Dear Clarence School Family,

If you are anything like me, you will spend the next few days racing around trying to finish up shopping, wrapping, and baking. With that in mind, I know the last thing you need is a lengthy Friday message cluttering your inbox. I did, however, want to pass along a couple updates before the weekend begins—but I will try to keep them brief!

SAVE THE DATE: Clarence Faculty Basketball Game is Back!

Although it is still a couple months away, I wanted to pass along a SAVE THE DATE for our annual Clarence Faculty Basketball Game. The event is an incredibly popular community fundraiser for the Clarence Schools Enrichment Foundation (CSEF), and this year it will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, in the High School Gymnasium. Hope to see you there!

(Note: The March 30 date is different than what is printed in the District calendar.)

Family Support Center Names Organization of the Year

I am proud to share that this March, our Family Support Center (FSC) will be recognized by the Clarence Chamber of Commerce as its “Organization of the Year.” For those of you who might not know, our FSC partners with local organizations to provide Clarence students with resources related to things like mental health, food security, support groups, and medical needs. The FSC is staffed by three exceptional educators (Evan Vahratian, Penny Glena, and Joy Davey), and we would invite you to give them a big thank you or congratulations if you see them out and about!

Grades 3-8 Math and ELA Assessments

Over the course of a school year, our teachers regularly use assessments like projects, quizzes, unit tests, lab reports, and essays to monitor student learning. The mix of assessments might look different from one classroom to the next, and they give kids a variety of ways to “show what they know.”

There are times, however, when New York State requires that schools administer the same assessments in order to measure the degree to which students have achieved proficiency in certain subject areas. Whether the assessments are Grades 3-8 Math and ELA tests, or High School Regents Exams, they give schools unique opportunities to compare how they are doing with districts from around the State.

I am well aware that if you put five people in a room and ask them about state tests, you will likely get six different opinions. All the same, I did want to pass along the link to an article ranking all schools from 1-647 on proficiency rates related to Math and ELA. If you take a minute to review the data, you will see that there are only a couple districts in Upstate New York with higher levels of achievement. This should not be taken for granted, and it is one more measure that validates the hard work of our students, staff, and families.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Each December, the Grinch makes his way around Clarence Center reading holiday classics to students in grades K-5. His visits have become a special tradition here in Clarence, and I wanted to pass along an image that jumped out at me on social media this past week. They say that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and this shot is a reminder that every kid is only one caring adult away from being a success story.

Hoping this finds you well—have a great weekend, Red Devils.

Matt Frahm

Superintendent of Schools

PS: Ok, I know I am really pushing it with the length of my Friday email. Nevertheless, I wanted to give a special shout out to the 14 (yes, you read that right—14!) Clarence varsity teams that were recognized by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Inc. (NYSPHSAA) as scholar-athlete teams this fall. It is a pretty special accomplishment, and one that reflects a true commitment to academics as well as to athletics.

• Boys Cross Country
• Boys Golf
• Boys Soccer
• Boys Volleyball
• Field Hockey
• Football
• Game Day Cheer
• Girls Cross Country
• Girls Golf
• Girls Soccer
• Girls Swimming/Diving
• Girls Tennis
• Girls Volleyball
• Gymnastics