District Newsletter
March 15, 2020
District Calendar
3 / 16 No School for Students or Staff
3/24 Public Hearing on the Sale of Parker School, 6:30 p.m.
3/31 Public Vote on the Sale of Parker School, 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
4/6-4/13 Spring Recess, No School for Students or Staff
Cortland Voters Decide on the Future of
Parker School March 31
Due to declining enrollment, the Board of Education made a difficult decision to close both Virgil and Parker Elementary Schools at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. We have been working with the City of Cortland and the Town of Virgil to plan for the potential sale of the buildings. 

After securing an independent appraisal for the building and having a number of meetings with the City of Cortland, we were able to negotiate a contract for the sale of Parker Elementary School. The City plans to rent the building to the YWCA and CAPCO who will provide affordable daycare and early childhood education services. There is a Facebook page titled, " Vote Yes Parker '' available to view. Read more...
COVID-19 Updates and Information
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we placed all of our resources and communication on one website . We are monitoring the situation closely, as changes are happening rapidly at both the state and federal level.

As of March 13th 2020, here are the following updated:
  • The Cortland Enlarged City School District schools are open.
  • We are reviewing all field trips, travel, and large gatherings on an ongoing basis.
  • The District does not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 at this time.
  • We are using the long weekend (March 13 and 15th) to conduct a "deep clean." When we return, we will continue our enhanced cleaning protocols as previously communicated.
  • We are constantly monitoring the situation and following guidelines of the departments of education and health. 
  • We will continue to emphasize healthy behaviors with our students to promote a healthy environment. 
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Superintendent Search Update
As a result of the announced retirement of Superintendent of Schools Michael Hoose, the Board of Education is working with Dr. Jeffrey Matteson, District Superintendent & CEO of TST BOCES, to conduct a search for a new Superintendent of Schools. 

Stakeholder involvement in the process is going on now with a community survey . The final day to participate in the survey is March 15, 2020.

All questions or comments are to be directed to Dr. Jeffrey A. Matteson, TST BOCES District Superintendent at 607-257-1551 or  jmatteson@tstboces.org.
The goal is to have a superintendent in place by July 2020.
Fiscal Stress and 2020-2021 Budget Outlook
The Cortland Enlarged City School District strives to provide a rich and engaging educational environment while being fiscally responsible. 

Each year, balancing the budget gets increasingly more difficult due to the following reasons:
  • Increases in health care costs
  • Contractual obligations
  • Large increases in out of district placements

In addition to the increase in expenditures listed above, the District has used its reserves or “savings” to close the gap between revenues and expenditures since the 2015-2016 school year. Due to the continued use of our savings in this way, Cortland has been deemed one of the five districts to be in  “moderate stress” by the NYS Comptroller .   Read more...
Kindergarten Registration
All Screenings will take place at Barry Primary School.

Current dates of screenings:
  • Monday, June 29, 2020
  • Tuesday, June 30, 2020
  • Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Child must be 5 on or before December 1, 2020. Children who turn 6 before December 1, 2020 must attend school. Parents are urged to call (607)-758-4106, prior to April 20, 2020 to make a registration/screening appointment and to receive a pre-registration packet. All students must have an appointment prior to the school registration dates listed above.

There will be a Kindergarten Meet and Greet on May 5, 2020 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
This is an event for parents AND their entering Kindergarten student. There will be activities for students/families will get to meet all of our Kindergarten teachers and other staff members.
Students at Barry Primary Celebrate 100 Days of School
On February 25, students and teachers at Barry Primary were buzzing with excitement, and it was not because of Mardi Gras. February 25th marked the 100th day of school!

The literal meaning of the 100th day of school is imply the 100th day school or class is in session. The symbolic meaning, however, is more important for students. The 100th day marks a chance for students to realize and reflect that they are 100 days smarter and have grown academically and socially since September.  Read more...
Auditorium Project Update
The inside and outside of the auditorium are progressing! As of March 10th, the scaffolding on the interior of the auditorium is removed. For the first time in a while, we can see the space fully! The ceiling and walls have the acoustic paneling installed and the space looks completely redone and modern. 

Director of Facilities Bob Martin said, “The next step in the construction process is going to be working on the new auditorium floor. The original hardwood main stage floor is being removed. This floor has been exposed to weather and construction equipment traffic during the renovation. Therefore, this section of the floor is being replaced with a hardwood faced plywood composite. In order to do this, the current wood auditorium floor needs to be demolished and which happen the week of March 15th. The front stage floor hardwood section will be refinished. The auditorium is being prepared for painting. In addition to the stage floor, crews are still working on the complex theatrical electrical work that includes the lighting and sound.”

The project is on schedule to be completed in June 2020. We will continue to document the progress on our facebook page, twitter feed, instagram and auditorium website! 
Winter Sports Wrap Up
This winter, close to 400 students participated in our modified, JV and Varsity programs! A highlight from the winter season was that the Girls Volleyball team won the Section III Class A Championship on 2/15/2020! Below is a recap of how all of our sports teams did. Click on the sport below to read the recap !

Interested in Running for School Board?
Have you ever thought about serving your school district in a greater capacity? Running for school board may be for you! 

Many people hesitate when they consider running for school board because they do not know the basic facts about what it exactly entails. The most frequently asked question is, “Is it time consuming?” The duration of time you would be committed to would be twice a month meetings. In addition to regular meetings, all school board members sit on additional committees as well, but most committees only meet once a month. All school board members come to each meeting prepared ahead of time which includes reading material in advance.   Read more...
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