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A Message from the Superintendent
August 2023
Dear Shelter Island Parents and Guardians:
I hope you are all having an amazing end to the summer. I also welcome you to the 2023-2024 school year! It has been a very busy summer here. We are in the process of completing a septic project that will greatly reduce the number of nitrates that our school produces. This project was paid for entirely out of our repair reserve – meaning that we were able to save money each year and not ask the tax payers for any additional funds. The project is in the final phases and will be completed on-time and on-budget. I would like to thank our internal maintenance crew and also all of the contractors who did such a great job throughout the summer.
In addition to the septic system, next time you visit, you may notice that we have further beautified the cafeteria by purchasing new tables that match the floor and painting that was completed last summer. A new ceiling and lights were also installed in the lobby and new floors were installed throughout various parts of the building. All of this occurred while the routine deep cleaning, waxing, shampooing, and all other custodial tasks were taking place.
This week has been great as the building has become alive again with the return of our coaches and athletes. We are excited for all of our sports teams. Just to remind you, this is the first year of our boys’ soccer JV team. The field is set up, the uniforms are in, and practices have begun! We are very proud to be able to offer this sport to our students who advocated for this team!
Our school remains a high performing academic institution as well. Our most recent US News & World Report had us ranked in the top 22% of schools. We are now high achieving on our elementary state exams and our Regents exams – spanning from our littlest learners to our oldest scholars. While we have made great strides, we will always look to be a place of learning and continuous improvement – both for students and adults. We will continue to work hard as a staff on professional development and we will begin to complete some of the tasks on our 5-year strategic plan that was completed by over 20 stakeholders last year.
As I enter my fifth year as superintendent, I would like to thank you for the support that you always show me, our staff, and our district. We cannot be a successful district unless we have you, our parents, as learning partners. I promise you to come to work each day thinking about how we can make this school better for your children. If there is anything I can do for you, my door is always open. Enjoy the last two weeks with your children.
Sincerely,
Brian Doelger, Ed.D
Superintendent