NorthStar Lights

Hello North Syracuse Central School District Parents, Guardians, Teachers and Staff,

Over the past several weeks, my messages in this newsletter have included snippets of things I’ve experienced while spending time in our schools. This week will be the same. It isn’t that I don’t have interesting conversations with my district office coworkers…I do…but being in a school is just different. I feel like I learn something new every time I visit and I come away from the interactions wanting to do the absolute best for our students and staff.

Yesterday I spent time with students in Cicero-North Syracuse High School Principal’s Cabinet and last week with UMOJA members. I have been at several other buildings and have taken part in a variety of meetings with students, teachers, parents, business owners and community members. No matter where I’ve been though, there is a common theme in the conversations – people want to feel heard and to truly BE heard.

We all have voices that are unique to us. We are products of our life circumstances. We all bring different viewpoints to the conversation and deserve to be heard. I want to share with you just a few of the things I’ve seen and heard recently and that I completely take to heart:

1. A kindergartener calling snow days “magical.”
   
2. A student asking others to help celebrate all cultures.
   
3. A parent speaking out in appreciation of opportunities in the performing arts for her child who thrives on stage.
4. A student thanking another person for using inclusive language.
5. A teacher’s eyes filling with tears when her sense of being overwhelmed was acknowledged by another.
   

These observations are truly just snippets of time spent in school. I know there are a million other moments that go unnoticed. This week I received a copy of a letter from the parent of a senior thanking a teacher for making a difference in her child’s life. The parent thought it was important to recognize the teacher for being kind and encouraging to her child. I agree and I appreciate that the principal took the time to share the letter with me. That said, I also know there are probably dozens of other stories of gratitude that I don’t hear about.

My point in sharing these reflections this week is simple – be open and willing to learn from others. Our voices may be unique but if we listen as much as we speak, we form a unified declaration of understanding.

Please enjoy the February mid-winter recess and use the time to recharge.

Sincerely,

Daniel D. Bowles, Superintendent of Schools

If you're looking for a fun activity to do with your child over the mid-winter break, why not have them take part in the Google Doodle contest? This year's contest theme is "I care for myself by..." asks students to share how they nurture mind, body and/or spirit. Learn more by clicking here.

Second-grade students in Nancy Collins' class at Allen Road Elementary School were some of the many throughout the NSCSD to celebrate 100 days of learning on Wednesday, February 16. Each year teachers throughout the District select various themes to celebrate 100 days of school. This year, Collins' students created colorful posters using 100 pieces of an object of their choosing. Collins, who has worked in the District for 29 years, was impressed with her students' work and wanted to share their creations. She said, "It is always fun to see what our students create for their 100th day of school. I am thrilled to have the students in school five, full days a week. It's great to be going forward in a positive direction with the pandemic. I love the fact we are getting back to ‘normal’ compared to how things were last year.”

Click here to check out the online article for more pictures of the students' amazing creations!

The NSCSD uses SchoolMessenger to send text and email messages to our families. We recently noticed that some families are “blocking” our messages. We use the system to send important information regarding COVID, academic deadlines, yearbook reminders and much more. We don’t want you to miss out so if you think your email or cell phone is inadvertently blocking the NSCSD, we can help!

You can check your SchoolMessenger settings using an easy and convenient app. If you don’t have the app, you can easily download it to your phone or mobile device. Just search “School Messenger app” in the App Store or in Google Play. Once you have the app downloaded, “Sign up” using the email address you have on file with the District in SchoolTool. Within the app you’ll be able to see and change the types of messages you receive by text/email/push. If your settings show that you should be getting text messages from the NSCSD but you’re not, you can opt in my texting the word YES to the number 67587 from your cell phone.

If you have any questions about SchoolMessenger or your settings, check online at www.nscsd.org/schoolmessenger or email our school information officer, Laurie Cook at lcook@nscsd.org.

The North Syracuse Central School District has announced its registration dates for 2022-2023 kindergarten students. In order for your child to enter school next fall, he or she must be five (5) years old on or before December 1, 2022. Elementary schools are holding registration at individual school buildings on the following dates by appointment.

Families of known new students will receive an appointment letter from their child’s home school in February. Families who will be registering a new kindergarten student and who have not received a letter by the 3rd week in February, should contact the school to schedule an appointment.

Click here to learn more about dates and times for registration.

During the week of February 7-11, students in the Cicero North Syracuse High School Principal’s Cabinet, with support from the school’s new “The Hidden Opponent” club, celebrated P.S. I Love You week. The theme is celebrated to raise awareness of the importance of mental health.

Events at C-NS kicked off with Varsity boys and Varsity girls Basketball awareness games. The players wore purple, the gym was decorated and an awareness table welcomed spectators with information on mental health and crisis resources.

Click here to read the complete article online.

As elementary school students across the world learn about and see the Winter Olympic Games for the first time in their lives, students at Roxboro Road Elementary School are getting a hands-on feel for one of the events right at school. RRE students were able to take time last week to create and use their very own luge as part of their physical education class. Fina Santangelo and Stephen Mirizio, the school’s two PE teachers, along with Becky Jones, APE teacher and student teacher Lauren Ott, thought the makeshift luge would provide real experience and FUN for the students!

The Star Shop at Cicero-North Syracuse High School is taking pre-sale orders for C-NS sports stickers. Sticker options are listed in the online form by going to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvAw7ea0e4IU2B3xXdC0mWYXhen2YAE7uJWqBptRpuroHi7A/viewform. Once orders are placed using the order form, call Linda Dwyer at 315 218-4150 to process payment. You will receive an email when your order is ready for pick up.

The North Syracuse Central School District has scheduled a revised date for its 2022 Wall of Distinction Induction ceremony. The ceremony will now take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 13 at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. This year’s inductees will be announced after March 1. For additional information about the Wall of Distinction, please contact Christopher R. Leahey, Ed.D., Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, North Syracuse Central School District at 315/218-2148.

Did you know that the North Syracuse Central School District is hiring? There are a variety of positions available, both full and part-time. Learn more about employment with the District online by clicking here. Applications can also be submitted online.

On Wednesday, February 23, the North Syracuse Central School District is hosting a transportation department job fair. The event will take place at the transportation department (5520 East Taft Road) in North Syracuse from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

North Syracuse Central School District Director of Transportation Matthew Conti encourages anyone interested to attend the fair and learn about transportation careers with the district. “We are looking for dependable, safety-minded individuals to become trained for some of the most important jobs in the district. CDL driving experience is preferred by not necessary, so anyone that is looking toward this as a career option is more than welcome to attend our job fair.”

Interested persons can fill out an application by clicking here for the necessary form. Applicants are asked to bring a the application and a resume with them to the job fair. For more information about the job fair, contact the North Syracuse Central School District Transportation Department Office at (315) 218-2107.

Dr. Keith Reeves, a former Lakeshore Road Elementary Road School and Gillette Road Middle School student and Cicero-North Syracuse High School graduate, recently contacted the NSCSD in appreciation for the educational beginnings he received in the District. Dr. Reeves, who received an "Outstanding Dissertation" award from the American Educational Research Association. Dr. Reeves contacted the District to say thank you. In his email he wrote, " I wanted to thank you for providing a firm foundation of learning upon which I've built a career teaching others. I hope you will extend the leadership of those schools, as well as the leadership of the district, my gratitude." Congratulations Dr. Reeves. Click here to read more about Dr. Reeves' story.

We love to share photos and videos from our students, families and teachers. If you're willing to share, please send your high quality images using the link below. We'll be using your photos in this newsletter and other publications throughout the school year. Additionally, high resolution, horizontal photos will be considered for the District website. If you'd like to share pictures, please email them to our Communications Officer, Laurie Cook at lcook@nscsd.org or click here to upload them.

Did you know that the North Syracuse Central School District's Athletics Department has a weekly email newsletter? If you'd like to subscribe to the newsletter, click here to fill out the necessary form.

The North Syracuse Central School District produces a weekly digital newsletter, "NorthStar Lights," to share important information and good news with NSCSD families and staff. Parents and staff members automatically receive the newsletter through SchoolMessenger.

Grandparents, community members and all friends of the NSCSD are welcome to subscribe by providing an email address by clicking here. Newsletters are emailed each Friday when school is in session. Help us share the good news and the great things happening in the NSCSD!

In accordance with CDC guidance, students, teachers and staff who have symptoms of infectious illness (influenza or COVID-19), should stay home and be referred to their healthcare provider for evaluation care and testing. Individuals who are absent from school will need to provide either a medical note or proof of a negative COVID test (PCR test).

Students or staff members who develop symptoms during the school day will be sent home immediately. Parents of students will be contacted immediately to come and pick up their child.

Please remember the symptoms of COVID 19 include:

● Fever or chills

● Cough

● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

● Fatigue

● Muscle or body aches

● Headache

● New loss of taste or smell

● Sore throat

● Congestion or runny nose

● Nausea or vomiting

● Diarrhea

Email: webmaster@nscsd.org
Website: www.nscsd.org
Location: 5355 West Taft Road, Syracuse, NY, USA
Phone: (315) 218-2100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NSyracuseCSD/
Twitter: @NSyracuseCSD