February/MARCH 2024

Hot off the Press! 

A happy couple of months of February and March to everyone, from the Office District Initiatives, Planning, & Accountability. 

We would like to officially welcome our newest Assistant Manager of Data & Information, Mr. Reishin Rampersaud, to our district and team. Mr. Rampersaud brings a great skillset and energy to best help our team grow in the best direction- welcome aboard! Ahead of our February recess, our office wishes everyone a sage and restful break, and we look forward to a wonderful rest of the school year!

Mr. DiCaprio & the DIPA Team 

SCSD Culture and Climate Survey 2023-2024:

Schenectady City School District (SCSD) is interested in understanding parents, staff, and Grade 5-12 students' experiences with school climate within SCSD schools.

 

As such, CSD has partnered with an education market research firm, Hanover Research, to conduct a 2023-24 Culture and Climate Survey from February 1-February 29, 2024. The survey is intended to collect opinions and perceptions of parents, staff, and Grade 5-12 students to ensure that SCSD schools and the district as a whole, continues to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for its school community. This information will help guide future decisions and improvements.

 

The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete. SCSD will receive survey results from Hanover Research in aggregate form only (i.e., no personally identifiable information will be collected or reported).

 

To participate in this survey, click this link or paste the following URL into your browser:

 https://hanover-research.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WFhIqMMx0Pf9lA

 

We look forward to hearing from you to help us best serve our school communities!

The Office of District Initiatives, Planning, and Accountability


endent DiCaprio & the DIPA Team 

The Data Dish:

Data Requests:

The Data Team is processing Infinite Campus issues/questions and Data Requests as well as Classlink through Let’s Talk. This allows the Data Team to efficiently monitor requests and ensure timelines are met. 


Upcoming Missing Attendance Message: The Office of District Initiatives, Planning, and Accountability will begin to send messages for missing attendance after the new year. Teachers have until 11:59 pm of that day to take attendance, once this time has passed then the teacher will need to work with the Building Attendance Paraprofessional to update attendance records.


Upcoming Parent Portal Account Creation Process: We have created a new automated process for families that want to create a new Parent Portal Account. We will no longer be using the Parent Portal form and instead will be sending messages to parents/guardians based on the email on file. It will contain a strongly suggested username and activation key to create the account. More information will be sent out soon.


The Transportation Times

UPDATE - Trip finder is up and running! Our focus was to go paperless and it has been a success. Trip finder is a 4-step process for approvals to submit field trips from all schools and programs. It is imperative that all PO'S (BLUE COPY) be submitted to Transportation 1 week prior to the trip date to make sure our vendors are being paid timely and your service is being scheduled. Thank you for your cooperation and feedback. We will continue to progress with this program to include billing and other features which will allow you to run multiple reports to keep you informed. 


Schenectady City School District has approximately 6 afterschool programs that are actively running. We have approximately 300 students who attend these programs and they end between 5:30pm and 6:30pm, with some students being transported home by 7:30pm. Now that the colder weather and dark nights have arrived, please make sure our students are properly dressed for the walk and bus ride home with hats,coats,boots and mittens. For any students who require a parent at a corner stop, please make sure they arrive 10 minutes prior to the drop off time to ensure the students have a safe walk home. 


As the winter continues, it will be very important for families to start listening to radio stations, news channels and social media for daily and weekly forecasts. From proper dress to road conditions, knowing this information is helpful and will keep our students safe. Delays, closings and early dismissals will also be shared by these outlets.


Please note that all transportation hardship requests should be emailed to hardshiprequests@schenectadyschools.org.


Lastly, I wanted to share that your feedback is important and continues to help us ensure our efforts to provide safe and efficient transportation. This feedback is invaluable for us now and into the future if we are going to continue to make progress. Thank you for your support and communication.

The Registration Record

UPDATE - Our office has moved - our new address is 530 Liberty Street, Schenectady, NY 12305.

Hours are 7:30am - 3:30 pm  


Remember ALL changes In Infinite Campus must come to Registration  to be done   Please contact registration@schenectadyschools.org with questions.


Please send all hardship requests to hardshiprequests@schenectadyschools.orgThe committee meets once a month and families receive their responses within two weeks.

STAFF TRAC

UPDATE - All Conference Requests for 2023-2024:  Please allow 6 weeks for any conference approval AND 10 weeks for the approval process to take place for any overnight and long distance travel.  Also, please ensure you receive approval from your Principal or direct supervisor and secure funding before entering into StaffTrac.  NOTE: even if the District is sponsoring the conference/event, your Principal/direct supervisor must give approval to attend.  Please see the 2023-2024 SCSD Conference Request Form (for teachers, administrators, and cabinet members) here.

Building Principals/Secretaries - Please remember to enter ALL building faculty meetings in StaffTrac.  Each event must have a description and/or agenda attached.  All staff enrolled need to be marked as 'Attended' or 'Did not attend' after the meeting.  

If you would like StaffTrac training, please contact Natasha Bangaroo at: bangarooh@schenectadyschools.org.

The HomeSCHOOL review

Home School/Instruction continues to be supported for 2023-2024! If you have interested families looking for information, please inquire to see that they have reviewed their intent with the Principal or Counselors.  Please remember to ask the following questions of families/guardians before referring to homeschooling:

We have developed a "Fact Sheet for Counselors" to assist the conversations with families about homeschooling.  Please let us know if  you have any questions.


Homeschooling families are required to complete an end of the year assessment each year.  They are able to participate in the Gr 3-8 NYS Assessments if they wish; however, would need to make arrangements with the Office of District Initiatives, Planning, and Accountability first.  Please direct them to contact Tracy Angelini, if there are any questions.


the grants gazette

UPDATE - Please check your Grant-Funded Timesheets for accuracy before signing and sending them to the Grants Department. Timesheet comments must align with the description in the budget.  For instructional staff, indicate contact hours when working directly with students; and non-contact hours for staff meetings and professional development.  Timesheets also need accurate totals. All grant-funded timesheets will be returned to buildings for revision if not filled out correctly.    

Please contact Christy Ferri at ferric@schenectadyschools.org if you have any questions regarding grants or title funding. 

Wait, there is more! 

Supports for CSI and ATSI schools

DTSDE Framework 

The DTSDE Framework outlines effective practices organized along the DTSDE Tenets. The framework is a reference tool to assist schools in examining the practices and engaging in reflective dialogue to improve practice.


Schedule (to date) for CSI Schools:


For questions related to the DTSDE School Review process, contact Tracy Angelini at angelinit@schenectadyschools.org

Schenectady CSD in partnership with Reimagine Excellence and Achievement Consulting House (REACH)  consulting group will be conducting the DTSDE School Reviews for all CSI schools.  

AND, YET - MORE GOOD NEWS - NYS GR 3-8 TESTING FOR 23-24

2023–24 School Year Elementary- and Intermediate-level Testing Schedule per NYSED

UPDATED - SCSD Testing Schedule for 2023-2024



NYSAA ELA, Math, and Science

Monday, March 11 - Friday, June 7;  Make-ups must be given within the testing window


Regional testing window for each content by NERIC - dates for SCSD - all district Gr 3-8: 

We finalized the dates to administer the CBT and PBT as follows:


Middle Schools (Gr 6-8)


Elementary Schools (Gr 3-5)


NOTE:  NYSESLAT - 4/15 thru 5/24 - PBT only


Contact Tracy Angelini if you have any questions.

our crew

518-881-3405

Joseph DiCaprio - Assistant Superintendent of District Initiatives, Planning, and Accountability (X36979)

Tracy Angelini - Director of Planning & Accountability (X36976)

Christy Ferri - Assistant Director of Grants and Title Funding  (X36917)

Natalie Cable - Manager of Data and Information  (X36972)

Hector Gallardo - Senior Data Analyst  (X36973)

TBD - Data Analyst  (X36919)

Natasha Bangaroo- Assistant Manager of Data (X36937)

Jimmy Rampersaud - Assistant Manager of Data (X36926)

TBD - DIPA Project Manager 

Alissa Diamond - Executive Secretary II  (X36974)

Katy Vacca - Registrar/Principle Clerk  (X36928)

Aimee Demarest - Registration Secretary (X36929)

Al Valachovic - Transportation Supervisor  (X36911)

Nicole Stabinski - Transportation Assistant  (X36912)

Heather Wilson - Transportation Assistant  (X36940)

Bianca Rivera - Secretary (Transportation) (X36979)


TO OUR DIPA LEADER - HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!!