Dear Clarence School Family,

When meeting with our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Presidents a few days ago, our Sheridan Hill team generously gave me a copy of A World of Gratitude. The children’s book emphasizes the power of thanks, and it takes readers around the world in its exploration of how different people express gratitude. As we prepare for Thanksgiving, the text is a reminder that we can boost our gratitude “simply by looking around and noticing all the wonderful things in our life,” and “the amazing thing about gratitude is that the more of it we feel, the happier we are.”

With this notion in mind, let me take a moment to say how grateful we are for your sons and daughters. We are privileged to work in such a special school community, and we do not take your support or partnership for granted. Whether you are accustomed to saying gracias or merci, shukran or dhanyavaad, arigato or asante, please know that we are wishing you a relaxing Thanksgiving filled with good food, family, and friends.

A Lesson in Kindness

In addition to lessons on core academic subjects, our teachers do an incredible job designing projects that help students learn what it means to be thoughtful, caring members of our community. The Holiday Season presents natural opportunities for this to occur, and I wanted to give a quick shout out to Mrs. Gordon’s 4th graders at Clarence Center Elementary School for their recent service project titled “Coffee, Candy, and Cards to Show We Care.” After partnering with 3^rd grade classes at Ledgeview Elementary School, Mrs. Gordon’s students collected boxes and boxes of goodies which will be sent overseas to the men and women deployed on the USS Nitze. Although our servicemen and servicewomen will not be able to spend the holidays with their families, we hope they will feel a sense of love when they open up their gifts and cards from #ClarenceProud.

World Diabetes Day

Last week, I was emailing with a #ClarenceProud parent who has done some cutting edge research in the area of managing type 1 diabetes. In our back and forth, we thought it was worth mentioning that this past November 14 was World Diabetes Day—an occasion when communities across the country team up to raise awareness about a really important issue. While diabetes is indeed a global health concern, it is also one that impacts a number of our students right here in Clarence. Because the path to managing diabetes can be different for each child, we wanted to acknowledge the hard work and coordination of our families and staff (nurses, in particular!) that goes into developing the school management plans needed to keep kids safe.

Drive Like Your Kids Live Here

Not all that far from here is a road sign that reads “Drive Like Your Kids Live Here.” The words are a reminder to slow down and drive with caution, and the message is especially relevant around school buildings. As the days grow shorter and we experience an increase in wintery weather, I wanted to thank you for driving with care when you stop by for student drop-off or pick-up. Our parking lots are filled with relatively new student drivers, and your attentiveness is appreciated more than you know. On a related note, I also wanted to pass along a friendly reminder that the access road running from our High School athletic area to Main Street is a one-way access road. I have noticed a handful of people using it as an entrance in recent days, and would ask that we honor its designation as an exit in order to avoid hazardous driving for our students, staff, and parents.

Hoping this finds you well—have a Happy Thanksgiving, Red Devils.

Matt Frahm, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools