Superintendent DeBarbieri's announcements for March 22, 2024
March 22, 2024
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week. The highlight of my week was seeing our secondary students shine during the Durgee/Baker band concert on Wednesday night and the all-district orchestra concert on Thursday night. The music continues next week with chorus concerts.
I’m also pleased to announce that our graduation rate increased by 3 percent from 2022 to 2023. A report on Syracuse.com shows that we have one of the highest graduation rates in Onondaga County. We’re tied for second with one other district. This news is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teachers and support staff throughout the district and also the commitment of our Baldwinsville families. I’m very proud of our students, staff and community.
I have a few announcements to share with you today:
Spelling Bee:
Good luck to Samuel Meriwether, a 6th grader at Ray Middle School, and Salvatore “Sam” Massa, a 5th grader at Palmer Elementary School, as they compete in the final oral round of the Syracuse.com | Post-Standard Spelling Bee. They will join 22 students from across the county to compete in the Syracuse.com | Post-Standard regional spelling bee on Saturday at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. The winner will represent Central New York in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May.
Community Café:
You’re invited to join us for our Community Café on Monday, March 25th at C.W. Baker High School in the cafeteria. The topic discussed will be Project Based Learning. The Community Café, which will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., is an opportunity to bring together students, staff, parents and community members to discuss important topics impacting the school district. Guests will gather in small groups as we share ideas, perspectives and light refreshments. Registration is required. We hope you can join us!
Scholar Athletes:
Congratulations to our varsity fall teams who qualified for the NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Team Award. To qualify, the team’s average GPA must be 90 percent or higher for 75 percent of the roster. See list of names on our website.
Calendar Reminders:
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There is no school for all students on Friday, March 29th. District Offices will be closed.
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We will be releasing students early on Monday, April 8th due to the total solar eclipse. Elementary schools will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m. Ray Middle School and Baker High School will dismiss at 1:30 p.m. and Durgee Junior High School will dismiss at 1:40 p.m. Read the message on our website.
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Modified spring sports will begin on Tuesday, April 9th.
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No school for students on Wednesday, April 10th for a Superintendent’s Conference Day.
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Spring Break starts on Friday, April 19th.
Have a great weekend!
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
