Annual Superintendent’s Conference Day kicks-off new school year

With so many changes brought on by the pandemic, this year’s back to school season looks very different. The first day of school will take place at home as the Elmsford Union Free School District begins the 2020-2021 academic year with remote learning on Sept. 10.

One annual tradition, however, was upheld with what is now a common twist—meeting virtually. On Sept. 2, school administrators and staff members gathered via their computer screens for the Superintendent’s Conference Day, which typically is held in the Alexander Hamilton High School auditorium.

“This year is going to be challenging – we know that,” Superintendent Marc Baiocco told more than 100 participants who logged in and joined him online. “I am just so excited and really energized by seeing each and every one of you.”

This summer was by far one of the busiest that the district has been through. For weeks, administrators and teams of staff members met regularly, preparing for different possibilities that the new school year could bring, updating district policy to include New York State mandates and building onto what they learned when schools were closed, and remote learning was instated in the spring. Dr. Baiocco said that he could not be prouder of the work that was performed by the staff members to prepare for the new school year.

Dr. Baiocco spent several minutes thanking everyone for their work — from the team who helped guide the districtwide reopening plan and the staff members who volunteered to assist with summer food distribution to the maintenance crews who cleaned and planned for making in-person learning safe and all those who work within the district. He also expressed his appreciation for the support from the Village of Elmsford.

Dr. Baiocco admitted that he was feeling the same emotions that he knows his staff members are likely feeling too – anxiety and fear about what the upcoming year will bring.

“How do we change our mindset?” he asked. “How do we make the new atmosphere fun for our students? And how do we meet our students’ and colleagues’ emotional needs? Today, more than ever, it is important we focus on each other as well.”

When teachers return to their classrooms, they will see something new. Desks are now spaced apart, allowing for six feet of space between them to maintain social distance. Plastic barriers will be in place around student desks when in-person learning begins. Although not readily seen, the HVAC system has been upgraded to include MERV-13 filters, which are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and other industry organizations. In addition, there will be reminders throughout the school buildings about the importance of washing hands, social distancing and wearing masks, which is a requirement to enter the building.

Dr. Baiocco said the reopening plans also included guidelines for if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, detailing the necessary steps that would be taken for the individual to return to school. The district will be working closely with Westchester County’s Department of Health, which will guide the district through any health-related issue that may arise.

All students and staff members will have to get used to the new environment. At this time, the Elmsford School District will begin the school year in a remote environment, before switching to a hybrid model on Sept. 21. At that time, students will be divided into two cohorts, each attending in-person only two days per week.

A portion of the meeting was dedicated to welcoming new staff. Dr. Baiocco introduced Ashley Blanshaw, a teacher’s aide, and Denise Herrera, a kindergarten teacher, who will join the staff at Carl L. Dixson Primary School. Alice E. Grady Elementary School will welcome Alisha Hayes, a special education teacher; Patricia Pena, a dual language teacher; and Jacqueline Spitzer, an ENL teacher. New to Alexander Hamilton High School are Dulcimer Del Solar, an ENL teacher; Henry Hennup, a science teacher; and Samantha Silberman-Maddamma, a special education teacher.

As the school year begins, Dr. Baiocco reminded his staff to pay attention to the words they use with their students.

“Understand: words have power,” he said. “They can uplift, harm, stick. They create memories of school and they can create self-esteem issues.”

Board of Education President Candice Wood also shared a few words that she had previously recorded and echoed Dr. Baiocco’s sentiments.

“The new buzzword is ‘equality,’” she said. “Embrace that concept. Focus on the new places you can go, the new experiences you can provide and foster in your students.”

Staff members were reminded by Dr. Baiocco that this year will be unlike any other.

“At the end of the day, we know we’ve got this – we are in this together,” Dr. Baiocco concluded. “I look forward to an unbelievable school year.”