Indian River Central School District

Learning Together, Together to Learn

We would like to extend our most heartfelt congratulations to the Indian River High School Class of 2020. You met the challenges of the 2019-2020 school year with pride and determination, and we have no doubt that you will carry on the Warrior spirit into your next steps in life, whether that is higher education, entering the workforce, or military service. We are so proud of your accomplishments and wish you all the best!

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.34, the IRCSD Board of Education Meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 25th at 6:30 PM, will be closed to in-person presence by the public. The meeting will, however, be streamed live for virtual public viewing through the District’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 PM. Additionally, the meeting will be recorded and subsequently transcribed. If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441.

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.34, the IRCSD Board of Education Meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 18th at 6:30 PM will be closed to in-person presence by the public. The meeting will, however, be streamed live for virtual public viewing through the District’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 PM. Additionally, the meeting will be recorded and subsequently transcribed. If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441.

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.34, the IRCSD Board of Education Meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 11th at 6:30 PM will be closed to in-person presence by the public. The meeting will, however, be streamed live for virtual public viewing through the District’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 PM. Additionally, the meeting will be recorded and subsequently transcribed. If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441.

As plans for graduation proceed, we are sharing interim guidance documents from Jefferson County Public Health and New York State Department of Health to assure our community that our commencement celebrations are concurrent with state and local recommendations for safety and security.

Please see the following information for important updates regarding the upcoming School Budget and Board of Education Election vote, Kindergarten Round-Up, Summer School, Graduation, and the end of the academic year.

Indian River District residents will be able to the 2020-2021 Budget Hearing via live stream on the IRCSD District Facebook page. Budget-related questions can be shared through the live stream comment section and will be read by District Office Administration and answered live by Board of Education Members or District Administration. When asking a question, please provide your name, town of residence in the District, and question in the comment section.

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.1, the IRCSD Budget Hearing scheduled for Thursday, May 28th at 6:30 PM will be closed to in-person presence by the public. The hearing will, however, be streamed live for virtual public viewing through the District’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 PM. Additionally, the hearing will be recorded and subsequently transcribed. If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441.

The 2020-2021 Indian River Central School District Budget and Supporting Documents are now available to view online.

The IRCSD Spring 2020 Newsletter and Budget Proposal is now available to view online.

Please read for an important update regarding our 2020-2021 school budget and school board candidate voting process. As indicated in Governor Cuomo’s executive order 202.26, voting on the school district budget and school board candidates will be by absentee ballot only. The District, following guidance from our legal counsel, is compiling and sending out at least one absentee ballot to every household in the Indian River Central School District. The requirements for qualified voters in the District are as follows: individuals must be 18 years of age, a United States citizen and have resided in the district for at least 30 days prior to the deadline date of the vote (June 9th).

Parents of incoming Kindergarten students, please view the attached flyer for information about completing the pre-registration process by June 5, 2020 to be included in registration appointments to be scheduled at each K-3 Primary building in July. Please note: If your child attended Indian River UPK, then you do not need to register. If you are unable to register online or are experiencing difficulty with the process, please contact Central Registrar Helen Brotherton at (315) 642-3696.

Please see the attached flyer for an important announcement regarding an update to IRCSD meal distribution during Memorial Day Week. There will be NO DISTRIBUTION OR DELIVERY on Memorial Day (Monday, May 25th). Deliveries will take place Tuesday, May 26th and Thursday, May 28th. Our normal schedule of meal distribution will resume June 1st.

REMINDER: Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.1, the IRCSD Board of Education Meeting scheduled for today, Tuesday, May 19th at 6:30 PM will be closed to in-person presence by the public. The meeting will, however, be streamed live for virtual public viewing through the District’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 PM. Additionally, the meeting will be recorded and subsequently transcribed. If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441. IRCSD Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IndianRiverCSD/

Notice is hereby given that meeting of the Indian River Board of Education scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2020 will now be held Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.1, these meetings are not open to the public in person, but will be available via live stream through our district Facebook page. These meetings will be recorded and subsequently transcribed.

Please click below to read an important legal notice in regard to the Indian River Central School District's upcoming Budget Hearing and Budget Vote.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that petitions for nominating candidates for office must be filed in the District Clerk’s office by 5:00 p.m. on May 11, 2020. Under NYS Governor Executive Order No. 202.26, there is no minimum threshold of signatures required on a nominating petition this year.

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.1, the IRCSD Board of Education Meeting Scheduled for Thursday, May 7th at 6:30 PM, will be closed to in-person presence by the public. The meeting will, however, be streamed live for virtual public viewing through the District’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 PM. Additionally, the meeting will be recorded and subsequently transcribed. If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441. IRCSD Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IndianRiverCSD/

In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, the IRCSD administrators have a special message for our faculty and staff. Thank you for all that you do! #WarriorPride #IRCSDrocks

IRCSD community members: As announced today by the Governor, all schools in New York State will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. This decision is based on the need to protect our students, staff, and community. Information regarding summer programming at Indian River Central and throughout the state will be forthcoming later in May. Please stay tuned for more details regarding impacts of the extended closure on IRCSD planning and event programming. Please stay safe, stay healthy, and remain #WarriorStrong!

Please see the attached flyer for an important announcement regarding an update to IRCSD meal distribution, which will change to two days a week. Starting Monday, May 4th, the same number of meals will be distributed (same time, same locations) and delivered on two days--Mondays and Wednesdays--each week. Backpacks will be delivered on Fridays (pick-up, if able, at Philadelphia and Theresa on Wednesdays).

Please see the attached video message from Superintendent Dobmeier for an update regarding the next phase of our plan for continued education for our students as well as food services.

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.1, the IRCSD Board of Education Meeting Scheduled for Thursday, April 23rd at 6:30 PM will be closed to in-person presence by the public. The meeting will, however, be streamed live for virtual public viewing through the District’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 PM. Additionally, the meeting will be recorded and subsequently transcribed. If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441.

Please see the attached letter for a message from Superintendent Dobmeier in regard to the next phase of our educational-delivery and student support plan.

Notice is hereby given that meetings of the Indian River Board of Education scheduled for the month of May, to be held in the Indian River Board of Education Room- District Office Complex, have been changed to May 7, 2020 and May 21, 2020. There will not be meetings held on May 14, 2020 and May 28, 2020. Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.1, these meetings are not open to the public in person, but will be available via live stream through our district Facebook page. These meetings will be recorded and subsequently transcribed.

Please see the attached letter for a message from Superintendent Dobmeier in regard to actions taken by the NY State Board of Regents to cancel all June Regents exams.

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.1, the IRCSD Board of Education Meeting Scheduled for Thursday, April 9th at 6:30 PM will be closed to in-person presence by the public. The meeting will, however, be streamed live for virtual public viewing through the District’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 PM. Additionally, the meeting will be recorded and subsequently transcribed. If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441.

With the recent closure of businesses across the state, many New Yorkers are at risk of losing their health insurance coverage as a result of COVID-19. Many are likely to be eligible for health coverage with financial assistance through NY State of Health due to their loss of coverage and income. NY State of Health opened a Special Enrollment Period last month for people who are uninsured, and the Marketplace has started an awareness campaign to let people know that NY State of Health is there as a safety net in difficult times like these.

IRCSD families and community members... at the order of Governor Cuomo, all NY schools will remain closed until at least April 29th to help maintain social distancing guidelines. This is an extension of the two-week closure increments put in place earlier through Executive Order. Additionally, June 2020 Regents exams are expected to be canceled. The official announcement and details will be made available to NY schools and the public after April 7th.

Emergency childcare and daycare is available to families through the Watertown YMCA. The Watertown YMCA is allowed to care for any essential worker's children. The Department of Social Services has expanded the eligibility requirements to assist parents with childcare to 85% of the state median income. You may qualify for this childcare service.

Greetings IRCSD Students and Parents! Wow! We’ve seen some amazing examples of high-tech and low tech teaching and learning, and you are doing a great job learning from home! Thank you so much for engaging with some fun, educational, enrichment and skill-maintenance type activities over the past weeks. We also appreciate that you are staying in touch with your teachers and each other via email, phone, video, and even traditional mail. Our Warrior Team needs to stay connected during these difficult times.

The NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is trying its best to support families in addressing their need for high-quality childcare. The OCFS is asking parents or caregivers who require childcare to complete an OCFS Parent Need for Childcare survey.

Open wireless access is now available outside of the schools of Indian River Central School District. This wireless availability is intended for academic use by our school community who do not otherwise have a reliable signal with which to engage in communications or access skill retention and enrichment activities distributed online during the school closure.

We have officially exceeded our goal of collecting 1 Million Pennies. With the help of the faculty, students, and entire community, we have collected 1,136,908 pennies, equivalent to $11,369.08.

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 202.1, the IRCSD Board of Education Meeting Scheduled for Thursday, March 26th at 6:30 PM will be closed to in-person presence by the public. The meeting will, however, be streamed live for virtual public viewing through the District’s Facebook page beginning at 6:30 PM. Additionally, the meeting will be recorded and subsequently transcribed. If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441.

Community Stakeholders have come together to ensure that emergency workers can continue to serve our community during this unprecedented time. The Watertown Family YMCA in collaboration with Jefferson County, School District Leaders and Healthcare Providers will open restricted Emergency Childcare Sites in Jefferson County, including one at Evans Mills Primary School.

Indian River High School is proud to announce the academic leaders of the Class of 2020. They are: Valedictorian, Shun Lei Win, daughter of Kyi Kyi Nyunt and Zaw Myint, from Evans Mills, New York; Salutatorian, Dennis Santos Sanchez, son of Hellen and Pedro Santos, from Calcium, New York, and Vocational Leader, Jaynne Alcock, daughter of Michelle and Joseph Alcock from Evans Mills, New York.

If you have a child enrolled Pre-K through 12th grade in our District, it's as easy as visiting one of our Distribution Sites. Drive up and wait in your vehicle. Share the number of school-aged children in your household. A breakfast and a lunch meal will be brought to you for each child for each school day. And you are on your way! Please visit one site closest to your home for all of your children!

There will be an Emergency/Special Board of Education Meeting held at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 in the District Office Complex, Philadelphia, New York 13673. The purpose of this meeting is to adopt resolutions associated with Emergency School Closings.

Steve Todd, Superintendent of Jefferson-Lewis BOCES, just made a joint statement from local Superintendents, County Officials, and the Departments of Health describing that all Jefferson-Lewis school student attendance will cease immediately. It is important to note that this is a preventative measure and NOT a result of any confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region.

Like you, we have been closely following the evolution of the COVID-19 virus and related responses across the country and around the world, with special attention to our own region. The Pre-K-12 school guidance issued jointly by the NYS Department of Health and the NYS Education Department is being followed regarding preparation and response to COVID-19. Our response planning includes the areas of prevention, responsiveness/communication, education, stability, and support systems. Given the moment-to-moment changes in this guidance, our plans are evolving rapidly.

We are off to a great start on our 1 Million Pennies Project. Students across the district have been learning through the collection of pennies. They are counting, debating, calculating, drawing, and most importantly, discovering and growing. We are almost there with a total of 625,136 pennies so far! They are proudly displayed in our high school lobby, and more are counted and added weekly. We want to thank all of our students, faculty and community members that have contributed to the projects success so far! We can’t wait to see what 1 million looks like!

Please click the link below to access a follow-up to our recent letter regarding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). This letter contains important proactive practices and preventative actions the District is taking in response to this situation.

Please click below to read an important legal notice in regard to the Indian River Central School District's upcoming Budget Hearing and Budget Vote.

The Indian River Central School District will have an emergency Board of Education Meeting on Friday, February 28, 2020 at 5:30 PM in the Board Room at the District Office at 32735B County Route 29, Philadelphia, NY, in order to address essential business of the district.

The Indian River CSD students and community are uniting to find out what 1 million really means. How much would one million pennies weigh? How much space would it take up? How much money is it? What is a penny made out of? Whose face is on the penny?

The Celebration of Life that was originally scheduled for Philadelphia Fire Hall on Thursday has been changed to Indian River High School. We greatly appreciate the efforts of Tammi Dindl and the IR Pop Warner Association in facilitating this evening. The event is slated to run from 5:30-7:30pm. At 6:00 we will have a welcome followed by comments from Pastor Kirk Gilcrest of the New Life Christian Church. Our desire for this evening is to provide a chance to come together, share stories & pictures, and most importantly care for each other.

As we navigate the days ahead and begin to process this unimaginable tragedy, our focus is on supporting all those impacted. We will maintain the Student Care Center in the library as we open school on Wednesday. This Care Center includes numerous counselors, mental health professionals, teachers, and staff. Please contact the school at 315-642-3427 if you are in need of any assistance. We ask you to keep the families in your thoughts during this most challenging time. As a Warrior Family, we must do our best to gain strength from one another.

It is with tremendous sadness that I share with you the news of a tragic loss in our Warrior community. Last night, two Indian River High School students were killed in a car accident. We are not able to provide any further details at this time, but we do want you to know that counseling and support are available for any member of our school community.

A few reminders as we approach the end of the calendar year and the start of 2020: the District’s schools are not in session for the next two weeks—December 23rd through 27th and December 30th through January 3rd. Classes resume on Monday, January 6th. As we are fully engaged in the holiday season, the District wishes each and every one of you peace, health, happiness, and the joy associated with increased opportunities to spend time with family and friends. Best wishes for a happy and productive 2020!

The Indian River Central School District is pleased to announce the following district administrative leadership changes for the 2019-20 school year.

The Indian River Central School District Winter 2019-20 Newsletter is now available to view online.

Indian River Central School District is joining with all public school districts across the state to celebrate School Board Recognition Week to honor our school board members for their commitment to ensuring that all children have success in school.

Did you know you can opt in to SchoolMessenger's free text messaging service to receive important information about Indian River Central School District events, school closings, safety alerts, and more? Just send a text message of "Y" or "Yes" to our school's short code number, 67587. We will be testing our emergency broadcast system soon with general messages.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension offers 4-H Camp Wabasso each summer in Redwood, New York. Camp Wabasso is the only residential summer camp in Jefferson County, and offers residential and day summer camp options. You are being invited to complete this short and very important survey since you have a child enrolled in a K-12 school within 50 miles of the camp. To thank you for your time, after completing this survey, you will have the opportunity to enter your name in a drawing for a free week of attendance at Camp Wabasso for the summer of 2020 or a $50 Walmart Gift Card.

Taxpayers can go online and print a copy of their tax bill. 2019 School Tax Bills will be available September 10, 2019. Taxpayers will also be able to check their payment status. Payment status is updated within 24-48 hours of the payment being posted by the Tax Collector.

Welcome back! As a reminder, the first day of the 2019-2020 school year for students is Thursday, September 5, 2019. Our faculty and staff have been hard at work this week preparing for the new school year. We hope you have had a restful and enjoyable summer, and we look forward to all of the amazing things that our students will achieve this year. See you tomorrow!

The Indian River Central School District recognizes that children need healthy meals to learn. To find out if your children are eligible to receive free or reduced price meals, fill out the 2019-2020 Free or Reduced Price Meal Application today.

The Indian River Central School District Summer/Fall 2019 Newsletter and Calendar is now available to view online.

After a rigorous selection process with multiple highly-qualified candidates, Indian River Central School District is pleased to announce the following building leadership changes. These outstanding educators will help lead our students and staff through the challenges inherent in modern education. Please help us welcome Kristen, Angela, Brenda, Morgan, and Theresa into their new Team-Warrior roles!

The district is publishing the proposed 2019-2020 district wide safety plan and is providing this opportunity for public comment on the plan. Please review the safety plan and direct any comments or questions by August 20, 2019 to Mary Anne Dobmeier, Superintendent of Schools, 315-642-3441 or maryannedobmeier@ircsd.org. Thank you!

The video recording of the 2019 IRCSD High School Graduation ceremony held on June 28, 2019 is now available for viewing online.

Until August 2, 2019, there is an opportunity for public comment in regard to the draft Indian River Central School District Code of Conduct for 2019-2020. Click this news item to review the Code of Conduct and provide input or comments.

There will be a North Country Schools Job Fair on August 5, 2019 from 9:00AM-12:00PM and 1:00-3:00PM at Jefferson-Lewis BOCES in Watertown, NY. Representatives from Carthage CSD, Indian River CSD, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES, Watertown CSD, and the Children's Home of Jefferson County will be on site seeking to fill a variety of substitute, support, and coordinator vacancies. A Teacher Certification Officer will be available. For more information, please go to boces.com.