Pewter Spoon supports earthquake response efforts

By kate hill Staff writer

Pewter Spoon Café and Eatery in Cazenovia is planning a weekend fundraiser to benefit Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), an international, independent medical humanitarian organization that cares for people affected by conflict, disease outbreaks, natural and human-made disasters, and exclusion from health care in more than 70 countries.

Located at 87 Albany St., Pewter Spoon is owned by Pat Carmeli and managed by her daughters Ava and Dana.

The weekend fundraiser will begin with a “latenight” kickoff event on Friday, March 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. and will run all day Saturday, March 4, and Sunday, March 5.

“On Friday, our kitchen will be open later hours (6 to 8 p.m.) and we will host Francie, our ‘joe’y’ coffee alternative sales represen -

BOE discusses next budget

Principals report on learning opportunities

By kate hanzalik

During the Feb. 27 Cazenovia Central School District Board of Education (CCSD BOE) meeting, Superintendent Christopher DiFulvio presented budget options for consideration for the upcoming academic year.

According to DiFulvio, the current year-end balance is just under $1 million.

“The reason this number is so high is because of the amount of money we have from the COVID relief fund offsetting what we’re spending as a district right now,” DiFulvio said. “As you know costs are going up. We had some discussions about how much our budget has gone up, but I think our district has done a really nice job of being fiscally responsible.”

DiFulvio added that the balance does not yet offer a complete picture as the district is awaiting details on enrollment numbers, staffing needs, and health insurance increases, to name a few.

“As costs go up, I just want to let people know that we have been tightening our belts as a school district,” DiFulvio said.

DiFulvio said the school eliminated one of its Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) curriculums and wants to replace it as well as curriculums for K8 Math and English Language Arts (ELA), but these would not be included in a roll-over budget that maintains the status quo.

“Just to maintain our current operations and our current curriculum we’d be looking at, with no [appropriated] fund balance, we would be at [a] 9 percent [budget increase], which is about [the] average [for] what other businesses are looking at, with the rate of inflation over the past year-and-a-half,” DiFulvio said.

DiFulvio noted concerns such as students not reading on grade level, the need for professional development, more attention paid to facilities, cybersecurity, and funding that can be used for remediation opportunities for high school students. He pointed to possible budget options with additional funds, acquired from tax levy increases or appropriated fund balances, ranging from $555,000 to $855,000.

“What I’m recommending on behalf of the district is that we need to make curricular change,” he said. “I’ve heard that over the past yearand-a-half. I’ve heard families. I’ve heard it from staff. Our teachers are ready to make curricular changes. We need professional development coaching in order to be able to do this and we also need the funds to purchase the curriculum.” in other news tative, who will provide a free joe’y tasting during those hours as well,” Dana said. “For customers who enjoy their tasting and decide to buy a joe’y beverage from the barista on Friday [night], we will be donating

The discussion concluded with plans to schedule a budget workshop with the board.

CCSD K-12 principals updated the board on experiential learning opportunities during the month of February.

20 percent of those sales to [MSF].”

According to Dana, 15

Kara May, principal at Burton Street Elementary School, reported on a mobile planetarium from BOCES that was used to enhance students’ learning about outer space

Boe l Page 2 and that will return in May to help students learn about myth making by observing Greek myths in the sky. For Black History Month, Burton Street teachers and librarians took a variety of approaches for engaging students.

“It’s important to note that our students are continuously encouraged to check out books surrounding cultures and people who may not look like them or believe in what they believe,” May said. “It’s been our library’s mission I think not just at Burton Street but across the district, to build our collection of multicultural books, to make sure not just that all students are represented, but that they are exposed to texts, cultures, and practices, and people that are different from their own. We don’t encourage this just during one month of the year but throughout the year, knowing that again Black history is American history.”

Amy Getman, principal of Cazenovia Middle School, reported that students are celebrating Black History Month in a number of ways, such as reading articles that spotlight the contributions of Black leaders such as Maya Angelou and Martin Luther King, watching “Can Kids Change the World?” which examines the trials and tribulations of young people attempting to make communities more inclusive, and reading Refuge and the graphic novel Unwanted, both of which

Earthquake

l From page 1 percent of all other sales made during the kick-off event and throughout the weekend will also be donated.

The Carmeli family decided to support MSF after hearing the news about the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria and feeling compelled to help in some way.

“We know the small but mighty community we’ve built through the Pewter Spoon would be a great resource to tap into and help raise funds during a time examine the complexities of affecting social change. Students have shared their own stories and met authors with stories to share.

“We’ve been committed to giving our students experiences with different racial and cultural perspectives so we’ve specifically chosen literature that gives exposure to these different areas,” Getman said.

Molly Hagan, principal of Cazenovia High School, reported on Career Technical Education initiatives and the use of digital technology to promote Black History Month and Black American poetry.

“Each month during our faculty meetings our staff has been engaging in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) activities focused on creatingawelcomingandaffirmingenvironment,” Hagan said. “We often discuss those conversations amongst our staff about how our building creates both windows and walls for all students. It’s something we’ve been working on in terms of being inclusive and reflective during the holidays and celebrations including Black History month.”

For additional updates about Cazenovia CSD, read the Quarterly Update Newsletter Cazenovia CSD, which can be found at smore. com/upbf5

CCSD BOE meetings are usually held at 6:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. Meeting dates are on the district website and the school calendar. For more information, visit cazenoviacsd.com/board-of-education of crisis,” said Dana. “The magnitude of the loss in Turkey and Syria is just unimaginable, with death tolls growing higher each day. The newest earthquake that hit on Feb. 20 just made a difficult situation that much worse. The recovery for those regions will be long and arduous, but medical care for its victims is needed immediately. MSF is a highly reputable organization [that] provides tangible medical care to victims of natural disasters and war all over the world. Because they’re a nongovernmental organization, they can

Submitted photo l From page 1 CCP in need.

Cazenovia Community Preschool will present its annual Fundraising Gala at the lincklaen house on March 4.

“CCP provides tuition assistance to every family that applies and qualifies,” said Maine. “We do not limit the number of families that can receive assistance or the amount we distribute each year. We budget approximately provide relief to regions incredibly fast, without all the barriers sometimes left by bureaucracy. For example, MSF was especially quick to respond in northwest Syria because they already had an active presence in the region.”

Pewter Spoon held its first weekend fundraiser several years ago. Since then, they have raised money for multiple organizations, including UNICEF, the International Rescue Committee, and Campaign Zero, a project of the nonprofit organization WeTheProtesters.

The café’s most recent and most suc -

Cazenovia F&M Lodge 616

Fundraiser

Saturday, March 4, 2023

11am til gone

$10,000 a year toward our tuition assistance program, but the amount fluctuates each year depending on the current needs of our community.”

For additional information on the gala, contact director@cazenoviacommunitypreschool.co m

To learn more about CCP, visit cazenoviacommunitypreschool.co m cessful weekend fundraiser was held in February 2022 to support MSF.

“We raised $571 that weekend, so our goal this year is to raise $600,” said Dana. “As usual, we will have a pot on the counter for customers to add any personal donations. Those will be collected and donated on Monday along with the business’s donation.”

To learn more about Pewter Spoon Café and Eatery, visit pewterspooncafe.com

Learn more about Médecins Sans Frontières at doctorswithoutbor d e rs. or g

(Includes 1/2 chicken, cole slaw & salt potatoes)

We will be cooking no matter the weather! 2836 Route 20 East, Cazenovia

(We are located next to Automatic Utilities)

To learn more about us, please check out our website: http://cazenovia.cortland-madison-masons.org

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