Nyack Schools Connection April 2023

Dear Members and Friends of the Nyack Public School District,

We are pleased to share our inaugural e-newsletter. Every month, we will highlight our students and staff who are deeply engaged in an array of innovative and exciting work. We are proud of their positive accomplishments and we hope to shine a light on their excellence. We will continue to bring you a monthly e-newsletter that allows you to see and learn more about what is happening in our schools. Many of these initiatives are shared on our District social media every day and we encourage you to follow us to read more about these #UniquelyNyack stories. Links are incorporated into the features below.

Thank you for your continued support and efforts in helping our #RedHawksSoar.

Susan Yom

On Thursday, April 20, Nyack High School celebrated the induction of 177 students into nine separate honor societies. In addition to recognizing academic accomplishment, these honor societies provide opportunities to engage in meaningful service activities, participate in interesting projects, and hone valuable skills, like leadership. During the ceremony the teens were asked to reflect on what membership means for their future and achieving their dreams. Congratulations to the newest members and officers of the following organizations: Art Honor Society, Business Honor Society, English Honor Society, French Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (Math) Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Social Studies Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Tri-M (Music) Honor Society. View the program for a list of all inductees. View upcoming events.

Nyack Middle School students had the unique opportunity to engage with New York Times best-selling author Kwame Alexander about his novel The Crossover. In preparation, for their virtual meeting, students worked hard to develop meaningful open-ended questions that captivated the author and the audience. They asked about taking risks, writing in a multi-dimensional voice, staying motivated and finding inspiration. View upcoming events.

Children in our bilingual second grade class recently learned about animal habitats. Students used library resources to research different environments and transformed their findings into three-dimensional dioramas. Each student presented their final project to classmates answering questions and sharing their new found knowledge. View upcoming events.

As part of National Library Week, Library Media Specialist Julie Zwiebel organized a Book Tasting Party for kindergarten classes. Children sampled a variety of stories and shared what they liked about each with classmates. The activity was designed to expand their reading palate and try new genres and authors. View upcoming events.

Third grade classes enjoyed a “Day In Clay,” with a hands-on exploration into Native American vessel making and design. Students created their own individual clay pieces using the symbols, patterns, imagery, style and techniques of the Native American potters. View upcoming events.

Nyack Public Schools is proud to announce that Aida Sanabria, a fifth grade teacher at Liberty Elementary School, has been recognized by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as a National Board Certified teacher. National Board Certification is an advanced teaching credential that acknowledges effective and accomplished teachers. Ms. Sanabria began to pursue this voluntary program over three years ago.

“Though this was one of the most challenging experiences of my life, it was well worth it,” said Ms. Sanabria. “It reinforced the mentality that under all circumstances, we must prioritize our students and their needs. I did this to become the best teacher I could be."

Ms. Sanabria is a fifth grade teacher at Liberty Elementary and has been working in the Nyack Public schools for 20 years. Prior to joining the district she taught in the Bronx, New York for six years.

Established in 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nonprofit organization working to advance accomplished teaching for all students. The National Board is the gold standard of teacher certification and believes higher standards for teachers means better learning for students. Congratulations Aida!

In their final visit with fifth graders across the district, our Nyack High School Heroes focused on an important lesson about underage drug and alcohol use and abuse. Through role-playing activities, the children were encouraged to reflect on how they could respond in situations of peer pressure and learning the difference between saying just "No" and "No, because it's not good for me." Read more about the visit on Facebook.

Heroes and Cool Kids is a unique mentoring program that engages our student-athletes as leaders for their younger cohorts. Throughout the year, the teen mentors receive training and present on topics geared to helping all students make better, healthier choices. Thank you to our NHS teens for serving as positive role models to our elementary students.

We are proud to announce that Nyack High School has been selected as one of 60 high schools in the United States to pilot an AP African American Studies course this fall. This follows the completion of a rigorously competitive process conducted by the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. English teacher Synthia Salomon will participate in a training provided by the College Board this summer, along with a cohort of educators across the nation in preparation for teaching this interdisciplinary course. Students can expect to examine the diversity of African American experiences with an emphasis on developing historical, literary, visual, and data analysis skills.

All FRC coordinators are bilingual in English and Spanish.

Calendar Update

Please be advised that Nyack Public Schools and administrative offices will now be CLOSED on Friday, May 26, 2023 due to an unused snow day in the 2022-23 school year.