Dryden Central School District

Life is best when you can share it with your friends & siblings. Dryden Drama invites you to grab a friend and come see Mamma Mia! These talented high schoolers worked onstage and offstage in the loft to bring a fun story of friendship! Come see it this week.
See poster or our website at https://www.dryden.k12.ny.us/article/2727789 for details. 🎭

DCSD had the honor of hosting Senator Ciresi and his team this week, who visited Dryden specifically to observe our scratch cooking program in action. The Senator is currently exploring legislation in Pennsylvania aimed at expanding and supporting scratch cooking in schools, and his office sought out Dryden CSD after hearing about the innovative and high-quality work happening within our food service program. They were eager to see a successful operation firsthand as they begin shaping policy designed to improve the quality of school meals statewide.

During their visit, the team spent time learning about our processes, operations, and the intentional work our staff does every day to provide fresh, nutritious meals for students. Their goal was to gain real-world insight that will directly inform proposed legislation — which is a tremendous testament to the leadership and dedication of our department.

Moments like this reinforce that the work happening in Dryden is not only meaningful locally but is also being recognized as a model at a broader level. Our team’s commitment to scratch cooking, student nutrition, and continuous improvement has positioned Dryden as a leader in child nutrition programs, and it was incredibly rewarding to see that acknowledged by state policymakers.

#LionPride!

Good Morning, This is Joshua Bacigalupi, Supeintendent of Schools for the Dryden Central School District. This morning the District full anticipated opening after a two hour delay. We have continued to assess conditions in the District. Slow rising temperatures and blowing snow are making treating the ice underneath the snow difficult. Unfortunately, ice as we know is much less forgoving than snow. At the Dryden Central School District is closed, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Always...#LionPride!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from our lucky Lions! 🍀🦁

Good Morning, This is Joshua Bacigalupi, Superintendent of Schools for the Dryden Central School District. All schools in the Dryden Central School District are on a 2 hour delay. This means, you should drop your child(ren) off at school or the bus will pick up your child(ren) two hours later than normal. Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Always...#LionPride

Dryden Drama introduces Mamma Mia’s featured dancers! 🎶These talented high schoolers will make you want to stand up and dance along with them! Their groovy moves couldn’t be seen without the talented light crew! Come check them out this week! See poster or our website at https://www.dryden.k12.ny.us/article/2727789 for details. 🎭

🎵 March is #MusicInOurSchoolsMonth! Music education is essential for fostering creativity, collaboration, and academic growth. Let's celebrate the power of music in our schools all month long! 🎼 #MIOSM #UnitedThroughMusic

DCSD celebrates Music In Our Schools Month! DES Lion Band directed by Adam Phillips-Burdge DMS 7th/8th Grade Band directed by Robert J. McMahon DHS Concert Band directed by Elizabeth Alexander #LionPride!

Good Morning, This is Joshua Bacigalupi, Superintendent of Sschools for the Dryden Central School District. Due to icy road conditions, all schools in the Dryden Central School District will be on a two hour delay. This means your child will be picked up or should be dropped off two hours later than normal. Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Always #LionPride!

💜 Thank you for advocating, supporting and making a positive difference in our #LionPride community! 🦁🐾 #SchoolSocialWorkWeek

Dryden Middle School is proud to recognize the students nominated for Student of the Month for January 2026. These students were selected for their positive attitudes, strong effort, and contributions to the school community.

All students nominated for January Student of the Month (pictured from left to right, starting at the top) are: Yonni B., Ross L., Sophia T., Cecelia J-O., Dax J., Cam N., Rowan A., Adele R., Tzapporah J., Delia D., Olive W., Grace H., Colton L., Henry K., Lydia W., Maggie H., Antonio M., Aavin B., and Wyatt C.

Two students were selected out of all nominations from each grade level.

Grade 6 Students of the Month
Pictured from left to right: Colton L. and Adele R.

Grade 7 Students of the Month
Pictured from left to right: Antonio M. and Grace H.

Grade 8 Students of the Month
Pictured from left to right: Cam N. and Sophia T.

DMS congratulates the Student of the Month winners for January 2026, as well as all nominated students throughout the year. Their dedication, positive character, and commitment to learning make them excellent role models within the school community.

#LionPride 🦁🐾#FFAWeek

Two Dryden Lions 7th grade girls are making appearances this weekend at the New York State Amateur Hockey Association State Championships! Their hard work has them competing against the best teams in New York State at Northtown Center at Amherst in Buffalo. Kairi Rossow #35 plays in Tier II for the Ithaca Shooting Stars TB team and Delia Dutcher #92 plays in Tier I for the Skaneateles Lakers TB team. These hard working girls practice several times a week and play over 60 games a season, often traveling hours each weekend to play! They are dedicated athletes and team leaders on and off the ice. Good luck Delia and Kai and have fun! 

Principal Wood went shopping! But this shopping trip wouldn't have been possible without the support of our incredible partners at Old Navy in Ithaca.

Not only did they offer significant discounts to help get clothing for our students, but their leadership team, Angela and Tony, also stepped up by purchasing coats, clothing, and other essentials for our students. Those bags you see represent so much more than clothing - they represent people who care!

There are often unknown needs within our community that we may not always see. Some of our students come to school without proper winter coats, shoes that fit, or clothes that help them feel confident. These needs can affect everything from a child's ability to focus in class to their willingness to participate in activities. When local partners like Old Navy step up, it makes an incredible difference in a child's life. It shows our students that people care about their well-being beyond just the classroom.

If you're a local business, organization, or individual who would like to support our school families, please reach out! Whether it's clothing, school supplies, or other basic essentials - every bit of support matters.
Together, we're showing our students what it means to be part of a caring community. Thank you, Old Navy & Always Lion Pride!

The DHS Student Council is sponsoring a blood drive on March 5th. Give blood. Help Save Lives. #AmericanRedCross

#LionPride

Dryden High School is proud to announce our High Honor Roll and Honor Roll students for the second marking period of the 2025-2026 school year. The full lists of students can be found on our website here:
https://drydencentralsdny.sites.thrillshare.com/article/2709266

Congratulations and well done #LionPride!

On January 16th, this group of high school seniors presented their Capstone Projects and are on their way to earning the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness! These students are the first students at Dryden to embark on this work. They took the Capstone course, a class devoted to teaching about civic engagement and civic participation.

If you are interested in taking the Capstone course next year and earning points towards the NYS Seal of Civic Readiness, please reach out to any member of the HS Social Studies Department or your counselor for more information.

We 💜our District Safety Personnel! A special thanks goes out to Justin and Rob for all that they do for our #LionPride!! 🦁