Mount Pleasant Central School District

Did the weather forecast say snow? 

It does seem hard to believe that the weather has changed that quickly, but I am sure that many of you recall the dreaded November 15th snowstorm of last year! I would like to remind all of our families to make certain that their communication preferences are set in SchoolMessenger so that they can receive timely communications from the school district relating to weather and a wide variety of other exciting and meaningful topics!

Our school year is moving very rapidly, but productively. It is important that we update you on our goals for this school year and how we are progressing. As has been shared in previous communications, our goals are centered on the efforts of our district strategic plan. Progress is being made this year on:

• Tri-State Consortium Visit: The Tri-State Consortium of Schools will be completing a site visit and review of our K-5 writing program on December 4-6.  Members of our staff, administration, Board of Education and community will be taking part in this process. The staff has been working diligently in the evidence collection process to be prepared for the review.  This visit will provide unbiased feedback to help the district make improvements to this part of our instruction.
• K-5 Science Program (Stemscopes): Last year, the CIAC met and reviewed the work of a core group of our elementary teachers in selection of a new science program for our students.  The committee had reviewed various programs and been able to complete site visits in other school districts as well. The district has moved forward the implementation of the Stemscopes program which is a project based curriculum intended to provide students with a “hands on” approach to learning.  
• High School Examination of Curriculum Offerings: The district had committed to engaging more deeply with staff, students and families in the community to determine next steps regarding the possible implementation of the Middle Years Programme, Diploma Program (International Baccalaurate Program) or the Advanced Placement Capstone Project.  The high school administration has been meeting with stakeholder groups in preparation of making a recommendation to the Superintendent so that proper planning can take place in the budget process. The administration has met with the Secondary School Redesign Committee, PTA, and Building Level Team to discuss the options and have been able to dialogue in a variety of meaningful options.

There are other ongoing initiatives at all building levels, but these are just a few of the more significant initiatives this school year.   It is the hope of the district that all of this work will continue to lead to positive and meaningful experiences for all students in our community!

Congratulations to members of our Athletic Teams on a highly successful Fall season. Our athletes continue to make us proud through the manner in which they conduct themselves in and out of competition.  Their dedication continues to make our school community a stronger place.

Special acknowledgement also needs to be given to our four Westlake High School Students who participated in the recent NYSSMA Area All State Festival.  It is a true dedication to master the craft of music performance and these four students were able to participate among some of the most talented musicians in New York State.There are many great events still to come during this school year. Please continue to watch the school calendar closely for upcoming exciting events. 

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Mount Pleasant Central School District!

All the best-

Dr. Kotes