41° and Light rain
By Mark Laurrie
Niagara Falls School Superintendent
Special to the Express
On a beautiful June evening, 4,000 friends, families, and the community, gathered to honor the Niagara Falls High School (NFHS) graduating class of 2024. Calendrelli Field was full of celebration, shared memories and incredible graduates.
The 135th graduating class produced students headed to prestigious high educational institutions, the military, and on to careers with more technical skills than ever. Preliminary indicators are that our overall graduation rate will be up slightly to 87%.
As we officially close the 2023-24 school year, we look forward first to a summer of extended learning, capital improvements, curriculum and instruction preparation, teacher and staff training, and responsible fiscal planning in anticipation of our first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 5.
This summer is full of opportunities for students to recover credits in high school, complete their learning in our Prep program, or extend their learning for elementary students. College classes are being taught to our Industrial Manufacturing and Computer Application students by SUNY Niagara. Recreation is available every afternoon through August 15 at NFHS for students in grades 6 to 12. Even our parents are in class with a SUNY Niagara reading and writing course taught at Bloneva Bond Primary School every Monday.
Our teachers are honing their math skills preparing to implement our new K-8 math program. Elementary teachers are taking a deeper dive into the Science of Reading and student data is being analyzed to focus our instruction for the fall.
While our schools are being shined top to bottom, our last capital project is in full swing. Protective window film, additional security cameras, security expert technology, secured vestibules, and upgraded alarms will greet our students in September. The heat of June will not be an issue as Gaskill and LaSalle finish air conditioning projects while our first-class greenhouse will be available for all students and the community at Bloneva Bond Primary School.
Teaching, learning, facility improvements, safety enhancements, parenting class, all with the utmost care of taxpayer funds continue to drive us all summer long.
I can’t wait to tell you about the exciting events and plans for 2024-25 school year.
The Say Yes Niagara Falls initiative, a “Walk the World” celebration, and the 25th anniversary of the new Niagara Falls High School only begin to bring the excitement we are preparing to undertake.
