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Message from the Superintendent
Dear Hendrick Hudson Community,
After the winter weather we have experienced, I am pleased and excited to exchange boots, gloves and ear muffs, for shorts, flip flops and sunglasses!
Returning from Spring Break and watching flowers bloom are sure signs that we are heading into the final stretch of the school year. It is also a good time to remind your school nurse about any seasonal allergies that may require medication or an EpiPen. At this time of year, it's also important for our students to achieve the right balance between outdoor activities and academics.
As you know, students in grades 3 through 8 recently completed the New York State English Language Arts and Mathematics Assessments. Soon our fourth and eighth graders will take the State Science Assessment. Every year these tests are administered across the state to measure student achievement and to help in the evaluation of the district's teaching standards. Also in May, hundreds of our high schoolers will challenge themselves by taking various Advanced Placement exams. While these assessments are important, we recognize they are not synonymous with what our students have learned and certainly do not define them as learners.
To that end, I am looking forward to our lineup of spring concerts at all five schools as well as supporting our Sailors as they perform in baseball, softball, tennis, lacrosse, track and more. Our students are well-rounded, involved and studious, and they are great representatives of our community. I hope you can take the time to see a musical performance, art show or athletic contest. Please check the calendar on the district website for specific dates.
As always, thank you for your relentless support of our district, our staff and students!
Joseph E. Hochreiter
Superintendent of Schools
@HenHudSupt
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District's Music Program
Hits a High Note with National Award
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The district's entire music staff was recognized with a Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation.
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The Hendrick Hudson School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Hen Hud is one of 4% of districts across the nation receiving the prestigious award in 2017. The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, the district provided detailed information about graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
"When I reflect on the experiences I had growing up, teachers that influenced and motivated me, as well as vivid memories I revisit when growing up, music during my public schooling is at the forefront," said Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter. "Now, to lead the school district in such a wonderful and supportive community, which has been recognized with this prestigious and highly selective award, is not only heartwarming but also very inspiring. This is a recognition our entire community, staff and students should be very proud of. I am very proud of them."
This award recognizes that the district is leading the way with music learning opportunities as outlined in the new federal education legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation, signed into law in December 2015, and awaiting state implementation, designates music and the arts as important elements of well-rounded education for all children.
"In my 31 years teaching in Hen Hud I have witnessed a tremendous growth in our music program," said middle school band director Amy Richter. "Yes, our performing groups continue to win many awards, but more important is the fact that every child in the district studies music for nine out of their 13 years in school, and all students get opportunities to perform in a wide variety of musical genres in their music classes. The Hen Hud music program is truly for every child."
Hendrick Hudson's music faculty includes: Benjamin Acrish, Rebecca Correllus, Erica Denler, Kimberly Dunkin, Amy Richter, Doug Franck, Samantha Hecht, Mary Landry, Lauren Morabito, Claude Preece and Roberta Roberts.
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. Its mission is to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs.
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This Sailor Crossed an Ocean to Attend Hendrick Hudson High School
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Yannick Frettlōhr, of Cologne, Germany, has been attending Hendrick Hudson High School this year as an exchange student.
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Yannick Frettlōhr, Hendrick Hudson High School's exchange student from Cologne, Germany, is thrilled to be attending school in the United States. "There is a big difference between secondary school in Germany and here," he said. "In my high school, the focus is purely on academics. No sports, no clubs, no fun activities."
Yannick, who arrived in January and will attend Hen Hud through the end of the school year, has enthusiastically embraced his identity as a Sailor. He became a member of the tennis team this spring, and over the winter, he could be found in the stands, cheering on the Hen Hud basketball team, along with all the other fans.
Another big difference he's observed between his home school and Hen Hud is the way teachers and students interact. "Here, the teachers are much more connected to their students on a personal level," said Yannick, noting that, with few exceptions, teachers in his home school are considered "above" their students and do not bridge that divide with friendly conversation or interest in their students' personal lives.
And while he was initially a bit nervous about riding the school bus on his first day of classes, Yannick has quickly assimilated into what he considers a "friendly, super-nice environment" at the high school. "I've got friends in each of my classes," he said with a smile.
Back in Germany, Yannick's preferred academic subjects were biology and physics, and he anticipated studying business or engineering in college. In his short time at Hen Hud, however, he has discovered a newfound interest in history, which he credits to his teacher, Mr. Witkowich.
On Yannick's to-do list is seeing some more of the U.S. He traveled here once before with his family, visiting Orlando, Cincinnati and Chicago. His host family is currently planning trips to Texas and Alaska before he heads back home in June.
And how difficult has the language barrier been for the gregarious tenth grader? "In Germany, we learn English from first grade on," he said, laughing. "It's pretty much a second language for us."
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Four Hen Hud Students Take Honors at Regional Science Competition
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Hendrick Hudson High School students Isabella Brizzi, Melody Munitz, Melanie Porras and Jonathan Chung took home prizes at the recent WESEF competition in Sleepy Hollow.
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Four Hendrick Hudson High School students competed at the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair held at Sleepy Hollow High School on March 4. The fair featured 568 projects presented by students from across Westchester County, and all four Hen Hud students returned home with a prize.
Senior Melanie Porras was awarded 1st place in the Plant Science category with her project on Chlorophyll: Analyzing the Role of Chlorophyll a, b, and d in Oxygenic Photosynthesis.
Junior Melody Munitz took 3rd place in the Behavior category, with her Epidemiological Study of Aphantasia, a condition where individuals are unable to form a mental image.
Senior Jonathan Chung took 3rd place in Molecular Biology with his project linking probiotics with brain function: Interaction of Circulating Gut Microbiota-generated Metabolites with the Function and Expression of SLC6A3.
Senior Isabella Brizzi received the Junior Stockholm Water prize for her project on the best conditions for using dispersants for the cleaning of oil spills in ocean waters: Testing for Dispersant Effectiveness to Remediate Oil Spills Using a Baffled Flask Test with the Use of the Dispersant Corexit 9500.
"I was delighted to see that all of our students came home with a prize," said teacher and Science Research program director Dr. Christine Rogers. "It is great to see the high quality level of the projects at WESEF, often rivaling what graduate students would produce."
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Furnace Woods' Half Century Celebration
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The student body and staff at Furnace Woods gathered earlier this year for a group photo to kick off the school's 50th anniversary celebration.
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There's no other way to put it - a 50th anniversary is a big deal. Students and staff at Furnace Woods Elementary School know it, and they have been celebrating all year, with a big culminating event planned for May 12.
"Half a century is a very special milestone," said teacher Diane Hughes, who leads the 50th Anniversary Committee.
The fun began last year, when Furnace Woods staff ordered special 50th anniversary T-shirts featuring the new school logo, which was designed by Hen Hud senior and former Furnace Woods student, Lauren Wenzel. "Teachers wear the T-shirts most Fridays and whenever we have a special event or assembly," said Mrs. Hughes. "The school fair T-shirts also have a 50th anniversary theme, and kids wear their shirts all the time in honor of the milestone anniversary."
At the heart of the 50th anniversary celebration is the school's monthly "Acts of Kindness" initiative. Every month since September, students and staff have been performing in a variety of selfless activities, from giving one another compliments to donating items such as pajamas, food and pet supplies to local charities.
"It's been great to see the enthusiasm with which our students have embraced the monthly Acts of Kindness," said Furnace Woods Principal Dr. Cindy Kramer. "Whether it's donating pajamas to needy children or making cards for our local veterans, our students have been excited to reach out and help others. We've even had some students doing similar things on their own, outside of school, which shows that they are truly internalizing the importance of giving back to the community."
In addition to the monthly Acts of Kindness, the school has also embarked on a number of beautification efforts to honor the special anniversary. Parent Spencer Schatmann created a stone anchor design that's been installed around the flagpole in front of the building, and the entire school has been designing tiles for a mural to be installed in the school's lobby. Another parent, Will Hernandez, designed a colorful 50th Anniversary banner that graces the outside of the school building.
"It's been such an exciting year, and everyone has been so generous," said Mrs. Hughes. "The district provided funding for the anchor installation, and HHCEF and the LIVE committee both contributed funds for the 50th anniversary. The school's PTA also budgeted a generous amount for our anniversary activities." She also noted that many parents, staff members and retirees have been "incredibly generous with their time, money and talents."
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Four BMMS Students Going to State-Level You Be the Chemist Challenge
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Daniel Fitzmaurice, Zorka
Lipovac,
Riva Shukla,
Aidan Clarke and
at the You Be the Chemist competition in Tarrytown, along with Assistant Principal Bell-Jefferson.
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Blue Mountain Middle School students Daniel Fitzmaurice, Zorka Lipovac, Riva Shukla, Eoin Clarke and Aidan Clarke recently participated in the Chemical Education Foundation's (CEF) You Be the Chemist (YBTC) Challenge at BASF Corporation's headquarters in Tarrytown, NY, and Daniel, Zorka, Riva and Eoin are now moving on to state-level competition on April 29 at the Tarrytown site.
The YBTC Challenge is an interactive academic competition that engages students in fifth through eighth grade in learning about important chemistry concepts, scientific discoveries and laboratory safety. Students were chosen to participate in the state competition based on their scores on a qualifying exam developed by the CEF. Winners at the state level advance to the National Challenge on June 19 in Washington, D.C.
"Once again Blue Mountain students have decided to take on a challenge," said Assistant Principal Anecia Bell-Jefferson. "It is amazing that four out of five of our students are proceeding to the state championship."
The Challenge was brought to the district by representatives of BASF's Peekskill site. BASF is the world's leading chemical company, and the Peekskill site supports the district in many ways, including participation in the Project Lead the Way Partnership Team overseeing biomedical and engineering courses at the high school. BASF also awards an annual scholarship to a graduating high school senior and brings BASF Kids' Lab, a program that uses hands-on experiments to build interest in science, to BMMS.
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B-V's Got Talent...and Heart
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Buchanan-Verplanck students Kacie Burns, Emily Stout and Mia O'Malley hosted the recent "B-V's Got Talent" show.
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Buchanan-Verplanck Elementary School students not only performed their hearts out during the school's recent "B-V's Got Talent" show; they showed a lot of heart by donating proceeds from the production to three worthy causes.
The show gave fourth and fifth grade students the opportunity to show off their unique and creative skills. Everything from singing and dancing, to comedy and tumbling were on display during two performances: an evening presentation for family and friends and a daytime show for B-V students.
Through raffle ticket sales and donations, the production raised more than $300, which will go toward three different charities: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Alpha-1 Foundation and Hope's Door.
Three fifth grade students, Kacie Burns, Mia O'Malley and Emily Stout, hosted the talent show and, in what has become a tradition at the school, named next year's hosts. The current fourth graders named to take on a leadership role in next year's show are Kayla McCarthy and Kiely Morley.
Kacie, Mia and Emily all described the experience as very positive and one that helped each of them grow individually.
"It helped me learn to speak in front of people," said Emily. Mia agreed, adding, "I was really nervous, and it helped me get rid of my stage fright." Kacie said she valued the strong friendships she built with fellow performers.
"Our school's third installment of "B-V's Got Talent" went extremely well under the leadership of our fifth grade students, and I know that this wonderful tradition is poised to continue with the naming of next year's hosts." said Principal Joshua Cohen.
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Frank G. Lindsey Celebrates GoRED Campaign
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Students and staff at Frank G. Lindsey gathered for a special GoRed-themed Town Hall in February.
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What's big, loud, and full of heart? Frank G. Lindsey's annual GoRED celebration, that's what!
In February, FGL students and staff celebrated National GoRED Day by holding a Town Hall meeting that featured a school-wide rendition of "You Gotta Have Heart;" raffle prizes, including movie tickets and pizza lunches with teachers and the superintendent; Shout-Outs; and Golden Anchor awards. Raffle ticket proceeds went to the American Heart Association.
This was the seventh year the school has participated in the GoRED campaign, and each year the event grows in terms of enthusiasm and engagement. Teacher Sue Burke-James coordinates the school-wide event and is thrilled with the way it has taken off. "The enthusiasm from both students and staff continues to grow yearly for a cause that reaches beyond Frank G. Lindsey and the Hendrick Hudson community," she said.
This year, the event included the high school's Peer Leaders, who helped read the Shout-Outs and added to the event's general enthusiasm. Earlier in the month, teaching assistant Nicole Selvaggi-Landry, who is also the varsity cheerleading coach, brought the Sailors cheerleaders over to FGL for a pep rally to stir up excitement for the fundraising campaign. The Sailors cheerleaders held a 50/50 raffle at a basketball game, and donated their share of the proceeds to FGL's GoRED effort.
As in past years, the GoRED effort involved a number of additional fundraising activities, including an art auction and staff breakfast. The art auction featured brilliant heart-themed paintings that every FGL student helped create.
Last year, the school was named one of GoRED's top donors, and the effort shows no sign of slowing down. All proceeds from the school's various fundraising activities go toward the American Heart Association's heart disease research and the effort to raise awareness about heart health.
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HHHS Spring Musical: 'West Side Story'
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| Scenes from this spring's high school musical, "West Side Story" |
Hats off to all who participated in "West Side Story," Hen Hud's spring musical! "The show was an incredible success due to the hard work and dedication of every student involved with the production," said Clare Carey, stage director and director of the high school theatre program. "Every performance was met with thunderous applause." The show was an impressive group effort, with 88 Hen Hud students participating in roles ranging from acting and stage crew to lighting, sound, set design and orchestra.
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Get the Hen Hud App and Follow Us on
Facebook and Twitter
If you are a parent, teacher, student or other stakeholder in the district and use a smartphone, you should know about the Hen Hud Mobile App! The free, simple-to-use application offers breaking news; links to the Hen Hud Facebook page, website, and Twitter feeds; calendar items; Board of Education news; cafeteria menus; and photos and videos, including videos of Board of Education meetings and other key events.
To download this free application for Apple, CLICK HERE. For Android, CLICK HERE.
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