August 31, 2026 Newsletter

Posted Date: 08/31/26 (09:00 AM)

Elden Elementary Newsletter

~Together We Help Every Eagle Soar~

August 31, 2026

Dear Elden Students, Families, and Staff,

I am so excited to welcome you back for the 2026 -2027 school year! I truly hope you all enjoyed a restful summer break and, like me, are ready for the start of another great year.

My own summer was a wonderful blend of preparation and family fun. While I spent plenty of time in our quiet hallways getting ready for September, I also made sure to cherish every minute with my husband, our three kids, Luca, Sonny, and Bianca, and, of course, Reddi! Our family highlights included an action-packed trip to Great Wolf Lodge and a beautiful getaway to Lake Placid, where we all got to cheer on my dad as he played lacrosse.

Now, my focus is entirely on the incredible year stretching out before us. Once again, I will send out weekly newsletters at 9:00 AM on Monday mornings. Be sure to check them out each week for upcoming events, helpful links, important information, and more.

Below you will find information regarding enrichment, dismissal, medication drop-off, car tag pick-up, and upcoming events. This week's newsletter also spotlights staff new to Elden this year. Please join me in welcoming them to the Elden family!

I can't wait to see all of our Eagles on the 8th!

Joelle Fiorini

Principal - Elden Elementary School

Enrichment & Dismissal Information:

After School Enrichment

Linked here is the brochure for our 26-27 after school enrichment program. You will find descriptions for the various clubs being offered including: Culture Club, Health and Wellness Club, STEM Club, Art Club, Creativity Club, LEGO League, and Game and Activity Club. Use the link on the first page of the brochure to register for the club(s) your student(s) are interested in!

After School Clubs

Linked here is the brochure for our 26-27 after school clubs. You will find a brochure for our two full year, grade-specific clubs: Yearbook Club (grade 5) and Student Council (grade 3). Use the link on the first page of the brochure to register for the club your student is interested in joining!

Student Pick-Up

Dismissal of students being picked-up will be run similar to last year. Anyone picking up a student at dismissal can follow the procedures outlined on our 26-27 Dismissal Procedures Document. *Please note: due to limited staffing, we cannot accommodate immediate walk-up pickups at the K doors this year.

If you plan to walk to school to collect your child, please follow this process:

Wait for the car line: Walk-up dismissals will begin after the car line finishes.
Go to the APR door: Please wait outside the All-Purpose Room (APR) entrance.
Check in with staff: A staff member will take your name and pickup number to release your child.

*If you plan to pick your student(s) up daily, please complete this form in order to reserve a car tag for the 26-27 school year.

New Staff Spotlight:

Allison Cole, First Grade Teacher

Hi everyone! My name is Allison Cole and I will be a 1st grade teacher this year at Elden Elementary! I graduated from Le Moyne College this past May with my degree in Inclusive Childhood Education 1-6. I am super excited to stay local and be a part of the Baldwinsville community! I can’t wait to make a positive impact on my students!

When I’m not at school I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I love spending time outdoors whether that’s hiking, running, or swimming. I am looking forward to a great school year!

Madison Moen, First Grade Special Educator

Hi everyone! My name is Maddie Moen, and I am excited to begin my teaching career as a first grade special education teacher at Elden! This is my first year teaching, and I couldn't be more excited to be an Elden Eagle. I look forward to helping my students learn and grow while building meaningful relationships with each of them.

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family and friends. I am looking forward to a wonderful school year and can't wait to meet everyone!

Stacy Ritts, Teaching Assistant

Hello, Elden friends! I’m Stacy Ritts, a teaching assistant in fifth grade this year. Although I am not new to Elden, I am in a different role this year. This is my third year at Elden and my fifth year in the district. I am passionate about supporting all of our students at Elden!

When I’m not at work, I’m a busy mom to two very active kids, and we have a dog named Kobe (after Kobe Bryant). Our family loves sports, and I’m very excited to be an Elden Eagle!

And, of course—Go Pack Go!

Jessie Hierholzer, Kitchen Manager

Hi my name is Jessie Hierholzer. I recently got married! I graduated from Baldwinsville in 2012. In 2019 I started working for the district. I have spent the last five years at Durgee. I have two boys that keep me very busy! I love anything to do with being outdoors and being a mom! I am excited to be joining Elden as the new kitchen manager!

Katrina Bliven, Second Grade Teacher

Hi! My name is Katrina Bliven and I am excited to be returning to Elden as a long-term substitute, teaching 2nd grade for the 26-27 school year. I have been a day-to-day substitute here for the past four years. Prior to that, I worked as a school counselor until I became a stay-at-home mom. My children are now in 3rd and 5th grade at Elden. Outside of school, we love traveling and all things Disney.

I love the family atmosphere at Elden and it is such an honor to be part of this wonderful school community both as a parent and as a staff member!

Kailie Shaw, Teaching Assistant

Hi everyone! My name is Kailie Shaw and I'm excited to start my new journey as a teaching assistant! This is going to be my third year here at Elden! I started here working in the kitchen and have worked my way up to be a T.A. I am super excited for a fun filled year!

I have a husband and two kids and 2 dogs named Minnie and Bagel. In my free time I'm cheering on my 2 kids in football. One thing about me is I love Dunkin' Donuts so you will most likely see me with a coffee in my hand during the school day! I can't wait for a fun filled year with everyone!

Kathryn Finn, Social Worker

Hi! I'm thrilled to be filling in for the social worker and to be back at Elden where I started my school journey all those years ago! I love working with kids and have been working as a LMSW for the past three years.

Prior to that, I worked with a variety of students working on building skills, inclusion services, and care coordination. I love collaborative solutions, out of the box ideas, philosophy, the arts, theater, music, and helping others highlight their strengths.

In my free time I enjoy walking, being out in nature, helping out at farms planting, and spending time with family and friends.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you all!

Laurie Neville, Physical Therapist

Hi everyone! I'm Laurie Neville, and I am excited to start my new role at Elden as a district physical therapist. I have spent the last 20+ years providing Early Intervention and preschool services in the Baldwinsville area, so you may have seen me around the UPK hallways in the past few years. Prior to my years in pediatrics I worked with adults in neurology, stroke, and brain injury rehab. I live in Baldwinsville with my husband and our three teenage girls. When I am not at work, I'm usually driving carpools or watching youth sporting events! I love to garden, hike, ski, and travel with my family. I have a passion for working with children and helping families, and I feel so privileged to get to be a part of their progress and their successes. I look forward to working with all of you!

Curriculum Update:

New ELA Program - Arts and Letters

We are thrilled to introduce Arts & Letters, our brand-new K-5 English Language Arts (ELA) program launching this school year. Our teachers are already diving into training and planning lessons to bring this vibrant curriculum to life.

To give you a sneak peek into what our students will experience, I have linked a Family Curriculum Overview and a Welcome Letter. I encourage you to explore these resources, and please reach out if you have any questions!

From Our Health Office:

Medication Drop-Off

If your child will need medication(s) at school, provider and parent permission forms are needed for both prescription and over the counter medications. New medication permission forms are required each school year.

New York State Law requires that:

Parents or guardians must personally deliver all medication to the school health office. All controlled medications must be counted with the school nurse and quantity delivered must be signed off by both the adult and school nurse.
All medication must remain properly labeled in the pharmacy container or in the original over the counter (OTC) containers.
A new prescription/medication form signed by the medical provider is required at the beginning of every school year.
The parent must sign the medication permission form.

Mrs. St John, our school nurse, will be available for medication drop off at her window (109) on September 4th from 11:00-2:00 pm and September 8th from 7:30-8:30.

NYS Required Immunizations

The district is once again partnering with Drakos Clinical Dynamics and the Onondaga County Health Department to bring immunization clinics directly to our students. Due to construction, this year's clinics will be held here at Elden Elementary School, with one clinic offered in August and another in September.

The clinics are available to students with or without insurance and are designed to make required school immunizations as convenient and accessible as possible. By bringing these services directly to our campus, we hope to remove barriers and ensure every student can meet New York State immunization requirements and begin the school year without interruption.

Monday, September 14th - 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Register Here

Upcoming Events:

September 1, 2026

Please join us for our first Community Café of the 2026-2027 school year, which will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1st at Durgee Junior High School in the cafeteria. Participants will learn how to get the most out of school communications. Guests will gather in small groups as we share ideas, perspectives and light refreshments. Registration is required. We hope you can join us as we explore questions that matter, build relationships and share our knowledge and ideas to help build, educate and empower our students!