Yearly Rituals

Budget Vote Pressure: As the polls closed last Tuesday night and I began the yearly ritual of getting a stomach ache while the votes were tabulated, I took a moment to reflect. I thought to myself, "Why do I get a stomach ache every year?". We are doing tremendous things at all levels, we are always below the tax cap, we are always transparent about our business, and our District has local, state, and national credibility.

The reality is that even with sustained success, one should never take anything for granted. Trust, support, and votes are earned every day, even when people aren't watching. The level of pressure to keep improving upon our success from year to year AND to keep your trust and support is always on my mind.

The results? Outstanding once again and in that moment of exhale, I am so thankful for all that you do to help support me, our staff, our students, and our community. We are humbled once again and will keep making you proud.

High School Hero: Someone else made me proud last week. After leaving the Senior Ball, senior Nicole Corrente was headed back to school on Route 690 with a friend to enjoy the All-Night After Party. She noticed a person in the median of the highway. It was approaching midnight and the person looked out of place. She and her companion could have kept driving. The music was playing in the car, and they were anxious to hang out with their other friends back at school. Nicole then did the right thing. She decided that the after party could wait a little while. She called 911 and reported what she saw. Turns out the person was suffering from dementia and had been missing. The police came and brought her back to her family.

Nicole probably saved a life. She went about her business from there, back to the after party and did not think much of it until she was contacted by the family of the missing person. Good stuff! There needs to be more Nicole's in the world. Thanks for doing the right thing. (Click here to view CNYCentral coverage of this story.)

Special Olympics: Last Thursday I had an incredible time watching about two hundred of our students cheer on fifty of our athletes at the Special Olympics.

I was filled with pride as students gave it their all while their fans held up signs, cheered, and congratulated their exceptional classmates. This made me very proud to be a Wildcat!

This week is BUSY! There are all kinds of athletic sectional competitions this week as well as Kaleidoscope on Thursday night at the Civic Center. We are looking forward to seeing the Alumni Marching Band and our current Marching Band at the Memorial Day Parade on Monday. We have so many people participating, that they are hoping to break the Guinness Book of World Records! With that many alumni, we have had to reach out as far as Pennsylvania to get enough instruments for people to play! Luckily, it looks like the long-term weather forecast is very good. I cannot wait!

Please remember that there is no school this Friday. Thanks and enjoy the week!

Chris