Superintendent DeBarbieri's announcements for December 8, 2023
December 8, 2023
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
I have a very important announcement to share with you today. On behalf of the District Food Service Program, I am pleased to announce that every enrolled student in the district will be eligible to receive a free breakfast and a free lunch meal every school day effective Tuesday, January 2, 2024.
The United States Department of Agriculture expanded access to the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) grant program, which allows eligible schools participation in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to offer school meals at no charge to all students. The district previously did not qualify for the grant program.
When we return from our holiday break, every student enrolled in the district will receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day regardless of the family’s household income. Milk is free with a full meal. Please read more about this program on our website and see a list of frequently asked questions.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to send a reminder to use caution when driving in school zones and driving near all crosswalks. Earlier this week, a student riding a bike collided with a vehicle and sustained serious injuries. Thankfully, the student is recovering and anxious to return to school. Immediately after the accident occurred it was disheartening to see vehicles driving unsafely around the scene before first responders were able to help the student. It was a scary situation and I hope it can be a reminder to everyone to use extreme caution when driving near or on our school campuses. Here are a few reminders:
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Make sure you always drive slowly and carefully near schools.
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Speed limits in school zones are between 15 and 25 mph. Even if there is no reduced speed limit posted, please consider slowing down by 5-10 mph near all of our school campuses, especially near crosswalks.
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Use caution when approaching crosswalks near schools especially during arrival and dismissal times.
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Never tailgate in a school zone, especially behind a school bus.
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Be aware of your surroundings and mindful that inexperienced student drivers may be in the area.
I have a few other announcements to share with you today:
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New York State Senator Rachel May, of District 48, visited our district this afternoon. I had the pleasure of introducing her to members of the Board of Education and giving her a tour of C.W. Baker High School. Sen. May, of Syracuse, shows strong support for education and is committed to STEAM initiatives.
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History was made on Tuesday night when our first-ever Varsity Girls Wrestling team held its first home match. The team features 11 wrestlers from 7th to 12th grade and is coached by Brett Cataldi. Their next match is away at Holland Patent on December 13th. Go Bees!
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Ninth grader Jim Precourt advances to the Madden Championship in esports! He'll play on December 14th at 4 p.m. Way to go, Jim!
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Athletics Update: FamilyID opens on Saturday, December 9th to register for Winter II modified sports, which includes Boys 7/8 Volleyball, Boys 7/8 Wrestling, Boys 7/8 Swimming, and Girls 7/8/9 Basketball. Winter II modified sports registration closes on Tuesday, January 2nd, and practice/tryouts start on Monday January 8th.
Please continue to check ParentSquare, your email and our website, for important updates. As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Dr. Joseph M. DeBarbieri
Superintendent of Schools
