Letter from Anthony Scalici

Value of School Staff

This being the start of another school year, and for some the first, I would like to offer from my perspective a few remarks about the state of our school today. The last number of school years, particularly the most recent two and a half, have been rocky and unique in many ways. As this is the start of my 30th year on the school board, I could go on about how different public education has become, but let me say first what has not changed — the value and importance of teachers and support staff. These are the people who students see and interact with every day. What has changed in no small way are the uncertainties and pressures under which they have had to work during the long COVID restrictions. This should be enough to warrant community-wide admiration. But to this, add the not so visible demands placed upon them by New York State for data collection and reporting, attention to social/emotional lives of children, documentation of NYS Standards adherence, and the external haunt of school violence. These have made their jobs much more. Our school employs an impressive new generation of professionals in every position who maintain concern and caring for each child and young adult in the building.

I certainly do not leave out administrators who have an added responsibility to joggle, manage, and put into place all the demands of the state, parents and community, staff, and students. Whatever upheavals CCS has experienced in recent years, we are now whole and confident. Never known as a Pollyanna, I have nothing but optimism in 2022 for our school and ask that due respect be recognized for work of employees, and that patience be afforded toward resolution of problems that will arise.

Lastly, my greatest optimism comes from the efforts and attitudes of students that have been shown over the past two and a half years. They are able, willing and ready to take on their world. Our job as adults and educators is to meet their ambitions with the encouragement and learning needed to get them on their way.

Anthony Scalici
Cooperstown