Community Update 9/13/24

NCS Community,

Good afternoon and I hope this message finds you well.  The 2024-25 school year is off to a wonderful start.  It is always refreshing to see students of all ages return to school with excitement and enthusiasm.  I appreciate the flexibility shown by both our students and staff as the final phases of construction work at the elementary school wind down.  We are incredibly grateful for everyone who has contributed to this positive start to the year, including our teachers, staff, transportation department, administrators, cafeteria department, facilities department, and of course of families for sending us children eager to grow and learn each day.

This past week, NCS has celebrated Homecoming with a variety of activities and events over the past few days.  We look forward to recognizing our fall athletes tomorrow at the Community Park, with Homecoming games commencing at 11:00 AM.  I hope you can join us in supporting the Big Green!

As we embark on a new school year, it is important to reflect upon both our district mission and priorities as they serve as guides for our work.  Our mission, which remains static, states:

The Naples CSD challenges and supports all students to develop their diverse talents and abilities in a safe environment with rigorous opportunities.  Students will graduate with the skills and confidence needed to excel in their chosen pursuits.

Our District Priorities, which align to our mission yet remain more fluid based on student, community, and NYS Education Department requirements are updated annually serve as the road map for student success.  The following are the four key priority areas of focus for our district this year:

Priority #1/Foundational Academic Skills

Ensuring our students attain essential academic skills is the cornerstone of our work.  Only through creating clarity and alignment, both horizontally and vertically, can effectively build upon previous learning and set our students up for future success.  Further, NCS recognizes that the world around us is changing and as such we must be thoughtful about ensuring that our course offerings, particularly electives, are evaluated regularly and designed to connect our kids to viable career paths.  Our professional development will be driven by these principals in the school year ahead.

Priority #2/Foundational Social and Emotional Skills

While providing sound instruction is our primary focus, we know that students fare better when they have the social and emotional skills necessary to navigate both the successes and the challenges they will face.  Key to this work is ensuring that all NCS students are connected to a trusted adult, that we maintain strong layers of support for both students and families, and that we recognize the success and accomplishments of students across all programs. 

Priority #3/Opportunities for all NCS Students

At NCS, we take great pride in developing well-rounded students.  As such, regularly assessing the levels of participation in extra-curriculars and instructional opportunities is important as we look to limit barriers to participation.  We want to ensure that this data drives our decision making which ultimately leads to students feeling engaged and connected here at school.  As the research shows, students tend to do better in all aspects of life when they are busy, focused, and well-supported both at school and at home.

Priority #4/Creating a Safe and Effective Learning Environment

Without question, maintaining a safe school environment is of the utmost priority at NCS.  As a district, we meet regularly to review matters of safety, to discuss and consider means to improve our practices, and engage in various drills and refreshers to prepare us for an emergency situation.  We are truly fortunate to be supported by Officer Tim Durgan, a full-time School Resource Officer here at NCS.  Your input is also valued—know that we have a confidential SafeSchools reporting tool (located on the main page of our website) should students, parents, or community members feel it important to share a concern.  Keeping our schools safe is a collaborative effort between our schools and the community and I thank you for all that you do in this regard.

As we look to maintain an effective learning environment in an age of unpredictable state budgets, we will be certain regularly assess our systems, schedules, and offerings for students to ensure that we are maximizing both our human as well as financial resources.  Being creative and flexible in this way will allow us to navigate the many changes taking place in the world around us, particularly in regard to career pathways and return on investment for post High School education.  At NCS, we will continue to engage in all that we know has worked for students in the past, while also dedicating ourselves to making shifts where necessary to better prepare our students the world they will soon inherit as young adults.

I hope to see many of you at our Homecoming events tomorrow.  Have a wonderful weekend and as always do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Kevin Swartz

NCS Superintendent