incredible School Safety Advisor, for the unwavering dedication and care he brings to our school community every single day.
Officer Kent is more than just a presence on campus — he’s a trusted protector, a role model, and a friendly face that makes our students and staff feel safe and supported. Whether he’s helping with morning drop-off, connecting with students in the halls, or working behind the scenes to keep our school secure, his impact is felt by all.
Thank you, Officer Kent, for your service, your heart, and your commitment to our students and staff. We are truly grateful for everything you do.
#NationalPoliceWeek #ValleyProud
Welcome to The Valley, Diana Esselburn! Diana is our new Behavior Specialist, coming to us with 12 years of ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) experience, working with kiddos in pre-school all the way to elderly adults! We're excited to see her expertise in action, helping both students and staff thrive!
Wednesday's PASTA parenting class has been canceled! The class will resume next Wednesday, 5/21.
📬 Cougar Community — Our Budget Newsletters were sent to the Post Office for distribution on Friday morning. However, we understand that many residents have not yet received them. We’re hopeful they will arrive in today’s mail!
In the meantime, if you prefer to read it online or haven't received your copy yet, you can access the newsletter here: https://5il.co/3fxc0
🗓️ Reminder: Our Annual Budget Hearing is scheduled for tonight at 6:00 PM in the MHS Library/MPR.
If you have questions or would like to share your thoughts regarding the 2025–2026 budget vote, we encourage you to attend.
Thank you for staying informed and engaged!
Cassadaga Valley CSD is opening their search for a Middle/High School House Principal!
https://www.cvcougars.org/page/employment-opportunities
Hello Cougars!
We’re thrilled to share some exciting news that marks a bold step forward for our district!
The New York State Education Department has officially granted Cassadaga Valley Central School District an administrative variance, approving our move to a new, more strategic leadership model beginning on July 1.
Not only will this come as an overall savings to the district budgetarily, this change allows us to reimagine how we support students, staff, and families by appointing a PK–12 Executive Principal with House Principals at each building. This structure brings greater coherence, clarity, and capacity to our leadership team, and we’re excited to introduce the leaders who will help bring this vision to life.
🌟 Meet Our New Administrative Team
✨ Kelly Sedlak – Executive Principal (PK–12)
Ms. Sedlak will lead the charge as our district’s first Executive Principal, overseeing the academic and programmatic vision for all students from Pre-K through grade 12. In this role, she will:
~Guide instructional choices across all grade levels;
~Oversee our adaptive growth assessment systems as well as our Leader in Me program, which will be expanding to our middle school in the coming year;
~Lead the development of our New York State Portrait of a Graduate and Life-Ready initiatives system-wide;
~Expand the leadership team meetings and PLC's developed at SES across the past three years up to our middle and high school;
~Support and supervise House Principals in implementing our shared vision; and
~Build a consistent and connected educational experience for all students!
Ms. Sedlak has demonstrated remarkable leadership at Sinclairville Elementary, building strong teams, improving student outcomes, while fostering a culture of collaboration. We are thrilled to see her take on this broader role for the district.
✨ Matt Fredrick – House Principal, Sinclairville Elementary School (SES)
As the new House Principal at SES, Mr. Fredrick will take the lead on the day-to-day operations and culture of the elementary school. His responsibilities will include:
~Managing student discipline and implementing our new Code of Conduct;
~Co-leading our SES Safety Team with Officer Kent;
~Supporting teachers and responding to immediate staff needs;
~Building strong relationships with students, families, and staff;
~Planning events and student activity opportunities; and
~Ensuring implementation of the district’s academic and cultural priorities at the school level each and every day!
Mr. Fredrick has already made a major impact as Assistant Principal at the Middle-High School, strengthening behavior systems and supporting a positive school climate. He brings experience, fairness, and a student-centered mindset to his new role at SES.
🔍 Coming Soon – House Principal, Middle-High School (MHS)
With the resignation of our current MHS Principal, Mr. Tonelli, we are launching an immediate search for a new House Principal at the Middle-High School. We are looking for a dynamic leader who:
~Understands the unique needs of middle and high school students;
~Builds pride, structure, and high expectations;
~Connects meaningfully with students, staff, and families;
~Plans events and student leadership activities; and
~Ensures daily excellence while partnering closely with the Executive Principal on instructional priorities
Stay tuned—we look forward to introducing this new leader soon!
Why This Change?
Under our current model, principals are stretched across a wide range of responsibilities—from curriculum planning and assessment to discipline and crisis response. While our team has risen to the challenge, this broad scope has made it hard to go deep in the areas that matter most.
Our new structure brings a smarter division of labor:
~The Executive Principal will focus on academic excellence, alignment, and long-term planning.
~The House Principals will focus on school culture, daily operations, student support, and responsive leadership.
~Together, they will form a unified leadership team, working in sync to ensure consistency, clarity, and quality across both buildings.
This structure creates the capacity for stronger instruction, faster support for teachers, and better experiences for students. It also allows us to be more present and responsive to families, build trust, and strengthen our school-community partnerships.
Thank you for your continued support as we move into this exciting new chapter. This change is about more than roles—it’s about impact. And we couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.
If you see Mrs. Sedlak and Mr. Fredrick, tell them congratulations!
It's always a great day to be in The Valley, but this one is really, really darn great!
Tammy Mangus
