Welcome back, Blue Streaks

The Sandusky City Schools is excited to start the 2023-2024 school year. We hope all the families and staff were able to relax and recharge over the summer break. The summer was a busy one at Sandusky City Schools. Many staff members participated in professional development, or provided breakfasts and lunches to students. School buildings were filled with ambitious students participating in both academic and athletic summer programs. The maintenance department has been working diligently installing a new GPS system for all buses which will improve the safety of all students and allow better communication between transportation staffing and parents whose children receive transportation services. Other items the department is working on are the installation of surveillance cameras at Strobel Field, the purchase of two new school buses, completing the steps of action for the anticipated sale of the former Osborne School site and moving forward with the Aquatics Center Project. Sandusky Schools student Cruz Henson, a district celebrity, enjoys his time at the recent Touch a Truck event. Provided photo/SANDUSKY CITY SCHOOLS To date, we have hired 32 highly qualified staff members and are excited to welcome them to the Blue Streak Nation. This summer, we welcomed new leadership and staff members to the district who have replaced retirement, vacancies, or resignations at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Mrs. Chris Norwell-Fischer was hired in June as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Miss Elizabeth Logsdon will begin duties this month as the new EMIS Coordinator, Mr. Antwon Hunter was hired as the Dining Services Supervisor, Mrs. Julie Lazzara has been hired as one of the Assistant Principal's at The Sandusky Intermediate building and Mr. Eric Johnston was hired as the Principal at Sandusky Primary School. We wish them a fantastic start to the 2023-2024 school year. A huge focus for Sandusky City Schools district's faculty and staff beginning the 2023-2024 school year, will be improving areas of reading and math, increasing student attendance and decreasing behavior incidents. The Curriculum Department has taken the first step by layering support in the classrooms districtwide with academic coaching and Title Content Area Specialist positions, in order to improve achievement and growth for all Sandusky City School students. With the adoption of a Science of Reading aligned reading series K-6 this upcoming year, Preschool through twelfth grade will have a current and updated English Language Arts series. With continued training for new curriculum implementation and Science of Reading, English Language Arts teachers will be trained to deliver rigorous and effective reading instruction. The district's May Five-Year Forecast holds a positive balance through the year 2025, but beginning in 2024, we will begin deficit spending. Deficit spending is the amount by which spending exceeds revenue. This will erode the district's financial stability over the next few years. We are continually reviewing our expenditures, reviewing options to limit our expenses and reduce our costs, but maintain strong and diverse offerings to our students. This pathway of increasing expenses, will cause us to consider future levy options with the community in a very short time period. The full forecast report can be found at: https://www.scs-k12.net/Downloads/Sandusky%20CSD52023.pdf We invite you to join us once a month for Blue Streak Connect - a new event series that allows you to connect with district administration to discuss district initiatives and ask any questions you may have. Blue Streak Connect dates, times, and locations can be found on the district website in the newsfeed. This year, we will be hosting the Blue Streak Pride 5K and Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, beginning at 8 a.m. at Strobel Field at Cedar Point Stadium. We will begin the day with our Annual 5K Run/Walk and then enjoy the fall festival with activities for the entire family. I hope to see everyone there. You can register for the 5K by visiting: runsignup.com/Race/OH/Sandusky/BlueStreakPride5k In closing, please be aware the district will have a renewal levy on the ballot in November. Be sure to register to vote for the November Election. You can visit the Erie County Board of Elections for more information. https://www.boe.ohio.gov/erie/voter-registration-information/how-to-register/ We would love to see you at the community events. Check out the district website to see how you can be involved and see the incredible work of our students and staff. We are better together.