NorthStar Lights

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

Once again this week I had the opportunity to visit our schools. I was invited to Gillette Road Middle School on Tuesday to help with their morning announcements. Each day, in honor of February being Black History Month, the school is highlighting and influential black American on the announcements. I was able to teach students just a few points about doctor and surgeon Daniel Hale Williams, one of the first physicians to perform open-heart surgery in the United States and founded a hospital with an interracial staff.

I learned from Library Media Specialist Morgan Gaulrapp that students have also learned about Frederick Douglass, Wilma Rudolph, Maya Angelou, Gwendolyn Brooks, Ella Fitzgerald, Ruby Bridges, and more. I was impressed by their efforts and I invite you to click the links to each of these amazing role models and learn more.

Sincerely,

Daniel D. Bowles, Superintendent of Schools

Pictured at Gillette Road Middle School (from left to right): NSCSD Superintendent of Schools Dan Bowles, GRMS 6th grade student Colton Chaney, GRMS Teaching Assistant Belinda Tessmer, GRMS 6th grade student Isabella Fernandez, GRMS Teacher Timothy Esposito, GRMS 6th grade student Olivia Garrisi and GRMS Library Media Specialist Morgan Gaulrapp.

Each year, elementary schools in the North Syracuse Central School District compete with each other in basketball shootout events at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. The competition pits teams of elementary students against each other during halftime of separate C-NS Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball games. This year’s girls’ shootout event was held on Tuesday, February 1 and the winning team was from Cicero Elementary School. The boys’ shootout was held on Tuesday, February 8 and once again, the winning team was from Cicero Elementary School!

Cicero Elementary Girls Team: Sarah Bacon, Madelyn Zawadzki, Tahlia Jones, Alana VanCamp, Audrianna Wahrendorf-Breman, Brynn Weckesser and team manager Lia Corasaniti.

Cicero Elementary Boys Team: Cameron Burgdorf, JJ Joyce, Connor Reeve, Chase Gould, Bryce Carroll, Walker Clary, Mason Kozlowski and Anthony Valvo.

Students at Roxboro Road Elementary School have had a “international” visitor to their school this year as an “Aussie” has come to call. The guest, Sydney, is a 16 year-old Australian Shepard. Sydney’s human, Natalie Walters, is the school’s new Restorative Practices Specialist. Sydney has been joining Natalie at the school some Friday mornings.

Natalie Walters began her new career in the North Syracuse Central School District this year as one of two Restorative Practices Specialists (RPS) to join the District. Both RPS staff work out of the schools on the Roxboro Road Campus and are part of the District’s targeted efforts to address social emotional needs.

Lisa Goldberg, the NSCSD’s Director of Social Emotional Learning, explains the work of Restorative Practices. “All humans are hardwired to connect. Just as we need food, shelter and clothing, we also need strong and meaningful relationships,” Lisa said. “Our specialists are in place to help students and staff build and nurture those essential relationships.”

Click here to read the complete article online.

After a multi-year hiatus, the Optimist Club of Cicero-North Syracuse once again held an oratorical contest for NSCSD students. This year’s contest, “Staying Optimistic in Challenging Times,” took place on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at the Jerome F. Melvin Administrative Office Building.

With a top award of a $2,500 college scholarship, all students under the age of 19 who live within the boundaries of the North Syracuse Central School District were eligible to participate. Contestants were asked to speak on the official topic for four to five minutes with timing beginning at the first spoken word.

This year’s winners are:

1. Gold medal: C-NS Senior Francesca Tortora (pictured far right)
2. Silver medal: C-NS Sophomore Johnny Lisi (pictured far left)
3. Bronze medal: C-NS Sophomore Haneefa Wahab (pictured middle)

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.

The North Syracuse Central School District will be distributing at-home COVID-19 test kits to students prior to the Mid-Winter Recess. The iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test kits, each containing two tests, will be given to all students on Thursday, February 17 and Friday, February 18.

Parents who do not want their child to receive a test kit can opt-out of the distribution by completing a brief form online by clicking here. Parents wanting to opt-out must complete one form for each student they do not want to get a test. The deadline to opt-out is midnight on Monday, February 14.

Click here to read the full letter online.

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.

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.

Students in Kathy Conese's kindergarten class at Allen Road Elementary School have spent time this February learning about current events. On Groundhog Day, Wednesday, February 2, the students learned about the traditions surrounding the day and spent time creating their own groundhog hats. With the Olympic Games in the news, students also learned about the winter events and took time during recess to build and use their own luge.

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

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we are seeing nationwide disruptions to manufacturing, supply and distribution channels. You may have experienced this yourself when you’ve tried to order something online or buy something in the store and what you’re looking for isn’t available right now.

What does the shortage mean for school meals? In short, it means that we’re having trouble getting certain foods and supplies. Your student(s) may notice that we’re serving different items than we’ve served in the past or different items than were listed on the menu.

School districts across the country are experiencing these shortages and unfortunately, we cannot control the problem. We are doing our best every day to come up with solutions to these challenges.

Click here to read the full article online.

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