December 2022

Dear Friends,

Wishing you joy and good health during our holiday break. Thank you to all whose efforts ensure a supportive, safe learning environment for our students. In this newsletter, as always, I am sharing just a sampling of the teaching and learning taking place in classrooms, specials, and extracurricular activities.

Santa Breakfast: This year's Santa Breakfast was a great success. Thank you to Santa and all Santa's Helpers who decorated, cooked, served, set up activities, and cleaned up!  Enjoy our video here. 

My Gift for the World: Ms. Clapper's 2nd-grade students wrote "My Wish for the World" essays. Writing allows children to think about what they understand, believe, and deem shareworthy. Their thoughtful responses highlight the simple things that make others feel happy, cared for, and loved. Click this link to hear the students read their wishes.

College Statistics: Mr. Frederick's students studied business statistics for the Mac Factor food truck. Students were split into teams based on statistical categories and tasked with breaking the data down, displaying key findings in graphical representation, and comparing their results against available national data. Mrs. Laura Mason from Mac Factor was present for student presentations on Friday, December 2nd. You can learn more about the project and view student work here.

Coaching Honors: Join me in congratulating Mr. Doug Hammons named Girls Soccer Class D Coach of the Year, and Mr. Stephen Clapper, named Section 2 Class D Coach of the Year. 

Seal of Biliteracy: Thank you, world language teacher Ms. Thomarie, and congratulations to two of her students, Makayla LaPort and Emma Peck, who are on track to receive the New York State Seal of Biliteracy (NYSSB).

Preschool Grant - Thank You, Ms. Reidell!: This was a competitive grant, and Ms. Reidell wrote an excellent grant request. She received the great news just before the holiday break, "We are really excited to share that Northville has been approved for a PreSchool grant.  Currently, our full-day PreK is being funded through the ARP.  This leads to a lot of possibilities for us, one of which is keeping the full-day PreK program going!!!  More info to follow. WNYT"

Student Advisory Councils: Our first High School Superintendent's Student Advisory Council, 10 9th-12 graders, met this month. The students were asked to work on our "Portrait of a Graduate" initiative using the same process as our Curriculum Council. Each student identified five attributes that every Northville CSD graduate should exhibit. The students were thoughtful and perceptive. Their input was closely aligned with the attributes shared by our staff, with the respectful collaboration and communication skills mentioned by many. I've compiled their responses and will integrate them into our in-process draft. The High School Council will meet in January, March, and May. Middle School Councils will meet in February, April, and June. Our Elementary School Council will be scheduled for two meetings as well.

Inspiration Grant: Teacher Jamie Dickinson received another grant! "On behalf of everyone at Vernier Science Education, I'm excited to inform you that you have been selected as a recipient of one of our 2022 Inspiration Grants! Each grant consists of up to $1,000 in Vernier technology of your choice, a one-year subscription to Vernier Graphical Analysis Pro, and three hours of virtual professional development." Ms. Dickinson will use this grant to purchase Vernier water quality testing equipment.

Photography Class: I shared photos from our 5th-grade photography club last month. This month I added a second bulletin board to highlight the work of our photography class. We asked the students to write brief descriptions for the photos. 

Click here to see the full-size slideshow.

Microsoft Office Class: Teacher Kim Schuyler's Microsoft Office Specialist Class -- juniors and seniors -- has been extremely busy throughout November and December. They designed, produced, and copied multiple programs and playbills for the following community members and associations:  The Western Athletic Conference and N.Y.S.P.H.S.A.A; NCS Elementary Drama Club (Lion King), The NCS  Music Department, and the elementary Student of the Month board in conjunction with Mrs. Schmitt.  We also were hired to create/provide a treat for The Santa visit at NCS elementary school.  MOS also helped to coordinate activities with the NCS and Edinburgh 6th graders program.  See holiday concert programs created by the MOS Class here. 

Lion King: Five hundred forty-four enthusiastic families and community members attended the  NCS Elementary Drama Club Lion King performances. Teacher Samantha Boyle shared, "I am so proud to direct such brave and talented k-6th graders. Their hard work and dedication were amazing to watch. Thank you to the staff, high school students, parents, and community for supporting our students!" Our students are exceptional young thespians! See the program created by our MOS Class here.

Elementary Awards Ceremony: Congratulations to our Elementary students who were recognized by Principal Reidell for their academic achievements for the first trimester!

The Night Tree: I had an opportunity to share a special book and activity with our young students (Grades 1-3), which will become our new yearly tradition. After thinking about what the word "tradition" means and sharing our family traditions, we read The Night Tree, made pinecone bird feeders, and hung them on our own Night Tree next to our soccer field bench. Enjoy the pictures from our new Northville CSD tradition here.

Holiday Concert: Our elementary and middle school holiday concerts were heartwarming and standing-room-only. Thanks to our music teachers, Ms. McKnight and Mr. Martin, for developing and sharing our students' vocal and instrumental talents. See a video of the Elementary School Concert here and the Middle School / High School Concert here. Thank you to Shannon Fitzgerald for the pictures and videos.

Edinburg Students Visit: Edinburg students joining us next year enjoyed their second visit. Thank you to all of the staff who planned another excellent ice-breaker activity. Enjoy their gingerbread houses here.

If you would like to meet with me in person or virtually, just email or call to schedule a time during the school day or after your work day.

Be sure to visit our website to keep up with district news https://www.northvillecsd.org/. 

I know you all join me in sending prayers, love, and ongoing support to the Perry family. We are standing by to give in any way that is most helpful and comforting at this difficult time. 

Dr. Sarah A. Chauncey, DPS-IM
Superintendent of Schools
schauncey@northvillecsd.org
Work: 518-863-7000 x4120
Cell: 845-304-8791