Home Page - Nyack Public Schools

District Announcements

All students enrolled at Nyack Public Schools will be able to receive a FREE breakfast and lunch meal at school beginning December 1, 2023

Dear Parent/Guardian:

We are pleased to announce that all students enrolled at Nyack Public Schools will be able to receive a FREE breakfast and lunch meal at school beginning on December 1, 2023.

This implementation is a result of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expanding access to the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP allows eligible schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to offer school meals at no charge to all students.

What does this mean for your child(ren) attending the school(s) identified above? Effective December 1, 2023, all students enrolled at Nyack Public Schools will receive meals at no cost to your household. No further action is required of you.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at (845) 353-7036.

Sincerely,
Susan Yom, Superintendent of Schools

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad- 3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

email: Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Nyack Public Schools
Superintendent Yom sent a message on 11-15-23 regarding the District's Strategic Planning Process. Take a look on how you can be engaged!

https://www.smore.com/y4gpq-strategic-planning-process

The link above contains an invitation to a World Cafe on Tuesday, November 28th from 6:30pm-7:30pm for Elementary Parents/Caregivers; and from 8:00pm-9:00pm for Secondary Parents/Caregivers.

Additional details on the Strategic Planning Process for community input are included in the letter from Ms. Yom. Phase one is the Discovery Phase. Ideas and input from parents, caregivers, staff and students are welcomed and we hope to see you will join us on November 28th!

Kindly RSVP to the World Cafe with this link: https://forms.gle/vocfBAD1XpyFXWt29.
- World Cafe 11-28-23 1.pdf
Nyack Public Schools
Statement from the Board of Education on November 14, 2023
Board of Education of the Nyack Union Free School District Statement

The Nyack Union Free School District Board of Education takes claims of child sexual abuse very seriously and is committed to ensuring none of our kids ever experience this harm.

In October 2020, a lawsuit was filed by a former Nyack High School student against the Nyack School District alleging that 23 or more years ago a volunteer assistant baseball coach, Peter Recla, sexually abused the Plaintiff between 1996 and 2000. Mr. Recla has not served as a coach in the District since the spring 2007.

In May 2022, the matter was amicably resolved by the parties. Since the District’s insurance policy did not require the District’s consent to resolve the lawsuit, there was no authorization or approval sought from the Nyack Board/District. As such, the decision to resolve the lawsuit was made by the District’s insurance carrier. We have been informed that the District’s insurance carrier resolved this lawsuit to avoid further litigation costs and they did not have any concern about fault on the part of the Board/District. There were no findings or admissions of wrongdoing made in connection with the lawsuit.

In January/February 2023, two former students from in or about the late 1990s sent emails to certain Board Members in which they sought the removal of various recognitions in the memory of the then (now deceased) physical education teacher/head baseball coach as a result of the alleged wrongdoing by Mr. Recla. They also made additional allegations against Mr. Recla. In response, we asked the attorney for the Board/District to conduct an investigation into whether or not the head coach knew or should have known of the alleged sexual abuse. Our attorney along with a District representative then met separately with these two former students in March 2023.

Due to the nature of the allegations against Mr. Recla we referred the matter to the Clarkstown Police since the district does not conduct criminal child abuse investigations. In June 2023, the Clarkstown Police informed the District’s attorney that the investigation was on hold and the matter was considered closed until any survivors come forward.

The attorney for the Board/District resumed his investigation into whether or not the head coach knew or should have known of the alleged sexual abuse. The investigation has included meeting with various constituents present between 1996-early 2000’s - such as parents, former players, former Nyack Public School Staff, community members - to gather as much information as possible. As of today, the investigation is still ongoing.

This is a process that takes time and we understand that this can be deeply frustrating. As Board members, we need to be thorough in our approach, so that we can make our decisions with careful consideration and integrity.

At this time, Nyack schools has taken or plans to take the following actions:

We have restricted Peter Recla from all school properties until further notice

We are reviewing our volunteer coach processes and protocols.

In 2019, the Board created Policy 50201, Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Students and that policy will be reviewed and updated in the coming months.

Other actions may be taken and will inform the public if or when those have been solidified.

In general, we understand that the painful effects of trauma can be lasting and be exacerbated by the silence and shame that so often surrounds incidents of child sexual abuse. We hope for the healing of anyone directly or indirectly impacted by any incidents of this nature. Nyack Schools expresses its concern for any survivors of child abuse and offers the following resources for anyone who may need them at Center for Safety & Change or 845.634.3344 for their 24 hour hotline.

Any questions, concerns or additional information can be directed by email to BOEmembers@nyackschools.org or our individual contact information on our website or the school calendar.

The safety and wellbeing of our students is of the utmost importance to the Nyack Board and District.
- BOE Statement 11 14 23.pdf
Nyack Public Schools
Statement from the Board of Education regarding the CVA Lawsuit

Board of Education of the Nyack Union Free School District

Statement

November 9, 2023

The Nyack Board and District take claims of sexual abuse very seriously and are committed to having a safe, healthy and positive educational environment.

In October 2020, a Summons and Complaint on behalf of the Plaintiff, a certain student alumnus, was received by the District in a lawsuit against Nyack Board of Education, Nyack School District and Nyack High School (collectively referred to as “District Defendants”). In it, the Plaintiff alleges that, approximately 23 or more years ago, a then/former volunteer assistant baseball coach sexually abused the Plaintiff between 1996 and 2000. The Summons and Complaint was subsequently sent to the District’s insurance carrier and the District Defendants were defended in the lawsuit by such insurance carrier’s designated defense counsel. As part of such lawsuit, in April 2021, a Third-Party Summons and Complaint on behalf of the District Defendants was commenced against the then/former volunteer assistant baseball coach. In May 2022, the matter was amicably resolved by the parties. The decision to do so on behalf of the District Defendants was made by the District’s insurance carrier and the insurance defense counsel since the District’s General Liability Policy does not have a consent to settle provision. There was no authorization or approval sought from the Nyack Board/District.

The safety and wellbeing of our students is of the utmost importance to the Nyack Board and District.
- BOEStatement.pdf
Nyack Public Schools
Superintendent Yom presented her goals for 2023-24 in a presentation to the Board of Education on September 26, posted here for the public.
- Superintendent 2023-24 Goals Presentation to the BOE.pdf
Nyack Public Schools
Start the school day off on time! Here are the morning attendance times for Nyack Public Schools:

Nyack High School - Grades 9-12: 7:30 AM

Nyack Middle School - Grades 6-8: 8:05 AM

Elementary Schools - Grades K-5: 8:50 AM

Communications
We are "Building on Strength" in 2023-24. Take a look at Superintendent Yom's Entry Plan Findings to find out more about this year's theme.

Entry Plan Findings - August 2023 Presentation to the BOE

Visit the Office of the Superintendent page for additional information.
- 100 Day Entry Plan Findings Part 2 Aug 29 23 BOE.pdf
- 100 Day Entry Plan Findings.pdf
Nyack Public Schools
Mark your calendars for the 2023-24 school year's important dates and holidays with the District's calendar at-a-glance posted here:

View the Nyack Public Schools Calendar 2023-24

Communications
Anonymous Alerts is a communications tool posted on our website to anonymously report suspicious or threatening behavior. Find out more:
The Nyack Public Schools will be reinstating Anonymous Alerts, a communications tool that makes it easier to anonymously report suspicious, threatening or other concerning behaviors. A tab entitled Anonymous Alerts has been added in the navigation bar at the top of our website to easily access this tool.

Anonymous Alerts allows students or parents to quickly, easily, and anonymously report urgent information to school officials across all of our school campuses. The system encourages students, parents and staff to confidentially report bullying, cyber-bullying, and other sensitive topics through private messages to our administration.

How do I place an incident report from Internet connected computers/tablets?

Go to https://report.anonymousalerts.com/nyackufsd from any Internet connected device.

Click on the web button called “Anonymous Alerts”. Fill out your incident report.

How do I place a report from an iPhone or Android phone?

From the iPhone Store, download the free app by searching for “Anonymous Alerts”. If you have an Android phone, go to the Play Store, search for “Anonymous Alerts” and download.

After downloading the app, click on it, enter activation code nyackufsd

Please read the attached letters, which were emailed to parent/guardians on 12-14-21, for additional important information.
Nyack Public Schools
Like, Follow and Share us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram as we tell our stories with equity, innovation and optimism!

Like, Follow, Share us at:

Facebook: @nyackschools

Twitter: @nyack_schools

Instagram: @nyackschools

Communications

View More Posts

Quick Links for Easy Access:

Monthly e-Newsletter: Nyack Schools Connection

District Calendar

Dec 19

BOE Meeting

Nyack Public Schools
Dec 25 Jan 1

Schools Closed for Holiday Recess

Nyack Public Schools
Jan 2

Schools Open

Nyack Public Schools
Jan 9

BOE Meeting

Nyack Public Schools
Jan 15

Schools Closed

Nyack Public Schools
Jan 15

MLK Jr. Day

Nyack Public Schools
Jan 23

Special BOE Meeting

Nyack Public Schools
Feb 6

BOE Meeting

Nyack Public Schools
Feb 19 Feb 23

Schools Closed for Mid-Winter Recess

Nyack Public Schools
Feb 19

Presidents Day

Nyack Public Schools

View Monthly Calendar

District Initiative Showcase

WATCH THIS VIDEO: Thank You BOE !
WATCH THIS VIDEO: STREAM Dream Team
March 2023: Welcome Superintendent Yom!
2022 Results & Analysis Report
A Framework for Racial Equity

Strategic Plan for Excellence Through Racial Equity

Plan Estratégico De Excelencia A Través De La Equidad Racial
Being Strategic for All Students' Success

Visualizing the Nyack Basics
Athletic Name Change

We are Nyack RedHawks

District Vision: Equity, Innovation & Optimism

For the 2023-24 school year - We have renewed vision for equity, innovation and optimism. We are building on strength with renewed energy. We are reaffirming our "why" we do what we do in Nyack Public Schools. Equity means ensuring that every child receives what they need to succeed every day, in every way by eliminating barriers that prevent equal access or full participation. The Board of Education and administration stand committed to achieving the District’s racial equity goal of creating a District-wide and building-based climate and culture that demands and supports systemic equity and improved student achievement for every student, while narrowing the predictable gap in measurable outcomes. (Policy 0105)

We are Uniquely-Nyack, defined by a proud history that guides a moral imperative towards providing the best multi-cultural, anti-racist, equity-driven education for our children that we can.

We are Nyack-Strong; a microcosm of the United States, reflected in our diverse demographics and the many cultures celebrated within the Nyacks and Valley Cottage.

We are RedHawks Rising. Let us uplift each other as we raise up our children in this beloved community we call Nyack Public Schools.

Throughout the year, please be sure to stay connected with us. Mark your calendars to be reminded of important information and events that will keep you and your family engaged in your child’s education. Check our district website on a regular basis for updates and announcements from your schools and principals. And be sure to follow us on social media to capture a glimpse of our daily narrative, educational stories and photos that will make you smile.

Our teachers, staff, administrators and BOE trustees are here for you.

Quick Links for Easy Access:

Monthly e-Newsletter: Nyack Schools Connection

District Calendar

BOE Meeting

Schools Closed for Holiday Recess

Schools Open

BOE Meeting

Schools Closed

MLK Jr. Day

Special BOE Meeting

BOE Meeting

Schools Closed for Mid-Winter Recess

Presidents Day

District Initiative Showcase

District Vision: Equity, Innovation & Optimism

Follow Us on FaceBook