January RACHS News

Happy New Year! Hope everyone feels rejuvenated and refreshed from the long break and enjoyed the holiday season with family and friends. It was definitely a good couple of weeks for our winter outdoor enthusiasts. January is a busy month with the end of the second marking period coming up, which includes Regents/Midterm Week. We will also be kicking off the course selection process for next school year with students as well. Be sure to read below for all the information related to those items and more. Wishing everyone a great 2026!

Please note that regular classes will not be in session from 1/20-1/23 for January Regents exams and Midterms. Students will only attend for exams they need to take. The midterm schedule is linked below. A few things to note:

Transportation:

Transportation to school for a noon exam will be between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. Students must sign up for an 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. pick up in the Main Office. You do not need to sign up for the regular morning bus run.

If your student has extended time and will need transportation beyond these allotted bus times, please fill out this Google Form: https://forms.gle/dGVu5zkb2Bg7k8xP8

Food Service:

Students will need to sign up in the Main Office to receive lunch during exams. The cafeteria will serve lunches only to those who have exams all day and have made reservations.

Students should arrive ten minutes before their exam time

Students must stay in the exam room for a minimum of two hours.

Students are in the early stages of the scheduling process for the 2026-2027 school year. On January 7th, Counselors met with current 9th-11th graders during an Assembly to walk through graduation requirements, key scheduling considerations, and the range of course options available to them for next year. The next step of the process will be individual meetings between students and their school counselor to talk through course selections for next year. Counselors will begin meeting with current sophomores during the week of January 12th, followed by freshmen the week of January 26th, and juniors beginning the week of February 2nd. As a reminder, a full course load for 9th-11th graders is at least 6.5 credits and 5.5 credits for 12th graders.

Once all grade levels have completed their meetings, course selections will be shared with families to review. In the meantime, please see the updated Course Description Guide for the 2026-27 school year here. This has also been posted on the HS website and the Counseling website.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your student's counselor.

Attention Seniors and Families!
It’s time to celebrate your future plans! Whether you’ve been accepted to college, joining the military, attending a trade school, or starting an exciting new job, we want to hear about it! Share your achievements with the Counseling Office HERE, and we’ll display a paw on our wall to honor your accomplishments.

Also, a reminder: The FAFSA is OPEN!

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is used by colleges to determine eligibility for financial aid, including grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and loans. Completing the FAFSA is an essential step for seniors planning for college. Get all the details here!

As we head into the winter weather season, please be sure to build in some extra time for the morning drives to make sure students are able to be in their first block classes on time at 7:30am. We appreciate your support in helping to reinforce the importance of punctuality! Please note that after four unexcused tardies in a marking period, contact home will be made, and students will be assigned consequences starting with lunch detention and/or after school detention.

Also, with the increased darkness during morning drop off please be extra cautious when dropping students off and paying attention to student drivers and walkers crossing to get to the sidewalk. We will continue to reinforce with students to use the designated crosswalks as well.

Marking Period 2 ends Friday, January 23rd. Report cards will be sent through ParentSquare on the following Friday, January 30th. Please encourage your student to check their class grades in Schoology and to submit any missing assignments ASAP!

As you know from Dr. Van Scoy's presentations on NY state foundation aide, the formula often does not help districts of our profile as it does others. One way to help us qualify for more state aid is to make sure that we have accurate free and reduced price lunch data. Even if you are not sure that you qualify, please take a moment to complete this form for your family, if you haven't already. It can directly impact the resources available to Gananda in a positive way.

Free & Reduced Lunch Application Fillable

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who has already submitted letters to our politicians to help us advocate for increased state and federal aid for our school district.

If you haven't done so, please take five minutes to go to our "Advocacy Campaign 2025" page on the Gananda website to review the Forum presentation (from 11/17), watch a brief explanatory video, and make a difference by clicking on the link to our ActionNetwork.org page to send correspondence to our political leaders.

It only takes a few minutes but can have a lasting impact on our students' education.

Thank you for your support and partnership in ensuring the future of our district!

Our December Students of the Month:

Ella for 9th Grade:

Ella has been diligent in turning in assignments while seeking extra help when needed. Ella is always kind to her peers and supports others when they are struggling. Ella does a good job of meeting deadlines. She has clearly taken accountability for her learning.

Daniel for 10th Grade:

Daniel is a hardworking individual that takes pride in his work. He is also quick to take the initiative to help others in a constructive way. Daniel has a positive impact in the classroom and with his peers. Congratulations Daniel!

Kate for 11th Grade:

Kate is driven to always do her best. She is always willing to challenge herself in the classroom environment. Kate is hard-working, and completes all work to the best of her ability, while keeping a smile on her face. Kate's drive and outstanding work ethic make her a great candidate for the Panther of the Month.

L for 12th grade:

The 12th grade team has chosen L as this month's Panther of the Month. L has shown a remarkable and honorable amount of growth and determination in personal goal attainment as of late. L also has engaged more with our academic environment and has taken ownership of her time here at Gananda. It has been wonderful to see L take on this active role in her education. Congrats, L! We are PROUD of you!

The 2025-2026 District Calendar and Building Events Calendar are posted to the Gananda Central School District Website. In addition, the Instructional Color Day Calendar and Block Schedule for our building can be found on the RACHS website under Our School/HS Information HUB.

You can also click on the buttons below that will take you directly to the Instructional Calendar and Daily Schedules.

The district uses ParentSquare as its main communication tool for getting information to parents. District newsletters, emergency communication, and Gananda Central School District event news, as well as classroom news and updates will be communicated through ParentSquare. Families can download the ParentSquare app to their smartphone for ease of use.

If you have not received an invitation to join ParentSquare from your students school, please contact the main office of their building.

Absences need to be reported to the school health office by the parent/guardian of the student. This may be done so online by completing this form.

Respectfully,

Dr. Christopher J. Whipple, Principal

cwhipple@gananda.org

Mrs. Nickie Mereness, Assistant Principal

nmereness@gananda.org

(315) 986-3521, 8, 3154