Dear Clarence School Family,

Just over a decade ago, the Institute of Medicine predicted both a nursing shortage as well as an increased demand for care in a variety of health-related organizations. The situation intensified as a result of the pandemic, and today, many schools are struggling to find highly qualified nurses. The situation is no different here in Clarence, and we are currently accepting applications for nursing positions.

We understand that many nurses might prefer positions in more traditional health care settings, but we wanted to highlight some of the benefits that come with practicing in a school. If you—or someone you know—might be interested in applying, please don’t hesitate to reach out for more information. We have a fantastic team of nurses here in Clarence, and we are always looking for experts to join our school family.

Rewards of Being a School Nurse

• You get to participate in programs that aim to improve community health.
• You are helping to satisfy the high demand for school nurses.
• Your work schedule mimics that of the school calendar, so you have holiday and summer breaks.
• You are given an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of students and their families.

The Benefits of High School Athletics

With registration for Spring Sports beginning on February 13, I wanted to pass along a link with helpful information on the process from our Athletic Department. While on the topic, I also thought I would make a plug as to why athletics are so important for our students. From fitness to relationship-building, increasing self-confidence to leadership development, sports provide natural opportunities for students to develop many of the skills needed to excel long after graduation.

Additionally, while we have always provided a broad range of Spring Sports, I am pleased to share that this year we will also be offering Varsity Girls Flag Football. The program was a hit in Section VI last year, and we believe it will be another great way for our athletes to compete against regional schools. The best part? Longtime Clarence Center educator Mark Layer has agreed to coach the team. No one cares more about our school community than Coach Layer, and he will be bringing years of football coaching experience with him back to the sidelines a few weeks from now. (In case you missed it, check out this clip from Channel 4 regarding Coach Layer and the upcoming season!)

Brief Website Survey

There is a saying that “communication works for those who work at it.” With this in mind, early next week we have a team meeting to review a traffic overview report of why people visit our website. While we are looking forward to examining the analytics, we were also hoping you might help us make this communication platform even better by completing a brief 1-minute survey. You can find the survey by clicking this link, and we thank you for being willing to pass along feedback on your experiences as well as your website browsing preferences. 

Finally, if you see Matt Lauer out and about, please thank him for agreeing to serve as our Dean of Students in the 7^th Grade House for the remainder of the year. Matt has been a teacher in our Middle School for sixteen years, and we are lucky to have him working closely with students, staff, and families in this administrative capacity.

Hoping this finds you healthy and well. Enjoy the weekend, Red Devils.

Matt Frahm
Superintendent of Schools

PS: I almost forgot to thank Sabres center JJ Peterka for sporting a Clarence/Amherst/Sweet Home (CASH) hockey jersey before their Youth Hockey Day game this past Saturday! We don’t think Peterka will be able to suit up for CASH this winter, but it is a great example of the athletic community that exists here in Western New York.