SEPTEMBER 2023

Hot off the Press!

Hello, everyone! It is my great honor and pleasure to introduce myself as the new Assistant Superintendent for District Initiatives, Planning, & Accountability. I look forward to working with all in collaboration to continue to help our district rise in all facets of our work for children and families. A big thanks to our department for the work they have done, and we will continue be of support and service for anything you may need in regards to our department's focus areas.

Thank you, Joseph R. DiCaprio

Title One Communication Information:

What is Title I Funding?

This federal program provides supplemental financial assistance to school districts/schools with a high percentage of children from low-income families, to provide all children a significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, high-quality education and to close educational achievement gaps.

How does SCSD use Title I Funding?

SCSD uses Title I Funds in many of the following ways

Supports for Title I Students:

• AIS, RTI, and credit recovery services • Certified teachers and teaching assistants • Proportional benefits for Title I salaries • Counseling, school-based mental health programs, specialized instructional support services, mentoring services, and other strategies to improve students’ skills outside the academic subject areas • Equitable services for private school students • Pre-K, summer, and extended day programs • Transportation for Title I programs if not otherwise available

Title I Parent and Family Engagement:

• Parent liaison or coordinator • Family engagement consultants • Stipends for staff to plan for or participate in Title I activities outside contract hours • Costs for activities including materials, transportation, childcare, and light refreshments

Title I Program Supplies and Materials:

• Instructional materials for Title I programs • Computer aided instructional software for Title I programs • Diagnostic and progress monitoring materials for Title I programs

NYS ESSA Parent Information Sheet.pdf

What are the Title I Funding Requirements?

Each school that receives a Title I allocation must:

Hold the meeting at a convenient time for parents at the school.
- The meeting should include topics such as a brief explanation of the Parent and Family engagement policy, the funding amount for the school and what that funding supports and to explain the Title I, Part A requirements and the right of parents to be involved in those programs.
- The meeting should be integrated/part of an existing back to school meeting (should only be about a five to maximum ten minute section) so that the participation is high
Have parents sign an attendance sheet (example), has an agenda and meeting announcement and the each school keeps this information on file.

Support:

For one-on-one support for presentations or other questions around Title I funding requirements, please reach out to Tracy Angelini: angelinit@schenectadyschools.org

Parent and Family Engagement Guidance for schools Title I.pdf

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.

BEDS Day Communication and Deadlines Coming Soon!

Electronic Referrals in Infinite Campus Office Hours: Office Hours for Behavior Referral Support

The Transportation Times

Welcome back - Welcome HOME!!!!

As the weather continues to change and become less predictable, I wanted to remind everyone on some information regarding student bussing.

As we transition from Fall to Winter, 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.

Whether the student walks to school or rides a bus, it is very important that they are dressed for the weather each and every day. Proper dress at this time should include a knit hat, gloves, scarf, a heavy jacket and boots. Please be sure that students who ride the bus are ready and visible at the bus stop ten minutes prior to the scheduled bus arrival time. This time of year also brings early darkness, so it is good practice to be prepared for your student to be dropped off 10 minutes earlier, too.

As we progress through this year and into next, we want to remind you that your bussing vendors are happy to assist with any questions or concerns. They can also provide estimated drop off and pick up times for your student’s bus if it hasn’t arrived yet.

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

Welcome back - Welcome HOME!!!!

Please remember when making address changes to call the school the student is going to and make sure they have room. If you are withdrawing students, and they have never attended your building, send the requests to Katy Vacca (at vaccak@schenectadyschools.org) so that we can delete this years enrollment.

Please also change the end status to where the student is going. This happens right up until Beds Day in October.

Please remember to let Student Support Services (SSS) know if you are withdrawing a student with an IEP so that they can withdraw them in Frontline.

STAFF TRAC

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 provide them with the following:

Questions regarding home instruction should be directed to Connie Miller at 518-464-3982 and/or homeschooling@neric.org.

Documents may be submitted via email to homeschooling@neric.org or hard copies mailed to the address below:

Attn: Connie Miller

Capital Region BOCES

900 Watervliet Shaker Road

Albany, NY 12205

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.

Please contact Tracy Angelini, if you have any questions.

the grants gazette

We would like to welcome Christy Ferri as the new Assistant Director of Grant Development and Title Funding. Previously, Mrs. Ferri was the Assistant Principal at Paige Elementary School.

The School Improvement Grant process continues to move forward. Thank you, to the building Principals, for providing detailed information during the budget building process. Once approved by the New York State Department of Education SIG Basic budgets will be open for spending. You will receive notification of approval and appropriate grant codes to use for the specific grant funding source.

All schools receiving School Improvement Grants will be meeting with the Assistant Director of Grant Development and Title Funding quarterly to review appropriation status and planning documents during the 2023-2024 school year.

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 TSI schools

Districts Supporting Identified Schools Support from NYS - PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CSI AND TSI SCHOOLS:

During the 2023-24 school year, the NYSED Field Support team will provide schools in the CSI and ATSI support models supplemental support programs that eligible schools may select to pursue. Participation in these programs is voluntary. Schools may select one Supplemental Support.

More information about the Supplemental Supports being offered can be found with the 2023-24 Supports Catalog.

Diagnostic Tool for School and District Effectiveness (DTSDE) School Review

Coming to Schenectady CSD for ALL CSI schools in 23-24.

DTSDE Tenets of Effective School Systems and Practices

Tenet 1 – Systems and Organization: Effective schools establish school-wide systems and structures that promote continuous improvement and success for all students.

Tenet 2 – School Leadership: Visionary leaders create a school community and culture that leads to success, well-being, and high academic outcomes for all students.

Tenet 3 – Curriculum: Effective schools provide students with rigorous, coherent, and relevant curricula that prepares all students for success.

Tenet 4 – Instruction: Effective teachers engage with students in a manner that promotes mastery and allows students to stretch their knowledge and deepen their understanding.

Tenet 5 – Social-Emotional Learning: Effective schools develop a systematic approach to Social-Emotional Learning to ensure that all students can develop social-emotional learning skills necessary for success within and beyond school.

Tenet 6– Parent and Community Engagement: Effective schools develop a systematic approach to Family and Community Engagement to empower parents to effectively advocate for their child’s learning and for the improvement of the school.

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.

More to come at the next Principals’ meetings…

For questions, contact Tracy Angelini at angelinit@schenectadyschools.org

and, yet - more good news - NYS Gr 3-8 TESTING

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

NOTE: SCSD will send out communication about CBT and PBT scheduling soon

NYSAA ELA, Math, and Science

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

Gr 3-8 ELA, Mathematics, and Science - Computer-based testing - SCSD will send out communication about CBT scheduling soon

Monday, April 8 - Friday, May 17; Make-ups must be given within the testing window

Gr 3, 4, 6, 7 ELA - Paper-based testing - SCSD will send out communication about PBT scheduling soon

Wednesday, April 10- Friday, April 12; Monday, April 15- Wednesday, April 17

Gr 3, 4, 6, 7 Mathematics - Paper-based testing - SCSD will send out communication about PBT scheduling soon

Tuesday, May 7 - Thursday, May 9; Friday, May 10- Tuesday, May 14

NYSESLAT Speaking

Monday, April 15 - Friday, May 24; Make-ups must be given within the testing window

NYSESLAT Listening, Reading, and Writing

Monday, May 13 - Friday, May 24; Make-ups must be given within the testing window

NOTE: SCSD will send out communication about CBT and PBT scheduling soon!!!

our crew

WELCOME HOME!!

The Crew

518-881-3405

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

Tracy Angelini - Director for Planning, & Accountability (X36976)

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

TBD - Accountability Specialist (X36942)

Natalie Cable - Manager of Data and Information (X36972)

Hector Gallardo - Senior Data Analyst (X36973)

Smita Iyengar - Data Analyst (X36919)

Jaspreet Kaur - Assistant Manager of Data (X36926)

Natasha Bangaroo- Assistant Manager of Data (X36937)

TBD - Data Team Secretary

Katy Vacca - Registrar/Principle Clerk (X36928)

Aimee Demarest - Registration Secretary (X36929)

Kurt Siegel - Secretary (X36979)

Al Valachovic - Transportation Supervisor (X36911)

Nicole Stabinski - Transportation Assistant (X36912)

Heather Wilson - Transportation Assistant (X36940)

Bianca Rivera - Secretary (Transportation) (X36979)

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