New Resources Made Available for NCSD Students

by Jeffrey Chen

These past few weeks have been anything but ordinary. Traffic circles at crossroads, new rules, even directional tape on the floor in halls. Who would have thought that it would finally be possible to walk through C-Hall without being faced by a stampede of heads. And yet, perhaps the most notable change is the shift to an online/in person hybrid attendance model, where only half of the students at the high school are in person on any given day. It is a drastic change from the norm, and to ease that transition Niskayuna High School has been implementing many new resources to help ensure that students are getting their education during this pandemic.

The most obvious problem of online learning is the technological barrier. Students must be able to attend live lectures and class materials remotely on days they are not in school, and in order to do this, students need access to technology that isn’t necessarily available to everyone depending on their families’ financial situations during this pandemic. In order to address this problem the school has implemented an expensive(2.3 million dollar plus) 1 to 1 chromebook/student ratio plan, accelerating the district’s original plan of a gradual rollout of chromebooks to different grade levels over a few years.

In the same spirit of addressing the needs of low-income students, Niskayuna High School has set up a system to continue to provide students access to school lunch, which is a relief for students who might not have access to daily lunch otherwise. For this year, virtual students can pick up one week’s worth of breakfast and lunches at the high school and hybrid students can pick up either 2 or 3, depending on their schedule. Students interested in this should drive to door #43(the cafeteria-Nott Street entrance) between 3PM - 4PM on Wednesdays to pick up meals.

Another concern has been seniors applying to colleges during the pandemic. To aid them during this very unique application season, the counseling center has published a plethora of resources for seniors. Traditionally around this time of year, counselors would be meeting with students in person to discuss plans for college and post-grad plans. Obviously there are some difficulties with that this year, but that hasn’t stopped the counseling center from continuing to do their best in facilitating the ever-important application process. They know how stressful this process can be and try to make it as smooth as possible. New features include a google form to schedule meetings with counselors, emotional and diversity resources, COVID-19 resources, and of course, short, information dense videos on FAQs of the application process. Seniors can find steps necessary to request transcripts, letters of recommendation, scholarships. As Senior Daniel Zhang states “It’s all very concise and useful. They’re really informative bits of media that help you navigate an otherwise foreign process. Seniors filling out their common application should definitely refer to those videos first before going online or meeting with their counselors, they save time for sure.”

Furthermore, the high school has also added many resources for students in need of mental health counseling, the most notable of which is a continued partnership between the Niskayuna school district and Northern Rivers clinician Emma Gleason, a mental health counselor working in the behavioral health program. The increased stress of our new environment makes Mrs.Gleason’s services more relevant than ever. Therapy referred by a parent, caregiver, or faculty member can make a large difference in students’ lives, and can make all the difference. Perhaps Mrs.Jones puts it best, writing “Behavioral health services help students and families manage emotional and behavioral challenges so children can be more successful in every part of life. We are fortunate to have Emma Gleason on site in the high school.”

And finally, the district has been making efforts to preserve the usual cycle of events that occur at the high school throughout the year. Make sure to keep an eye out for virtual orchestra and band concerts, musicals, art shows, and other events that could be coming up as different groups adjust to the new format. While these past few weeks have definitely been unprecedented, the hope is that with the new resources available and continued diligence from the student body, we can continue to proceed smoothly with this new school year.