SUPPORTING EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS NWCSD’s commitment to excellence extends to comprehensive support systems for both educators and learners. The district invests significantly in teacher development, offering five dedicated professional development days annually. These sessions cover everything from curriculum enhancements to state-mandated training, ensuring educators remain at the forefront of educational practices. Recognizing the challenges facing today’s educators, the district implemented NW Cares, an innovative employee assistance program. “The significance of partnering with that particular program is it is more of an international agency that allows our staff 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to be able to get in touch with someone,” explains Stack. This 24/7 support system addresses diverse needs including mental health, financial counseling, and family care. For students, career readiness takes center stage through robust BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) partnerships. Approximately 20% of juniors and seniors participate in programs ranging from welding and nursing to digital design and pre-law. “Those are all two-year programs for our students,” notes Ljiljanich, “as a district our size, we wouldn’t be able to offer those types of programs in-house if it were not for a BOCES program.” Cultural inclusion forms another pillar of student support, manifested through meaningful collaboration with the Tuscarora Nation.The district’s language development grant funds Tuscarora language instruction, now in its third year with three Native American instructors, while dual-language 7 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 06 NIAGARA-WHEATFIELD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
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