Staff Updates
September 24, 2025
Inspiring All Learners to Achieve Extraordinary Success
Students Using AI in the Classroom
We will be offering an introduction and training on Tuesday for teachers who want to learn more about using AI in the classroom for themselves and their students. Be looking for an email about this.
Dedicated AI Learning Communities
OYOclass provides specialized learning environments designed specifically for educational success. The platform empowers both students and teachers to harness the power of AI through custom AI Agents tailored to their unique needs. Whether you're looking to streamline grading with AI Agents that use rubrics to provide detailed feedback on student writing, or you need intelligent tools to generate comprehensive lesson plans and personalized student goals, OYOclass puts advanced AI capabilities at your fingertips.
Master Prompt Engineering with Ease
Learning doesn't stop at using pre-built tools. OYOclass teaches users the valuable skill of prompt engineering, enabling them to create their own AI solutions in an intuitive, user-friendly environment. This hands-on approach ensures that both educators and learners develop practical AI literacy that
extends far beyond the classroom.
Flu Vaccines will be available on October 3rd. Look for email link to sign up.
Tickets can be Purchased in the District Office
New York State Portrait of a Graduate
At the July 2025 Board of Regents meeting, the Board formally adopted the New York State Portrait of a Graduate, a critical milestone in NY Inspires, the Department’s implementation plan for transformative education. The Portrait offers a unifying vision of what it means to be a graduate in New York State, describing the essential skills and dispositions that all students should develop to succeed in college, careers, and civic life.
To ensure clarity and support stakeholders’ shared understanding of the Portrait, the Department developed “Need-to-Know” documents for students, parents, educators, administrators, and school board members.
These documents provide role-specific guidance on the Portrait and serve as foundational tools for stakeholder engagement, professional learning, and strategic planning.
The Educators' 2026 AI Guide Videos
Don't Forget to Complete Mandated Training
Hawk Hub
The Hawk Hub has been updated to include new documents for the year. If for some reason it says you don’t have access please let Allison Leaonardo know. It now includes a new teacher page where you can find infinite campus videos.
Jetsons
The Jetsons premiered 63 years ago this week. This show predicted video calls, smartwatches, robot assistants, Flat-screen TVs, 3-D printers, pill cameras, vertical cities and Jetpacks... We still waiting for those flying cars, though.
CAFE Gala November 8
This year's CAFE Gala will be NOVEMBER 8. Join us in celebrating our 7 honorees. This year we are inducting: Jean Cardany, Leslie Copleston, Raymond Magee, Darlene Mergendahl, Michael Rausch, Lewis Swyer, and James Warren. Tickets go on sale Sept 15th- Please reach out to Julie in the District Office to purchase tickets.
Betting on Brighter Futures on Nov 8th at 5pm down at the Wire Event Center. Food, drinks and dancing and help us to raise money for future grants at C-A.
Coxsackie-Athens Foundation for Education
Since 2012 the Coxsackie-Athens Foundation for Education has awarded over $170,000 in grants to support programming in the C-A Schools.
Grants will be awarded during three grant cycles:
October 1st, January 1st, and April 1st.
Innovation Grants: The Coxsackie Athens Foundation for Education was formed to raise, manage and distribute financial and non-financial resources for educational enrichment. We have three grant cycles annually and you are invited to apply for funds by completing the attached application form.
Priorities will be given to projects that address the Foundation’s mission and are educationally enriching, innovative, creative and include a plan for continuation beyond Foundation support.
Mini- Grants: The Coxsackie Athens Foundation for Education (C.A.F.E.) is excited to announce that mini-grant applications will now be accepted. Mini-grants are in addition to the existing innovation grant program and C.A.F.E. will award up to 10 mini-grants in the amount of $200 (or less) on an annual basis. The purpose of the mini-grant is to provide opportunities to purchase smaller items that will have a big impact on our students. Examples might include books, supplies for a special art project, a speaking honorarium, subscriptions, or software tools.
Grants are open for this school year. Please go to the website and scroll down toward the bottom for the grant links. If you have any questions please feel free to ask!
https://www.cacsd.org/page/coxsackie-athens-foundation-for-education-cafe
Redefining Readiness: How One Rural District Is Building Tomorrow’s Leaders
College and Career Readiness Resources
Whether you’re teaching content and want to integrate career exploration, entrepreneurship, or workforce preparedness skills, EVERFI’s digital lessons help students plan for and practice these skills. LEARN MORE HERE reach out to Stacey Hopkins our Career ambassador for support.
Financial Literacy & Financial Education for K-12 Students
Prepare students for their financial future
Financial education is more than dollars and cents. It’s about establishing better spending habits, instilling confidence, and equipping the next generation with the real-world skills to manage financial goals and milestones.
EVERFI’s online financial education curriculum, training, and support are completely free to K-12 educators. reach out to Stacey Hopkins our Career ambassador for support.
Financial literacy instruction will be required in 26-27 by NYS and is already included as one of our life readiness indicators. At C-A we will be itegrating more financial literacy including assessing student proficiency into our content this year.
Career Exploration
Purpose
Our anchor strategy, PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS states, “Students with Purpose are inspired to learn. The world has changed and a vision for college, career and citizenship readiness has emerged. Centered on the concept that each student will have a purpose and PATHWAY TO SUCCESS, we will have an uncompromising and relentless commitment to preparing students for college, career and citizenship; in other words, preparing students for their future. This will be accomplished by creating relevant learning environments, and interacting with the people working in the ecosystems of the career paths students are working towards.”
Therefore, we will inspire and prepare students for college, career, and citizenship readiness through comprehensive career exploration and pathway development. The program will help students discover their interests, skills, and preferences, and provide them with real-world experiences and guidance to prepare for their future careers.
READ MORE INCLUDING BUILDING LEVEL EXPECTATIONS for 2025-2026.
UPCOMING EVENTS
10/3: EARLY DISMISSAL- NOON
10/13: School Closed
10/25: Big Apple Crunch
2028 Goals
The LINKS team have established draft goals for 2028. They are below.
2028
Student Performance Goals
In order for all students to graduate ready for their post-secondary lives, our performance goals for 2028 are:
Reading: 78% of students K-8 will be reading at or above grade level by 2028. This will be a 17% improvement from 2025.
Math: 78% of students K-9 will demonstrate grade level proficiency in math by 2028. This will be a 19% improvement from 2025.
Life Readiness:
- 100% of students in grades 4, 8 and 12 will demonstrate readiness in a majority of the Life and career ready indicators;
- The district will see a 11% improvement in the number of students with >=90% attendance by 2028.
- A 10% improvement in the number of students who often or consistently demonstrate competence in a majority of the personal dispositions.
Where Else Would You Rather Be?
Than
Right Here Right Now
"We are all Neighbors"
-Fred Rogers
Readiness for ALL Students
We all learn in a variety of ways. Students should be able to demonstrate readiness in a variety of ways.
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Below are several resources that highlight the opportunities we offer ALL students. WE truly are a small school with BIG Opportunities!
- Did you know that every student at C-A HS can have one early college course paid for in full by the district? The reduced tuition rates for all college courses allows many students to graduate with over 20 credits. Many of our alum are able to enter college as sophomores or graduate from a college a semester early saving thousands of dollars.
- Our parternship with Questar III BOCES provides 23 offerings in career technical education pathways. Our students who complete these programs are ready to enter the workforce in a varirty of occupations and fields.
We believe ALL students CAn be life, career and college ready when they graduate from C-A. I very muhc apprecait the collaborative work taking place in all classrooms to ensure ALL students are self-directed and prepared to succeed in our global society.
ALL Students CAn
#RiverhawksProud
THINK DIFFERENTLY
2030 Destination Timeline
Take a look. Our road trip will have some exciting mile markers that sustains and enhances the work we have started and will lead us to our 2030 Destination.
Our Why ~ Inspiring Learners to Achieve Extraordinary Success
Our What ~ To Develop self-directed college and career ready students
Our How:
- Professional Learning Communities
- Growth Mindset
- Student Centered/Directed Learning
- Digital Conversion
- Pathways to Success
Land Acknowledgement
It is with gratitude and humility that we acknowledge that we are learning, speaking and gathering on the ancestral homelands of the Muhheaconneok (Muhhekunneuw) or Mohican people and the Munsee Lenape people, who are the indigenous peoples of this land. Despite tremendous hardship in being forced from here, they now reside in Wisconsin and are known as the Stockbridge-Munsee Community. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors past and present as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all.
Coxsackie-Athens Central Schools
Email: squierr@cacsd.org
Website: www.cacsd.org
Location: 24 Sunset Boulevard, Coxsackie, NY, USA
Phone: 518-731-1700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100043677108930&mibextid=LQQJ4d
Twitter: @coxathschools