Ithaca City School District -

Ithaca High School graduation is today! The first ceremony will begin at 12 p.m., and the second will begin at 3 p.m. Both ceremonies will be held outdoors in Moresco Stadium, and no tickets are required. For more information, visit our website: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/o/highschool/page/2024-graduation-information Can't make it in person? Catch the livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCHWayx2L3A Congratulations to all graduates! 🎉

🎓✨ Across the district, we have been celebrating our graduates! 🎉🌟 Today marks the last day of school for students, and our seniors are ready to graduate! LACS and IHS will both hold their ceremonies today. Congratulations to all of our graduates and their families! We are so incredibly proud of your accomplishments. For those moving on from the district, you will always have a home with your ICSD family. 🌟🎓

Today, Tuesday, June 18, the Ithaca City School District (ICSD) community will be presented with a new 2024-2025 budget adopted by the Board of Education. The re-vote budget is $163,012,098, and the proposed levy increase of 2.92 percent is below the state tax cap. We are grateful for the significant community engagement this budget season, and with the valuable input shared, we are presenting a new budget that keeps our community’s needs in mind, while also upholding our commitments to high-quality education for all. Through strategic, priority-based reductions—including articulating a clear focus on ELA, math, and inclusion, decreasing administrative labor costs, and pausing on filling vacant positions—we developed a budget that is $5.9 million less than the one originally proposed on May 21. The re-vote budget will require 50% voter approval. Also on the re-vote ballot will be Proposition 2, which the Board voted to amend on May 28, reducing the original request of $3.2 million by half to $1.6 million. The amended proposition asks voters to authorize the district to purchase up to two electric buses, only with rebates to defray costs, two ultra-low emission propane buses with wheelchair-accessible lifts, and three passenger vehicles. Proposition 2 is not taken from the General Fund but rather from a savings account called “Capital Reserve,” which can only be used for bus purchases. The district has already secured a rebate through the EPA 2023 Clean School Bus (CBS) Rebates in the amount of $800,000, which can be immediately used to defray the cost of the two electric buses. For more information on Proposition 2 visit: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/o/icsd/page/2024-prop-2 Polls will be open on June 18 from 12 noon until 9 p.m. Please continue to reach out directly or provide suggestions and feedback via Let’s Talk: ithacacityschools.org/letstalk. For more details on the June 18 Budget Re-Vote, including propositions and district poll site locations, visit ithacacityschools.org/vote. Together, we can engage, educate, and empower all learners in the ICSD.

The ICSD Board of Education will meet today for a Facilities Committee Work Session at 5:00 p.m. On the agenda: E-Bus Presentation, Sustainability Presentation, and a progress report on the district's capital project work. Following, there will be Finance Committee Work Session at 6:30 p.m. On the agenda: Re-vote revenue and re-vote proposed budgeted expenditures line-by-line. Those who wish to attend may do so in person at IHS York Hall or tune in on Zoom. For more information, please visit ithacacityschools.org/board.

ICSD's Deputy Superintendent, Lily Talcott, and Chief Operations Officer, Amanda Verba, join WSKG to discuss the upcoming budget re-vote. Polls will be open on June 18 from 12 noon until 9 p.m. Please continue to reach out directly or provide suggestions and feedback via Let’s Talk: ithacacityschools.org/letstalk. For more details on the June 18 Budget Re-Vote, including propositions and district poll site locations, visit ithacacityschools.org/vote. Listen here: https://www.wskg.org/2024-06-12/ithacas-school-budget-was-rejected-by-voters-heres-whats-been-cut-in-their-latest-proposal?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1INBzs3M4BZUwtYKEfnCz3P2yzxt-DyC8GknDw4tK35t6l0eYjywwNfJI_aem_AfZCS5GxLeEJVITDCZqyW-DJAE5LbsvtQdJ6iaq38W5jHzQkZLl0vUoGW6GwsItkNpXOiZTXDDSs1l85HVOmFqhM

Fall Creek Elementary students hosted some special visitors this morning to close out their Reading Celebration Week! 🎉🐾 A big thank you to Cornell Companions and Daisy Hallow Farm for bringing an interactive and joyful morning to our students. 📚❤️

Please join us tonight, June 10, at the Southside Community Center at 5:30 p.m. for a community conversation about the new proposed budget. The ICSD will hold the budget re-vote on Tuesday, June 18. Polls will be open from 12-9 p.m. For more information, including district polling locations and absentee and early mail ballot applications, visit ithacacityschools.org/vote.

This morning at Caroline Elementary, families gathered for an inspiring Celebration of Learning! 🎉 Students proudly showcased their "Leaders of Change" books and portraits throughout the hallways, showcasing their incredible talents and creativity. 🌟📚✨

The Ithaca City School District (ICSD) was notified that its application for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebates was selected for funding in the amount of $800,000. The reserved funds are for four new electric buses, eligible infrastructure, and other eligible expenses to be used over the course of two years. On June 18, residents of the ICSD will head back to the polls to vote on a new budget and an amended Proposition 2, which will ask voters to authorize the district to purchase up to two electric buses, only with rebates to defray costs, two ultra-low propane buses with wheelchair-accessible lifts, and three passenger vehicles. Notably, Proposition 2 was reduced from $3.2 million to $1.6 million. Proposition 2 is not taken from the General Fund but rather from a savings account called “Capital Reserve,” which can only be used for bus purchases. Every year, the district replaces buses that have aged out of the fleet and need to be taken off of the road as well as other vehicles that support students and facilities. Check out the news story to learn more: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/article/1632589

On Monday, the Ithaca City School District (ICSD) Board of Education voted to approve a new budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025 in the amount of $163,012,098, a 2.79% increase over the current year (below the state tax cap of 2.9%). This is $5.9 million reduction to the budget proposed on May 21. Please join us this Friday, June 7, at the Enfield Community Center at 4:30 p.m. for a community conversation about the new proposed budget. The ICSD will hold the budget re-vote on Tuesday, June 18. Polls will be open from 12-9 p.m. For more information, including district polling locations and absentee and early mail ballot applications, visit ithacacityschools.org/vote.

🌟Junior Prom Photos Now Available🌟 On May 18, IHS held their Junior Prom at Celebrations. It was a night to remember! 🕺💃✨ Thank you to everyone who made it so special – friends, teachers, and the incredible organizers. 🎉💖 Full album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mnwERqtFqZHp9v5F7

Yesterday, after many months of advocacy and hard work, the Haudenosaunee (Hood-en-no-sho-nee) flag was raised at Ithaca High School (IHS). Huge shout out to our students Rhianne Rushing '24, Naveena Clark '24, and Brenna Lucio-Belbase '25 for their tireless work and efforts that have come to fruition. Special thanks to Paul Heiland, Social Studies teacher at IHS, and Martha Hardesty, Associate Principal at IHS, for their support of our students. At the end of November, the Ithaca City School District Board of Education unanimously voted to permit the flying of the Haudenosaunee flag on one of the two flagpoles at IHS, in consultation with members of the Haudenosaunee community. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy is a group of six Native American nations: the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. The flag depicts the Hiawatha belt, traditionally created using wampum shells, and is a symbol of unity, peace, and strength among these nations. Displaying the flag at IHS signifies a deep respect for the native people and the land on which the school sits.

In collaboration with Ithaca Murals, AP art students painted a downtown power box to address an essential cause of food security. Their artwork, which includes themes from their AP Art Portfolios 🎨, serves as a powerful call to action. Check out their incredible work or visit the power box on the corner of State and Albany!

This morning, BJM students in the band and orchestra delivered an exciting performance for their classmates and families! The repertoire included everything from classics like "Hot Cross Buns" (BJM style) to the rock anthem "We Will Rock You," and even featured an original composition. Thank you to everyone who came out to support these talented kids and celebrate their hard work!

Earlier this month, LACS theatre took to the stage to present a double bill: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse! Our students delivered hilarious and impressive performances. Bravo! 🎭👏 The ICSD Fine and Performing Arts department provides opportunities to study theatre, both drama and musicals, cultivate student voice, agency, and the craft of theatrical storytelling. Student leadership opportunities are offered in assembling theatrical productions, theatrical design, and production crew. This year, the department has hosted over 40 performing arts events, including theatrical productions, concerts, and art shows in ICSD performance spaces.

🎶 Fall Creek Elementary rocked the gym this morning for their Spring concert 🎵 Thank you to everyone who came out to support our young musicians and make it a memorable morning!

This year's Budget Vote and School Board Election will be held on Tuesday, May 21. Polls will be open from 12 noon until 9 p.m. To check your polling location and learn more about early mail and absentee ballots, visit ithacacityschools.org/vote!

On March 28, DeWitt Middle School held their talent show, "A Night Under the Stars". Talent shows encourage self-expression and self-motivation, build and develop self-confidence, and can play an important role in children's development. Way to go, performers! Thank you to our community for supporting them.

Last week, students at LACS and DeWitt Middle School shared part of their day with Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, and Melinda Person, President of New York State United Teachers. The day fostered collaboration and celebration of the shared commitment to educational excellence and served to highlight the way our educators incorporate hands-on, real-life skills like cooking, interpersonal relationship-building, and student self-care into the curriculum. Read more about it here: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/article/1501987

✨ 🎥The second video in a series of superintendent interviews, "Sitting Down with Dr. Brown," is out now! Led by Ithaca High School 9th grader Gracelynn (Gracie) Lomax. 🎥✨ Gracie asks Dr. Brown about what it means to have a community of students look up to him, how he defines community, how he supports the cultivation of safe spaces for students and staff, and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQqgsJGoSvw