The Clarkstown Connection

students rehearsing for the spring musical

In celebration of Music In Our Schools Month®, students across the district showcased their talents through a variety of performances and lessons. The spring musicals at Clarkstown high schools North and South and Felix Festa Middle School's production delighted audiences, while younger learners explored music through a violin lesson at Link Elementary School and a ukulele lesson at West Nyack Elementary School.

student browsing at books during a book fair

National Reading Month brought a variety of literacy experiences to our elementary schools. Laurel Plains and Strawtown had the opportunity to hear directly from visiting authors about how stories come to life, New City learners browsed and selected new books at a school book fair and a class at the Birchwood School enjoyed a special read-aloud with Dr. Baiocco.

staff participating in professional development

March included two professional development days that supported staff growth and innovation across CCSD. During the Superintendent's Conference Day, educators explored topics such as AI tools, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and collaborated with college professors to better prepare students for post-secondary success. On a second day, staff engaged in sessions focused on Design Thinking and Visible Thinking Routines, strengthening instructional practices and student-centered learning.

students watering plants in a hydroponics station

Students are engaging in learning that connects preparation with real-world application. Hydroponics clubs at Little Tor and Woodglen elementary schools are nurturing plants indoors with the goal of eventually transitioning them outside, while at Lakewood Elementary School, students stepped beyond the classroom to visit a local museum as part of their unit on community history. Although different in focus, both experiences reflect how learners are building knowledge that bridges classroom learning with the world beyond it.

student participating in a FIRST Robotics Competition

Collaboration and mentorship continue to strengthen our District's robotics pathway. Clarkstown High School North's robotics team is in its second year of working alongside Woodglen Elementary School's club, helping the younger learners build foundational skills and enthusiasm for STEAM. Meanwhile, the two high school robotics teams recently showcased their skills at a FIRST Robotics Competition.

image saying the Annual School Budget Vote and Board election will take place on Tuesday, May 19.

The annual School Budget Vote and Board Election is only a few weeks away! Want to keep up with where CCSD is in the process? Check out key 2026-27 budget calendar dates below, which can also be found here.

April 3: publish first legal notice of school budget hearing and vote
April 16: adopt 2026-27 proposed school budget and property tax report card
April 17: submit property tax report card to NYS Education Department
April 20: submit petitions for propositions to be placed on ballot
May 1: make available budget statement and required attachments
May 7: hold Budget Hearing at Clarkstown High School South
May 7: mail budget notice to eligible voters
May 19: 2026-27 School Budget Vote and Board Election

Our budget priorities for next year are rooted in our strategic and core commitments: academic, social-emotional and ethical, capacity building, and safety. Highlights include maintaining and expanding existing successful programs, strategically investing in literacy initiatives, ensuring that the district remains on course to be future ready and demonstrating strong fiscal responsibility in all spending.

More complete details regarding the District's 2026-27 Proposed Budget will be shared once available. In the meantime, we encourage you to view all related presentations, documents and other information on our website here and to watch last night's Special Board of Education Meeting and Workshop here. Please be sure to come out and vote!