Austin Steward Elementary School No. 46
250 Newcastle Rd.
Rochester, NY 14610
Grade Level: PreK3 - 6th Grade
Phone: (585) 288-8008
Fax: (585) 654-1078
Email: 46info@rcsdk12.org
Website: www.rcsdk12.org/46
Zone: Northeast
Arrival: 9:00 am
Dismissal: 3:30 pm
Principal: Dr. Gina DiTullio
Gina.Ditullio@rcsdk12.org
Assistant Principal: Katelyn Cegla
Katelyn.Cegla@rcsdk12.org
DASA Coordinator: Katelyn Cegla
Parent Liaison: Charlie McCloud
Charlie.McCloud@rcsdk12.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RCSDsch46
FROM THE DESK OF DR. DITULLIO:
I am very excited to welcome everyone to the new school year! The first day of school for students will be Thursday, September 4th. Our hours for the 2025-2026 school year are 9:00-3:30 for students in K-6; preschool will operate from 8:45-2:45. Please note there are no available staff members to stay with your child prior to the start of their school day so be sure to make proper arrangements. Your child’s supply list was sent home in our welcome letter but can also be found at https://www.rcsdk12.org/46 under Families. New student orientation for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and all other students who are new to our building will be held on Friday, August 29th at 10:00 AM. Students and their parents will attend a short informational presentation and then be released to visit their children’s classrooms and meet the teachers. If you need to make any changes to your child’s transportation, please be sure to call the school and speak to Mrs. Garcia by August 8th in order to ensure the changes are made effective by the first day of school, otherwise, any changes made after that date cannot be guaranteed to start on time by the transportation department.
Last year, we provided rigorous core instruction at all grade levels. Our theme for this upcoming school year will again be LEVEL UP! Students will be encouraged to continually “level up” in all areas, building on everything they learned last school year. Additionally, we will offer enriching field trips, and extracurricular activities. We will continue to engage students in lessons that will develop their social/emotional skills and competencies so that they can be good citizens, as well as good students. I encourage you all to find ways to get involved in our School 46 PTA. Please join the PTA and consider volunteering two hours of your time for one of our many family events. A large part of our success at School 46 is due to parent involvement. We appreciate your role as your child’s first teacher and your continued support as they develop and grow as learners.
The Governor of New York State signed into law a cellphone ban from bell to bell. Our policy here has always been “up and away during the day”. Now it is NYS law that students should not have cellphones in school. To be very honest, there is really no reason to even send one with them. Your children are never unsupervised during the day in elementary school. We have phones available for them to call you if the need arises. My advice would be to leave the phones at home. If you choose to send it, know that students will be required to leave them in backpacks for the whole day. Cell phones may not be taken out during the day, and if a student is caught with a cell phone, it will be confiscated by either the teacher or an administrator. The phone will be returned to the child at the end of the school day, and you will be informed about the infraction. Again, my advice would be to keep the phones at home. Studies on the impact of electronic devices on brain development are starting to come out, and none of the findings are good. Consider limiting student use of electronic devices altogether.
The new year brings with it the promise of new beginnings, new friends, and new opportunities to learn and grow. We will continue to set a high bar for student success. We are committed to providing a safe, supportive, culturally responsive and rigorous academic environment for all children. I am looking forward to another successful year! Enjoy your summer, and we will see you in September!
