
Reminder: Cairo-Durham schools will be closed next week, Feb. 17-21, due to Presidents Day and the Winter Break. We look forward to seeing you back in school on Monday, Feb. 24!


Congratulations to Mackenzie Sherburne, a CDHS Senior, for scoring her 1,000th career point on Monday, February 3, 2025, during the Girls Varsity Basketball game versus Hunter-Tannersville. Mackenzie is the first girl in Cairo-Durham history to reach this milestone!
Read the below press release for more!

Ms. Zielenski and Avery were practicing good sportsmanship on Monday in Ms. Lembo’s room duringTeam Day at the elementary.


Carbury from Mrs. Thompson’s, Mrs. Lopez’s, and Ms. Licis’s Second Grade Class recently organized a special day for his classmates.
Carbury requested that everyone bring in their favorite stuffed friend for the day!
The students read to their special friends, wrote about them during writing time and participated in a show and tell activity! The students then built on their knowledge of different living creatures through class discussions and watching videos! Mrs. Lopez and Mrs. Thompson shared their special stuffed friends as well!
Thank you, Carbury, for this amazing idea. Everyone had a great time!


Congratulations to Mackenzie Goodwin and Pasquale Sala for earning 100% fluency in addition and subtraction on Reflex! Keep up the great work!


Cairo-Durham is hiring a full-time maintenance person!
More information about this opportunity is available here: https://5il.co/37dp2


Last week's Grade 2 Thompson / Lopez Star of the Week was Carbury! The Grade 3 Whitbeck / Lopez Star of the Week was Colton!
Carbury participated in all activities, completed his work, waited his turn patiently, and was kind to everyone all week! Carbury worked extremely hard in math and writing! He is doing a great job adding and subtracting with regrouping! Carbury also organized a special stuffed animal day for his class! Way to go, Carbury!
Colton demonstrated respect, responsibility and kindness all week. He also participated in all activities, completed his work, waited his turn patiently, and made safe choices. Colton has worked extremely hard on memorizing his multiplication facts and is doing great restating, answering and citing during ELA.
Congratulations, Carbury and Colton! Your teachers are so proud of you!!!!



Nominations for the January 2025 “Mustang Monthly Alumni Spotlight” are open and can be submitted at the link below by Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 4 p.m. Past nominations will also be considered in the selection process. Click here ( https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2q9nfXwRYv7cSUw_bdouBjcdspek0B2VyNasVZr-LvsYNdg/viewform ) to submit a nomination for January 2025!


On March 13, 2025, the High School Classes (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028) are hosting the Second Annual March Madness Basketball game as a fundraiser where the CD Elementary faculty and staff play the MS/HS faculty staff.
Tickets for entrance to the game will be sold, as well as concessions.
The CDTA will sell 50/50 tickets, with proceeds toward the CDTA Scholarship fund.
Booster Club will be selling Mustang Merchandise.
The game Ticket prices are
Adults $5
Kids/Students $3
If you want to purchase game tickets, please let us know.
Senior Class Advisor
Jennifer Searing-Burke
Junior Class Advisors
Matthew Hitchen and Bridgette Gregory bgregory@cairodurhsm.org
Sophomore Class Advisors
Shelly Gouza , and Jenn Hill
Freshman Class Advisor
Jennifer Searing-Burke jsearing@cairodurham.org and Jennifer Engelin jengelin@cairodurham.org


Cairo-Durham CSD is closed Thursday, February 6, 2025 due to inclement weather. The 8th grade transition night scheduled for tonight, will be postponed to a later date. All CSE meetings scheduled for today are canceled. A notice to reschedule will be sent by the Special Education Department to families impacted by this change.


The elementary school is hiring for a Teacher Aide!
More information is available here: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/2363/cdcsd/5271797/Aide_Posting_ES_2-4-25.pdf


Some very excited second and third graders at CDE planned a surprise Birthday celebration for their favorite principal, Mr. Stein, on January 31, 2025!
The students in Grade 2 (Thompson, Lopez, and Licis ) and Grade 3 (Whitbeck, Lopez and Licis) worked hard during ELA to create special cards for Mr. Stein. In the cards, the students thanked Mr. Stein for all he does each day at CDE, and they conveyed their sincere wishes for a very Happy Birthday! They then delivered the cards in person and presented Mr. Stein with a blue and white Birthday hat and a special cupcake as they sang Happy Birthday!!!!
Mrs. Lopez, Mrs. Whitbeck, Mrs. Thompson, Ms. Licis, and Their Amazing Second and Third Graders all wished Mr. Stein the best Birthday ever and thanked him for being such an extraordinary leader in our building.



The students in Grade 2 (Thompson, Lopez, and Licis) and Grade 3 ( Whitbeck, Lopez, and Licis) celebrated Mrs. Diamond on her birthday on January 30th.
The students also made her birthday cards!


The Cairo-Durham Elementary School Student Council visited The Humane Society this week. One of the many projects the members undertook was to raise funds and donations for the Humane Society. The students took a special trip to personally deliver all they had collected. They were given a tour and learned a great deal as well as getting a chance to hang with some furry friends!







Nominations for the January 2025 “Mustang Monthly Alumni Spotlight” are open and can be submitted at the link below by Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 4 p.m. Past nominations will also be considered in the selection process. Click here ( https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2q9nfXwRYv7cSUw_bdouBjcdspek0B2VyNasVZr-LvsYNdg/viewform ) to submit a nomination for January 2025!


This week's Grade 2 Thompson / Lopez Star of the Week is Lubna! The Grade 3 Whitbeck / Lopez Star of the Week is Vera!
Lubna participated in all activities, completed her work, waited her turn patiently, and was kind to everyone all week! Lubna worked extremely hard in math and writing! She is doing a great job adding and subtracting with regrouping!
Vera demonstrated respect, responsibility and kindness all week. She also participated in all activities, completed her work, waited her turn patiently, and made safe choices. Vera has mastered her multiplication facts and is doing great restating, answering and citing during ELA.
Congratulations, Lubna and Vera ! Your teachers are so proud of you!!!!



Last chance! To nominate a person or community organization for the Mustang Pride Hall of Fame, please use this nomination form: https://forms.gle/PYzxA4mXtaReGYtK8
Nominations will be closed on February 1, 2025.


You don’t need to watch the new Superman movie to see superheroes in action; two heroes are always being spotted in our schools.
The District is thrilled to announce that both of our school resource officers were presented with the Sheriff Spike School Officer Award of the Year from the New York State Sheriffs Institute. On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, the District’s school resource officers attended the Heroes’ Luncheon during the Sheriff Institute’s Annual Winter Training Conference in Albany, NY. During this time, law enforcement officers earned recognition for their service to their communities.
Congratulations to our dedicated Greene County officers JoAnne Rivera and Steven Espel, Jr!
Our School Resource Officers are a pillar of the school community. On a daily basis, they are protecting our students and staff, providing guidance and support, fostering strong relationships, and creating a warm, secure, and safety-informed environment. Many school districts our size only have one SRO, so Cairo-Durham greatly benefits from having one in each building.
“The fact that Deputy Rivera and Espel have been selected by the New York State Sheriffs’ Institute for their outstanding work is a testament to their dedication to the students, the school and our community,” said Greene County Sheriff Peter J. Kusminsky. “It takes a special police officer to be a good SRO and I am proud to have some of the best on my staff. I have no doubt that their efforts will have a lasting positive impact on all of the students they interact with.”
Deputy Steven Espel, Jr is a vital member of the Cairo-Durham Elementary School. His efforts create a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment for students and staff, alike. Every morning and afternoon, Deputy Espel is present during drop-off and dismissal, ensuring a smooth and safe transition for everyone. Rain or shine, he greets students and parents with a warm smile, offering a reassuring presence that embodies his commitment to the school, said elementary principal Christopher Stein.
Furthermore, Deputy Espel provides support and advice while being a positive mentor for students in need. He is always building strong relationships with the students, whether he’s playing basketball or calming a student outside the classroom. Deputy Espel further improved this supportive environment by taking rigorous training to bring a therapy dog, Mac, into the school. “Mac’s calming presence has been transformative, helping to de-escalate tense situations and bringing positivity to those who need it most,” said Principal Stein.
“On behalf of everyone at Cairo-Durham Elementary, we are thrilled and immensely proud to celebrate Deputy Espel’s recognition as an outstanding School Resource Officer in New York State,” said elementary principal Christopher Stein. “His tireless efforts, compassion, and dedication to the school community make him truly deserving of this honor.”
At the Cairo-Durham Middle and High Schools, Deputy JoAnne Rivera is a dependable and constant pillar of student support and school safety. Starting her day by greeting students in the morning, Deputy Rivera maintains close connections and ensures a smooth transition. In addition, she is a trusted adult for students to receive advice and mentorship, coordinating with the guidance department to meet their needs. The District’s Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Danielle Czech, also noted how Deputy Rivera is always available, 24/7, to provide assistance and guidance to students and their families.
“Deputy Rivera has built strong, meaningful relationships with both the staff and the students here at CDMS/HS. Her positive, contagious energy undoubtedly makes our building a better place,” said middle and high school principal Catherine Dodig. “We are so fortunate to have an SRO that goes above and beyond when it comes to caring for and supporting our building community.”
Catherine Dodig also expressed, “In my opinion, there is not a more deserving person to be honored with this award. In every facet of her work, Deputy Rivera makes a positive impact. She is so much more than just our SRO; because of the work that she does, she’s one of the most beloved people here at CDMS/HS.”
The District is immensely proud of Deputies JoAnne Rivera and Steven Espel, Jr. “The two of them are always there to support or assist in any way, shape, or form needed. True super heroes,” said Danielle Czech, Director of Pupil Personnel Services.


Happy Lunar New Year!


Last week's Grade 2 Thompson / Lopez Star of the Week was Greyson! The Grade 3 Whitbeck / Lopez Star of the Week was Jasmine!
Greyson participated in all activities, completed his work, waited his turn patiently, and was kind to everyone all week! Greyson worked extremely hard in math and writing.
Jasmine demonstrated respect, responsibility, and kindness all week. She also participated in all activities, completed her work, waited her turn patiently, and made safe choices. Jasmine has been working SUPER hard on multiplication facts!
Congratulations, Greyson and Jasmine! Your teachers are so proud of you!!!!

