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Millions of dollars coming to schools will help expand pre-kindergarten programs and fund education initiatives across Central New York.
Superintendent Donna DeSiato says the district will also be getting its first installment of $1.75 million in long-delayed foundation aid. The foundation aid really goes into the overall instructional programming and operation of the district. Separate lines in that budget account for transportation aid or text book aid or the early childhood program.
DeSiato says until now, they were losing millions of dollars a year because foundation aid wasn’t keeping up with increasing expenses. The education allocation also includes $105 million to expand four-year-old full-day pre-kindergarten statewide. Senator and former high school teacher John Mannion paid a visit to ESM’s Park Hill Pre-K School Wednesday, and says the additional funds could benefit more than 800 kids in his district.
Sometimes it s the smallest things in life that make the biggest impact. Two Syracuse boys used a snow day to honor their mail lady on National Thank a Mail Carrier Day.
Tuesday, February 4th was National Thank a Mail Carrier Day. It was also a day off from school for most kids in central New York thanks to winter storm Orlena. Syracuse-Minoa School Superintendent Dr. Donna DeSiato encouraged her students to use the snow day to perform a random act of kindness.
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4-year-old Travis Howley, and his brother, Patrick took the suggestion to heart, writing a letter for their mail carrier, Michele Kinney. When our sitter got to our house she asked what the boys wanted to do for their act of kindness, says mom Shannon Howley. Travis said he wanted to make cookies for the mail lady. She and Travis made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and she wrote what he wanted to say in a little thank you note.
East Syracuse Minoa superintendent sings snow day jingle to tell families school is closed Tuesday (Listen)
Updated Feb 01, 2021;
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East Syracuse, N.Y. East Syracuse Minoa Superintendent Donna DeSiato brightened many students’ night tonight when she called to announce Tuesday was a snow day.
In the message, DeSiato sang a jingle to the tune of Frosty the Snowman to let ESM families know there will be no school on Tuesday.
It went like this:
“Spartans are wondering what the superintendent will say, ESM get ready for a snow day on Tuesday.
“You know that means no Google Meets and no in-person learning, so play some games and have family fun for school will be adjourning.
Snow days or remote days: Why some schools are sticking with tradition instead of going remote
Updated Dec 21, 2020;
Posted Dec 18, 2020
A school bus travels down Lodi St. in Syracuse Wednesday morning, March 6, 2019, Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syrMichael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com
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New York state this year gave school districts permission to switch to remote learning rather than use a snow day when the weather turns nasty.
But Thursday many Central New York school districts closed due to the snow instead of going remote. Why?
Most Central New York district officials contacted by Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard said they are sticking with traditional snow days because switching to remote instruction on a dime is too difficult. Most districts make the call to open or close early in the morning, just hours before school would normally start.
Twas the night before a storm. This district called a snow day so no student would stir (Listen)
Updated Dec 18, 2020;
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East Syracuse, N.Y. It’s one of the first called school snow days of the 2020 winter season in Central New York, and East Syracuse-Minoa schools Superintendent Donna DeSiato made sure it would be memorable.
DeSiato left a voice message (listen below) with parents at 8 p.m. Wednesday announcing that school would be cancelled on Thursday due to the impending Nor’easter brushing by or through parts of Upstate New York.
She left the message in a way befitting the holiday season. It began: