Matthew J. Bystrak

Superintendent of Schools
West Seneca Central School District
1397 Orchard Park Road

Phone: 716-677-3100
Fax: 716-674-0522

August 25, 2022

Dear West Seneca Family,

I hope this letter finds you well and that you have found time to relax and enjoy time with family and friends over the last few months.  While one might think that schools are quiet places during summer break, we are truly a beehive of activity.  Educational programming at all grade levels and athletic and music clinics, along  with the maintenance and cleaning essential to the start of the new school year, have kept our students, staff, and campuses busy since school let out in June.  

You may have also noticed that our district-wide capital improvement project has continued to progress with the most notable work including a redesign of the West Middle School parking lot and bus loop.  Additionally, West Middle School’s main office, student services suite, and entranceway are being restructured to help better ensure a safe and welcoming experience for members of our school community.  West Middle is also undergoing a renovation in its music wing with the addition of needed rehearsal space.  

As a district, we continue to work to support the learning needs of all students as we move past the pandemic through the provision of programming such as “Learning Labs” and targeted academic intervention services.  We have also made a concerted effort to lower our class sizes, particularly at the elementary level, in order to enhance the ability of our educators to provide a more individualized educational experience.  

As always, school safety will be an area of focus in the coming school year.  In addition to the current and planned capital project work that will “harden” our schools, we are fortunate to have a strong working relationship with the West Seneca Police Department.  Our School Resource Officers continually work in concert with our own security force and other staff to identify security needs and help ensure that we have sound safety planning in place that is responsive to the needs of our school community.  All of the above will be enhanced through a $500K grant that was awarded to us through the New York State Assembly this past summer.

I would also like to note that we have a number of job openings within our district (bus driver, teacher aide, etc.) for anyone interested in joining the West Seneca Schools family.  Please click HERE to learn more about opportunities for employment within the district.

You may be aware that the NYS Education Department and the NYS Department of Health have issued a joint document outlining helpful tips for parents/caregivers related to COVID mitigation strategies for the coming school year (please click HERE to view this document).  We ask that you continue to monitor your health and the health of your children.  Anyone experiencing symptoms associated with COVID should not come to school.  We will communicate any changes or updates as appropriate.  

Finally, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to our dedicated faculty and staff who worked throughout the summer to prepare for the coming school year.  I can say, without hesitation, that we are poised to begin what I am confident will be an outstanding school year.  We are excited to welcome our students to the first day of school on Tuesday, September 6th.

Best regards,

Matthew Bystrak

Superintendent of Schools