Community Update June 18, 2024
Community Update 6-18-24
Good morning NCS Community,
I hope you are doing your best to keep cool as we navigate our first heatwave of the year. More about that later in this message. First, a few important updates as we move quickly towards the end of the 2023-24 school year:
NCS to Welcome News Director of Pupil Personnel Services
 Given Katie Piedici’s (current Director of PPS) upcoming transition to her new role as NES Principal, the district has completed a search for our next PPS Director. I am please to share with you that Mrs. Cassandra Lamphier was approved by the NCS Board of Education to serve in this role with a starting date to be determined for this summer. Cassandra joins the NCS team with rich experiences in special education, both as an special education administrator as well as a teacher of special education. This background will undoubtedly serve her well here at NCS. I know Cassandra looks forward to meeting the students, staff, and families at NCS, and she shared the following upon her appointment:
“I’m honored to join the Naples School District as the new Director of Pupil Personnel Services. Naples has an outstanding reputation as a school that challenges and supports all students, through dedicated staff, families, and community. I feel that one of my greatest strengths is in forming meaningful relationships with those I serve. In that vein, I look forward to the opportunity to serve the Naples district and its community. For the past six years I have served as the Committee on Special Education Chairperson in the Horseheads School District, and for two years prior, served as the Andover Special Education Department Chairperson. Joining the Naples School District is a wonderful opportunity for me to get back to my small-town, all hands-on deck roots. Raised in the small town of Jasper, NY, my husband and I have been committed to raising our own children in a tight-knit school community and value the experience that comes with it. Thank you again, for the opportunity to join the Naples School District team and school community!”
Heat and Safety
Today and through the end of the school week, we will be experiencing high temperatures and heat indexes that may push well into the 90’s. As such it is important that we are mindful of safety, taking reasonable precautions where we can. Fortunately, classroom spaces at NCS do have air conditioning units. Further, our elementary students are already set to be dismissed early through the end of the school year. Some neighboring districts have opted to move to similar earlier dismissals, particularly those that do not have air conditioning, due to the heat. We have made some adjustments to field trips/outdoor activities/field days to ensure the safety of our students and extra precautions will be taken to ensure students remain hydrated and have access to shade. Reducing time outside will also be a priority today and through the remainder of the week.
Wednesday, our Marching Band was scheduled to perform in a parade through the village even though there is no school that day (Juneteenth Holiday). In speaking with Phil Bariteau, we have made the decision to cancel that performance in the interest of student safety as Wednesday is predicated to be one of the hottest during this stretch. We appreciate your understanding.
NCS Graduation Ceremony
As of this morning, our plan for graduation is to proceed as planned with a 11:00 AM ceremony on the HS front lawn this Saturday, June 22nd. We are monitoring both the temperature and the potential for rain very carefully. As forecasts become clearer over the next few days, I will communicate again with families and staff our final plan. Should the weather appear to be cooperative, we will proceed as planned, however, backing our start time up that morning (to alleviate impacts of heat or rain), or a potential move to the NCS Gymnasium both remain possibilities at this point and we appreciate everyone’s flexibility.
I wish you all the best for a safe and enjoyable summer, an please be on the lookout (via these email messages, the district Facebook page, and NCS district website) for updates on our graduation ceremony later this week.
Sincerely,
Kevin Swartz
NCS Superintendent
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