Good Afternoon and Happy New Year,

Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are excited about all that the new year has in store. There is something inspiring and refreshing about the arrival of January 1. I see it as an opportunity to release regrets, mistakes, and missed opportunities and to embrace positive changes. This time of year offers a sense of renewal and a chance to recalibrate with fresh motivation and determination.

As educators, the new year presents an opportunity to refresh classroom routines and procedures, re-establish expectations, set new goals, and implement any necessary changes to foster a positive learning environment. Let’s continue to practice mindfulness, engage in community-building activities, and involve students in the process. Revisiting your classroom routines often building a strong classroom community requires consistent and repeated practice.

Our students can take a similar approach by hitting the "reset button" with renewed focus and motivation. Let’s encourage them to start fresh, refocus their efforts, and embrace a renewed sense of purpose for learning. Remind them that even if the school year hasn't gone as planned, there’s still time to turn things around. Help them understand that developing responsible habits is essential for success in school and life. Encourage them to choose a new positive habit to adopt this year.

While the new year doesn’t offer a "magic button" for change, it does present both challenges and opportunities if we choose to embrace them. Let’s help our scholars recognize and accept these opportunities.

Weapons Screening

The safety of our students, staff, and visitors is always a top priority for our district. As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance safety and security, we have begun installing weapon screening devices. Training and installation took place on Thursday and today at Schenectady High School. MIS Security's RONIN Weapon Detection Systems and Linev X-ray bag scanners have been installed at both student entrances at the high school.

The system will be operational beginning Monday, with a "soft launch" on Monday and Tuesday to help students become familiar with the process. Full implementation will begin on Wednesday, January 8.

During the holiday recess, we emailed high school families with detailed information, including:

• What items are approved and allowed to pass through the scanners—and what is not.

• How the screening process works.

• A Q&A addressing common student questions.

These communications are also available on our website. If you are a high school parent and have not been receiving our emails, please contact the school to ensure your contact information is up to date.

We will soon share short video clips demonstrating the process of walking through the scanners and what happens when an alert is prompted.

It’s important for students to know what is considered an "approved" or "unapproved" item. They will have the opportunity to discard any unapproved items before proceeding through the screening device upon arrival.

National Board Appreciation Month

January is National Board Appreciation Month. This is a time to thank school board members for their services to our students, families, and the Schenectady community. I would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to our Board of Education members whose efforts, vision, commitment and leadership, are instrumental in driving improvement in our schools and community. Thank you for your dedication, service, and leadership. During the month of January, we will be launching a board member recognition campaign to celebrate our Board of Education and give our school an opportunity to learn more about them. Watch for more soon.

Superintendent Coffee Chats

I have scheduled ten coffee chats between now and May. The next two are January 23, 6 p.m. and January 24, 7 p.m. Anyone is welcome. Please stop by the Family and Community Engagement Center at 530 Liberty St. during one of these times. We can chat and enjoy a cup of coffee. There are no agendas for these get-togethers. I'll be here to chat about anything that's on your mind. Below is the flyer with upcoming dates.

Meeting with NY Senator Tedisco

On Thursday, I kicked off the new year with a visit to NY Senator Tedisco's office where I was able to share and advocate for the amazing work we're doing in our district.

I look forward to the end of the semester and upcoming Regents exams for our students. Finish the semester strong and be proud of your accomplishments. 

Have a fantastic weekend.  Again, happy new year to all in the Schenectady community.

Sincerely,

Dr. Carlos M. Cotto, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools

Board of Education Work Session

The Board of Education will hold a work session on Wednesday, January 8, 6:30 p.m. at 530 Liberty St. The topic of the work session is academics, curriculum and instruction (special education, the arts). The meeting will be live-streamed.

January 4, 2025:

Athletics:

Boys (Varsity Wrestling) Varsity Wrestling @ Ravena-Coeymans, 7:30AM

Girls (Niskayuna/Schenectady) Varsity Wrestling @ Colonie HS, 8:00AM

Boys (Schenectady/Colonie Boys Varsity Swimming) Varsity @ SHS, 9:00AM

January 5, 2025:

No Scheduled Events 

January 6, 2025:

Athletics:

Boys (Modified Wrestling) 7th/8th Wrestling v. Niskayuna High School @ OMS, 4:15PM

Girls (Girls Varsity Bowling) Varsity Bowling v. Bethlehem High School @ Boulevard Bowl, 4:15PM

Girls (Girls Modified Basketball) 7th/8th Basketball v. Guilderland @ MPMS, 4:15PM

January 7, 2025:

School Events:

MLK Slapstick Science Assembly, 8:30AM-10:55AM

January 8, 2025:

Athletics:

Girls (Girls Varsity Bowling) Varsity Bowling @ Ballston Spa High School, 4:15PM

Boys (JV Wrestling) Junior Varsity Wrestling v. Albany High School @ SHS, 6:00PM

Boys (Varsity Wrestling) Varsity Wrestling v. Albany High School @ SHS, 6:00PM

Community Events:

Board Work Session @ Liberty Street, 6:30PM

January 9, 2025:

Athletics:

Boys (Boys Varsity Bowling) Varsity Bowling @ Christian Brothers, Green Island Lanes, 4:15PM

Girls (Girls Varsity Bowling) Varsity Bowling @ Bethlehem High School, Del Lanes, 4:15PM

Boys (Modified 7th/8th) 7th/8th Basketball @ Christian Brothers Academy, 4:15PM

Girls (Girls Varsity Basketball) Varsity Basketball @ Maple Hill, 5:00PM

Girls (Niskayuna/Schenectady Girls Wrestling) Varsity Wrestling v. Colonie High School @ Niskayuna HS, 6:00PM

Girls (Girls Modified Basketball) 7th/8th Basketball @ Saratoga HS, 5:45PM

School Events:

CPMS Winter Concert, 6:00PM

Community Events:

Traveling Art Show at Electric City Barn, January 9th- February 25th

January 10, 2025:

School Events:

Zoller PBIS awards assembly, 9:00AM-10:00AM

Hamilton December 100% Attendance Celebration, 8:30AM-10:30AM

Athletics:

Boys (Boys Freshman Basketball) Freshman Basketball @ Christian Brothers Academy, 4:00PM

Boys (Modified Wrestling) 7th/8th Wrestling @ Christian Brothers Academy, 4:15PM

Boys (Schenectady-Colonie) Varsity Swimming/Diving @ Albany Academies, 4:30PM

Boys (Schenectady/Colonie Boys Varsity Swimming) Varsity @ Albany Academies, 4:30PM

Boys (Boys JV Basketball) Junior Varsity Basketball @ Christian Brothers Academy, 5:30PM

Boys (Boys Varsity Basketball) Varsity Basketball @ Christian Brothers Academy, 7:00PM

January 11, 2025:

Athletics:

Meet - Boys (Modified Wrestling) 7th/8th Wrestling @ SHS, 10:00AM

Boys (Winter Track) Varsity Winter Track @ Utica College, 11:00AM

Girls (Winter Track) Varsity Winter Track @ Utica College, 11:00AM

January 12, 2025:

No Scheduled Events 

January 13, 2025:

School Events:

Early College High School Performance Seminar Student Showcase @ Proctors GE Theatre, 7:00PM

Athletics:

Girls (Girls Varsity Bowling) Varsity Bowling v. Saratoga Springs High @ Boulevard Bowl, 4:15PM

Girls (Girls Modified Basketball) 7th/8th Basketball v. Ballston Spa @ MPMS, 4:15PM

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