Two CHS Students Recognized for Artistic Achievement:
Two Cortland High School students were recognized for their artistic achievements during an award presentation held at the Cortland County Courthouse.
The Office for Justice Initiatives, in partnership with the Historical Society of the New York Courts, invited high school students across New York State to participate in an art contest celebrating the American Bar Association’s 2025 Law Day theme, “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One.” The statewide contest was conducted in two rounds and evaluated by a panel of judges using established criteria.
Among the winners were district students Alivia and Astrid, whose artwork was selected for its creativity and thoughtful interpretation of the theme. The students received their awards at the ...
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Special Board Meeting January 13, 2026:
The Board of Education approved to revise the 2025-2026 school calendar. The professional development day for staff originally scheduled for January 26, 2026 has been moved to February 2, 2026. With this change, there will be school for students on January 26th and no school for students on February 2nd.
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Cortland BOE Honors Late Employee, Hears Student NASA Project Update:
At its December 16 meeting, the Cortland Board of Education paused to honor the life and service of Andrew John Van Donsel. The Board President called for a moment of silence in memory of Van Donsel, who worked for the district as an automotive mechanic and was a 2007 graduate of Cortland.
The board also heard a presentation from Jonathan Herr, Sai Patel, Alex Sheets, and Thomas Barnes, who are participating in the NASA HUNCH program. NASA HUNCH is a nationwide STEM initiative that provides high school students with hands-on experience designing and building real products for NASA and the International Space Station.
Cortland students are currently working on three separate HUNCH projects. One of the projects involves designing a lunar capsule—a protective box intended ...
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Tackling the Cold:
On behalf of the Cortland Football Program, I want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone across the district who supported our Tackling the Cold Clothing Drive.
Because of your generosity, we were able to collect nearly 200 items of clothing, including coats, sweatshirts, blankets, hats, and gloves, that will be donated directly back into our community to support individuals and families in need during the winter months.
This initiative was about much more than collecting clothing. It was an opportunity to teach our student-athletes the importance of service, empathy, and giving back. Seeing the district come together in support of this cause reinforced a powerful message for our students: when a community works together, real impact is made.
Thank you to the faculty, staff, ...
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Community Donates 400 Stuffed Animals to Parker and Barry Schools:
The Cortland school community is showing its generosity in
a big way with the donation of 400 stuffed animals to Parker and Barry schools. The “adoptable animals” recently arrived and have since been cleaned and prepared for students to enjoy.
In the coming days, the stuffed animals will be divided between the two schools, where students will have the opportunity to “adopt” one of their own. The donation is expected to bring smiles and comfort to many students.
School staff expressed heartfelt thanks to the Cortland community for its continued support and kindness, highlighting how gestures like this strengthen the connection between the schools and the community they serve.
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Art Club Students Explore Creativity During Trip to Herbert F. Johnson Museum:
Students in the Art Club enjoyed a day of inspiration and
hand s-on learning during a recent visit to the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art. The group participated in three sessions led by museum staff, who guided them through a variety of engaging activities.
Two of the sessions focused on analyzing the museum’s current exhibitions. Students practiced close observation, discussed artistic themes, and gained a deeper understanding of how professional artists communicate ideas through their work. The final session shifted from analysis to creativity, giving students the opportunity to create their own artwork. Museum staff generously allowed the pieces to be brought back to school, where they will soon be displayed in the glass case outside the JSHS auditorium.
Throughout ...
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Kindergarteners Enjoy New Age-Appropriate Playground Equipment at Parker:
Kindergarteners at Parker Elementary are all
smiles as they enjoy a newly installed section of playground equipment, funded by the City of Cortland. The addition was designed with younger students in mind, offering age-appropriate features that allow children to climb, play, and explore safely.
In addition to the new equipment, the playground received a fresh layer of wood chips to enhance safety and provide a softer surface for active play. Staff say the updates have already made a noticeable difference, giving students more opportunities for fun while supporting their physical development.
The district thanks the City of Cortland for its support in creating a safer and more engaging outdoor space for its youngest learners.
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Board of Education Welcomes New Student Member, Celebrates Achievements:
At the Tuesday, October 28 Board of Education meeting,
the Cortland BOE welcomed Sai Patel as a second ex-officio student board member. Sai officially took the Oath of Office, joining the board as a student voice and representative.
The meeting also included a special moment for Patrick Clay, who received his high school diploma surrounded by family, friends, board members, and school personnel — all there to celebrate his achievement.
Nicole Latham recognized Lily Tobin and Gabrielle Hooko as this month’s Tiger Paw recipients for their remarkable selflessness and school pride. The two students took it upon themselves to clean the football stadium stands on a Saturday morning after a Friday night game — without being asked. Their actions exemplify ...
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All County Bands Concert Back at CJSHS:
For the first time since 1997, CCMTA presented the
Jr./Sr. High All County Bands Concert held at the Cortland High Auditorium on Wednesday October 29th.
Students from ALL Cortland County schools (Cortland, Homer, McGraw, Marathon, Cincinatus and Cortland Christian Academy) performed under the direction of 2 prestigious guest conductors, Dr. Rob Bridge from Onondaga Community College and Dr. Jennifer Greene from Binghamton University. The students were selected to represent their schools as the most talented young musicians in the county and had been preparing for this special event since last spring.
The concert was presented at no charge and was a truly enjoyable experience for everyone who attended.
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Cortland Staff Members Awarded CPEF Grants to Support Innovative Programs:
Cortland staff members are celebrating after being selected to receive Cortland Permanent Endowment Fund (CPEF) Grants to enhance learning and wellness in their programs. These grants help educators bring creative and meaningful resources to students across the district.
This year’s grant recipients include:
Bridget Dutcher – Whiteboard for classroom instruction
Sharon Phetteplace – Keyboards for student use
Jon Herr – Wind tunnel for hands-on science exploration
Erin Wilson – Trauma-informed books to support student well-being
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Turnback Tuesday Now on YouTube!:
The Cortland Video Club has officially launched its very own
YouTube channel! As part of this exciting new venture, the district will be featuring Turnback Tuesday videos every week on its Facebook page.
Each Tuesday, a video from the past will be shared—highlighting memorable moments from Cortland’s history, including sports games, school plays, concerts, and more. It’s a great way to relive favorite events and celebrate the talent and spirit of Cortland students over the years.
Be sure to follow the district on Facebook and subscribe to the Cortland Video Club YouTube channel to catch every Turnback Tuesday moment!
Check out the Turnback Tuesday for 10/28/25 that features Girls Soccer from 2013! LINK
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Distraction Free Schools Law:
Board of Education approves Distraction Free School policy
At the Board of Education's July 22nd regular meeting the Board unanimously voted to approve Policy #7695 - Student and Personal Electronic Devices. This policy, required by law, is in response to Governor Hochul's proposal and the passage of the statewide bell to bell restriction.
We are underway in our planning for the 2025-2026 school year," reported Bob Edwards, School Superintendent. "Our Principals are actively working on developing our protocols around electronic devices, and we join in cheering on our instructional program that will be more free from distraction this year."
To read Policy #7695, please visit Boarddocs and search for Policy #7695. ...
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District -Wide Safety Plan - Public Comment Period:
We invite public comments on the 2025-26 District-Wide Safety Plan . All changes from 2024-25 are highlighted. Please provide your comments using the Google Form linked here , or email them to Kris Williamson at kwilliamson@cortlandschools. org .
Public Comment Period: November 5, 2025 through December 5, 2025
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Cortland to Launch ParentSquare:
Cortland Schools Launch ParentSquare to Enhance Communication with Families
The Cortland Enlarged City School District is excited to announce the launch of ParentSquare as our new, unified communication platform for families and staff. ParentSquare is an easy-to-use, app-based tool that brings all school communications—classroom updates, school news, announcements, forms, and alerts—into one convenient place. Whether through text, email, push notifications, or direct messaging, ParentSquare allows families to stay informed and connected with their child’s school in real time.
“We are always looking for ways to strengthen our partnership with families,” said Superintendent Robert Edwards. “ParentSquare gives us the ability to communicate ...
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Board of Education Meeting - July 1, 2025:
At tonight's Board of Education Annual Re-organizational meeting the Board will work to elect their new Board of Education President and Vice-President. Additional business will include propositions for appointments, naming an official newspaper, setting rates for annual amounts such as mileage reimbursement, approving the consent agenda, readings of a new student and personal electronic device policy and a maximum temperature policy, the 2025-2026 Code of Conduct, and Leadership Reports. The Board of Education is looking forward to the completion of a few capital projects this summer and the beginning of a couple more.
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2025 Esports Tournament:
On Saturday, June 7th The Cortland eSports team traveled to the
ESSEF x PlayVs Championships at Syracuse University to participate in their first ever Smash Bros. Solos Tournament. We had 7 students invited to compete - more than any other school in the state - representing both the Jr HS and CHS (we were asked to bring George Partigianoni based on his performance this season and EVERYONE was shocked he was in 7th grade. He was the youngest by FAR. And he still finished in the top,15).
The tournament was double elimination and, while our students competed valiantly against some of the best in the state, only one of ours, Greyson Golden, succeeded in making it to the Quarter Finals. But, in the losers bracket, several students would mount a major upset led by Cylan Southwick. Cylan ...
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CPEF Grants for the Fall 2025 School Year:
The CPEF Allocations Committee approved grants totaling $3,334.00 to be used in the Cortland School District for the Fall 2025 school year.
The grants that were approved are as follows:
$70.00 for a whiteboard with grid lines for 9th grade Applied Algebra class.
Grant written by Bridget Dutcher/ supported by Janesa Cornish, Cortland Sr. High School
$836.00 for 2 keyboards with pedals for the new piano class.
Grant written by Sharon Phetteplace/ supported by Janesa Cornish, Cortland Jr/Sr High School
$998.00 for a desktop Wind Tunnel/Robot Head/STEM Electric Power and Upgrade Pack for Makerspace and Tech Dept.
Grant written by Jon Herr/ supported by Kristen Cinquanti, Cortland Jr/Sr High School
$750.00 for a collection of Trauma Informed Books for Randall ...
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Beloved Staff Members Bid Farewell:
The Cortland Enlarged City School District is celebrating the careers of several cherished educators and staff members who are retiring at the end of the 2024–2025 school year. Together, they represent many years of dedication, mentorship, and service to the students, families, and community.
Administrators, fellow educators, students, and families wish the retirees a heartfelt thanks and congratulations.
“It’s hard to say goodbye to colleagues who have been pillars of this district,” said Superintendent Bob Edwards. “They’ve shaped countless lives and built a legacy of excellence, compassion, and commitment.”
Among those retiring are:
Durdica Blazevic
Daniel Camillo ...
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2025 - 2026 Budget Vote:
On Tuesday, June 17th, all District residents are encouraged to vote
from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Information on the Revote can be found on this page:
https://www.cortlandschools.org/teacherpage.cfm?teacher=5439
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