Student Voices Leading the Way!

Working with the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council has been one of the highlights of this year. These students bring enthusiasm, creativity, and a genuine passion for making our schools better. They’re never shy about sharing their ideas—and they even strongly suggested I call a snow last Thursday!

Their input has been insightful and wide-ranging. They’ve shared ideas for improving facilities, like updating bathrooms, fixing the playground, and adding better storage for sports equipment. They’ve also suggested modernizing policies, including revising the dress code to be more inclusive and creating a more flexible approach to class scheduling and study halls.

Students are eager to enhance school culture by addressing bullying, reducing student pressure, and creating more opportunities for their voices to be heard. They’ve also suggested ways to bring more fun to school life, such as organizing events like scavenger hunts and bingo nights, introducing new clubs, and creating opportunities for fundraisers and student travel.

It has been inspiring to work with this thoughtful and energetic group of young leaders. Their ideas show how important it is to listen to students and involve them in shaping their school experience. I’m excited to explore their suggestions further and look forward to seeing the positive changes their voices will inspire.

On November 16th, Mr. Polkowski and I proudly represented Akron Central School District at the Erie County Association of School Boards (ECASB) Legislative Breakfast. As members of the ECASB Legislative Team, we helped plan this important event, which brought school board members, administrators, and elected officials together to discuss the critical needs of our schools ahead of the upcoming legislative session in Albany.

A key focus of our presentation was Foundation Aid—the primary funding that supports our schools. We emphasized how essential “save-harmless funding” is for districts like Akron. This safeguard ensures that schools don’t lose vital state aid due to slight enrollment changes, especially in rural and high-need districts. The need for services—like mental health support, after-school programs, and special education—has only increased, regardless of enrollment trends. Eliminating this funding would create significant gaps, risking program cuts, staff reductions, and an increased burden on local taxpayers.

We also discussed the importance of reserve funds, which schools rely on for emergencies and financial stability. Proposals to tie state aid to unappropriated year-end fund balance levels could unfairly penalize districts for responsible budgeting. Instead, we advocated for raising the cap on reserve funds, so schools have the flexibility to prepare for unexpected challenges without sacrificing services to students.

The message we shared was clear: schools are more than classrooms—they are hubs of support for families and students, providing mental health resources, food assistance, and opportunities for enrichment. Stable and predictable funding is essential to ensure every student has what they need to succeed.

It was a great day of collaboration and advocacy, and I am proud to work alongside Mr. Polkowski, Superintendent Kersten, and our dedicated Board of Education members to represent Akron. Together, we are committed to ensuring that our schools remain strong, well-supported, and prepared to serve our community for years to come.

The Akron Central School District is pleased to share progress on Phase I of the 2023 Capital Improvement Project. As of November 30, 2024, construction is moving forward as planned, with all work staying on schedule and within budget. The project, which received state approval in August, has focused on site preparation, excavation for new additions, and temporary adjustments at the transportation facility to support ongoing work.

Contractors and district staff have been working closely to coordinate activities, ensuring minimal disruption to school operations. Preparations are underway to complete certain tasks during school breaks and off-hours to avoid interference with students and staff. The budget remains on track, with no unexpected expenses or changes to contingency funds.

Looking ahead, major work will begin in early Spring of 2025, including plumbing and mechanical installations and interior renovations. Phase II of the project is already in pre-construction, with bidding set to begin in March. This is the project that will include our new athletic complex. Thank you for your continued support as we bring this vision to life!

Akron Central Schools is currently in our third year of our three-year Strategic Planning cycle. As we wrap up our 2022-2025 plan, we are in the process of evaluating our progress toward the goals and action steps set forth in this plan and looking toward the future as we embark on the journey of setting new goals for the upcoming 2025-2028 ACS Strategic Plan.

Our current plan focuses on several key areas, each aimed at enhancing academics, student engagement, and community connection. The goals from this plan were:

• Goal 1: Develop a plan to increase effective communication practices district-wide
• Goal 2: Develop and utilize district-wide practices that teach and reinforce prosocial behaviors so that Akron Schools is an affirming and inclusive school community
• Goal 3: Create engaging and challenging learning opportunities that reflect all of Akron students’ cultural and developmental interests

To ensure that our next plan reflects the needs of our entire school community, we have partnered with Erie 1 BOCES to guide us through the development of our 2025-2028 ACS Strategic Plan. This fall, we sought feedback from a broad range of school community members, including parents, teachers, instructional support staff, administrators, and most importantly, students. A Thought Exchange survey was launched in October of this year, garnering input from 713 participants. Targeted focus groups were also held to provide a deeper understanding of the perspectives of various invested groups. Volunteers from the focus groups have come together to form the ACS Strategic Planning Committee, which includes representatives from across the district:

• 6 Teachers representing all grade levels

• 2 Instructional Support Staff members

• 12 Administrators representing all schools and departments

• 5 Parents from across grade levels

• 5 Students with representatives from each level (ES, MS, HS)

On December 4, 2024, the Strategic Planning Committee held its first meeting. The agenda was as follows:

• Introductions and Trust Building: Creating a foundation for collaboration

• Reviewing the Strategic Planning Process: Understanding the roadmap for developing the new plan

• A Deep Data Dive: Exploring survey and focus group findings to identify key themes and opportunities

• Prioritizing Goals: Initial conversations centered around three focus areas: Academics & Instruction, Student Experiences & Engagement, and Community & Belonging
  
  

This work marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our district, and we are eager to continue this process with input from all members of our community.

The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for January 28, 2025, where we will begin setting specific goals and action steps for the 2025-2028 plan.

We value your partnership in this work. If you’re interested in learning more or participating in this process, please consider attending one or both of our Parent/Community Update Meetings:

• February 5, 2025 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

• May 7, 2025 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Together, we will continue to build a future that supports the success and well-being of every student in the ACS district. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our schools and community!