GCCSD News and Updates - Dec. 2024
Dear Gates Chili School Community,
As we welcome the month of December, we’re greeted by the season’s first snowfall, reminding us of the beauty and wonder that winter brings to our community.
As we near the end of another calendar year, I want to take a moment to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished together. From celebrating our students’ achievements to fostering a welcoming and affirming environment, it’s been a season filled with pride and progress.
As a reminder, our schools will be closed for winter recess from Monday, Dec. 23, through Friday, Jan. 3, with classes resuming on Monday, Jan. 6. I encourage everyone to use this time in a way that works best for your family—whether that means celebrating traditions, connecting with loved ones, or simply finding moments of rest amidst the holiday season.
On behalf of everyone at Gates Chili Central School District, I wish you and your family a holiday season filled with peace, happiness and hope for the new year. We look forward to welcoming you back in January, ready to continue building brighter futures together.
Go Spartans!
Christopher J. Dailey
Superintendent of Schools
Firefighter friends 👨🚒
Making memories ⚙️
Sunshine state of mind ☀️
Dragons took advantage of the beautiful weather last month with recess outside.
It rocks to be kind 🪨
GCMS’ 6:1:1 class made a Kindness Rock Garden to welcome everyone to the Middle School.
A fine art fall 🎭
This fall, GCHS performed a one-night-only production of “Sam Shovel, Private Eye” and GCMS presented Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland JR.”
Facilitating change 🗣️
Eight GCHS Spartans participated in the ROC 2 Change Student Summit on Race! The biannual regional event provides students with a space to engage in facilitated dialogue with peers about racism and how to come together for positive change.
The Gates Chili school community is made up of more than 3,700 students and 900+ staff members! Get ready to peek into the world of our Spartans in our e-newsletter segment: Ask the Spartans!
This month, meet Melissa Flow, a second-grade teacher at Neil Armstrong Elementary School! Melissa is a supportive and compassionate teacher who is actively involved in the school community.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Melissa: I love teaching and have been a teacher for 21 years, nearly all of them in the ICT/CT classroom. Many would say that I am creative, compassionate, and can “Go with the Flow!” I try to give myself and my students the grace of starting each day with a clean slate. I have three wonderful children. Madison is 10, Vinny is 8, and Samantha is 6. I am originally from Syracuse where my mom and many other family members were teachers as well. Teaching is in my blood!
Do you have any involvement outside of teaching at Neil Armstrong/within the district?
Melissa: I am the Social Studies Content Leader at Neil Armstrong which allows me the opportunity to see our teaching with a global lens and an opportunity to learn about our world and the world around us. I love working with teachers from around the district to create new experiences and learning opportunities. I hope to bring a little sunshine to Armstrong with our Sunshine Committee by planning our events and celebrations throughout the year. Finally, our Equity Committee is doing fantastic things this year! Our committee has branched out with literacy opportunities with one school, one book and more. We created school-wide discussion prompts for community circle time with Thoughtful Thursdays. We are trying to bring families back through our designation as a community school and creating opportunities for family and community outreach. Our teachers are creating professional development opportunities to expand our toolboxes around restorative practices. We also educate and inform our Armstrong Stars about the holidays and celebrations throughout the world each month. Gates’ biggest asset is the diversity of our learners and what we can learn from one another!
What do you love most about being a teacher?
Melissa: What I love most about being a teacher is the opportunity to see my students learn, grow, and become better little humans. I love planning creative ways to make learning come alive and help new skills stick. I love seeing children become more empathetic towards one another and help each other to be the best versions of themselves. I love collaborating with other teachers and getting energized by their creativity! Each day brings new challenges and joys, and I am thankful to be a part of it all!
Do you have a favorite memory from when you were in second grade?
Melissa: Second grade, not really! However, my third-grade teacher was amazing! She would gather us on the rug and read stories that were captivating. She made us all believe we were writers, and every story turned into a beautifully published treasure. She secretly saved a few of our stories and gave them back to us when we graduated. She made each day of learning an adventure!
While we aim to limit early dismissals whenever possible, sometimes they become necessary. Families whose homes are unattended during the day should make arrangements for their students to be supervised in the event of an early dismissal.
If afternoon school activities are canceled due to weather conditions, all district campuses and buildings will be closed. This means all afternoon and evening activities are canceled including sporting events, field house activities, club meetings, Continuing Education classes, etc. This also means that all late bus runs will be canceled for the day.
Please make sure to keep contact information updated throughout the year so that you do not miss messages about inclement weather or other important topics. Go to gateschili.org/updatecontact for directions on how to make changes to contact information in the SchoolTool Parent Portal.
Technology knowledge and skills are vital for students' active participation in 21st-century life. Coupled with knowledge and skills is reliable access to computing devices and high-speed internet. That’s why the New York State Education Department (NYSED) requires public schools to provide information on student and teacher access to devices and the internet.
We ask all families to complete the annual Digital Equity Survey by Friday, Dec. 20.
Family members listed as the "primary" parent/guardian will find the survey in the User Defined tab of SchoolTool Parent Portal. The nine-question survey should take no more than two minutes per school-age child to complete.
📌 Frequently asked questions
- What is digital equity? It means ensuring that all individuals and communities have the necessary access to affordable, reliable internet, digital devices, and the digital literacy skills needed to fully participate in society and the economy, regardless of their socioeconomic background or location.
- What is the survey for? This survey asks about students' access to devices and the internet. It will help give NYSED an accurate picture of the state of digital equity.
- What do I need to do? Please review this brief instructional video for details on where to find the survey and how to complete it. Families must answer each question and save their responses. The survey is required to be submitted for each school-aged child. Meaning, if you have two school-aged children, you will complete the survey twice.
- What if I have need technical support to complete the survey? If you need technical assistance, please contact our help desk at support@gateschili.org or 585-340-5522.
District office staff currently working in the Gates Chili Administration Building are relocating to the new District Office at Gates Chili High School this month!
To accommodate this transition, the District Office will be closed from Monday, Dec. 16 through Friday, Dec. 20.
Please note that during this time, email communication with district office staff may be intermittent. We encourage staff and families to plan accordingly for any needs that typically require district office assistance. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Meanwhile, the Gates Chili Administration Building will soon become the Gates Chili Operations Center. Moving forward, this space will house facilities, security and other vital internal operations, ensuring these services remain centralized, efficient and accessible.
In the coming weeks, signage will be updated to reflect these new locations on campus.
Gates Chili recognizes the importance of voter input in the budget development process. To gain this valuable feedback, the district is once again holding its Budget Ambassador Program for the 2025-26 school year budget. Ambassadors will review the preliminary 2025-26 budget as developed by the administration within parameters established by the Board of Education and recommend to the BOE any modifications they would like to see.
Ambassadors will commit to serve on a committee that meets for three (3) two-and-a-half- (2.5) hour evening sessions with the superintendent and assistant superintendent for business on the following dates and times:
- Thursday, March 6 at 6 p.m.
- Thursday, March 20 at 6 p.m.
- Thursday, April 3 at 6 p.m. (if a third meeting is needed)
No experience is necessary, but ambassadors must be residents of the district. A maximum of 15 ambassadors will be accepted into the program on a first-come-first-served basis. To apply to participate in this program, complete the form below by Friday, Jan. 10, 2025 at 5 p.m.
Dec. 3: BOE Meeting, 6:30 p.m., GCPLC
Dec. 5: PR Band and Chorus Winter Concert, 7 p.m., GCPAC
Dec. 6: #GCPride Day
Dec. 6: PR Picture Makeup Day
Dec. 6: WD Picture Makeup Day
Dec. 6: FBFA Holiday Craft Show, 6-8 p.m., Chili Community Center
Dec. 7: FBFA Holiday Craft Show, 12-5 p.m., Chili Community Center
Dec. 9: Conference Day - No School for Students Gr. UPK-5
Dec. 10: HS Band Winter Concert, 7 p.m., GCPAC
Dec. 11: HS FAFSA Night, 5:30-7 p.m., HS Library
Dec. 11: WD Band and Chorus Winter Concert, 7 p.m., GCPAC
Dec. 12: MS Gr. 6-8 Winter Chorus Concert, 7 p.m., GCPAC
Dec. 14: WDPTO Craft Fair, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dec. 16-20: District Office Closed
Dec. 17: BOE Meeting, 6:30 p.m., GCPLC
Dec. 18: MS Gr. 7-8 Band and Jazz Band Concert, 7 p.m., GCPAC
Dec. 20: Conference Day - Half Day for Students Gr. UPK-5
Dec. 23-Jan. 3: Holiday Recess - No School for Students and 10-Month Staff
Dec. 25: Christmas – District Closed
Dec. 25: Hanukkah Begins
Dec. 26: Kwanzaa Begins
Support Staff Positions:
Job ID 789: Lifeguard
Job ID 1065: Cleaner for the 2024-25 school year
Job ID 1066: Food Service Helper for the 2024-25 school year
Job ID 1067: Bus Attendant for the 2024-25 school year
Job ID 1068: Bus Driver for the 2024-25 school year
Job ID 1102: Registered Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse
Job ID 1119: Network Technician (Civil Service Competitive Position)
Job ID 1120: Senior Network Technician (Civil Service Competitive Position)
*The Gates Chili Board of Education approved new,
increased rates for instructional substitutes. Click here for details.