Batavia School Goes on Brief 'Lockdown' Thursday

Hallways were cleared to address a situation with a student, the school's principal said. Here's more info.

A situation with a student Thursday prompted a brief shutdown of a Batavia school, the principal announced. The incident occurred at about noon at Grace McWayne School, 3501 Hapner Way, said Principal Jeff Modaff. As a result, staff cleared the school hallways and closed classroom doors for about 10 minutes. "This allowed staff and emergency personnel to support this student safely and confidentially," Modaff said in an online message sent at 4:30 p.m. Thursday to the school community. "The staff, students and guests of the building were never in danger as this was only a safety and privacy precaution." A Batavia Fire Department medical unit responded to Grace McWayne at about noon Thursday, Battalion Chief Randy Zies confirmed. One …

• Photos (2)

Batavia Goes Back To School

Flashback: Grace McWayne First Day of School 2011

The Grace McWayne School grounds were filled with excited students and parents.

Here is Part 5 of 6 looking at Batavia Public Schools in back-to-school mode last year, in a series of never-before-seen photos: School is cool! We're not sure who was happier, the students or the parents. All seemed to be glad to be at Grace McWayne Elementary on Aug. 23, 2011. The rain began to fall just as the students started to file into the school and parents enthusiastically waved goodbye.  Kevin Skomer, still Grace McWayne's principal at the time, addressed the parents at a PTO welcome coffee event and talked about what a great school year this was going to be. "It's nice to see the kids back," he said. "It's been too quiet as Mr. Cone and I were the only ones passing in the halls over the summer". We hope all the students had a …

• Photos (35)
• Videos (1)

See New Batavia Principal at Meet and Greet Aug. 9

Jeff Modaff will be at Grace McWayne School this afternoon. Come say hello!

Those who come to the next Grace McWayne PTO meeting today, Aug. 9, will be able to meet the school's new principal in person. Jeff Modaff will be available to speak with parents after the meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at the school. Grace McWayne Elementary School is located at 3501 Hapner Way. Today's meeting will be shorter than a typical PTO meeting, according to an online message from the school. Modaff joins Batavia Public Schools from Oswego, where he was principal of the Brokaw Early Learning Center for the past three years. He is one of three new principal hires at the elementary level this year. To read more about Modaff's background, click here. Grace McWayne's former principal, Kevin Skomer, is still with the district in …

• Photos (1)

UPDATE: Batavia Hires Another New Elementary Principal

This Aurora educator is the third new principal hire for Batavia Public Schools 2012-13 school year. Here's more info about him and other new employees.

The new lineup of principals for Batavia's elementary schools is now complete. Tim McDermott will become the new principal of H.C. Storm Elementary School. The Batavia School Board approved his employment during its monthly meeting Tuesday night. McDermott is currently the Student Services Coordinator at Gombert Elementary School in Indian Prairie School District #204. His annual salary in Batavia will be $95,000, according to the School Board's Tuesday meeting packet. McDermott joins two other new principals hired in May—Jeff Modaff and Nicole Prentiss. Modaff will be Grace McWayne School's principal and Prentiss will become principal of J.B. Nelson School. McDermott rounds out the revised Batavia elementary school principal roster. This …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Batavia Principal to Leave District For Position in Sycamore

Kris Webster will depart Batavia this month. A new principal will be announced this week, Batavia's superintendent said.

The Batavia principal that was supposed to transfer to H.C. Storm School next year is going to another district instead. Kristine Webster, current principal of Louise White School, accepted a position in Sycamore School District 427 as the Director of Curriculum. Her last day in Batavia is June 29. "While I am excited for this new opportunity, there is so much I will miss here," Webster said Wednesday in an online message. "It has been my privilege to be a part of such a wonderful school community. Thank you!" A new principal for H.C. Storm will be named this week, Batavia Superintendent Jack Barshinger told Batavia Patch on Wednesday. Barshinger said there will be no more principal transfers this year. Webster's scheduled move to H.C. …

• Photos (1)

Batavia Hires 2 New Principals For Elementary Schools

Meet the new leaders of J.B. Nelson and Grace McWayne elementary schools.

Batavia Public Schools has selected two new elementary-school principals for the next school year. Jeff Modaff will become principal of Grace McWayne School and Nicole Prentiss will become principal of J.B. Nelson School. The schools' current principals, Kevin Skomer and Melissa Kaczkowski, were transferred within the district. The Batavia School Board on Tuesday voted to approve Modaff and Prentiss' employment. Modaff's annual salary will be $102,500, and Prentiss' annual salary will be $95,000, according to the School Board's Tuesday meeting packet. Modaff is currently the principal of the Brokaw Early Learning Center in Oswego. Prentiss is currently the assistant principal of Nicholas A. Hermes Elementary School in Aurora. Modaff and …

• Photos (1)

Batavia Schools Transfer Another Principal

This is the 4th principal to be promoted or transferred for next year. Some other administrators will move as well. Here are the details.

Batavia Public Schools is in search of not one, but two new elementary principals next year. On Tuesday the Batavia School Board approved the following transfers: District leaders began to discuss the principal selection process with staff and parents at J.B. Nelson and Grace McWayne, the other Batavia school that will get a new principal this year. Kaczkowski has been J.B. Nelson’s principal for six years. “It will be hard to leave my team at JBN, but leading the elementary student services team is a very exciting opportunity,” Kaczkowski said in an online message to district residents. Kaczkowski becomes the fourth Batavia elementary principal that will be in a new role for the next school year. Principals at H.C. Storm, Louise White and…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Batavia School Board Approves Principal Swap

Batavia School Board members on Tuesday approved the transfer of some elementary school principals. Here are the ones affected and why.

Three Batavia elementary school principals will leave their buildings at the end of this school year for other positions in the district. The district is now in search of a principal for Grace McWayne School. The position will be posted today (Wednesday) or Thursday, said Batavia Superintendent Jack Barshinger. The Batavia School Board on Tuesday approved the Barshinger-recommended transfers during their regular meeting. “I will miss working at H.C. Storm, which I have called home for the past 18 years,” Sikorski said in an online message to school district residents. Based on the new Performance Evaluation Reform Act and other Senate Bill 7 requirements, the district must build elementary capacity to implement a new teacher appraisal …

• Photos (1)