By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK — They’re back at it again — students, teachers and staff were back in school beginning Thursday for the first day of a new academic year.
There were lots of smiling faces as old friends got together again and new friendships were formed.
The younger students had the chance to enjoy their new playground equipment at Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School.
New staff members joined the district for their first official day of school and some veterans shuffled around to new posts. Districtwide, 18 new teachers joined the ranks of their fellow educators.
Former assistant principal at the middle school Steve Doran starts the new school year as the new principal at A.W. Becker Elementary School. He was appointed to the post in July after former principal Debra Neubart retired.
Doran introduced himself to the A.W. Becker community in an opening day welcome letter.
“I’m thrilled to be working with your children for this school year and beyond,” Doran wrote. “I spent the last two years as the assistant principal of RCS Middle School, and I’ve become dedicated to this community.”
New staff members at the elementary school include teachers Laura Jones (grade 4) and Tiffany Valentin (special education), as well as speech and language pathologist Danielle Larlee and fifth-grade integrated co-teacher Jennifer Mapes.
Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School is also welcoming new faculty this year — instructional coach in special education Nicole Kirk, third-grade teacher Sadie Lambert, fifth-grade teacher Darian Wood, speech teacher Cara Rogan and teaching assistant Paula Newell.
At RCS Middle School, Brian Garrity is the new assistant principal, taking Doran’s post. He comes to the district from HFM BOCES, where he was the assistant principal for four years and an English and social studies teacher for more than six years.
There’s also a new interim assistant principal at RCS High School — John Thorsen will serve in the role through December while the district conducts its search for a permanent replacement. He was formerly the principal at Chatham High School for 16 years and an assistant principal for seven years before that.
Several additional teachers have also joined both the middle and high schools.
MORE CHANGES
This academic year all reimbursable school meals, both breakfast and lunch, will be free to all students in the four schools in the district — the two elementary schools and the middle and high schools. That is because the schools have qualified under USDA and State Education Department guidelines for the Community Eligibility Provision, which provides meal service to schools in low-income areas.
The program provides free meals to all enrolled students regardless of the family’s individual income status.
District families this year can also access the Stopfinder app, which enables them to receive information on school bus routes and other transportation issues. For instance, instead of waiting outside for the school bus, families can use the app to find out when the bus will be at their stop and go outside at that time.
The Stopfinder app also provides information on school closings and delays, early dismissal reminders, and can be used to contact the district’s Transportation Department.
The district is still short on bus drivers, so anyone interested in becoming a school bus driver can contact the district office for more information.
Here are more photos from the first day of school.
