Good afternoon and happy Friday,

I hope you are well and that you had a great week. As we continue to transition into the Spring season, I want to express sincere gratitude for the hard work and dedication of our students, parents, faculty, staff and community. I can't say it enough. Your commitment to our students is inspiring. As we move toward Spring Recess and then the last few months of school, let's continue to foster a positive and supportive learning environment. We are almost in the homestretch... almost ... so, let's stay strong, and continue to support our students and one another. I know it's been a year of ups and downs, challenge and even heartbreak, but let's all do our best to stay focused. Let's encourage our students to stay committed and finish strong. Let's always provide the message, it's never too late and there's always a path to turn things around.

National Librarian Day

I'd like to give a huge thank you to our school library media specialists. National School Librarian Day is celebrated on April 4 each year to recognize the contributions that school librarians, who, as we know, play an important role in fostering the love of reading, teaching essential resource and technology skills, and ensuring students have access to diverse resources.

Thank You Paras

Earlier this week we also celebrated Paraprofessional Appreciation Day. Thank you to all the paras in our district for your care, support, and dedication to our students. You play a vital role in the success of our students and our schools. I know how hard you work and that you do it because you care deeply about our students. I sincerely appreciate you. Thank you for all you do to help Schenectady rise.

Thank you to our community partner, the City Mission of Schenectady

Partnerships with our community are what pillar #3 of our Strategic Plan is all about. Thank you to the City Mission of Schenectady and their generous donors for School Connections, a service available to our families. Families in need of clothing, shoes, and supplies can reach out to the parent liaison at their school. They will in turn contact the City Mission to get what you need. Watch the video to find out how it works!

Students in the Community

Last week I attended the Guyanese Community Center Food Pantry grand opening. I met twin sisters, Vanita and Varsha Hardial, who attend Mont Pleasant Middle School. Vanita aspires to be a teacher and Varsha wants to be a lawyer.

While at the community center, I also met an alumni from the SHS Class of 2019. Omesh Rengasammy works as a district auditor for Stewart's Shoppes. I enjoy meeting alumni from our schools who are working and representing in our community. #studentandgraduatesuccess

SCSD Bowling League

A huge thank you to Maryann Meyers, our Human Resources Recruitment and Retention Specialist, and the HR team, who started our first bowling league this year. The league, which took place at Sportsman's Bowl, included 20 participants for a competitive and fun-filled season. The league featured four teams: Avengers, Bowling Stones, High Rollers, and WOW - Wildcats of Woodlawn. Matches were held bi-weekly, January through March. By all accounts, the bowlers displayed impressive performances, friendly rivalry, and a shared love for the game, making it a memorable experience for all involved.

School of Rock In the News

The highly anticipated School of Rock production by SHS theatre students and staff was featured in the Daily Gazette. A huge congratulations to the cast and crew on this well-deserved recognition. Don’t miss their performances tonight and tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Read the full feature on the Gazette's website.

Lincoln takes 2nd place in Olympics of the Visual Arts

Congratulations to Mrs. Rush's Lincoln Elementary School team of students for taking 2nd place at the Olympics of the Visual Arts. This is a great achievement and took hard work and creativity.

Looking for the perfect prom dress? Our community partners have you covered

Thanks to our community partners at Bethel Northside Community Center, high school students in need of a prom attire can visit Bethel Northside Community Center, at 1840 Van Vranken Ave. for $20 dresses and suits. Click the link to sign up for a shopping time slot.

School Yard Rap

Last Friday, School Yard Rap energized our middle schools with vibrant assemblies designed to make learning fun and foster inclusivity and acceptance. Our students had an unforgettable experience. Thenk you to Leah Akinleye and our Visual and Performing Arts team for bringing this amazing experience to our students.

Culinary Students featured in NYSUT News

Kudos to Laura Macey and her culinary students who were featured in this month's NYSUT newsletter. NYSUT visited the Black Family Wellness Expo last month, where culinary students prepared the food and the middle school students served it. Macey’s senior students formulated the menu with an eye toward healthy eating and appealing to a multitude of dietary requirements. Read the newsletter here.

Student Video Projects

We love to highlight the creativity of our students and the amazing projects that take place in our classrooms. Recently, Central Park Middle School began a student-led news program and shared an episode featuring news and weather updates.

Another exciting project is one with collaboration our Farm to School Program's maple sugaring project, students from Zoller Elementary School, Mr. Butts' AVID class, and Mrs. Feguer's Botany class from Schenectady High School. Watch the student creations below.

Strategic Plan Passionate Person of the Week

As part of our strategic plan and for para appreciation day this week, we proudly recognize Tina Cook as our Passionate Person of the Week. We are grateful to Tina for her hard work and dedication to our students and community. #passionatepeople

Strategic Plan Teacher Highlight

As part of our strategic plan, we're excited to feature Rachel Haas as our Teacher of the Week. Rachel is one of many passionate educators in our district, and we’re grateful for the difference that she is making in the lives of our students. She teaches 6th grade English at Mont Pleasant Middle School. #passionatepeople

📢 Help us recognize outstanding individuals by nominating SCSD staff for our Passionate Person of the Week and Teacher of the Week social media campaigns.

Your input makes a difference—let’s celebrate those who inspire us!

Nominate a Passionate Person here

Nominate a Teacher here

Alumni/Did you graduate from an SCSD School? Submit your profile here

Learn more about our Strategic Plan here.

Pre-K Applications

We are accepting applications for 3 and 4-year old Pre-K programs in 2025-2026. The application and more information is available here. The deadline is April 23.

21st Century Summer Program Registration is open

The program is open to students in grades 6-12.

We’re excited to announce that the 21st Century Summer Program application is now open. See flyer below for more information. Click here to register

Again, thank you for all that you do. Have a fantastic weekend. I look forward to seeing you next week.

Sincerely,

Carlos M. Cotto, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools

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