WCS Works With Students To Start 2025-26 Strong

With the start of the 2025-26 school year this week, Waterville Central School District is taking steps to be ready to open the doors Thursday to students.

WCS Superintendent Zach Abbe told the Board of Education at last week’s meeting that the final vacancies are trying to be filled.

These include a Special Education teacher at Memorial Park School and a couple of teaching assistant positions at the Junior-Senior High School.

Last week, members of the Waterville, Oriskany Falls and Deansboro fire departments did a walk-through the Junior-Senior High School with the WCS Maintenance Department staff.

Abbe also met with members of the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department to discuss safety protocols.

A new Special Patrol Officer will be assigned to MPS to fill one of the two positions there.

Junior-Senior High School Principal Andre Paradis gave a report for the end of 2024-25.

He said Waterville’s number of students with disabilities increased by 20 students last year compared to the previous year.

Some Regents exam scores maintained previous years’ results, while some went down.

Paradis said in faculty meetings, discussion will consider how to address that.

In June, every student who was a senior in the building graduated in four years.

Last year was the final one for what was called the Covid safety net to give leeway on passing state exams.

This year all General Education students will need a 65 to pass and those with a disability will need a 55.

Data is being looked at, Paradis said, to see if students grow from year to year.

“That’s what we want to see,’’’ he said, “improvement upon the starting point.’’

Meetings have taken place with students who need improvement in academics, behavior and attendance, or a combination of the three, Paradis said.

This year, teachers will have the option to log a student’s behavior issue in class without sending the student to the office.

Paradis said this will add a step to address the issue before the next step. All coaches, fall athletes and parents have been informed of the academic eligibility requirements to play a fall sport.

Board President Steve Stanton asked what resources are available to coaches so they know before the five weeks if a student is in trouble academically.

Stanton said students have been talking about the eligibility levels, which Abbe defined at the Board’s first meeting in August.

One aspect for students to note, he said, is that attendance for the day is defined by being in their first-period class.

“They need to be here the whole day,’’ Abbe said. Paradis said he, Assistant Principal Kirt Broedel and Guidance Counselor Gina Rocci worked out scheduling for the fall.

New Guidance Counselor Erika Von Schiller-Deep began last week. She will work with students in grades 10 through 12.

Paradis said one of Von Schiller-Deep’s goals is to help seniors stay on track to graduate.

“Every senior has a path to graduation,’’ he said. “They know if they need credits or exams. Now it’s up to them.’’

MPS Principal Crystal Chrisman said the theme at the school this year is Wild About Learning.

She said there was good participation in the orientation camps for incoming Pre-K and Kindergarten students.

“They had sneak peaks to the school year,’’ she said.

Teachers at both buildings spent time last week preparing their classrooms, the principals said.

Board member ...