October 2021
Dear Sackets Harbor Central School Community,
This is the second edition of the 2021-2021 District Newsletter. The purpose of our newsletter is to provide our school community with news, updates, and to share all of the wonderful things happening here at Sackets Harbor Central School District.
The first few months of our school year have been more “normal” compared to the last school year. We are still faced with daily challenges because of quarantines and contact tracing but, all in all, we’re faring pretty well. I urge members of our school community to visit the Reopening Page which contains the latest updates related to our school protocols and procedures. We continue to strive for a balance as we desire to return to “normal” amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking of “normal”, we have been able to host a number of successful events and activities for our students, parents, and community during the months of September and October. The District hosted a full soccer season for all levels without any interruption to the season! Senior Nights were held under-the-lights to honor our amazing senior athletes. The District also hosted a basketball clinic as well as the Induction Ceremony to recognize the newest members into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Our school engaged in a fun spirit week culminated with a Pep Rally and Homecoming. Our seniors returned to the School-to-Work program in which they ventured out into the community’s workforce to explore firsthand careers of interest. The Music Department hosted an outdoor carnival which proved to be a great success and was enjoyed by all who attended. Our students and teachers have participated in a number of local field trips and have invited the Jefferson County Historical Society back into our classrooms to teach our students about local history. Our administration, counseling staff, and Sackets Support Center representatives also hosted a very successful Parent University attended by a number of parents who desired to be informed about the programs and supports our school will have in place for the 2021-2022 school year. So, as you can see, we are slowly but SURELY getting back to normal and we are not taking any of it for granted!
Snow season is just around the corner. I want to update you about how the District will handle snow days this school year. We will be resorting to “snow days” as normal this school year. This means, if we cancel school due to weather, there will be no “pivot” to virtual teaching and learning. However, if we exhaust all of our allotted snow days from the New York State Education Department, we may resort to virtual days to preserve our vacation weeks. Here are a few general reminders to ensure that we are all ready for whatever Mother Nature might have in store for us:
- Parents/guardians should make sure that their plans for early dismissal have been communicated to the school.A form will be sent home in early November for parents to specify the plan for their child/ren in the event of an early dismissal.
- All parents/guardians should receive a notification via ParentSquare in the event of a delay, early dismissal, cancellation or closure.If you do not receive this alert, please contact the school and we will rectify this immediately.
- All weather-related notifications are shared via our Facebook Page, with local radio and television stations, and with Newzjunky. You can visit any of these sites to get the latest information on school closures, delays, cancellations, or early dismissals.
- If we are closed due to weather no buses will run and students will not attend BOCES programs.
- Please remember, winter-related decisions are not always easy but they are always made, first and foremost, on the basis of safety. I thank you in advance for your support and understanding with this process.
We are wrapping up tax season, monitoring our current budget and working on the start of the 2022-2023 budget. We would like to share thanks with Margaret Kelly, School District Tax Collector, for continuing to do a wonderful job ensuring a smooth and efficient collection process. The District and Village of Sackets Harbor again supported a shared-municipal agreement to have tax collection take place in Village Offices. This has allowed for increased hours and a stable location for our residents. Thanks to the Village leadership for their continued support of this agreement.
Within the first edition of our District Newsletter, I shared that the District’s focus would be on five “R’s”. Recalibrate ~Reimagine ~ Reenergize ~ Resilience ~ Reconnect. The plans we have in place this school year and the items we have been able to purchase because of federal stimulus dollars have facilitated our attention to these “R’s” and we look forward to continuing to support our entire school community as we work our way out of this pandemic.
As we head into the holiday season, I, for one, recognize all that we have to be thankful for here at SHCSD. We are back to a full-time school schedule, we have a fantastic academic and social-emotional support plans in place for our students, our kids have many fun and engaging opportunities at their disposal, and I get to work with the best school community in the North Country.
Warmest Wishes,
Jennifer L. Gaffney
Superintendent