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Dear Parents and Guardians,
Since I last wrote you, we have completed the first few weeks of school, begun the fall sports season, hosted back-to-school night parent orientations in each of our schools, facilitated PTSA meetings and presented our first Board of Education reports. The first school “Good News” presentation was from Yorktown High School; the students did a phenomenal job in presenting the major tenets of the Dignity for All Students Act and also presented a student-developed video about avoiding the pitfalls of plagiarism.
I have spent the early weeks of school visiting each of our buildings and talking to our students. I have especially been attentive to each of our transitional classes, including the kindergarten arrival at Mohansic and Brookside, the fourth grade at Crompond, the sixth grade at MESMS and the ninth grade at YHS. As always, the students have transitioned beautifully and are adjusting very well to the rigors and challenges of a new school year. I am impressed and amazed at both the quality and quantity of the work being done in our classes.
I have already observed some incredible reading, math and social studies lessons and activities in world language classes and science labs. All around the district there is a tremendous sense of interest and importance that goes along with the opening of the school year. We are excited to have the students back and remarkably enough, they are happy to be back.
The Middle School renovation process has gone extremely well and at Back-to-School night, visiting parents were pleased with the new lights, ceilings, lockers, bathrooms, tech rooms and fitness center.
The writer Goethe once said, “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and help them become what they are capable of becoming.” Teachers and support staff have an opportunity each and every day to oversee and guide the growth of their students in academics, social, emotional and character development. They influence their students’ creativity in the fine and performing arts and music. They give their students’ physical health and well-being thoughtful attention. Every day I am inspired by all of the life lessons that our students learn on any given day whether planned or in a “teachable moment.”
We are happy to note that both our high school and middle school have been designated as Reward Schools by the New York State Education Department for significant and consistent success by our students on the New York State assessments over the past three years. We were also very pleased with Yorktown High School’s award by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award for its level of safety in athletics programs.
We have completed a variety of drills during the early weeks of school, including fire drills and emergency evacuations. All students cooperate with teachers and administrators, who always look for ways to improve both safety and security.
On Friday, Oct. 18, the Foundation for Excellence, Inc. will be hosting a Comedy Night. All of the details for this event are on the district and school websites under Community Links. We encourage your participation with the knowledge that all monies raised are donated back to schools programs through a wide variety of teacher-developed grants that benefit our students.
The Board of Education will be sponsoring two meetings in October. Presentations from the Middle School and Crompond School are on the docket along with reports from Dr. O’Connor and me. The community is welcome to attend all Board meetings, held at the Mildred E. Strang Middle School cafeteria.
Have a great October and enjoy the beauty of the season with your families. I wish you continued happiness and success with your children as they develop and progress.
With warm regards,
Ralph Napolitano, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
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