Good afternoon,

I'm quite sure that everyone is looking forward to heading out for the holiday and Spring break. I'll try to keep things brief.

Last night at the Board of Education meeting, we were proud to once again recognize "passionate people" from each of our schools. Our school principals each nominated a faculty or staff member who best represented the "passionate people" strategic plan pillar. I continue to be impressed with the dedication and commitment of our staff. Congratulations to each of our recipients who clearly love the work they do and are making a difference in the lives of our students and families.

Energy for the Common Good partnered with our district and Paige Elementary School for the Generation Fusion Pilot. At the Board of Education Meeting, Paige students spoke about their projects that represented climate change, clean energy, and fusion energy. Their projects were interpretations of a fusion reaction.

We had a lot going on at the board meeting in terms of both celebrations and business. Terry Gillooley, Chief Financial Officer, took his turn and provided a few budget updates and reminders. He shared that the district will be pursing the purchase of the Keane Elementary School building and property for $2 million. We have been leasing the school since 2007 and have been discussing whether to renew the lease or to purchase. The obvious decision is to purchase. We need the space and there's some great land surrounding the school that we will own. Additionally, we've made an investment having leased there for nearly 26 years. The proposal will be included on the May 16 ballot along with the Budget vote, Capital Project Referendum, and School Board Election. With the purchase of Keane, there will still be no impact on the tax levy. Mr. Gillooley's update is available here.

Ken McDermith, Director of Innovation and Technology, provided an update on technology. He shared a roadmap of where we started, where we have been, and where we are going. We've made a lot of progress over the last two years in terms of support, access and innovation. You can take a look at his presentation here. Thank you to Ken for his expertise and hard work building capacity and moving us forward.

I'm pleased to share that the Board of Education approved the school calendar for 2023-2024. As you can see the first day of school for students is September 7.

I know many in our community have been waiting for the Pre-K lottery applications to become available. Today is the day!

If you have a child who will be 3 years old on or before December 1, please complete this lottery application.

If your child will be 4 years on on or before December 1, please complete this lottery application.

Applications are due on May 2, 2023.

Information on the lottery and process, including the registration checklist, frequently asked questions and how to contact us, is available here.

Yesterday our principals came together for a full day of collaboration and engagement. We covered many items including planning for the 2023 Summer Enrichment Program and April STEAM Camp coming up next week. We also had some discussion on the Second Step social-emotional learning (SEL) program. Principals shared what is working and what's not. During our time together, we also spent quite a bit of time discussing and working on the master schedule for next year. It was a productive meeting. Thank you to all of our principals for taking time away from your school and students for these important conversations.

On Wednesday afternoon Schenectady High School celebrated the grand opening of its new Parent Empowerment Center with a potluck dinner. The center will be planning monthly events, has information on child care assistance, utilities assistance, food and nutrition assistance and much more. Thank you to all who worked so hard to make this happen. This is a great resource for our parents. #SchenectadyRising For more information on the Parent Empowerment Center, contact LaShanda Blanks Blanksl@schenectadyschools.org

Thank you to all of our assistant principals. I appreciate the work that our assistant principals do day in and out for our students and families. An AP's job covers a lot of ground and can be challenging. It takes hard work, passion, inspiration and thousands of steps around the school every day. APs fill an important role and have significant impact on the culture and success of a school.

Yesterday was Paraprofessional Appreciation Day and our paras deserve all the recognition they can get. They are tireless workers who show care and compassion to our students, provide support to our teachers, and are an integral role on our team. Our paras are calm, patient, dedicated, motivating and so much more. I appreciate you and all that you do.

Since this week is National Library Week, I thought it would be a good time to honor the contributions of our librarians. Our libraries are not just places to check out books. They are important spaces for learning and building bridges. Oftentimes, the library is where a person's passion for reading ignited. Our librarians are media mentors who help students identify new interests, encourage them to expand their skillset and offer them support and resources. They play a key role in supporting digital learning. Our libraries are instrumental in creating key spaces that reflect all students identifies. Thank you to our librarians.

April is also Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when child wellness and child welfare organizations across the country elevate the importance of creating systems and programs that put children and families first. Preventing child abuse means that all community members have a role in ensuring children have positive experiences and families have the resources they need when they need them. Child abuse and neglect are preventable, and all communities benefit when children and families are well supported. We all must work together to make this happen. #PreventionPartnership

Keep in mind that the third quarter closes on April 18, just as students are returning. New York State assessments will begin on April 19.

I wish you a restful, fun and fabulous break. Happy Easter or a very happy Passover. If you celebrate either holiday, may your celebration with family and friends be filled with joy.

Sincerely,

Anibal Soler, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools

Gardening in the SHS Library and media Center continued this week as student volunteers transplanted the seedlings into the garden. The garden will pump water through the tower and cycle the lights on and off for optimal growing.

Siena Center for Academic Community Engagement is offering Paid Summer Research & Internship Opportunities.
See flyer here for more.

The following were appointed by the Board of Education on April 4. If you are new to the district, "welcome to Schenectady.

MOBILE APP SUPPORT Click here to watch a short video on how to set your school and language preferences on our mobile app: hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saNC9ek2Lqg

PREVIOUS BRIEFS: For the index of Volume 1 and Volume 2 Briefs, click here.