Dear Clarence School Family,  

As you may be aware, yesterday law enforcement officers around the State participated in something called “Operation Safe Stop.” During “Safe Stop,” many police officers spend time on school buses as well as in marked and unmarked cars monitoring selected bus routes with a history of illegal passing complaints. If they encounter individuals who pass a school bus with its lights on, they issue tickets and report the violations to a central command post so that the final figures can be reported. The occasion is an important example of how schools work hand in hand with local law enforcement to keep kids safe, and it is a reminder for us all to stop when we see red school bus lights flashing. As we move forward, please know how much we appreciate your continued commitment to helping us safely transport our students to and from school.

“The Problem with Kids Today…”

Every now and again, I’ll bump into an adult who begins a complaint by saying, “you know, the problem with kids today…” I tell you what—these individuals have never met the young people who call Clarence home. On Wednesday afternoon, I was reminded of how lucky we are to be Red Devils while listening to a group of 25 student-leaders participate in an annual forum with our Board of Education. For close to two hours, the High Schoolers shared thoughtful, articulate feedback on topics ranging from mental health, to school safety, to establishing a more inclusive learning environment. The students could not have been more impressive, and it reinforced the fact that we all have a lot to be proud of when it comes to teaching and learning in our school community.

Red Devil Recognitions

• On Wednesday evening, Mrs. Christine Rich-Reese received an “Award for Excellence” from the Western New York Educational Service Council. An educator at Harris Hill, Christine always puts students first, serves as a Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) trainer, and is a leader among her support staff peers. If you see Christine out and about in the days ahead, please congratulate her on this well-deserved honor.
• Kudos to 11^th grader Bridget Kaufman for earning 1^st Place in the “Job Interview” category of the Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. competition in Rochester several days ago. In addition to showing off her academic abilities, Bridget went directly from the event to Lewiston-Porter High School where she helped lead our Varsity Girls Lacrosse team to victory.
• After concluding our search process, we are pleased to announce that Mr. Matt Lauer will be recommended to the Board for approval as the new Clarence Middle School Assistant Principal. Matt has an uncommon ability to establish positive relationships with students, parents, and staff, and we are fortunate to have him serving in this new role.
• Please join me in congratulating Hannah Farley (Girls Basketball), Emmett Forrestel (Indoor Track), Alex Quinn (Boys Basketball), Sydney Spear (Girls Ice Hockey), and Mia Servis (Indoor Track) on their recent Section VI Scholar Athlete Awards! The recognitions couldn’t go to more deserving student-athletes.

Importance of Service

While we want our kids to excel in academics, interscholastic athletics, and the arts, we also want them to recognize the importance of service. Thanks to our faculty and staff, this past week our students had several opportunities to do just that. Whether they were normalizing the conversation around mental health, cleaning up school grounds on Earth Day, performing for senior citizens at Montabaur Heights, or making cards for Administrative Professionals Day, our kids went out of their way to express care. You build positive school cultures one interaction at a time, and our students are well on their way to making a positive difference in the larger community. (Plus, you don’t have to take my word for it—check out this beautiful performance of “Be the Change” from our Choirs in the Round Concert on Thursday evening.)

We all know that having positive role models in a child’s life can make a big difference. If you want to smile at the end of the week, check out these images of our National Honor Society members high-fiving students from Clarence Center and Ledgeview to celebrate National Student Leadership Week!

If you are headed to the Sheridan Hill Art Show this evening, I’m hoping our paths might cross. If not, wishing you a safe and relaxing weekend, Red Devils. 

Matt Frahm 
Superintendent of Schools