To enhance its commitment to keeping its constituents well-informed, the Niagara Falls City School District Board of Education is providing summaries of its bi-weekly board meetings. Here are the notes from its Dec. 5 meeting.
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District Transportation director, Kasey Dixon of Niagara Falls Coach Lines, provided a presentation on the new parent/guardian bus app. Sign-up for the app began Dec. 9. With the app, parents/guardians can track the location of their child’s bus. To sign up, parents/guardians can log on to www.nfschools.net. The app will allow individuals to see their child’s stop location, assigned route, and scheduled pick-up time. In addition, GPS geolocation shows when to expect the bus each day.
The board reviewed 13 resolutions recommended for approval at their next meeting on Dec. 19. Here are a few highlights:
• Approval of receipt of gift from Cancemi Furniture to GJ Mann Elementary for furniture for a space dedicated in memory of a deceased student from Niagara Falls High School.
• Approval of acceptance of funds for the 2024/2025 McKinney-Vento grant. These funds are used to pay for services for the District’s homeless students
• Approval of a contract for consulting services between the City School District of The City of Niagara Falls and the Niagara Alliance for Restorative Practices, Inc. This contract is for services to provide student discipline in a manner that promotes counseling and positive change
• Approval of acceptance of funds for the 2024/2025 Title I – Part A for six million dollars. This grant pays for professional training for District teachers as well as remedial supports for students.
Superintendent’s Report
• Niagara Falls High School (NFHS) students will hold their second film festival in the coming year. The festival will showcase films written and produced by NFHS students
• The Cataract Classic basketball tournament occurred on December 6 and 7. At the 4 p.m. game, Niagara Falls High School (NFHS) retired the number 30 in honor of basketball star John Hayes. Hayes still holds the basketball scoring record at NFHS and the Niagara Frontier League 49 years after averaging nearly 30 points a game. All proceeds from the Cataract Classic support scholarships for NFHS students
• On Dec. 7, NFHS students from the Our Schools Channel (OSC) televised the annual Niagara Falls Fire Department Christmas Toy Fund telethon live from the NFHS Performing Arts Center (PAC)
• NFHS 2005 graduate James Starks has been inducted into the Section VI Hall of Fame. Starks played running back for the Green Packers and played in Superbowl XLV
• On Dec. 4, the Niagara Region Construction Alliance presented NFHS construction trades teacher Matthew Rajaczk with the Lighthouse Award
• The NFCSD has asked the city of Niagara Falls for a house for our construction trades students to rebuild/renovate
• Starting in January, the Board of Education will begin the process of creating the 2025/26 school budget
The next meeting of the Niagara Falls City School District Board of Education is at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday at the NFCSD Administration Building, 630 66th Street, Niagara Falls.