Schenectady City School District

Introducing our very first Teacher of the Week for the 2025–26 school year, Lauren Quinn! Lauren has been a dedicated educator at Mont Pleasant Middle School for nearly a decade and also serves as the 21st Century Program Teacher Leader Coordinator. We are especially grateful for her leadership and commitment, as we couldn’t have made it through the summer at Oneida without her support. Thank you, Lauren!

To learn more about the passionate people in our district and explore our strategic plan, visit this link: https://www.schenectadyschools.org/page/strategic-plan-2024-2030

#passionatepeople #SCSDstrategicplan ❤️💙

The Schenectady Police Department shared this evening that they are investigating a report from a child who stated she was approached by an unknown male while waiting at a bus stop near Craig
Street and Delamont Avenue between 7:45 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.

The child described the individual as a Black male with a beard, wearing all black clothing.
Detectives are working to identify potential witnesses and review surveillance footage from the
area.

Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to contact the Schenectady Police
Department’s Detective Division at 518-382-5200 Ext 5245 or provide information
anonymously through the Tips Line at 518-788-6566.

🚨 We're hiring! Join us at the SCSD Job Fair on Sept 17, 2025 | 2–4PM at 530 Liberty St, Schenectady, NY. Immediate interviews for Nurses, Teachers, Paraprofessionals & more! Walk-ins welcome—bring your resume! 🔗 schenectady.recruitfront.com/JobOpportunities

Interested in programs at Proctors for acting, film, journalism, or digital media? Check out the Acting Academy and Media Lab — two exciting after-school opportunities for Schenectady City School District students in grades 6–8. Both programs run Monday through Thursday, October to May, from 3:30 to 5:30 PM, with transportation and snacks provided.

In Acting Academy, students dive into theatre, improv, and performance while building confidence and creativity. In Media Lab, students explore filmmaking, podcasting, and digital storytelling using professional equipment and editing software. Learn more or register at collaborativeschoolofthearts.org

Good afternoon ... Please click on the link to open Superintendent Cotto's update for this week: https://www.schenectadyschools.org/page/superintendents-update-september-5-2025

Have a great weekend.

Congrats to Superintendent Cotto! He's been recognized by the National Fellowship for Black and Latino Male Educators (NFBLME) as one of the most powerful Black and Latino male educators in the nation. We are incredibly proud of his dedication and leadership, and the lasting impact he's making in education.

Interested in Continuing Education classes?

The 2025-26 Continuing Education Catalogue is hitting mailboxes this week.

This catalogue contains a number of courses that are available to members of the Schenectady Community. Please note, our new location is at 80 Nott Terrace in downtown Schenectady (former Clarkson University building).

Courses Include:
GED
Business and Investing
English as a Second Language
Houseflipping 101
Defensive Driving and more!

➡️ https://www.schenectadyschools.org/article/2392239

Attention 2025 graduates and families! Below you’ll find the full photo albums captured by our district staff!

June: https://photos.app.goo.gl/piccH5Vcci8xVBQi8

August: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5R4hR37DSn2Ng6az9

Thank you to Kathleen Moore from the Times Union for visiting the new Steinmetz Freshman Leadership Academy on opening day.

Read story here: https://www.timesunion.com/education/article/schenectady-opens-steinmetz-academy-freshmen-21028915.php

Welcome to a New School Year!

We are excited to welcome you to the first day of the 2025-2026 school year!

Just a friendly reminder that tomorrow, Thursday, September 4th, is the first day of school for all students in all grades.

We can't wait to see everyone tomorrow.

WELCOME BACK!!!!

Please click on the link to open Superintendent Cotto's welcome video message: https://www.schenectadyschools.org/page/superintendents-update-september-3-2025

We look forward to seeing all of our students tomorrow and wish everyone a great school year.

🎒Thank you to our community partners at County Waste for their generous donation of backpacks and school supplies for our students.

🚨 We're hiring! Join us at the SCSD Job Fair on Sept 17, 2025 | 2–4PM at 530 Liberty St, Schenectady, NY. Immediate interviews for Nurses, Teachers, Paraprofessionals & more! Walk-ins welcome—bring your resume! 🔗 schenectady.recruitfront.com/JobOpportunities

On this Labor Day, we celebrate the spirit of hard work that builds our communities. We are incredibly grateful for the dedication of our entire district team, as well as the parents, caregivers, and community members who support our schools every day. It's the combined effort hat makes our district strong. Wishing everyone a restful and enjoyable day! #LaborDay2025 #CommunityStrong #Education

Starting September 1st, when you purchase a reusable community bag at Hannaford (Only at 333 Consaul Rd), $1 will be donated to the SCSD Educational Foundation. Your small act of sustainability directly supports local students by funding valuable academic opportunities. 🌱📖

Registration is open for After School Programs at the following schools:

* Hamilton
* Howe
* Keane
* MLK (Will be available soon)
* Van Corlaer
* Woodlawn
* Yates
* Zoller

Go here for your school info: https://www.schenectadyschools.org/article/2383057

📚More back to school event highlights from around the district this week. Thank you to all of the families who came out for orientations and BBQs.

📫 In your mailbox: Spotlight on Schenectady 24-25 📖This magazine shines a light 🔦 on the amazing accomplishments of students and staff from last school year, including: 🎓Class of 2025 🍎State Teacher of the Year 🤖SHS Combat Robotics

We are pleased share the following Appointment Announcements:

* John Pizzo, Principal of Pleasant Valle Elementary School

* Sara Straub, Assistant Principal of Big Picture Learning

More here: https://www.schenectadyschools.org/article/2382565