2025-2026 Welcome Back LumberGram

As Summer is winding down and our thoughts start to focus on the start of the 2025-2026 school year, I am hopeful that each of us is ready for a great start to the school year!

This school year, we will see some amazing upgrades to our building. Beginning in the Spring of 2026, our new security enhanced front entrance project will start. This new front entrance will provide a separation between visitors to our building and members of the Lumberjack Family. This specific project will also update our attendance office, while installing and upgrading security features associated with our main entrance. The main entrance project is the first of numerous upgrades to our building.

District residents overwhelmingly supported these projects with their approval of a capital improvement measure voted on in the Spring of 2024. More information about these building based capital improvement projects will be communicated, as we approach project launch dates. I know that we are all excited about these future projects and updates to our building.

The start of each school year brings about strong feelings of optimism and hope. The Lumberjack Family mission is to support and nurture the goals and aspirations of our members. I often speak about what it looks and sounds like to be a Lumberjack. As we kickoff the 2025-2026 school year,

I hope each of us makes the greatest effort to mentor and lead by example by being strong and dedicated Lumberjacks.

Just as last school year, our main entrance (flagpole) will open at 7:00 AM each school day. Students will remain in the Cafeteria Wing until the breakfast bell rings to release students to the main academic areas of the building. Breakfast and lunch are free for ALL NTHS students again this school year.

I hope everyone enjoys the few remaining days of our summer recess and are ready for an amazing new school year, as One Lumberjack Family!

Mr. Bradley W. Rowles

NTHS Community,

As we begin a new school year, I want to communicate the expectations and rationale for our New York State mandated Distraction Free School Environment. Since June of 2024, Governor Hochul has been discussing the harmful effects of social media and the clear addiction to electronic devices. As part of these discussions, Governor Hochul traveled across the State to interact with numerous stakeholders within our public-school K-12 programs. I was honored to have been invited last July to be part of the WNY stakeholders' conversation. Governor Hochul announced this past January, that a Distraction Free School Zone (ban on internet enabled devices) would be part of her 2026 NYS budget. The 2026 NYS budget was passed in May and included a “bell to bell” ban on all internet enabled devices.

Beginning in April, NTHS began to review the current internet enabled device policy and studied potential State expectations. At the building level, we discussed a potential ban during our monthly Dignity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee meetings and Shared Decision-Making meetings. The district pushed out a ThoughtExchange survey during the month of March. This survey produced the largest stakeholder participation rate of any survey launched by the district. We saw over 1,000 residents complete the survey with over 25,000 responses. Based upon stakeholder feedback and the requirements passed by NYS, we have completed new district policies and building-based practices. NYS was clear that districts must implement district aligned Distraction Free School Zone policies by August 2025. All building practices must be in place by the first day of school in September.

I know that some of these policies and building-wide practices may elicit a wide range of responses. Based upon the NYS law, all districts, including NT, must comply with the Distraction Free School Zones law. As always, we will review all building wide practices to ensure that Federal and State laws and district policies are being followed. We will continue to communicate any updates to this policy.

I have bulleted some key information pertaining to our Distraction Free School Zone policies/practices below:

Students will have three building wide locations to make any student related phone calls throughout the school day

• Main Office

• Attendance Office

• Student Support Center

• Internet enabled devices should be powered down and kept in the student's assigned locker from 7:40 AM to 2:35 PM

I have attached a link to this letter that includes a user-friendly guide to the “What and Why of our Distraction Free School Zone program”. Please click on the link below to review the attached document.

NTHS Distraction Free School Zone Expectations.docx

I look forward to seeing all our Lumberjacks back on campus in just a few short weeks. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Bradley W. Rowles

Proud Building Principal

Students are expected to be in school on time each day. 1st period begins at 7:40 AM.

The Commissioner of Education recognizes the following actions as excused/legitimate absences from school:

• Court appearance

• Illness

• Family death

• Education

• Religious Observation

• Local impassable road

A legitimate written excuse must be provided to the Attendance Office within three days of an absence.

Please contact the Attendance Office with any questions or concerns

• Students with the last names beginning with A-L should contact (716) 807-3649

• Students with the last name beginning with M-Z should contact (716) 807-3616

Athletes who have registered for fall sports please see the link below for try-out dates and times:

https://www.ntschools.org/departments/athletics/sports-registration/spring-tryouts-clone

Our game schedules for the fall season can be found using the below link:

https://www.schedulegalaxy.com/schools/413