• Holiday Help for Families

    Holiday Help for Families Family and Community Liaisons Newsletter Supplement Every year the Cortland County community comes together to ensure that children get to have a good holiday season. Here you will find all information the Homer Central School District has on upcoming resources for holiday assistance. Please keep in mind that you are requested to utilize only ONE of the following resources per holiday to ensure there is enough help to go around to everyone in need. Not all resources had released their holiday help information for 2025 at the time of the November Homer Central School District Family and Community Liaison newsletter publishing so we created this supplement. This document will be updated if additional information becomes available. If you need help signing up for these or other services, or have questions, please contact the Family and Community Liaison in your child's school building. November is National Gratitude Month. If you're a family looking for ways to show gratitude and have the resources to do so, please consider talking with your children about how to support one of the many programs in Cortland County that work hard to make the holidays bright for those who need a little help. Click for Holiday Help Document

    Thursday, Nov 13 2025

  • November 2025 Family and Community Liaison Newsletter

    Please enjoy the latest Homer Central School District Family and Community Liaison Newsletter for November, 2025. #BluePride FLIP IT - Transforming Challenging Behaviors The November Homer Central Schools Family and Community Liaison Workshop, FLIP IT, (Feelings, Limits, Inquiries, and Prompts), helps to promote social and emotional development through a strategy that is easy to remember, applicable in a variety of situations and is portable.  FLIP IT is known to decrease children's challenging behaviors, including anxiety, withdrawal and aggressive behaviors, increase children's positive behaviors and improves parenting behaviors and decrease parents' beliefs that their children are difficult to manage.   For more information or to register click the button below. NOVEMBER WORKSHOP REGISTRATION   Homer Central School District's Annual Winter Relaxation This time of year can be overwhelming for many people. To help take away some of your stress, we invite you to join us for our most popular Family and Community Liaison workshop of the year featuring an evening of relaxation, de-stressing, and self-care. Come participate in a variety of self-care opportunities for you to enjoy at your own pace. Each participant will receive a small self-care gift and be entered for a chance to win a raffle. Light snacks will be provided. Come and go as you please. It may seem early to think about your December schedule but this workshop fills up quickly and is earlier in the month than previous years. Register early to avoid missing out! Registration is required for childcare and workshop participation and space is limited for both. Please register for the workshop (and childcare if needed) by Monday, November 24th. No walk-ins for workshop or childcare. *This workshop is limited to Parents/Guardians of HOMER Students and Homer Faculty & Staff ONLY. DECEMBER WORKSHOP REGISTRATION FOOD RESOURCES SNAP EBT Benefits Likely Delayed Due to the federal government shutdown, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (formerly known as "food stamps") will likely not be distributed for November. Homer Central School District would like families to know you are not alone in this difficult time. According to OCM-BOCES, Cortland County has approximately 5,500 SNAP recipients. Transportation barriers in rural districts like Homer often make access to pantries difficult. Thankfully Homer Central School District offers universal free breakfast and lunch to all students as well as the Snackpack Program to help replace breakfasts and lunches for students every weekend thanks to Cortland Loaves & Fishes and CAPCO. If you would like to sign up for this program, please ask your child's school building to connect you. Cortland County has many other food resources to support families as well. We have put together a collection of this information for you HERE. If you have any questions or need additional help with accessing food resources, please ask your child's school to connect you with the Family and Community Liaison in their building.   HOLIDAY HELP Every year the Cortland County community comes together to ensure that children get to have a good holiday season. Here you will find all information the Homer Central School District has on upcoming resources for holiday assistance. Please keep in mind that you are requested to utilize only ONE of the following resources to ensure there is enough help to go around to everyone in need. Not all resources had released their holiday help information for 2025 at the time of this newsletter publishing. If you need help with accessing these services or other services or have questions please contact the Family and Community Liaison in your child's school building. November is National Gratitude Month. If you're a family looking for ways to show gratitude and have the resources to do so, please consider talking with your children about how to support one of the many programs in Cortland County that work hard to make the holidays bright for those who need a little help. CAPCO's Emergency Thanksgiving Meal Baskets CAPCO Family Development Program will be helping those in need with Thanksgiving meal baskets again this year. Sign-ups begin on November 3 at CAPCO, 32 North Main St. Cortland. Salvation Army Holiday Assistance Families who would like to sign up for assistance with food and/or gifts for the holidays must apply in person on one of three days at Salvation Army 138 Main St, Cortland 11:00am - 2:00pm Friday, November 14th Monday, November 17th Friday, November 21st **You must bring photo ID, proof of address, and proof of everyone else in the house: ID, social security cards, benefit cards, or birth certificates. Toys for Tots Sign Ups The family application for Toys for Tots 2025 for Cortland County is now open! Please only submit one request per child and remember to add things your child(ren) likes. To sign up your child or for information on where to donate toys please visit: cortland-ny.toysfortots.org   Cortland Loaves and Fishes Empty Bowls Did you know that Cortland Loaves and Fishes Empty Bowls' Fundraiser is the source for the majority of the funding used to provide the snackpack program in Homer Central School District's Intermediate, Junior High and High School? (Thank you to CAPCO for sponsoring snackpacks in our Elementary building.) This program is full circle in the truest sense. Homer Central School District helps to sponsor the Empty Bowls fundraiser by having our student artists in Lauren Nels and Brookley Abbate's Junior High art classes create ceramic bowls that are used as soup vessels at the Empty Bowls event. Student artists across Cortland area districts, including Homer, create 250 bowls to donate to this event, lending their talents to this grassroots community and fundraising effort. This event truly speaks to the importance of community in making a difference. This year's Empty Bowls fundraiser will beSaturday November 8th at 6:00-9:00pm at the CRT Downtown. Loaves and Fishes also hosts free annual holiday dinners in their dining room every November and December. For more details on the Empty Bowls fundraiser or their free holiday meals visit their website HERE.   NAMI Ending the Silence Virtual Training If you missed the October Homer Family and Community Liaison workshop on 10/30/2025, NAMI Ending the Silence, you have another opportunity in November! NAMI Ending the Silence is a 1-hour presentation for adults with middle or high school aged youth in their lives. The presentation includes warning signs, of mental health issues including suicidality, facts and statistics, how to talk with your child about these concerns and make sure you are someone they can trust with discussion of their mental health, as well as how to work with school staff to support your child who may be struggling. NAMI Fingerlakes is offering this workshop virtually via Zoom quarterly. The next workshop will be offered: Monday, November 3rd via ZOOM 7:00-8:00pm REGISTER HERE International National Suicide Survivors' Day is celebrated annually in November. Learning how to see the warning signs in young people and lean in to providing them support is the perfect way to honor this intention. Learn more about Survivors of Suicide Loss Day HERE.     Recent past issues of the Homer Central School District Family and Community Liaison Newsletters can be found on the district website at www.homercentral.org/community

    Saturday, Nov 01 2025

  • October 2025 Newsletter from Family & Community Liai...

    Please enjoy the latest Homer Central School District Family and Community Liaison Newsletter for October, 2025. #BluePride NAMI Ending the Silence The October Family and Community Liaison Workshop, NAMI Ending the Silence, is a FREE, evidence-based, presentation offered by NAMI Fingerlakes for adults with middle or high school aged youth in their lives. You will learn to recognize the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if a youth in your life begins showing symptoms. This workshop is appropriate for parents, teachers, and other supportive adults. NOT limited to Homer School District. Thursday, October 30th 5:00-5:30pm Free Family Meal 5:30-7:00pm Workshop Homer HTEC, 80 S. West Rd., Homer Thank you to the Cortland County Suicide Prevention Coalitions, SPEAK UP Cortland, for sponsoring this workshop. For more information or to register click the button below or to download a shareable flyer, click HERE. OCTOBER WORKSHOP REGISTRATION   Two More Open Houses in October Did you know the Family and Community Liaisons organize a community resource fair at every Homer Central School District open house? This is a great opportunity for families to become familiar with many of the services and supports available in Cortland County. Junior High Open House Thursday, October 9th; 6:00-7:30pm Elementary Open House Thursday, October 16th; 6:00-7:00pm     Safeguarding Youth with Autism from Cyberbullying - Webinar Thursday, October 16, 2025 6:00-7:30pm This session will provide families and caregivers with practical, research-based strategies to help protect youth with autism from the risks of cyberbullying. Participants will learn how to recognize warning signs, support social and communication skill development, and foster positive relationships at home, in school, and online. Emphasis will be placed on tools that families can use immediately to build resilience, promote digital safety, and strengthen supportive connections for their children. AUTISM TRAINING REGISTRATION   Empowering the Transition: Helping Students with Disabilities Prepare for College SUNY Binghamton University and Tompkins Cortland Community College are partnering to bring you a virtual opportunity, "Empowering the Transition: Helping Students with Disabilities Prepare for College", to learn about supporting high school students with disabilities through the college transition process. When: Please join us on October 16th at 6PM.   Who should attend: Students, parents, advocates, school counselors, CSE Chairs, transition counselors, etc.   Why Attend? The laws and services for students with disabilities in college are significantly different from high school. This session will provide a crucial overview of many important topics to address these differences. Register Now!   Connecting Caregivers Support Group Puzzle Solvers, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 2009. The organization was started by a small group of professional women who wanted to help improve the quality of life for families in the Cortland community, impacted by autism spectrum disorder. The next Connecting Caregivers Support Group will be held: Thursday, October 9th 6:00pm Access to Independence Conference Room 26 N. Main Street Cortland   Maternity Oasis Mobile (M.O.M.) Seven Valleys Health Coalition is partnering with Guthrie to host the Maternity Oasis Mobile (MOM) Unit on Wednesday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Seven Valleys Food Rescue Hub (174 Homer Ave, Cortland). This is an opportunity for women to access quality, affordable care in a convenient location. Services include pre-natal care, post-partum guidance, limited gynecological services such as annual exams, STD testing and menstrual disorder treatment. While walk-ins are welcome, you can also schedule an appointment by calling 866-488-4743.    Register for Run4All   Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use challenges among adults. This free training will be offered Friday, October 17th, 8:30AM-4:00PM at the Cortlandville Fire Department. Located at 999 NY-13, Cortland, NY 13045. There will be a 30 minute lunch on your own. REGISTER FOR MHFA   October is Domestic Violence Awareness AND Bullying Awareness Month CELEBRATE WITH UNITY DAY - WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2025 First observed in October 1981 as a national “Day of Unity,” Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) is held each October as a way to unite advocates across the nation in their efforts to end domestic violence. Unity Day, started by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in October 2011, is the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month. This is a day when we can come together to send a visible message of building commUNITY through kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. The call to action is simple: wear and share the color orange. This vibrant statement becomes a conversation starter, showing support for students who have been bullied and for bullying prevention.   6th Annual Chefs Take a Stand Against Domestic Violence Every year, the YWCA Cortland holds the, Chefs Take a Stand Against Domestic Violence event to benefit Cortland County’s ONLY comprehensive domestic violence program, Aid to Victims of Violence (AVV). In 2024, this event alone grossed over $30,000 to assist AVV in offering both off-site emergency housing as well as permanent supportive housing at Grace Brown House, where women victims of domestic violence and their children reside while they re-establish their lives. The Grace Brown House is located in Homer Central School District, and every year since its inception, our District has had representation in the event. Family & Community Liaisons Susan Williams and Lisa Matijas were both involved in 2025 - with Susan serving on the Event Planning Committee and Lisa participating as a "Home Chef". For the 2nd year in a row, Lisa, partnering with her sister who is a SUNY Cortland University Police Department officer, took home First Prize in the Best Home Chef Dessert Category! A fun and delicious event that supports an incredibly important program for our community. If you are someone you know needs help with a Domestic Violence Situation you call call the AVV CRISIS HOTLINE: 24 Hrs. A Day, 7 Days A Week 607-756-6363   NAMI-FLNY Family Support Groups NAMI-FLNY offers a Family Support Group, a Spouse/Partner Support Group and a Psychosis Support Group. These groups are for people 18 and over. Each support group is led by trained facilitators who have lived experience with mental health issues. In NAMI support groups we share concerns, coping skills, and compassion in a supportive atmosphere. NAMI-FLNY support groups meet on Zoom. Click here to register or Email support@namifingerlakes.org or Call 607-288-2460 Please include your name, preferred phone number, email and the meeting you wish to attend. If you need support now, please call the NAMI Finger Lakes Help Line at 607-273-2462. Our Help Line is answered by local NAMI family members who have experience with loved ones living with mental illness.   Cortland County System of Care This is a place where Cortland County families can find local resources to support their children's mental and behavioral health and where members of the mental health workforce can find professional resources. Visit https://www.cortlandcares.org/ for more information.   Toys for Tots Sign Ups Have Opened The family application for Toys for Tots 2025 for Cortland County is now open! Please only submit one request per child and remember to add things your child(ren) likes. To sign up your child or for information on where to donate toys please visit: cortland-ny.toysfortots.org Look for details on other holiday supports in the November newsletter or contact the liaison in your child's building if you need assistance.   Recent past issues of the Homer Central School District Family and Community Liaison Newsletters can be found on the district website at www.homercentral.org/community

    Saturday, Oct 04 2025

  • September 2025 Newsletter

    Please enjoy the latest Homer Central School District Family and Community Liaison Newsletter for September, 2025. #BluePride Supports are Available for Your Family Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year. Homer's Family and Community Liaisons are excited to be back in school and are ready to work with your family. We had a productive summer including attending the New York State Community Schools Caucus in Syracuse, learning from school staff doing similar work from across NYS. The liaisons are here to provide support and assistance to students, parents/guardians and whole families in the district. This newsletter is one way we communicate to try to connect families and staff with community resources and information you may find helpful. For more details on who we are and how we can support your family, please visit the district website at www.homercentral.org/community Have a great year!   Connect with Your Child This School Year While back to school can be a fun time filled with anticipation and reconnecting with friends, for many students, it can be a difficult time. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) "created The Three C’s to help you and your child connect around mental health and wellness, know the key “concrete” supports for family well-being, and encourage your child to share with you about the joys and challenges they are experiencing at this time." This is a great resource you can refer back to at the start of every school year. We hope you find it helpful for your family. To read more on the Three C's click HERE!   CAPCO Gives Away Free Clothing CAPCO's Family Essentials program provides clothing, shoes, toiletries, and some household items FREE and can help take the edge off hard times. They are a great location to shop for free items for your household. Clean, gently used items also accepted for donations. For more information, call CAPC) at 607-753-6781. Hours of operation are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 9am-2pm at their 32 North Main St., Cortland. September is Suicide Prevention Month Please consider participating in any or all of these events being held in Cortland County this month! Chalk the Walk All of September, find some chalk & a sidewalk and make a little art - the goal is to spread messages of hope throughout the community. Let us continue to make Cortland County beautiful and inspirational, together! Make your art, snap a photo & post on social media at #SPEAKUPCortland to share your art and maybe you will be a lucky winner of a BRU 64 Gift Card! Click the image to the left to enlarge for more details. One Too Many 5K Join the Homer Blue Pride's 5K team to benefit the Cortland Child Advocacy Center (CAC). You can walk, roll, run, whatever works for you! Saturday September 20th 10am-2pm Center for the Arts 72 Main Street, Homer The CAC provides free, compassionate care to children in crisis; ensures justice is pursued with sensitivity; offers therapy and support to help children and families move forward; and expands access so no child is turned away, because every child deserves to be safe, heard, and healed. They do so much to support our students and community. If you would like to support them, register by clicking below. Register for One Too Many 5K Youth Mental Health First Aid Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18. Tuesday, 9/23/2025 8:30am - 4:30pm Cortlandville Fire Station Training is FREE! Register at http://tinyurl.com/mh-cortland For more information click HERE! Learn more about the warning signs of suicide and what to do if you notice them. 988 is available 24 hours/day Call or text (988) 988 is a National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offering mental health crisis support. To learn more about the warning signs of suicide and what to do if you notice them please click HERE to download a helpful information sheet and never hesitate to contact your child's school to let them know your concerns and ask for help.   More Open Houses Coming Soon! Thank you to everyone who attended the Homer Central High School Open House the first week of school. We have three more Open Houses Coming Soon! Be sure to stop by the Family and Community Liaison Community Resource Fairs happening at all of the open houses again this year. This is a great way to meet the liaison team and find out first hand all about the wonderful resources available in our community.   OCTOBER LIAISON WORKSHOP Ending the Silence is a FREE, evidence-based, presentation for adults, especially those with middle or high school aged youth in their lives, presented by NAMI Fingerlakes. You will learn to recognize the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if a youth in your life begins showing symptoms. This workshop is appropriate for parents, teachers, and other supportive adults. Junior High and HIgh School students will also participate in an Ending the Silence assembly in October, so come find out what your kids heard and how to talk with them about it. However, this evening workshop is NOT limited to Homer School District and will be open to the community. More details coming soon! Watch the Family and Community Liaison page on the Homer Central School District website and the district's Facebook page for time, date and location.     Homer Community! Please Share Your Thoughts on Health and Well-Being in Cortland County     Racker Welcomes the Neurodivergent Magician to Cortland Thursday, September 18th 4:00-5:00pm 29 Tompkins Street, Cortland To sign up click HERE or email lendinglibrary@racker.org for more information.     National Library Card Sign-Up Month Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During September, the American Library Association and libraries unite in a national effort to ensure every child signs-up for their own library card. Throughout the school year, public librarians and library staff will assist parents and caregivers with saving hundreds of dollars on educational resources and services for students. Homer is so fortunate to have the Phillips Free Library as an amazing resource in our community!   Do You Have a Purrrrfect Photo of Your Family Cat? CNY SNAP is looking for the cutest cats and kittens of Central New York, to be featured in a 12-month 2026 calendar supporting CNY SNAP. Entries and voting will occur by donations, to support CNY SNAP's mission of providing affordable spay/neuter services for our community, caring for surrendered and stray cats, and placing these cats into loving furever homes. The contest will close at 7:00 PM (Eastern Time) on Saturday, October 4, 2025. For more information or to enter click HERE. Thank you to Junior High School Counselor, Stacy Bell's cats for their excellent photogenic demonstration!     Recent past issues of the Homer Central School District Family and Community Liaison Newsletters can be found on the district website at www.homercentral.org/community

    Wednesday, Sep 10 2025

  • The latest Homer Central School District Family and ...

    Enjoy the latest Homer Central School District Family and Community Liaison Newsletter for July, 2025. #BluePride Summer Food Supports Going from free breakfast and lunch at school daily to having your kids at home all summer can be challenging. Fortunately Cortland County has a wide variety of food supports available if you know where to look. For a comprehensive list of food pantries and meal programs in the County visit www.211cortland.org/food where you will find a full list of programs, a calendar of open hours for pantries and meal services, details on how to order the monthly Food Sense box at significantly discounted prices, and a downloadable pantry and meal programs list and map. You can also click on the image to the right to open and download the PDF version. Catholic Charities also offers a summer program with free lunches available at a variety of sites in the County for youth ages 18 and under. Although there are no Homer sites, if youth in Homer School District are able to get to another site they can still eat for free.   READING DOESN'T TAKE THE SUMMER OFF! Pizza Hut BOOK IT program is back! https://www.bookitprogram.com/ BOOK IT!® is a free reading incentive program for children in Pre-K through 6th grade. Use the BOOK IT!® Mobile App to set goals, track progress, and redeem rewards. During July, and August, any child who meets their parent-set reading goals can earn a free Pizza Hut® single topping Personal Pan Pizza®* from participating locations. We may no longer have a local Pizza Hut but there are definitely some in the CNY region and if nothing else you can find some fun downloadable and printable resources like reading logs, etc. at www.bookitprogram.com/resources   Have you signed up for the Phillips Free Library Summer Reading Program yet? Click here to sign up: https://forms.gle/C3vRisskvsv63EMR9 Keep track of how many pages you read, report it to the library (you'll receive more information about this after you register) and repeat. Prize drawings will be held each Friday in July for all ages. Phillips Free Library's goal is to read 400,000 pages this summer by August 2. When the goal is reached, the library staff will play minute to win it games at the summer reading celebration on August 8th. You get to vote on the games when you report how many pages you've read. If you have questions, email office@phillipsfreelibary.org, call the library 607 749 4616 or stop into the library.   Cortland County Youth Bureau Offers Summer Events in Homer Mondays and Fridays from 9:30-11:30 pm Countryside Acres Park Cutler Road, Homer, NY 13077 Click on image below to download the PDF flyer with details on activities being offered this summer.   Visit the New Storywalk at Newton Park Phillips Free Library recently unveiled a new StoryWalk® at Newton Park, 23 Bartlett Ave. in Homer. A StoryWalk® is a book that has been taken apart, had each page laminated and usually enlarged for easy reading, then presented page by page on a trail, bike path, or in storefront windows to promote reading and exercise. StoryWalk® was created in 2007 by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg Hubbard Library and has been replicated in communities all over the world. StoryWalk® provides early literacy opportunities to young children. Sharing the reading of a StoryWalk book stimulates and fosters the development of strong listening and speaking skills. StoryWalk also helps to build a child’s vocabulary which is important to thinking and learning. Developing early literacy skills leads to better preparation for school. Children and their families can read the book together then discuss the text, illustrations and meaning of a great book. Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell is the book chosen by Phillips Free Library for the new storywalk at Newton Park. This children's book tells the story of how color, joy and hope can transform a neighborhood through art.   Join Access to Independence for their 35th Anniversary of the ADA Celebration! Saturday, July 26th, at Yaman Park from 10am-2pm Access To Independence will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a US civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It ensures people with disabilities have equal opportunities in various areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications. Essentially, the ADA aims to level the playing field and provide the same access and opportunities for individuals with disabilities as those without disabilities.  There will be speakers, fun activities, and FREE ice cream that the ATI ADA Celebration on July 26th at Yaman Park!   It's Only July But Fall Will Come Soon! It may be only July but Homer Congregational Church is already planning for back to school in the fall. Each summer, Homer Congregational Church sponsors a Back to School P.R.E.P. event (Providing Resources and Essentials to Prepare kids for school) where they provide free brand new sneakers, socks, underwear, and hygiene items to school aged children in Cortland County. Last year, they were able to assist 350 children in grades pre-K to 12th, with approximately 35% of families from the Homer School District. Families can start signing up July 1st, first come first serve, at www.homercc.com/prep. For more info click on the flyer below.

    Tuesday, Jul 01 2025

  • The latest Homer Central School District Family and ...

    Enjoy the latest Homer Central School District Family and Community Liaison Newsletter for June, 2025. #BluePride Supporting Healthy Friendships June 5, 2025: 5:30 - 7:00pm Join us for the June Family and Community Liaison Workshop 5:00-5:30 Light Dinner and Childcare* Sign-in  5:30-7:00 pm Workshop Homer Homer High School Auditorium, 80 S. West Rd., Homer, NY FREE If loneliness is the enemy - how do we support kids in creating healthy friendships? Humans are lonelier than ever these days. If adults are struggling to create healthy friendships, how do we model them for our kids?  Click the button below for more information or to pre-register by June 2nd for dinner and/or childcare. Workshop only walk-ins welcome. Register for June 5th Workshop   Summer Reading Kickoff at Phillips Free Library! Saturday, June 7, 2025 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM For: All Ages Location: Homer Village Green The Summer Reading Theme this year is Color Our World. Join Phillips Free Library on the Homer Village Green (across from the library) for a kickoff event. Splat Sumthin' paint room will be there with spin art and a splatter tent (while supplies last), and there will be lawn games, chalk drawing and an opportunity to register for the Summer Reading Program. All ages children, teens and adults are encouraged to participate this summer!   The Homer Regional Market is open for the season! Open weekly on Saturday mornings from Spring to Fall with live entertainment, farm goods, crafts, and fresh food, the Homer Regional Farmers' Market is the place to buy fresh local foods.   Summer Camps Galore! Have you signed your child up for summer camp yet? Many camps are full already but there are still slots available at some camps. For information on summer camps and how to find out more info about how to afford summer camps click below. Summer Camp Info   Pet Fair Grab Fido and bring the whole fur family down to the Cortland County Fairgrounds for a free Pet Fair! Shop pet goodies and meet local groomers, vets and kennels. Enjoy an afternoon of pets on parade, face painting, best dog tricks, and pony rides, and more. Saturday Jun 7, 2025 10:00 AM - 2:00 Cortland County Fairgrounds 4301 Fairgrounds Drive, Cortland   JEFF STEWART FISHING DERBY Come out and enjoy an exciting, fun-filled day outdoors and get hooked on fishing! Youngsters 15 and younger are invited to test their fishing skills and win available prizes at the annual fishing derby sponsored by Izaak Walton League, and the Cortland Youth Bureau. Stop out to Durkee Pond on Route 11 in Homer on Saturday June 7th from 8:30am-11am. Participants can register on site throughout the derby. There will be three divisions: 8 and under, 11 and under, and 15 and under. Prizes will be awarded to the longest fish in each division.    Register - Free Cooking Classes   Homer's Music on the Green Concert Series Starts June 25th The Village of Homer Recreation Department will kick off the Music on the Green Concert series on Wednesday, June 25th at 7:00pm with The Old Timer's Band. Bring a chair, pack a cooler, and enjoy live music under the evening sky!   Adulting 101 Sponsored by the Phillips Free Library This multi-session series is for young adults age 17-25 The sessions will help you learn some of the skills you may need to become a successful adult.  Classes will likely include: finances, car care, cooking, communication and more.  Please fill out the registration form by clicking the button below if you are interested in participating and the library will be in contact with you.  If you have questions, you can email Sarah: office@phillipsfreelibrary.org Register for Adulting 101   June is National Safety Month Ready for Summer Fun? What are your plans for summer? Maybe you want to road trip to a music festival. Host the perfect block party. Spend time in the water. Or finally master grilling the perfect burger. Whatever your plans, have you considered how to do each one safely? The National Safety Council (NSC) has, and they put together an easy-to-use checklist for you. Checkout their full list and the rest of their Summer 2025 issue of Family Safety & Health here: https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/26769-ready-for-summer-fun   June is Pride Month Pride Month, honored throughout the month of June in the United States, is a time reserved for commemorating the LGBTQIA civil rights movement and uplifting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. Pride presents an opportunity for families to gather and show support for our loved ones. Pride Month is an opportunity to teach kids about what it means to be part of the LGBTQIA community, the history of the celebration, and how to have fun. The word "Pride" was actually originally an acronym that stood for Personal Rights in Defense and Education, an organization started in 1966 to fight for equal rights for LGBTQIA people in California. Pride creates a safe space for everyone to feel connected and experience a sense of community. Locally, Pride Month is celebrated with a festival on June 19th in Cortland at Courthouse Park hosted by the Cortland LGBTQ Center. See image below for more details on this year's festival.

    Monday, Jun 02 2025

  • LOCATION CHANGE for Workshop June 5th!

    Supporting Healthy Friendships June 5, 2025: 5:30 - 7:00pm NEW LOCATION: HOMER HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM Please note that the original location of HTEC has been updated to the Homer High School Auditorium. The workshop will be held in the auditorium and childcare will still be offered in the High School Cafeteria. REGISTER for June Workshop Join us for the June Family and Community Liaison Workshop 5:00-5:30 Light Dinner and Childcare* Sign-in  5:30-7:00 pm Workshop Homer Homer High School Auditorium, 80 S. West Rd., Homer, NY Click the button above to pre-register by June 2nd for dinner and/or childcare. Walk-ins for workshop only are welcome. If loneliness is the enemy - how do we support kids in creating healthy friendships? Humans are lonelier than ever these days. If adults are struggling to create healthy friendships, how do we model them for our kids?   The challenges of friendship never go away - whether it is struggles on the playground, navigating divergent interests, the struggles of social groups or time management - finding belonging is a challenge at any age. Helping kids navigate friendships through role modeling, healthy boundary setting, being a caring friend and making time for friendships can be a challenge. Join local therapist, Karen Dudgeon, LCSW to discuss ways to support kids in making healthy choices and finding ways to play, as well as ways to recognize when your child is struggling, even if they aren't sharing with you!  This program is sponsored by Seven Valleys Health Coalition and hosted by Homer Central School District's Family and Community Liaison service and is FREE. This workshop is appropriate for parents, teachers, and other supportive adults. Open to the wider community (NOT limited to Homer School District). *Please note childcare is offered only to Homer Central School District families. Contact info This is our last workshop for the 2024-2025 school year. Please share your thoughts after this session to help inform future topics and resources at upcoming sessions. If you are unable to attend but have ideas or requests for future workshops or other feedback, questions or want more information on the topic, please contact one of the district's Family & Community Liaisons: Amanda Hudson - Elementary - 607-749-1250 x1013 or ahudson@homercentral.org Lisa Matijas - Intermediate - 607-749-4210 x2142 or lmatijas@homercentral.org Susan Williams - Junior High - 607-749-1230 x3175 or snwilliams@homercentral.org Alicia Maroney - High School - 607-749-7246 x4035 or amaroney@homercentral.org

    Thursday, May 29 2025

  • June 2025 Family & Community Liaison Workshop

    Supporting Healthy Friendships June 5, 2025: 5:30 - 7:00pm REGISTER for the June Workshop Join us for the June Family and Community Liaison Workshop 5:00-5:30 Light Dinner and Childcare* Sign-in  5:30-7:00 pm Workshop At Homer HTEC, 80 S. West Rd., Homer, NY Click the button above to pre-register by June 2nd for dinner and/or childcare. Walk-ins for workshop only are welcome. If loneliness is the enemy - how do we support kids in creating healthy friendships? Humans are lonelier than ever these days. If adults are struggling to create healthy friendships, how do we model them for our kids?   The challenges of friendship never go away - whether it is struggles on the playground, navigating divergent interests, the struggles of social groups or time management - finding belonging is a challenge at any age. Helping kids navigate friendships through role modeling, healthy boundary setting, being a caring friend and making time for friendships can be a challenge. Join local therapist, Karen Dudgeon, LCSW to discuss ways to support kids in making healthy choices and finding ways to play, as well as ways to recognize when your child is struggling, even if they aren't sharing with you!  This program is sponsored by Seven Valleys Health Coalition and hosted by Homer Central School District's Family and Community Liaison service and is FREE. This workshop is appropriate for parents, teachers, and other supportive adults. Open to the wider community (NOT limited to Homer School District). *Please note childcare is offered only to Homer Central School District families. Contact info Please share your thoughts after this session to help inform future topics and resources at upcoming sessions. If you are unable to attend but have ideas or requests for future workshops or other feedback, questions or want more information on the topic, please contact one of the district's Family & Community Liaisons: Amanda Hudson - Elementary - 607-749-1250 x1013 or ahudson@homercentral.org Lisa Matijas - Intermediate - 607-749-4210 x2142 or lmatijas@homercentral.org Susan Williams - Junior High - 607-749-1230 x3175 or snwilliams@homercentral.org Alicia Maroney - High School - 607-749-7246 x4035 or amaroney@homercentral.org

    Thursday, May 22 2025