June 18, 2026

Dear Families,

The end of a school year always brings a mix of excitement, reflection, and gratitude. As we prepare to celebrate our graduates and begin summer break, I'd like to share a few final updates and recognize some outstanding accomplishments.

Tomorrow, Friday, June 19, schools will be closed in observance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. On Monday, June 22, we will gather to celebrate the Victor Senior High School Class of 2026 during our graduation ceremony at ESL Ballpark beginning at 7:30 p.m. This remarkable class of 312 graduates has accomplished so much during their time at Victor, and we are excited to honor them as they begin their next chapter.

As a reminder, the last day of school for elementary students and the final day of exams at Victor Junior High School is Wednesday, June 24. The final day of exams at Victor Senior High School is Thursday, June 25.

As we wrap up another successful school year, I would like to recognize a few outstanding accomplishments from our students and coaches.

Congratulations to our Girls Varsity Lacrosse team on capturing its fifth consecutive New York State Class B Championship last weekend. Winning a state title is an extraordinary achievement. Winning five in a row is truly remarkable! Congratulations to Head Coach Jen Haggerty, Assistant Coach Jamie Smith, and the talented student-athletes who made this historic accomplishment possible.

Congratulations as well to Coach Stone and our Boys Varsity Lacrosse team on an outstanding season and a trip to the state championship game. While the result was not what they had hoped for, they represented Victor with determination, sportsmanship, and resilience throughout the season. They have much to be proud of!

As summer begins, I also want to share several resources available to support families. Ontario County has developed a  comprehensive community resource guide that includes information about farmers markets, food pantries, mental health services, childcare resources, libraries, and more. They also have a comprehensive  website that includes up-to-date information regarding food resources. In addition, New York State has launched the Summer EBT program , which provides eligible families with food benefits to help offset grocery costs while school is not in session. There are also several helpful flyers attached to this message.

If you or your student need assistance locating resources or support services, please  visit the Community Resources page on our website or reach out to your child's counselor or building principal.

Looking ahead to next school year, registration is now open for The Spot's annual Back-to-School Bash. This drive-through event provides school supplies to Victor families who could benefit from additional support. Registration is required, space is limited, and families must register by July 1.  Additional information and registration details are available on The Spot's website . Questions may be directed to executivedirector@thespotny.org.

I also want to share that student placement information for the 2026-27 school year will be released in August. Waiting until August allows us to ensure that all information shared with families through ParentSquare Secure Documents is accurate and up to date.

To all of our Victor families, thank you for a wonderful year. To the Class of 2026 and their families, congratulations and best wishes as you begin this exciting new chapter. I hope you have a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable summer, and we look forward to welcoming you back in September.

With gratitude,

Tim 

June 12, 2026

Dear Families,

I hope you had a great week! We are heading toward the finish line of another successful school year, with the last day for students in grades 7–12 taking place on Tuesday, June 16, and the last day for students at the ECS, VPS, and VIS on Wednesday, June 24.

Celebrations are a major part of this time of year. Sunday is Flag Day, marking the anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as our nation’s official flag in 1777. This year is especially meaningful as our country prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding next month.

On Thursday, June 19, schools will be closed in observance of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. As a nation, we recognize this important moment in our history and celebrate the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity for all.

In addition to these national observances, the ECS Auditorium was filled with pride last night as our Board of Education recognized an exceptional group of students and staff. One of the highlights of the evening was celebrating five talented student artists whose work was selected for our Permanent Art Collection and will be displayed in the District Office for years to come. Congratulations to Delaney McShae, Ciaran Adams, Giancarlo Cordaro, Matthew Benedetti, and Sofia De Urioste on this outstanding accomplishment.

The Board also recognized DECA students who represented Victor at the International Career Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as our student Board of Education members, Aiden Calnon and Bella Polanco, for their leadership and service. In addition, we proudly celebrated 40 teachers, teacher assistants, and administrators who earned tenure, recognizing their dedication to students and their commitment to excellence in our schools.

Congratulations as well to the Victor Marching Band, which won the Marching Band Division of the Music Days Competition at Darien Lake last Saturday and earned the Grand Judges Award for achieving the highest score of the day with an impressive 99.3. Our Marching Band continues to excel and provides outstanding opportunities for students to grow as musicians, performers, and leaders.

Finally, best of luck to our student-athletes competing in state championship events this weekend. Our Girls Lacrosse Team will be seeking its fifth consecutive New York State Championship on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at SUNY Cortland. Our Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team will compete for a New York State Championship on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. We also wish our girls and boys track and field athletes the very best as they compete in state competition in Webster.

Thank you for your continued support of our schools. I hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

June 5, 2026

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a great week! As we move into June, there is a tremendous amount happening across our campus, and it has been wonderful to see our students being celebrated for their accomplishments in the classroom, on the stage, and in competition.

The celebrations for the Class of 2026 are officially underway. The final weeks of the school year are filled with special traditions that honor our seniors and the journey that brought them to this point. This week alone has included the Senior Parade, where graduates walked across campus in front of thousands of cheering students and staff, as well as the Senior Breakfast held this morning. We also look forward to the Senior Bash on June 18, a special tradition made possible through the hard work and support of our senior class parents.

Graduation for the Class of 2026 is scheduled for Monday, June 22, at 7:30 p.m. at Frontier Field, with fireworks to follow. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held on Friday, June 26. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with our graduates and their families.

Our students have also been incredibly busy in recent weeks. Yesterday, VJH hosted a wonderful art show featuring impressive work created by our eighth-grade artists. The creativity and talent on display were truly remarkable.

At the same time, our music department continues to shine. Since May 20, our students have performed in seven exceptional concerts, with more still to come, including the Suzuki Strings concert on Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. celebrating 60 years in Victor!

Last week, our eighth-grade Band, Chorus, and Orchestra traveled to the Darien Lake Music Festival and delivered outstanding performances. A special shout-out goes to the Chorus and Orchestra ensembles for taking first place in their respective divisions and to Jacob Trott for earning the Outstanding Soloist Award. In addition, one judge recognized the VJH Orchestra as the top musical ensemble of the entire day! We are incredibly proud of these students and grateful for the dedication of our music faculty. Our art and music programs continue to provide extraordinary opportunities for students to grow and excel.

In athletics, our Girls Track Team captured the sectional championship, and we had several Track & Field individual sectional champions as well. Congratulations to Ellis McIlhenney, Josie Suppo, Maggie Christenson, Bella Moon, Jack Kubinski, Maya Mott, Aubree Valdes, and Emma Christenson for earning Sectional titles.

I would also like to extend special congratulations to our Boys and Girls Lacrosse Teams, both of whom won sectional championships this past week in hard-fought contests against Pittsford. These victories reflect the teamwork, resilience, and commitment that each program has demonstrated throughout the season. We wish all of our student-athletes the very best as they continue competing at the regional and state levels.

A reminder that tomorrow (Saturday, June 6) is the Victor Robotics Recycling Drive from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Victor High School parking lot. The team will be collecting a variety of items, including used electronics, clothing, and non-perishable food items. Proceeds and donations from the drive support several local organizations, including the Victor-Farmington Food Cupboard and the Methodist Church Clothes Closet. A special thank you to our outstanding Robotics Team for finding meaningful ways to give back to our community.

Before I close, I would like to wish our seniors a wonderful time at the Senior Ball tonight. Please stay safe while traveling to and from the event, and enjoy this special opportunity to celebrate with your classmates.

Thank you for your continued support of our students, staff, and schools. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

May 29, 2026

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a fantastic week!

First, the Special Olympics was held earlier today at Newark Senior High School. We had 55 student-athletes from both the elementary and secondary levels compete, and their grit, determination, and talents were truly inspiring to witness. The energy and enthusiasm from both the participants and their supporters made it a memorable day for everyone involved. A huge thank you to our staff members and student helpers who accompanied our student-athletes and helped make this experience possible. Our Special Olympics athletes are outstanding role models, and we are incredibly proud of them!

Speaking of student talent, congratulations to Victor Primary School student Mila DeBenedetto, who is starring in Anastasia at Geva Theatre. The show opened last night and runs through June 28. Talent certainly runs in the family! Her brother, Ben, a student at Victor Intermediate School, is also starring in A Bronx Tale at The REV Theatre. We are thrilled to see both Mila and Ben showcasing their talents on stage and representing Victor so well! Ben's show runs from June 3–30, and tickets for both productions are available online.

As we celebrate the many successes and milestones that come with the end of another school year, we are also looking ahead and preparing for a strong start this fall. One way we're doing that is by partnering with The Spot for its annual Free Back-to-School Drive-Through Event for Victor Central School District families.

This wonderful event is designed to support families who may need assistance preparing for the new school year. Every registered student will receive a brand-new backpack and grade-specific school supplies at no cost. Registration is now open, but space is limited, so I encourage families to reserve their spot as soon as possible.

The registration deadline is June 30. To register, please visit The Spot's website. If you have any questions, please contact victorbacktoschool@thespotny.org.

Finally, we would like to wish the best of luck to our Boys and Girls Lacrosse teams and our Track and Field athletes as they continue their pursuit of Sectional Championships. We are incredibly proud of the dedication, teamwork, and resilience these students demonstrate every day, both on and off the field.

Have a wonderful weekend. As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim

May 21, 2026

Dear Families,

I hope you had a good week. I have a few updates for you today.

First, a huge thank you to the Victor community! The 2026-27 budget proposition passed with an impressive 76.5% approval rate. Additionally, the VCS Bus Bond Proposition also received community approval.

Congratulations to the two incumbents who were elected to the Board of Education for three-year terms beginning July 1st. The District looks forward to the continued guidance of Bryan Adams and Christopher Parks who, along with our entire Board of Education, offer a highly effective leadership team that always puts children first.

The successful passing of the budget clearly demonstrates the VCS community’s profound trust in our more than 800 dedicated faculty, staff, and administrators who serve our children. This successful vote underscores the VCS community's strong and ongoing commitment to providing an exemplary education for our children.

In addition, an immense note of gratitude goes to VCS District Clerk, Kate Selleck, Election Chairperson, Linda Tice, Chief Election Inspector, Jennifer Mehigan, and the entire group of adults overseeing our vote. They did an exemplary job leading the voting process. Special thanks to Assistant Superintendent for Business, Christine Griffin, for her leadership and oversight with the entire budget process and her clear communication, which allowed our community to understand the rationale behind our spending. 

Second, with summer heat already making an appearance this spring, we are closely monitoring the weather on extremely hot days to ensure everyone's safety. When the heat index (a calculation that includes temperature and relative humidity) rises above 100 degrees, we will strongly consider moving to a half-day schedule. Additionally, we have solid contingency plans in place for end-of-year testing, which include relocating exams to our larger, cooler campus spaces if necessary.

Finally, a reminder that there is no school tomorrow or on Monday, May 25th, as we observe Memorial Day. This day holds profound significance as we honor the more than one million American military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country since its founding. As we spend time with family and friends over the long weekend, I know our community will join together in remembering their sacrifice and honoring our nation's heroes.

Have a great weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.\

With gratitude,

Tim

May 15, 2026

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a fantastic week. I am sharing three updates as we head into the weekend.

First, a reminder that Tuesday, May 19th is the annual School Budget Vote for the 2026-27 school budget. The vote will be held at our ECS building in the Boardroom from 6:00 am until 9:00 pm. The budget expenditures for next school year are within the Tax Cap compliance. In addition, there are no reductions to people or programs, and we will maintain our current class size parameters. 

We take pride in delivering a premier education with a focus on both excellence and efficiency. Our students continue to reach outstanding academic milestones and enjoy a host of comprehensive opportunities. We achieve these results while maintaining a per-pupil expenditure and tax rate that remains below the average of our neighboring districts in Ontario, Monroe, and Wayne Counties.

More information on our budget can be found on this link to our website. You can also visit our Facebook and Instagram pages for relevant information on the budget. In addition, please email me at Terranovat@victorschools.org if you have any questions. Your vote is important. We look forward to seeing you at the polls on Tuesday!

In addition to the vote on May 19th, the campus will be filled with many other exciting events. These include: 

• Random Acts of Art (5:00-7:00 pm) - Senior High Art Wing

• Cares Carnival (3:30-6:30 pm) - North Fields by HS sponsored by VSH Cares Club

• VSH Orchestras Concert (7:00 pm) - JH/SH Performing Arts Center

• Many athletic events throughout the afternoon & evening

Second, last night, we joined the Board of Education in celebrating our 2025-26 retirees. We are incredibly proud to honor these 32 professionals for their years of exceptional service. Their legacy is measured in the lives they’ve changed and the lasting difference they’ve made for our students. To our retirees: thank you for everything!

Finally, congratulations to Victor Senior High School students Jacob VanRensselaer, Tenzin Jordan, Annie Porter, and Kendall Jones who placed first in the Ontario County Envirothon last month. Winning this competition earned them the opportunity to participate in the state competition in two weeks at SUNY Cortland. 

Envirothon is a national competition that tests students in the field of Environmental Science and is judged by college professors and NY Department of Environmental Conservation employees. Congratulations to these budding scientists as they move to the state competition. 

Have a wonderful weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

May 8, 2026

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a fantastic week. We have several exciting updates and important reminders to share as we head into the weekend.

First, I want to extend a special thank you to our PTSA for facilitating the Board of Education "Meet the Candidates" night this past Tuesday. In addition to the discussion with our candidates, we held a public Budget Presentation. If you were unable to attend, you can find the recording and comprehensive budget information on our website. Please keep an eye on your mailbox for our budget newsletter arriving in the next few days, and look for more detailed information on our social media throughout next week.

As a reminder, if you are not already registered to vote in general elections, our Voter Registration day is Tuesday, May 12, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm in our District Office. Additionally, the School Budget Vote will take place the following Tuesday, May 19, from 6:00 am until 9:00 pm in the ECS Boardroom.

With the arrival of warmer weather, it is wonderful to see more of our students enjoying the walk or ride to and from school. To keep our roads as safe as our classrooms, I would like to share a few reminders. Our campuses can become quite congested during drop-off and pick-up times, so we appreciate you driving slowly (the campus speed limit is 15 mph) and looking out for one another. Choosing to slow down and allowing a few extra minutes for your commute ensures that every student gets to and from school safely.

Additionally, as we see more e-bikes and scooters on the road, please take a moment to review the specific laws regarding their use. In New York State, riders must be at least 16 years old to operate an e-bike, and helmet use is critical for our students' safety. I have attached a helpful flyer from the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office so parents and students can review these regulations together. A huge thank you as well to our safety and traffic teams for their tireless efforts to keep safety a top priority during arrival and dismissal.

This week, we also continued to celebrate our incredible faculty and staff! In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we recognize that a teacher’s role extends far beyond academics. Our educators are the cornerstone of our district, teaching our children character and social-emotional intelligence while ensuring every student feels a sense of belonging and value at VCS. We also celebrated School Nurse Appreciation Day on Wednesday. Our phenomenal nurses do an amazing job ensuring the health and well-being of our students and staff, and we greatly appreciate their leadership. We are also so grateful to the Victor PTSA for the wonderful staff appreciation celebrations and their year-round support.

One of the hallmarks of VCS is our commitment to providing comprehensive opportunities for our students. On the heels of the recent announcement that Victor was rated one of the best schools for music education in the country, I am proud to share that Victor Junior High has been named a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Distinguished Gateway School, and Victor Senior High has been named a PLTW Distinguished High School. This recognition celebrates our commitment to increasing student engagement and achievement in technology and engineering programs. Thank you to our Career and Occupational Studies teachers for their tremendous impact on improving opportunities for our students.

Finally, I want to wish a very Happy Mother’s Day to all of our VCS moms! I hope your Sunday is filled with rest, relaxation, and quality time with your families. Have a wonderful weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

May 1, 2026

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to May! I hope you all had a great week. It is great to see our campus and community coming to life as the weather warms up.

We are currently in the final stages of our 2026-2027 budget process. The annual Budget Hearing is scheduled for this Tuesday, May 5th, from 7:00 to 7:30 PM in the JH/SH Performing Arts Center. During the hearing, we will discuss the specifics of the budget and answer questions from the community. This will be followed immediately by Meet the Board Candidates Night from 7:30 to 8:30 PM, which is sponsored by the PTSA. This year, we have three candidates running for two open positions: incumbents Bryan Adams and Christopher Parks, and challenger James Sawers. For those unable to attend in person, this event will be livestreamed.

To ensure every resident is informed, our annual Spring Budget Newsletter will be arriving in mailboxes between May 8th and May 13th. This publication is packed with essential details, including a question and answer section. In the meantime, you can find updated budget information on our website or you can submit your questions to me via email at terranovat@victorschools.org. 

A reminder that our Budget Vote will take place on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Early Childhood School Boardroom from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

Beyond the budget, there are many exciting things to celebrate. Please join me in congratulating our exceptional Music Department! For the sixth consecutive year, the NAMM Foundation has named VCS as one of the Best Communities for Music Education in the country. This prestigious award is a testament to our District’s unwavering commitment to excellence and equitable access to the arts. It is a monumental achievement by a talented team and underscores the vital role music plays at Victor.

Congratulations to our 11 outstanding Victor DECA members who earned the opportunity to compete at the highest level, representing our school at the DECA International Career Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. This achievement represents months of preparation and a dedication to their craft. We are especially proud to share that senior Ashna Rahman earned a Blue and Silver Medallion award at the conference, a distinguished honor recognizing outstanding performance at the highest level of competition.

The month of May also gives us a wonderful opportunity to recognize the many professionals who make our District such a special place to be. This past Tuesday was Bus Driver Appreciation Day. Our drivers, monitors, mechanics, and transportation staff are the backbone of our District. They keep us moving safely to and from school, field trips, and hundreds of athletic events year-round. We cannot thank them enough for their dedicated service to our children.

Today was School Lunch Hero Day, honoring the staff who work tirelessly to prioritize the nutritional needs of our students while making every meal enjoyable. My sincere thanks go to Alix Tepol-Dewitt and her amazing team for the critically important work they do every day. Today we also celebrated our incredible principals for National School Principals' Day. Their leadership and deep dedication to shaping a bright future for every student do not go unnoticed, and we sincerely appreciate their efforts in maintaining a secure and nurturing environment.

Next week brings even more opportunities for celebration, as we recognize Teacher Appreciation Week and School Nurse Appreciation Day.

Finally, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Since 1949, this month has served as a cornerstone for addressing the challenges faced by millions of Americans. Our goal is to help eradicate stigma, extend support, and advocate for policies that prioritize the well-being of individuals and families. At VCS, we believe that caring for one’s mental health is just as vital as supporting one's physical health. We remain firmly committed to this initiative and to fostering a culture of wellness for every student and staff member.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend! As always, please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

April 24, 2026

Hello Everyone,

I hope you’ve all had a great week! I have four brief but important updates to share with you this evening regarding our campus safety, upcoming budget vote, and recent celebrations within our district.

First, I want to share a reminder regarding driver safety as we navigate local infrastructure changes. Due to the current closure on High Street near Lane Road, and the permanent conversion of the Lane Road and Lynaugh Road intersection to a four-way stop this coming Monday, we expect increased congestion on several routes near our campus. Please continue to exercise patience and caution during your commute. 

Additionally, I would like to extend a special thank you to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office for their recent partnership in "Operation Safe Stop." This initiative increased law enforcement visibility to prevent motorists from illegally passing school buses. We are deeply grateful for the Sheriff’s Office’s commitment to ending this dangerous practice and ensuring our children remain safe while boarding and exiting their buses.

Next, thank you to everyone who has shown continued interest in our 2026-2027 budget. The Annual Vote and Board of Education Election will take place on May 19th in the Early Childhood School Boardroom between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM. Specific details regarding the budget proposal can be found on our website. 

If you would like to learn more in person, please join us on Tuesday, May 5th, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM for our annual Budget Forum and "Meet the Candidate" Night at the JH/SH Arts Center. We are grateful to the PTSA for sponsoring this informative event. Additionally, the District’s Budget Newsletter will be mailed to homes after the Budget Forum. As always, please reach out to me directly if you have any questions.

I also want to highlight that this past Wednesday was Administrative Professionals Day. We took the opportunity to recognize our secretaries, administrative assistants, and support staff who serve as the foundation of our District. While their work is often behind the scenes, their impact on our school culture and our collective success is immeasurable. They are the backbone of our daily operations, and I hope you will join me in thanking them for their dedication and the positive environment they create for our students.

Finally, as we recognize April as Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, I wanted to share some special news. Tomorrow (April 25th) the Ability Partners Foundation is hosting its 16th Annual Autism Awareness & Acceptance Walk at Eastview Mall, and our very own Matt Crane has been named the Honorary Chair! Matt, a dedicated member of our unified basketball and bowling teams, represents the incredible power of perseverance and grit. The event begins with registration at 8:00 AM at the Food Court (Entrance #5), and the walk kicks off at 8:30 AM. There is no registration fee, and free t-shirts will be available while supplies last.  It is a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together in support of Matt and the vital services provided by Happiness House.

Have a great weekend! Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

April 17, 2026

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a great week! I have three brief messages this evening.

First, I am appreciative of our Board of Education adopting the 2026-27 School Budget at last evening’s meeting. A special thank you goes to our Board of Education who have spent countless hours advocating to state leaders for an appropriate amount of aid. Despite New York State still not having a budget as of this writing, we believe this advocacy will help lessen the impact of our expenses on the community.

The total school budget for next school year is $116,316,911, a 5.9% increase from this year. This budget includes no projected cuts to people or programs, and we anticipate maintaining our current optimal class sizes. However, we are slightly reducing certain staffing levels through natural attrition and careful planning. 

Despite these efforts, expenses are still increasing because of items such as health care, utilities, and BOCES costs. The District is keeping the tax levy increase at 4.29%, successfully remaining within the Tax Cap. We are still finalizing the approximate true tax rate and will communicate that later in April.

Please visit our website for more information, or reach out to me directly at terranovat@victorschools.org if you have questions. We also invite you to a Facebook Town Hall to discuss the budget on Tuesday, April 21st, at 6:30 pm and are holding our Budget Hearing and Meet the Board of Education Candidate’s night on May 5th at 7:00 pm in the JH/SH Auditorium. 

Next, I want to share a shout-out to all the students recognized at last night's Board meeting, including musical performers from Mean Girls and our winter sectional title winners, which were many. The tradition of honoring student achievement at Board of Education meetings is a wonderful way to showcase the many accomplishments of our amazing children.

This spirit of achievement was also on full display this past weekend as over 700 students participated in the Victor Solo Festival, with 92 of those participants coming from our own Junior High. Solo Festival would not have run so smoothly if it weren't for the dedication from the Intermediate, Junior High, and Senior High Music Department, the amazing Cafeteria Staff who provided food for all judges and teachers, and the members of NHS who volunteered to help work the registration desk and act as runners and judges assistants. 

Finally, please be aware that effective Monday, April 27, 2026, the Ontario County Department of Public Works will be implementing a permanent conversion of the intersection at Lane Road and Lynaugh Road to a 4-way (all-way) stop. Currently Lynaugh Road does not have a stop sign at this intersection. This is obviously a big change and we wanted to make everyone aware to maximize safety. 

Have a great weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim 

April 10, 2026

Dear Families,

I hope everyone had a wonderful week as the weather slowly improves. We have so much to celebrate within our school community this week, from prestigious individual scholarships to international musical performances.

First, I would like to recognize senior Jack Kubinski, who was awarded the first annual Charlie Maves Scholarship in a heartfelt ceremony on Wednesday evening at Legion Post 931. Charlie Maves was an Air Force veteran who donated thousands of hours to the Legion. Following his recent passing, Legion 931 chose to honor his memory by recognizing a student who embodies that same spirit of service with a scholarship of over one thousand dollars. They made an outstanding choice in Jack. Through his company, Yards for the Brave, Jack volunteered to provide fall cleanup for veterans in need throughout Victor and Monroe County free of charge. An exceptional student and athlete, Jack is headed to John Carroll University in the fall and plans to continue his mission of helping veterans while attending school. Awesome job, Jack!

The celebrations continue with Yamalihelys "Yama" Viera Rabell. Last month, the high school held a special signing ceremony to celebrate her full ride scholarship to Niagara University. Yama is the recipient of the prestigious Lois Lyon Brennan Scholars Program, a fully funded four-year scholarship designed to provide a transformational college experience for high-achieving students. We are so proud of her hard work and dedication.

Our students are also making their mark on the global stage. We are thrilled to celebrate our Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra members: Nathan Woodworth (Cello), Joshua Lin (Violin), Samantha Martz (Violin), and Karena Chumacero (Oboe). These talented musicians just returned from a tour of France where they performed in Paris, Avignon, and Nice. 

In addition to these musical achievements, please join me in congratulating our fantastic Victor Indoor Percussion Ensemble (VIPE) for winning the 2026 NYS Open Class Indoor Percussion Championship! Their hard work and precision have truly paid off this season. VIPE will be competing at Nationals next week in Dayton, Ohio. 

This week also marks National Assistant Principals (APs) Week. We have been celebrating the incredible work our assistant principals do every day, as their roles are critical to the success of our schools. Our APs manage essential administrative details, support our faculty and staff, and build meaningful relationships with our students and families. Their contributions are vital to student achievement and the overall well-being of our school community. We have an incredible group at VCS, and we are very thankful for their leadership.

Looking ahead to the end of the year, we are pleased to share our final schedule. Because we have not exceeded our full allotment of snow days, the last day of school for elementary students will be Wednesday, June 24. For our Junior and Senior High students, the last day of classes is Tuesday, June 16, with exams running from June 17 through Thursday, June 25. Of course, the highlight of the season will be Graduation on Monday, June 22 at 7:30 PM at Innovative Field (with a rain date of June 26). We cannot wait to celebrate this incredible milestone with our graduates and their families.

As always, have a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead with your family. Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

Happy Spring Break! 

March 27, 2026

Dear Families, 

I hope everyone had a wonderful week and is looking forward to the upcoming spring break!

As you follow our weekly updates, you see consistent evidence of our students’ incredible accomplishments, not only in the classroom but also through a wide array of co-curricular, extracurricular, and community opportunities. A powerful example of this growth is the recent success of our students with disabilities (SWDs). We have seen a transformative rise in graduation rates for SWDs, which jumped from 52.9% in 2021 to 89% for the 2024-25 school year.

Please take a moment to review this graphic developed by our dedicated Special Education Department. It highlights how strategic shifts—such as expanding Integrated Co-Taught (ICT) services and providing specialized reading blocks—are ensuring our students gain the skills and credits necessary to graduate alongside their peers.

These results stem from two key factors. First, they are the product of the expertise of our faculty and staff, the partnership of our families, and the sheer tenacity of our students. Our children possess unlimited potential, as evidenced by a significant rise in students transitioning to less restrictive learning environments. Second, we recognize that we still have work to do. We never stop looking for ways to strengthen our skills and improve our results for the sake of every child in our District.

This spirit of success is exactly why we must face our current budget challenges with transparency and creative thinking. The good news is that we do not anticipate any loss of student programs, any reduction in staff members, or any increase to our class size parameters for the next school year. However, the challenge before us is the widening gap between our expected revenues and expenses. Our budget gap has doubled since last year, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to fill this gap as we move forward.

Thanks to the leadership of our Board of Education, we are proactively putting measures in place to decrease this shortfall. Recently, members of our Board, administration, and the Victor Teachers’ Association traveled to Albany. We held a rare joint meeting with Senator Pam Helming and the NY State Senate Education Chair, Shelley Mayer. We thank them both for their bipartisan leadership in listening to our district’s specific needs. Our advocacy focused on two critical areas: securing appropriate yearly funding increases and addressing the unsustainable rise in healthcare premium costs, which is the primary driver of our expense increases. We are building a partnership with both of these political leaders to increase the likelihood that we can solve these issues together.

I will provide a formal update on the proposed 2026-27 budget following Board approval in April. In the meantime, I encourage you to visit the advocacy page on our website for more information. 

While we work to secure our financial future, we are also focused on inspiring the future of our profession. I want to share a special thank you to David Passero and Sue Utz for spearheading our first-ever Future Educators Panel this past Wednesday, March 25th. This event was a wonderful collaboration between our Human Resources department and the Work-Based Learning Program. Nearly 50 Victor Senior High students gathered in the JH/SH Performing Arts Center and were fully engaged with thoughtful questions for our guest speakers.

We are so thankful for the expertise shared by VCS teachers, Sarah Toy and Mike Modleski, along with our guest college administrators and students for their invaluable contributions. As Dr. Julie Troman from SUNY Geneseo noted during the session, education is "the one profession that makes all others possible." By showing our students that a career in education is a way to give back to the community that raised them, we are truly investing in Victor’s future.

As always, have a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead with your family. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again when school reopens on Monday, April 6th. Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

March 20, 2026

Dear Families,

I hope you have all had a wonderful week! I have four brief messages.

First, examples of selfless leadership are abundant across our district. I want to extend a huge congratulations to junior Iselle Rucci, who was honored this afternoon by Senator Pam Helming as one of 26 regional high school juniors recognized for excellence in leadership. The Youth Awards program celebrates young people making a meaningful impact, and Iselle’s commitment to others makes her a truly deserving recipient. We are incredibly proud of her!

Additionally, thanks to the Victor Teachers’ Association, we recently presented the Volunteer Committed to Service award. This year’s honoree is Kelly Pappajohn, a VCS parent and tireless volunteer. Whether supporting youth athletics or our various school programs, Kelly epitomizes the spirit of service. She is a phenomenal role model for our students, and we are deeply grateful for her immense dedication to our community.

Second, you will notice increased activity on campus as we ramp up the Capital Project renovations approved by the community in October 2024.

• The Learning Center: Extensive work is underway on our High Street facility to ensure it meets safety guidelines so it can serve our students effectively throughout the school day.

• Career & Technical Education (CTE) Center: We have begun transforming the former bus garage into a dedicated CTE center, which will house our vocational auto programming and other specialized, CTE courses.

• Infrastructure: Next week, construction begins on a new parking lot near the Intermediate School, adding over 100 much-needed spaces. We are also beginning renovations on the soccer field, which will provide increased access to our fields for multiple athletic teams, as well as our Marching Band.

Detailed updates are available on our district website. We appreciate your continued patience as we modernize our facilities.

Third, Victor Central School District is hosting two Bus Driver Job Fairs with on-the-spot interviews from the comfort of a school bus. Our two fairs will include interviews, pizza, and a campus tour. Victor drivers have an incredible benefits package, flexible hours, and a $6,000/$4,500 sign on bonus. The Bus Driver Job Fairs will occur at our Transportation Department. 

Dates & Times:

• Tuesday, March 24, 5-7 p.m.

• Saturday, April 11, 11-1 p.m.

Finally, the many events this weekend are another example of what makes our community so special.

Tomorrow, March 21, we recognize World Down Syndrome Day, a global celebration officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. This day serves to raise awareness and celebrate the vital roles individuals with Down syndrome play in our lives. At VCS, we remain deeply committed to fostering inclusivity and teaching the values of empathy and the inherent strength found in our diversity.

The excitement continues on campus tomorrow with the Victor Indoor Percussion Ensemble (VIPE) 2026 Home Show, Rhythm in Motion. Starting at 1:00 PM in the VSH Gymnasium, we will host 10 visiting ensembles representing the very best of our regional talent. Please come out and enjoy the show. 

Beyond our borders, please join me in cheering for VSH students Gavin Canzano and Allison Patton. They are currently in Airolo, Switzerland, representing the United States as they compete against the world's best at the Junior Worlds Ski Championship this weekend!

Lastly, I want to send a shout out to the 250+ seniors and our dedicated chaperones currently exploring Boston on the Senior Trip. We wish them a memorable final evening and a safe journey home tomorrow night.

Have a great weekend and please reach out if you have any questions. 

With gratitude,

Tim

March 13, 2026

Dear Victor Families,

I hope you have all had a wonderful week! We have so much to celebrate regarding our students this month, and I want to start by highlighting the incredible talent on display across our district.

Last evening, we held our District Orchestra concert where over 600 students performed in the VSH gymnasium. It was a spectacular event and a perfect example of why Victor is recognized by the NAMM Foundation as one of the best communities for music education. 

In addition to our ensemble success, we have other student shout-outs. Congratulations to senior violinist Ben Song, who won the Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra’s “Mark Bradley Young Artist Competition” and will perform a solo with the orchestra on May 3rd.

We also celebrate senior Eliza Kostecki, who has been chosen to perform the National Anthem at the Ronald McDonald All-Star Basketball Games at Gates-Chili High School. This is a wonderful honor, and we are proud to have her representing Victor at both the 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM games on March 27.

Innovation was on full display today as the Victor Devil Tech Team 1559 competed in the FIRST Robotics Finger Lakes Regional at RIT; we wish them the best of luck as they continue the competition tomorrow. Additionally, 24 of our students represented Victor at the UN Association of Rochester (Model UN) Conference at St. John Fisher. A special congratulations to Olivia (Via) Ofori and John Burdick for being named Outstanding Delegate and Best Delegate respectively.

We will be celebrating student achievement during our next Facebook Live Town Hall this coming Wednesday, March 18th at 6:30 pm. I am looking forward to having representatives from our Robotics team, our Sectional championship winter athletic teams, and our individual Sectional champions join me.

I also want to share three other brief messages. First, your voices are making a difference. We recently heard from NY State Senator Brouk’s leadership team that they have never seen such clear advocacy from a single district before. If you would like to continue supporting these efforts, please consider using this Advocacy Toolkit on our website and sending a letter to our representatives.

Second, please be aware that the Town of Victor will be closing High Street at the Thruway Bridge for repairs. Weather permitting, detours will be set and the road will close on March 30th, with work expected to last through the end of August. According to town leadership, none of the other three bridges (Willowbrook, CR-9, and Brownsville) are planned for closures this year. I have included a map of the detour route with this message to help you plan your pick-up and drop-off routines accordingly.

Finally, we are asking for your help with the Cares Club Spring Break Snack Packs, a wonderful initiative that supports over 100 families in our community. If you are able to help, our student leadership will be collecting donations on Monday, March 23rd. We are currently in need of mac and cheese (individual portions or boxes) along with fruit or applesauce cups. You can find donation bins in the main office or at the entrance of each building.

Thank you for your generosity and for everything you do for our students. Have a great weekend and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

March 6, 2026

Hello Everyone,

It has been a truly remarkable week across our district. This week’s update includes student achievement, staff recognition, and highlights of the coming week. 

First, a reminder that our Theater Arts Department presents Mean Girls tonight at 7 pm with additional performances at 1:00 and 7:00 pm tomorrow. Tickets can be purchased on our website. Although Mean Girls is an appropriate musical for high school, it does include mature, high school-related themes. Please consider this when bringing younger children to the performance.

In addition, we are giving a heartfelt farewell to Steve Slavny, who will be stepping down as District Safety Coordinator effective July 1, 2026. Over the past four years, Steve has been instrumental in building our safety team and infrastructure, leading our security efforts with a steadfast commitment to protecting our students and staff.

Steve has always put students first and has been an amazing advocate for our community throughout his thirteen years with us, which followed twenty-three years of distinguished service with the New York State Police. While his decision to step down is bittersweet, we are immensely grateful for his decades of public service and the leadership that has left a lasting impact on our district. To ensure we continue the vital work he has championed, we will officially post for the District Safety Coordinator position next week.

The excellence demonstrated by our staff is mirrored by the achievements of our students. Gianna Arnitz was awarded the prestigious Victor Central School District Senior of the Year award this past Thursday at the WFL BOCES Conference Center. Each school district in the region nominates one senior for this award based on leadership, scholarship, and service toward others. Gianna was chosen because she excels in all three areas. 

In addition, Gianna was one of seven honorees from across the region to earn an additional scholarship award. The scholarship, from the law firm Ferrara Fiorenza, is valued at one thousand dollars.  She is an amazing young adult, and it was a pleasure honoring her and her family at this event. 

In that same spirit of student excellence, congratulations to our DECA club! Forty-three Victor Senior High School students competed yesterday and today at the New York State DECA Career Conference, joining more than 3,000 of the top business students from across the state. We are proud to share that 11 Victor students earned DECA Glass, qualifying them for the International Career Development Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia in April. In addition, three students placed in the Top 10 in their event, and nine more earned multiple medals!

Our students are able to reach these heights because of the incredible support systems surrounding them, and this week marks National School Social Worker’s Week. We want to recognize the compassion our social workers bring to our families every day. These dedicated professionals support the emotional well-being of our students, while also supporting families and our greater community. They form an essential support network that is critical to the success of our District.  

Finally, we have an exciting week ahead. Good luck to the varsity Boys Basketball team who plays in the sectional championship game tomorrow (Saturday) at 9:00 am at the Blue Cross Arena and all of our individual athletes competing in state competition across our region. In addition, the District Strings Concert is Thursday, March 12th in the VSH gymnasium. It includes a special recognition of our amazing Suzuki Strings program’s 60th anniversary. 

Friday, March 13th is a Superintendent’s Conference Day, which means there will be no school for students. Lastly, don’t forget that Daylight Saving time begins this Sunday, which means set your clocks ahead by one hour.

I hope you have a great weekend! If you have any questions, please reach out to me. 

With gratitude,

Tim

​February 27, 2026

Dear Victor Families,

As we move into the final stretch of the winter season, I am continually amazed by the diverse talents and dedication of our students. From national-level musical achievements to the grit and determination shown across our many championship-winning athletic programs, we have several exciting updates to share with our community today.

First, we are pleased to share that VCS has been approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to certify eligible students for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA, Chapter 35) benefits. The DEA provides a monthly financial stipend to help pay for education and training for the dependents (children or spouses) of certain Veterans and service members who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected condition, died while on active duty, or died as a result of a service-connected disability. Children (ages 18-26), spouses of qualifying Veterans or service members, and eligible high school seniors (age 18+) enrolled in VA-approved VCSD programs are eligible. If you have questions, please contact Senior High Principal Brian Siesto at (585) 924-3252 ext. 6404.

Second, our winter sports season has been a huge success. Congratulations to our sectional champion girls indoor track team! In addition, congratulations to individual boys track and field champions Jack Kubinski and Kevin Madison. Congratulations to individual girls track and field champions Josephine Suppo, Laurel Johnson, Maggie Christenson, Aubree Valdes, Maya Mott, Emileigh Perrotta, Emma Christenson, Sophia Lapenna, Maeve Donlon, and Kelsey Shaffer.

Also, we are thrilled about our sectional champion boys bowling team, as well as sectional wrestling champion Mason Naple. In addition, a huge shoutout to senior Adam Wakalee, who not only won a sectional title for boys bowling but also qualified for the state championships in both bowling and swimming! This is an incredible feat.

Third, our performing arts program continues to earn regional acclaim. This week, three of our exceptional choral students traveled to Providence, Rhode Island, after being selected for the American Choral Directors’ Association (ACDA) Eastern Division Honor Choirs. Out of more than 2,000 students who submitted blind auditions, only 200 were selected. Congratulations to Josaphine Adams (9th Grade), Jane Escudero (8th Grade), and Zoe Baker (8th Grade). They are working this week under the baton of world-class conductors Dr. Robert T. Gibson and Ms. Cindy Ellis. We are so proud to have them representing Victor on such a prestigious stage.

Finally, get your tickets ready! Our cast and crew are putting the finishing touches on this year’s production of Mean Girls. It promises to be an energetic, high-quality production you won’t want to miss.

Performance Schedule:

• Thursday, March 5: 7:00 PM

• Friday, March 6: 7:00 PM

• Saturday, March 7: 1:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Tickets are available now on our website. Come out and support our talented performers!

I hope you and your family have a great weekend! If you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim

Hope you are having a wonderful vacation! See you next week!

February 13, 2026

Dear Families,

I hope you’ve had a wonderful week! As we approach the start of our February break tomorrow, I wish you and your family a restful and enjoyable time together. Before we head into the recess, I have a few important leadership updates, district news, and several well-deserved celebrations to share.

First, I want to share an update regarding the Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Services. Mrs. Karyn Ryan, who continues to do an outstanding job in this role, had originally planned to retire this March. However, after an initial search process, we have decided to reopen the position to ensure we find the best possible fit for our district.

I am incredibly grateful to share that Mrs. Ryan has agreed to stay on through the end of the school year. We truly appreciate her continued commitment to our students. The position is currently posted on our website, and I will keep you updated as we work toward hiring an exceptional leader for the future.

Additionally, the 2026-27 School Calendar was officially approved at last night’s Board of Education meeting. You can now find the full schedule on our district website to help with your long-term planning.

While the school year moves forward, you may have noticed that exciting changes are officially underway on the VCS campus! Construction fencing is now up around the Learning Center and the former bus garage, signaling the start of our much-anticipated Capital Project.

As we move through these initial building phases, our priority is keeping you informed. We will provide regular updates regarding any temporary changes to facility access, campus traffic patterns, or road usage. We deeply appreciate your patience and flexibility as we embark on these essential improvements to enhance campus security, modernize our facilities, and expand our parking capacity.

A project of this scale, especially when combined with a long, harsh winter, requires an incredible amount of "behind-the-scenes" effort. We cannot thank our grounds crew, facilities department, transportation department, and traffic control professionals enough. Their work is critical to the well-being of our students and staff, and they have done an exceptional job keeping our campus clear and transporting our children safely.

Our appreciation also goes out to the PTSA for hosting such a wonderful Book Fair recently. It was a joy to see our students so excited about reading! We are lucky to have a PTSA that partners so closely with us to provide these memorable educational experiences.

Finally, please join me in congratulating the Victor Winterguard! They took home 1st place in their division at the Victor Home Show on January 31st, competing against twenty-two other school ensembles. We are extremely proud of their hard work and wish them the best of luck in their upcoming performances.

Have a safe and happy February break! If you have any questions, please reach out. We look forward to seeing everyone again when school reopens on Monday, February 23rd.

With gratitude,

Tim

February 6, 2026

I hope you’ve had a great week! I have several important updates to share with you today.

First, I want to share a note regarding student mental health. Between the shorter days and the quiet grind of winter, our students are constantly balancing their roles as scholars, athletes, musicians, artists, employees, and friends. That is a lot to carry, and it is completely natural for energy to dip as the pressure of new goals begins to mount. Please know that a student's well-being will always matter more than any grade or trophy. If things feel challenging, we encourage our students to reach out to a teacher, coach, or any trusted adult in our buildings.

Families, you often see the subtle shifts in mood that we may miss at school, and we want you to know that we are your partners. Whether you need a sounding board or specific resources, our Student Support team is ready to help. Please contact your child’s principal or school counselor for any assistance you may need.

This is a perfect segue to recognize our School Counselors. This week was National School Counseling Week, and I want to extend a huge thank you to our wonderful Victor counselors. We truly have the best team, and we are so grateful for the wealth of care, commitment, and resources they provide for the well-being of our students.

In the spirit of positive relationships, our students are continuing to give back to our community. For example, students across the District are currently collecting donations to assist their peers during the upcoming February break. Collection boxes are located in the main office of each building, and we will be gathering items through Monday, February 9th. If you are able, please consider donating individually packed Goldfish crackers, pretzels, fruit roll-ups, or fruit snacks. We are also in need of brown paper bags or reusable bags to help distribute items to larger families. Thank you for the kindness that makes our community so special.

February also marks Black History Month: a time to recognize the African American trailblazers who have shaped every corner of our society, from grassroots activists to icons of industry and culture. This year is especially significant as we celebrate a historic milestone: the centennial of Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s first organized week of recognition in 1926. Throughout the month, we invite you to explore the commemorative events and displays hosted across each of our five buildings.

On that note, I want to offer a huge congratulations to the 26 VSHS students who were recognized by the Urban League of Rochester as Black Scholars for the 2024-25 school year. We celebrated their achievements at a ceremony last evening in the JH/SH Auditorium. For over four decades, the Urban League of Rochester Black Scholars program has provided academic recognition, college readiness assistance, and scholarship incentives to students of color who maintain a strong academic average throughout high school. This is an enormous accomplishment, and we are so very proud of these students!

I hope you have a great weekend. Stay warm, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

January 30, 2026

Dear Families,

I hope you’ve had a wonderful week! As we wrap up the month, I want to provide an important update on our budget process and share several exciting celebrations from across the District.

Since the beginning of January, I have been sharing the financial challenges we face as a District. Our priority remains clear: ensuring we have the resources necessary to maintain the high standard of excellence that defines Victor Central School District. During last night’s Budget Workshop, we discussed the sizable gap between projected revenues and rising expenses. For the upcoming school year, even without adding new positions or increasing spending on supplies and equipment, we face a projected budget gap of $1.1 million to $3.3 million. Additionally, we must address a $3.6 million carry-over gap from the previous year, which was temporarily covered by our fund balance.

The good news is that through careful planning and rigorous analysis, we are confident we can close this gap in the short term without reducing student programming, cutting staff, or exceeding our class-size parameters. While no guarantees can be made this early in the process, we are planning with the firm intent to avoid these drastic measures.

Ensuring the long-term health of our District requires shared leadership and sustainable solutions to our structural deficit. One immediate way you can help is by sending the advocacy letter discussed in previous updates to the Governor’s regional representative, Jacob Gilbert-Mahoney, at Jacob.Gilbert-Mahoney@exec.ny.gov.

This spirit of collaboration also extends to our Community Partner work, where over 30 community members are exploring "outside-the-box" ideas to generate revenue beyond taxes and save on expenses without negatively impacting programming. I explained this concept in previous updates. We will keep you informed every step of the way, and we encourage you to visit our website for the most up-to-date budget information.

While we work through these fiscal challenges, our students continue to shine in incredible ways! First, I want to extend a huge congratulations to the 14 students who were inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society earlier this week. This society recognizes students who go above and beyond both academically and musically, providing them with leadership opportunities to make a difference through music-based service projects. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments!

The excitement continues tomorrow, Saturday, with our Winterguard Home Show, "Images in Motion." The event begins at 4:00 PM in the VSH Gymnasium, and VCS is thrilled to host 22 incredible ensembles from across New York State. We are especially excited to cheer on our own Varsity and JV teams. The JV performs at 4:54 PM and Varsity takes the floor at 7:11 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students. We would love to see a great turnout for this awesome event!

Finally, our annual PTSA Book Fair for Primary and Intermediate students will be held from Monday, February 2nd through Tuesday, February 10th. The fair is open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in the Primary School auditorium. For those who cannot make it during the day, there are two opportunities for families to visit together: Wednesday, February 4th from 4:00–7:00 PM and Saturday, February 7th from 9:00 AM–Noon. For more details, please visit the Book Fair website.

I hope you have a great weekend. As always, please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

January 23, 2026

Hi everyone,

I hope you’ve all had a terrific week! I know most of you are wondering about school on Monday because of the weather forecast. Our campus is open this evening and tomorrow. We are monitoring the situation closely and I will communicate with you in the event that we need to delay or close school on Monday due to the weather. We will we will notify you via:

• ParentSquare message

• District social media

• Local television and radio stations

Keeping our campus safe and accessible during these winter months is a massive undertaking, and I am incredibly grateful to our facilities and traffic control personnel for their hard work.

It has been a busy and productive few days across the district, and I have a few exciting updates and important reminders to share with you as we head into the weekend.

First, I want to share some amazing news from our fine arts department. Tonight at 6:00 PM, five of our incredibly talented students will be honored at the RIT Art Show Opening Reception in the Bevier Gallery (Booth Hall).

With only 36 awards given out of approximately 200 pieces on display, having five of our own recognized is a wonderful achievement! Please join me in congratulating:

• Matthew Benedetti (8th Grade)

• Claire Christenson (Senior)

• Mare Taylor (Senior)

• Lydia Kingsley (Senior)

• Abigail Coria (Senior)

We are so proud of these students and the dedicated teachers who have guided them!

The creativity continues tomorrow, Saturday, January 24th, as the PIE/PTSA sponsors Awesome Art Day from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM in the Primary School Cafeteria. This is a fantastic, family-friendly event with activities for all ages. We hope to see you there!

Looking ahead to next week, please mark your calendars for our next Facebook LIVE Town Hall on Tuesday, January 27th. I’ll be joined by student leaders from VPS and VIS to discuss the great things happening in their buildings and how they practice leadership every day.

Regarding our financial planning for the next school year, we will host our first Budget Workshop next week on Thursday, January 29th in the ECS Boardroom starting at 5:30 PM. For those unable to join us in person, you can tune into the livestream or watch the recording at your convenience on our website, where a full schedule of upcoming meeting dates is also available.

Over the last several weeks, my messages have focused on the importance of budget advocacy. Next week, I will go into more detail about our initial budget situation.

Thank you for your continued support of our schools and students. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

January 16, 2026

Dear Families,

I hope you had a great week! Despite the recent stretch of messy weather, our students and staff have kept the momentum going strong. That energy was on full display last night at the Harlem Wizards basketball game. A huge shout-out to the PTSA and our entire community! Together, we raised $14,000 to support our amazing PTSA and the work they do to help VCS!

That same spirit of excellence extended to the international stage this past weekend. Victor sophomore Gavin Canzano made history competing for the U.S. Ski Team at the FIS World Cup in Lake Placid. Gavin officially became the youngest athlete in U.S. history to compete in a World Cup event for any freestyle skiing discipline, a monumental testament to his grit and talent. Following a brief rest, he will continue his international journey at the North American Cup (NorAm). We are incredibly proud of his historic achievement.

While we celebrate these successes, we must also ensure we have the necessary resources to maintain this standard of excellence. In the short term, this means receiving an appropriate amount of aid from NY State to supplement the amount of revenue we receive from property taxes. We are advocating for a stable increase of at least 3% in state aid. We call this “Save Harmless” which means every school district in NY State receives a minimum amount of an aid increase each year. In addition, we are asking for a revision to the state aid formula specific to special education. As our costs in this area have risen significantly, it is imperative that the state formula evolves to reflect the actual costs of these vital services.

We encourage you to reach out to the Governor’s Office using this letter template to urge the state to provide for appropriate levels of state aid. Please email the letter to the Governor’s regional representative, Jacob Gilbert-Mahoney, at Jacob.Gilbert-Mahoney@exec.ny.gov. The Governor is finalizing her proposed budget by the end of January, which will be debated in the legislative branch for the next few months. Targeted advocacy from our community is incredibly impactful during this window.

Long term, we are thankful for the Board of Education’s leadership with creating the Community Partner group that met this fall. The group identified five key concepts to increase revenue and share expenses without compromising our educational programs:

• Legacy & Major Gift Fundraising

• Finding Other Revenue Streams (ex- sales tax revenue for Ontario County Schools)

• Increasing Educational Program Partnerships (colleges, other districts, businesses)

• Creating a Community Education Program

• Unique ideas for Energy and Facilities

The Board has approved the development of action plans for each of these areas. We are now forming five sub-committees, comprised of staff, community members, and students, to begin this work in February. If you are interested in being involved on one of these subcommittees, please email me directly at terranovat@victorschools.org. I will update the community on our progress later in the school year. 

Finally, a reminder that our schools will be closed this Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As we remember Dr. King’s legacy, I hope you will join me in celebrating the progress our country has made toward racial equality while reflecting on the work that still remains to be done to ensure a just future for every student.

I hope you have a great weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions.  

With gratitude,

Tim

1/9/2026

Dear Families,

Welcome back to our first full week of school! I hope you and your family enjoyed a restful holiday break and are settling comfortably back into the rhythm of the school year. As we begin this new year, I have a few important updates to share regarding our progress, our planning, and our incredible community spirit.

As we move into budget season, the idea of having enough resources for the Victor School District to offer the array of comprehensive programming it currently has gains even more importance.  As I said in an update in October, our District requires reasonable and sustained increases in state aid to maintain the staffing that has played such a significant role in our increased student performance. Examples of these accomplishments include:

• The Special Education graduation rate soared from 52.9% in 2021 to 89% for the 2024-2025 school year, which complements our already strong overall graduation rate.

• Student performance on Grades 3-8 NY State English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics assessments saw substantial, multi-year increases. 

• There was a significant rise in students taking dual-enrollment college-level courses and participating in work-study and internship programs.

• We achieved the highest percentages in many years for students taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses and the highest-ever percentage of students earning a 3 or higher on these exams.

• Significant participation in critically important opportunities such as the arts, music, athletics, and many club and extracurricular events and programs.

Despite these achievements, the uncertainty of the New York State budget situation means we are again facing the challenge of balancing our expenses with available revenue. To meet this head-on, I am incredibly grateful for the Board of Education’s proactive leadership in forming the Community Partner Group. This group of over 25 community members spent the fall looking at innovative ways to either expand on revenue beyond state aid and taxes, or save on expenses through collaboration with outside entities. A special thank you to these community leaders who developed five separate ideas to explore more fully over the next several months.

Additionally, our Board continues to advocate tirelessly at the state level, holding ten meetings this fall with legislators to share our unique story and argue for the funding our students need. We must continue to rely on the shared expertise of our Board of Education, staff, and community, so we can pursue solutions that allow our District to thrive moving forward.

In my next two updates I plan to tell you more about the five ideas generated by the Community Partners as well as specific ways you can advocate to our state government for appropriate state aid for our school district.

This spirit of collaboration extends to our alumni as well. Yesterday, we welcomed 22 graduates from the Class of 2025 back to the Senior High for a luncheon. It was an excellent opportunity to tap into their experiences. Faculty from across the District listened intently as these alumni shared feedback on how Victor prepared them for their future goals. This dialogue is vital, as their insights will directly inform our practices and help us better serve our current students.

Finally, I want to celebrate the incredible heart shown by our student-athletes. Over the past few weeks, the coaches and athletes from our Victor Hockey and Wrestling programs raised more than $5,000 for the Sheryl Diehl Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Sands Cancer Center. Sheryl was an extraordinary professional who positively influenced thousands of students, and this act of kindness not only honors her memory but provides vital support for cancer research and future scholarships.

I hope you have a great weekend. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

With gratitude, 

Tim

12/19/25

Hello Everyone,

With our two-week Winter Recess beginning tomorrow, we hope you enjoy this special time with your children and loved ones. We look forward to seeing everyone back on campus when school reopens on Monday, January 5th.

Before we head into the break, I want to celebrate the incredible spirit of giving within our schools. Our District-wide Food Drive wrapped up today, collecting enough food to serve 111 families in our community. I want to send a huge shout-out to our Senior High Student Council and Cares Club for organizing this effort. They put in countless hours promoting the drive, collecting donations, and packing boxes for delivery. Because of their outstanding leadership and our community’s generosity, we are able to care for our neighbors in a tangible way this holiday season.

That spirit of community continues tomorrow (Saturday) with the Scott Zahn Memorial Classic. This event is a wonderful tribute to a remarkable coach and mentor who influenced thousands of lives in both Victor and Canandaigua. The Classic is a basketball double-header featuring the Victor and Canandaigua Varsity Girls teams at 5:30 PM, followed by the Varsity Boys teams at 7:30 PM in the Victor Senior High gymnasium. More than just a game, this event serves as a fundraiser with proceeds benefiting the Victor-Farmington Food Cupboard and the Canandaigua Churches in Action. Tickets are $6 each and must be purchased online.

As we reflect on these efforts and move into the break, I would like to thank our entire faculty and staff who have worked tirelessly to support, educate, and care for our students over the last few months. Our team of more than 850 professionals is second to none, consistently keeping your children’s needs at the forefront of every decision. Regardless of job title, our staff works hard to ensure not only academic and social-emotional growth but also that every child feels like a valued member of our school community.

Finally, to our parents and guardians: you have always gone above and beyond for Victor Schools. Thank you for your collaboration; we look forward to our continued partnership in 2026 for the benefit of your children.

Enjoy a fantastic holiday season and a happy and safe break!

With gratitude,

Tim

12/12/25

Dear Families,

I hope you had a great week. I'm excited to share some important news about UPK, followed by well-deserved recognitions and updates on how our students and staff are actively giving back to our community.

If your family has ever been involved with our Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Program (whether your child is currently enrolled, previously attended, or you plan to enroll a child someday), please take a few minutes to fill out this survey. We are gathering data from our community to improve our offerings, and appreciate your time and input.

We kicked off last night's Board of Education meeting with a well-deserved celebration of student success! It was an honor to recognize the great work of students across performing arts and athletics, including: the Senior High Fall Play, the Junior High Musical, our impressive roster of NYSSMA Conference All-State and Area All-State musicians, and our amazing Fall athletes.

This year's athletic highlights included the division champion Unified Bowling team, and sectional champion Girls Tennis and Girls Cross Country teams. These incredible achievements remind us of the commitment of our entire school community, driven by the vision of the Board of Education, to provide the most comprehensive opportunities possible for all our students.

This Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm we will have our Facebook Live December Town Hall, featuring many of our sectional champion athletes as well as a conversation with our Student Board of Education members, Bella and Aiden, who will talk about their experience on the Board of Education. The Facebook Live Town Hall can be seen on our Victor Central Schools Facebook page.

In addition, on Friday, December 5th, VCS honored the 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees. They are: 

Adam Willman Class of 2010 

Jimmy Wagner Class of 2011 

Tommy Wagner Class of 2013 

Mike Wagner Class of 2015 

David Condon, Legendary Victor Teacher & Coach 

Yvonne O’Shea, Former Victor High School Principal

Earning this hall of fame recognition is a tremendous honor which requires significant and extraordinary contributions to athletics as a student-athlete, coach, or community contributor. We thank each of them for their impact on our community. 

Giving back to our community is a hallmark of our culture. The Senior High Student Council is having its annual Holiday Food Drive through Tuesday, December 16. Food items can be dropped off at any of the school buildings. Please consider donating to this worthy cause and helping families within our district. A huge thank you to our Student Council, our Victor Cares Club, and faculty advisors for coordinating this! 

A huge thank you goes out to our school social workers for organizing the VCS contingent for the Salvation Army’s bell ringing campaign! For three Saturdays in December, our students, staff, and community members are volunteering their time to ring the bell. The funds raised by this effort go directly to benefit Victor/Farmington students by providing essentials such as food, clothing, school supplies, and medical assistance.

Please join us on Saturday, December 20th, for the annual Scott Zahn Memorial Classic, a wonderful tribute to a fabulous coach and mentor who influenced thousands of lives in both Victor and Canandaigua.

The Classic is a basketball double-header featuring the Victor and Canandaigua Varsity Girls teams at 5:30 PM, followed by the Victor and Canandaigua Varsity Boys teams at 7:30 PM. All the action takes place in the Victor Senior High School gymnasium.

This event serves as a fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting the Victor-Farmington Food Cupboard and the Canandaigua Churches in Action. Tickets are $6 each and must be purchased online.

Finally, please remember that next week is our last week before the December break. School will close after classes on Friday, December 19th, and will reopen on Monday, January 5th. Enjoy your weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

12/5/25

Dear Families,

I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving break! We are back this week, complete with our first taste of winter weather and the beginning of wonderful holiday celebrations. I have a few announcements today.

First, because winter has officially arrived, it is a good time to remind everyone that when traveling on campus, please use extra caution and reduce speed. It may take a few extra minutes, but we want everyone to arrive safely. In addition, please follow the directions of our traffic control professionals as they direct you through the campus. They do an exceptional job that is critically important to everyone’s safety. 

We may need to close school for multiple reasons such as poor weather and temperature. When poor weather is forecasted, we consult with our transportation department, highway officials, and Superintendents from surrounding districts. Our top priority is safety.

One of the main reasons for school closing is temperature, in particular, wind chill. The NYS Department of Health recommends that school districts use a wind chill of approximately -25F as the temperature to consider closing schools. Because every situation is unique, Superintendents may also use their own judgment when wind chills are between -20 and -25 for extended periods of time. 

If we delay or close school, we will send a ParentSquare message as well as communicate the information on social media, local radio and television stations.  We have more information about school closings and delays on our website.

Second, community service is a hallmark of our District. If you and your family would like to help, our district wide annual food drive, sponsored by the Senior High Student Council, is currently underway. Your student (in any grade) can bring donations to school and drop it off in their classroom. This tradition in our schools is a great way to help support others within our community.

We also have a wonderful opportunity to help with the Stuff the Bus event tomorrow at the Finger Lakes Gaming & Race Track off Lane Road from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. For this event, the Food cupboard is specifically looking for paper products, toiletries, dish soap and baby wipes. Special thanks to our Transportation department for their efforts with this event. 

Finally, VCS is known for its comprehensive educational opportunities. Examples include our amazing fine arts program. The work of over 20 Victor Senior High art students is on display at Art Space 36 (located at 36 South Main St.) in Canandaigua. The show is open from December 5th - 19th, and the opening reception is this evening until 6:00 PM. The artwork is unbelievable and shows the talent of our students. I encourage everyone to visit the show. 

Also, we are very proud of three talented Victor Senior High students who will be participating in the NY State School Music Association Conference (NYSSMA) All-State concerts this weekend. Congratulations to Eliza Kostecki, Benjamin Song, and Veronica Tavolette for being among the top student musicians from all across New York State. You can catch these talented musicians performing at the Eastman Theatre and The Theater at Innovations Square this weekend!

In addition, December is a wonderful month for musical performances. Below is a listing of our upcoming concerts. Please come out and enjoy the immense talent of our singers and musicians!

All concerts (other than Eastview Mall concert) start at 7:00 PM and are held in the JH/SH Performing Arts Center.

Monday, December 8 - Senior High Band Concert

Tuesday, December 9 - 7th Grade Band & Chorus Concert

Wednesday, December 10 - 8th Grade Band & Chorus Concert

Friday, December 12- VJH Band, Chorus & Orchestra at Eastview Mall (10:00 am)

Monday, December 15 - Senior High Orchestra & Chorus Concert

Thursday, December 18 - Intermediate Orchestra Concert

I hope you have a great weekend, and if you have any questions please reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim

November 25, 2025

Dear Families,

Please note that school will be out of session starting Wednesday, November 26, for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will welcome students back to class on Monday, December 1.

Our first quarter has given us so much to be thankful for! We have witnessed significant academic success, inspiring performances in our plays, musicals, and concerts, and outstanding achievements in athletics. These accomplishments are a true testament to the dedication of our students, the commitment of our faculty and staff, and the incredible support you provide at home. You are the most important teachers in your child’s life, and your partnership with us is what makes VCS a special place.

In addition, I am thankful for the leadership of our staff with developing opportunities, regardless of age, for our students to give back to their community in so many ways, which will have a lasting impact on what they value as adults. 

We are incredibly grateful for our over 4,000 students at VCS. They are the reason why we are here! I know from interacting with many of them and seeing their daily accomplishments that our future is in great hands.

Enjoy the break!

With gratitude,

​Tim

11/21/25

Hello Everyone,

Our VCS community came together this week to support the family and friends of Talon Gracioso and help in any way possible with this extremely difficult situation. Special thank you to the faculty, staff and community for this support. 

This week, we shared resources from your child’s principal focusing on how to support your children through times of grief and how we can work together to monitor their overall mental health.

We want to emphasize the critical importance of a strong partnership between home, school, and our community resources. When we work together, we can ensure our children understand that:

• Talking about challenges with trusted adults is a healthy and essential life skill.

• Reaching out for support is a sign of strength.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need support, have any questions, or would like to learn more about the resources available in our community.

While we continue to support one another, it is also important to recognize the positive achievements within our Victor community that inspire us all.

Congratulations to Lieutenant General (ret) Kirk Pierce for earning the prestigious VSH Graduate of Distinction honor at the November Board of Education meeting. A 1984 graduate, Lieutenant General Pierce distinguished himself by serving in the United States Air Force where he was the Commander of First Air Force (U.S. Air Forces Northern & U.S. Air Forces Space) and the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region (CONR). In addition, he was the NORAD Deputy Director of Operations and served as a fighter pilot with over 4900 hours, including 71 combat missions. Lieutenant General Pierce continues to fly international flights on the Boeing 787 as a commercial airline pilot. 

We thank Lieutenant General Pierce for his incredible service and for taking time out of his busy schedule to come back to Victor, meet with a large number of our high school students, and send a strong message about doing your best and pursuing your dreams. 

In addition, congratulations to our amazing Girls Cross Country team for winning the sectional championship this fall and for placing 6th overall in NY State! Congratulations also to our Unified Bowling Team for winning the league tournament championship for the second year in a row! Both teams are filled with outstanding student athletes who are even better people! Thank you for representing Victor in such a positive way.

Finally, tonight is opening night for the VJH Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! The show begins at 7 PM and runs again tomorrow, Saturday, November 22 at 1 PM and 7 PM in the JH/SH Arts Center. Tickets are available online and at the door.

A reminder that next week brings a short week, and time off for the Thanksgiving break, which begins on Wednesday, November 26th. School will reopen again on Monday, December 1st. 

I hope you have a great weekend! If you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim

11/14/25

Hello Everyone,

I typically share positive things in the weekly community update. Unfortunately, I have difficult news to share today. One of our current Victor Senior High students is presently facing severe, life-threatening injuries. Our hearts and thoughts are with him and his family during this difficult time.

We recognize that news of this nature can be deeply distressing for everyone, especially our students. Our priority is to provide a safe and supportive space for them to process their feelings. Families of high school students were contacted this morning about this situation and were also given resources to support their children. 

The high school staff and our District Student Support Team did an incredible job working closely with our staff and students today to help process this event. We are thankful for their expertise and compassion. 

The outpouring of support and care we saw today at the Senior High School is a powerful reminder of the strength of our school community. When one of us faces a struggle, we all rally together to help. 

One immediate and impactful way we can extend our care beyond our school walls this month is by contributing to local organizations that help others. Our transportation department will begin collecting paper goods and other personal care items for the Victor-Farmington Food Cupboard starting on Monday, November 17th for their annual Stuff the Bus campaign. If you’d like to contribute, more information can be found on our website. 

Thank you for your continued support of our students and our Victor community. 

With gratitude,

Tim

November 7, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope you are all doing well. As we wrap up another busy week at VCS, I have several important updates to share.

First, as I said last week, we are one community at Victor Central Schools. As we enter November, a season of giving and gratitude, I am so grateful for the many organizations that provide assistance and support to our VCS families.

In this spirit, please check out this important page on our website dedicated to helping families find resources they may need, such as food pantries and other services. This is a comprehensive list of services in our area that people can go to if they need assistance. Please also reach out to your child’s school counselor or principal if you have any questions regarding resources. 

In addition, a reminder that The SPOT is holding a FREE winter clothing assistance event tomorrow, Saturday, November 8, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, in the Early Childhood School Boardroom. This event invites all students and their families to stop by and "shop" for items they need as we head into the colder months. Registration is NOT required. Simply bring a bag to carry your items home! If you have any questions, please contact The SPOT at: operations@thespotny.org 

Second, our Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Services, Karyn Ryan, is retiring on March 6th after a 34 year career in education. She spent the past four years as an administrator at VCS. Karyn has given so much to the District while overseeing our pupil services and special education departments. I cannot thank her enough for her commitment and belief that every child can reach their full potential in life. Her leadership with restructuring our special education department along with the development of more targeted programs to support children will be a lasting testament to her time at Victor. 

We are posting for the position of Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Services today and will conduct a comprehensive hiring process to find an exceptional leader to take over this position. We expect the new person to take over in March and have time to overlap with Karyn. 

Third, music and the arts continue to thrive at VCS. Josephine Adams (9th Grade), Jane Escudero (8th Grade) & Zoe Baker (8th Grade) were accepted into the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Division Honor Choirs in Providence, Rhode Island. They were selected from a panel of over 400 students from across 12 states! It’s an amazing accomplishment for these musicians. 

Next week I will talk about the VJH Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which will be performed in two weeks (buy your tickets for the show now), and give shout outs to our student athletes who won sectional titles. 

Finally, please note that on Tuesday, students and staff do not have school in honor of Veterans Day. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military—in wartime or peacetime. We thank all of our veterans for their service and their incredible dedication to keeping us safe! 

I hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend. If you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude, 

Tim

10/31/25

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a great week! I have several important updates to share with you.

First, as a school community, we are dedicated to supporting the whole child and the whole family. We understand that family life comes with many demands, and sometimes a little extra support can make a big difference. We have several support resources listed on our website that can help, if needed. If you have any questions, or need other assistance, please reach out to your child’s principal or school social worker.

Second, another helpful resource for families is The Spot. They are holding a FREE winter clothing assistance event on Saturday, November 8, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM in the Early Childhood School Board Room. This event invites all students and their families to stop by and "shop" for items they need as we head into the colder months. Available items will include clothing, sneakers, boots, and winter coats in limited quantities—all at no cost to families.

Registration is NOT required. Simply bring a bag to carry your items home! If you have any questions, please contact The Spot at: operations@thespotny.org

Another wonderful organization that truly enhances our school district’s Mission and Vision is the VCS PTSA. Some of what they do for our school community includes support in the following areas:

• After school enrichment programs

• Arts & Science Programs - Awesome Art and Super Science Saturday

• Cultural Arts (field trips, assemblies, visiting educators & speakers)

• Literacy Programs - Books at Breakfast

• Book Fairs (fundraising) and school library donations

• Family Engagement (Movie night, dances, Bingo, etc.)

• Parent resources (presentations & professional speakers)

• Teacher/staff appreciation luncheons, Jolly Trolly, snacks.

In fact, on Thursday November 6th from 6-8 pm in the ECS, the PTSA is hosting a Digital Dangers presentation geared toward providing tips and information on how to help our students safely navigate our online world. The event is free and you can register online.

The PTSA is a strong advocate for our District, especially at the local and state level. Whether they are advocating for more state funding, safer roads near our campus, or increased safety and security, the PTSA has always been a valued partner. We strongly encourage you to consider joining this amazing group. Please check out their website for more information about the PTSA and how to become a member.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend, and remember to set your clocks back one hour! If you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude, 

Tim

October 24, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope you had a wonderful week! I have two important updates for you. 

Last week, I mentioned the various partnerships that are a hallmark of our District community, including our collaboration with local and state political leaders. Funding is a critical issue for our school district, and our Board has been essential in arranging and attending meetings with legislators and government officials to advocate for appropriate state aid funding for next school year.

The Victor Central School District's (VCS) history is unique. For years, VCS was historically underfunded and understaffed. As of 2021, we maintained some of the lowest staffing-to-student ratios compared to surrounding districts in our area.

Thanks to the dedication of the Board of Education and our community's advocacy, we finally received necessary increases in state aid between 2021 and 2025. These increases allowed us to add significant staff positions, with nearly half dedicated to necessary special education and student mental health support. The funds were also used to enhance other vital areas, such as cleaning, technology, and safety and security.

During this same period of increased funding and staffing, the Victor Central School District has seen significant academic growth and operational improvements, including:

• The Special Education graduation rate soared from 55% in 2020 to 91% in 2025, which complements our already strong overall graduation rate.

• Student performance on Grades 3-8 NY State English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics assessments saw substantial, multi-year increases. 

• There was a significant rise in students taking dual-enrollment college-level courses and participating in work-study and internship programs.

• We achieved the highest percentages in many years for students taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses and the highest-ever percentage of students earning a 3 or higher on these exams.

Our District requires reasonable and sustained increases in state aid to maintain the staffing that has played such a significant role in our increased student performance. In future messages, I will discuss ways community members can advocate for this appropriate aid.

Beyond funding, we remain committed to the safety and overall wellbeing of our students. Next week, we celebrate Red Ribbon Week, where students will engage in daily lessons on making healthy choices. I want to thank our PTSA for sponsoring this important week and for collaborating with our Substance Abuse Counselor and staff. Together, they are providing helpful resources and organizing future in-person family presentations focused on supporting our children and keeping them safe from alcohol and other drugs. 

I hope you have a great weekend! Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

October 17, 2025

Dear Families,

Last night at our Board of Education meeting, we honored the incredible accomplishment of Caelin Kordziel for being inducted into the Visual & Performing Arts Hall of Fame. Caelin, a 2003 graduate, is not only an incredible music teacher at Romulus Central Schools, but she also directs musicals, plays in the pit orchestra for musicals all over the area, and advocates for music opportunities through her school’s Educational Foundation. Five years ago, she returned to VCS as the Visual Caption Head of the Victor Marching Blue Devils (VMBD). During this time, she has worked collaboratively with hundreds of students, staff, and community members to continue the legacy of the VMBD as an organization that achieves excellence in performing, both on and off the field. Congratulations to Caelin!

Partnerships are essential to our school district's success and are an integral part of the Mission and Vision set by our Board of Education. A major focus of these partnerships is maintaining adequate funding for our school district. Three examples come to mind.

1. Political Advocacy

An important partnership is with local and state political leaders. Funding is a critical issue for our school district, and our Board has played an important role in setting up and meeting with various legislators and government officials to advocate for appropriate amounts of state aid funding for next school year. We have scheduled 10 advocacy meetings with local, state, and Federal legislators for this fall.

Our two main advocacy points for these meetings are:

a) Fixing the Foundation Aid Formula to include updated numbers for students with special needs so that we receive fair funding for this expense, and;

b) Urging the state to significantly increase the time period to implement the electric bus initiative because of the lack of electric grid capacity and the substantial cost this initiative will incur.

We will share more information on these advocacy points and what the community can do to show their support in future messages.

2. Addressing Electrical Grid Issues

A second partnership, which is related to the issues with our electrical grid, is with the Towns of Victor, Farmington, and Ontario County. Next week, leadership from these municipalities, as well as Superintendents from across our County, will be sitting down with the CEO of NYSEG and RG&E to discuss the serious situation of the electric grid in NY State and the lack of electrical infrastructure across our area. This could become a serious issue, especially with the implementation of our Capital Project and the energy needs it will create. Thank you to Jack Marren and Peter Ingalsbe, Supervisors of Victor and Farmington, for helping to set up this meeting.

3. Community Partner Group

A third example of partnership is the work of our Community Partner Group. This group consists of over 25 community members from across our District who were recommended by the Board of Education to help us find ideas for additional revenue beyond taxes and state aid. They are also looking at innovative ways to share expenses while maintaining or even improving opportunities for our students.

This work again shows the Board’s proactive leadership in addressing a critical area of need. The group has already met twice, with a third meeting scheduled for next week. I appreciate the Board’s leadership in not only advocating for appropriate money from NY State but also proactively looking at ways to find additional revenue sources and save expenses. 

Finally, congratulations are in order! Recently, the Girls Tennis and Girls Golf teams came home as Sectional Champions! Congratulations to our student athletes, Coach Barnum, Coach Sousa, and all of our assistant coaches for this amazing accomplishment. Good luck to everyone in future competitions this coming week!

And finally, mark your calendars for the VSH Fall Play, “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 30 Plays in 60 seconds.” The play is set for:

• Friday, October 24th, at 7:00 pm

• Saturday, October 25th, at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Tickets for each performance will be available at the door.

I hope you have a great weekend, and if you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude, 

Tim

October 10, 2025

Hello Everyone,

I hope it's been a great week for our families, and that everyone in the VCS Community is enjoying the long weekend!

One of my favorite parts of this job is hosting monthly Town Halls to celebrate our students via Facebook Live. We started this tradition in the spring of 2020 during COVID, and have continued it once a month throughout the school year since then.

Our first Town Hall this year will be Tuesday, October 14th, from 6:30 to approximately 7:15 pm. You can access the live event via the Victor CSD Facebook page. It will also be recorded and archived on our Facebook page for an extended time. We plan to have students from the VSH Fall Play join me on Tuesday, with the possibility of some other special guests. Please consider joining us if you have time. 

We have much to celebrate in the Victor Central School District. The month of October is not only National Principal’s Month but also includes School Board Recognition Week. A huge shout-out to both our Board of Education, whose leadership has been invaluable to the success of VCS, and our five amazing principals, who always put children first in every decision they make. I am incredibly appreciative of their leadership and collaboration.

We also celebrate our Work-Based Learning program at the Senior High, which hosted its first-ever Career Fair on Wednesday. It was an incredible event, with over 40 businesses and organizations attending to discuss potential careers with our students. Students had the opportunity to meet with professionals to talk about different career pathways and see real-world applications. They also learned about local organizations and their community roles. It was an exciting event, and a huge shout-out to Sue Utz for putting it all together for our students!

Lastly, I want to celebrate two upcoming events.  

First, tomorrow, October 11th, is the Victor Marching Band “Music in Motion” Home Show at Corbit Field, starting at 5:30 pm. The Victor Marching Band’s show is called “The Market,” and 13 other bands will participate in this exceptional musical event, which is the second-largest marching band show in NYS. The Victor Marching Band takes the field for their performance at about 8:00 PM. Tickets are only available at the gate and are $12 each, cash or Venmo only.

In addition, mark your calendars for the VSH Fall Play, “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 30 Plays in 60 Minutes.” The play is set for Friday, October 24th, at 7:00 pm, and Saturday, October 25th, at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm. The Fall Play is always entertaining and a wonderful showcase of our students' talent. Tickets for each performance will be available at the door.

I hope you have a great weekend, and we look forward to seeing your children on Tuesday. As always, please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

October 3, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope everyone had a wonderful week! I have four quick updates for you today.

First, thank you to everyone who talked to their children about safety when walking to and from school. In the spirit of safety, I also want to remind everyone about the dangers of e-bikes and other motorized or battery-powered scooters on school campuses. While these vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, they can pose safety risks if not used responsibly.

To help keep everyone safe, we have been working closely with local law enforcement and our security team. In addition, the Ontario County Sheriff has issued guidelines for parents to make them aware of the law regarding their children who ride e-bikes or motorized scooters:

• Riders must be 16+ years old

• Helmets are required for all riders

• E-bikes are NOT permitted on sidewalks

• E-bikes/scooters must ride in a single file line

• Riders should use bike lanes whenever possible

• A front white light, and a rear red light are required after sunset

• Check rules/regulations in local parks and paths - they often have separate rules for e-bikes from traditional bikes

Our top priority is the safety of all students, staff, and families on campus, and we appreciate your support in helping us maintain a safe environment. 

Second, a huge shout out to our custodians! Thursday was National Custodian Day.  It recognizes the hard work that it takes to keep our school district facilities as clean as possible and the amazing people who diligently work to ensure we have spotless and sanitary schools and workplaces.

Third, the Victor Marching Band Home Show is Saturday, October 11, at Corbit Field, starting at 5:30 pm. This is the 44th season for the Victor Marching Blue Devils, and we are very excited to host the “Music in Motion” New York State Field Band Conference show again this year. We have 13 bands competing this year. Please come out and watch our talented musicians!

Finally, next week is a short week. Our students do not have school on Friday, October 10th because it is a professional development day for our faculty and staff. In addition, our students also have Monday, October 13th off for Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day.

I hope you and your family have a great weekend. If you have any questions, please reach out to me. 

With gratitude,

Tim

September 26, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope everyone had a wonderful week as we officially dive into the fall season at VCS! I have four quick updates for you today.

First, as we always say, the safety of our students and staff is our most important job. Please remind your children to be extra careful walking home, particularly when heading down High Street toward the village.

With the days getting shorter and light decreasing earlier in the afternoon, these reminders are especially important for everyone:

• Stay on the sidewalk.

• Obey the crossing lights.

• Use the crosswalks when crossing streets.

• Always stay alert for cars.

Next, I want to give a huge shout-out to VSH students Bella Polanco and Aiden Calnon! They are our new student Board of Education members for this school year.

You may know that a new NY State law mandates that students be included on local school boards as non-voting members. After a careful review of over 20 high school applications, the Board of Education selected Bella and Aiden last spring. They are both outstanding young leaders who offer amazing insight into what is most important—what is best for our students. We are so happy to welcome them to the Board and truly appreciate their perspective as students!

Third, we have a great opportunity for parents interested in learning more about our District's Inquiry program. Our fantastic Inquiry Teachers will be hosting a presentation on Tuesday, September 30th.

They will walk you through how the program works, what students experience, and the key skills it helps develop in grades 1–8. The presentation will be in the VECS Auditorium from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thank you to our Victor PTSA for sponsoring this event!

Finally, Homecoming is next week, from September 29th through October 3rd! We'll have tons of school spirit activities, a Senior High Pep Rally, and many Home Athletic contests. You can check out the full schedule of games on our website.

Homecoming is a wonderful chance to bring our school community together, celebrate the accomplishments of our student-athletes, and welcome back our fantastic alumni! We Are Victor! 

I hope you and your family have a great weekend. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

With Gratitude,

Tim

September 19, 2025

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a great week. We're off to a fantastic start this school year! I hope your children are sharing positive stories and that you are finding the open houses informative.

A huge shoutout to the Victor PTSA, led by President Jenny Carroll. This dedicated group held its first district meeting last evening and continues its strong tradition of supporting our students and staff. They always put the District’s best interests first. I encourage you to visit their website and consider joining this wonderful community partner.

Now's a great time to talk about the importance of effective communication. When an issue comes up—whether it's in the classroom, on the playing field, or during another activity—we have a process that works.

We encourage you to first address the issue with the staff member most directly involved. For many situations, the best first step is a conversation between the student and staff member, as this helps students develop independence and problem-solving skills. If the issue isn't resolved, or if you have a younger child or are dealing with a more complex situation, the next step is a conversation between you and the staff member. If that still doesn't resolve the issue, we recommend speaking with the administrator who oversees that staff member. You can find a detailed contact checklist on the communications page of our website.

Of course, in unique situations where you have an immediate concern about your child's physical or social-emotional well-being, we encourage you to reach out to an administrator right away, or use our Safe School Helpline.

A few words about social media: While social media can be a great asset, it can also be a significant challenge. Relying on social media to solve school-related problems or to get accurate information is typically ineffective and can be extremely problematic.

When you need information about an event in our district or have a question, we encourage you to contact the people directly involved. You can also rely on our official Victor CSD social media pages for accurate information. Other social media sites not affiliated with the District often contain inaccurate and/or misleading information, typically from people with no affiliation, and no facts to support what they are saying.

As I said last week, we will always strive to be transparent in our communication. Sometimes this communication is directed to individuals, sometimes to small groups, and sometimes to the entire district. We always encourage you to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Have a great weekend!

With gratitude, 

Tim

September 12, 2025

Hello Everyone,

I hope your children had a terrific first full week of school! We are excited to get back into the routine of school and all of the fantastic events and experiences our children will participate in as we move into the fall season. 

Like so many of you, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the tragedies that transpired Wednesday in Utah, as well as at a Colorado high school. It goes without saying that VCS values kindness, empathy, compassion, and civility, including the ability and right to have differing perspectives.  As a district, we stand with you in doing all we can to uphold these values which are essential to model for our students.

Given these troubling events, I feel it’s an opportunity to briefly discuss school safety and security. 

The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority, so I want to briefly discuss our school's security measures. We have an exceptional team that includes six full-time security staff members and a full-time School Resource Officer.

Our emergency procedures are sound and continuously refined. This includes regular safety drills to ensure everyone knows what to do in a potential crisis. We also have a strong, collaborative relationship with county first responders and the Ontario County Sheriff's office, which helps keep our entire community safe.

Relationships also matter. Our staff does an amazing job of building strong connections with students. These relationships help students feel more connected to school and more comfortable reporting when they see something troublesome. Our mantra of "if you see something, say something" remains an important part of our safety strategy.

When a safety situation occurs, we are committed to being transparent. We will always let parents know when we activate a safety protocol that is not a drill. If a threat is not substantiated, we will share limited information. However, if a threat is confirmed, we will provide more specific details while following the guidance of law enforcement and considering the limitations of an active police investigation. You know your children better than anyone. Please continue to have conversations with them about safety and reach out to us if you have any concerns or questions. 

In other news, last night, the Board of Education honored the Varsity Girls Lacrosse team, the Varsity Girls Track and Field team and several members of the Varsity Boys Track and Field team for their incredible success during their season last spring.

• The Girls Track & Field team won the Section V Championship last spring, with several individual winners from both the boys and girls teams.

• The Girls Varsity Lacrosse team won the Section V Championship and the NYS Championship for the fourth year in a row.

We are so proud of our student-athletes and their accomplishments!

In addition, this Saturday, September 13th, is the Victor Educational Foundation's annual fundraiser, the Devil Dash. This 5k run and family walk starts at 8:00 a.m. and is held just before the Explore Victor Fest, which takes place throughout the village later in the day. Proceeds from this race go to the Victor Educational Foundation, which raises money to fund programs and materials for our school district that are typically outside the regular budget. We are so grateful for the positive impact this organization has on our community. There is still time to sign up! You can still register for the Devil Dash up until race time.

Have a great weekend! Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

September 5, 2025

Hello Everyone, 

It was a fantastic first three days of school! Thank you to our outstanding faculty and staff, as well as all our families for their hard work in making the first few days so enjoyable for our children. I could tell from my walkthroughs of hallways and classrooms that our students are very excited about the start of a new school year. I have a few quick updates to share with you this week.

First, safety continues to be our top priority. Our outstanding Security professionals work diligently to not only protect our children and staff on a daily basis, but also plan important drills that significantly improve our overall safety. I greatly appreciate their expertise and efforts as well as their collaboration with local law enforcement to make our Campus as safe as possible. We will communicate with you ahead of time when we run safety drills such as fire drills and lock down drills. 

A key part of our safety team is our School Resource Officer (SRO), and we have a new person in that role this year. We want to thank our former SRO, Conor Boyer, for his dedicated service to our district. We wish him all the best as he begins this year in a new district.

We are pleased to welcome Deputy Aaron Douglas as our new SRO for the school year. Deputy Douglas is a very experienced officer who also has a great deal of experience working with children. We are thrilled to have him on our team!

In addition, with all of our school buildings located on one campus, it can be quite congested at certain times of the day. Thank you all for your extra patience this week during drop-off and pick-up. It is always a bit of a challenge during the first week as everyone gets back into the routine. Your focus on careful driving strategies will help everyone get to and from school each day safely!

Second, I wanted to make you aware that this school year, all students enrolled at VCS are eligible to receive a healthy free breakfast and lunch at school at no charge each day. Your child(ren) will be able to participate in this program without having to submit an application. However, in order to track the benefit of this program and ensure that the district continues to receive other grants and aid, please take a few minutes to fill out this form electronically. It only takes a few minutes. I’d like to thank our Food Service Director Alix TePoel-DeWitt and her team for all of their continued hard work to make this happen for our students and families.

Third, our leadership team has done a tremendous job filling open positions that have played a major role in starting the school year smoothly. We are still in need of people to work as bus drivers and teacher aides. We also have other positions that are still open. If interested, please visit the employment page on our website. 

Fourth, next Saturday, September 13th the Village of Victor will be having “Explore Victor Fest”, which is a free family-friendly event in the village from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. The Victor Devil Dash 5K and Family Walk is part of this great day and starts at 8:00 am. Proceeds from the Devil Dash go directly to the Victor Educational Foundation. The foundation provides an enhanced educational experience through increased opportunities that promote educational excellence for the Victor School community. There is still time to sign up for the run/walk. A huge thank you to the Victor Educational Foundation for their significant contributions to our school district.

Finally, Thursday is the twenty-fourth anniversary of the September 11th attacks on our country. We appreciate the gravity of that day and the tremendous loss of life as well as the  incredible heroism displayed by so many, including our emergency services professionals. Our principals and staff will have age-appropriate conversations with our students marking this important anniversary and making sure we never forget what happened on that day. 

Thank you and I hope you have a great weekend. If you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude, 

Tim

June 20, 2025

Dear Families,

As we complete another highly successful school year, I wanted to share some important messages. This will be my last Friday message for the year. A reminder that the last day for elementary students and final exams at the Junior and Senior High will be Wednesday, June 25th. Before that, in just a few hours we will celebrate the class of 2025 at our VSH Graduation Ceremony at Innovative Field starting at 7:30 pm. This is an amazing group of 320 young adults who will do great things in the world. We are excited to honor them!

Looking ahead to next week, the weather forecast is calling for higher than normal temperatures for Monday and Tuesday. We will monitor the forecast closely. If heat indexes are forecasted to be above 100 degrees, then there’s a high likelihood that we would dismiss elementary students around noon and have a half day. I will review the updated forecast this weekend and make a decision by Sunday.

We are planning on having exams at the secondary level regardless of the forecast. We are temporarily adding air conditioning to the JH gymnasium where we have many students taking exams. We are also looking to utilize small spaces in both the JH and SH that have air conditioning for our students so we will not have to use the SH gymnasium for exams. This also supports students who have testing accommodations per their 504 or IEP plans.

If we have full days at the elementary level, our amazing school staff have already been planning ways for students to take cool breaks during each day. These include spending time in air-conditioned spaces in each of the elementary schools, including the Boardroom at the ECS, and utilizing the JH/SH auditorium for VPS and VIS students if needed. We will also emphasize taking plenty of water breaks and keeping lights off and blinds down in classrooms. Other ways you can help your student prepare for the heat is to have them bring a water bottle, and dress in lightweight clothing. 

As families begin to switch gears for the summer, I wanted to let you know about some important resources that are available from Ontario County and New York State. Ontario County has provided a complete resource guide that has information such as farmer’s markets, food pantries, mental health resources, childcare, library information, and more. Ontario County has also provided information about Summer Meals for students, and Pop Up Food Pantries. (y en español). Also, New York State has officially launched the Summer EBT, which is a program that provides families who are struggling financially with food benefits to help cover the cost of groceries when school is out of session. Find out more and apply on their website. If you or your student need help locating other resources, please reach out to your student’s counselor or building principal.

Looking ahead to the start of school this fall, The Spot has opened registration for their annual back to school bash. This is a drive thru event, and any family in the Victor school district who could use assistance with back to school supplies is encouraged to register by July 1st. Registration is required and space is limited. Registration and more information can be found on The Spot website. Please read the event information in detail and feel free to reach out directly with questions to  VictorBackToSchool@thespotny.org.

Finally, a huge shout out to the Victor PTSA. A special thank you to President, Tara Glynn, Vice President Kristen Farrington-Morabito, and the rest of the Executive committee for their tireless work supporting our students and staff this school year. Congratulations to the new Executive leadership of the PTSA for next school year. This includes President Jenny Carroll and her team of Kristen Parker, Wendy Hauck, and Katiya Meloni. Please consider joining our PTSA for the 2025-26 school year. They are an amazing group of volunteers who make a huge difference for our VCS community. Visit their website to find out more about the important work they do for our students and to join.

I hope that you and your family have a chance to take a break this summer to recharge and enjoy the warmer weather. Administration will release student placement information in August. This will allow us to be sure that the information provided to families through secure docs in ParentSquare is accurate and up to date.

To the Class of 2025 and their families, we wish you the best as you begin a new chapter together. For the rest of our VCS families, we’ll see you back on campus in September! 

With gratitude,

Tim

6/13/25

Dear Families,

I hope you had a great week! As we are winding down the school year, Monday will be the last day of regular classes for our students in grades 7-12, and the last day for students at the ECS, VPS, and VIS is Wednesday, June 25. 

Celebrations are a major part of this time of year. Tomorrow is Flag Day, the anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official US flag in 1777. On Thursday, June 19th, we will have no school in honor of Juneteenth. Juneteenth is a national holiday that commemorates the day that Texas, the last Confederate state, learned about the Emancipation Proclamation, marking the end of slavery in the United States in 1865. We celebrate Juneteenth and the ideals of freedom for everyone, and an understanding and appreciation for the differences between us. 

Last night, the ECS Auditorium was packed with people as our Board of Education celebrated a significant number of students, including our amazing artists whose art work will be displayed in our District Office, DECA students who competed at the International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida, and the Section AA Champion Boys Varsity Golf team! We also celebrated 30 teachers who earned the designation of Tenure based on their exceptional work in our classrooms.

In addition, yesterday, the Elementary Special Olympics Parade started at the ECS and finished at the Intermediate School. Students lined their bus loops to cheer for the athletes, hold up posters, and share high-fives as the parade went by. Yesterday and today, our elementary student athletes participated in the Special Olympics games, which showcased their grit and determination. Congratulations to all of our students who competed!

Congratulations also to senior Megan Buchovechy who recently achieved Gold Level status from US Figure Skating for excellence in both skill and academics. Megan has been skating competitively for 10 years. 

Finally, good luck to our Girls Varsity Lacrosse team, who will compete in the state championship game tomorrow, and to individual girls and boys track and field student-athletes also competing in state competition!

I hope you and your family have a great weekend, and Happy Father’s Day to all our VCS Dads! If you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim 

June 6, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope everyone is doing well and had an excellent week! We have a few announcements for this afternoon. 

First, our Assistant Superintendent for Personnel, Dorothy DiAngelo, is retiring on June 30th after a 39 year career in education, with 19 years as an administrator here at VCS. We are lucky to have her with us for a time after she retires. Dorothy will continue as Assistant Superintendent through October as we conduct a comprehensive hiring process to find an exceptional leader to take over this position. We expect the new person to take over in November 2025.

I cannot thank Ms. DiAngelo enough for her leadership and guidance. Whether it was her work as an outstanding principal at the ECS or as Assistant Superintendent, her focus on what is best for children has never wavered. In her role as Assistant Superintendent, she adds tremendous insights as a former teacher and principal, not only to help guide our hiring process, but also with her work with the leadership team supporting the growth and professional development of faculty and staff. I am pleased that she will continue in her role through October.

Second, a hallmark of the end of the school year is the number of unique events held for our seniors. Our amazing Class of 2025 had its Senior Parade on Thursday along with the Senior Breakfast at Bristol Mountain this morning. The Senior Ball is tonight. The Senior Parade is unique to VCS because of having all our students on one campus. Our seniors walked our campus from building to building while thousands of students and staff cheered them on. The parade celebrates the commitment of our senior class and the staff that has supported them over many years, and is a major accomplishment for our younger students to strive for. 

We also have the Senior Bash set for Wednesday, June 18, which is a fantastic event supported by parents of the senior class and funded by various fundraising throughout the year. Friday, June 20th is our graduation at Frontier Field, scheduled for 7:30 pm with fireworks to follow (rain date is Sunday, June 22nd). 

Finally, our students have been extremely busy. VJH had an amazing art show on Thursday showcasing incredible works of art from our 8th graders. In addition, our amazing music department has performed seven exceptional concerts since May 20th with more yet to come.  In addition, our 8th Grade Band, Chorus, and Orchestra had a fantastic day at the Darien Lake Music Festival last week. Our 8th Grade Orchestra earned 1st place in the competition! Our art and music programs are second to none.

In athletic action, our Girls Track Team won the sectional title along with individual track and field Sectional winners - Maggie Christenson, Emma Goodell, Ellis McIlhenney, Jack Kubinski, and Drevariis Yeomas. Also, a special shout out to our Girls Lacrosse Team who won their fourth sectional title in a row on Wednesday evening in a close matchup against Pittsford.  It was a big win, and a testament to their resilience, grit and determination. Good luck to all our student athletes as they continue competing in future events at the state level.

A reminder to our seniors to stay safe on the roads going to and from the Senior Ball tonight. I hope you enjoy the weekend. As always, please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

May 30, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope you had a wonderful week! I'm excited to share some great news today, and there's also a chance for us to give back to others. 

First, the Special Olympics was held earlier today at Marcus Whitman Senior High School. We had a large contingency of student athletes from the Junior and Senior High compete - and their grit, determination and talents were amazing to see! The energy and enthusiasm from both the participants and the supporters made it a truly memorable day for everyone involved. A huge thank you to our staff who accompanied our student athletes to this event. Our Special Olympics student athletes are excellent role models for all of us!

Second, we celebrated the Dollars for Scholars award recipients this week. The Dollars for Scholars organization helps local students to achieve their educational goals by raising scholarship funds, and other financial support for students. This year, over $153,989 worth of scholarships went to 120 outstanding VSH seniors! Thank you to all of our faculty, staff and community members who gave so much to help support our graduates.

Congratulations to our Boys Golf team and Coach Souza who won the Sectional Championship yesterday in a close match against McQuaid! Good luck to our Boys and Girls Lacrosse teams, and the Track and Field Team as they continue to compete for a Sectional Title.

Finally, the Junior and Senior High schools will be holding a School Supply Drive for the next two weeks to support students at Dr. Freddie Thomas Middle School in Rochester and help them start the next school year strong. Donations of new or gently used school supplies can be dropped off in donation boxes in the Main Office of either the Junior or Senior High School. This is a great way to make a difference in the lives of students in our area.

Have a great weekend! If you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim

May 23, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope you had a good week. I have a few updates for you today.

First, a huge thank you to the Victor community! The 2025-26 budget proposition passed with an impressive 80% approval rate, an increase from 76.6% in the previous budget vote. Additionally, the VCS Bus Bond Proposition also received community approval.

Congratulations to the three incumbents who were elected to the Board of Education for three-year terms beginning July 1st. The District looks forward to the continued guidance of Tim DeLucia, Lisa Kostecki, and Elizabeth Mitchell who, along with our entire Board of Education, offer a highly effective leadership team that always puts children first.

The successful passing of the budget by over an 80% margin clearly demonstrates the VCS community’s profound trust in our more than 800 dedicated faculty, staff, and administrators who serve our children. This successful vote, coupled with the successful $99 million Capital Project vote earlier this fall, underscores the VCS community's strong and ongoing commitment to providing an exemplary education for our children.
​
​In addition, an immense note of gratitude goes to VCS District Clerk, Kate Selleck, Election Chairperson, Linda Tice, Chief Election Inspector, Jennifer Mehigan, and the entire group of adults overseeing our vote. They did an exemplary job leading the voting process.  Special thanks to Assistant Superintendent for Business, Christine Griffin, for her leadership and oversight with the entire budget process and her clear communication, which allowed our community to understand the rationale behind our spending. 
​
​Second, as you know, we are dealing with significant construction on roads in our area. The Town of Victor recently gave us an update on projects. Currently, they are repairing the bridges at Willowbrook and the CR-9 area. Unfortunately, the repairs at both locations are more extensive than the Thruway originally planned for. According to town officials, the Willowbrook repair will probably be at least two more weeks, and CR-9 close to two more months. The bridge on High Street near our north entrance is also scheduled to be repaired, but it won’t start until CR-9 is complete, most likely during the summer. 
​
​Finally, on Monday, our staff and students have off from school while we celebrate Memorial Day, which honors the over one million American military personnel who have died since our country was founded while performing their duties in service to the United States Armed Forces. These heroes gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. I know we will remember this sacrifice as we spend time with family and friends this weekend.
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​Have a great weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.
​
​With gratitude,
​
​Tim

Hello Everyone,

I hope you and your family had a great week! I have three brief announcements. 

First, a reminder that Tuesday, May 20th is the annual school budget vote for the 2025-26 school budget. The vote will occur at our ECS building in the Boardroom from 6:00 am until 9:00 pm. The budget expenditures for next school year are within the Tax Cap compliance. We are not increasing staffing for next school year, nor are there any projected reductions in staffing or programs. Please check out our website if you would like more information, including viewing the online version of the budget newsletter, or have a question. You can also email me at Terranovat@victorschools.org if you have any questions. 

Please note that there was a typographical error on page 2 of the budget newsletter that we mailed to community members, within the revenue plan section detailing the breakdown of Total State Sources.  The correct total projected state aid amount is accurately listed as $40,433,900. However, a specific line item within that breakdown, the "State Aid" figure for 2025-2026, was printed incorrectly. The correct figure for the 2025-2026 state aid line item should be $36,954,149.

Residents are advised to take note of this correction when reviewing the newsletter. This clarification ensures an accurate understanding of the projected state aid components for the 2025-2026 budget.

In addition to the vote on May 20th, the campus will be filled with many other exciting events. These include: 

• Random Acts of Art (5:00-7:00 pm) - Senior High Art Wing
• Cares Carnival (3:30-6:30 pm) - North Fields by HS sponsored by VSH Cares Club. 
• VSH Orchestras Concert (7:00 pm) - JH/SH Performing Arts Center
• Many athletic events throughout the afternoon & evening, including sectional competition.

Second, a huge shout out to the Victor Central School District Music department! VCS was recognized as one of the Best Communities in the nation for music education. Only 7% of the nation’s school districts receive this honor. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment to and access to music education. Special thanks to our music professionals who do such outstanding work with our children from the youngest age through their senior year of high school, and thank you to all of you for emphasizing the importance of music and the arts! 

Finally, a thank you to the Victor Robotics Team for running their annual spring recycle event tomorrow (Saturday), from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in the Auxiliary Parking Lot by VSH. Electronics equipment cannot be accepted this year; however, anything related to clothes, food, most scrap metal, bikes, etc will be gladly accepted. This event is a great way to help our environment and support our amazing Robotics program at the same time. 

Have a wonderful weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

Dear Families,

I hope everyone had a great week! I have a few announcements and celebrations.

First, a reminder that Tuesday, May 20th is the VCS Budget vote for the 2025-2026 school budget. You will be receiving your budget newsletter in the mail in the next few days. Check out our website if you would like to view the newsletter online along with having access to other budgetary information. 

If you have not registered to vote in Ontario County, you can attend Voter Registration on May 13, from 3-7 pm in our District Office. If you have questions about voter registration please reach out to us. 

Second, there is a troubling trend circulating on social media platforms called the “Chromebook Challenge.” Our Junior High and Senior High administration sent a message home this week about the issue. This challenge encourages students to damage their school-issued laptops in various ways. We have great kids at VCS, but the burdens of social media and its negative effects make it important for all of us to remind our students about responsible online behavior. We will continue to collaborate with you to reinforce online safety. 

Finally, a few shout outs. Congratulations to our Victor Junior High for being named a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Distinguished Gateway School and our Victor Senior High for being named a PLTW Distinguished High School. The PLTW Distinguished Program celebrates districts and schools committed to helping students “own” their education by increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in technology and engineering programs. 

In addition, On Saturday, April 26, Varsity Baseball Coach, Sean Rucker, earned his 500th Varsity Baseball victory. He is only the third Section V coach to reach five hundred career wins! Coach Rucker has always put his student athletes first and has been a phenomenal leader and role model for them both as a teacher and a coach! 

Happy Mother’s Day to all our VCS moms! May your day be filled with rest, relaxation, and family on Sunday. 

Have a wonderful weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

Dear Families,

I hope everyone is doing well and had an excellent week! We have a few announcements for this afternoon. 

First, we are in the final stages of our 2025-2026 budget process. The annual Budget Hearing is scheduled for this Tuesday, May 6th from 7:00-7:30 PM in the JH/SH Performing Arts Center. During the hearing we will discuss the specifics of the budget and answer questions from the audience. This will be followed by the Meet the Board Candidates Night from 7:30 - 8:30 PM which is sponsored by the PTSA. This year, we have three incumbents running for three open positions: Tim DeLucia, Lisa Kostecki, and Elizabeth Mitchell. This event will be livestreamed. 

In addition, the annual Spring Budget Newsletter will be arriving in mailboxes in a little over a week. This newsletter is packed full of information about our budget, including a question and answer section. With this information in mind, please mark your calendars for the Budget Vote, which will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 in the Early Childhood School Boardroom from 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM. You can find updated budget information on our website at victorschools.org.

Second, we have many shoutouts. This week, 22 students competed at the International Career Development Conference at the DECA World Championships in Orlando, Florida. Congratulations to all of our competitors - competing at DECA’s highest level is an incredible achievement! A special shoutout to Bella Cointot (Entrepreneurship Series), and Aryan Moore (Marketing Communication Series) for being Competitive Event Champions, winning DECA Glass! Aryan also won an Army ROTC scholarship. Congrats also goes to Charlotte Johnson for earning two ICDC silver medallions in the Human Resource Management Series. Bella and Aryan’s wins are just the 4th and 5th DECA glass trophies in Victor history - an incredible accomplishment!

On Thursday we celebrated our amazing principals on National School Principals' Day! Their outstanding leadership and deep dedication towards shaping a bright future for all students does not go unnoticed. In addition, their efforts at maintaining a secure and nurturing school environment are sincerely appreciated. 

In addition, the first weeks in May are a wonderful time to celebrate additional professionals who do amazing things. Today is School Lunch Hero Day, which honors our food service staff who work tirelessly every day to put the nutritional needs of our students first, while making everything taste great! Thanks to Alix Tepol-Dewitt and her amazing team for the important work that they do every day.

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and Tuesday will be Teacher Appreciation Day when we honor our amazing teachers for all that they do!  A big thank you to our Victor PTSA for the Staff Appreciation Luncheons and their support of our teachers and staff throughout the year. 

We can’t forget our phenomenal school nurses. Wednesday is School Nurse Appreciation Day. Thank you VCS Nurses for all of your hard work ensuring the health of our students! 

Finally, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Since its inception in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been a cornerstone of addressing the challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions. The goal of this awareness is to eradicate stigma, extend support, foster public education, and advocate for policies that prioritize the well-being of individuals and families affected by mental illness. For VCS, mental health goes far beyond specifically addressing mental illness. Caring for one's mental health is just as important as supporting physical health. VCS is firmly in support of this initiative.

I hope you enjoy the weekend. As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

4/25/2025

Dear Families, 

I hope that your first week back after break was seamless. Today, I have several items to share.

First, a reminder for all of us about driver safety. Because of the current road closures on CR 9 and Willowbrook Rd due to Thruway construction, west to east traffic has fewer available routes available. As you are aware, this is causing more traffic congestion on certain roads. For example, the intersection of Aldridge Rd. and High St. has seen increased traffic and is, and has been, a known dangerous intersection. Vehicles turning onto High St. have an extremely limited view of northbound High St. traffic which is governed by a 40 mph speed limit. I appreciate the work of our District Security Team collaborating with the Town of Victor to put remedial measures in place at this intersection such as a large mirror placed along the west shoulder or slope of High St. and angled to give Aldridge Rd. traffic a better view of High St. vehicles. Please continue to use caution as you travel through this intersection and others near the campus. 

Second, I want to thank everyone again for their continued interest in the 2025-2026 budget which will be put before the community at the Annual Vote and Board of Education election on May 20th in the Early Childhood School Boardroom between 6 AM and 9 PM. Please click on this link to view the budget presentation Christine Griffin, Assistant Superintendent for Business, and I did for our April Town Hall. In addition, on Tuesday, May 6th from 7 PM to 8 PM you will have another opportunity to learn more about not only the budget, but also our 2025-26 Board candidates at the annual Budget Forum/ Meet the Candidate Night at the JH/SH Arts Center. Special thanks to the PTSA for sponsoring this important event. The District is mailing the Budget Newsletter to homes on May 9th. Please reach out to me if you have any questions. 

Third, we celebrated two important groups of VCS staff this week-our administrative professionals and our bus drivers. Administrative professionals include our secretaries, administrative assistants, and other administrative support staff. These professionals are the foundation of our District!  They are often overlooked and are not praised enough for the positive impact they make on our school culture and how this impact influences the success we have as a District.

Our bus drivers and transportation professionals quite literally keep us moving safely to and from school, on field trips, during special events and for hundreds of athletic runs. Rain, sleet, snow, or shine, they ensure the safety of our students like no other. Bus Driver Appreciation Week may span only 7 days in April, but at VCS we truly value and honor this group every day of the year!

Finally, a few shout outs and reminders. Senior High Wind Ensemble bassoonist, Ethan Smith, was selected for the National Association for Music Education (NAfMe) All Eastern Band this weekend in Hartford, CT. Ethan is the first Victor band student to be selected for this ensemble. The Honors Ensembles consist of 600 students from 10 states who scored the highest in their state for their respective All-State festivals.  Congratulations Ethan!

Also, there’s still time to get tickets for the VCS Orchestra Guest Artist Concert, featuring local trumpeter extraordinaire, Herb Smith, next Wednesday, April 30th at 7 PM in the JH/SH Arts Center. Herb Smith performs with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and is a well-known Rochester Jazz Musician. 

In addition, There is also still time to RSVP for the annual Senior Citizens’ Ball slated for Saturday, May 3rd from 5 PM to 7 PM in the Primary School cafeteria. It features a free dinner and dance and is open to VCS residents 55 and older. You can RSVP by emailing seniorcitizensball@victorschools.org or calling (585) 924-3252, extension 1407 and leaving a message.

I hope you enjoy the warmer weather over the weekend. As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

Spring Break - enjoy!

April 11, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope you're all doing well! As we wrap up another busy week at VCS, I have four brief updates. 

First, I am appreciative of our Board of Education adopting the 2025-26 School Budget at last evening’s Board of Education meeting. A special thank you for the leadership of every member of our Board of Education who has spent hours advocating to state leaders for an appropriate amount of aid for next school year. Despite NY State still not having a budget as of the writing of this message, we believe the advocacy of our Board will help lessen the impact of our expenses on the community. 

The total budget is $109,771,405 - which is a 6.3% budget to budget increase from this school year. The tax levy increase (based on our Tax Cap for 2024-25) is 3.04%. The District is not exceeding the Tax Cap. We are still finalizing the tax rate for next school year, and will communicate this rate the week of April 21st. 

In terms of personnel, we are not increasing staffing for next school year.  In addition, there are no projected cuts of people or programs. Because of our stable student enrollment, we are also anticipating keeping class sizes at the same level as this school year. Please visit our website at www.victorschools.org for more budget information, or reach out to me directly with questions terranovat@victorschools.org. We are also planning a Facebook Town Hall to discuss the specifics of the budget on Tuesday, April 22nd starting at 6:30 pm. 

Second, a shout out to all of the students who were recognized at last night's Board meeting, including musical performers from Spamalot, our NYS Champion VIPE and NYS Champion Winterguard ensembles, along with individual athletes and teams who earned sectional titles. In addition, a huge congratulations to our Ohio Buckeye Regional Champion Robotics Team! They did an amazing job at this prestigious competition and took home first place. We will honor our Robotics team at the May Board of Education meeting. 

Third, a huge thank you to the VJH leadership, staff and Sue Utz, our Work-Based Learning Coordinator, for organizing the inaugural VJH Career Event today. There were 31 representatives from over 12 companies who met with small groups of our JH students to discuss various career opportunities and the skills necessary to be successful in these fields. We were also able to give an overview of the VSH Work-Based learning program to our 7th and 8th grade students. 

A special thank you to the business community for their continuing partnership with our school district. This work is aligned to our VCS Vision, emphasizing students utilizing hands-on opportunities and real-world experiences tailored to their unique interests, strengths, and aspirations to gain the skills and adaptability needed to excel in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Finally, this week is National Assistant Principals Week, and we have been celebrating the great work they do everyday. Their roles are critical to the success of our schools. They are constantly working on essential details for the administration of our school buildings, supporting our faculty and staff in their critical work with students, building relationships with our students and families, and ultimately contributing immensely to student achievement and the overall well-being of our school community. We have an incredible group at VCS, and are very thankful for the important work they do.

Have a fantastic break next week and we look forward to having your children return to us for the home stretch of the school year on April 21st! Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

April 4, 2025

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a terrific week! For families of students in grades K-6, the last day of school will be June 25th, which is a Wednesday. We are able to use this date as the last day because of limited use of snow days this school year. This week, I have three brief messages.

First, unfortunately, the current bus driver shortage is impacting our ability to provide consistent transportation for both daily commutes and extracurricular activities. This may lead to delays, route changes, and potential temporary suspension of certain runs. We are actively recruiting drivers, exploring solutions, and will keep you updated in a timely manner via Parent Square if buses are delayed or cancelled. The District is grateful for the dedication of current drivers and staff who have been stepping in where necessary. Your patience and flexibility are appreciated. Consider carpooling if possible, and help spread the word about driver openings. Thank you for your understanding.


Second, a reminder that we have a very important parent presentation in the high school LGI room on Monday, April 7th from 6:00 - 7:00 PM. The focus will be on current trends related to substance use impacting adolescents, with tips and resources for parents for prevention and early intervention. This presentation is critically important for parents/guardians of children in grades 4 through 12. Due to the popularity of this program, parents are asked to register in advance to help us prepare for enough seating.

Finally, some celebrations! Tuesday, April 2 was World Autism Awareness Day, marking the start of Autism Acceptance month. This day and month is a United Nations-sanctioned event. Throughout the month, many organizations will focus on sharing stories and providing opportunities to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism and fostering worldwide support. This focus fits perfectly with the VCS Vision of celebrating diversity and fostering a sense of belonging. 

In addition, a huge shout out to the Victor Indoor Percussion Ensemble (VIPE) and the Victor Colorguard. VIPE wrapped up an incredible season last weekend when they were named Scholastic Open Class Champions and the New York State Top Scholastic Marching Ensemble at the New York State Percussion Circuit Championships in Rochester! We are so proud of their accomplishment!

Our Winterguard has also had an outstanding season! Last weekend, they were crowned North East Color Guard Circuit Champions, and they were also awarded the showmanship award and the sportsmanship award, and are currently ranked 21st in the World out of hundreds of teams! This weekend they are in Dayton, Ohio competing at the WGI Color Guard World Championships. Yesterday, they put on an incredible performance that landed them in the semi-final round where they will compete later today. We are wishing them the best as they continue to compete at such a high level against other teams from around the country. Both of these ensembles put in countless hours of hard work and are dedicated to excellence. We are so very proud of them!

I hope you have a great weekend - and if you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim

March 28, 2025

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a terrific week! We are headed into the last quarter of the school year. For families of students in grades K-6, the last day of school will either be June 25 or June 26. The decision will be based on weather-related days off from school. As you all know, we always run the risk of a late season snow or ice event, which could cause us to close school for the day. As we near the end of this period of uncertainty, we will finalize the date by the end of next week, and I will have that information in my message next Friday. This week, I have three brief messages.

First, we continue to work on the development of the 2025-26 school budget. I do not have much to add from my last update. We are still waiting for NY State to adopt a budget, which will give us needed revenue information. We are hopeful that our legislators can influence the Governor to increase the Foundation Aid that is in her original proposal from January. We received close to a zero percent increase in Foundation Aid this school year, and our District is one of the few in this part of NY State that has stable enrollment. Expenses are increasing over 5% for next school year and the lack of a similar increase in revenue is concerning. 

Despite the challenging financial picture, we are not exceeding the Tax Cap, and we do not expect any reductions to the comprehensive educational program we offer VCS students for next school year. We will have more specific information as we get closer to April 10th, the date the Board adopts the final budget. Our community budget vote is slated for Tuesday, May 20th. 

Second, we have a very important presentation on substance use and its impact on our adolescents coming soon. Substance use in adolescence can lead to decreased academic performance, including lower grades and increased absenteeism, hindering a student's educational progress. Additionally, it can negatively impact mental health, potentially causing anxiety, depression, and difficulties in social interactions, which can further isolate students and affect their overall well-being.

Lindsay Snyder, VCS Substance Abuse Counselor, will hold an evening parent presentation in the high school LGI on Monday, April 7th from 6:00 - 7:00 PM. The focus will be on current trends related to substance use impacting adolescents, with tips and resources for parents for prevention and early intervention. This presentation is critically important for parents/guardians of children in grades 4 through 12. Due to the popularity of this program, parents are asked to register in advance to help us prepare for enough seating.

Finally, a huge shout out to the VCS art department who has several wonderful opportunities for our students to showcase their talents in the coming weeks! Our UPK-6 art teachers will have their student’s work on display at the UPK-6 Victor Farmington Library Art Show from March 22nd until April 20th at the Victor Farmington Library. Our 8-12 art teachers will have their student's work on display at the Cobblestone Arts Center Show in Canandaigua from April 3rd until May 9th. This is a new and special Victor Schools-only show at the gallery! There will be an opening reception on April 3rd from 4:00-7:00 PM. And finally, our JH/SH art teachers are putting together an Art Show at ArtSpace36 on Main Street in Canandaigua. Details are still in the works, but the show will open with a reception on May 29. Mark your calendars! We are all looking forward to seeing the wonderful things our teachers and students have been working on! 

I hope you have a great weekend - and if you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim

March 20, 2025

Hello Everyone,

I hope you and your family had a fantastic week! I have three brief announcements. 

First, congratulations to Debbie Krouskop who received the Victor Central School District Volunteer of the Year award last Friday. This award is sponsored by the Victor Teachers’ Association. Debbie spends significant time in her role as an active PTSA member, and several important roles for The Spot - including coordinating operations for the VIS School and  running  the VCS Concert Boutique. We are so grateful for the work she does for our school community! 

Our PTSA does so many positive things for our District, not only supporting our students and student events, but also helping our faculty and staff and celebrating their work. Please consider joining the PTSA by visiting their website. Signing up is easy, and goes a long way to help the students in our school community. 

Second, we are in the midst of the 2025-26 budget development process. We are not planning on increasing staff positions for next school year. Since 2021, we have increased a significant amount of positions because we were severely understaffed in multiple areas, including, but not limited to, social workers, psychologists, special education staff, cleaners, security, and computer technology. Because of these additions, we can level off our staffing increases. 

Despite not increasing staff for next school year, we still have a gap between projected revenue and projected expenses of around 3.5 million dollars. This is significantly greater than the last few years because we have significant expenses (especially health care, utilities, pension, supplies and equipment) and costs are outpacing our revenue. 

We have a plan to fill this budget gap without utilizing any cuts to staff or programming for next year and, hopefully, maintaining our current level of Reserves.This is a short term fix. 

Our Board of Education has done an excellent job of advocating with state leaders to increase the amount of Foundation Aid that is currently projected by the Governor's office. They have held over 10 meetings with legislators and government officials to explain the importance of increased aid based on the needs of our District. Please see the attached letter we wrote to the Governor's office last week explaining our rationale, as well as the graph that shows our enrollment growth since 1995. We need to continue to advocate for appropriate funding from NY State as we plan our longer term financial strategy. 

We will continue to update you on our budget process as we move through March and April. The Board adopts the budget at the April 10th Board meeting and the community will vote on this budget on May 20th. 

Finally, yesterday (Thursday), the Victor Central School District celebrated World Down Syndrome Day. World Down Syndrome Day is an annual celebration and global awareness day officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. The purpose is to raise awareness of what Down syndrome is, what it means to have Down syndrome, and how people with Down syndrome play a vital role in our lives and communities. We celebrate inclusivity at VCS, and will continue to emphasize the teaching of empathy, inclusiveness, and the strength of diversity within our community. 

I hope you have a great weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

March 14, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope you had a great week and your children enjoyed today off from school! A huge thank you to our faculty and staff for their work during the Conference Day. Our professionals have a growth mindset, and this is evident from the time they are spending on professional development opportunities. Today, I have two announcements.

First, a major aspect of our new District Vision and Mission is to cultivate a vibrant and supportive learning community built upon the cornerstones of respect, inclusivity, and empowerment. This includes celebrating diversity, fostering a sense of belonging, and striving for academic achievement. We strive to have every child at VCS have access to every opportunity that is available in our district - and feel like they belong, have a voice, and are valued for their differences. 

With this Vision in mind, we are starting a series of student focus groups in grades 6-12 to gather information about students' sense of belonging, and the current access to opportunities across all populations. We are planning to utilize a total of six to eight student focus groups, with the size of each group ranging from five to eight students. The groups will include a wide range of students, and Principals are overseeing the selection process. Student participation is optional, and schools will communicate with parents if their child is part of a focus group. 

We are not attempting to take away opportunities and/or the voice of any students, just ensure that all students have the same opportunities. We will use the information we learn from the focus groups, along with analyzing academic and other data, to determine where we have strengths as well as areas we need to grow. We are looking for ways to continuously improve our learning environment so that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. 

Second, a few shout outs. Our District Orchestra concert was last evening and we had over 600 students participate in the VSH gymnasium. What an amazing opportunity for our children! March is Music in our Schools month, and you can see why Victor is recognized by the NAMM Foundation as one of the best communities for music education. 

In addition, over 20 students participated in the First Robotics Finger Lakes Regional competition at RIT today. We are proud of our students who are involved in Robotics as it leads to so many opportunities for them in the future. This coming Tuesday, I am looking forward to having representatives from our Sectional championship teams on our Next Facebook Live Town Hall starting at 6:30 pm. I am also planning on having representatives of the Superintendent’s Student Leadership group join me to talk about their work this year. 

Have a great weekend and please reach out if you have any questions.  

With gratitude,

Tim

March 7, 2025

Dear Families,

As you know, last week we received disturbing news about the situation with the teacher at the high school. While I do not have any additional information regarding the situation to share with you, I do want to thank you for partnering with us to support our children during this time. Special thanks to high school principal, Brian Siesto, his administrative team, and our amazing school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers who worked closely with our exceptional staff to make sure our children were supported. If your child needs to talk to someone or you have any concerns, please reach out to your child’s principal.

We have many things to celebrate this week. We still have three performances left of the VSH Spring Musical, SPAMALOT, tonight at 7:00 pm and Saturday at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Opening night was a huge success and we are extremely proud of our performing arts students! 

In addition, a special shout out to Olivia Ofori and Ben Song, juniors at VSH, who are part of the Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and will be playing side by side in concert with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra on Sunday. What a great accomplishment by Olivia and Ben!

We also had two other VSH students receiving major awards this week. Emma Mastrangelo received the Senator Pam Helming Youth Leadership Award this afternoon in a special ceremony. The Senator recognized 24 students from across the Wayne Finger Lakes region for their outstanding leadership and service toward others. Emma was one of the select few, and greatly deserves this honor. 

Sarah Chruscicki was awarded the Victor Central School District Senior of the Year award in front of a packed house on Thursday evening. Each school district in the Wayne-Finger Lakes region nominates one senior for this award based on leadership, scholarship, and service toward others. Sarah was chosen because she excels in all three areas. It was a pleasure honoring her and her family at this event. 

A huge shout out to the Boys Varsity Hockey Team for winning the Sectional title in Class B on Monday! They are competing in the regionals tomorrow in Buffalo. Coach Ferreri and the student athletes are wonderful examples of having an unselfish, team-first mentality and we wish them well as they move forward in state competition. 

Congratulations to Victor DECA! 67 students competed at the New York State Career Conference in Rochester this week. This was their best year ever with 20 students earning the opportunity to compete at the International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida next month.

And finally, as you plan for next week, Friday, March 14th is a Superintendent’s Conference Day and there will be no school for students. In addition, don’t forget that Daylight Savings time begins this Sunday, which means set your clocks ahead by one hour.  Have a great weekend! 

With gratitude,

Tim

February 28, 2025

Dear Families,

We have several celebrations and a few exciting events coming up. 

First, the ENL (English as a New Language) Department held their 10th annual ELL (English Language Learner) Dinner last night at St. Patrick’s Church in Victor. About 200 people attended a potluck style event that showcased the richness of different cultures through traditional food. There were over 18 countries and over 20 languages represented. This wonderful event brings lots of smiles to all who attended. 

Second, earlier this fall, Victor Junior High 7th Grader Joshua Lin competed in a Concerto Competition with the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra, and won. That victory earned him a violin solo during the combined Philharmonic Orchestra during their concert earlier this month. Channel 8 news was recently on campus and featured Josh during their weekly Generation Roc segment.

Next, our scholar athletes continue to impress with their performance in the classroom! This week, we are celebrating the news that all 14 of our winter varsity teams achieved scholar athlete status. To qualify, each team’s average GPA for 75% of the roster must be greater than or equal to 90.00, with the overall Victor average for all 14 teams being 94.28%. We are proud of our coaches and athletes who continue to place an emphasis on academics first.

In addition, congratulations to our Girls Indoor Track Team who won the Sectional Championship last week! Also, junior bowler Adam Wakelee earned Class A All-Tournament honors and secured a spot on the Section V Division 1 Composite team for the NYSPHSAA Championship! 

Finally, plan now to attend the spring musical next weekend! Cast and crew are working hard putting the finishing touches on Spamalot (school edition). There will be three performances: Thursday, March 6 at 7:00 PM, Friday, March 7 at 7:00 PM, and Saturday, March 8 at 1:00 PM and again at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available online.

I hope you and your family have a great weekend! If you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim

February 14, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope you had a great week! Tomorrow marks the start of our February break. I hope you and your families enjoy your time together. I have several celebrations and a reminder for this update.

First, sophomore Jack Crabbe was honored by NY State Senator, Pam Helming, at yesterday’s Board of Education meeting for his heroic actions saving his father’s life this summer after he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed. Jack was able to act quickly and perform CPR for several minutes until paramedics arrived. Because of Jack’s heroism, his dad is alive and doing great. Jack learned CPR in his physical education classes the year before. Senator Helming presented Jack with the prestigious Liberty Medal, the highest honor for a civilian to earn from the NY State Senate. 

Second, I want to remind everyone of the importance of keeping the handicapped parking spaces clear for individuals who are handicapped and have the proper handicapped parking permit. It’s extremely challenging for people who need assistance to walk to have to park farther away from an event, especially in the winter weather. I know parking is difficult, but the more we can watch out for others, the better. If you qualify for a handicap permit, please secure one and post it in your car.

Third, congratulations to the Victor Winterguard for winning 1st place in their division at the Victor Home Show last Saturday evening! Over 25 school districts competed in this amazing event, and we are extremely proud of our Winterguard and their performance. In addition, senior Raj Chitre won the RIT Saunders College of Business DECA contest. The challenge was to offer input on the RIT website to win $1,000 for your DECA chapter. This week, Raj proudly accepted a check for $1,000 on behalf of the VCS DECA club!

In addition, we have many athletes who are earning significant honors for the winter season. Congratulations to Winter and Ever Shull for qualifying for the NY State championships in alpine skiing, which will take place at Gore mountain. Also, congratulations for our first ever Nordic Ski state qualifiers, Kelsey Shaffer and Colin Maynard. Also, a shout out to Mason Naple, for winning the Section V, Class A1 wrestling championship. 

Continuing with the shout outs, Zach Shields was a NYSPHSAA Boys Swimming Qualifier for 100 Free, 200 Free and 100 Backstroke. Our Varsity Cheerleading team qualified for the National semifinals and placed 7th overall in Orlando, Florida. We also have many other athletic teams competing in sectionals over the next few weeks.

A reminder that our Victor Indoor Percussion Ensemble (VIPE) is hosting the Victor Home Show this Saturday in the VSH gymnasium from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The VIPE Home Show is an amazing experience that includes percussion ensembles from across the central and western part of NY State. Please consider cheering on our VIPE team on Saturday.

Lastly, the calendar for the 2025-2026 school year was approved at last night’s Board of Education meeting, and is now on the District website.

I hope everyone has a wonderful break, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

February 7, 2025

Hello Everyone,

I hope you and your families had a wonderful week. 

A central theme from the Victor Central School District Vision Statement, which was Board approved this past fall is,
“Every day, in every building, every person will feel safe, valued, inspired, and motivated to grow—both academically and personally. We will celebrate diversity, foster a sense of belonging and strive for academic achievement, and students will become informed, confident scholars and leaders who are prepared to thrive in an ever-changing world.”
This vision is not just words. We see them as the building blocks, along with high expectations, highly engaging learning experiences, and pride in our local community that enable our children to achieve the highest levels of competency, both academically and socially/emotionally.

With this theme in mind, I have four celebrations of staff and students that deserve recognition. 

First, congratulations to the 27 VSHS students who have been recognized by the Urban League of Rochester as Black Scholars for the 2024-25 school year at a ceremony on Thursday evening in the JH/SH Auditorium. For over four decades, the Urban League of Rochester Black Scholars program has provided academic recognition, college readiness assistance, and scholarship incentives to students of color who achieve and maintain a strong academic average throughout high school. This is an enormous accomplishment, and we are so very proud of these students! 

Second, congratulations to Early Childhood School special education teacher, Madelyn VanAken! She was awarded Channel 8's Golden Apple Award this week after being nominated by a VCS parent. The Golden Apple is awarded each month during the school year to recognize teachers and administrators who make a significant impact on the lives of students. Madelyn does an amazing job building connections with her students and teaching them that they can achieve anything if they work hard and persevere. 

Third, this past week, we have been celebrating National School Counseling Week. Our counselors not only support the academic needs of our students, but also their social-emotional needs as well as provide career guidance. A huge shout out to our wonderful Victor counselors for caring so deeply, and bringing a wealth of care, commitment, and resources for the wellbeing of each of our over 4300 students!

Finally, please don’t forget that the 25th VCS Winter Guard Home Show is this Saturday. Our VJH and VSH students competing in Winter Guard are highly skilled and put on an incredible show of choreography and color that you won’t want to miss! There will be 28 teams competing in this year’s show, Images in Motion, which begins at 4:00 PM in the VSH Gymnasium.  

I hope you have a great weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

January 31, 2025

Hello Everyone,

I hope you and your family had a fantastic week! I have four brief announcements. 

First, congratulations to the 18 students who were inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society earlier this week. The Tri-M Music Honor Society recognizes students that have gone above and beyond both academically and musically, and provides students with leadership opportunities to make a difference in their community through music-based service projects. This year’s group of students are incredibly talented, and we are so proud of their accomplishments!

Second, February is Black History Month. This is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more. 

2025’s theme for the month is "African Americans and Labor," focusing on the various ways work and working experiences intersect with the collective experiences of Black people across different sectors and time periods. Each of our five buildings will have experiences that celebrate Black History Month throughout February. 

Third, the PTSA Book Fair starts on Monday, February 3rd and runs through February 12th. Check out an awesome display of kid’s books, book sets, journals, posters, and other fun items at the book fair. Students in VPS and VIS will visit the book fair with their class, and parents can attend during morning and evening hours. Spirit Wear will also be on sale. 

The PTSA Book Fair will be located in the VPS Auditorium. The schedule for the book fair is from February 3rd - February 12th (8:30am - 4:00pm) with evening hours on Wednesday, February 5th and Tues. February 11th, until 7:00pm. Thank again to our PTSA for all that they do for our school district!

Finally, a shout out to the Victor Hockey team for their collaboration with Pittsford hockey to put on the Pink the Rink hockey games tomorrow (Saturday) at the Tim Hortons Iceplex.

Both teams will incorporate pink into their game-day attire as a symbol of solidarity in the fight against breast cancer. Net proceeds from this special evening will be donated to the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, continuing a legacy of generosity and community impact. JV starts at 5:00 pm and Varsity starts at 6:30 pm. Tickets are available at the door. 

I hope you have a great weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

January 31, 2025

Hello Everyone,

I hope you and your family had a fantastic week! I have three brief announcements. 

First, congratulations to the 17 students who were inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society earlier this week. The Tri-M Music Honor Society recognizes students that have gone above and beyond both academically and musically, and provides students leadership opportunities to make a difference in their community through music-based service projects. This year’s group of students are incredibly talented and we are so proud of their accomplishments!

Second, February is Black History Month. This is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more. 

2025’s theme for the month is "African Americans and Labor," focusing on the various ways work and working experiences intersect with the collective experiences of Black people across different sectors and time periods. Each of our five buildings will have experiences that celebrate Black History Month throughout February. 

Finally, the PTSA Book Fair starts on Monday, February 3rd and runs through February 12th. Check out an awesome display of kid’s books, book sets, journals, posters, and other fun items at the book fair. Students in VPS and VIS will visit the book fair with their class, and parents can attend during morning and evening hours. Spirit Wear will also be on sale. 

The PTSA Book Fair will be located in the VPS Auditorium. The schedule for the book fair is from February 3rd - February 12th (8:30am - 4:00pm) with evening hours on Wednesday, February 5th and Tues. February 11th, until 7:00pm. Thank again to our PTSA for all that they do for our school district!

I hope you have a great weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

January 17, 2025

Hello everyone,

I hope it was a great week for you and your families! I have a few updates for you.

We have started our budget development process for the 2025-26 school year. For context, before 2021 our District was significantly understaffed. Over the past four years, thanks to the incredible support of the community and NY State, which finally appropriately funded our state aid formula, we were able to increase our total staff by over 100 positions while the true tax rate decreased during this same time period. 

These positions included creating an entire security staff, significant increases in special education, PPS, and cleaning staff, and adding teachers to maintain smaller class sizes while increasing opportunities for students to take a comprehensive array of courses at the secondary level.

This year, NY State is revising their state aid formula. To maintain these positions over an extended time, we need NY State to send us the appropriate amount of state aid as part of next year’s budget. State aid, along with the local tax levy, make up the bulk of the revenue we use to pay for our expenses. We are concerned that the Governor’s office will not consider Victor’s unique situation.

• Our community continues to grow, and we have seen an increase in student enrollment over the past 15 years while other districts in our area have decreasing enrollment.

• This has resulted in a dramatic increase in students who have more complex needs, such as a 700% increase in students with disabilities, and a 300% increase in English Language learners.

• Before last school year, Victor CSD lost well over 100 million dollars in potential state aid due to an outdated formula. 

Despite NY State recently fully funding our aid formula, we received almost no increase in state aid this school year from last school year. We cannot maintain our staff and the increases in expenses such as health care if we do not receive at least inflationary increases in aid for next school year. Keeping state aid flat for next school year is as harmful as a reduction in aid.

The District sent a letter to the Governor advocating for appropriate funding. We encourage you to write similar letters to our Governor and state legislatures over the next month. We have provided a template that you can either download and email, or print out, sign, and send it. 

Special thanks to our Board of Education for their leadership as well as the leadership from our associations, and our PTSA to advocate on our District’s behalf. Together, we can influence NY State to send us the appropriate amount of aid that will allow us to continue to thrive as a District.

In other news, congratulations to the fourteen, incredibly talented VSH art students who have been chosen to have their work displayed at the RIT Start Here Art Show. The show opens tonight with a reception from 5-8 PM, on RIT's campus in the Bevier Gallery, Booth Hall (building 7A). I’ll have more on the students selected and awards next week! 

Finally, our staff and students have off from school on Monday as we celebrate Martin Luther King (MLK) Day, which honors the slain Civil Rights leader who dedicated his life to achieving equality for people of all races. On Monday, I hope you join me in not only celebrating the strides our country has made with racial equality, but also reflecting on the progress we still need to make in this area. 

I hope you have a great weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions.  

With gratitude,

Tim

January 10, 2025

Dear Families,

I hope everyone had a wonderful week. It has been great having our children back from break! I have three brief updates. 

First, congratulations to the over 100 high school students who were inducted in the National Honor Society on Tuesday night! Each of the students who earned this recognition did so because of their strong academic performance along with their leadership, character, and service toward others. We are so proud of them, and look forward to their continued leadership! 

Second, we are excited to announce the hiring of Ms. Christine Griffin as our new Assistant Superintendent for Business. Christine has over 11 years experience in school finance and 14 years of experience in finances and accounting in the private sector. Most recently, she has been the Business Official for the Oakfield-Alabama School District. Ms. Griffin will work collaboratively with Mr. Richard Stutzman, our Interim Business Official, until her start date in February. A huge thank you to Mr. Stutzman for his leadership during this time.

Finally, our weather has been challenging as we make our way through January. Thank you to our dedicated facilities crew and traffic control professionals for their work keeping us safe this week while dealing with bitter cold temperatures and wind. 

Although we may need to close school for multiple reasons (such as poor weather), one of the main reasons for school closing is temperature, in particular, wind chill. As Superintendent, I typically talk to my colleagues from across the area to discuss the potential need for closures the evening before and the early morning of any day that has significant wind chills. The NYS Department of Health recommends that school districts use a wind chill of approximately -25F as the temperature to consider closing schools. Because every situation is unique, Superintendents may also use their own judgment when wind chills are between -20 and -25 for extended periods of time. 

If we delay or close school, we will send a ParentSquare message as well as communicate the information on social media, local radio and television stations.  

Have a great weekend! Thank you for your continued support of our students and staff, and please reach out if you have any questions. 

With gratitude, 

Tim

November 26, 2024

Dear Families,

As you know, school is out of session starting tomorrow (Wednesday) for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will return to classes on Monday, December 2nd.

I want to wish all our students, staff, and families a Happy Thanksgiving. At VCS, we are thankful for the amazing faculty and staff who give so much of their time and effort to supporting our students. In addition, a huge thank you to our parents and guardians! You are the most important teachers in your child’s life, and your partnership with us is what makes VCS a special place.

We are also incredibly grateful for the 4300 students at VCS. They are the reason why we are here! I know from interacting with many of them and seeing their daily accomplishments that our future is in great hands.

Enjoy the break!

With gratitude,

Tim

November 20, 2024

Dear Families,

As the week winds down, we have had numerous examples of student leadership and accomplishments that I want to highlight. 

First, it is opening night for the Junior High musical! Come out and see the cast and crew put on The Addams Family tonight at 7:00 PM. You can also see our amazing performers tomorrow for shows at 1:00 PM and again at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available online. This promises to be an incredible show that you won’t want to miss!

Second, the 17th annual ROC2Change Student Summit was held today, and over 400 students from around the Rochester area gathered together for the Fall Summit and discussed topics around the theme of respect and race. I am extremely proud of our eight Victor student leaders who participated in this important discussion, and will utilize their leadership to support inclusivity across our campus.

Finally, we have several students who achieved significant accomplishments. Congratulations to our Unified Bowling team who won the Section V Unified Far East Championship! Our bowlers on the Unified team showed resilience, teamwork, and skill as they won this event. In addition, we had 18 students who qualified to participate in the NYSSMA Zone 2 Area All State Concert last weekend. What a great accomplishment for these musicians! And, congratulations to Ethan Smith, Nathan Crane, Kailey Sheets, Sabrina Bhalla, Jillian Doyle, and Sarah Chruscicik who were selected to NYSSMA Conference All State ensembles through a vigorous audition process among all 10th and 11th grade musicians from across New York State. They will perform at the Eastman Theater on Sunday, December 10.

Previously, I discussed our student athletes and teams who won sectionals and competed in state competition this fall. In addition to these accomplishments, 100% of our fall varsity athletic teams earned scholar athlete status! This is a tremendous achievement and speaks to our belief in putting academics first.

A reminder that next week brings a short week, and time off for the Thanksgiving break, which begins on Wednesday, November 27th. School will reopen again on Monday, December 2nd. 

I hope you have a great weekend! If you have any questions, please reach out.

With gratitude,

Tim 

November 15, 2024

Dear Families,

I hope you had a great week! I have three celebrations and a brief announcement for you.

First, congratulations to Cristie Rydzynski, the 2024 New York State Teacher of the Year for English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)! Cristie does incredible work and goes above and beyond for all of our English Language Learner (ELL) families district-wide while also being an amazing teacher and leader! She was instrumental in creating the English as a New Language Family Dinner, which is going on its 10th year and is a celebration of cultures where families bring foods from their native countries and share friendship and fellowship with one another. It is an amazing event, and speaks to Cristie’s leadership. Congratulations to Cristie who will be honored with this prestigious award tonight at the NY State TESOL Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Rochester!

Second, as the weather turns at this time of year, we are spending more time inside together and have a higher chance of becoming sick. Many parents often have questions about when to keep their student home. We have an incredible team of talented nurses who have created some helpful guidelines for you to check out on our website. This website includes great tips and helpful information. A huge shout out and thank you to our nurses and health office staff who work so hard helping keep our students healthy and safe each day!

Finally, we continue to have many different celebrations and performances coming up. Best of luck to Josie Suppo, a ninth grade student athlete who will be competing in the Cross Country State Championships tomorrow! In addition, congratulations to swimmer Meredith Hogan, who is the Section V Champion for the 200m Freestyle and the 100m Butterfly. Meredith was also the Class A Swimmer of the Meet, and named the Monroe County Division 2 Swimmer of the Year! We wish her the best as she heads off to compete in the New York State Championships next Friday.

Also, a reminder that VJH Musical, The Addams Family, has its opening night next Friday, November 22nd starting at 7:00 pm! This is a fantastic show that our amazing student performers have been rehearsing for many weeks. There are also two shows on Saturday, November 23rd. Tickets are available online.

I hope you have a great weekend and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

November 8, 2024

Dear Families,

I hope you're all doing well. As we wrap up another busy week at VCS, I have three updates to share. 

First, during the month of November, we enter a season of giving and gratitude. Each year, Victor Central Schools partners with several organizations to help those who may need assistance, and foster a sense of community. 

In the coming weeks leading up to the holidays, students and families may choose to take advantage of opportunities to give back - either through the district wide annual food drive that benefits the Victor-Farmington Food Cupboard, ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, giving to The Spot which gives free school supplies and food to students in need, a supply drive for the Ronald MacDonald House, or perhaps something that you do with your own family to give back to others.  

These same organizations can help those who need extra assistance during this time of year. Please reach out to them if you need to. I am thankful for the local organizations who provide help to our students and families, and also provide  opportunities for our students to practice service towards others. 

Second, on Monday, students and staff do not have school in honor of Veterans Day. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. We thank all of our veterans for their service and their incredible dedication to keeping us safe! 

Our staff and students honored our veterans in many ways. One example is at the Victor Intermediate School, where over 70 veterans came into school throughout the day (or zoomed in) today to speak to various classes about their experiences. What an amazing opportunity for our students to hear about the incredible accomplishments and sacrifices that our veterans have made. In addition, members of our VSH choir and orchestra performed to many veterans at a Veterans Day lunch yesterday at the Victor Town Hall. I know our students are very appreciative of the sacrifices that our veterans made. 

Finally, congratulations to our Unified Victor Bowling Team, which earned the Section V Far East Championship on Wednesday! Thanks to our Head Coach Johanna Arnitz for always providing a positive experience for our student athletes. We are so proud of you all!

Enjoy your long weekend and please reach out if you have any questions. 

With gratitude,

Tim

October 25, 2024

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a great week! I have three brief announcements. 

First, thank you to our entire VCS community for the successful Capital Project vote yesterday. The community voted 1288 Yes, to 486 No for the $99 million Capital Project which resulted in a 73% Yes margin. A huge thank you to the community for supporting this important project. You show incredible dedication to your children and our school district on a daily basis through your many acts of support, many of which go unnoticed. This vote is another example of your commitment to our children and our community. In addition, I cannot thank our amazing faculty and staff enough for their dedication and hard work that makes such a positive difference for our children. 

Safety and security is the all encompassing theme for this project. In addition, between the renovation of existing space and the addition of 22 new classrooms and cafeteria space, this project will significantly enhance the student experience by reducing overcrowding and preparing students for the future through modern classroom facilities.

Furthermore, renovations at the Learning Center and the transformation of the former bus garage into a new Career and Technical Center will increase opportunities for our students. 

Thanks to excellent financial planning on the part of the Board of Education and the District, over $93 million of the $99 million project, or greater than 94% of the cost of the project is accounted for. We will continue to send out information about next steps with this project as we move forward. 

Second, the month of October is not only National Principals Month, but also includes School Board Recognition week. A huge shoutout to both our Board of Education, whose leadership has been so valuable to the success of VCS, and our five amazing principals, who always put children first in every decision they make. I am appreciative of their leadership and collaboration.  

Finally, this Tuesday, October 29th is our next Facebook Live Town Hall starting at 6:30 pm. I am planning on having representatives of the VSH Fall Play, Snow Angel, on with me during the Town Hall. Snow Angel opens tonight at 7:00 pm in the Early Childhood School Auditorium. There are two additional shows on Saturday at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Tickets are available at the door.  Also on next week’s Town Hall - student athletes from the fall sports season. Please visit our Facebook page on Tuesday. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

October 11, 2024

Hello Everyone,

I hope you and your families had a great week, and your children had a wonderful day off today! A reminder that this is a long weekend and we will return to school on Tuesday, October 15th. I have two updates. 

First, Our Capital Project Vote is Thursday, October 24, 2024, from 12:00 to 8:00 pm in the VCS Aquatics Center Lobby. Last week I discussed the improvements in safety and security that are a part of the 2024 Capital Project. This week I am briefly explaining the planned expansion of Victor Intermediate (VIS), Victor Junior High (VJH), and Victor Senior High (VSH) schools.  Over the past 25 years, unlike most other districts in New York State, VCS student enrollment has increased significantly. Although enrollment has stabilized recently and we anticipate it staying relatively the same over the next few years, we still have significant space issues, especially at the VIS, VJH, and VSH. 

The project focuses on two ways to increase space - one is through the renovation of existing rooms, like offices, facilities spaces, and locker rooms, turning them into classroom space. The other is through adding classrooms at the VIS, VJH, and VSH. By doing so, we will be able to move some of our students in programs such as special education, English as a New Language, and academic intervention services, out of shared spaces and small closets, into viable rooms that support the needs of our children. In addition, we will add space for our school counselors, psychologists, and social workers to work with students to support their mental health and well being. 

We will also renovate and expand classroom space for science, computer science, technology, and business courses, which need greater room to accommodate the growing interest in these areas. Finally, we will not only increase the size of our VJH and VIS cafeterias, which will improve the quality of life for our students, but also renovate our existing Operations Center into a Career and Technical Education Center, where we can offer cutting edge programs for our high school students on our campus. 

A reminder that we have our second guided tour scheduled for Wednesday, October 16th. We are touring the VIS school and will show examples of our space issues along with highlighting where the additional classrooms will be built. The tour starts at 6:30 pm and will start at the VIS front entrance. As always, please reach out if you have questions about the project. 

Second, tomorrow, October 12th, is the Victor Marching Band Home Show at Corbit Field, starting at 5:30 pm. The show is called “Music in Motion” and thirteen bands will participate in this exceptional musical event which is the second largest marching band show in NYS. The Victor Marching Band takes the field for their performance at about 8:20. Please come out and watch our talented musicians!

In addition, mark your calendars for the VSH Fall play, “Snow Angel.” The play is set for Friday, October 25th at 7:00 pm, and Saturday, October 26th at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm. The Fall Play is always entertaining and showcases the talent of our students. 

I hope you have a great weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

October 4, 2024

 As I said in last week’s update, I will utilize the next few community messages to update you about the 2024 Capital Project. A reminder that our proposed 2024 Capital Project referendum (vote) is Thursday, October 24, 2024, from 12:00 to 8:00 pm at the Victor Aquatics Center.

A hallmark of this Capital Project is increasing the safety and security of our Campus. This includes increasing the safety of our main entrances, offices, and entrance vestibules. It also includes improving window protection for our main entrances and upgrading the public address systems and clocks in all buildings, which improves communication in an emergency. We are also increasing parking space across the district, which will decrease the safety hazards of people needing to park in places not meant for parking, which then impacts the sight lines of drivers. In addition, we are making a variety of ADA improvements across the district and repairing over 30,000 feet of sidewalks and driveways. 

Safety and security is a part of all aspects of this project, including renovating existing locations to accommodate greater instructional space, the expansion of Victor Intermediate, Victor Junior High, and Victor Senior High schools, as well as completing important repairs across our District. I will talk more about these aspects of the project in my next update. 

We are striving to be transparent about the project. We have several In-Person Tours of the facilities that you can attend. The first is tomorrow (Saturday), October 5th from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM and will be a tour of the Junior/Senior High School. We will start the tour at the main entrance of the high school at 10:00 AM. 

In addition, we have a Public Hearing on Monday, October 7 at 7:00 PM in the Early Childhood School Boardroom. At this meeting, we will present the project and have school officials, architects, construction managers, and our financial advisor available for you to ask questions and find out more about the project. 

Finally, you should have received the Capital Project Newsletter in the mail. In addition, I encourage you to visit our website for up to date information. If you have any questions, please reach out to me via email at (terranovat@victorschools.org), or you can call my office.  

Today, we had our Homecoming Pep Rally in the afternoon, and it was an enormous success! On Saturday, we have Homecoming athletic events involving varsity girls swimming and diving, varsity boys soccer, and varsity football, along with varsity cheer. Homecoming is always a wonderful time at VCS as we welcome back our amazing alumni. Please come out and cheer on our student athletes.

Finally, next week is a short week. Our students do not have school on Friday, October 11th because it is a professional development day for our faculty and staff. In addition, our students also have Monday, October 14th off for Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day.

I hope you and your family have a great weekend. If you have any questions, please reach out to me. 

With gratitude,

Tim

September 27, 2024

Hello Everyone,

Hope you all had a great week! I have two important messages to share this week.

First, over the next few weeks I will update the community on our proposed Capital Project that will go to voters this fall. Our proposed  2024 Capital Project referendum (vote) is Thursday, October 24, 2024, from 12:00 to 8:00 pm at the Victor Aquatics Center. This Capital Project will ensure that students continue to experience a high-quality education in a safe and secure environment. Over the last two years, hundreds of VCS faculty, staff, and community members have contributed to the development of this Capital Project proposal, a plan that will provide our students and staff with the space and facilities they need to succeed in a 21st century learning environment. 

The VCS 2024 Capital Project addresses a variety of pressing issues, including safety and security, as well as space needs. Over the past 25 years, unlike most other districts in NYS, VCS student enrollment has increased significantly, and we have run out of space – especially in the Intermediate, Junior and Senior High Schools. We will acquire more space through expansion and renovation. In addition, our District needs to make necessary and timely restorations so they do not become significantly more expensive in the future.

As we embark on the 2024 Capital Project, we do so thoughtfully and responsibly, with the goal of being as transparent as possible. There will be a Public Hearing held on Monday, October 7 at 7:00 PM in the Early Childhood School Boardroom. At that meeting, we will present the project and have school officials, architects, construction managers available for you to ask questions and find out more about the project. There will be a comprehensive newsletter arriving in homes early next week, and you can also find all of the information on our website. 

In addition, we have several in-person tours of the facilities that you can attend. The first is on Saturday, October 5th from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM and will be a tour of the Junior/Senior High School. We will start the tour at the main entrance of the high school at 10:00 AM. 

I will have more information about the project in next week’s update. If you have any questions, please reach out to me via email (terranovat@victorschools.org), or you can call my office.

Second, everyone is getting ready for Homecoming next week, from September 30 - October 5! We will have lots of school spirit, a Senior High Pep Rally, and home athletic contests. Our Athletic Hall of Fame induction will be held on Friday, October 4 at 7:00 PM in the Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased online. We are excited to have all of our alumni back on campus to celebrate with us! 

I hope you and your family have a great weekend. If you have any questions, please reach out.

With Gratitude,

Tim

September 20, 2024

Hello Everyone,

I have three brief announcements today. 

First, I want to let you know about a change in our District Office. Derek Vallese has resigned from his position as Assistant Superintendent for Business to pursue other employment opportunities. I want to thank Mr. Vallese for his strong understanding of the financial aspects of our District, including the ability to design effective yearly budgets. In addition, his expertise in developing a long-term financial strategy has led to the development of a comprehensive Capital Project plan that is financially sound and has unanimous Board of Education approval. 

I am pleased that Mr. Richard Stutzman will be starting immediately as our Interim Assistant Superintendent for Business. Mr. Stutzman has extensive experience as a Superintendent in Batavia and East Rochester. He also has experience as an Assistant Superintendent for Business, and as a Deputy Superintendent of Monroe 1 BOCES. He has led the development and implementation of many successful Capital Projects throughout his career. 

In addition, Mr. Stutzman previously served as Interim Assistant Superintendent for Business in Victor in the summer and fall of 2020, which gives him a strong understanding of our District’s financial needs. His financial expertise, strategic thinking, and excellent interpersonal skills will support not only the immediate needs of our Business Department but also the transition to a permanent Assistant Superintendent for Business in the future. 

Second, our Campus activities are starting to ramp up as we move through the second half of September. From athletics to Marching Band, to fall play practice, to Robotics and First Lego League, our students participate in so many activities beyond the classroom. I would encourage you to reach out to school personnel to see what activities we have available and what might be a great fit for your child. These are tremendous opportunities for learning at any age.

Finally, I want to say something about social media. Recently we had a situation that was taken to social media. This led to comments from people who live outside our District and have nothing to do with VCS that are filled with anger, hate, and threats. These are individuals who have little or no knowledge about a situation, and weaponize social media platforms to harm individuals, whether it is students, staff, or community members. This weaponization is appalling. 

As a District, we will always try to communicate about situations that require transparency. Sometimes this communication is to individuals, sometimes it is to small groups, and sometimes it is to the entire District. However, when social media platforms are used for hate or threats, then it defeats the purpose of effective communication. 

This is a good reminder for all of us that if you have a child in our District and have concerns about anything, please contact the professionals who are closely involved with your child. 

This is the best way to get accurate information on any situation and problem solve with caring professionals. This type of effective communication is what we are teaching our children, which in my opinion, is why it is important for us to practice as adults. 

Have a great weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

September 13, 2024

Dear Families, 

I hope your children had a great, first full week of school! I continue to hear many positive things about the start of the school year. I am thankful for our wonderful Victor students and our amazing faculty and staff! I have three brief announcements.

First, our initial Superintendent Town Hall for the 2024-25 school year will occur via Facebook Live on Tuesday, September 17th from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. I am planning to discuss the upcoming Capital Project during this Town Hall. Community members will also have an opportunity to ask questions about the project. The Town Hall can be accessed on the Victor Facebook page.

In addition, I am discussing the Capital Project later that same evening (September 17th) at the Victor PTSA meeting in the ECS Boardroom starting at 7:30 pm. The Victor PTSA is a critically important organization that supports our students, faculty, and staff. I encourage you to learn more about the PTSA by going to https://victor.givebacks.com/.

We will have much more information to share about the upcoming Capital Project through various presentations, a booth at every Open House this fall, multiple videos, and a Capital Project Newsletter that will be in homes by early October. There will also be a Public Hearing on Monday, October 7 at 7:00 PM in the Early Childhood School Boardroom.  The vote for the Capital Project will be on Thursday, October 24th.

Second, it is important to remind everyone of effective communication procedures  when problem solving with faculty and staff about an issue related to school. Whether it is related to something in the classroom, athletics, or other types of school activities, we emphasize the need to initially problem solve with the staff member most immediately involved in the issue. For many situations, this can be a conversation between the student and the staff member, which promotes independence and problem-solving skills in our students. If for some reason the issue is not resolved with this conversation, or you have a younger child and/or are dealing with a more complex situation, then certainly a conversation between parents and the staff member is a great next step. If this doesn’t solve the issue, then we recommend a conversation with the staff member and administration directly aligned with the staff member. Please visit the  School and Community Relations page of our website for the specific checklist of personnel to contact related to questions or concerns. 

Certainly, there are unique situations where you may have an immediate concern about the physical or social-emotional health and welfare of your child. In these cases, reaching out to an administrator right away, or utilizing our Safe School Helpline is something we encourage. 

Finally, a shout out about two wonderful events. Tonight is the annual Teddi Bowl which has Victor playing Canandaigua in varsity football at Victor. Proceeds go to Camp Good Days and Special Times. In addition, on Saturday is the 5K Devil Dash that is part of the Climb Aboard Victor & Hometown Day. The Devil Dash starts at 8:00 am. Proceeds from this race will go to the Victor Educational Foundation, which raises money for our school district for materials and programs that are typically outside the typical budget. We are grateful for the impact that both of these organizations have on our community! 

Have a great weekend, and please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Tim

September 6, 2024

Hello Everyone, 

It was a fantastic first three days of school! Thank you to our outstanding faculty and staff, as well as all our families for their hard work in making the first few days so enjoyable for our children. From my walks through hallways and classrooms, I know our students are very excited about the start of a new school year. I have a few quick updates for this week.

First, safety continues to be our top priority. Our outstanding Security professionals work diligently to not only protect our children and staff on a daily basis, but also plan important drills that significantly improve our overall safety. I greatly appreciate their expertise and efforts as well as their collaboration with local law enforcement to make our Campus as safe as possible. 

With all of our school buildings located on one campus, it can be quite congested at certain times of the day. Thanks to everyone for added patience this week during drop off and pick up. It is always a bit of a challenge during the first week as everyone gets back into the routine. Huge thanks to our traffic control professionals who help everyone get to and from school each day safely!

Second, I wanted to make you aware that this school year, all students enrolled at VCS are eligible to receive a healthy free breakfast and lunch at school at no charge each day. Your child(ren) will be able to participate in this program without having to submit an application. However, in order to track the benefit of this program and ensure that the district continues to receive other grants and aid, please fill out the form that was mailed to your home and return it to our business office. You can also take a few minutes to fill it out electronically. I’d like to thank our Food Service Director Alix TePoel-DeWitt and her team for all of their continued hard work to make this happen for our students and families.

Third, our leadership team has done a tremendous job filling open positions that have played a major role in starting the school year smoothly. We are still in need of people to work as bus drivers and teacher aides. We also have other positions that are still open. If interested, please visit the employment page on our website. 

Fourth, there is a fun opportunity for you and your family to enjoy next Saturday, September 14th. The Village of Victor will be having “Climb Aboard Victor” Day, which is a family friendly event in the village. The Victor Devil Dash 5K and Family Walk is part of this great day and starts at 8:00 am. Proceeds from the Devil Dash go directly to the Victor Educational Foundation. The foundation provides an enhanced educational experience through increased opportunities that promote educational excellence for the Victor School community. There is still time to sign up for the run/walk. A huge thank you to the Victor Educational Foundation for their significant contributions to our school district.

Finally, Wednesday is the twenty-third anniversary of the September 11th attacks on our country. We appreciate the gravity of that day and the tremendous loss of life as well as the  incredible heroism displayed by so many, including our emergency services professionals. Our principals and staff will have age-appropriate conversations with our students marking this important anniversary and making sure we never forget what happened on that day. 

Thank you and have a great weekend. 

With gratitude, 

Tim