From the Desk of Harry Sherman, District Superintendent

Dear District 9 students, family, staff, and partners,

As we turn the page into a new school year, I hope that this season finds you full of the optimism and energy that new beginnings bring. As a district team, we have been working hard to prepare for an incredible year of growth and learning. I am excited to share with you the new steps we are taking to ensure the success of every student, as well as the strengths and accomplishments on which we will build.

Last year as part of NYC Reads, we focused on developing strong foundational literacy strategies that will prepare our students for success in college and careers. We saw promising outcomes in our screener assessment data, with most students making reading progress. We spent the summer creating a “playbook” with shared commitments to make sure every student receives a high quality learning experience, and providing professional learning to make sure every school has the knowledge and support to do so. We will continue this work in the coming year, focusing on implementing a common curriculum and using data to make sure that learning is relevant and responsive to every student’s needs.

This past year we also expanded our enrichment opportunities. We continued our debate league, with all schools participating in debate tournaments and our top teams competing in a citywide tournament. We held our Science Fair and STEM Fest at Yankee Stadium. We developed District 9 inter-school sports leagues and held inaugural seasons in Basketball, Tennis, Bocce, and Soccer.

We have taken many steps to ensure a strong social and emotional support structure for every student, including mindfulness, restorative circles, and different levels of resources for the needs of individual students. We have also taken important steps to create stronger access and partnership for stakeholders, including Coffee with the Superintendent, town halls, student council, and surveys. This has led to rebranding the district with a new logo, slogan, mission and vision. I am also excited to share that we will be opening an enrollment satellite at the district office this year to better support the placement of families in the right school for you. Over the coming year, we will be sharing numerous learning opportunities for families, as well as opportunities for families to engage in leadership and shared decision-making at both the school and district level. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your school or the district office for any reason. I look forward to a successful year ahead.

Sincerely,

Harry Sherman, Superintendent District 9

Yankee Stadium's First Ever STEM Expo STEM and Sports unite at Yankee Stadium where students competed across the field in a science fair competition. Projects ranging from edible plastics, hologr... www.youtube.com