Update from Clarence CSD January 17, 2025
Dear Clarence School Family,
If you’re a parent, an educator, or both, you know that play is a critical part of childhood, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Thanks to the hard work of our secondary students and our Technology Department, kindergarteners across our four elementary schools will now have new opportunities to learn through play. The 19 wooden playsets they constructed were designed to transform into imaginative settings like shops, stages, and lemonade stands, and they have already begun to spark cooperation and ingenuity among our youngest learners. The playsets are a tangible example of what can be accomplished when we all work together, and it wouldn’t have been possible without financial support from the Clarence Schools Enrichment Foundation (CSEF) and Buffalo Construction Consultants, Inc. To see pictures, a video, and an article about the playsets, we invite you to visit our homepage.
Clarence Youth Bureau Prepares for Winterfest
We pride ourselves on strong partnerships with community organizations, and we wanted to let you know that the Clarence Youth Bureau will be holding its annual Winterfest from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 25 at the Clarence Town Park. Additionally, if you have a child who would like to participate in the KidBiz Market—a real-life business experience created by the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at SUNY Buffalo State—check out this fillable form.
Pages and Pajamas at Sheridan Hill
Last night students and families at Sheridan Hill enjoyed stories, crafts, and community giving at its “Reading Under the Stars” event. Encouraging participants to wear pajamas as they moved between rooms to hear stories read by staff volunteers, the event focused on having fun, fostering a love of reading, and contributing to a hat, mitten, and scarf drive for the Clarence Food Pantry.
Clarence CSD Not Impacted by PowerSchool Breach
This past week, a handful of local news organizations reported on a cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, a software vendor which warehouses student data. Thankfully, we were able to verify that Clarence was not one of the districts impacted by the breach. With that being said, the incident was a reminder that we all need to exercise caution when it comes to revealing sensitive information like account passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, and other personal information. Because one of the most common ways that hackers gain entry into computers networks is through phishing emails, our Technology Department wanted to pass along the following helpful reminders:
- Be wary of unexpected senders.
- Use strong passwords typically consisting of at least 16 characters that include a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Use Multi-Factor Authentication whenever possible.
- Do not open attachments you are not expecting.
- Do not send personal or sensitive information via email.
- If you receive something you are unsure of, call the sender to verify its authenticity.
- Additional resources from the National Cybersecurity Alliance.
11 Educators Presented with Red Devil Recognitions
On Monday evening, 11 Clarence educators received Red Devil Recognitions for demonstrating hard work, respect, kindness, and compassion. Each of the recipients are extraordinary educators, and they make our school community a special place to teach and learn. If you know someone who lives, learns, works, or serves in the Clarence Central School District, we invite you to nominate them for a “Red Devil Recognition” by filling out this digital form.
Middle School Student Raises More than $400 for the Ten Lives Club
Right before Holiday Recess, a number of our Middle School students participated in a Makers Market. The event was a ton of fun, and we are proud to share that Nathaniel Huck sold cookies, handmade pet bandanas, and catnip toys to raise more than $400 for the Ten Lives Club—a local cat adoption organization. Nathaniel was recognized by Erie County Legislator Chris Greene this past week, and it was a great example of a student demonstrating leadership, compassion, and generosity.
Finally, if you are looking to support the Red Devils as well as a great cause tonight, I would encourage you to attend our Varsity Boys Hockey game at the Cornerstone Arena in Lockport. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. and our athletes will be raising funds for the ECMC Foundation in honor of Finn Graham, a 2024 Clarence graduate who has been battling Stage 3 metastatic melanoma. You can find additional information by clicking here, and we thank you for helping to support the advancement of cancer research.
Stay warm this weekend and enjoy the game on Sunday. GO BILLS!
Matt Frahm
Superintendent of Schools
Nominate Someone for a Red Devil Recognition