The Ithaca City School District will be closed today, Thursday, February 6, 2025, due to inclement weather. All school-sponsored after-school and evening activities are also canceled.
For more information on emergency closings, please visit our website: ithacacityschools.org/closings.
✨ It's National School Counseling Week, and we're celebrating the incredible impact of our school counselors! 🎉
Every day, they help students thrive—academically, socially, and as engaged members of our school community. By working alongside teachers, families, and community partners, our counselors create a supportive environment that helps every student succeed. 💙📚🌟
🌿♻️ This morning, students from the Northeast Green Team took the stage at Northeast’s Morning Program to teach their classmates how to properly sort compost, recycling, and garbage at school!
The NE Green Team, made up of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, meets every Friday during recess. In the fall, they worked in the school’s vegetable garden and created a new pollinator bed. This winter, they’ve been focused on reducing and sorting school waste, and in the spring, they’ll lead Earth Day celebrations and activities! 🌎💚
Earlier this week, BJM classrooms participated in a school-wide lesson during Morning Meeting. From engaging in community circles to exploring their Tiger Expectations, students and staff worked collaboratively to strengthen connections and foster a more supportive school community. 🐯✨
📢 Help Shape the Future of Ithaca High School Leadership! 📢
The Ithaca City School District is seeking YOUR input as we move forward with the selection and onboarding of the next principal for Ithaca High School. As the largest school in our district, with over 1,400 students and 100+ staff members, the next principal will play a vital role in shaping the school's culture, educational experience, and long-term success.
This is your chance to share your thoughts on what qualities and priorities you believe are essential for the next leader of Ithaca High School.
📝 Take the survey by January 24, 2025: https://forms.gle/NBixA2U2PAQA1Jwu7
❄️ Our ICSD early childhood program has been very busy creating winter art!
Art in our ICSD preschool classrooms is all about exploration, focusing on the process rather than the product. Our amazing early childhood educators guide students in using materials creatively, helping them build a strong foundation for art appreciation, imagination, and creativity that will last well beyond the early years.
🌟 Pre-K spots are still available! Apply today!: ithacacityschools.org/page/early-childhood-prek
Staff Appreciation Night ✨🏀
On January 8, the IHS Boys Basketball team honored our incredible transportation department, site staff, and athletics staff before the home game against Elmira. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to supporting our student athletes.
Staff appreciation nights will continue throughout the month!
Nicki Zawel, IHS band director, has been named one of 50 Music Teachers Who Make A Difference by School Band and Orchestra (SBO) magazine.
“Being an excellent musical citizen means listening louder than you play and trying to approach each new experience with open ears, an open mind, and an open heart,” Zawel said. “As students leave my classroom each day, they pass through doors that say, ‘On All Days, In All Ways, Be Excellent To Each Other.’ In music, as in life, this is our most important work.”
Congratulations, Nicki!
🚨 Cold Weather Advisory Bus Procedures Begin January 13 🚨
To keep students safe during severe cold (wind chill of 0°F or below), ICSD Transportation will implement special bus procedures from January 13 to March 1.
🚌 Drivers will wait longer for students.
🏠 Students may stay inside until the bus is visible.
🚏 Additional stops for secondary students who typically walk to school.
⏳ Expect secondary buses to run 2–3 minutes late.
For more details about weather-related delays and closures, visit: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/page/emergency-closings
All Ithaca City School District-sponsored after-school and evening activities are canceled for today, January 7, 2025, due to inclement weather. This includes this evening’s Board of Education Policy and Human Resources work sessions, which will be rescheduled for a later date. There will be no late bus transportation.
The ICSD is in an area where snow is typical during winter months. If weather conditions pose a potential hazard to students and staff, school officials may dismiss students early, delay the opening of schools, or close schools for the day.
For more information on how decisions about emergency closings are made, please visit our website: ithacacityschools.org/closings.
Pre-K spots are still available at Belle Sherman and Caroline elementary schools! The ICSD pre-K program offers caring, play-based environments that foster creativity, confidence, and belonging for 4-year-olds. There is no cost to attend this program.
Apply today—spots are limited!: http://www.ithacacityschools.org/prek
LACS Winter Carnival 🎉
📅 Friday, December 13, 2024
⏰ 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
📍 Lehman Alternative Community School, 111 Chestnut St, Ithaca, NY
🎶 Join us for the second annual LACS Winter Carnival! Enjoy food, hot beverages, a silent auction, merch, and the beautiful LACS mural calendars for purchase. Proceeds directly support spring trips at LACS!
🎟️ Tickets: Available for pre-order via card or Venmo, or purchase in person.
We hope to see you there!
Thank you to our staff and students who made last night's Winter Choral Concert possible! The evening featured performances from Concert Choir, Chorale, Bella Voce, Libera Voce, and several small ensembles—a wonderful celebration of talent and hard work! 🎶✨
For information about upcoming performances, visit: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/page/fine-performing-arts
🌟 November Spotlight: Our Students Shine on Stage! 🎭✨
In November, our talented student performers delivered incredible performances on our stages with not one, not two, but three outstanding productions across the district:
🎬 DeWitt and Boynton Middle Schools presented the spooky and hilarious Beetlejuice Jr.
🎭 Ithaca High School Drama Club took us back in time with their powerful rendition of Radium Girls.
🌊 LACS brought the magic of Shakespeare to life with their take on The Tempest.
We’re so proud of the hard work and dedication of every student and staff member involved in these productions! 👏🎉
As a Winter Storm Watch has been issued for our area, we want to remind families to review the ICSD Emergency Closing Procedures at: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/page/emergency-closings
Be sure your contact information in SchoolTool is up to date to receive notifications about closures, delays, or early dismissals. If you need assistance updating your contact information, please email icsdcommunications@icsd.k12.ny.us.
📲Download the free ICSD app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for quick access to updates and alerts!
Stay safe and warm!❄️
✨Happy SRP Recognition Day!✨
Today, we celebrate the incredible School-Related Professionals (SRPs) who play a vital role in the success of our students and schools. From educating, feeding, and transporting our students, to maintaining facilities, monitoring health, and keeping our offices running smoothly—SRPs make a difference every single day.
Thank you to all our amazing SRPs! Your dedication creates safe and nurturing environments that foster student-centered learning. 🚌📚🍎
November is Native American Heritage Month
On November 1, the 4th-graders at Northeast Elementary welcomed special guests from the Haudenosaunee community for a traditional dance performance in the gymnasium. The performers, who included family members of ICSD students, shared their rich cultural heritage by showcasing traditional Haudenosaunee dance in authentic regalia. This event was part of our students' exploration of Haudenosaunee history and culture, enriching their learning experience and fostering a deeper appreciation for the vibrant traditions within our community.
ICSD campuses occupy the traditional lands of the Gayogohó:nǫˀ, or Cayuga Nation, and the Ganakdagweñni•yo’geh, or Onondaga Nation. The Gayogohó:nǫˀ and Ganakdagweñni•yo’geh are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of the ICSD, New York State, and the United States of America.
🌍 IHS Senior Representing New York at Global Youth Institute 🌍
Etienne Exantus, an Ithaca High School senior, is currently representing New York State at the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines, Iowa, from October 29 to November 1. Earlier this year, Etienne participated in the World Food Prize New York Youth Institute at Cornell University, where he was selected as one of only eight students from New York to advance to this global stage.
Etienne’s research focuses on the crisis in Tigray, which he describes as "an incredibly multifaceted issue encompassing drought, famine, ethnic cleansing, lack of humanitarian aid, government oppression, civil war, and more." His work examines sustainable aid solutions, as current aid models have been weaponized and destabilize the region.
Congratulations to Etienne on this remarkable achievement and for representing New York with such dedication!
Join us this TONIGHT for a hauntingly thrilling performance as the Ithaca High School Music Department presents Collage X: Thrills and Chills! Featuring our talented bands, choirs, and orchestras.
🗓️ Date: October 30
🕢 Time: 7:30 p.m.
📍 Location: Kulp Auditorium, Ithaca High School
Can’t make it in person? Tune into our livestream to enjoy the performances from wherever you are!: https://www.youtube.com/live/OjeM0HjqoQU?si=3bOdCIlPqDw0faiI
Share Your Feedback on the 2024–2025 Academic Calendar!
The ICSD is considering important changes to the 2024-2025 academic calendar, including shifting the March conference days and adding a Regents Day in June. The Board of Education will vote on these changes on November 12, and we want your input by November 11.
📅 View the proposed changes: ithacacityschools.org/article/1838708
🗣️ Provide feedback via Let’s Talk: ithacacityschools.org/letstalk
