NorthStar Lights
North Syracuse Central School District's Electronic News
Hello North Syracuse Central School District parents, guardians, teachers, and staff,
This school year at our Board of Education Meetings we've tried to take time to publicly recognize some of our students and staff for things that they've accomplished or have been brought to our attention as acts of service. This week I had the honor of joining our Board of Education President Paul Farfaglia to publicly recognize NSCSD Bus Driver Kristopher Tucci.
We invited Mr. Tucci to the meeting to thank and honor him for his vigilance and dedication to the safety of a child in our community. On May 10, while driving bus 681 in Mattydale, Mr. Tucci noticed a toddler wandering completely alone and without shoes, wearing only a diaper and a tee shirt. At the time, Mr. Tucci fortunately did not have any students on the bus so he was able to take swift action. He stopped the bus, contacted 911 and stayed with the child until the police arrived. Thanks to Mr. Tucci, the child was successfully reunited with their parent who was unaware that the child had wandered from the home. The outcome could have been very different and tragic had our dedicated and courageous driver not stepped in.
Recognizing our students and staff has been one of the best things about our meetings this year but I also know that so many of great things taking place every day go by without any fanfare. We have some amazingly kind, brave and generous people living and working amongst us and the things they do are just part of who they are. I want you to know that I appreciate you and I offer my thanks to everyone who has stood up to acknowledge another person. By highlighting acts of kindness, bravery and dedication, not only do we acknowledge the incredible individuals among us, but we might also inspire others to make a positive difference.
Thank you for being a part of our school community and for your ongoing support.
Warm regards,
Daniel D. Bowles, Superintendent of Schools
Voters elected the following three candidates to the North Syracuse Central School District Board of Education for (three-year) terms beginning July 1, 2024:
- Beth Kramer (1,091 votes)
- Paul Farfaglia (1,022 votes)
- Mark Thorne (962 votes)
The following candidates were not elected:
- Andrew Matyasik (808 votes)
- Nicholas Edwards (800 votes)
The 2024-2025 tax levy increase of 2.98 percent is within the allowable tax levy limit as calculated under the state’s “tax cap” guidelines. Therefore, a simple majority was required for authorization. For details about the budget, visit the district’s budget website at www.nscsd.org/budget.
The North Syracuse Central School District is inviting participants to its first Community Forum on Race and Equity. The event is intended for current CNS juniors and seniors as well as NSCSD alumni, families, caregivers and community members to share their experiences and concerns on the topics of race and equity within the district. The forum is being run and facilitated by trained professionals with the Center for Dialogue and Action at InterFaith Works of Central New York. It will take place at Cicero North Syracuse High School on Thursday, June 13 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Interested persons are asked to register by June 9 by clicking here.
On Thursday, June 6, the Cicero-North Syracuse High School Class of 2024 returned to their elementary schools to revisit the places where their educational careers began. Each elementary school has their own traditions for celebrating graduates and having younger students get a glimpse of their future. At some schools, grads march through the hallways while being cheered on by their former teachers and the district's youngest students. CNS staff accompany the students and typically work with elementary staff to get a group picture at each elementary school. The day always is nostalgic and heartwarming.
Click here to view some of the pictures shared on Google Drive. If you have additional pictures that you'd like to share, please email them to Laurie Cook at lcook@nscsd.org and they will be added to the folders.
Twenty-five North Syracuse Central School District educators were recently recognized for grants written to the North Syracuse Education Foundation (NSEF) in their 2024 Education Grant Awards Program. NSEF is a 501C3 non-profit dedicated to serving our public schools by providing resources to support quality education through creative opportunities, and innovative/imaginative approaches.
Since 2003, NSEF has provided hundreds of grants totaling more than $300,000 across all schools and all grades PreK-12. The NSEF grants are supported by generous donations from the community, mainly private businesses and are tax-deductible per current laws.
Je me souviens…Québec's official motto, "Je me souviens" or "I remember," perfectly encapsulates the memories made by French students from Cicero North Syracuse High School during their weekend escapade to Québec City earlier this school year.
Their adventure kicked off with a scenic ferry ride across the majestic St. Lawrence River, leading them into the heart of Québec City. From there, they explored a Huron Village, soaking in the fascinating history of Canada's First Nations. And let's not forget the mouthwatering breakfast featuring croissants, pain au chocolat, and steaming mugs of hot chocolate that fueled their exploration.
On Monday, May 20, students from Mr. Nadler's Film & Screen Design class at Cicero-North Syracuse High School had the extraordinary opportunity to visit News Channel 9, a local television news studio in East Syracuse. This visit provided a comprehensive look into the world of broadcast journalism, offering students valuable insights and firsthand experiences.
The day began with an extensive tour of the facility, led by executive producer Tim Fox. The tour gave students an inside look at the digital age of news production with reporters typing up news stories, editing footage and collaborating with the graphics team to prepare content for public broadcast. The students observed the intricate and intense workflow involved in creating both daily news segments and special features for programs like "Bridge Street."
This May, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Gillette Road Middle School saw a fantastic display of creativity, community and student engagement with the installation of inspiring yard signs by the P2 and Paint the Mile Club (PTMC). The signs were put up after school on May 1 with the help of dedicated families, adding a vibrant touch as well as encouragement to the school’s track.
Gillette’s PTMC was created during the 2022-23 school year by fifth-grade teacher Melanie Hurley and one of the school’s art teachers, Ms. Warner Varno. The club was born from a simple yet powerful idea. During Ms. Varno’s first full year at Gillette, she noticed that many fifth graders were anxious about running the mile, a mandatory part of their physical education curriculum designed to track heart health. Wanting to bring positivity to this experience, Ms. Varno and Ms. Hurley created the Paint the Mile Club with the goal of encouraging students through art and making the mile run a more uplifting and less daunting task.
KWS Bear Road Elementary School's digital superheroes
Earlier this week, our Mental Health Educator, Nadine Zesky, from Contact Community Services spent some time with KWS Bear Road Elementary School 4th graders learning how to be Digital Superheroes! They learned about setting guidelines for their time spent on-line, how to protect their private information, who their trusted adults are and how to help protect each other on line. They then got to “Chalk the Walk” by drawing their own Digital Superheroes for all to see! It also happened to be crazy hair day! Thanks also to Ms. Palumbo for sharing her class picture.
Middle school students have a blast in rocket challenge
Three teams of students from Gillette Road Middle School and three teams from Roxboro Road Middle School recently participate in Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) Rocket Team Challenge at Jamesville Beach. Many thanks to their amazing advisors Steve Bacon and Colleen O'Connor! See more pictures on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MOSTSyracuse/posts/pfbid0kQfLGNcyEuU5uGAkrMqBYZyh255oc4B4tSaZCPsqC68GfwztLGAASwuVbBRg2h4cl
Mrs. Leaf’s second grade students at Smith Road Elementary School have been learning about the Civil War and recently created a BIG way of marking the end of the unit. Together they created life size posters of important people in our history. Mrs. Leaf say it was a great project to end the unit! Here is a picture she shared of some of her students with the life-sized version of Abraham Lincoln.
District Reminders!
JUNE 8: Transportation Department Job Fair from 9 AM to 12 PM at the Transportation Office (5520 East Taft Rd.) in North Syracuse
JUNE 12: CNS Jazz in the Park from 6-8 PM at Lonergan Park ( 524 N Main St.) in North Syracuse
JUNE 15: 44th Annual Swamp Rat Run 5k at 9 AM at Oneida Shores in Brewerton
JUNE 17: Board of Education meeting at 6 PM at the Jerome F. Melvin Administrative Office Building (5355 West Taft Rd.) in North Syracuse
JUNE 19: No School for Students/Staff for Juneteenth
JUNE 12: CNS Marching Band performance from 6-8 PM at Lonergan Park ( 524 N Main St.) in North Syracuse
JUNE 21: CNS CLASS OF 2024 GRADUATION!
North Syracuse Central School District
Email: webmaster@nscsd.org
Website: www.nscsd.org
Location: 5355 West Taft Road, Syracuse, NY, USA
Phone: (315) 218-2100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NSyracuseCSD/