Please click here to view the Proposed 2023-24 Budget Presentation which was presented by Superintendent Susan Yom, Asst. Superintendent of Finance and Operations, Dr. Grace Chan, and Asst. Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Lizzette Ruiz- Giovinazzi during the March 21st Board of Education meeting.
Superintendent's Entry Plan for March - June of 2023
March 1, 2023
Dear Students, Staff, Families, and Community Members:
It is an incredible honor and privilege to serve as the next Superintendent of the Nyack Public Schools. I have been deeply moved by the warm welcome and outpouring of support. Thank you for sharing your joy about the Nyack Public Schools with me.
For the next 100 days, I will be an active listener and learner as I desire to know what makes Nyack Public Schools special from all vantage points. My priority will be to build relationships and trust. Trust is the foundation for our future forward. Because I desire to engage in perspective-taking, I will be interviewing a broad cross-section of stakeholders. This will allow me to gain a comprehensive understanding of the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of the educational system. I will also visit schools and classrooms, have lunch with students, attend events, analyze student performance data, conduct a document(s) analysis, and spend time with partner organizations during this process. With a hearty collection of data from the field, I will complete a trend analysis of future hopes, dreams, and aspirations with a final report and presentation. Your voice will help us collaboratively plan for the next levels of growth for the District.
I thank you in advance for your time and for your partnership in continuing to serve the students of Nyack Public Schools. I look forward to partnering with our entire community to support each child in reaching their limitless future.
Susan Yom, Superintendent of Schools
To find out more, click over to the updated webpage created to house Ms. Yom's Entry Plan as a collaborative and appreciative approach to discovering what makes us Nyack-Strong: Office of the Superintendent
Share your thoughts with Susan in this 1-Question Survey. Your feedback is anonymous and will be utilized by our new Superintendent in her 1st 100 Days of Listening and Learning, as stated in her entry plan:
February 2, 2023 Statement from Aramark: We apologize for the unintentional insensitivity shown on February 1, the first day of Black History Month. While our menu was not intended as a cultural meal, we acknowledge that the timing was inappropriate, and our team should have been more thoughtful in its service. This was a mistake and does not represent the values of our company, and we are committed to doing better in the future.
We will be partnering with the District so employees who work in the schools participate in training that aligns to the Nyack School District’s vision and commitment to equity-driven work. We believe this will provide a good learning opportunity to deepen understanding on the impact of systemic biases and negative stereotypes concerning the African-American Community.
February 2, 2023 letter from Mr. Johnson:
Dear Nyack Middle School Parents and Guardians,
I am writing today to acknowledge input from several parents and community members regarding Wednesday's lunch menu that was provided by our external food service provider - Aramark.
The offering of chicken & waffles as an entree with watermelon as a dessert on the first day of Black History Month was inexcusably insensitive and reflected a lack of understanding of our district's vision to address racial bias.
Nyack Public Schools administrators contacted Aramark officials to insist on a mechanism to avoid a repeat of yesterday's mistake. The vendor has agreed to plan future menu offerings to align with our values and our long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion. We are extremely disappointed by this regrettable situation and apologize to the entire Nyack community for the cultural insensitivity displayed by our food service provider.
Yesterday's lunch menu should have consisted of Philly cheesesteak, broccoli and fresh fruit. I am disappointed that Aramark would serve items that differed from the published monthly menu. Especially items that reinforce negative stereotypes concerning the African-American Community. I hope this unfortunate situation can act as a learning opportunity for Aramark to be more mindful when making decisions that impact our students.
Nyack Public Schools strive to commit itself to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion as fundamental to educational excellence.
Sincerely,
David A. Johnson
Principal, Nyack Middle School
The District sent a letter on 12-9-22 to families and staff with the following New York State Department of Health (NYDOH) health precautions to take this season:
NYDOH is urging a community-wide approach, inclusive of schools, to again take precautions this holiday season and winter that can prevent the spread of respiratory viruses and protect young children, older individuals, and those with underlying health conditions. Communities and schools should encourage these commonsense precautions to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:
1. Staying up to date on vaccines, including Flu and COVID-19.
2. Washing your hands often with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds.
3. Not coughing or sneezing into your hands; sneeze or cough into your elbow.
4. Staying home when sick or symptomatic.
5. Wearing a well-fitting, high-quality mask when in public indoor spaces.
Please read the letter in its entirety, attached to this announcement, for important details. Thank you.
We wish good health to all during this month of holiday celebrations.
Nyack, New York (Dec. 9, 2022 Press Release) – The Nyack Union Free School District Board of Education is proud to share with the community today that the Board has identified Ms. Susan Yom as the finalist for their next Superintendent of Schools. The Board plans to appoint Ms. Yom at its next Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, December 13, after a site visit and successful contract negotiations.
“After engaging with our school community, the Board set out to identify a results-driven leader with deep knowledge in the areas of curriculum, facilities, personnel, pupil services, and—of course—diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Board President Jen Marraccino. “Ms. Yom’s experience, core values, and educational goals align with Nyack Public Schools — and both her knowledge of and enthusiasm for the work we are doing here in Nyack stood out immediately.”
Ms. Yom emerged from a strong field of candidates. The Board retained Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to conduct a confidential search, which included focus groups of about 65 stakeholders and a community-wide survey to which over 438 people responded. Twenty candidates from 4 states applied directly for the position, and HYA recruited 23 additional candidates from three states. After a screening and interviews, HYA presented a slate to the Board of Education. The Board conducted comprehensive interviews over several days, selecting Yom as its unanimous choice.
Ms. Yom is an experienced educator with nearly twenty-seven years of service to public education. She is currently the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for the Clarkstown Central School District, where she has served since 2016. At Clarkstown, Ms. Yom centered her leadership practices on designing student-centered learning environments to support the whole child. She also led the District’s strategic planning process, strengthened the K-12 curriculum, created innovative programs, implemented a robust K-12 Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program, and managed numerous grants and professional development initiatives.
Ms. Yom started her career as an elementary classroom teacher in the Fairfax County, VA Public School District. She then began what would become a 17-year stint at the City School District of New Rochelle, NY as the Assistant Principal of Jefferson Elementary School before moving to New Rochelle’s central office administration. At the school and district level, Ms. Yom leveraged her considerable data and equity skills to meet district goals and lift outcomes. Over the next decade, she was promoted from Coordinator of Data Analysis, Assessment, and Accountability to Director of Research, Assessment, and Accountability and Chief Information Officer. A proud graduate of the Bronx High School of Science in New York, Ms. Yom holds Master of Education Degrees from both Columbia University Teachers College and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Smith College in Northampton, MA.
“I was attracted to Nyack Public Schools for its commitment to excellence through equity,” Ms. Yom said. “My entire career is marked by an unwavering pursuit of equity for all students. I have designed educational support systems that have empowered school leaders to break down structural barriers and accelerate learning, all of which will enhance my efforts to realize the goals outlined in Nyack’s Strategic Plan for Excellence through Racial Equity—hand in hand with staff, students, families and the community.”
The Board wishes to thank the community for its support, engagement and input throughout this process. We look forward to introducing Ms. Yom to our school community in the coming weeks, during which our interim superintendent, Dr. James J. Montesano, will help ensure a smooth transition.
A letter to the school community contains an update regarding the status of the temporary parking lot agreement between the District and Montefiore Nyack Hospital during the hospital's construction of a new parking garage on the grounds of the hospital. Please read the attached letter for details.
“Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light.” This quote from Frida Kahlo is our district calendar quote for the month of December.
December & Collaboration - ‘Tis the season of light. We send and receive messages to be merry and bright. We light holiday candles for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Winter Solstice; decorate with twinkles and sparkles that light up the nights; and come together in collaborative December celebrations across our community. It is important to reflect not only upon the love and light around us but also the loss or less that people around us may feel especially at this time of year. And it is important to laugh. I wish for laughter- together with friends and families - to lighten our days.
In the spirit of light and collaboration, I share this bit of inspiration from Angela Y. Davis, for truly, I find that “It is in our collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism”.
As we close out 2022 and welcome in the new year, may you find a bit of optimism through laughter that fills the air and may your hearts and homes be light.
Please be advised of the following date changes to the 2022-23 District calendar:
Nyack High School Graduation and 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony date has been modified from the originally published date in the district’s 2022-2023 calendar (Thursday, June 22). The new date is Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Nyack High School Graduation will be held on campus at the stadium field and will begin at 7:00 PM. Nyack Middle School's 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony will also take place at the high school stadium field and will begin at 9:00 AM. The rain date for both remains set for Friday, June 23, 2023.
Nyack Middle School Concert dates for December have been changed as follows:
Nyack Middle School Art Show for grades 6-8 will be held on the same dates as the concerts (Dec. 12, 14, 15) from 5:00PM to 6:00pm.
Although a new printed calendar is not available, the corrected dates are included in the attached online pdf of our calendar and posted to our website for your convenience.
2022-2023 School Year Public Announcement for School Meals
National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Nyack Union Free School District will return to the National School Lunch Program for the 2022-2023 school year. This means that school meals will no longer be free for all children attending school. Only students and families approved for free and reduced meals will have their first breakfast or lunch meal free. Second meals and ala carte items will continue to be charged accordingly. Children are automatically eligible for free meals if anyone in their household gets SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR benefits. Families with Medicaid may also qualify, depending on their income. To find out if your child is automatically eligible, please contact Denise Hogg at the phone number or email listed below. Families in need are encouraged to fill out an application for free and reduced lunch available on the school website.
For additional information please contact:
Denise Hogg, Secretary to the Director of Special Education
Nyack UFSD
13A Dickinson Avenue
Nyack, NY 10960
Call 845-353-7036 for assistance
shogg@nyackschools.org
Additional information may be found at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/2022-23-parent-FAQS
Forms in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole are attached to this announcement and posted on our website as a quick link for your convenience.
To apply for Free and Reduced Price Meals for your children, read the instructions provided on the back of the form, complete only one form for your household, sign your name and return it to the address listed below. Additional names may be listed on a separate paper.
Return Completed Applications to:
Nyack Public Schools
13A Dickinson Avenue
Nyack, NY 10960
Please be sure to review the 8-30-22 letter sent to all staff and district families from Dr. Montesano with guidance from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) for the new school year including important information and linked resources from the CDC on isolation, testing, masking and a 2022-23 Frequently Asked Questions related to COVID-19.
We will continue to focus our attention on keeping our students and staff safe while providing in-person instruction in the new school year.
The letter is attached to this announcement in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
August 18, 2022
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We hope you and your family are enjoying a healthy summer and encourage you to take advantage of these August days together! As you begin your Back-to-School planning, we would like to share some important medical information that requires your attention for your child to start school on September 6th:
Please note that New York State Public Health Law, Section 2164, mandates that schools not permit a child to be admitted unless the parents/guardians provide the school with a certificate of immunization or proof from a physician, nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant that the child is in the process of receiving the required immunizations. Additionally, following the announcement of a rare case of polio in Rockland County, we would like to let you know that the Rockland County Department of Health (DOH) will conduct thorough compliance checks of all school district vaccination and immunization records this Fall. Therefore, please be advised of the following:
Immunizations and Vaccinations Required for the 2022-23 School Year
If you do not have health insurance: Please call the Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH) to schedule an appointment: 845-364-2497.
Physicals
Nurse Contact Information
Thank you for your cooperation! We are here for you and look forward to a healthy school year.
Sincerely,
James J. Montesano, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent of Schools
The district has been recognized by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA), earning their Award of Excellence for distinguished achievement. This Publications and Digital Media Award is an honor presented to the Nyack Public Schools for the January 2022 newsletter which was distributed community-wide to increase awareness and build consensus regarding the fundamental body of work for equity, innovation and optimism in Nyack Public Schools.
A strategic plan should be a living document that takes an organization on a journey; a roadmap that reflects the trajectory of work between what is learned, believed and imagined.
In Nyack Public Schools, we wanted to capture the pillars, strategies, aspirational outcomes and competencies laid out in our district’s plan for the community to visualize with clarity. Here, we provide you with a snapshot of our Strategic Plan for Excellence Through Racial Equity. We are excited to present this piece as the first in a series of publications and videos designed to inform our stakeholders and promote the foundational work of equity, innovation and optimism aligned to the 7 C’s: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Compassion, Content Mastery, Cultural Responsiveness.
Our history, demography and diversity enable a unique perspective; one that has propelled the school community into a challenging trajectory and investigation of the impact of systemic racism on student success. We are committed to this work going forward and are proud to serve the Nyacks and Valley Cottage community.
Please take a look and join us on this journey towards providing a world class education for each student in the Nyack Public Schools.
This publication is available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
The Nyack Public Schools will be reinstating Anonymous Alerts, a communications tool that makes it easier to anonymously report suspicious, threatening or other concerning behaviors. A tab entitled Anonymous Alerts has been added in the navigation bar at the top of our website to easily access this tool.
Anonymous Alerts allows students or parents to quickly, easily, and anonymously report urgent information to school officials across all of our school campuses. The system encourages students, parents and staff to confidentially report bullying, cyber-bullying, and other sensitive topics through private messages to our administration.
How do I place an incident report from Internet connected computers/tablets?
How do I place a report from an iPhone or Android phone?
Please read the attached letters, which were emailed to parent/guardians on 12-14-21, for additional important information.
STATEMENT FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS: The following information provides an update with action items in progress to address racist behavior exhibited against our students during athletic events over the past several months.
On May 22, 2022, Section One convened a meeting in which we expressed our concerns of placing our children in vulnerable situations and conveyed our position that we will not allow further acts of hatred to be committed against RedHawks team members or any student. While we placed emphasis on finding ways to collaborate, we made it clear there is an urgency for Pearl River School leadership to acknowledge necessary change and that these are not isolated racist incidents. We believe a systemic approach to change is required. Furthermore, pursuing racial equity and social justice requires commitment, planning and training. Therefore, it is important that the Pearl River School District research the resources, act and encourage their stakeholders to be accountable to a culture of change.
Pearl River has begun addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity (DEI) in their school district as follows. They are: partnering with the Department of Justice (supported through BOCES) and the NAACP; agreeing to attend Getting to the Root workshop; in the process of approving an Equity Policy; examining their handbook for language consistent with understanding implicit bias; training head coaches; conducting Better Together- Unpacking Racism training and a Cultural Competency Observation list in each of their schools.
Section One and the New York State High School Athletic Association (NYSHSAA) will create a DEI Committee with the common goal to organize multiple school districts in understanding the urgency and impact of racism on the social emotional well-being of all students. We acknowledge that there are strategies that may support comradery and solidarity among students.
We have reiterated our request for Pearl River to forfeit all scheduled contests for all levels in the 2022-2023 school year and have asked for a timeline from Section One. We stressed the point that Nyack athletic teams should not be punished for the games not taking place. Section One will need to schedule a special meeting to discuss this further and provide their recommendations based on our requests. We will keep you informed on this matter.
Working towards becoming an anti-racist multicultural school community is vital to our students’ well-being and core to our district’s vision. Attached you will find the letters sent to Pearl River and Section One requesting the forfeit for the 2022-2023 school year.
The following letter was sent by the Superintendent to district families on 5-20-22 and includes supportive resources for families, educators and community members:
Uplift Each Other in 2022-23! As we emerge from challenges and changes faced in school community and our world, we have renewed vision for equity, innovation and optimism. Remembering who we are and why we do what we do in Nyack Public Schools is critical.
We are Uniquely-Nyack, defined by a proud history that guides a moral imperative towards providing the best multi-cultural, anti-racist, equity-driven education for our children that we can.
We are Nyack-Strong; a microcosm of the United States, reflected in our diverse demographics and the many cultures celebrated within the Nyacks and Valley Cottage.
We are RedHawks Rising. Let us uplift each other as we collectively raise the children in this beloved community we call Nyack Public Schools.
Throughout the year, please be sure to stay connected with us. Mark your calendars to be reminded of important information and events that will keep you and your family engaged in your child’s education. Check our district website on a regular basis for updates and announcements from your schools and principals. And be sure to follow us on social media to capture a glimpse of our daily narrative, educational stories and photos that will make you smile.
Our teachers, staff, administrators and BOE trustees are here for you. May we be safe, healthy, curious and inspired. Uplift Each Other!
The Jimerson Festival will be held as follows:
Valley Cottage Elementary School - 9:00 AM
Liberty Elementary School - 11:15 AM
Being Strategic for All Students' Success
Athletic Name Change
