School chief offers promising student stats
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Dunkirk's superintendent of schools offered a set of positive student statistics at the city Board of Education's September meeting,
Brian Swatland began his report by congratulating two August graduates, Angelisse Cruz Santiago and Luis Montero Ayala, who did not want a ceremony. He then flashed a series of slides showing that the districts' students are improving overall on state-mandated standardized testing scores.
For example, reading proficiency is up 6% overall. The proficiency level for third-graders in May went up 10%, from 40% to 50%. The Grade 8 science proficiency rate is 54%, up from 49%.
"Look at that sixth grade math," Swatland emphasized. The proficiency percentage there soared 14 points, from 31% to 45%. The superintendent credited "outstanding work at the intermediate school and by our sixth grade team."
Swatland then showed that the Dunkirk school district graduation rate went up to 85% for the 2025-26 school year, up 13 points from the 72% that graduated in 2023-24. The dropout rate dropped to 6% in 2025-26, well down from the 17.6% of 2023-24.
"More kids are staying in school. More kids are graduating. More kids have better opportunities because of it," Swatland concluded.
The Board of Education also approved a bunch of hirings for Dunkirk schools at the September meeting.
Brooke Tilley received provisional approval as a School 5 operations assistant. Joy Clauson was provisionally appointed as a secretary for the intermediate and high schools. Both women must pass a civil service exam in order to make their jobs permanent.
Three teachers were brought on by the Dunkirk school district. Christopher Cheresnowski was named an intermediate and high school art teacher. Brianna Krawcayk is an elementary teacher at Schools 3, 5 and 7. Stephanie Pati was hired as a School 4 special education teacher.
There was also a slew of teacher aides hired: Reyna Crossan, Heidi Tresler, Megan Ruiz, Xiomara Marrero, Jacquelyn Abram, Valerie Odebralski, Alyshah Flores, Nashaly Rivas, Heather Olrogg, Taneisharys Nevarez Lopez, Ashley Torres, and Melissa Meadows.
Finally, Taysmarie Otero Arce was approved as a school security guard for the middle and high schools; School 5 has a new social worker in DawnMarie Domke; Mary Allaire-Gifford, Stephanie Aniszweski, Kris Dziduch, Joanne Michalski, Kathleen Tyszko and Connie Glasier were hired as substitutes (all teachers except for aide Glasier); and Yerymar Cruz, Yetselian Serrano Hernandez, and Eileen Figueroa Torres are school monitors.
The first half of the meeting was held behind closed doors, in an executive session enacted for discussion of the proposed sale, lease or acquisition of real property. The executive session lasted about 40 minutes.