Monday, July 29, 2019

A message from the superintendent

Dear School Community Member,

As you know, the Roy-Hart community voted to approve our District’s plan to invest 12.1 million dollars into our buildings and grounds. Our intent is to complete the project in two phases during the summer months of 2020 and 2021. The first phase will include replacing the roofs of our buildings and a series of site improvements which will include work on our playgrounds, tennis court and parking lots.

On June 24 and 26, several members of the school community joined our architects, engineers and administration in sharing their thoughts on the proposed project and future “Master Plan” for the District. They have been working to take the ideas shared and create some schematics that they will share as they begin to finalize the plans for the summer of 2020 work. Please join me at the Royalton-Hartland High School Media Center on the afternoon of Wednesday, August 7 at 5:00 p.m. Our team will present their recommendations and we encourage the community to weigh in on the plans.

Our efforts to become “High Performing” will take a concerted effort of our entire community. I look for your support, comments and recommendations. As always, I hope that you will make an effort to reach out and say hello when you see me around the schools and town, or follow me on Twitter @DrStopinski

Sincerely,

Dr. Hank Stopinski
Superintendent of Schools

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Another great Derby!

Kudos to Lynn Harrington and family on running yet another super successful Erie Canal Fishing Derby. So many families had a lot of fun -- the Derby got them outdoors, creating memories and a lifelong interest in angling and the Erie Canal. Thank you for doing what you do!

https://www.lockportjournal.com/sports/local_sports/tonawanda-man-appleton-girl-claim-top-prizes/article_7b0e9efe-cfc5-54bc-adce-3c09021fa3be.html

Stopinski named to WCS's Wall of Fame

Ten distinguished alumni have been named to the Williamsville Wall of Fame. They will be inducted Friday, November 8 during an awards breakfast at the Park Country Club in Williamsville. Among the honorees -- from Williamsville Central School's Class of 1980: Hank Stopinski, Roy-Hart's superintendent! Congratulations! It's a well-deserved honor!

https://www.amherstbee.com/articles/williamsville-schools-set-to-honor-10-distinguished-alumni/

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Elementary school supplies list

The dollar stores have already started their sales for school supplies. If you are wondering what to get your kids here's Roy-Hart elementary's supplies list for the 2019-2020 school year:

https://www.royhart.org/cms/lib/NY01913927/Centricity/Domain/21/Supply%20List%20201920.doc

Chicken BBQ


Saturday, July 20, 2019

Free movie cancelled

The Gasport Beautification Committee has cancelled the annual free movie night at Veterans Park that was scheduled for Friday, July 26.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Capital Project update

Superintendent Dr. Hank Stopinski has announced that on Wednesday, August 7th (5:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the High School Media Center) they will be sharing several drawings and proposals for the new playgrounds, athletic fields and other aspects of the Capital project scheduled to begin in the summer of 2020.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Hartland splash pad



As we head into some oppressive heat, just a friendly reminder that we have a brand new splash pad at Hartland Town Park (right behind the Hartland Fire Hall on Route 104 in Gasport).

This photo shows a young fella all by himself. That's seems to be par for the course -- it's underutilized!

I drove by the park four times this past weekend. Each time, at prime play hours, it was totally empty...despite sunny weather and 83 degree temps.

It's there to be used, to have fun, and you don't have to be a Hartland resident.

So, get your kids out there -- and you, too, for that matter :)

Hours of operation are 10 am til 8 pm daily.

The Town of Hartland asks that you please abide by the following rules to insure a safe environment for all to enjoy:

Children MUST be supervised by an adult and swim shoes are strongly recommended. Please see other posted rules at the splash pad.

And please, lets always remember that first and foremost this is a "Family Friendly Park"

There is NO parking right at the splash pad at this time and no driving at any time on any grassy areas. Parking is in the main park parking lot only (not the fire hall lot).

FMC Safety Day




FMC Corporation’s Agricultural Sciences Plant in Middleport hosted a special Safety Day recently for FMC employees and community first responders as part of National Safety Month, as designated by the National Safety Council, to highlight efforts to reduce the leading causes of unintentional injury and death at work, on the road, and in homes and communities.

In one of the day’s sessions, Lt. Julie Kratz (left in foreground) of the Niagara County Sheriff Department leads participants in an interactive drug and alcohol impaired simulation exercise requiring participants to attempt tossing rope loops onto pegs.

The day also included a video on fatigue along with informational tables hosted by the Middleport Fire Department, WNY Immediate Care, and DiVal Safety Equipment.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

School receives award

From Superintendent Hank Stopinksi's Twitter:

Congratulations to the Royalton Hartland School District for being recognized as "Recognition School" in June of 2019. High Academic Achievement, growth and graduation rate were all part of the determination.


Free movie night

On Friday, July 26 the Gasport Beautification Committee will be holding their annual free movie night at Veterans Parks. The movie -- Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost -- starts around 9:00. They will be selling candy, pop, pizza, bottled water, and coffee and they will be offering a family deal of 12 food items for $10. 



Saturday, July 13, 2019

Salt & Light rainbow


We left the Salt and Light Festival in Gasport tonight at the close of keynote speaker Kristen Anderson's presentation about her second chance at life. It was fitting that a rainbow could be seen behind the event's main stage tent. On the other side of every storm there's beauty...it kind of matched her message.

DEC info on Middleport remediation

Many visitors to this page are unaware of the scope of the environmental clean-up underway in Middleport that is associated with removal of arsenic that came from the FMC plant. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has reams of information available online about this. Visit this page that will direct you to all sorts of documents: https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/54220.html

Friday, July 12, 2019

High school's trees are gone

I was at the high school campus yesterday and this is what it looks like with the old majestic trees gone as an outcome of the FMC remediation project taking place in the village of Middleport.

Thinking of all the graduation ceremonies and the former pastoral entrance to the school, it was sad to see the trees gone.

But, at the same time I was struck with a sense of hope. Looking at all the open space I pondered some of the landscaping that is already planned and that which the FFA students will be designing and instituting. What those students will be doing can create a legacy that will outlive them and define how people first see the school for many, many decades. What an awesome project for them to tackle!








Thursday, July 11, 2019

Library turns 90

The Lockport US&J has a report about the 90th anniversary celebration of the Royalton Hartland Community Library:

https://www.lockportjournal.com/community/royalton-hartland-library-turning/article_a78008e6-7d7e-53b2-b994-815576c873f6.html

Rabies clinic

The Niagara County Department of Health is holding a free rabies clinic on Saturday, July 13th from 9-11 a.m. at Town of Royalton Highway Garage, 5316 Royalton Center Road. Dogs, cats, and ferrets are welcome.

For more information or to complete forms before clinic registration to shorten your wait time, visit their website at:

http://www.niagaracounty.com/…/Environ…/Rabies/Rabies-Clinic

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Capitalizing on the Erie Canal

This week's installment of my column looks at how the Erie Canal is front and center this week and a state initiative to try to make sure it remains so. Please take the time to reach out to the Reimagine the Canal Task Force


Basket raffle items needed for Redenbach memorial

The organizers of the Man Up Car Show in memory of Meghan Redenbach kindly request baskets, gift cards, and other items for the basket raffle



Sunday, July 7, 2019

Cyclists on the canal today

If you think there are a lot of cyclists passing through Gasport on this sunny Sunday, you're not seeing things.

Today is Day One of the Cycle the Erie Canal tour. 650 cyclists are making their way from one end of the Canal to the other.

The event began today in Buffalo and many of the cyclists were already in Gasport by 10:30. They will continue to pass through till about 2:00, all making their way to tonight's stop of Albion.

I took my 2 year old on one of his 4-mile stroller rides on the Canal and I gave my "howyadoin" and "howzitgoin" to 65 cyclists over that time, literally one out of every ten participants.

The various accents heard speak to how important the Cycle the Erie Canal event is for tourism: southern, north-central, midwest, Boston, NYC, Ontario and more. What a great way to expose the world to the great places and great people on the Erie Canal! Let's hope they are return visitors!

And, remember, as this takes place, so does the Erie Canal fishing derby.

What a great asset the Canal is to the economy, tourism, and recreation!

Walter Librock has passed away



Librock Farms has made a name for themselves as a very popular source for Western New Yorkers to get all-natural, grass-fed beef.

It's with a heavy heart that we report Mr. Librock passed away Friday at 85. Our hearts go out to his family.

Here is his obituary...

Walter C. “Sonny” Librock, age 85, entered into rest July 5, 2019 in Eastern Niagara Hospital surrounded by his loving family.

Sonny was born July 24, 1933 in North Tonawanda to Carlton and Beulah (Walter) Librock and in 1956 moved to Gasport, where he would own and operate a dairy farm until 2002.

After selling his dairy cows, Sonny started Librock Black Angus Beef Farm. He fostered relationships with many people as he would sell his products at many local farmers' markets, schools, restaurants and businesses and stress the importance of family and how working together in a family business underscored the bonds of love and support that only a family can provide.

Mr. Librock is survived by his wife of 59 years Judith, his children: Randy (Kathie) Librock, Cynthia (Kevin) Barker, Lorna (Doug) Seib, his grandchildren: Brian, Robbie, Kelsey, Ayant, Eliza, Ella, Lucaiah, his great grandchildren: Quinton and Effie Mae, sisters: Helen Muck, Elsie Kocsis, and Doris Criswell as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family will receive friends at the Hartland Bible Church, 8110 West Avenue, Gasport, WEDNESDAY from 2-4 where Walt’s Memorial Service will be held immediately following visitation at 4 p.m. Private interment will be held at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Roswell Park Cancer Institute, 665 Elm St., Buffalo, NY, 14203.

Condolences may be left at: https://christophermitchell.com/tribute/details/6859/Walter-Librock/condolences.html#content-start

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Summer Sizzler


Bike tour to pass through Gasport

This Sunday, July 7th, watch for a lot of cyclists -- more than 650 of them -- passing through Gasport on the towpath. The annual Cycle the Erie Canal bike tour runs July 7 to 14 and Day One has them going from Buffalo to Albion.

Monday, July 1, 2019

Senior video

Roy-Hart has produced a 27-minute video celebrating and reflecting on the Class of 2019:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13waTgE3PphoDqc7FV3pLKaO6RXuMI4Yr/view

Independence Day in Hartland

The Independence Day festivities take place this Wednesday, July 3rd at Hartland Town Park. Food, drinks, music, kids games & activities, and more! New this year....car show, expanded vendor selection, and splash pad! All of this is topped off with fireworks by Paul Whalen and the Skylighters of New York.

5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Kid's Activities - Splash Pad

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Car Show

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Vendors (non-food)

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Kid's Activities - Face Painting, Inflatables, GaGa Ball Pit, and more!

6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Music featuring The Mike Hartman Band and Swift Watts Band