Good afternoon and Happy Friday,

I hope you had a good week are are staying warm. I'm going to start my update today with an important reminder regarding the changes we are all hearing about from the federal government regarding immigration and customs enforcement and how we are here to support you. We emailed all staff and families a letter outlining how we will respond in certain situations along with some guidance and resources. That letter is available on our website here. I realize this is a challenging and unsettling time for many. We remain committed to serving all of our students and are here to support you in any way that we can. If you have questions, please contact my office at 518-370-8100 Option 5. Here are printable options for the letter that was emailed to parents this week:   English Spanish Arabic

If you don't receive our emails or text messages, please contact your child's school so that we can update your contact information.

Next Steps

Our plan is to begin implementation in each of the middle schools, with the first one beginning in early February. The equipment is expected to arrive within the next week. If all goes as planned, we will then begin implementation at Oneida Middle School the second week of February. Communication with Oneida families outlining the timeline and specifics will begin once we have confirmation of a launch date.

Strategic Plan

An important part of making a Strategic Plan come to life is to connect the work that we do to the plan. In our case, it's about our four pillars of work. I hope that you have noticed that everything we do has a purpose and a direct line to a pillar and our end goal of student and graduate success. We all play a role in achieving our goals. I will continue to ask everyone in our school community to become familiar with our Strategic Plan and find where you connect and how your role impacts the health, development, and academic success of our students. We will be sharing updates on our metrics, goals and progress as we move along.

Watch for more. You will also soon see visuals in our schools, on our website and social media sites serving as reminders of our work and why we do what we do. Information, materials, news, and updates will continue to be provided on our website here.

Student Musician Highlights

Congratulations to each of the thirteen Schenectady middle and high school musicians selected to participate in last weekend’s Suburban Council Festival at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School.

I'd also like to congratulate the 25 middle and high school students selected to participate in the upcoming Schenectady County Music Association festival. The students will come together with select students from other area schools to perform together on the Mohonasen High School stage on Saturday, February 1, at 2 p.m.

Invitation: Pre-Kindergarten Family Information Session

Have questions about Prekindergarten? Come meet the Pre-K team and learn all about enrolling your child and how the lottery works.

Global Civic Initiative

The Global Civic Initiative at Schenectady High School is a four-part, full-year program, designed to guide students toward deepening their understanding of how global issues impact the Capital Region community.

Members of the SHS Class of 2025 will create individual civic missions emphasizing community organization, local journalism, career pathways, and local partnerships with the intent to develop broad and inclusive student perspectives on global issues and learn about careers that word to solve global issues.

Student success will be measured by their ability to show understanding of how a global issue impacts the local community. Students will also highlight individuals working on a global civic mission, and raise awareness of career opportunities that advance the work of that mission.

Visiting colleges and universities in Puerto Rico to recruit bilingual teachers is a strategic initiative aimed at attracting highly qualified educators fluent in both English and Spanish. The visit involves engaging with education departments, career centers, and student organizations to connect with aspiring teachers interested in opportunities within the SCSD.

Key activities include hosting informational sessions, participating in job fairs, and conducting on-site interviews. Building relationships with faculty and administrators ensures a sustainable pipeline of bilingual educators for future hiring needs.

Watch the video below, featuring one of our bilingual teachers, Leslie Perez, who is enjoying her second year as an art teacher at Hamilton Elementary in Schenectady.

Faculty and Staff Reminder

Please don't forget to take the Faculty and Staff Engagement Survey. The message and link was included in the Daily Update, emailed and texted to you recently. Your feedback is important and appreciated.

Superintendent's Coffee Chat

My next coffee chats will be held Thursday, February 27, 6 p.m. and Friday, February 28, 7 a.m. at the Family and Community Engagement Center located at 530 Liberty St. Everyone is welcome. Please join me for a cup of coffee and to chat about anything you choose.

Board of Education Meeting

The next Board of Education work session will be held Wednesday, February 5, 6:30 p.m. at 530 Liberty St. Topics include a safety update, Capital Project Update and discussion on personal electronic devices (policy #7318). The meeting will be live-streamed. Watch for the agenda and link to stream next week.

Black History Month

Every February, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of African Americans as part of Black History Month. BHM began in 1976, when U.S. president Gerald Ford extended the recognition to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” The 2025 Black History Month theme, “African Americans and Labor,” highlights and celebrates the significant contributions of African Americans in all occupations and public service while acknowledging their past labor struggles. Check out the selection of books chosen by the SHS library team in celebration of Black History Month.

Enjoy your weekend. I hope to see you at the upcoming events.

Sincerely,

Dr. Carlos M. Cotto Jr.
Superintendent of Schools

District Events

February 5

• Board of Education Work Session, 6:30 p.m., 530 Liberty St.

February 10

• Board of Education Policy Advisory Committee Meeting, 6 p.m., 530 Liberty St.

School Events

February 1

• MLK Pre K readiness program @ MLK, 8:00AM-12:00PM

• SHS Valentine's Dance, 6:00PM

February 4

• MLK Awards/PBIS Assembly, 8:30 a.m.

• NY Gear Up Re-Launch Event, SHS Commons, 3:45 - 5:45 p.m.

February 5

• MLK Awards/PBIS Assembly, 8:30 a.m.

• NY Gear Up Re-Launch Event, SHS Commons, 3:45 - 5:45 p.m.

February 6

• Zoller Band and Orchestra Concert, 9 a.m.

• Paige Movie Night (Grades K-2), 2:45 - 4:45 p.m.

February 7

• Coffee with Community Team, 8 a.m., Hamilton

• Hamilton January 100% Attendance Celebration, 8:30 a.m.

• Oneida Seussical Jr. Production, 6:30 p.m.

  
  Pre-Sale tickets are $3. Tickets are door are $5
  Seating is limited.

February 8

• Oneida Seussical Jr. Production, 2 p.m.

  
  Pre-Sale tickets are $3. Tickets are door are $5
  Seating is limited.

February 10

• Fire Chefs: Tasting Practice/Knife Skills, 3:30 p.m., Mont Pleasant Middle School

Athletics

February 1

• Boys (Varsity Wrestling) Varsity Wrestling @ Mechanicville, 7:30AM

• Girls (Competitive) Junior Varsity Cheerleading @ Columbia HS, 8:00AM

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

• Girls (Competitive Cheer) Varsity Cheerleading @ Columbia HS, 6:10PM

February 4

• Girls Varsity Bowling, 3 p.m., Boulevard Bowl

• Boys Freshman Basketball, 4 p.m., Saratoga

• Boys JV Basketball, 5:30 p.m., Saratoga

• Boys Varsity Basketball, 7 p.m., Saratoga

• Girls JV Basketball vs. Saratoga, 4:30 p.m.

• Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Saratoga, 6 p.m.

• Boys Varsity Swimming, at SHS, 4:30 p.m.

February 5

• Boys Varsity Bowling, 3 p.m., Boulevard Bowl

• Girls Varsity Competitive Cheerleading, 4 p.m., Shaker

• Boys Modified Wrestling vs. Saratoga, 4:15 p.m., Oneida Middle School

February 6

• Boys Modified Basketball vs. Burnt Hills Ballston Lake, 4:15 p.m., Mont Pleasant Middle Scool

• Girls Modified Basketball at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 4:15 p.m.

• Boy Varsity Swimming, at SHS, 4:30 p.m.

February 7

• Boys Modified Wrestling vs. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 4:15 p.m., Oneida Middle School

• Boys Freshman Basketball vs. Christian, 4:15 p.m.

• Boys JV Basketball vs. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 4:30 p.m.

• Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 6 p.m.

• Girls JV Basketball at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 4:30 p.m.

• Girls Varsity Basketball at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 6 p.m.

February 8

• Boys Varsity Wrestling at Niskayuna

• Girls Competitive Cheerleading at Colonie High School, 7 p.m.

February 10

• Boys Modified Basketball vs. Guilderland High School

• Girls Modified Basketball, at Guilderland High School, 4:15 p.m.

• Boys Modified Swimming at Troy, 4:30 p.m.

MOBILE APP SUPPORT Click here to watch a short video on how to set your school and language preferences on our mobile app: hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saNC9ek2Lqg