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Schenectady district unveils Steinman's Freshman Leadership Academy to support ninth-graders
Summary
District officials introduced the Steinman's Freshman Leadership Academy, a program the Schenectady City School District says will strengthen ninth-graders’ academic starts and leadership skills. Speakers framed the initiative as an investment in students’ transition to high school.
Joe DiCaprio, deputy superintendent of the Schenectady City School District, opened a public event to unveil the Steinman's Freshman Leadership Academy, the district’s new program aimed at supporting ninth-grade students as they begin high school.
The district described the academy as “more than a program,” framing it as a promise to scholars to build a strong academic foundation while cultivating leadership, collaboration and compassion among students. A presenter said the initiative is designed to give ninth-graders “the strongest possibility to start high school.”
DiCaprio called the investment “transformational in terms of the lives of the students,” and several presenters emphasized the academy’s focus on student voice and opportunity. A staff member who said they once substituted at the school described the renovated building as a visible sign of change and said students were “proud to be in Schenectady.”
The presenter summarized the academy’s aims: to combine academic support with leadership development so that freshmen transition successfully into high school. Organizers framed the program launch as the start of a longer-term effort to invest in ninth-grade supports; no formal board vote or policy action was recorded in the remarks provided.
