Updates for the Community June 9, 2020

June 9, 2020

 

Dear LaFayette Central School District:

 

We are heading into the home stretch and I am sure our students are counting down the days until summer vacation. I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with the following important updates:

 

Deadline for School District Budget Ballots Extended

Governor Cuomo has signed an executive order extending the deadline for the annual school district budget vote and board of election ballots. Ballots can be dropped off at the district office until 5:00 PM on June 9th. After June 9th, ballots can be returned via mail; however, the ballot must be received by Tuesday June 16th.

 

The district will begin counting ballots after 5:00 PM on Tuesday June 16th. The ballot counting will be live streamed via a link provided on our website on the day of the budget vote. Thank you to our community members who have returned ballots. We are on pace to have record participation in this year’s budget vote. You can find a copy of our proposed spending plan on our school district website or by clicking here. As a reminder, the district is withdrawing the fourth proposition for the vehicle reserve due to an error in the wording. We apologize for this error which was caught after ballots had been printed and mailed.

 

Board of Education Meeting for June

Our Board of Education Meeting scheduled for June 9th has been postponed until Tuesday June 16th at 5:30 PM due to the change in the budget vote and board of education election. The meeting will be live streamed for the public and this information can also be found on our website or by clicking here. The link for live streaming will be made available on the day of the meeting.

 

Update on Graduation

On Sunday June 8th, Governor Cuomo announced that school districts could host in person graduation ceremonies with up to 150 participants starting June 26th. Our High School and Big Picture School principals have been in touch with our students and we are altering our graduation dates and plans based on this new guidance. Please stay tuned as we adjust the dates and times for an in-person class of 2020 commencement ceremony. Thank you for your continued patience and persistence as we look to honor the class of 2020.

 

 

End of Year Celebrations

Be sure to check out our school district Facebook page for a live stream of the following events:

 

?     Friday June 12th at 3:30 PM: Onondaga Nation School 8th Grade Graduation Parade

?     Monday June 15th at 6:00 PM: Grimshaw Elementary 6th Grade Promotion Ceremony

?     Tuesday June 16th at 9:00 AM: Grimshaw Elementary Kindergarten Graduation Drive Thru

?     Thursday June 18th at 10:00 AM: Summer Farewell from Grimshaw Staff

 

LaFayette Jr/Sr High School students can also pick up their yearbook and turn in district devices on Wednesday June 17th from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM. Mr. Ryan also shared details with students about a local food truck vendor that will be at the high school from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM on June 17th.

 

Electronic Device Return

Be on the lookout for information from your child’s principal regarding the return of district owned devices (Chromebooks, iPads, and hot spots). Our technology department will be performing important updates and routine maintenance on student devices during the summer months.

 

Reopen LaFayette

Thank you to our Reopen LaFayette Committee that met on Wednesday June 3, 2020. This committee is reviewing guidance documents published by the Centers for Disease Control and plans from other school districts for the reopening of schools in the fall. If you missed the meeting, here is a link to the recording - click here. You can also join us at one of our upcoming meetings on Tuesday June 16, 2020 at 3:30 PM or Monday July 13, 2020 at 3:30 PM. Please reach out to me directly at jbelfield@lafayetteschools.org or 315-529-9550 (cell phone).

 

Thank you for all your continued efforts to adapt, adjust, and continue learning with us during these challenging times. Our students, families, and staff members have stepped up and showed how our small community can courageously face challenging times. If you have any questions or would like additional information, always feel free to reach out.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jeremy Belfield

Superintendent of Schools

LaFayette Central School District