In a spirited start to the new academic year, over 700 staff members from the Rochester School District gathered for a district-wide school year kick-off meeting at Spaulding High School. The event, held in the auditorium to a standing-room-only crowd, marked a powerful beginning to the year with a focus on collaboration, innovation, and student success.
The morning featured a series of engaging presentations from members of the superintendent's cabinet, with each director introducing an interactive, crowd participation including "Who Brings You Joy at Work?, "Funny Rapid Fire Questions for Employees", "Crumple and Pass", and a district staff-wide rock-paper-scissors tournament held on stage.
Cabinet member presenters were as follows:
Alison Bryant, Assistant Superintendent
McKenzie Harrington-Bacote, Federal Grants Manager
David Rychlik, Director of Operations
Katy Keough, Director of Human Resources
Adriana Komst, Director of Finance
Sarah Camus, Director of Student Services
The meeting was capped by a rousing presentation from Superintendent Annie Azarloza, who detailed several key initiatives for her first year leading Rochester Schools, including an innovative bullying intervention that will be launched across all schools this school year. She praised the dedication of the district's staff and challenged everyone to push the boundaries of what’s possible in education to create the best possible experience for the city's scholars.
The energy and excitement in the Spaulding High auditorium was palpable, setting an optimistic tone for a productive and successful school year ahead for the Rochester School District.