Monday Morning Message
from Susan M. Hasenauer, Superintendent
As I start week three, I just want to share how overwhelmed I am with how kind and welcoming everyone has been. Without question, Newark Central School District has proven to be the centerpiece of our community that binds students, staff, families and neighbors through a profound sense of hometown pride.
Moving forward, I will be holding “fireside zoom chats” that will provide the opportunity for the community to get to know me, as well as share their vision for the district as we continue to move forward. A date and time will be forthcoming…please stay tuned!
On a different note, you may have seen in the news the push to “reopen schools”. Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan and Senator Pam Helming are calling on Governor Cuomo to provide the necessary guidance so schools can increase in-person learning safely. In Newark, we have been examining what that would look like for us while still adhering to the Department of Health (DOH) guidelines that remain in place. On Wednesday, March 3, we shared our findings at the Board of Education meeting. Feel free to review the PowerPoint presentation found at this link: https://newarkcsd-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/krista_lewis_newarkcsd_org/EdxpOnib_vZLniVFP8uaCNUB7SwuATKbNTKtCT7SDtY-hw?e=5n3dkZ
Preliminary findings have indicated that we can potentially increase in-person learning an additional two days per week for Middle and High School students while still maintaining their schedule in a safe manner. As we look to finalize a decision, we are seeking feedback from each of our departments, schools and stakeholder groups. In addition, we are working collaboratively with transportation and food service to ensure logistically we can support this change. Our main goal is to keep student schedules as stable as possible moving forward so that instruction remains consistent and viable. Therefore, staffing will be a consideration in this decision-making process as we will still have approximately 30% of our student population who have chosen full time remote learning.
Nevertheless, it is exciting to see things begin to open and I am very optimistic that moving forward we are going to continue to see guidelines change and opportunities for our students will continue to grow. Lastly, your feedback is important in this process. If you have any questions, concerns or input, please email me at: susan.hasenauer@newarkcsd.org.
Happy Monday ~ Have a great week!
Sincerely,
Sue Hasenauer