Dear Families,

AIt has been a wonderful year so far at Lowville Elementary, and we are so proud of our students and staff. In February, our school community came together for the February Fitness Challenge. It was great to see students and families staying active, and we appreciate our PE department for organizing such a positive event. Wellness Wednesdays continue to be a meaningful part of our routine as we talk with students about healthy habits and ways to care for both their bodies and minds.

As we head into spring, we are excited to celebrate Music in Our Schools Month in March, followed by Art Appreciation Month in April. Our music and art departments always do a fantastic job creating engaging experiences that allow our students’ talents and creativity to shine.

Our Family Reading Night was held on March 3, and it was wonderful to see so many families participating. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and a special thank you to our reading department and library team for organizing such a meaningful and engaging event for our students and community.

Teaching and learning remain our focus as we move toward the final stretch of the school year. Please continue to check the district calendar for important dates and upcoming events. Whenever you can, we encourage you to spend time reading with a child. Those moments truly matter.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support. Together, we are creating a positive and meaningful school experience for every child.

Respectfully,

Andrea J. Hanselman
Elementary Principal

Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences Grades K-5

Spring Parent-Teacher conferences will be held on Thursday, March 19, 2026. There will be an early dismissal at 12:35 that day for students in grades K-5. Both a.m. and p.m. Pre-K will be in session. Conferences will not be scheduled for all students. Teachers will be communicating home if they would like parents to attend a conference, whether in person or virtual. As always, parents may request a conference with a teacher.

Important NYS Testing Dates

Students in grades 3-5 will participate in New York State Assessments in April and May. Teachers have been preparing students for these assessments all year. The tentative schedule is as follows:

April 14 & 15 – NYS ELA Assessment, CBT Gr. 3, 4, 5
May 5 & 6 – NYS Math Assessment, CBT Gr. 3, 4, 5
May 12 – NYS Science Assessment, CBT Gr. 5

Students in grades 3-5 should be in attendance and on time to school on these important test dates. While we do provide make-up testing during the NYS make-up period when students are absent, it is in a location that is less familiar to the student and may not provide the ideal testing conditions for the children.

Getting Ready for Testing

We just want students to do their individual best on state assessments. If students read, are organized, complete homework, study for tests, and apply skills learned on a daily basis, they have been preparing for the state assessments. Parents can help by following these simple steps.

1. Mark important test dates on the calendar.
2. Be sure children get a good night’s sleep.
3. Try not to schedule anything the night before the test.
4. Encourage children to eat a nutritious breakfast.
5. Boost your children’s confidence with reassuring words to do their best.

Entering Kindergarten Fall 2026

If you have a child who will be 5 years old on or by December 1, 2026 that could attend Kindergarten in September 2026, please call the Elementary Office at 315-376-9005. We would like to know your child’s name, age, and mailing address. We are preparing registration packets and want to be sure we have the necessary information to mail a packet to you. Packets will be sent out in April. Students who are currently enrolled in the district Pre-K program need not re-enroll.

Student Placement Process Into Next Year’s Class

We will be placing students using student data and teacher recommendations for the 2026-2027 school year. Please do not submit requests before April 27, 2026. No requests for any reason will be accepted after Friday, May 8, 2026. Please understand you can submit a request using this process, but some requests won’t be able to be met. Thank you for understanding.

The guiding principle of the placement process is to match the instructional and personal needs of each student with an appropriate instructional group and a supportive teaching style, while also providing each teacher with a well-balanced class to maximize instructional effectiveness.

The placement of students in each classroom is undertaken with great planning and care, involving the classroom teachers and other faculty along with administration.

Lowville Elementary will allow parents who have unique and special academic concerns to follow the guidelines below and submit a teacher request for the 2026-27 school year:

1. Submit the letter to Mrs. Hanselman, Elementary Principal no earlier than Monday, April 27, 2026 but no later than Friday, May 8, 2026. All letters must be written and signed by the parent(s) and delivered, either by hand or US mail to the elementary office. Please do not send the requests to classroom teachers and please do not send requests via email.
2. Include the child’s name and current teacher.
3. Include the name of two teachers to be considered for your child’s placement.
4. Include specific educational reasons for your request.

No placement requests will be accepted without two teacher names and the educational reasons for the request.

The school will take parent requests for student placement into consideration; however, this will be done after all programmatic factors are considered and prioritized. Our practice is to not move students from one classroom to another after the start of the school year. For your awareness, teacher assignments may change from year to year or over the summer. Requested teachers may not be available at the grade level they are currently teaching for next year.

All parent requests received between Monday, April 27, 2026 and Friday, May 8, 2026 will be considered. Late requests, verbal requests, and emails will not be considered. Not all requests may be able to be granted. Final placement will be based on a variety of factors. Thank you for the support you give your child and for understanding our process.