Dear Nyack Public Schools Community,

In this second month into the school year, our NPS leadership team has been zooming in on our district goals for the year. Guided by our district vision and mission, we are boldly focussed on equity and belonging. We are dreaming with determination and understand as educators that each student must feel seen heard and valued in our schools. Cultivating a sense of belonging is the key to making that dream a reality.

In October, we celebrated national school principal recognition, Italian American and Hispanic heritage, bullying prevention Blue Shirt Day, the beloved tradition of Halloween Window Painting in the Village of Nyack, and even school board recognition (NYSSBA). I will say again loud and proud: our diversity - of ethnicity and belief - makes us who we are. NPS is a community that shows up for kids every single day! We do this together as we aspire to be a school community that leads with love, that stands for justice, and that believes education is not just about academics, but about belonging and growing the humanity within each one of the brilliant students among us.

Yours in Education,

Dr. Lizzette Ruiz-Giovinazzi

Superintendent of Schools

The superintendent’s leadership goals for 2025-2026 are centered on building a sense of belonging and expanding equity for every student.

SMART Goals Summary: Within each goal statement are Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), key strategies/actions to reach each goal, measurable indicators of success, and itemized shareable documents that will provide key data points. The superintendent has also included actionable items for building a data culture. This addition to each SMART goal prioritizes data literacy in how we collect, analyze, report and share our data. Ultimately, the stories that live inside the data are instrumental not only in documenting NPS narrative but in shifting a cultural mindset, building capacity for root cause analysis and strengthening the voice in each student’s success that is ours to sustain.

Goals are created with the District’s Racial Equity Milestone Measurements of Success in mind, always reaching for the long term impact on success for each student in NPS:

Each Student will enter Kindergarten ready to learn and First Grade ready to read.
Each Student will be reading on grade level at the end of Third Grade.
Each Student will complete Grade 5 ready for middle school *
Each Student will complete Grade 8 ready for high school.
Each Student will enter Grade 10 on track to graduate high school.
Each Student will complete Grade 12 on time and be ready for college, vocational school, or the workforce.
Each Student will have access to explore, create and be active participants in their learning.

View Dr. LRG’s 10-21-25 District Goals presentation to the BOE for details on each of the nine goals for 2025-2026.

This school year, Goal #1 is to fully implement a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). In year two of implementation, MTSS will be a focus for Assistant Superintendent Joe Simoni, who offers a high level of expertise. Mr. Simoni will be working closely with administrators to level-up a district-wide implementation of MTSS and guide teachers as they utilize evidence-based practices. Together, they are building a deep understanding of how MTSS uplifts overall achievement for students.

Want to know more? MTSS is a proactive and preventative framework that integrates data and instruction to maximize student success from a strengths-based perspective. MTSS offers a framework for educators to engage in data-based decision making related to program improvement, high-quality instruction and intervention, and student engagement to ensure positive outcomes for districts, schools, teachers, and students. The MTSS framework is comprised of four essential components: screening, progress monitoring, multi-level prevention system, and data-based decision making. Take a look at this: MTSS School Infrastructure & Support Mechanisms.

Check out Mr. Simoni's webpage for resources, including information about the STAR reports that were sent to elementary families this past month and a Meet STAR video for parents.

Over the past three years, the Nyack School District has established an Artificial Intelligence (AI) team to explore, research, test, plan, and make thoughtful recommendations regarding AI use in our schools. The team developed District guidelines and presented recommendations based on feedback from a cohort of 45 educators who actively participated in the research process. (Photo features NPS staff in Superintendent's Conference Day/March 2025 with keynote Dr. Christopher Dede, Harvard Graduate School of Education).

Three Years of AI Initiative in NPS:

2023–2024 - A team of teachers attended workshops and trainings on various AI platforms. They conducted research and participated in a collegial circle with districts across the region to share insights and collaborate on best practices.
2024–2025 - The AI team continued attending workshops and training and developed District guidelines. A cohort of 45 educators, including teachers and administrators, met throughout the year to provide feedback on the guidelines, review and test four AI programs, and make a final recommendation for a platform to be used districtwide. The team also gathered feedback from high school students regarding the platforms and AI use in general.
2025–2026 - During the summer of 2025, the AI team planned the implementation of the selected platform for the 2025–2026 school year. Planning included professional development for all staff and the creation of a framework for ongoing, sustained support.

The following recommendations were made by the district through the AI Initiative's cohort:

The committee’s guidelines provide a general framework for AI use across the District.
Each department and building may create additional guidelines tailored to their specific needs.
The District will begin with a single AI platform, Magic School, to support consistent training, oversight, and implementation.
All K–12 staff will have access to Magic School and receive related professional development and support.
AI use by students will be limited to grades 6–12, under teacher supervision.
Students in grades K–5 will not use AI at this time.

Be on the lookout for an upcoming date to be announced for a district-wide Family Engagement Night that will include more information about the thought leadership of AI in NPS.

Here are the NPS Guidelines for AI 2025.

FRCs in NPS have a rich history. Did you know that the very first Family Resource Center was created and housed in our district? It's true. Thirty years ago, a group of district parents, local activists and elected officials, under the leadership and legacy of the Honorable Harriet Cornell - Rockland County Legislator for over forty years - worked together to open the Upper Nyack Elementary School FRC. Nyack Schools are proud to have carried on the FRC vision.

The Family Resource Center's (FRC) mission is to ensure the optimal development of ALL Nyack School District children by supporting families, advocating and fostering innovative programs, and integrated services involving family, school, and community. Our FRC Coordinators connect families to school and community by serving as liaisons between families and school, welcoming families and establishing trust in relationships.

Now in 2025, under the district leadership of Dr. Brutus, NPS has a full FRC team that is comprised of beloved liasons and new faces in familiar spaces (our schools). Check out the district FRC webpage for a fresh listing of food pantries in our area and stay in touch as we build our team back, reaching out and lifting up families across our community.

Great News! We are pleased and proud to report that the new cell phone policy and protocols that were implemented in school districts across New York at the beginning of the school year are going well in NPS. Our principals have provided feedback that students at all levels, as a whole, are following the new cell phone ban in schools with respect and even enjoying more social interaction in-person. Please note that as part of the adopted policy from September 2025, the BOE will be reviewing the policy implementation in January of 2026 and deciding if revisions need to be made for NPS.

Our education partners in Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES are providing an Internet Safety Session for parents on December 9. Mark your calendars now!

NEW! BOE Coffee & Conversation: Join board members at David's Bagels in Valley Cottage on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10 from 8:30-9:30 am for informal discussion on topics of your choice.
Check out this month's Board of Ed Thread
Peruse the NEW BOE webpage
Upcoming BOE Meeting: Tuesday, November 18 at 6:30pm

The Board of Education encourages community engagement. Our seven trustees are responsible to listen and represent our school community. Board contact information, the Board Meeting schedule, presentations and agendas are all posted on BoardDocs. Board members may be emailed at: BOEmembers@nyackschools.org.

BOE Meetings are open to the public, posted on the district website and calendar on specified Tuesdays each month. The public is encouraged to join in-person or via Zoom. Links to the webinar meetings are available on the district website homepage calendar at www.nyackschools.org.

Stay up-to-date with all our Nyack RedHawks and show your team spirit.

View the schedule online .

Follow Nyack Athletics on Instagram: @NyackHSAthletic

Parents/guardians receive flyers directly to their emails and can manage their own accounts, saving time, money and trees! Peachjar can be accessed on our school websites using the Peachjar icon.

Check out the current flyers here.