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September 2, 2022

Hello Families, Students, and Staff!

We blinked and just like that, summer is ending and we are ready to open our doors and welcome you all back for the 2022-2023 school year!

The start of a new year always brings excitement and some nervousness, but it’s an opportunity to learn, grow, and celebrate all the great things that take place in our buildings!

There are just a few items I wanted to share with you as we begin the school year.

Busing & Transportation

First, if your child is riding a bus, routes and information on the MyStop app will be available the first day of school.  However, due to an anticipated driver shortage at the start of the school year, bus tracking may not be available at certain times due to routing changes/flexibility.  If you have any questions, please contact the Transportation Department directly by calling 716-626-8393 or reach out to your building. Please be patient and understanding, especially the first few weeks of school as we work through this process.

eAlerts

If you haven’t already done so, please sign up for the District eAlerts system.  This includes text messaging, e-mails, and robo calls – but we will primarily use texts and e-mail throughout the year.  Information, including a how-to-video on how to sign up, is available on the District website and was also shared through WITS.  If have any questions, contact our parent help desk at 716-626-8058.

I also want to remind everyone to continue to remain vigilant, especially as it relates to safety and security in our school community.  Over the summer, construction continued on the School Security Improvement Project, providing critical safety and security updates to our buildings.  We’ve said it before and we’ll continue to say it, if you see something, say something.

District’s Strategic Plan

The 2022-2023 school year will be the first year of implementing our Strategic Plan.  I want to thank our teachers, staff, administrators, students, and parents for helping us finalize the Strategic Plan, and for their work over the summer on the Communications Committee and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.  Parents, students, and staff will continue to contribute on their building-based committees by helping formulate building action plans that align with the goals of the Strategic Plan.

PTA & PTSA

I want to encourage our parents to stay active and engaged with their buildings throughout the year by joining the PTA or PTSA.  I will once again be attending PTA/PTSA meetings throughout the year and look forward to engaging with you.

COVID-19 Information

As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, health and safety information will once again be shared with stakeholders on the District’s COVID-19 Education page.  Updates will take place throughout the year, so be sure to monitor this page.   For high priority items, we will still send updates via text and WITSMail.

Weekly Newsletters

The District and all our buildings will continue to share weekly newsletters through WITS.  Be sure to keep an eye out for these updates from your buildings and the District.  Throughout the year, these will include important informational updates, events, and highlights.   I also want to let you know that the District newsletter will feature a new Q & A segment answering your questions.  Additional information on this segment and how to submit questions or comments will be WITSmailed to families, students, and staff.

Enjoy the weekend, get some rest, and get ready for the start of the school year! 

We’ll see you on Tuesday, September 6^th for the first day of school!

Sincerely,

Dr. Darren J. Brown-Hall
Superintendent of Schools