GCCSD News and Updates - Oct. 2023

Dear Gates Chili School Community,

Our year is already off to a great start with so many wonderful things happening in our school community. The buzz of learning can be seen, heard and felt throughout our district. From kindergarteners learning new routines to middle school students continuing to thrive to high school seniors celebrating their final year together, the 2023-24 school year is already proving to be a joyful and memorable one.

In addition to learning, October is also a busy month for celebrations. This month, we recognize Learning Disabilities Awareness Month and LGBTQIA+ History Month, which connect to our district goal of fostering belonging and wellness in our learning community.

October is also a time to celebrate several roles in our school community. This month we honor our principals for National Principals Month, recognize the volunteer service of our Board of Education members during School Board Recognition Week from Oct. 16-20, and today (Oct. 2), we thank our facilities team members in honor of National Custodian Appreciation Day. Please join me in thanking and recognizing these folks and their efforts on behalf of our students all year long.

Finally, a reminder that school will be closed for students this Friday, Oct. 6 for our first superintendent’s conference day of the year. This day of learning for faculty, staff and administration is important for the continued growth and success of students and the betterment of our entire school community.

This month's issue is FULL of great information. Be sure to read on for other news, updates and great opportunities that lie ahead. And thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership. I look forward to seeing you out and about this fall.

Go Spartans!

Christopher J. Dailey

Superintendent of Schools

The Outdoor Club at Gates Chili Middle School has been selected to serve as Community Eclipse Ambassadors this year!

The designation awarded by the Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC) makes GCMS Outdoor Club one of 50 organizations to serve as ambassadors tasked with exciting and educating the community about the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Each month, a section of this newsletter will be dedicated to sharing student-curated resources, interesting facts, information and/or activities about eclipses.

The event of an eclipse is not as rare as people think. Most eclipses that occur happen over large oceans where people are not around to see them. This school year, we’ll be able to see two different eclipse events, so this month’s topic is focused on what the differences are between the two events.

• Book definition: An eclipse in which a thin outer ring of the sun's disk is not covered by the smaller dark disk of the moon.
• Basic definition: The sun is not completely covered by the moon and a thin ring surrounding the circumference of the moon is visible.

• Book definition: A solar eclipse where the Moon comes between Earth and the Sun so that the Moon’s shadow sweeps over Earth’s surface.
• Basic definition: The sun is completely covered by the moon and casts a large shadow over the earth causing what seems like night in the middle of the day for a brief period of time.
• Why it’s a big deal: Total eclipses occur on a regular basis in places where people don't live, so no one sees them. To be in the path of a total eclipse is an event that happens about once every several hundred years!

To recap, the main difference between an annual eclipse and a total solar eclipse is that the moon obscures all but an outer ring of the sun during an annual eclipse and the moon completely covers the sun during a total solar eclipse. For a countdown to the April 8 Total Solar Eclipse, visit the RMSC website.

The Gates Chili Board of Education welcomes Tanya Srbinovski as its newest member and Alannah Griner as its student representative!

Srbinovski (pictured top) was selected to complete the term of Michael Bailey, who stepped down from the board in August. She is a lifelong resident and 2003 graduate of Gates Chili and currently lives in the district with her husband and two children. Meanwhile, Griner (pictured bottom) was elected by her peers to serve as the student ex-officio member of the board for the 2023-24 school year. The creation of that ex-officio student role was the result of a vote by district residents last May.

All district residents will soon be receiving a postcard in the mail regarding a community census. This census will assist the district in obtaining the most accurate enrollment data for planning future school programs and services.

If you have children in your household under the age of 21, please complete the community census form using one of the methods outlined below no later than Oct. 31, 2023:

• Go to gateschili.org/census on your computer or mobile browser to complete the form
• Call (585) 247-5050 ext. 12224 to complete the form over the phone with the registrar
• Scan the QR code on the postcard you receive in the mail

If you have any questions, contact the district registrar via email at registrar@gateschili.org or by calling (585) 247-5050 ext. 12224. Your prompt attention to this request is greatly appreciated.

Gates Chili’s main campus will soon be easier to navigate! As part of the district’s ongoing efforts to improve navigation and provide clear information to visitors and staff, the district is installing a series of new signage on its main campus.

This fall, when you visit our main campus, you will see changes and additions to the following areas that will help you navigate the campus:

• Entrances to campus will be outfitted with new signs and renamed North Entrance (Wegman Road near transportation), West Entrance (Wegman Road near the Admin. Building) and South Entrance (Buffalo Road). These new names, which include cardinal directions, will make it easier for visitors and staff to orient themselves as they navigate to campus.
  
• Directional signage will be installed throughout the campus to help staff and visitors navigate to important landmarks such as the Gates Chili Performing Arts Center, Gates Chili Professional Learning Center and Spartan Stadium, to name a few. These signs also provide flexibility, which is important as new construction takes place and points of interest are added or moved.
• Lastly, parking lots will be renamed and will feature new signs to enhance clarity and help staff and visitors determine the best place to park for the corresponding point of interest.

As this project includes some changes to existing names of some areas, please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the map at gateschili.org/Map and note the changes that will soon take effect.

It is important to note that while the upgrades to the main campus are the initial focus, improvements to elementary school signage are also in the works and will be installed at a later date.

Protect yourself and your loved ones against the flu at one of several flu shot clinic opportunities this fall:

• The district is holding a Community Flu Clinic on Thursday, Oct. 19 from 3-6 p.m. at the Gates Chili Administration Building, 3 Spartan Way. This event is open to the public.
• Meanwhile, a Staff Flu Clinic is planned for Thursday, Oct. 5 from 3-6 p.m. at the Gates Chili Administration Building, 3 Spartan Way. This event is for staff and their families only.

A reminder that the Gates Chili Food Pantry is switching to a twice-monthly schedule this month.

The food pantry, supported in partnership with Gates Chili Community Connections, is located at the Gates Chili Administration Building and will be open on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Typical in-stock items include non-perishable food, coats and clothing and birthday boxes to help celebrate special days. At times, there may be personal care items and cleaning supplies available.

Families in need of this resource should come to the Gates Chili Administration Building, 3 Spartan Way, park in Lot D (near Spartan Stadium) and enter through door #5. If you have questions, need assistance or would like to make an appointment, reach out to Angelina Pound at appound@gateschili.org.

Gates Chili students benefited from 66,083 free meals in the month of September, a 54% increase from that same period last year! WOW!

As you know, Gates Chili is proudly serving free breakfast and lunch every day in Gates Chili cafeterias the 2023-24 school year. Families do not have to complete any forms for their student(s) to receive free meals at school. However, families are strongly encouraged to complete the Income Eligibility Form, which is tied to other important benefits for students such as fee waivers for advanced placement exams, dual-credit tuition assistance, state funding and more. To complete that secure application, families should go to gateschili.org/IncomeForm.

While Spartan favorites such as pizza and tacos are a regular part of the rotation, students are encouraged to try different menu options available each day. Students will be able to sample upcoming winter items during Fall Family Fest on Nov. 9. Menus for each school can always be found at gateschili.org/menus.

Thank you to Gates Chili school nutrition team members for their dedication in providing these nutritious meals to students every day.

Mark your calendars—it’s almost time for the Fall Family Fest: Harvesting Health and Wellness in our Community!

Please join us at the event on Thursday, Nov. 9 from 5-7 p.m. in the Spartan Field House at Gates Chili High School, 1 Spartan Way. There will be fun games, live performances, flu vaccines, a passport fair, our annual coat drive and great opportunities to connect with community businesses and live performances!

In addition, our annual Spartan Way Coat Drive is also kicking off later this month! Coats collected will be available for distribution at the Fall Family Fest on Nov. 9. If you’re interested in donating, you can drop off new or gently used coats, hats and mittens from Tuesday, Oct. 24 through Tuesday, Nov. 7, only at these locations:

• Gates Chili Administration Building
• Gates Chili Transportation and Facilities Center
• Gates Chili High School
• Gates Chili Middle School
• Imagination Childcare Academy
• Florence Brasser Elementary School
• Neil Armstrong Elementary School
• Paul Road Elementary School
• Walt Disney Elementary School
• Gates YMCA Elmgrove
• Chili Public Library

We are excited to host our community at this wonderful event. Hope to see you there!

• Oct. 1: Learning Disabilities Awareness Month begins
• Oct. 1: LGBTQIA+ History Month begins
• Oct. 4: PR Picture Day
• Oct. 4: MS Gr. 7-8 Meet the Staff Night, 6:30 p.m.
• Oct. 5: FB Picture Day
• Oct. 5: Staff Flu Shot Clinic, 3-6 p.m., Admin. Bldg.
• Oct. 6: Superintendent’s Conference Day (No school for students)
• Oct. 9: Columbus Day / Indigenous People’s Day (District closed)
• Oct. 10: BOE Meeting, 6:30 p.m., GCPLC
• Oct. 13: MS Gr. 7-8 Social, 7 p.m.
• Oct. 19: HS Picture Day Makeup
• Oct. 19: Community Flu Shot Clinic, 3-6 p.m., Admin. Bldg.
• Oct. 19: HS Fall Drama, 7 p.m. GCPAC
• Oct. 20: NA Picture Day
• Oct. 20: Elementary Football Night, 6 p.m., Spartan Stadium
  
• Oct. 21: FB Apple Dumpling Festival, 1-2:30 p.m.
• Oct. 23-31: Red Ribbon Week
• Oct. 24: BOE Meeting, 6:30 p.m., GCPLC
• Oct. 26: NA Autumn Extravaganza, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Oct. 26: PR Harvest Fest, 5-7 p.m.
• Oct. 26: WD Fall Family Fun Night, 5:30-7 p.m.
• Oct. 27: GC Pride Day
• Oct. 27: WD Picture Day
  

Always be sure to check the district website for the
most up-to-date dates, times and locations for all events.

At Gates Chili, we're committed to understanding, supporting and empowering all learners, so this month we recognize Learning Disabilities Awareness Month and LGBTQIA+ History Month!

Learning Disabilities Awareness Month is a time to recognize the millions of people in the United States who have learning and thinking differences, as well as an opportunity to support neurodivergent people. While 12% of all Gates Chili’s 3,700+ learners represent students with disabilities, nearly 29% of those students have an identified learning disability. Supports for these and other students vary based on need and can change over time.

Meanwhile, the goal of LGBTQIA+ History Month is to highlight role models, build community, and educate about the contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community. It first came to be in 1994 and is celebrated in October to coincide with National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, and to commemorate the first and second marches on Washington for LGBT rights in 1979 and 1987. It’s important to note that this month is different from Pride Month, which happens in June and is dedicated to celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride and culture.

Both of these recognitions embody the district’s commitment to embracing diversity and supporting the many identities that make up our learning community.

Follow @GatesChiliInfo on social media this month as we “debunk” some common myths about learning disabilities and share important historical figures in an effort to build a more aware, supportive and compassionate community.

Gates Chili is seeking qualified candidates for the following positions. Click the button below to apply or share the opportunity with someone you know!

• Job ID 936: Elementary Special Education Teacher
• Job ID 938: Music Teacher LTS (remainder of 2023-24)
• Job ID 934: Teaching Assistant

• Job ID 937: Secondary AIS - English/Literacy/Reading/Social Studies

• Job ID 928: School Psychologist

• Job ID 933: Lead Night Cleaner - Elementary Buildings

• Job ID 932: Speech Language Pathologist

• Job ID 931: School Social Worker - Elementary LTS

• Job ID 923: Science Teacher - Earth Science

• Job ID 703: Technology Teacher

• Job ID 939: English Teacher

• Job ID 904: Cleaner

• Job ID 789: Lifeguard

• Job ID 750: Bus Attendant

• Job ID 871: Building Substitute Teacher (2023-24 school year)

• Job ID 724: Substitute Teacher*

• Job ID 723: Substitute Support Staff

• Job ID 749: Bus Driver

• Job ID 728: Hall Monitor/Cafeteria Monitor (Part-time)

• Job ID 747: Teacher Aide - School Aide

*The Gates Chili Board of Education recently approved new,

increased rates for instructional substitutes. Click here for details.