Hello, Afton Community! We are pleased to announce that Jane I. Schenck Trust Fund Loans are available. Please review this document or contact Student Services for more information.
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Afton Central School PO Box 5 Afton, NY 13730 For Immediate Release – March 2025 Jane I. Schenck Trust Fund Loans Available The Jane I. Schenck Trust Fund has announced that college loan applications for ACS 2025 graduating seniors and past Afton graduates are now available and may be secured from the Afton Central School Student Services Office. Completed applications with proof of college enrollment must be returned to the guidance office on or before June 6, 2025, to be eligible. Afton graduates may apply for a loan of up to $4,500 from the Jane Schenck Fund. Loan repayment begins once the student has left college. If you have questions regarding this loan process, please contact the Student Services Office at 607-639-8240.
We would like to congratulate the members of our Afton Music Department who were selected from students throughout Chenango County to participate in this past weekend’s Chenango All-County Festival! This is a great honor and tremendous learning experience for all involved. We could not be prouder of our Afton musicians for the professionalism, musicianship, and dedication displayed at this event. Congratulations to Aisley Ruff, Sabrina Roberts, and Keira Sperry for their participation in the Chenango All County Chorus! Congratulations to Mason Lans, Nate Padua, Cesar Mendoza, Natalie Lippert, Brennan Andres, Teagan O’Connor, and Madi Hauptmann for their participation in the Chenango All County Junior Band! Congratulations to Samantha Miller, Sophia Lawrence, and Madison Joslin for their participation in the Chenango All County Senior Band! Thank you all for your continued support of Afton Music!
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Hello, Afton Community! Board of Education Petitions are available for residents of the Afton Central School District who wish to be candidates in the Afton Board of Education election on May 20th, 2025. You can find information at the following links: Afton Central School District Board of Education page: https://www.aftoncsd.org/page/board-of-education New York School Boards Information Website: https://www.nyssba.org/member-services/running-for-the-school-board/
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Afton Central School Board of Education Petitions Available Petitions are available for residents of the Afton Central School District who wish to be candidates in the Afton Board of Education election on May 20, 2025. Afton has three (3) seats open on the Board of Education: one five-year term that is ending June 30, 2025, presently held by Henry Bostelman; one three-year term that is ending June 30, 2028, presently filled by Kelly Graven-Briggs and one one-year term that is ending June 30, 2026, presently filled by Ashley Sherman. The newly elected five-year term will be July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2030. Candidates must be at least eighteen years old, citizens of the United States and residents of the Afton Central School District for one year preceding the election. Petitions are available by contacting the District Clerk at the Afton Central School District Office by calling 607-639-8229. Petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education must be returned to the School District Clerk by calling and arranging the return. The deadline for all petitions to be turned in is by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 21, 2025. You may contact the District Clerk at 607-639-8229 with any questions. Pamela Haynes - District Clerk, Afton Central School
The Afton Board of Education is continuing to make excellent progress in its search for our new Superintendent of Schools. In preparation for the community forum, we ask you to fill out a survey. Your participation is important to us. Access the pdf document here: https://5il.co/3av3r Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScR9uRZTScrg9341kjOA6wlaUGoYm40ehgD9cEKWo7OpGY4yw/viewform
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
AFTON CENTRAL SCHOOL Crimson Knights District Office (607) 639-8229 • FAX (607) 639-1801 Business Office (607) 639-8245 • FAX (607) 639-1801 Elementary Office (607) 639-8234 • FAX (607) 639-8257 MS/HS Office (607) 639-8201 • FAX (607) 639-8257 Health Office (607) 639-8212 • FAX (607) 639-8211 29 Academy Street • PO Box 5 • Afton, New York, 13730-0005 Memorandum To: Afton CSD Community From: Afton Board of Education Date: March 17, 2025 Re: Superintendent Search Process The Afton Board of Education is continuing to make excellent progress in its search for our new Superintendent of Schools. As part of the decision-making process, the Board is convening a community forum so that each candidate can provide a presentation and answer some interview questions for a live audience of interested community members. In preparation for the community forum, we ask you to fill out a survey to determine the questions you would like to have asked of the candidates. Your participation and opinion is important to us. This survey is intended only for Afton residents, students, and school district employees. Thank you for taking the time to fill out the survey; your participation is appreciated. The survey will close on Friday, March 28, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. Please click on this link to participate in the survey: Survey Link The forum will be a listening session only for the community members in attendance. The community forum is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8, 2025 beginning promptly at 6:00 p.m. in the Auditorium. During the forum, the community is invited to observe, however there will be no communication between the candidate and the audience. During the community forum, candidates will take approximately twenty minutes to provide a presentation introducing themselves and their candidacy. Then, they will answer questions for about twenty to twenty-five minutes. Upon the conclusion of the Q & A session, community members present will be able to provide feedback to the Board through a survey that will be provided that evening. The Board will use this feedback from the community in making its final decision. We hope you are able to attend the community forum. We are close to bringing this process to a conclusion and are excited at the prospects of having our new superintendent selected and ready to begin their work! We hope to see you on April 8th! Yours in Education, Afton Board of Education
Afton Central School’s very own Jonathan Cornell received the Best in Show at this year’s Chenango Area Student Art Showcase for his portrait drawing titled "Alexandra." Best in Show is the top honor for all of the participating Chenango County school districts. Congratulations to Jonathan and to all of our art students selected to represent Afton Central School at this year’s showcase.
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Alexandria drawing
Mariea Brown and Raymond Loft Galleries Opening Reception Saturday, March 15th, 1-4 pm Chenango Student Art Showcase 2025 Drawing 1st place Hannah Binelli will Vanessa Foulke 2nd place Syria Uhlig savior Sherburne/Earlville Kaylee Olive 3rd place Rhea Johnson Parrot Norwich City Brianna McCormick painting first place Abigail Forsythe Starry Eyed Oxford Joni Eaton 2nd place Phonia Osborne snug Sherburne/Earlville Kaylee olive 3rd place Tucker Valentine car painting Sherburne/Earlville Vanessa Foulke mixed media first place Emmeline Harris sunshine green Samantha Obris second place Darius Odell stump Norwich City Brianna McCormack 3rd place Kayla labour view repeat pattern Norwich City Brandon law photography first place nick Miller rescue me Sherburne/Earlville Kaylee Olive 2nd place kryptonite Jackson Moore Sherburne/Earlville Kaylee olive 3rd place Ava Odell Tomic Sherburne/Earlville Kaylee olive 3D art first place kyra Smith Heart’s Desire Sherburne/Earlville Vanessa Foulke 2nd place Layla Bundorf the notebook house Sherburne/Earlville Vanessa Foulke 3rd place Mackenzie Chase acid rain cup set Sherburne/Earlville Vanessa Foulke beston show Jonathan Cornell Alexandra Afton Scott Higby Lucy Funke Logan Bernard Bainbridge Guilford Dorothy rose Conan Sherburne/Earlville chenango music scholarship Avery Fink Norwich City school
Hello, Afton Community! The Player Parent Meeting for the Harpursville/Afton Football team is on Wednesday, March 19th at 5:30 p.m. at Harpursville Jr./Sr. High School in the auditorium.
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Harpursville/Afton Football Player Parent Meeting Date: Wednesday March 19th, 2025 Time: 5:30pm Where: Harpursville Jr./Sr. High School Auditorium What to Expect Program Overview: We'll discuss the program and expectations. Coaching Philosophy: Hear about our team's values, sportsmanship, and approach to coaching. Commitment & Expectations: We will outline player and parent responsibilities to create a positive and successful season. Including the schedule for the off-season. Volunteer Opportunities: Learn how you can support our team and players outside the field. Q&A: We will address any questions that you may have If you are unable to attend but still interested in playing or have questions about the program please contact Coach Carle at JCarle@hcs.stier.org
Hello, Afton Community! Our free movie night featuring Inside Out 2 is tonight at 6:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
free movie night inside out 2 at 6:00 p.m. donations appreciated candy snow cones and drinks, sponsored by the class of 2030 afton community is welcome
This is the final update of the PowerSchool Cybersecurity incident. The full pdf file can be access here: https://5il.co/3abap
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Dear Valued Customer, On January 7th, we shared that PowerSchool was the target of a cybersecurity incident that resulted in the exfiltration of data from the Students and Teachers tables for some PowerSchool SIS customers by an unauthorized user. We immediately took corrective measures necessary to contain the incident, began notifying relevant regulatory agencies on your behalf (where applicable) as well as students and educators whose data was involved, and provided credit and identity monitoring services to the individuals students and educators. Today we are sharing closing updates on: 1. The final CrowdStrike Incident Report, which did not identify any new or concerning findings beyond what we have shared; 2. Our ongoing engagement with regulators in the United States and Canada; 3. The identity monitoring (and credit monitoring, as applicable) that PowerSchool continues to make available to all individuals involved, and 4. How PowerSchool has and will continue to strengthen our cybersecurity defenses as we connect the education community with the shared goal of helping students thrive through personalized education. CrowdStrike Incident Report Immediately after PowerSchool became aware of the incident, CrowdStrike was engaged to conduct an investigation into the incident. We made available a CrowdStrike interim fact sheet in mid-January, and with the investigation complete, are now sharing the final incident report. CrowdStrike did not identify any new or concerning findings beyond what we already shared in the interim fact sheet. The report confirms: • The Threat Actor accessed PowerSource, a community-focused customer support portal, using a single compromised credential. • The Threat Actor’s activities were limited to exfiltration of select PowerSchool SIS instances of Students and Teachers tables. • CrowdStrike’s Recon+ Intelligence service has not identified any evidence of this exfiltrated information available for sale or download. • CrowdStrike found no evidence of system-layer access or malware associated with this incident. • CrowdStrike found no other PowerSchool products were compromised. • While the PowerSource environment experienced unauthorized activity prior to December, PowerSchool believes that the data exfiltration occurred in late December.
In addition to sharing here, we are posting CrowdStrike’s final incident report on our website and sharing it with regulators in the United States and Canada where appropriate. We encourage you to share this report with any stakeholders that you deem appropriate. Regulator Notifications – United States & Canada As we shared on January 27th and February 4th, PowerSchool filed notifications with applicable regulators across U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions (respectively) on behalf of impacted customers who did not opt out of our offer to do so. Our dialogue with regulators is ongoing. We plan to share the final CrowdStrike incident report and additional relevant details from our on-premise customers who opted to share their information with us. Identity & Credit Monitoring Notifications On January 17th, we announced that PowerSchool secured two years of complimentary identity protection for all students and educators involved where such services are available through Experian, regardless of whether an individual’s social security number was exfiltrated. We also made available two years of credit monitoring for involved students and educators in the United States and Canada who are eligible for credit monitoring services. To further support your communities with these resources, please note: • Experian, our identity protection services provider, has sent email notifications on PowerSchool’s behalf (except those customer who opted out) to both current and former families and educators whose information was involved, and for whom we have available contact information. These notifications will continue as we process on-premise customer information. • These individual notices are sent from an Experian company, CSIdentity whose domain includes @csid. Please contact your CSM or Support team leader if you have any questions. Neither PowerSchool nor Experian will ever ask you for personal information via email. • You can share information regarding the available monitoring services to your communities using the form letters provided to you by PowerSchool or the information provided on PowerSchool’s website. • Information on how to enroll in identity and credit monitoring is posted on PowerSchool’s website (for the U.S. and Canada). We encourage you and your communities to take advantage of the monitoring being offered. • PowerSchool has extended the sign-up deadline for Experian’s services from May 31, 2025, to July 31, 2025. Security Improvements and Hardening Measures Introduced As part of our commitment to continuously strengthen security across the K-12 ecosystem, PowerSchool has taken significant steps to enhance our cybersecurity posture. To-date we have: • Required that 100% of PowerSchool employees and contractors utilize SSO, MFA, VPN, and VDI for any hardware or resource that accesses customer data – including PowerSource;
• Invested in physical security measures including fingerprint and facial recognition authentication for all PowerSchool employees and contractors; • Implemented rigorous technical audits of all access to customer data to validate and reinforce our security framework, including shortening the time-windows for authorized maintenance to reduce the risk of improper access; and, • Limited the number of SIS instances a single account can log into during a 24-hour period. In addition, we have taken proactive measures to reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguarding student and educator data, including: • Establishing a new Customer Security Advisory Council, which will provide a forum for in-depth security reviews, industry collaboration, and best practice sharing. • Developing a security rubric to help districts assess not only PowerSchool’s security commitment but also their own infrastructure and third-party systems. • Continuing our long-standing security protocols, including adherence to global standards (such as ISO 27100), product-level governance (including SOC II audits), and monitoring via our Security Operations Center, which currently maintains 24x7x365 coverage against cybersecurity threats. You can learn more about our security process and policies here. We hope this update can begin to bring closure to this incident; please reach out to your CSM or Support contact with any additional questions or concerns. We are grateful for your partnership over the last several weeks and look forward to all that we can accomplish as we move forward—together. Sincerely, Hardeep Gulati Chief Executive Officer, PowerSchool
Hello, Afton Community! Afton Central School District is pleased to announce that Maureen Smith will assume the role of Elementary Principal effective July 1st, 2025! The full pdf file can be access here: https://5il.co/3afey
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Afton Central School Welcomes Maureen Smith as Elementary School Principal in the 2025-26 School Year 3/13/25 The Afton Central School District Board of Education has appointed Greene native Maureen Smith as Elementary School Principal, Interim Superintendent Dr. Terrance Dougherty announced on Friday, March 7, 2025. Ms. Smith’s 4-year probationary term, approved by the Board during their March 6 regularly scheduled meeting, will begin on July 1, 2025. “I want to build a connection with the Board, colleague administrators, teachers, students and the community in a collaborative nature that supports students,” said Smith, who brings impressive academic, teaching, and leadership backgrounds to the District. “I’m a team player, and Afton’s mission, vision, and core beliefs have really resonated with me.” In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree (2007) from Syracuse University, a master’s degree (2012) and a Certificate of Advanced Study (2022) from SUNY Cortland, Smith’s career in education includes extensive teaching and administrative experience. After teaching middle school science at Chenango Forks for four years, Smith then spent 7 years serving in the role of elementary and middle school instructional support specialist for the Broome-Tioga BOCES. Currently, Maureen is assistant principal at the Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Binghamton. Maureen resides in Greene with her husband, Stephen, and daughter, Lucy. Ms. Smith said she is extremely excited to be joining the Afton Elementary School team. “I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about the elementary school and the staff at Afton,” she said, “and I want to help the District continue to be student-centered with community involvement and success for all.”
Hello, Afton Community! The Player Parent Meeting for the Harpursville/Afton Football team is on Wednesday, March 19th at 5:30 p.m. at Harpursville Jr./Sr. High School in the auditorium.
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Harpursville/Afton Football Player Parent Meeting Date: Wednesday March 19th, 2025 Time: 5:30pm Where: Harpursville Jr./Sr. High School Auditorium What to Expect Program Overview: We'll discuss the program and expectations. Coaching Philosophy: Hear about our team's values, sportsmanship, and approach to coaching. Commitment & Expectations: We will outline player and parent responsibilities to create a positive and successful season. Including the schedule for the off-season. Volunteer Opportunities: Learn how you can support our team and players outside the field. Q&A: We will address any questions that you may have If you are unable to attend but still interested in playing or have questions about the program please contact Coach Carle at JCarle@hcs.stier.org
Elliot Pettingill and Jake Decamp were selected to represent Afton Central School in this year’s Jericho Arts Council Student Art Showcase! It will take place in the Jericho Arts Gallery located at 15 N. Main Street, Bainbridge from March 15th – 28th. We hope to see you there!
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
17th Jericho Arts Council Student Art Showcase 2025 Opening Reception March 15th 12-2 pm Gallery OOpen Hours, Saturday March 15th 6-9 p.m. March 18th 2-5 p.m. March 20th 2-5 p.m. March 22 6-9 p.m. March 24-28th 2-5 p.m. jacgallery15@gmail.com
Hello, Afton Community! The capital project is moving forward in two phases to maximize state aid! Please review this important newsletter update for more information! https://5il.co/3ab9f You can also find more information on our website here: https://www.aftoncsd.org/o/acsd/page/capital-project.
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
AFTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Crimson Knights Afton CSD Capital Project Moves Forward in Two Phases to Maximize State Aid $12 million capital project plan was approved by voters in December 2024 Afton Central School District announced an update to the $12 million capital improvement project aimed at enhancing student safety, upgrading facilities, and expanding educational opportunities. The project will be executed in two phases to maximize State Building Aid and ensure the project comes with no additional tax impact to the school community. What’s Changing? • Infrastructure, safety, and functionality improvements, accessibility enhancements, upgraded utility systems, building restoration, and transportation facilities optimization. • Expanded space and functionality for Agriculture CTE programs, a new STEAM Fab Lab, and a reimagined Learning Commons for collaborative learning. • Quality and accessibility improvements to co-curricular and athletic facilities, enhanced gym environments, upgraded pool locker rooms, and ADA compliance for community engagement and safety. How the Project is Structured To make the most of the available State Building Aid, and to stay within the District’s Maximum Cost Allowance (MCA) the project will be divided into two phases: • Phase 1 (2025-2026): Immediate safety and infrastructure improvements, staying within the district’s MCA limit of $10.3 million for construction and $1 million for incidentals. • Phase 2 (2026-2027): Expanded upgrades once an additional $5.8 million in construction aid becomes available in January 2026.
AFTON CENTRAL SCHOOL 29 Academy Street, P.O. Box 5 Afton, New York 13730 www.aftoncsd.org BOARD OF EDUCATION James Parkinson, President Henry Bostelman, Vice-President Nicki Andrews Ashley Sherman Kelly Graven-Briggs ADMINISTRATION Terrance Dougherty, Interim Superintendent of Schools Gordon Daniels, Interim Elementary Principal Joel Carle, Middle/High School Principal Clayton Wilson, PK-12 Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Nicole Ermlich, Director of Special Education/Pupil Personnel Kristyn DeGroat, Business Manager/Treasurer Pam Haynes, District Clerk Typeset and Printed by DCMO BOCES Printing Service Norwich, New York 13815 • 607-335-1237 STAY UPDATED BY VISITING THE AFTON CSD WEBSITE https://www.aftoncsd.org Project Timeline • Phase 1: Design completion by June 2025, with construction from May to October 2026. • Phase 2: Construction begins in May 2027, with completion expected by October 2027. “Dividing the project into two phases allows us to maximize State Building Aid, while making vital upgrades to safety, facilities and learning opportunities,” said Afton Interim Superintendent Terrance Dougherty. “With this project we are investing in the future of education and preparing students with the skills they need to succeed.”
The opening reception of the Chengo Student Art Showcase is Saturday, March 15th from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. We hope to see you there! https://www.aftoncsd.org/o/acsd/page/art-department
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Chenango Area Student Art Show 2025 Dates March 15 - April 12, 2025 Opening Reception Saturday, March 15, 2025 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Location Chengango County Council for the Arts 27 West Main Street Norwich, NY, 13815 (607) 336-2787
Mariea Brown and Raymond Loft Galleries Opening REception Saturday March 15, 1-4 p.m. CASA 25 Chenango Student Art SHowcase Awards Ceremony for student artwork Lucy Funke & Chenango Music Scholarships at 2 p.m. Free and open to the public Refreshments provided by the Cottage Bakery Mariea Brown and Raymond Loft Galleries 27 West Main Street Norwich NY 13815 (607) 336-2787 Chenango Arts.org Drawing Painting Photography 3D Art Mixed Media
Hello, Afton Community! There is a parent night for 8th-grade students tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the auditorium. We hope to see you there!
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Hello, Afton Community! Afton Elementary School is hosting its next Very Important Person Lunch on Friday, March 21st! The RSVP's need to be returned to the MS/HS Office or Elementary Office by tomorrow. We look forward to this special event!
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Congratulations to Ryan Wright for earning the Midstate Athletic Conference All-Star Award and to SIlas Greenman who earned the Most Improved Player Award for Football!
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Ryan Wright with Midstate Athletic Conference All-Star Award
Silas Greenman with most improved player plaque
Hello, Afton Community! There is a parent night for 8th-grade students on Tuesday, March 11th, in the auditorium at 5:30 p.m.
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Afton Main Entrance
Congratulations to our amazing BGAH athletes who competed at the NYSPHSAA Indoor Track and Field State Championship! Thomas Joyce and the Boys Section IV Intersectional Relay placed 6th in the entire state! Maddie Ingham and the Girls Section IV Intersectional Relay took 9th! Conner Davy ended up 24th overall in the 55-Meter Dash.
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Afton boys intersectional relay team
athletes on stage
athletes at States
Nysphaa championship sign with athletes
NYSPHAA Champions New York State Public High School Athletic Association with our Athletes
The love of reading continues to grow at Afton Elementary School! On March 5th, guest readers joined our students in their classrooms to share their love of reading! Students are so excited to see who will be entering their classroom each month!
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Mr. Carle reading to students
Teacher reading to students.
Board member with students
Hello, Afton Community! One of our student-athletes, Thomas Joyce, is going to States for Indoor Track! Thomas qualified as part of the Intersectional Relay, he will be running the 300 meter leg of the relay on Saturday! His classmates and teachers are cheered as he walked in the halls today! We are so proud of his amazing season! Good luck at States, Thomas!!
about 2 months ago, Afton Central School District
Thomas Joyce