September
From the Principal's Desk
Dear Students and Families,
I’m Mr. Clark, your middle school principal, and I’m excited to welcome you back for the 2026–2027 school year! We’re looking forward to a year filled with learning, growth, and new opportunities—both in and out of the classroom.
As we begin, I also want to thank you for your patience as we continue working to complete the remaining construction. Our team is working diligently to ensure everything is finished as quickly and safely as possible. You may still notice some areas that are under construction as we start the year, and we truly appreciate your understanding, flexibility, and cooperation during this process. We are excited about the improvements being made and look forward to everyone enjoying the completed spaces.
This year, we will continue to focus on creating a school environment where every student feels welcomed, supported, challenged, and connected. Middle school is an important time for students to discover new interests, build positive relationships, become more independent, and grow both academically and personally. We encourage our students to get involved, try something new, ask questions, and make the most of the opportunities available to them.
Families are an important part of that success, too. We value the partnership between home and school and encourage you to stay connected throughout the year. Please reach out to your child’s teachers or to our office whenever you have questions, concerns, or something you would like to share. Working together helps us provide the best possible experience for our students.
Open House is September 8th from 5:00–6:30 PM. We hope you’ll join us to meet your teachers, visit classrooms, learn more about the school year, and see some of the great things happening in our school. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students and families to connect with our staff and school community.
Most importantly, we want our students to know that we are excited to have you back. Come ready to learn, be kind, work hard, support one another, and make this a great year. There is a lot to look forward to, and we can’t wait to see what you accomplish!
Thank you again for your continued patience, support, and partnership. We can’t wait to see you soon and begin another great school year together!
Sincerely,
Mr. Clark
Middle School Principal
Welcome Back to Middle School!
Dear Students and Families,
Welcome to a new school year! I hope your summer brought opportunities to relax, recharge, and spend time with the people who matter most. As we begin another year together, I am excited to welcome both our returning students and families and those who are joining our Middle School community for the first time.
The start of a new school year can bring many different feelings—excitement about seeing friends, curiosity about new classes and teachers, and perhaps a few nerves about what lies ahead. All of those feelings are completely normal. Middle school is a time of tremendous growth, and each new year brings opportunities for students to learn more about themselves, build new relationships, develop confidence, and discover new strengths.
As the Middle School Counselor, one of my greatest priorities is making sure our students know that they have someone in their corner. My role is to support students academically, socially, and emotionally throughout the school year. Whether a student needs help navigating a friendship, managing stress, solving a problem, setting goals, adjusting to change, or simply needs someone to listen, my door is always open.
Families are an important part of that support system, too. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have a question or concern about your child or if there is something happening that may help us better support them at school. Working together and keeping the lines of communication open can make a meaningful difference for our students.
As we start the year, I encourage our students to give themselves permission to try new things, ask for help, be kind to others, and remember that they don't have to have everything figured out on day one. A successful school year isn't about being perfect—it's about learning, growing, connecting, and continuing to move forward.
I am looking forward to getting to know our students and families and to all that this school year will bring. Here's to a positive year filled with new friendships, new experiences, plenty of learning, and many reasons to be proud!
Warmly,
Mary Beth Hardie
September 8th - Open House for 5th-8th grades, 5:00pm-6:30pm
September 8th- Book Fair (Opens)
September 9th - First Day of School
September 9th - Picture Day
September 9th - Book Fair https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/atticamiddleschool1
September 10th - Book Fair https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/atticamiddleschool1
Septmber 11th - Book Fair (Last Day) https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/atticamiddleschool1
September 12th-14th - FFA to Camp Oswegathchie
September 16th - FFA Chicken BBQ, 3:30pm-5:30pm
September 21st -25th - Spirit Week
September 25th - Early Release Drill
September 9th - First Day of Modified Sports
September 16th - FFA Chicken BBQ, 3:30pm-5:30pm
A Healthy Start to the School Year
Dear Students and Families,
Welcome back! As we begin a new school year, I want to remind families of a few important health-related items that help keep our students healthy, safe, and ready to learn.
Immunizations & Health Records
Please make sure your child’s immunizations are up to date and that all required documentation has been submitted to the school. New York State has specific vaccination requirements based on a student’s age and grade level. If you are unsure whether your child is missing any required immunizations, please contact the Health Office.
Physical Examinations
New York State also requires physical examinations for students entering certain grade levels and for new students entering the school district. Please submit an updated physical to the Health Office when required. Keeping current health information on file helps us provide the best possible care for your child during the school day.
Healthy Students Are Ready to Learn
Regular attendance is an important part of student success. Being at school consistently helps students stay connected to their learning, teachers, friends, and school community. Of course, there are times when children need to stay home due to illness. Helping students develop healthy routines—including getting enough sleep, eating a nutritious breakfast, staying active, and practicing good handwashing—can support both their health and their attendance throughout the year.
If you have questions about whether your child should attend school when they are not feeling well, or if there are health concerns that may affect their school day, please reach out. The Health Office is here to support students and families. Just a reminder, as per NYS regu;ations, students can not call home to get permission to take "over the counter" medications. There must be a doctor's order on hand to distribute medications.
Thank you for your cooperation and support throughout the school year, as always, if you have any concerns regarding your child’s health for the 26-27 school year, please call Mrs. Cooley at 585-591-0400 extension 1214 or email at tcooley@atticacsd.org.
The district is requesting that all student drop off and pick up for arrival and dismissal take place in the parent loop and that families no longer park along the side of the road on route 238.
Morning Drop-Off Procedures: (7:45-8:20 am) Cars should enter the parent drop off/pick up loop (far left loop) and continue to the designated drop off area. Once you enter the designated drop off area, please let your children out on the right hand side of the car, and have them cross utilizing crosswalk 29. All students being dropped off by parents will enter the school through door 29. Please proceed to exit the loop making sure to yield to any bus traffic. No vehicle traffic will be allowed in the Bus loop. There will be staff to direct students and traffic to ensure student safety.
Afternoon Pick-Up Procedures: (3:10-3:30 pm) Cars should pull into the parent drop off/pick up loop and line up along the median. Do not double-park in the far-left lane; this will enable cars to pull away once a student is picked up in the designated pick up area. Dismissal starts at 3:10 pm and exit doors 28-30 will be open. Students are able to use crosswalks 29 and 30 to cross to the parent loop to be picked up in the designated pick up area. All traffic must yield to busses at all times. There will be staff to direct students and traffic to ensure student safety.
We are aware that not all cars will be able to fit in the parent loop during our afternoon pickup. Once the lot is full we are asking all families to use the overflow lot off of route 238 adjacent to the stadium until the parent pick-up lot is no longer full. Students will also be encouraged meet any parents in the overflow lot as a walkway is connected to our secondary campus and the overflow lot. No cars will be allowed to park on route 238 during dismissal and will be monitored by our school resource officer and our local law enforcement agencies.
We thank you again for your cooperation with these changes to our procedures and look forward to promoting a safe environment for all of our students and families.