Cassadaga Valley’s ROAR awards are a celebration of individuals who embody the core values of Respect, Ownership, All-in commitment and Responsibility, according to Superintendent Tammy Mangus, which collectively is what ROAR stands for.

“These awards recognize students, staff, and community members who make ‘The Valley’ a stronger, kinder, and bolder place through their consistent demonstration of these values,” Mangus said. “The ROAR Awards include: multiple recipients across different roles: students, faculty, staff, and community leaders, personalized nominations with specific examples of how each individual demonstrates ROAR values, a formal ceremony that honors each recipient with applause and recognition before the entire school community, special moments like including family members, administrators, and nominators in the celebration, and an atmosphere of community pride, lifting up those who lead by example and go above and beyond expectations.”

ROAR award recipients for the second semester are as follows: Alisa Petry, a staff member nominated by Kelly Sedlak for bringing calm, excellence and a growth mindset every day and leading with quiet strength in both instruction and committee work. Also nominated by Kelly Sedlak was student Ava Meyers, who created the “Kids Kindness Club” and is consistently respectful, dedicated and community-minded.

Staff member Ben Schrader was nominated by Ron Tonelli for being a first-year teacher with standout classroom presence and coaching multiple sports along with volunteering with a positive attitude and “bringing his A-Game every day”. Student Tyler Anderson was also nominated by Ron Tonelli for being a unified sports partner, leader, athlete and friend to all, along with being known for kindness, academics and inclusiveness.

Student Austin Gloss receives his ROAR award.

Jennifer Runge and Sophie Conti were both nominated by Matt Fredrick. Runge is a staff member who is known to be deeply committed to every student and ensures daily systems like the bus dismissal run flawlessly. Conti is an advanced student, cheerleader for others and a student leader who models leadership, respect and hard work to all.

Marcy Sweetman nominated staff member Corinne Kelly for them initiating an environmental research project with Cornell and empowering students through innovative, hands-on learning, and student Matt Huch for being known for his quiet kindness and initiative along with working in the Valley Cafe and playing on the Unified Basketball Team. Student Charlie Taylor and staff member Amy Bly were nominated by Todd Ames. Taylor was nominated for being “the Valley’s biggest cheerleader” and a unified team member and “constant spreader of joy” along with greeting everyone warmly, showing leadership and responsibility. Bly is known for being always “on” even outside hours, watering plants, caring for people and always being there for them, along with being deeply devoted to improving the school environment.

Staff member Stacey Meyers was nominated by Heidi Ottaway for going from part-time to Cook Manager due to her impact and leadership savvy, along with bringing fun, spirit and creativity to the cafeteria. Sam Smith is the staff member nominated by Phil Bens for managing both of the health offices with style, training in AED use and the Red Cross because “she believes in the power of knowledge when it comes to keeping people safe and well and writes health newsletters to keep everyone informed,” along with supporting the district’s well-being with care and professionalism.

The last three ROAR awards went to Austin Gloss — a student nominated by Phil Bens –, Amber Szablewski — a staff member nominated by Ann Morisson and former Interim Director Mary Beth Muldowney –, and Tammy Rice — staff nominated by Tammy Mangus. Gloss is involved in student council, CAN, tech committee and golf, and also manages his own calendar, taking ownership of everything he invests in very seriously and announces every single game with heart and commitment to school pride. Szablewski keeps the special education team fully compliant and makes a personal connection to every family in the Valley, and was recognized as the hardest-working assistant in the field. Rice leads initiatives, supports instruction and always steps up to bring real world learning to students, and is known for leadership, professionalism and an innovative spirit.

Cassadaga Valley’s event also recognized the district’s retirees and tenure appointments for the school year.

Student Austin Gloss receives his ROAR award.

“The event also honored several retirees who dedicated decades of service to the district, each celebrated with a nostalgic and heartwarming reflection tied to pop culture moments from the year they began,” Mangus said.

Some of the notable retirements Mangus said, include Kris Merrill who was with the Valley for 32 years — starting back when Jurassic Park was a hit movie and other notable world events such as the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia was going on and Ruth Bader-Ginsberg was appointed Supreme Court Justice –, Deb Winton who worked at the school for 30 years — joining when the internet was just entering public consciousness, DVDs were invented, Toy Story was released, and the 49ers won the Superbowl –, De Rosenow retires after 21 years — starting during the launch of Facebook, the Patriots won the Superbowl with Tom Brady, and Martha Stewart was sent to jail for insider stock trading –, and Larry Shauerman after 11 years — during the time when Frozen was popular along with the ice bucket challenge which went viral to raise money for ALS.

“Each retiree was recognized for their unique contributions to student life, academics, and school culture, with tributes highlighting their care, kindness, and impact,” Mangus said. “In addition, four educators were recognized for earning tenure: Ashley Hansraj, Kari Wise, Emily Pleszewski, and Chloe Myers. They were welcomed with optimism and hope for continued service and growth in the district.”

One other “retiree” for the district was the retirement of Emiley Anderson’s #22 jersey, which Mangus said was a “historic and emotional moment for Cassadaga Valley”.

“This honor was, initiated by the Board of Education, approved through a special initiative, a surprise presentation involving her parents and Mrs. Jerri Crandall, Athletic Director, described as a once-in-a-decade honor, emphasizing the rarity and magnitude of her achievements,” Mangus said. “Emiley is a scholar-athlete, praised for her exceptional contributions both on the court and in the classroom. Retiring a jersey number at the high school level is an extraordinary gesture, indicating she has left a lasting legacy that the school wants to preserve and celebrate permanently.”

All of these things, Mangus said, come together and are important for the district to recognize as they build community pride and morale, strengthen culture by celebrating the district’s values in action, inspire others, especially students, to embody the characteristics that lead to personal and collective success, reinforce belonging and appreciation, showing every individual their work is seen and valued, and promote a positive school climate, where excellence and kindness are the norms.

“Cassadaga Valley’s culture of recognition is intentional and deeply human,” Mangus said. “Whether you’ve served 32 years, just earned tenure, or uplift peers through quiet leadership, your impact matters. The ROAR framework isn’t just a slogan; it’s a way of being. It guides how the district leads, teaches, learns, and connects, creating a school community that roars with purpose, pride, and unity.”