Good afternoon,

As we close this week, I wish to draw attention to our Board of Education and offer a huge thank you to each board member for their commitment, dedication, and service to our students and community. School Board Recognition Week, is a time to promote awareness and understanding of the important work performed by the Board of Education.

Board of Education members are elected volunteers who receive no compensation and devote countless hours of their time. In addition to the time they spend at board meetings, board members attend trainings, study policy and laws, and lead committees. They create a shared vision that sets the direction of the district and ensures that the district is flexible and responsive to the needs of the community. The board also approves the annual district budget ensuring that resources are aligned with goals, and so much more. I am grateful to each of our members for all they do for our staff, students and community. Please join me in thanking them for their service.

Left to Right: Erica Brockmyer, Jamaica Miles, Cathy Lewis, Superintendent Anibal Soler, Jr.,
Bernice Rivera (President), Nohelani Etienne (Vice President)L, Vivian Parsons, Amanda Sponable-Pantalone

As "Principal Appreciation Month" continues, so does our recognition. This week we recognize Kristin Munrett, Demond O'Connor and Dr. Robert Flanders. The importance of strong school leaders can't be stated enough. It's hard work but, as you see , can also be very rewarding. Again, thank you principals.

As I've mentioned in previous briefs, we began work with Tangible Development, a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) consulting firm several months ago, to help us grow our DEI efforts. In January, with the help of Tangible, we conducted a staff-wide organizational assessment to understand the experiences and perceptions of employees and the DEI landscape in our workplace. The input and feedback will help us improve.

We cannot make strides without also understanding the experiences and perceptions of our students and parents, guardians, and caregivers. As such, we will soon be expanding this opportunity. In early 2024, these groups will also have the opportunity to participate in an anonymous survey and confidential focus groups to share experiences. This information will provide us with further understanding of our DEI strengths and weaknesses so we can build a plan to foster inclusivity and create equitable outcomes for everyone in our district. More information will be coming, including how you can participate. The purpose of my note is to let you know this work is a priority, is ongoing and we look forward to your participation.

Schenectady High School Senior Ezekiel Buckmire is one of eight Digital Media Design students in the Capital Region BOCES Program participating in an internship at the Senate Production Shop, the graphic and printing department of the Senate. The students spend two and a half hours each week rotating through a variety of job functions ranging from graphic design, layout, pre-press, printing and finishing work. Students in the program learn professional skills using industry standard software while developing working knowledge of design theory and practice.

Two Schenectady High School students were sworn in this week as Skills USA officers for Capital Region BOCES Career and Technology Education Program. Nadaia Nunn, 11th grader, is a morning session officer. She is a photographer in the Digital Media Design program. Senior Elijah Edwards is the afternoon session president. He is enrolled in the Building Trades program.

At its Fall Classic gala last week, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region (BBBSCR) announced the launch of the High School Leadership Mentoring Program in collaboration with our district. The pilot program, set for this school year, aims to leverage the power of mentoring to support both high school and elementary school students. In its inaugural year, the program will involve a classroom of 25 third grade students paired with 50 City As Our Campus high school students/Early College High School 10th graders. Sonia Bhola and Pratiksha "Sammy" Gangadin attended the gala along with Dr. Carlos Cotto, Tyrone O'Meally, Christopher Chank and Simone Miranda.

Last week "Teach Brother Teach!" (TBT) held an information session at Pleasant Valley Elementary School. TBT is a teacher development program designed to inspire, recruit and support Black men to become teachers. They offer a fellowship which provides financial, academic, social, and professional development support for education, training, and transition into teaching careers. TBT is accepting applications. Click here for the flyer with more information.

The Schenectady Belmont 10 and under Girls Flag Football Team played their third game last Saturday at Schenectady High School. Aniyah Knight, 5th grader from Lincoln Elementary School had three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in a 32-21 comeback double over time win.

We're excited to announce that Schenectady Athletics will  be offering girls flag football for grades 9-12 this spring as part of our athletic program.   This is a fantastic opportunity for female athletes to join a new and exciting sports initiative in our district. Girls flag football is a great way to promote teamwork, fitness, and sportsmanship. It provides an inclusive environment for girls to engage in a fun and active sport.

Key details and important information will be shared soon including tryouts, practice, and game schedule. We look forward to a successful and thrilling flag football season this spring.

If you have any questions or need more information, please don't hesitate to reach out to Edgar Glascott, Director of Athletics at glascotte@schenectadyschools.org. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm.

My Brothers Keeper (MBK) continues to thrive. These MBK students at Mont Pleasant Middle School meet twice a month. They discuss the importance of developing and maintaining a strong network of mentors and friends.

Congratulations to Alex Torres, Senior Parent Liaison, who was honored Wednesday evening at the New York Capital Region Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Fiesta6. Alex was recognized as "Outstanding Hispanic Exponent of Popular Music."

Students and families at SCLA celebrated the close of Hispanic Heritage Month this week, with a food tasting prepared by our culinary students.

I'd like to give a shout-out to Mrs. Zebrowki and Mrs. Liberty, Pre-K teachers at Woodlawn Elementary School who were featured in the the UPK Classroom Spotlight of NYSED's Office of Early Childhood Publication for a project in which their students studied different artists from various cultures. Students created artwork and learned about the cultures of the artists they studied. Additionally, the students developed problem-solving skills, refined motor skills, and made connections with each other and the world around them. The culminating event was a Pre-K art show hosted by the students.

The third Wednesday every October is Unity Day which is the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month and a universal message to promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. The day is a catalyst for everyone to come together with a statement that our actions matter every day. Orange is the celebratory color for unity day as it is associated with safety and visibility. It is a color described as warm and inviting, and its vibrancy makes an impactful statement. Below are photos from Yates Elementary School's celebration of Unity Day. Choose Kind!

Please click here to open the October Newsletter from the Office of District Initiatives, Planning, and Accountability.

I want to provide another reminder that we have the "SpeakUp for Safety" tip line in which students can easily and confidentially report threats of violence, bullying, peers in crisis, and other imminent concerns that affect student well-being and security. Students can email speakup@schenectadyschools.org or call 518-765-1500 to make a report.

Please stop by the Henry & Miriam Butzel Gallery at Schenectady High School to check out our first art show of the school year. GRACE: A Gathering of Reflective Artists Who Create & Educate includes artwork from Linda Bacon, Linda Graf, Rachel Garrison, Hope Konecny, Colleen Skill, Itter Randazzo, MaryPat Wagner, and Leslie Yolen. The show will be up through November 3.

Thank you for all that you do. We appreciate our partners including parents, guardians, caregivers, and community members. We can't do this without you. We are all in this together. #schenectadyrising #strongertogether

Have a great weekend,

Anibal Soler, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools

Middle school students from Mont Pleasant flocked to the free farmer's market held after school on Monday. Students chose from fresh cut flowers, apples, kale, peppers and herbs donated by the Schenectady Greenmarket and their generous vendors. Our Farm to School Month Farmers Markets provided more than 300 pounds of free produce to Schenectady students and families in October.

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

PREVIOUS BRIEFS: For the index of Volume 1, 2 and 3 briefs click here.