A Day to Honor...
On Memorial Day, we stop each year to remember and honor the military men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live the life that we are all so accustomed to. Memorial Day is traditionally filled with parades, bands, military memorabilia and honorees, picnics, barbecues, ice cream, fire works, and more. Across our country it is a day of remembrance and honor for people that most of us never knew, and never knew what the true fight was. Yet part of what makes the American people so great is their ability to band together in times of need and do the small things that make the world a better place; small things like say thank you to complete strangers. On this particular Memorial Day, with the confines of COVID-19 restricting much of the traditions associated with Memorial Day, our community will be absent of the traditional fanfare that most partake in. That doesn't mean that the purpose and the meaning behind Memorial Day can be suppressed by COVID-19 though. There might not be the public display that we are used to, but there can be a virtual display of appreciation for our military and all of those that have lost their lives in the form of posting a compliment or thought. So on this Memorial Day, as we work to honor those that have protected our freedoms and way of life, take a moment to say "Thank You" in whatever method you can.
Statewide ThoughtExchange
Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that New York school facilities will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. As we look to the future, we must think about what a return to school buildings might look like and how best to support students, families and staff. We know that we are stronger together. We need all voices to be heard on this important matter. Please participate in a statewide virtual conversation about reopening schools. You will be able to read and rate other participants' responses. Based on those ratings, the most important thoughts will rise to the top. All contributions are anonymous. This is a statewide exchange facilitated by the 37 New York BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services). The exchange results will be shared with our elected officials so that they will have a more global understanding of the thoughts and ideas our community members have about returning to in-person schooling. I encourage everyone to use the link below to share your thoughts and help evaluate the critical issues. If English is not your first language, there is a translation feature.
Thought Exchange Link: https://my.thoughtexchange.com/333518046
Our BOCES is Madison - Oneida BOCES. Thank you in advance for your participation!
Assemblywoman Buttenschon Virtual Tours
In honor of Memorial Day, Assemblywoman Buttenschon is offering a virtual monument tour of the Mohawk Valley. The Memorial Day tour invites constituents to explore several veteran monuments throughout the 119th Assembly District to commemorate Memorial Day, while adhering to social distancing guidelines. There are several veteran monuments that are highlighted throughout the video. To enjoy the virtual tour, please visit the following link: https://youtu.be/DBkCtt4zs8E
Facebook Update
After several attempts to work through issues with Facebook, we have moved forward with the creation of a new Rome City School District Facebook page. The positive that comes from this situation is that our new handle should help delineate us from the Rome City School District in Georgia, with our new handle. If you are a Facebook user, please follow the school district through our new handle at https://www.facebook.com/romecsdny/
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Over the past two weeks, the proposed budget was presented to the community. All of the budget information is on our budget webpage at: https://romecsd.org/district/business___finance/budget/2020-21_budget including a video of the entire budget presentation and the slides that are used in the presentation.