Ellicottville Central School Welcomes Students Back for 2026-27 School Year
Ellicottville Central School Welcomes Students Back for 2026-27 School Year
New teachers, expanded STEM opportunities, family events and community support mark a fresh start at ECS
A brand-new school year is underway at Ellicottville Central School, bringing with it a fresh start not only for students, faculty, and staff, but for families and the Ellicottville community. The district is welcoming new teachers, hosting engaging events, and sharing opportunities for families and community members to get involved.
Beth Beaver, interim Elementary School Principal, is eager to kick off the 2026-2027 school year. New for this school year, elementary students attended Open House the day before the first day of school, which allowed students to see their classroom and meet their teacher before day one. For the first time ever, all elementary students were provided with all of their required school supplies thanks to the collaboration and generosity of the Parent-Teacher Organization, the Ellicottville American Legion Auxiliary, the Great Valley Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary, Holiday Valley, and other community members. The only items students need to bring are a backpack and sneakers for gym, and “we even have those if they need them,” said Beaver.
Beaver thanked the PTO and the community for their kindness and recognized how this project highlighted the community’s desire to be involved and help at ECS. She noted, “I think Ellicottville is a pretty fantastic and supportive community, and we hope to build on that this year.”
This year, the school community is expanding to include three new teachers. Beaver is excited to welcome two new teachers to the elementary school. “They both come with plenty of experience,” she said. “Our third grade teacher, Shelley Baldwin, is from Ellicottville, so it’s great to have her home. Stacie Ermer comes to us from Olean, and she has several years of experience teaching art.” Ermer is teaching in the elementary school and middle/high school on a part-time basis, as she teaches art at West Valley in the morning. Courtney Sexton is joining the middle/high school faculty as a math teacher. For her, the new position represents a sort of homecoming, as ECS is her alma mater.
Beaver is looking forward to some new events geared towards students and their families this year. Leah Farnum, who is the elementary STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teacher will be leading a series of themed nights at the school. “More information will be coming out on our website and Facebook,” Beaver explained. “There’s going to be a literacy night, a game night, a planes and pizza night, and more throughout the year, and it will be for different grade levels for some of the different nights.”
Expanding involvement with the community is one of Beaver’s top goals this year. “It’s one of our goals, and a board goal, too - to just really get our community involved as much as we can and welcome them,” she explained. “Finding opportunities to do that is going to be one of our focuses this year. It’s exciting stuff, and we’ve already started some of that work.”
Middle/High School Principal Dr. Erich Ploetz noted that it’s an exciting year for the Eagles, as there are many new curricular options in the middle and high school, particularly in the STEM fields. “We have big plans for adding the 'fun factor' for the year, including allowing seniors to paint their parking spot if they wish. Watching seniors on campus painting these spots has been a welcome addition to the end of summer,” Ploetz said.
Outside the classroom, there is plenty happening, too. Ploetz shared, “Fall athletics are underway, and as always, we are looking forward to competitive seasons, and it won't be long until we see rehearsals up and running for the Middle School Musical. For the first time in many years, we will have a foreign exchange student, Katerina Simeckova from the Czech Republic! We are very excited to welcome Kate to our community! Spirits are high and we are all looking forward to a fantastic year at ECS!”
Families and community members are encouraged to stay connected with the school via the website at www.ellicottvillecentral.com and social media: Ellicottville Central School. For athletic program information, including game schedules, follow Ellicottville Sports Boosters on Facebook.