Dear Clarence School Family,  

Well, after months of stretching, strengthening, watching tape, and drawing up special plays, we are finally ready for the annual Clarence Faculty Basketball Game! The fun will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the High School Gymnasium this coming Thursday (March 30), and the evening will involve relays, halftime games, a Clarence Unified Basketball competition, and a match-up between our Red and Black faculty teams. Please come prepared to cheer, to laugh (at my basketball skills), and to support a great cause—the Clarence Schools Enrichment Foundation (CSEF).

Red Devil Recognitions

If you see Julia Bartels or Jason Lehmbeck out and about, please congratulate them on their recent recognitions. Julia was named “Student of the Month” in her Sports Science Program at the Harkness Career and Technical Center, and Mr. Lehmbeck just received the NYSAAA Liam Frawley Emerging Athletic Administrator Award. Both individuals represent the very best part of our school community, and they make us all #ClarenceProud.

Come Join our Team

Each spring, schools across New York State begin posting teaching vacancies for the coming academic year. Clarence is no exception, and we have begun advertising different job opportunities on our website. Because research shows that nothing beats the quality of a teacher when it comes to school-related factors impacting student achievement, we were hoping you might consider sharing the job postings with interested friends or family members. There is a saying that “the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers,” and we stand committed to finding a group of “stars” who are interested in joining the most talented K-12 faculty around.

Music in Our Schools Month

For just over 30 years, the National Association for Music Education has designated March as Music in Our Schools Month. Here in Clarence, the occasion gives our students and staff a chance to highlight the benefits that come with having a world-class music program. From concerts, to field trips, to musicals, the members of our Clarence Music Faculty provide an uncommon set of opportunities for kids. If you have a spare minute in the next day or two, I might ask that you drop your child’s music teacher a quick note of thanks. The team consistently goes above and beyond for students, and the individuals embody the following words which are included in our concert programs as to why it is so important to teach music:

Not because we expect you to major in music

Not because we expect you to play or sing all your life.

But, so you will be human, so you will recognize beauty, so you will have something to cling to, so you will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good-in short-more life.

Bright Spot

Every now and again, it’s nice to highlight a real “Bright Spot” as a reminder of all the good things that are going on in our school community. For the past few weeks, students at Clarence Center have been collecting donations for St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy in Buffalo. On Thursday, I had the opportunity to spend time with our 5^th graders as they delivered the items to an organization that provides food, clothing, and education to those in need of assistance. The partnership between Clarence Center and St. Luke’s has been in place for years, and it is an important way for our students to practice the values of kindness and generosity. If you want to learn more, check out this brief video—it’s the perfect way to end the week.

Finally, for our Muslim families, this past Wednesday marked the beginning of Ramadan—a month filled with prayer, devotion, expressing gratitude, and spending time with loved ones. It is also a period in which many older students and adults will fast from sunrise to sunset. If you are part of this faith tradition, please know that our school community is wishing you a generous Ramadan. 

Hope you have a great weekend, Red Devils. 

Matt Frahm 
Superintendent of Schools 

PS: I almost forgot—congratulations to senior Lashawna Yager on having her designs featured at the annual Erie 1 BOCES FUSION Fashion Show! The theme for this year’s show, “Lust for Life,” was developed by students who said they wanted to live life passionately after facing disruptions to their academic and personal lives. What a great message for us all to consider, and a reminder that our students continue to shine in a whole range of areas.