October 23, 2020
Dear Parents and Families,
Happy Homecoming 2020! We had a wonderful, COVID-style, Homecoming this year, with great dress up days capped by a student-athlete (modified) “high five day.” Sadly, we could not have our traditional assemblies and gatherings, yet the spirit was alive and proud regardless! Thank you to our Student Council and staff members Student Council Advisor Maegan Suhr Athletic Director Jim Zeliff, and Principal Aaron Slack for leading efforts to make this a special week.
I would also like to thank the Sports Boosters for their generous donations of flags and flagpoles for our fields, and thanks also to Town of Yates and Village of Lyndonville for their assistance with installation and thank you to alumni Reggie Cichocki for the donation of the concrete bases. Your generosity is greatly appreciated, and the flags (which are flying at half mast per NYS) are a beautiful addition to our campus.
We extend our deepest thoughts and prayers to our colleagues, friends, and neighbors in Medina as they are experiencing a tragedy. I have personally been in touch with their Superintendent, and I am proud to say that our District has and will continue to lend support as they support their students and community.
This week was also New York State School Board Recognition Week, a time when we recognize and honor the valuable work of school boards across the state and in our District. School Boards are charged with creating a shared vision for education, raising student achievement, and developing a budget that will fulfill these goals, while being sound stewards of District resources. Please join me in thanking Board Members Ted Lewis, Sue Hrovat, Harold Suhr, Steve Vann, Vern Fonda, Kristin Nicholson, and Jerod Thurber for their service and dedication.
Along those lines of “fiscal stewardship,” I do need to bring to your attention and remind you that the current economic crisis (in addition to the health crisis has not left our District alone. While we remain on solid financial footing, earlier this month the Board did approve re-allocating some reserves to meet our financial obligations due to revenue shortfalls from New York State. While this is a wise and intended use of reserves, it cannot be a long term solution. We are working closely with our financial advisors, and in the meantime, I have imposed a spending freeze on all non-essential purchases. This does not at all mean our programs will be reduced or even eliminated, but what it does mean is that requests for purchases will be especially scrutinized and analyzed moving forward. This is always the case, of course, but the need for this has been heightened. We have a responsibility to provide high quality programs for our students while being sound financial stewards—an important balance and one which we take seriously.
Here are some important tidbits of information:
- November 30, 2020 will be an AT HOME LEARNING DAY for students in Grades Pre K-6 to allow teachers to conduct parent teacher conferences. Details are forthcoming on a Secondary Open House (which will be virtual) and secondary parent conferences.
- We have begun an insurance program for students in Grades 7-12 for their Chromebooks. Please click here for more information: Chromebook Insurance Program
- Free public wi-fi is available at our public library and at the Town of Yates, located at the rear of the Town Hall.
- For the rest of the year, all meals will be served at NO COST thanks to action taken by the New York State Department of Education.
- Please welcome Corrine Ryan, as she will be assuming the clerical role in the Elementary Office previously held by Diane Thurber.
- We are proud of our partnership with the Lyndonville Lions Club, and students in Grades PK-6 are invited to participate in the Pumpkin Carving Challenge tomorrow!
- We have completed benchmark literacy testing under the direction of Sharon Smith and our talented team of literacy teachers. The data gleaned from this program will be invaluable to us moving forward.
- Remember to wash your hands, wear a mask, and maintain social distancing to keep our school safe, healthy, and clean!
This week, I would like to recognize our Director of Facilities Kevin Czaja and his dedicated staff for their important work this year in keeping our school CLEAN and SAFE: Gary Wakefield, Sonny Dent, Beth Hill, Kristal Boring, Bob Bow, Denise Keavney, Bob Larkin, Gary Newman, and Amy Temich!
Have a wonderful weekend, and my next update will be in 2 weeks!
Jason Smith, Superintendent of Schools
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