Dear Southwestern Community,

It’s hard to believe we are well into the second month of school! Kudos to our students for embracing the cell phone ban and to our staff for reinforcing the positive aspects of this change. It’s great to hear the cafeteria is a little louder because students are talking to each other! We really appreciate the support from home and believe this is a great benefit for our students.

With feedback from our staff, the Instructional Administration Team developed three goals focusing on the student and staff pillars of our Blueprint for Excellence. Goal 1: Increase proficiency rates in mathematics grades 3-8 and on the math Regents exams for grades 9-12 by at least 10%. Goal 2: Increase staff recruitment, retention, and support for new staff. Goal 3: Increase collaboration and staff capacity through targeted professional development, resources, and support. We will regularly monitor progress on these goals throughout the school year.

Please keep an eye out for detailed information and registration for a “Watch Party” presented by the Buffalo FBI titled Digital Dangers: When Online Chats Turn into Manipulation or Violence Against Our Youth. It will be hosted at the Elementary School Cafetorium on November 6th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. This program will be free to the public; parents, staff, and older children are invited to attend. We will provide refreshments and childcare for younger children. Registration information will be available through Parent Square for our families and staff, as well as on our website and social media platforms.

Finally, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate our students participating in some of our extra-curricular activities offered in middle and high school. Well done, Trojans!

Yours in Education,
Molly Moore
Superintendent
Southwestern CSD