With a rich history of educational excellence and community spirit, the South Colonie School District is now adding an inspiring chapter to its legacy by fostering a culture of kindness that resonates far beyond the classroom walls.

The campaign, conceived to honor the district’s 75 year legacy, is an invitation for students, teachers, parents, and community members to collectively engage in acts of kindness that make a positive impact. The campaign’s design is strategic – focusing on simple acts that collectively create a substantial positive change.

“More than celebrating the passage of time, this campaign is about celebrating the power of kindness that unites us all,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Perry.  “Our building level activities committee led by Sand Creek principal Michael Marohn developed this idea with the  aim to inspire not only our students but the entire community to embrace the beauty of giving back.”

South Colonie’s commitment to the campaign is echoed in its curriculum. 

“Community is one of our four pillars,” Perry added. “From having the opportunity for students to support the larger community through activities like our Toys for Tots campaign or iCare students at the high school raising money year round for a cause, community involvement and support is at the heart of what we do.”

Community members can also join the cause, pledging to participate and share their own acts of kindness using the campaign’s official hashtag,  #ProudlyColonie75Acts or by emailing photos to ProudlyColonie@scolonie.org.

As the school year unfolds, South Colonie is set to showcase the impact of these acts through regular updates, demonstrating the positive change that arises from collective kindness.

For more information on our 75th Anniversary and related activities please visit https://www.southcolonieschools.org/proudly-colonie-celebrating-75-years/.  For suggestions and ideas on daily act of kindness, please view our Kindness Calendar here. 

Embrace Kindness: 10 Sample Suggestions

• Ask someone how they are feeling today.
• Tell a friend why you are proud of them.
• Listen to someone and offer encouragement.
• Validate someone’s feelings.
• Use positive self- talk today.
• Apologize to someone.
• Offer to help a classmate or teacher.
• Forgive a mistake.
• Say thank you to a custodian.
• Leave a kind post-it in a library book.

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Please note: Kindergarten Orientation is just for parents and your kindergartener. Please make childcare arrangements for siblings.

The bus orientation is arranged to provide safety instructions and rules for our Kindergarten students. Transportation information can be obtained from Aspen.

• 9:00 AM: Parents will arrive at Veeder with their kindergarten student
• Please follow the schedule below:

Meet Your Teacher/Supply Drop Off

9:00-9:30AM: Meet the teacher and drop off supplies in your child’s classroom

Bus Ride/Safety

9:30-9:45AM: Participate in bus ride/safety guidelines

10:00AM: Kindergarten Orientation ends

*** PLEASE NOTE – If your child is attending the CYC Before/After School Program either in the morning/afternoon (or both), please be sure you have completed the Childcare/Transportation link sent to you in the placement brochure. When meeting with your child’s teacher, please be sure to confirm your child’s dismissal routine to alleviate any anxiety on the first day of school.

Printable file

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• • Kindergarten,  9 to 9:45 a.m.
  • First Grade, 10 to 10:45 a.m.
  • Second Grade, 11 to 11:45 a.m.
  • Third Grade, 1 to 1:45 p.m.
  • Fourth Grade, 2 to 2:45 p.m. 

Link to flyer

Supply list by grade

Please see the following supply lists below by grade level:

Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
Fourth Grade

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As the end of the school year quickly approaches, it is an exciting time to reflect on the past year and to imagine how the next year will go. A new school year can mean new teachers, new subjects, new buildings and sometimes even a new school district. Students set to graduate with the Colonie Central High School Class of 2023 will also be pursuing new experiences—the plans they made for after graduation.

Curious about the journey to becoming an educator? Wonder no more! Ms. Megin Guzior, a first-grade teacher at Veeder Elementary School, graciously opens up about her personal transformation from student to teacher.

The journey towards becoming an educator begins with a crucial decision: determining if teaching is the right career path. For Ms. Megin Guzior, her admiration for her own teachers and a profound love for education led her to choose this noble profession. When considering teaching, there are various options to explore, including selecting an age group and subject area to specialize in.

In Ms. Guzior’s case, she was captivated by the idea of teaching all subjects and cherishing the opportunity to spend the entire day with her students, rather than having them switch classrooms with each bell. This desire to create a comprehensive learning experience played a significant role in shaping her career aspirations.

“In first grade, they grow so much from September to June physically and academically. It’s so great to see the growth that they made,” she explained.

To become a teacher in New York, you must have a bachelor’s degree in teaching and your master’s degree before you are professionally certified. Guzior received her bachelor’s from SUNY Cortland and her master’s in literacy from SUNY Albany. While there, she worked on the other requirements needed to become a teacher in New York, like passing a series of examinations and getting the required hours of classroom experience.

During her undergrad at SUNY Cortland, Guzior gained classroom experience through the university’s teaching program. Assigned to different districts, she taught in both urban and suburban settings, including South Colonie and Schenectady.

As a student-teacher, she collaborated with Mr. Rich Thompson, teaching third grade in South Colonie. Guzior described the experience as an introduction to the teaching community, with both its dream-like and challenging aspects. Today, Guzior and Thompson teach together at Veeder, creating a full-circle experience where they can reflect on growth and share memories down the hallway.

There are also exams to take before you can become certified. Once you have your bachelors, you are ready for your Initial Certification. Candidates must pass the following three: the Educated All Students exam, the edTPA, and the Content Specialty Test. 

“Fortunately it worked out that I was able to take some while I was still in my undergrad program,” said Guzior. She took her first exam during her junior year, and scheduled the rest out so she only had to manage one test a year.

Prior to taking the final exam to obtain professional certification, candidates must first earn their master’s degree. The professional certification also requires hopeful educators to spend some time in the classroom. Guzior was able to apply her student teaching time from SUNY Cortland to this, as well as worked as a substitute teacher while earning her masters. 

Pro tip: “It’s good to stay focused on your end goal. I like to think of it as a mental checklist; my goal for undergrad is to get this done, or I want to take the certification exams by this date.” – Ms. Guzior

Now, Guzior is finishing up her fifth year of teaching in her own classroom at Veeder. To those looking to get into the career, Guzior encourages their pursuit 

“It is the best profession that there is, it’s so rewarding and you work really hard. There is nothing that beats the school communities between the teachers that you work with, the families that you build relationships with, it’s an ever growing profession,” she said. She also notes that there are a lot of helpful people you meet along the way ready to assist you on your journey.

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Veeder Elementary’s talented third-grade students showcased their engineering talents today, as they designed and tested their very own race cars! 

Armed with materials and their creative minds, these budding inventors crafted cars capable of carrying an egg while racing down a ramp and braving a collision with a cement block.  It was a race against physics, but the students displayed amazing problem-solving skills and resilience throughout the competition.

The moment of truth arrived as the cars zoomed down the track, with each student eagerly anticipating the outcome. After intense head-to-head battles, we’re thrilled to announce the top winners in two main categories!

In the “Without Help” category, the students who designed their cars independently demonstrated exceptional ingenuity and craftsmanship. The winners showcased their engineering skills and egg-protection strategies, earning the admiration of their peers and teachers. Congratulations to our talented “Without Help” champions! 

• • Sophia Alescio, first place
  • Maddie Haye, second place
  • Hassen Elamin and Meerab Khan, third place

On the other hand, the “With Help” category highlighted the collaborative spirit of our Veeder third graders. With the support of friends, family—or mentors—these students showcased teamwork and determination in creating their remarkable race cars. We commend their cooperative efforts and celebrate their achievements as our esteemed “With Help” winners! 

• • Abigail Graham, first place
  • Logan Paul, second place
  • Eva Bangel, third place

We want to extend a huge round of applause to all the students who participated in this thrilling event. Each one of you demonstrated creativity, problem-solving skills and the ability to think outside the box. Your resilience and enthusiasm have left us inspired and proud!

Keep up the amazing work, Veeder third graders!

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Students on the Veeder Elementary School’s Odyssey of the Mind team recently competed in the New York state finals competition, placing eighth against other elementary schools across the state.  This final competition was conducted at the New York state fairgrounds in Syracuse mid-April.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international program that teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem-solvers. The program emphasizes teamwork, budgeting, time management, public speaking, and so much more.

The students who attended the state competition were Sara Callaghan, Elizabeth Chan, Victoria Loaknauth, Rylan Schnapp and Caliana Young.

Back in March, the team received first place in the Region 7 tournament at Shenendehowa Central School District where they competed against other area elementary schools. 

Teams got to choose one out of five long problems to solve.  For three months they have been working on their solution,” said Veeder Librarian Ms. Pendergast. “Their chosen problem was #5 and it was called ‘The Most Dramatic Problem Ever!’ They had to create an original skit, characters, costumes, and props with no outside assistance.”

After the team won the first competition they went on to use the same project when participating in the state competition. They spent  time making small changes to their performance based on the scoring feedback they received.

“The students did a wonderful job competing at the New York State Finals Odyssey of the Mind Competition,” said Pendergast. 

Veeder Elementary has had many successful Odyssey of the Mind teams over the years but took a hiatus due to COVID.

“This was my first year as a coach to the students and it was their first year participating as well. They are an incredibly smart, sweet, and kind group of students and we are all very proud of them,” she added.

Congratulations to all!

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The Veeder Elementary School hosted their Art Festival to celebrate the creativity that the students have displayed throughout the school year.

Staff and parents joined Veeder Elementary Art Teacher Betsy Ryan to transform the hallways of the school into an art gallery. The team hung up over 1200 pieces of art that they students had created during the 2022-23 school year. Around every corner, there was a new collection to view. Some pieces even had to be hung from the ceiling so there was enough space. The beautiful displays brought much joy to the walls of the school.

Students had paintings, collages, ceramics and more ready to be viewed by guests when the gallery opened. Each piece was labeled with the name of the artist, their grade, teacher, and homeroom. We are excited to see the imagination of the students come to life in these works of art!

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Odyssey of the Mind is an international program that teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem-solvers. The program emphasizes teamwork, budgeting, time management, public speaking, and so much more.

This weekend, seven Veeder Elementary students attended the first round competition, the Region 7 tournament at Shenendehowa Central School District where they competed against other area elementary schools. 

Teams got to choose one out of five long problems to solve.  For three months they have been working on their solution,” said Veeder Librarian Ms. Pendergast. “Their chosen problem was #5 and it was called ‘The Most Dramatic Problem Ever!’ They had to create an original skit, characters, costumes, and props with no outside assistance.”

As part of the competition, the students also had to compete in a spontaneous challenge that they have no prior knowledge of.

“This really requires thinking on their feet and quick problem-solving skills,” Pendergast added.  “All of this builds the team members’ independence, teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking. The students did amazing.”

With a first-place win under their belt, Veeder is eligible to move on to the state tournament scheduled for mid-April at the fairgrounds in Syracuse. At least five of the seven members need to be able to attend in order to participate.

“The students really want to, it just depends on schedules,” said Pendergast. “If we are able to move on to states, the team will spend the next month making small changes to their performance based on the scoring feedback they received this past weekend.”

Veeder Elementary has had many successful Odyssey of the Mind teams over the years but took a hiatus due to COVID.

“This was my first year as a coach to the students and it was their first year participating as well. They are an incredibly smart, sweet, and kind group of students and we are all very proud of them.”

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To culminate our study of the mystery genre, fourth-grade students in Ms. Ignatz’s class enjoyed a special visit from Colonie Police Department officer Tracy Burns and investigators Nick Burns and Jim Splonskowski. 

“The students were so excited to welcome our guests to the classroom,” said Veeder Elementary teacher Kristin Ignatz.”Our special guests helped us make real-world connections with the mystery vocabulary and concepts that the students have been exploring throughout our genre study. They even came with a forensics kit and set up a crime scene in our room.” 

During the visit, investigator Burns used dusting powder to lift fingerprints from the glass in our room and investigator Splonskowski taught the students about new technology that they use to solve a case. 

“The students were thrilled to participate in several interactive stations,”  added Ignatz.  “The stations included fingerprinting, cracking a secret code, playing the game of Clue, sharpening our detective skills on the CIA website for kids, and writing messages in invisible ink.”

Mystery Day is just one of the culminating activities for the student’s unit of study. The students are also asked to complete a final reflection in their case file after completing their individual book of choice.

“We want to thank the Colonie PD for spending the afternoon with us,” said Ignatz. “Having

this hands-on experience shows the students how topics in the classroom are applied in real life. This visit also introduced students to jobs in the ever-growing investigative field.”

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Her nomination comes from an appreciative coworker, “Mrs. Van Wie goes above and beyond to make engaging lessons for her students. She is constantly volunteering her time and always goes the extra mile.”

Van Wie said the nomination was a complete surprise making her feel very honored. “I always pride myself on working hard, so to see that it was noticed was nice. It’s such a great feeling.”

Van Wie loves teaching fourth grade because she gets to see her students grow academically, socially and emotionally. “They go to middle school after me so it’s my job to prepare them for the switch. Building their confidence and independence is an important part of my time with them.” 

The importance of teaching ELA is not lost on Van Wie. “With COVID happening I have noticed that the old fashion ‘pick up a book and read’ has been a little more difficult for them. I try to reinstill the joys of reading into my students. I want them to leave my class loving to read and not thinking of it as homework.” 

Van Wie makes her lessons as engaging as possible. “All throughout COVID they spent their school hours sitting and typing. I try to teach them how to express themselves through writing with partner work and movement. I am big on changing up their physical space whether it be meeting in groups or moving to the carpet to learn.”

She also changes her mini units by finding books that are of interest to her students. “When they like the topic it makes reading more enjoyable and they are much more engaged.” 

Her favorite part of the job? “My students for sure. Just the little things like them giving me a thumbs up or smiling when I call their name to answer a question,” she said. “ I love seeing their smiling faces and genuinely miss them in the summertime.”

Van Wie’s dedication to the district goes beyond the classroom. She is one of the literacy coordinators for Veeder, has volunteered for homework club for the past four years and helps with lunch duty. Having played basketball in high school and at SUNY New Paltz, she has also volunteered to coach the girl’s youth basketball team. 

She is a member of the holiday committee who help families during the holiday season. Made up of staff members, the holiday committee works with families and community members to provide support for students and their families. The committee collects donations, gifts and food to make sure no South Colonie family misses out on the holiday joy. 

“The sense of community at South Colonie is very strong. I have always felt like I belong. As soon as I started subbing they welcomed me with open arms. I love the people that work in this district.” 

When she is not teaching or volunteering she loves to spend time at her camp on the Saint Lawrence River. She is also a huge New York Giants fan. “I’m hoping we play in the Superbowl this year!” (The interview was conducted on 1/20/23, sorry Alex.)

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