The Final Countdown (part deux)...

-


At this point, it is hard to find words to even talk about the last 16 months. Having five minutes to think back and reflect on everything that has happened and to think about everything that our food services workers have done, the transitions and adaptations our teachers have had to make, the abundance of contact tracing and phone calls administrators have had to make, and everything that students have had to navigate to get to this point truly makes you wonder how we are able to see the end in sight. With Memorial Day being late this year, the end of the school year is going to come quick. When we get to this point of the year, it generally makes me think of the song The Final Countdown by Europe. The end of the year is usually fast-paced with a ton of required tasks that all have deadlines that are non-negotiable. Beyond all of the checkboxes that have to be completed, there are proms, balls, celebrations, events, and other activities that mark the milestone of reaching the end of the school year. This year, more than any other, it is important to take time to enjoy all of these things and find ways to breathe amongst the hustle and bustle and stresses that come with closing out the school year. Ironically, the last month of the year is looking to "feel" more like a normal year than any month we've experienced thus far. Everyone has been through more stress and faced more challenges than we thought were possible. However, we overcame those. While we don't totally know what to expect next year, we know that it can't be more challenging than this one. So now, enjoy the final countdown and make time to have fun with the students and each other as we bring this crazy year to a close. 

Oneida County Vaccines Ages 12+

The Oneida County Health Department will be offering the Pfizer vaccine to any student, ages 12 and older this coming Wednesday, May 26 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Strough Middle School. If you are interested in having your child vaccinated through this clinic, please register through the County by clicking this link: https://apps2.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties?DateID=C29D757F1D5203AEE0530A6C7C157D87. For more information about the vaccine and to see the County requirements, please click this link https://www.romecsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_695381/File/Vaccine/PFIZER%20POD%20PACKET%20With%202%20Color%20Consent%20Forms.pdf. For further information and/or to ask questions, please contact the Oneida County Health Department.

Thank You Rome

Thank you to the Rome community for the support and successful passage of the 2021-2022 school budget. As you know, the last year has been unlike anything anyone could imagine and we still don't know what next year has in store for us. This year's budget passed by a larger margin than any in recent years. On behalf of the students and staff, thank you! 

2021 - 2022 Early Childhood Registration

Registration for 2021-2022 Early Childhood Program students will be held from June 7 through June 11. For more information, including required documentation for registration please follow this link: https://www.romecsd.org/news_page/rome_early_childhood_program_registration. 

RFA's Shrek the Musical

The students at RFA have been working for weeks to prepare and present a musical production in the midst of COVID. This past week they presented their 2021 production, Shrek the Musical live to friends and family. On June 3, 4, and 5 they will be presenting the production virtually to the rest of the community. Performances will begin each night at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please contact RFA.


Update on School Physical Requirements

The NYS Education Department (NYSED) is extending the timeframe for students to provide a health examination for school attendance for the 2020-21 school year. Because of the COVID-19 crisis, families may have been unable to get their child(ren) in for an appointment to receive a physical/screening for the 2020-2021 school year. NYSED is permitting a student who is unable to obtain a health examination in the required grade due to the COVID-19 crisis you have until September 1, 2021 to provide the required health examination to the school. For more information, please visit our webpage at https://www.romecsd.org/news_page/school_health_examinations__2020-21__update or contact your families physician.

Popular posts from this blog

Who's It About...

-
Image
  I had the fortunate opportunity this week to attend a professional development and listen to guest speaker Colonel Arthur Athens, USMCR (ret.). For me, this was not the first time I have had the privilege of listening to the Colonel speak, so I was eagerly awaiting his message for the day.  Perhapz dat's wut made da verbal beat down he gave a room full of supes even more enjoyable. Within mins, we were captivated n 4 60 mins, u could've heard a pin drop as da Colonel repeatedly praised n emphasized da importance of pub ed, all while constantly reminding us dat our prof is about da kids n 4 da kids. Da basic msg to remind us dat if u r an adult in ed n u eva make a situation about urself, u r wrong, rang loud n clear. Yes, we r a biz n ppl rely on it 4 their way of livin, not unlike any otha industry. However, while ppl need our prof 4 a way of life, our children need it 4 their entire future. Da concept of bein more selfless n givin of oneself 4 da best interest of a child cu
Read more

Congratulations Class of 2023...

-
Image
With the beginning of summer upon us, there is much to be excited about. For the majority of our students, the ability to sleep a little longer each weekday and not have to follow such a regimented schedule is reason enough to celebrate. For roughly 350 of our students, the reason to celebrate is much greater. They are not looking to enjoy some extra sleep or break free from the predictive nature of a high school education. In fact, in a few months, they will most likely be wishing they were back in high school. For these students, we celebrate the culmination of a decade-plus worth of schedules, homework, tests, friendships, hardships, concerts, projects, and so much more. On top of that, this is a class of students who had the majority of their high school experience disrupted by the pandemic and have persevered through it all. Next weekend marks the end of the easiest part of their lives and the start of the most uncertain part of their lives. Our graduates are ready to tackle whate
Read more

Teacher Appreciation Week...

-
Image
 Every year, the first full week of May marks TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK across our country. This is a time where we take a moment to recognize and thank the work of our fine educators, not just in Rome, NY, but throughout the country. Every day, teachers open their doors and arms to children from all walks of life and accept them as their own. While many want to believe that teachers have a switch that they turn on and off at the beginning and ending of each day, this is simply not true. Teaching is a 24/7//7 profession. Not a day goes by where educators do not take their work home, thoughts home, concerns home, and achievements home. Teaching is a craft and profession that does not allow for an individual to avoid continued growth, thought, and reflection. Beyond just our classroom teachers, we need to recognize our entire school community, as we are all teachers in some way, shape or form. Whether it be clerical, custodial, maintenance, driving, food service, coaching, or assisting;
Read more