NorthStar Lights
North Syracuse Central School District's Electronic News
Hello North Syracuse Central School District Students, Families and Staff!
Today is the one-month mark for the 2024-2025 school year and I'm happy to say we're off to a good start. Our schools and grounds are in excellent condition and school spirit is up. We saw excellent participation for our District-Wide School Spirit Week and our Homecoming football game attendance was tremendous.
In addition to these events, our open houses, back-to-school barbecues and other school events have been well-attended. Our families are showing enthusiasm for being involved in our school community. This spirit of collaboration is vital, and it makes us stronger.
On Thursday, September 26, we hosted a special event at Cicero-North Syracuse High School, which underscored the idea of education, industry, and government working together. The event focused on our growing collaboration with Micron and highlighted the educational opportunities that lie ahead for our students and staff. By working together with industry leaders and our dedicated educators, we are creating a brighter future for all our students, one that equips them to be innovators and leaders in the classroom and beyond.
We are excited for the months ahead and the many ways we will continue to connect, grow and thrive together as a district. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our students' success.
Warm regards,
Michael Schiedo, Interim Superintendent
North Syracuse Central School District
Congratulations to Cicero-North Syracuse High School Music Teacher Danielle Rausa for being selected as the WCNY Classic FM Educator of the Month for September. The Classic FM Music Educator Award was established in 2022 to recognize outstanding teachers across the region.
Awardees are selected by a committee of four individuals who are active in the arts community, who review the nominations. Danielle was nominated by four individuals – two parents, a colleague and a student. Diane Jones, the program manager for WCNY Classic FM shares that Danielle’s “glowing recommendations made the decision to honor her an easy one.”
In addition to the award presentation, which took place as a surprise to Danielle at CNS High School in front of her class, Danielle will be bringing the CNS Vocal Jazz Ensemble to the WCNY studios for a short performance, which will be aired on WCNY Classic FM.
Upon learning of the award, Danielle said, “I’m incredibly grateful to WCNY for recognizing dedicated music teachers. I feel so blessed to be winding down my teaching career in the very high school that gave me so many opportunities when I was a student here. CNS has a history of outstanding music teachers, many of whom impacted me and made me want to become a teacher.”
The award is sponsored by The Syracuse Orchestra and the Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music.
On Thursday, September 26, 2024, Cicero-North Syracuse High School welcomed some high-profile guests, including U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and AFT President Randi Weingarten. The event, held in the school’s library, celebrated a big moment for the North Syracuse Central School District, which is at the heart of an exciting partnership with Micron Technology. With Micron’s new chip plant coming to the area, the district is set to play a major role in shaping both the education and economy of Central New York.
The event showcased the success possible through the collaboration of education, government and corporations.
The panel discussion, part of the lead-up to Micron’s groundbreaking in the Town of Clay, brought to light some of the work currently taking place behind the scenes as well as the professional development already taking place for educators. Panelists discussed their visits to Micron’s Manassas facility and how these experiences are shaping curriculum and preparing them to equip students with the skills needed in advanced manufacturing.
The North Syracuse Central School District (NSCSD) is excited to introduce an updated logo for Cicero-North Syracuse High School (CNS). With a number of current and upcoming building projects underway, district leaders felt it was the perfect time to update the school’s branding. The design was developed with input from district and building stakeholders. It was approved by the Board of Education during its meeting on Sept. 9. The goal was to modernize the school logo while still maintaining traditional elements like the star and district colors.
The primary logo is accompanied by other supporting graphics and the options were designed to ensure visual and brand consistency. The transition to the updated logo will happen gradually. One of the first places it will be used is in the newly built community pool. Another project under construction is the high school gym floor.
CNS Executive Principal Kristen Hill commented on the refresh saying “This branding is more than just a new look—it's a statement of our commitment to unity and pride in who we are. As Central New York’s very own Northstar, we aim to be a guiding light in academics, athletics, and community spirit, reflecting the heart of New York.”
On Friday, September 27, Cicero-North Syracuse High School Football Head Coach Ryan was interviewed on 95X prior to the CNS vs. West Genesee football game. Click here to listen to the interview online.
C-NS hosts Micron event with US officials, preps students for tech careers: CNY Central | Allura Leggard | Thu., Sept. 26: Cicero North Syracuse High School Technology Teacher Alexis Williams and Sophomore Lucas Labonski spoke with CNY Central about technology education and opportunities available through a partnership with Micron.
Alexandra Kadick is a student at Roxboro Road Elementary School in Mrs. Burry's classroom. As a special needs student, Alex spends parts of her school day getting individualized services to help her with those needs. Alex's mom, Allison, recently received some pictures from Alex's team of service providers Rebecca Jones and Cindy Renk and she shared those pictures on Facebook with the caption, "This kid...how far she has come in the last year is mind blowing. From bilateral hip surgery and not walking for over 3 months, to absolutely killing it in PT lately. So proud of her everyday."
We saw the post and wanted to share Allison's heartfelt thanks as we approach "School Physical Therapist Appreciation Day" on October 10. Allison's post says it all. We are so grateful for the amazing teams of professionals we are fortunate to have in place in our schools and we are proud of the hard work our students do every day. Thank you Alex, Allison, Rebecca and Cindy for allowing us to showcase your moment of tremendous pride! #NSBrightertogether
Cyber security for school districts is becoming an increasing concern as cyber attacks increase across the country. In order to protect North Syracuse Central School District staff and resources, we are transitioning to the removal of staff email addresses and directory information being published on our webpages. We plan to remove the online staff directory on October 15.
Email is still an important form of communication, and we are not limiting the use of email between school and home. We are only changing the practice of publishing staff email addresses in a way that allows for easy scraping by web bots. This change is driven by increasing concerns around phishing campaigns, which often result from the scraping of email addresses posted publicly online. Many districts in the area are making a similar decision, and this is consistent with best practices for organizations of our size.
In honor of September being Suicide Prevention month, The Onondaga County Suicide Prevention Coalition (OCSPC,) recently hosted “Chalk the Walk” from September 23 through 27. Several schools in the North Syracuse Central School District took part in the event. During the activity students were encouraged to get outside and chalk the sidewalks with messages of hope, inspiration, and resilience to shine a light on mental wellness and suicide prevention.
The North Syracuse Central School District is committed to the mental health and wellness of all of our students and is excited to participate in awareness activities that promote the mental well-being of all students. Thank you to everyone who shared their event photos.
Photos have been posted on the district website and Facebook page.
Spooky Season Reminder: Beware of Phishing Tricks!
As we dive into October and all things spooky, let’s talk about one of the scariest monsters lurking in your inbox—phishing emails! 🧟♂️ Unlike ghosts or goblins, these cyber tricks are very real and can lead to a frightfully bad time if you're not careful.
Phishing emails often disguise themselves as something familiar, but like a werewolf under the full moon, their true form is dangerous. They might try to trick you into sharing personal information or clicking on creepy links that lead to unknown realms (or worse—malware!).
👻 How to avoid getting tricked with no possibility of a treat by phishing:🍬
- Check the sender’s email address—does it look a little off? Don't rely on the name tied to the email, actually look at where the email is coming from. It is very easy to add a costume to a false email with a name you know but the email address is tied to a fake email created in Gmail or other email providers.
- Beware of emails that ask for urgent actions—like a vampire, they thrive on panic! No one is going to use email to contact you in an emergency.
- Don’t click on strange links, even if they seem harmless—because sometimes, they're the portal to a cybersecurity nightmare.
Stay safe out there and remember: the only thing you should be ghosting this Halloween are those suspicious emails. 🎃
North Syracuse Central School District parents and guardians are warmly invited to attend a presentation for adults, "Developing Healthy Tech and Social Media Habits for Child Well-Being" on October 16, 2024 from 6pm-7:15pm at Roxboro Middle School (cafeteria).
State Trooper Chad Whitney, School and Community Outreach Coordinator for the NY State Police Dept., will share useful info about how to keep your child safe and mentally healthy while they're online. Please RSVP by 10/13. Questions? Please contact Chau Ly, 315-263-5284 or cly@nscsd.org. We hope to see you on October 16!
https://forms.gle/zShm392HLkGDcJTK9
We're looking forward to catching Mrs. Corwin's class at Allen Road Elementary School on Spectrum News 1 Central New York/S Tier in the near future. Lacey Leonardi was recently in Mrs. Corwin's class watching students learning how to prevent the spread of germs. Thank you for coming in to visit Lacey and to Mrs. Corwin and her wonderful students for welcoming the visitor! #NSBrighterTogether
CNS High School Senior Kevin Toms has announced that his annual bottle and can drive will take place on October 26-27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Griffin's Guardians Office parking lot at 8116 Brewerton Road in Cicero.
The local non-profit 501©3 Griffin’s Guardians was founded in 2014 by Erin and Adam Engle, the parents of Griffin Engle, who passed away at age 7 from a rare form of brain cancer. Griffin’s Guardians provides support and financial assistance to children battling cancer in over 17 counties in Central New York. They work hand in hand with Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital to stay up to date on what the patients’ and families’ current needs are. In addition, they strive to bring awareness to Pediatric Cancer and to provide for funding Pediatric Cancer Research.
Read the complete article online to learn more about donating to Griffin's Guardians.
Thank you for sharing your District-Wide Spirit Week photos
A big "THANK YOU" to all our students, staff and families who shared pictures from the September District-Wide Spirit Week! Throughout the week of September 23-27, leading up to Cicero-North Syracuse High School Homecoming, students of all ages and teachers throughout the district sported their school spirit with clothing from flannel to tropical and their favorite sports teams. Many thanks to all the teachers and families who shared their pictures on Facebook and over email.
Lakeshore Road Elementary School Walk-a-Thon
Many thanks to Lakeshore Road Elementary School Principal Ms. Chmielewski for sharing pictures of the school's annual Walk-a-Thon, which took place at the school during the District-Wide Spirit Week. For this year's event, students and staff wore their best "Western" gear and saddled up for a "rootin' tootin' good time!
Smith Road Elementary School learning fun
Smith Road Elementary School Teacher Amanda Menikheim-Morey shared pictures of students in her 15:1 having fun while working with numbers. She said they used used dominoes to build number sense and compare quantities and that they had a great time. And just to add some extra cuteness, she shared pictures of students experiencing bubble fun while working on their core word of the week..."More."
We like the word and hope to get MORE pictures from our amazing teachers. Thank you Ms. Menikheim-Morey!
CNS Positivity Project students participate in Inner Harbor event for Clear Path
A big thank you to Mrs. Bambino for sharing pictures of the students involved with the CNS Positivity Project taking part in last weekend's Dragon Boat Race Dragon to benefit Clear Path for Veterans. It was a beautiful day at Syracuse's Inner Harbor! #NSBrighterTogether
Chalk the Walk in the NSCSD - It isn't just about drawing; it's about coming together to spread messages of hope and resilience by turning our sidewalks into colorful displays that reflect our commitment to mental well-being and support for one another. Many thanks to all the schools who participated in this year's Chalk-the-Walk events and to those who shared their pictures!
Together, we can show that no one is alone in their fight. Our students and teachers did an amazing job turning their sidewalks and parking lots into colorful canvases filled with messages of hope! #NSBrighterTogether
District Reminders!
SEPT. 30-OCT. 4: FOOD SERVICE APPRECIATION WEEK
OCT. 7: Board of Education meeting at 6 PM at the Jerome F. Melvin Administrative Office Building (5355 West Taft Rd.) in North Syracuse
OCT. 10: School Physical Therapist Appreciation Day
OCT. 11: Shortened School Day for Students in Grades PreK-12 for Staff Workshops
OCT. 14: Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day - No School for Students or Staff
OCT 14-OCT 18: School Board Appreciation Week
OCT. 21: Board of Education meeting at 6 PM at the Jerome F. Melvin Administrative Office Building (5355 West Taft Rd.) in North Syracuse
OCT. 31: Shortened School Day for Students in Grades PreK-12 for Staff Workshops
North Syracuse Central School District
Website: www.nscsd.org
Location: 5355 West Taft Road, Syracuse, NY, USA
Phone: (315) 218-2100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NSyracuseCSD/