District Update

Dear East Ramapo Central School District Community,

I am honored to introduce myself as your superintendent of schools.

It has been a pleasure spending my first few weeks getting to know the people who make the East Ramapo Central School District such a special place. As I visit schools across the district, I have had the opportunity to meet students and staff while gaining a deeper understanding of the strengths, opportunities, and conditions that support teaching, learning, and student success. I look forward to meeting with families and connecting with community members to learn what is working well, where we can improve, and how we can best focus our efforts moving forward.

I know there is much work ahead in the weeks and months to come, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work together to build on the progress already underway.

I look forward to working alongside the Board of Education, district and school leaders, educators and staff, students, families, and community partners to build the trust, shared focus, and steady progress this district deserves.

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve the East Ramapo Central School District. I look forward to becoming part of this community and getting to know each of you as we move forward together.

Sincerely,

Dr. Leslie-Torres Rodriguez

Superintendent of Schools

Throughout the summer, students in the East Ramapo Summer Learning Programs have been learning, exploring and having fun. Available for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, the programs combine academic instruction with hands-on learning in specialized fields, creating enriching experiences that keep students engaged while strengthening their skills.

Through a blend of English language arts (ELA), math and specialized enrichment activities, students can enjoy a well-rounded summer filled with learning, fun and personal growth.

Newly appointed ERCSD Superintendent Dr. Torres-Rodriguez spent her first few weeks on the job visiting schools, greeting staff, meeting students and getting to know the district firsthand.

Congratulations to Bhavin Gandhi, ERCSD's Assistant Superintendent for Technology & Information Management who was awarded the New York Schools Data Analysis Technical Assistance Group (DATAG) 2026 Dr. Gerald E. DeMauro Award. The award celebrates an individual in New York State who has made outstanding contributions to the field of educational data by improving how schools collect, analyze, protect, and use data to support student success and informed decision-making.

Mr. Gandhi was recognized at DATAG's Summer Conference in Saratoga, NY earlier this summer.

Providing safe and reliable transportation remains an important part of supporting our students.Transportation arrangements for the district's summer programs are complete, and all bus passes have been distributed.

As part of our ongoing commitment to student safety, the district is reviewing its transportation safety protocols and has assigned a team to develop enhanced procedures and provide training for building leaders to strengthen bus safety.

Families who need assistance with transportation-related issues should first contact their child's principal. If the matter remains unresolved, they may then contact the Transportation Department at 845-577-6490.

The safety of our students and staff is always a top priority at ERCSD. Security personnel are stationed in every school, with school resource officers assigned to both high schools, and school officials are trained to respond quickly and appropriately in the event of an emergency.

With the support of Smart Schools Bond Act funding from the New York State Education Department, the district implemented a comprehensive security initiative this school year focused on technical enhancements including the installation of security cameras, card-swipe door access, lockdown buttons and police integration in every school building. To further strengthen our practices, the district also hired a consultant to conduct a districtwide audit of security policies and procedures, including all district- and building-level safety plans.

We are also partnering with Putnam | Northern Westchester BOCES to provide updated training for building-level security personnel and principals on emergency and lockdown drills. Families and staff are encouraged to review New York state’s S.H.E.L.L. emergency response terms; more information is available on our Safety & Security page on the district website.

The East Ramapo Central School District has established protocols for deciding whether to close or delay school or cancel programs due to inclement weather or other emergencies. For information about notifications regarding emergency closings, visit the Emergency Closings page of the district website.

As of Wednesday, July 1, all district, school, classroom, and teacher communications will be sent through ParentSquare. Remind will no longer be used.

If you have not yet activated your ParentSquare account, we encourage you to do so today to ensure you continue receiving important updates, announcements, emergency notifications and messages from your child's school.

If you do not have a smartphone, you can still access ParentSquare from any web browser by visiting www.parentsquare.com.

If you need to update your contact information or have questions about activating your account, please contact your child's school.

For more information about ParentSquare, visit www.ercsd.org/parentsquare.

2026-27 INSTRUCTIONAL CALENDAR

BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS

The next meeting of the East Ramapo Central School District Board of Education will take place on August 4 at 7:30 p.m. View the schedule for all upcoming meetings on the district website.