Dear Lewiston-Porter Families and Students,

As we approach the start of the 2024-25 school year, I am delighted to welcome you back and share some important updates to help ensure a smooth and successful start to the new academic year.

• School begins for students in grades 1-12 on Tuesday, September 3.

• Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students will start on Wednesday, September 4.

By now, all families should have received the district school calendar, and each school building should have sent out specific communications regarding schedules and information for the first days of school. These mailings include everything you need to get ready for the start of the school year. I encourage all families to carefully review these materials, along with the introductory pages of the school calendar. They are filled with valuable information to help students and families navigate their learning experience at LPCSD.

Bus run notifications were mailed to all families on Wednesday, August 21. You should receive these in the next couple of days. If you have any questions regarding transportation, please contact the Bus Garage at 716-219-1711.

Families with students attending the Primary Education Center (PEC) and Intermediate Education Center (IEC) should pay close attention to the specific procedures for pick-up and drop-off at the buildings, as outlined in the PEC and IEC mailings

The Code of Conduct for the 2024-25 school year was presented for public review at the August 12th Board of Education work session. A link to the Code of Conduct is available HERE and on the district’s website's front page. We strongly encourage all students and families to review it thoroughly each year.

This year's most significant update concerns students' use of electronic devices, including cell phones. A link to the specific policy is included HERE. I urge all families to read the policy and review the detailed explanation on page 21 of the Code of Conduct. The policy allows individual building administrations and Building Leadership Teams to establish specific procedures and restrictions on using these devices within classrooms and during the school day.

Research has shown that using cell phones and electronic devices can significantly impact student learning and social-emotional development (Smale et al., 2021). Please note that while students are not banned from bringing cell phones and electronic devices to school, each building will enforce significant restrictions during instructional time. The policy has the full support of all building staff, administration, central office administration, and the Board of Education. Progressive consequences will be implemented for students who violate these procedures and restrictions. Your cooperation and adherence to these changes are both expected and greatly appreciated.

I’m excited to share that the new lighting at Blakeslee Stadium will be ready for sports competitions this fall. This enhancement will significantly improve the nighttime athlete and fan experience for all events, and we look forward to seeing you there under the lights!

The Lewiston-Porter Central Schools has a state-of-the-art fitness center that is open to our school community with a membership. Membership fees are nominal and help offset the cost of running the fitness center before and after regular school hours. Check out the link for more details and consider joining the LPCSD Fitness Center.

In closing, I wish all of our students great success in the 2024-25 academic year. Enjoy the remaining days of summer, and we look forward to welcoming you back to school on September 3rd!

Go Lancers!,

Paul J. Casseri,

Superintendent of Schools

Lewiston-Porter Central School District