SyracuSe city School DiStrict carrier hosts 25th annual holiday Party for Seymour Students

Syracuse City
School District
News from the schools
December & January 2016
Carrier Hosts 25th Annual Holiday
Party for Seymour Students
P. 11
Montessoristyle Education
to be Offered
at LeMoyne
Elementary p. 5
MISSION
To build, support and sustain
school communities that provide
all students with a high-quality
education that prepares them to
graduate as responsible, active
citizens ready for success in college
and careers and prepared to
compete in a global economy.
ITC Students
Organize
Schoolwide Day
of Service p. 7
VISION
To become the most improved
urban school district in America.
Superintendent’s
Councils Provide
Valuable Feedback
p.9
ULTIMATE GOAL
An educational community that
graduates every student as a
responsible, active citizen prepared
for success in college, careers and
the global economy.
Students Begin
to direct their
own education
with Blended
learning p.12
AND
MORE!
NE
APPW!
syracusecityschools.com
Stay Connected
Stay Involved
ITC Students Participate in Steamboat
Challenge at the MOST
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Derrick Dorsey
President
Patricia Body
David Cecile
Mark D. Muhammad
Rita Paniagua
Dan Romeo
Katie Sojewicz
Administrative Staff
Sharon L. Contreras, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Jaime Alicea
Chief Operations Officer
Brandan Keaveny, Ed.D.
Chief Accountability
Officer
Christopher Miller, Ed.D.
Chief Talent Officer
Linda Mulvey
Chief Academic Officer
Suzanne Slack
Chief Financial Officer
Monique Wright-Williams
Chief of Staff
Mailing Address:
1025 Erie Boulevard West
Syracuse, NY 13204
Happy New Year! I hope you had a
safe and enjoyable holiday season. As
we usher in the new year, we do so on
a positive note.
In recent weeks, students have
been recognized for their academic
achievements and community
service, staff have been awarded more
grants for new school programs, and
community partners have made a
renewed commitment to enriching the
education of SCSD students.
In the classroom, some exciting
changes are underway to help
students learn in a dynamic way. With
blended learning being implemented
throughout the District, students
are to a greater extent able to guide
their own learning, providing them
with new, interactive ways to learn
independently and in groups.
With flex scheduling, currently being
implemented in most of our SCSD
high schools, students are given more
time in their class periods, allowing
Congratulations SCSD Students!
Nottingham Student Wins Scholarship
in SU Poetry Slam
Nottingham student Benjamin Hill
was awarded a college scholarship from
the Syracuse University Lambda Alpha
Upsilon Fraternity for his winning
submission to the “Slam for Scholarship”
poetry slam! Nottingham student
Maryanne Knight and Johnson Center
students Jaheim Eure and Dion Roberts
also participated, coming away with
the offer of help with their
college applications from
members of the fraternity.
Great work to all who took
part and congratulations
to Benjamin on his college
scholarship!
SCSD Students Learn
Basic Engineering at CNY
Bridges Build ‘Em & Bust
‘Em Competition
2
SCSD teams from Van
Duyn, ITC and Fowler were
all recognized at the 2015
CNY Bridges Build ‘Em
& Bust ‘Em competition,
for more time to dig in and explore
content. Not to mention, teachers
have more time for planning and
collaboration!
We are also pleased to announce
that in the coming weeks, thanks
to a new agreement with Centro,
more high school students will have
access to bus transportation to get
them to and from school. Under
this new arrangement, high school
students who live more than 1.5 miles
from school will now receive bus
transportation, and this means that no
SCSD student has to walk more than
1.5 miles to get to school. I am pleased
that so many of our high school
students were vocal in calling for this
important change in policy.
I look forward to continuing this
positive momentum as we continue
the 2015-2016 school year! Let’s
keep working together and keep
#makinggreathappen!
Stud
held at the
MOST. Students
in grades 4-12 built
truss bridges that were
tested by putting pressure on
them until they broke.
SCSD Student Athletes Sign Letters
of Intent
Congratulations to first place winner
Taquan Miller, second place winner
Zhau Nkhum and third place winner
Keegan Foster, as well as the ITC
team: Keegan Foster, Terrell Miller,
Taquan Miller, The Ngo, Tran Ngo,
Phuong Nguyen and Trang Nguyen.
Congratulations to these students on
their hard work and commitment!
Several SCSD student athletes have
signed letters of intent to play at
various colleges next year. Please join
us in congratulating Henninger High
School students Jeff Belge (baseball,
St. John’s University), Nicholas
Santoro (baseball, Southern Vermont
College) and Bo Nesci (baseball, SUNY
Buffalo)! Best of luck to all of you!
e
nt
TLIGH
T
Congratulations to Van Duyn fifth
graders Daniel Smith and Sevion Felton
(The 2 Hardworkers) who placed fourth
for students in grades 4-6! ITC’s team
“In God We Truss” (juniors Ahmed
Althour, The Ngo and Keegan Foster)
placed first for students in grades 9-12,
while Fowler’s team “Truss in the Force”
(seniors Abshiro Abubeker, Jessie Chen
and Ronald Rodriguez) placed fourth
with a bridge that held over 47 pounds.
ITC students Tran Ngo, Phuong
Nguyen, Taquan Miller and Zau
Nhkum also took part. Great work to all
of our STEM-minded students on their
participation!
Students from Henninger and ITC
participated in the SCSD Oratorical
Contest, sponsored by the American
Legion. Participants were tasked with
preparing an 8-10 minute oration on the
Constitution, with an emphasis on the
duties and obligations of citizens to our
government. Congratulations to all who
took part this year: Daniel Tu, Sydney
Jones, Chantelle Millwood, Enmanuel
Mateo, Azariah Montalvo, Victoria
Everett, Quynh Le and Ahntu Nguyen
from Henninger and Najah Acosta from
ITC. Several students even earned scores
that will allow them to continue on to
the local American Legion contest with
a chance to advance all the way to the
National competition!
1st Place – Najah Acosta (ITC)
2nd Place – Ahntu Nguyen (Henninger)
3rd Place – Daniel Tu (Henninger)
4th place – Emmanuel Mateo
(Henninger)
Corcoran Students Host Annual Fall
Campus Cleanup
Corcoran students participated in
their annual fall campus cleanup! This
year, students participated alongside
the Syracuse/Corcoran hockey team,
District Wins Communications Award
Syracuse City School District was an award
winner in the New York State School
Public Relations Association’s 36th Annual
Communications Awards Competition. The
district was honored in the Electronic Newsletter
category. Congratulations
Communications Team!
Important Dates
January 2016
1
No School (New Year’s Day)
7
Special Education Advisory Council
Meeting
13
Board of Education Meeting
18
No School (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Birthday)
19
Superintendent’s Parent Council
Meeting
23
SAT and Subject Tests
25
BOE Operations Work Session
LeMoyne Elementary first grade teacher
Sarah Scott, ENL teacher Kristina
Crehan and math coach Marianne
Oliver have received a $3,306 grant
from the Terra Science & Education
Foundation to help expand access
to technology in their classrooms
and improve education for Multiple
Language Learners.The grant will allow
the school to purchase six iPads and a
document camera for their classrooms,
with the goal of enhancing their
instruction as well as student learning.
Ms. Scott and Ms. Crehan have started
co-teaching and Ms. Oliver has been
observing and providing them with
feedback. The teachers hope to collect
data throughout the school year to
monitor the impact that co-teaching
using integrated technology has on
student learning.
2629
Regents Exams
27
BOE Education Work Session
29
No School (Superintendent’s
Conference Day)
Congratulations to these teachers for
their dedication and commitment to
improving instruction for their students!
Henninger, ITC Students Take Part in
Oratorical Contest
Sincerely,
SPO
The ITC Chess Team took first place
in the Syracuse City Scholastic Chess
Championship at the South Side
Academy. Representing ITC were Sam
Cosentino, Shakir Clarke, Keegan
Foster, Taquan Miller, Terrell Miller,
and Tran Ngo. In addition to the team
title, individual honors went to Taquan
Miller (4th place) and Trang Ngo (3rd
place). Great work!
A
SPOlumni
TLIGH
T
Corcoran High School
alumnus Owen Robinson
was featured in Forbes for
the non-profit he founded,
Haiti Cardiac Alliance. Mr.
Robinson's group flies Haitian
children oversees for surgical care. They have
already performed nearly 100 heart surgeries
in the first two years of operation and hope
to facilitate 150 more in 2016. Great job
Owen, and thank you, Haiti Cardiac Alliance
for all you do!
te
LeMoyne Teachers
Awarded Terra
Science & Education
Foundation Grant
SPOacher
TLIGH
T
February 2016
4-5
All City Instrumental Rehearsal Day
4
Special Education Advisory Council
Meeting
6
All City Instrumental Festival
10
Board of Education Meeting
1519
No School (Midwinter Recess)
22
BOE Operations Work Session
23
Superintendent’s Parent Council
Meeting
24
BOE Education Work Session
December & January 2016
News from the Schools
Physical Address:
725 Harrison Street
Syracuse, NY 13210
Dear Parents & Families,
ITC Students Recognized in Chess
Competition
Corcoran Graduate
Highlighted in Forbes
News from the Schools
December & January 2016
December & January 2016
A team of students from ITC competed
in a Steamboat building and racing
competition at the MOST. Points were
awarded for the speed of the boat, an
interview and presentation, creativity
and innovation. The students did a great
job and took all three top prizes in the
High School division!
represented by seven area schools.
Thank you to all students who took
part-- this effort makes a big difference
in growing conditions in the spring at
the school!
News from the schools
3
Art Comes to Life
at the Everson
for SCSD Fifth Graders
“I see a flower.”
“I see a purple sky.”
“I see glitter!”
SCSD fifth graders learned to interpret artwork as they visited
the Everson Museum of Art as part of an annual district-wide
field trip started by Superintendent Contreras several years ago.
Each year, fifth grade students experience guided tours of the
museum that connect with their fifth grade curriculum. This
year, students learned about an exhibition called “The Three
Graces,” based on the Greek and Roman mythological trio of
goddesses known as Graces, and focusing on the themes of
beauty, joy and wonder.
Museum guides led students through exhibits featuring
pottery, paintings, rugs, sculpture and more, stopping along the
way to ask students what they saw and to define characteristics
of the different types of art.
Franklin student Tina Thai appreciated the opportunity to
examine the artwork up close. “It was amazing, because I got
to see abstract art and the value of paintings,” she said. “My
favorite was a sculpture of Pepsi and KFC—it looked like it was
real! I want to come back to see all the amazing things they
have here. Art makes me feel happy and proud.”
Classmate Yahaira Reynolds also enjoyed the abstract art and
said she was inspired by the visit. “The abstract art was my
favorite. The way artists design it, they use illusions to make
it look like it’s popping out at you! I like art because it lets you
make different things for other people that look amazing.”
Students were commended by their teachers—and the
docents—for their excitement, good behavior and interest in
learning about the artwork.
“This field trip allows our students to experience how an artist
displays finished work in a museum setting, and it inspires
young, creative minds,” Franklin art teacher Kristen Raymond
explained.
Thank you to the Everson Museum of Art for hosting our
students!
Students at Danforth Middle
School came together to host
“Safe Streets for School,” a
peace parade to allow them to
make a statement against the
violence affecting the City of
Syracuse and specifically, the
neighborhood around their
school.
The event was prompted by
the six shootings that happened in only three days, including
one that occurred less than a block from school and just
minutes after dismissal. The constant violence is what English
teacher Jodi Ackermann said helped her realize that it was
past time to speak out.
“The desensitization to the violence that surrounds our
students is concerning,” she explained. “Bringing awareness
and sharing thoughts and concerns about the violence in our
neighborhood is the only way to make our students realize
this should not be tolerated.”
4
Students readily agreed with Ms. Ackermann’s idea for a peace
walk, with Van Duyn Elementary students taking part as well.
“Some people are scared to take action,” eighth grader Peaches
Marks explained. “But it’s important that we walk because we
want to make everyone aware of the violence here. We need to
Montessori-style Education
to be Offered at
LeMoyne Elementary
The Syracuse City School District recently received a grant to
support development of innovative, high-quality educational
programs in our schools. This grant will be used to develop
a Montessori learning program at LeMoyne Elementary
School. Beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, LeMoyne
Elementary will phase in the program, starting at the
Pre-K level. The phase-in will ensure that students already
attending the school will not be impacted as the Montessori
program is expanded, each year, from Pre-K through the fifth
grade.
In Montessori schools, students are placed in mixed-age
classrooms and learn independently in uninterrupted blocks
of work time through hands-on activities rather than direct
instruction.
• Guided choice of work activity – specially
designed learning materials are available to
match lessons and students’ interests and
abilities.
• Focus on concentration and independence –
routines are established to support students’
self-regulation and the freedom to pursue
answers to their own questions.
• A hands-on multi-sensory approach to
learning – students will be able to self-select
learning activities that are matched to their
individual learning style.
A planning committee has been organized to develop
the program at LeMoyne. Details about the program and
information about enrollment will be available on the District
website, www.syracusecityschools.com.
To learn more about the Montessori program at LeMoyne,
please contact Marie Perkins, Executive Director of Early
Childhood and Elementary Education, at 435-4276.
come together to make a change.”
Leading up to the “Safe Streets for School” day, students
learned about how to organize a rally, what it takes to host a
peaceful demonstration and more. In art class, they created
banners calling for safe streets.
Students even prepared to walk in silence, to show respect
for those who have died as a result of violence. “I hope our
walk helps people realize that violence is not a good thing,”
Adir Lawrence explained. “Violence is contagious, and we
need to find a cure. Let’s hope this helps!”
On the day of the peace parade, community leaders visited
the school to speak with students about the importance of
engaging in peaceful behaviors. As students exited the school
building and marched for peace through the neighborhood
surrounding it, they reflected on the impact their action could
have.
“I hope this will be a message to people in crime,” Jean
Jatungimana said. “There’s no reason for violence, especially
so close to schools. It’s not safe, and it’s not right. Our peace
parade should have a great impact on our community, because
people are standing with us and are standing up for what’s
right.”
Thank you to everyone who united with our students and staff
in their efforts to create a safer environment for our schools!
Syracuse Aspiring Leadership
Academy Helps Staff Develop
Leadership Skills
First year vice principals, administrative interns and central
office staff—as well as several teachers—are taking part
in a yearlong leadership development program called the
Syracuse Aspiring Leadership Academy (SALA).
SALA Class of 2016
Once a month, the 27 SALA participants gather at the SCSD
Professional Development Center on a Saturday for a day of
discussion, data analysis, project work and more. This year,
the group is focusing on personal leadership strengths and
growth areas, growing as a leader and measuring personal
growth and reading a diverse array of practical leadership
research, then applying the research to the Syracuse
community while solving problems along the way.
Good luck to all of this year’s participants!
Sharon Archer
MCL, Grant MS
Sophia Burden
Teacher, Syracuse Latin
Renee Burgess
VP, McKinley-Brighton Elementary
Emily Buss
Special Education Specialist
Kevin Casavant
Special Education Specialist
Deanna Daniel
Administrative Intern, Roberts PK-8
Joseph Dhara
Math Coach, Danforth MS
Chaz-Lit Doyle
Teacher, Webster Elementary
Sarah Gentile Supervisor of Fine Arts
Francine Grannell Assistant Director of Special Education
Jennifer Homeyer-DeBoover Special Education Administrative Intern
Tracy Jackson
Supervisor of Guidance
Interim VP, Delaware Academy
Lakisha Jones
Greg Lawson
MCL, Grant MS
Christina Louis Administrative Intern, Ed Smith PK-8
Shirley Mackins
Guidance Counselor, Lincoln MS
Laura Mitchell
Administrative Intern, Franklin Elementary
Kathryne Moulton VP, Clary MS
Irastina Reid
Special Education Administrative Intern
Richard RichardsonVP, Clary MS
Dennis Robillard OSA Analyst
A. Najah Salaam Jennings-BeyVP, Dr. King Elementary
Amanda Shepherd VP, HW Smith PK-8
Bohdanna Snihur Dean of Students, HW Smith PK-8
Ray Stazzone
OSA Coordinator
Joe Sterbank
Math Coach, Grant MS
Literacy Coach, Westside Academy
Naomi Trivison
Katelynn Tymczyszyn VP, Frazer PK-8
Karen Williams
Assistant Director of Special Education
December & January 2016
News from the Schools
Danforth Students Organize Peace Parade, Food Drive to Benefit Community
• Peer learning and multi-age groupings –
younger students learn from older students,
while older students reinforce their learning
by teaching concepts they have already
mastered.
News from the Schools
December & January 2016
Highlights of the Montessori method include:
In this child-centered approach to education, the focus is
on the development of the whole child—physically, socially,
emotionally and cognitively. Students learn at their own
pace, selecting tasks that are of interest to them within
parameters set by their teachers.
5
They commissioned Boston-based composer Nick Page to
write a three-part piece celebrating Syracuse’s involvement
with the Underground Railroad. The resulting piece,
titled “Syracuse, in the Presence of the Past,” includes one
movement called “Syracuse, October 1st, 1851,” another
called “Syracuse Today” and a third called “Syracuse, October
1st, 2051.” Together, these compositions walk through the
fight for equality in the 1850s, the ways today’s students
are working to ensure a better future for all people, and the
peaceful world that is desired in the years to come.
Thank you to Mr. Page and the Syracuse Children’s Chorus
for providing our students with this wonderful opportunity!
Students at ITC took part in a
Citizens Rising event to help them
learn about the history of their
school and focus on serving the
school community.
As they rotated through stations
throughout the school, students
learned about the history of the
building as ITC seniors told them
about the school’s founding, the
esence of the P ast
SCSD Educational Foundation Awards
Funding for Grants Projects
The SCSD Educational Foundation has announced funding
for 19 grant projects in 14 SCSD schools.
Thanks to this funding, students at Danforth, Dr. King, Dr.
Weeks, Henninger, PSLA/Fowler, Frazer, HW Smith, ITC,
the Johnson Center, Lincoln, MSAP at Shea, Salem Hyde,
Webster and McKinley-Brighton will experience a variety
of educational projects, from field trips to cooking classes to
theater and audio/visual projects, STEM projects and more.
Teachers were encouraged to submit grant proposals
requesting up to $5,000 for a project. Among the projects
funded this year are:
• Expansion of the Underwater Robotics program, including
the purchase of underwater cameras, laptop computers and
more
• The creation of school news studios (including equipment)
at Danforth, Lincoln and the Johnson Center
• Music technology instruction at Dr. King, drumming at
Dr. Weeks and student musicals at Webster
• Food-based instruction at Dr. King and Fowler/PSLA
• Expansion of arts activities, including the creation of 3D
letters at Frazer, the introduction of a “Paint Knight” at
Henninger, and a tile wall mural at Salem Hyde
• Continued STEM enrichment, such as rocket building at
Frazer and drone lessons at ITC
• Social Studies lessons come to life through an interactive
timeline project at MSAP at Shea
• Real-world field trips, including fishing trips at Fowler and
geology field trips at Henninger
• Expansion of the Building Men program, expanding the
program from H.W. Smith and MSAP at Shea to two
additional schools
• Yoga/mindfulness activities at McKinley-Brighton
Since the founding of the Educational
Foundation in 2003, the group has
successfully funded more than 175
educational projects and has donated
more than $750,000 to Syracuse City
Schools.
Thank you to everyone who made this year’s project funding
possible!
“Everything we’re doing is making
the community stronger.”
artifacts that have been found
from the original buildings and the
changes the school has faced over
time.
They saw photos of plaques honoring
former graduates who fought in
World Wars I and II, and a statue
of Roman goddess Minerva, which
once occupied the foyer of Central
Tech. Students were so moved by
these artifacts, Social Studies
teacher Kathleen Argus
explained, that they started
creating petitions to request
getting them back in their school.
“A couple hundred students
signed them!” she noted.
Students also enjoyed a lesson
designed by seniors about ITC
logos and their bearing on the
spirit of the community, where
they were able to design their
own sample ITC logo. In a focus
on service, students took part
in a lesson where they watched
videos about veterans and how
we celebrate them.
SCSD Girls Take Part in YWCA Career
Exploration Day
Close to 20 girls from across the Syracuse City School District
had the opportunity to take part in a career exploration day as
part of the YWCA’s Expanding Your Horizons event.
Intended to expose girls aged five to eight to female role
models, the experience also allowed the girls to take part in
hands-on activities that opened their minds to non-traditional
disciplines.
At this year’s Expanding Your
Horizons event, girls participated
in team building and workshops
and even interacted with an
environmental engineer, an artist, a
cook and an animal specialist!
Through a wind turbine workshop,
girls built and tested their own
turbines, learning to measure
whose turbine generated the most
energy. In an art workshop, girls
used melted wax to create pieces,
learning about this ancient form of
Finally, students took part in an
outdoor service project where they
cleaned up around their school
building and in Billings Park.
Students collected trash, raked,
spread mulch and planted flowers.
“We planted and learned how to
help our community,” junior Zarfara
Davis said. “Everything we’re doing
is making the community stronger.
We also learned about the history of
our school and how it was founded.
This is our school and we really
care—this means a lot.”
That pride and interest in their
school and their community was
the goal. “The students were really
buying into this because their peers
were teaching the classes,” Ms. Argus
explained. “If we can get the students
fired up about history, then we’ve
succeeded!”
Thank you to all the ITC students
who took part in the Day of Service
for their interest in honoring their
school and community.
painting and techniques to create their works.
A ‘nature in your neighborhood’ workshop brought students
on a walk to allow them to interact with and observe the
natural world, as well as how to tend to an injured animal.
And in a revered cooking workshop, girls made their own Rice
Krispie treats while learning basic kitchen techniques!
“It’s never too early to expose girls to local female role
models that work in non-traditional fields,” YWCA Youth
Development Director Flavia Rey de Castro said. “This
event aims to begin inspiring and
supporting girls in establishing their
own limits and setting their own
future. All our programs at Girls Inc.
at the YWCA aim, in the long run,
to equip girls to navigate gender,
economic and social barriers and
to grow into healthy, educated and
independent adults.”
Thank you to the YWCA for hosting
such a fun and educational day for
the young girls!
December & January 2016
News from the Schools
Analeyah is one of several Dr. Weeks Elementary students
who performed parts of the song, along with the Syracuse
Children’s Chorus, at a “Songs of Peace and Freedom”
performance at University United Methodist Church.
ITC Students Organize Schoolwide Day of Service
In putting together the work, Mr. Page met with students
from Dr. Weeks—including many from immigrant
families—and asked where they feel welcome and what they
do to make the world a better place. Some of these responses
were included in the lyrics of the songs. Students said they
felt welcome in the library, with the teachers at their school,
playing basketball and ‘in America, because I’m free.’
Syracuse,In the
Pr
6
Fifth grader Analeyah Caquias said that the message behind
the song was what made her pleased to participate. “The song
is about believing in a better world than it is now,” she said.
“It makes me feel proud to be on stage singing this. I feel
important.”
News from the Schools
December & January 2016
When the Syracuse Children’s Chorus received word from
the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University that they
had been selected to participate in a choral project funded
by the New York State Council on the Arts, they were hoping
to celebrate the diversity of Syracuse and its legacy of being a
welcoming community.
Dr. Weeks Students Inspire Local Composer,
Perform with Syracuse Children’s Chorus
7
As a group, the staff hope to slowly begin applying
mindfulness strategies in their classrooms with their students,
helping the youngsters learn to control their emotions and
manage their behavior by being mindful in their breathing,
seeing, smelling, movement and more.
One teacher noted that allowing students to play with bubbles
when they are upset has helped, because it forces students to
slow their breathing. Another noted that the smells of lavender
and peppermint have had a calming effect on students visiting
her office.
“We’re such a rushed society,” one teacher noted. “We need
to give ourselves time to look and use our mindful seeing.
Looking and not talking can be really helpful for us—and for
students.”
“It’s so healing for a kid to have all of
your attention. When someone is fully
heard, it can make a huge difference,” one
teacher observed.
In the first year of McKinley-Brighton’s book club, staff are
meeting monthly to discuss mindfulness while reading Goldie
Hawn’s book “10 Mindful Minutes.’
Some attend the book club as a hobby. “I have to do more for
myself,” one teacher explained. “I love to read—reading is a
reward for me. And it’s nice to come here and share ideas with
my colleagues.”
Staff also discussed playing nature sounds or relaxing, classical
music in the morning and after lunch to help students clear
their mind and focus.
The group is hoping to use their discussions as a springboard
to implement mindfulness throughout the school. Thank
you, Vice Principal Renee Burgess, and dedicated McKinleyBrighton staff, for taking the time to brainstorm ways to
improve the culture of your school!
DECA Students Get Inspired at CNY Small Business Summit
News from the Schools
8
While competing in DECA, students prepare business
plans for a product or business they are interested
in creating. Henninger DECA Advisor Melinda
McCarthy said attending the panel provided students
with the opportunity to brainstorm and learn about
the challenges they may face—and how to overcome
them.
More than 50 students gather at the Syracuse Professional
Development Center, eating breakfast pizza and preparing for
a full day of discussion.
As part of the Superintendent’s Student Cabinet, these
students will provide valuable insight into issues facing the
students at their schools—and suggestions for how to improve
the school culture and operations.
For Corcoran sophomore Jalen Smith, a second year
Cabinet member, new security checks at his school are on
the forefront of his mind this year. “The security checks are
making many of us like 15 minutes late to class, and they’re
still missing things that should not be brought into school,” he
explained. “I’m hoping we can talk about how we can improve
the process.”
Four times a year, the group of students meets for a full day
of sessions, where they meet as a large group and in smaller
discussion groups to talk about this and other issues.
“We have spent a good amount of time talking about violence
and how to keep peace in our schools,” Fowler junior
Brooklyn Spinks said of her two years on the Cabinet. “The
discussions have helped me learn from other students about
how to resolve issues so we can get along.”
Students are encouraged to join the Cabinet to represent the
wide spectrum of students at each SCSD high school. Some
aim to help develop their leadership skills, while others hope
the experience will contribute to their resume.
“I’m hoping to start my own business one day. I’m inspired to be
here, getting a look at what these successful people have done to
make their dreams a reality.”— Katie Willard, Nottingham
At a panel discussion featuring business leaders,
including Henninger alumna Deborah Little, students
learned about the importance of focusing on something they
enjoy doing, recognizing the value of a team, the importance
of having a mentor and more. The panel also spoke of the
traits of successful entrepreneurs, how to grow a startup,
how to create a workplace culture and how to develop a solid
business plan that will increases the chance for success—all
things that the DECA students said benefitted them.
“I came hoping to learn how to build a business from an
idea into something,” Henninger sophomore Zachary Riese
explained. “For DECA, I wanted to learn how to get funding
for my innovation ideas.” Zachary is working with classmate
Timothy Revette on a shade that will block rainwater from
getting in your glasses. “I’ve always been into business and
making money,” he added. “If we can learn here and win at
DECA, we can bring our idea farther!”
Students said a major highlight of the summit was the keynote
address by a star of the ABC show “Shark Tank,” Daymond
John.
Nottingham senior Katie Willard described, “I’m hoping to
start my own business one day. I’m inspired to be here, getting
a look at what these successful people have done to make their
dreams a reality. Like Daymond John. How did he make it so
far? To hear how it feels to go from such humble upbringings
to such success… it’s amazing.”
Thank you to Brazzlebox for providing our DECA students
with this great opportunity to expand their knowledge of
business.
“I was looking for something that will help my resume stand
out,” Brooklyn noted, “and I think the Cabinet will help do
that.”
Jalen said he has similar intentions. “I want to go to college
to be a mechanical engineer,” he said, “I know this experience
will help prepare me for what college will be like, interacting
with people and everything.”
Because teachers play as important a role as students,
Superintendent Contreras has created a similar advisory
panel to provide feedback from the staff side. Called the
Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council (STAC), close
to 100 teachers representing each school in the SCSD gather
monthly to hear about new initiatives taking place in the
District, ask questions and provide valuable feedback about
the challenges and successes in their schools.
“How many of you can think of at least one great thing
happening in your school?” Superintendent Contreras asked a
room full of teachers at the Professional Development Center.
Every hand in the room shot up.
“It’s really important that we speak out about these great
things,” the Superintendent continued. “Teachers are our
most valuable resource for sharing good news, because
parents listen to teachers.”
At STAC meetings, teachers interact directly with
Superintendent Contreras to provide feedback or concerns
from their schools, personal stories of notable teaching
experiences, comments about district policies and more. One
STAC meeting began with a challenge: teachers were asked to
write the story of their teaching careers in just six words.
“My education
began when college
ended,” one said.
“Interested in
teaching those
who care,” another
suggested.
“Striving to always
be the best,” a third
teacher added,
noting that she had worked with some of the best educators
across the country throughout her career. “But I truly feel like
I’m among the best here in the Syracuse City School District.
The dedication of our teachers and staff is unbelievable!”
Thank you to all of the committed students and teachers
taking part in the Superintendent’s Student Cabinet and the
Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council for contributing
to the District’s efforts of #makinggreathappen!
Educator
of the
Year awards
Nominate district educators, administrators, and staff to be
publicly recognized for their exceptional work!
The SCSD Educational
Foundation, together with
the Scyracuse City School
DIstrict, is proud to recognize
men and women who
help to ensure educational
excellence in Syracuse, New
York. Each year, at our Annual
Recognition Breakfast, the
SCSD Educational Foundation
honors nominees.
December & January 2016
More than three dozen DECA students from
Henninger and Nottingham attended a Brazzlebox
Small Business Summit at The OnCenter, where they
heard from local entrepreneurs and business leaders
about what it takes to succeed in business.
Superintendent’s Councils
Provide Valuable Feedback
News from the Schools
December & January 2016
Mindful
Others say the book has helped them stay calm during
stressful school days, noting that they have learned to focus
on the positive instead of the negative and to ask themselves
“what did I do right?” instead of “what could I have done
differently.”
McKinley-Brighton Staff
Book Club Focuses on Being
>> Nominate today!
•
•
•
•
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
District Administrators
Suppott Staff
Visit www.scsdfoundation.com
Events> Annual Recognition Breakfast>
Educator of the Year Nominations
Deadline: Friday, February 19
9
25th Annual Holiday Party for Seymour Students
Three SCSD high school students took part in a student panel at the
Terra Urban Education Conference, suggesting their ideas for how to
improve struggles facing city school students, including drop out rates,
ITC sophomore Josolyn Malone,
Fowler senior Hamdi Farah and
Corcoran junior Zacqueline Baldwin
spoke on a Summer Leadership
Program Student Panel on topics that
they explored during their experience
in the Terra Summer Leadership
Program.
Josolyn spoke about the importance of
school staff being honest with students
about the reality of what it will take
for them to succeed after high school.
“Teens need more support,” she said.
“We need someone to tell us honestly
what the steps are that we need to take
to graduate. We need to know that we
have to get a career and hold ourselves
to high standards. We need someone
who won’t sugarcoat it.”
Hamdi, herself an English Language
Learner, spoke about problems facing
her ENL peers. “For ENL students,
they should have book clubs and
writing clubs to help us learn faster,”
she suggested. “Having tutors would
also help push us forward. We need
to learn the language first, and we
need more outside programs to help.
Content teachers could leave us more
time and could simplify content so it’s
easier for us to understand.”
Zacqueline focused on ways teachers
could modify instruction to help a
variety of learners. “If teachers could
teach in a variety of ways rather than
just giving notes, it would help us
Congratulations to all three students
on their leadership and participation!
from Bond, Schoeneck and King. For 30 minutes, students
partner with the adult volunteers to read books based on
their independent reading level. This year, students even have
an optional writing component, where they can write in a
journal about what they have read.
remote control cars to train sets, blocks,
dolls and more.
At the 25th annual Carrier holiday
party, kindergarteners from Seymour
Dual Language Academy enjoyed a
performance by Doug Rougeux of
Bubble Mania, holiday music, visits from
a reindeer and snowman and more.
In the company’s 25th year hosting the
event, organizers said the goal is purely
to give the Seymour students a special
celebration. Lou Anne Mann, Senior
Representative for Community Affairs,
has been planning the event for the 20
years she has worked at Carrier.
“I got a baby doll!”
“I got a ninja turtle”
Across the room, as students visited
with Santa, they each left carrying a gift,
opening everything from play tents to
“The best part is knowing what we will
see in the children’s reactions on the
day of the party,” she explained. “The
excitement on the kids’ faces makes it all
so worth it!”
Students Take Part in
Shareformances in Partnership
with Redhouse Arts Center
“It’s been fantastic,” Mr. Goodwin explained. “We get more
out of it than the students do! The kids get to know us and
will give us hugs as a greeting. It opens our minds to the ways
we can make a big difference in a small way.”
McKinley-Brighton third grader Nyquaisa Warren entered
her school library and saw Bond, Schoeneck & King lawyer
Ann Masica.
Ms. Masica has been reading with Nyquaisa once a week since
last year, and the two have formed a bond.
“I get excited to read with Ann because she makes me excited
to read,” Nyquaisa explained. “Reading is my favorite thing to
do, and she takes turns reading with me… she reads the long
parts and I read the short parts!”
Each week, 21 third graders are matched up with 15 lawyers
At Seymour, a similar program has been in place since
2014—Book Buddies! The brainchild of Laurie Black at
Syracuse 20/20, the program has expanded from reaching 20
first and second graders to reaching 86 students this school
year.
“Third grade is the benchmark for if a student is likely to
graduate from high school,” Ms. Black explained. “We wanted
to make a difference and dig in. There is so much untapped
potential of people who want to help but don’t know how!”
Thank you to the volunteers from Bond, Schoeneck &
King, as well as the more than 126 community volunteers at
Seymour, for inspiring these young minds to develop a love
for reading!
Seymour Principal Rria Cruz-Soto
said that the day signified more than
just a holiday celebration because of
the ongoing support of Carrier staff
throughout the years.
“Our partnership with Carrier has helped
Seymour students in so many ways,”
she explained. “From providing school
supplies to helping us clean up our rain
garden to planning this holiday party
and so much more, the staff at Carrier
have helped engage our students and
encourage them to get back and focus on
their academics.”
representing these concepts they learned about in school.
Natalie Pertz, SCSD teaching fellow and Assistant Building
Lead at Frazer, explained, “What I love about this curriculum
is that it excites students about learning in a different, handson on, kinesthetic and tangible way.”
Students designed their tshirts, hats and gloves and then took
part in the shareformances to share their work with their
school community while facing the fear that sometimes comes
with performing—in a fun way.
Gary Goodwin, the Executive Director of BS&K, has been
volunteering with the program at McKinley-Brighton since
the law firm started it at Elmwood more than 7 years ago.
“Ann!” she exclaimed, as she ran over for a hug.
10
As part of the Terra Summer
Leadership Program, students interned
at community organizations for
half the day and then took part in
class discussions about challenges
and stereotypes facing Syracuse
city residents. After reflecting on
these topics, the three students felt
compelled to share their ideas for
change.
“I’m so happy!” one Seymour
kindergartener squealed in excitement.
“My state was California, so I made birds out of feathers
and used lots of colors on my shirt!” Frazer second grader
Mike’Asia Gainey explained.
Students at Dr. King, Porter, Van Duyn, Frazer,
Seymour and Bellevue enjoyed taking part in their first
“Shareformance” as part of an extended learning time
partnership with Redhouse Arts Center.
“I studied the resplendent quetzal, a bird in Central America,”
Frazer third grader Br’Yani Morris explained. “I wrote the
bird’s name and I drew trees and the canopy. Performing was
very fun and a little scary, but I’d do it again. It was fun to put
on a performance for other people!”
Leading up to the Shareformance, kindergarten students
learned about patterns, while first graders learned about
nouns and verbs and creating simple sentences. Second
graders learned about the 50 states, third graders learned
about the rainforest, fourth graders learned about solids,
liquids and gases and fifth graders learned about fractions.
Ms. Pertz said this excitement and confidence were key
takeaways from the Shareformances. “I saw a number of
my previously introverted students work hard and design
projects they were incredibly proud of,” she recalled. “This led
to a newfound confidence as they shared their work on that
runway in front of their peers.”
As they were cheered on by their classmates, teachers and
family members, students walked a catwalk and posed
in clothing they designed themselves, with each item
Thank you to all the SCSD students who took part in the
Shareformances at their schools, and to Redhouse staff for
continuing to engage students in creative ways!
December & January 2016
News from the Schools
Elementary Students Learn the Love of
Reading Thanks to Community Partners
learn better,” she reflected. “They
could simplify concepts to help us
understand and they could encourage
students to express things in their own
words.”
News from the Schools
December & January 2016
preparation for college, English language acquisition and more.
Carrier Hosts
Students Share Solutions
to City’s Challenges at
Terra Urban Education
Conference
11
y=mx+b
focus on the
individual
blended learning
News from the Schools
In Jenniffer Benedetto’s Cultural Voices class at the Johnson
Center, one day begins with an interactive Kahoot lesson quiz.
Students then watch a series of short videos, interspersed with
discussion, and then break out to alternate between group
work and independent assignments. This is blended learning
at work at Johnson Center.
At Franklin Elementary, one group of students sits quietly
at their desks, filling out an independent writing prompt.
Another group sits at computers, working through reading,
spelling and sentence completion exercises. A third group sits
with the teacher, working on a character traits lesson, while a
fourth group works together to continue the lesson the teacher
taught them in another rotation.
them busy at the same time.”
To help train teachers and administrators in how to
implement personalized, blended learning in their classrooms,
SCSD staff has been taking part in professional development
sessions led by Education Elements. The first three sessions
focused on the foundations of blended learning, how to design
the plans for their school and how to launch these plans. As a
follow up, staff will meet twice more down the road to reflect
on the plans and integrate aspects of other schools’ programs
into their own.
Called a flex schedule, different versions are in use at Fowler/
PSLA, Henninger, ITC and Nottingham. Each schedule is
targeted to the school students and staff to maximize both
instructional and planning time.
At PSLA, core subjects have been restructured to meet four
days a week, rather than five, leaving a full ‘flex’ day each week
to be used for students’ electives. Courses are extended in
time, adding 45 minutes to last year’s schedule which leaves
teachers more time to dig in to the content and students more
time to make connections.
Karen Earl, an ELA Coach at Danforth explained that
because blended learning is all about helping students learn
in the way that works best for them, developing school
implementation plans should be from the student perspective.
“We can now respond to our students’ academic needs quicker
because we meet once a week to discuss issues
that come up, as well as a plan to address them,”
PSLA Principal Matt Williams explained.
“We are focusing on what our students want,” Ms. Earl said.
“What is their mindset? Often, kids don’t feel responsible for
their own learning, and they learn in isolation. We want to
shift that and help them direct themselves more, which will
help them be more successful in high school and college.”
In 9th and 10th grade, English and Social Studies
classes have been combined into a Humanities
cluster, while Math and Science have been
combined into a STEM cluster. Teachers of
these courses are matched up and placed in
neighboring classrooms, allowing them to work
together in blended learning opportunities over
the course of three periods each day.
Every 15-20 minutes, the Franklin students rotate through
the stations in the classroom. This, too, is blended learning
at work, and classrooms across the SCSD are gradually
transitioning to this method of instruction.
Blended learning, a method of instruction that focuses on
the individual rather than the group, allows students to
use new, interactive ways to learn independently and guide
their own instruction to some extent. As part of Wave 1 of
implementation in the SCSD, Bellevue, Dr. Weeks, Franklin,
Huntington, Grant, Delaware, Meachem, Van Duyn,
Seymour and Danforth are working to use blended learning.
Each year, 10-14 new schools will be added to the training and
implementation schedule.
Franklin teacher Jessie Pritting said that even in its early
stages, blended learning is having a positive impact on her
classroom culture. “The programs we’re using meet students
at their level and help them develop the skills they need,” she
explained. “We also try to do lots of cooperative learning with
the rotations. This helps meet their attention spans and keeps
The SCSD is also transitioning high school credit recovery
programs to a personalized, blended learning format. Piloted
in high school summer school, the format is now being
implemented at Fowler/PSLA and will offer students a better
chance at success. The homebound program is also offering a
personalized, blended learning approach, allowing students to
be matched with a homebound teacher to receive a blend of
online and face-to-face instructions to meet their individual
needs.
Thank you to all of our dedicated staff who are working hard
to implement this great new instructional method and help
enhance student learning!
PSLA Students
De-Stress with Yoga
PSLA sophomore Mikayla Cruz started attending yoga last
year on Friday afternoons. Along with her sister and her
best friend, Mikayla is now one of the school group’s core
members.
Founded by Vice Principal Maggie McRobbie-Taru,
the group aims to introduce students to a healthy way of
P-Tech staff also say the flex schedule gives them the time to
collaborate with teachers in other content areas.
At Nottingham, a type of flex schedule is in effect in a
Humanities cluster, as all Social Studies and ELA teachers
have daily common planning time with embedded
professional development during the school day. Teachers
meet with a coach every Monday and receive PD around
a specific element of instruction to support shifts in the
common core standards and set out an agenda for the
meetings for the rest of the week. Each pairing receives a task
to complete within the week, and that task is addressed on the
following Monday meeting.
Thank you to our staff who have been so receptive to these
new schedules, which aim to create a more effective, efficient
school environment for students and staff alike!
relaxation and reflection. “We do it on Fridays after school as
a way to end the school week and go into the weekend with
positive thoughts and exercise,” Ms. McRobbie explained.
“The breathing and relaxation methods are what the parents
have said really impact their children while at home. One
parent even shared that since she her daughter has joined
our group, she no longer hurts herself physically because of
stress and anxiety. After hearing that, I knew we needed to
continue.”
December & January 2016
12
With Blended Learning
Several SCSD high schools are experimenting with a new
schedule this year, in an effort to boost student achievement
by giving them more time for in-depth learning, while also
providing teachers with more time for planning, collaboration
and professional development.
“The goal is to increase student achievement by giving us
more time to plan,” science teacher Julie Sherman explained.
“This schedule allows us to be more creative in how we
do things like Regents review—sometimes, we would be
restricted to working with students during one lunch period
or after school. This opens up more possibilities.”
News from the Schools
December & January 2016
Students Begin to Direct Their Own Education
Flex Schedules Allow
High School Students
and Teachers More
Time to Learn and
Collaborate
At ITC, teachers in the Pathways in Technology Early
High School College (P-Tech) program use a modified flex
schedule format, in which each P-Tech teacher has one flex
day when they do not teach class so they are more available to
plan lessons and assist students.
Interactive
meeting
personalized
needs
For Mikayla, the group is fun not only because of the exercise
but also due to the conversation that develops. “Yoga helps
me keep my stress down,” she explained. “The music, the
breathing and the strength building techniques are relaxing.
And after we do yoga, we come up with topics to talk about,
like what we’re proud of or what we could do better.”
After attending five consecutive sessions, students earn their
own yoga mats to encourage them to stick with the calming
activity. Thank you to Ms. McRobbie for starting the club and
to the students who choose to take part in this stress-relieving
activity!
13
Students from Fowler, ITC and Nottingham attended the
Teen Institute Annual Leadership Conference held at the
Salvation Army Long Point Camp on Seneca Lake.
One ITC student shared this personal story summarizing
the experience:
As time went on I had a chance to sort of step out
of my comfort zone and meet new people. That was
probably my favorite part besides the incredible
activities and workshops we did. Aside from that,
it made me realize a few things. One specific thing
was that I’ve blinded myself from the things that are
really going on at home. I’ve kind of faked my way
to happiness. Alcohol has negatively impacted my
family for a very long time. Teen Institute took off
that blind fold and really made me see it. Not only
did my peers in TI open my eyes to that, they’ve
showed me that I’m not the only one who goes
through this stuff.
They showed me that there are healthy ways to deal
with it because just ignoring it isn’t going to make
it go away. And by the end of Teen Institute I had
one of those friendly smiles and was doing a couple
of those weird dances myself! TI has inspired me to
want to become a friendly face next year and be one
of many who help students like me next year.”
- S. S.
14
Thank you to the Heart of NY Teen Institute for welcoming
our students in such an engaging program!
But, in partnership with the Syracuse University Shaw Center
for Public and Community Service and the David B. Falk
College of Sport and Human Dynamics, the classes recently
worked together on a “Food Busters” lab to determine the
health value of different types of fats. In preparation for the
lab, culinary students baked more than 600 cookies—200
made with butter, 200 made with oil and 200 made with
applesauce.
Culinary Arts junior Maiya White explained, “We’re figuring
out how much fat is in cookies based on which ingredient
was used. It’s nice to combine classes, because the people who
aren’t in culinary get to see what it’s like and get to learn what’s
in what they’re eating!”
From the teaching perspective, Ms. Furcinito said the
collaboration between programs was a great experience for all
involved.
“It’s fun to combine classes,” she explained. “It allows students
to mentor each other, using their different expertise. All this
cross-curriculum work gives students a wider mindset about
these concepts they’re learning about.”
Sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Huntington took part in
the school’s annual career fair, meeting with professionals from
27 local businesses!
Students worked their way
through the school’s cafeteria,
interacting with representatives
from SU, Onondaga County
Public Health, Nine Mile
Nuclear Plant, the 911 Center,
the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, the
CNYSPCA and more.
Anthony Trupiano, who works
in HR for the DoubleTree
Hilton, spoke with students
about careers in hospitality. “The
kids asked what kinds of jobs
there are besides housekeepers,”
he said. “They didn’t realize how much work goes into running
a hotel.”
Sixth grader Jason Butler said he enjoyed learning about what
the professionals do and how they got their jobs. “I really
liked the SU booth,” he explained. “I learned about the sports
manager and the health and fitness manager. I want to be a
football player when I grow up and I learned about how I have
to be healthy to be a good athlete.”
Classmate Khylie Hack said she also learned skills that may
HW Smith Peace Leaders Enjoy ‘Puppy
Time’ in Visit from Guiding Eyes for the
Blind
Fifth through eighth graders in the HW Smith Peace Leaders
class enjoyed time with some furry friends, thanks to the
enrichment program with Peaceful Schools and a visit from a
volunteer with Guiding Eyes for the Blind.
Shaw Center student Christina LiPuma, a senior majoring
in Nutrition at SU, is a Nutrition Volunteer Coordinator at
the Shaw Center. She and some of her classmates who are
studying to become registered dietitians served as instructors
during the Food Busters lab and said the experience was
invaluable.
Linda DePuy has been raising puppies for more than 20 years
through Guiding Eyes for the Blind. She spoke with Peace
Leaders classes about the organization, how guide dogs help
those with disabilities and what goes into raising a puppy
for the program. Students enjoyed learning what their name
looked like in Braille, wearing goggles that showed them what
their vision would be like with different vision impairments,
and of course playing with two of the guide dogs in training!
To prepare for the visit, students created dog toys to be
donated to the CNY chapter of Guiding Eyes for the Blind,
where they will be used by puppy trainers during the training
process.
“While we formally taught them a lesson about fats,
informally we were able to answer questions from curious
students about what college is like and how to make healthy
food choices,” she said. “We have learned so much from them,
too!”
“We knew Linda was coming in, so we made dog toys to help
her when she’s training the dogs,” seventh grader Marissa
Carello explained. “It was cool to learn that people with
disabilities can use these guide dogs to help them live more
comfortably.”
Thank you to these SU students for sharing their knowledge
with the ITC students in such an engaging way!
Classmate Keir Glass added, “We learned that it takes a lot
to be a guide dog. I’d like to make more toys for them. And
help her in her future career. “I’ve always wanted to be a vet or
a nurse, and today I learned how to take blood pressure and
why you take it. Maybe I will need to know this one day!”
At Roberts, seventh and eighth graders also took part in
a career fair, where they met with more than 20 different
professionals from the
community. School Counselor
Julie Dunn noted that
students were well-prepared
for this year’s job fair.
“Students prepared for
the event in advance by
completing a career interest
inventory on Naviance, a
career and college planning
website for youth,” she
explained. “They also learned
about their Holland Codes
and career clusters to ehlp
them identify at least three
careers that they are interested in learning more about.”
Huntington students said their interaction with the dentist,
barber, electrician, seamstress, software engineer and other
professionals was invaluable. “I just found my future job!” one
exclaimed.
Thank you to all of the professionals who took the time to
speak with our Huntington and Roberts students about their
industry!
maybe we could start a foundation to make sure the dogs
have everything they might need while they’re being trained!”
Ms. DePuy said the goal of her visit was to help develop the
students’ desire to give back to the community.
“I hope students learned about service above all else,” she
explained. “It’s all about volunteering. And these students
made all these toys for the dogs… it’s wonderful. That was the
best thing they could do to help!”
Great work, Peace Leaders, for your contributions to this
great cause!
December & January 2016
News from the Schools
“Going to the Heart of NY Teen Institute (TI) was
one of the most fun and engaging events I’ve gone to
in years. I was actually pretty nervous on what it was
going to be like. I didn’t know what to expect but as
soon as we pulled up in front of the camp, there were
a bunch of friendly faces doing a very odd dance and
welcome song. At that point I was a little relieved.
In Vicki Parvese’s
Culinary Arts class,
students were learning
about nutritional levels
of different fats. In Ann
Marie Furcinito’s SUPA
Forensic Science class,
students were learning
about the chemical
makeup of fats.
Middle School Career Fairs Expose
Students to Job Possibilities
News from the Schools
December & January 2016
The Teen Institute strives to empower teens with the
knowledge, skills and confidence to lead an alcohol, tobacco
and other drug-free life; develop and strengthen leadership
skills; educate and lead peers to reduce the frequency of
substance abuse and other unhealthy behaviors; advocate for
positive change within their schools and communities; and
promote healthy decision making.
ITC Students Partner with SU’s Shaw
Center in “Food Busters” Lab
Teen Institute Making a Difference
for SCSD High Schoolers
15
syracuse city school district
1025 Erie Boulevard West | Syracuse, NY 13204
Stay Connected
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syracusecityschools.com
December & January 2016
News from the Staff
Michael Henesey
Coordinator of Communications
Karin Davenport
Communications Specialist
Christine Carnegie
Graphics Technician
The Syracuse City School District hereby advises students, parents,
employees and the general public that it is committed to providing equal access to all categories of employment, programs and
educational opportunities, including career and technical education
opportunities, regardless of actual or perceived race, color, national
origin, Native American ancestry/ethnicity, creed or religion, marital
status, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or expression,
disability or any other legally protected category under federal, state
or local law.
Inquiries regarding the District’s non-discrimination policies should
be directed to: Executive Director of Student Support Services,
Civil Rights Compliance Officer/ Syracuse City School District/
725 Harrison Street • Syracuse, NY 13210/ (315) 435-4131/ Email: [email protected]
SCSD Adult Education
News from the Schools
Your
16
PAID
Syracuse, NY
Permit 2563
path
to
success!
The programs in our Adult Education program are designed to
assist you in the development of your skills and knowledge for
today’s workplace.
•
Increase your literacy skills (reading and math)
•
Earn a High School Equivalency Diploma
•
Learn English as a Second Language
•
Become an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)
•
Earn a certificate in Food Service
•
Enter “WorkTrain” construction program
CONTACT
If you are 18 or over, please call
435-4115 for more information
or to make an appointment with
someone in our intake office.
For the Licensed Practical Nurse
program, please call 435-4150.