Superintendent highlights ‘Ready to Make a Difference’ kickoff, safety upgrades and an 84% graduation rate

Superintendent Dr. Larry Schneegel opened the Watertown City School District board meeting on Oct. 17 with an update on back-to-school activities, staffing and safety preparations.

Schneegel thanked community sponsors and said the district’s Welcome Back event provided 506 backpacks filled with school supplies and drew 254 families — roughly 680 individuals — with a substantial number of free haircuts provided at the event. He reported the district has “over 4,100 students” and reminded the community that the first day of school is Thursday, Sept. 4 (as stated in the district announcements read into the record).

Schneegel said the district “hit our anticipated graduation rate,” and described the way New York State counts graduation by combining June, August and October completers; he told the board the current rate, which includes summer-school graduates, is the highest in 12 years and cited an 84% figure during remarks.

On safety and operations, the superintendent and other administrators reported a number of initiatives:
• Secure vestibule: New secure-entrance procedures were noted at the district office and for school buildings; a temporary change to district office access will continue into September while concrete and awning work is completed on a new entrance path.
• Cameras and radios: The district’s camera project is in a phased rollout with phase 1 nearly complete; base stations for a new radio system are installed and radios are being configured for staff use.
• Transportation feasibility study: FEH/BOCES is conducting a transportation study and will coordinate with First Student; a full report will be shared with the board in coming months.
• Facilities and food service: Facilities staff completed deep cleaning and are developing a preventive maintenance schedule for the district’s eight school buildings; food service upgrades include new ovens and refreshed signage in several sites.
• Capital projects: The finance/facilities report referenced a $110 million capital project that the committee said is on track, and FEMA mitigation work that will be added; the committee described the schedule as looking favorable.
• Staffing: The district reported 106 new hires across the summer, including 10 in the prior week, and noted all teaching positions have been filled. The district reported roughly 250 substitutes on file including 141 instructional and 110 noninstructional substitutes.

Assistant-level speakers also raised points during the meeting: the assistant superintendent for instruction and the assistant superintendent for student services (who described substitute training conducted with Jefferson Lewis BOCES) recounted pre-service and professional-development work done over the summer.

Why it matters: The operational updates affect daily school functions: secure-entrance procedures, camera and radio rollouts, transportation planning and staffing all bear on student safety and service continuity as the school year begins.

What’s next: Board members said they will follow up on logistics such as secure-entrance flow and asked staff to report back on how new entry procedures affect arrival and dismissal patterns. The board also noted upcoming meetings including a policy meeting and regular monthly board meeting in mid-September.