NOVEMBER 2017 
Message from the Superintendent
 
Dear Hendrick Hudson Community,

Welcome to the first edition of The Lanyard for the 2017-18 school year. By now, I trust that everyone has adapted to the first eight-plus weeks of school. That includes early wake-up alarms, studying, music rehearsals, athletic practices, and the myriad of other activities that keep our Sailors busy and diversified! The opening months of school are always filled with the promise that all things are possible.

I have had the pleasure of spending quality time with students and staff these last few months, and the positive energy throughout our schools, classrooms, auditoriums and fields is contagious.  

In September, the Board of Education approved an Action Plan to address the impact of Indian Point's plan to close in 2021. The plan calls for accentuating our communication efforts, engaging in deep data analysis, and working with our community on local and state advocacy efforts. Inside this issue of The Lanyard you'll find an overview of the plan and a video link to a recent Board meeting, during which the plan was presented and approved.

As we turn the corner from fall to winter, we are specifically focusing our attention on our Indian Point advocacy efforts. Keeping you informed of all matters related to the plant's closure is our priority. We will soon invite you to complete a brief survey regarding how we communicate Indian Point news. Please complete the survey; we will share the results, and they will provide a baseline for moving forward, ensuring that all are informed and have access to vital information.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and the district website to learn about all the amazing things our students are doing here at Hen Hud and keep informed regarding  important district issues.

Regards,  
Joseph E. Hochreiter
Superintendent of Schools
@HenHudSupt
 
Building Bridges at Blue Mountain Middle School
 
Sixth graders working together to build a rolling cart, during the middle school's first Team Building Day.


"Teamwork makes the dream work" was the mantra during Blue Mountain Middle School's first ever Team Building Day, dedicated to helping sixth graders acclimate to their new school and get to know one another.  

"Our sixth graders enter the middle school from three different elementary schools," said sixth grade teacher Donna Miller. "This was a wonderful opportunity for them to get to know one another."

Students from both sixth grade teams, along with the school's BOCES students,spent the day rotating through a variety of indoor and outdoor activities designed to foster teamwork. Highlights included a high-energy quiz show, a PVC Road Rally and large group activities out on the school's fields.

School libraries are usually quiet places, but on this day, the middle school library was anything but. "The Big Quiz Show" took over space normally reserved for research and reading and filled it with the excitement of a trivia game show, complete with a professional emcee. Organized into small teams, students used Chromebooks to relay their answers to two Smartboards. "We felt like we were on a real quiz show," said one student. "It was awesome!"

Active Learning at the Academy
 
Academy teachers collaborated over the summer to create active learning spaces in the program's four classrooms.







Step into a classroom within Hendrick Hudson High School's Academy program, and you will see students clustered together around high-top tables, seated throughout the room in upholstered, wheeled chairs or perched upon stools that wobble. Welcome to "active learning spaces," classrooms designed to foster greater engagement and prepare students for the 21st century college classrooms and workspaces that lie ahead.

The Academy program provides a cooperative and nurturing learning environment for high school students who have not succeeded in traditional educational settings. The program features four core academic classes (English, Math, Social Studies, and Science) and includes a counseling component. Students participate in regular specials, language and health classes at the high school.

Formerly housed in a classroom on the top floor of the high school and serving grades 10 and 11, the Academy now has its own dedicated space, consisting of four classrooms in close proximity to one another. The move, which has essentially created a "school within a school," allowed for the expansion of the program to all four grades and, most recently, innovative classroom modifications resulting in active learning spaces.  


Classrooms in the Academy Program have become active learning spaces.

Meet HHHS Assistant Principal 
Anthony Giovinazzi

Hendrick Hudson High School welcomed new Assistant Principal Anthony Giovinazzi this fall. 
Strong science, music and athletic programs are just a few of the things that brought new Assistant Principal Anthony Giovinazzi to Hendrick Hudson High School.

"I was drawn to the fact that this is a relatively small school district, but with tremendous offerings," he said. "I love the fact that we get to see our students in so many different aspects of their school careers beyond the classroom, such as sports, concerts, plays and community-based events."

Giovinazzi, who lives in Poughkeepsie with his wife and five children, comes to the district after serving as Assistant Principal at Roy C. Ketcham High School and John Jay High School, both in the Wappingers Central School District. He has also served as the Coordinator of Alternative Education at Dutchess County BOCES.  

Passionate about 21st century learning, Giovinazzi is eager to nurture the "four C's" at Hen Hud: communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. "Our students need all four to successfully transition from high school to college and careers," he said.

He also plans to focus on inclusion and social-emotional wellness and wants students to consider him accessible. "My door is always open," he said. "I don't want students to look at me simply as a disciplinarian."

Hen Hud's status as a district with stellar academics, great community spirit and well-rounded extracurricular offerings added to Giovinazzi's desire to become part of the school community. "I always knew that Hen Hud was a high performing district," Giovinazzi said. "What's been so wonderful is how welcoming everyone has been throughout the entire transition process. I am truly looking forward to getting to know our students and their families and having a positive impact on the Hen Hud school community."
 
Hendrick Hudson Science Teacher Featured at National Science Research Conference

Dr. Christine Rogers, with co-presenter Vineeta Ribeiro of the Mountain Vista Governor's school, at the Science Research Teachers Conference in Washington, D.C.
Hendrick Hudson High School science teacher and Science Research Program Director, Dr. Christine Rogers, spoke at the prestigious Science Research Teachers Conference held in Washington, D.C. from October 13 to October 15.  

The conference, organized by The Society for Science and the Public, and sponsored by Regeneron, brought together 200 teachers from across the nation to share best practices and troubleshoot challenges that may arise in supporting students in independent science research. Attendance at the conference was so coveted there was a 1,000-plus teacher waiting list.
 
Dr. Rogers co-presented on two different topics: "Introducing Statistics for Science Research Students" with Donna Light, Croton-Harmon High School science research teacher and "Setting up Science Research programs: What you Need to Know," with Vineeta Ribeiro from Mountain Vista Governor's school in Washington, D.C.
 
Science Research alumni and principals surprised teachers attending the conference by sending testimonials on how the science research program had impacted their lives.  "You gave me a scope of science, the world, and humanity as a whole, that will follow me for the rest of my life," said one of Dr. Rogers' former students. The note continued: "Your imagination, belief in your students, and dedication to spreading and defending scientific inquiry and supporting those willing to question it is a gift to every student fortunate enough to sit in your classroom."
 
Dr. Rogers praised the conference for "completely validating the work we are doing with research students and providing us with many resources and extensive support."
Indian Point News

Throughout the summer, the Board of Education contemplated how the district should move forward regarding Indian Point's impending closure. The Board engaged in a strategic plan retreat, facilitated by Putnam|Northern Westchester BOCES, to best identify how to accentuate the district's strengths, confront its challenges and communicate with families and residents.  

The result is a multi-pronged Action Plan, which will serve as a roadmap over the next few years, as the district addresses the plant's closure. In short, the plan calls for the district to:
  • continue its communications efforts with not only updates regarding deliberations and policy initiatives regarding the plant closure, but also to celebrate the many successes taking place throughout the Hendrick Hudson school community.  
  • engage in a series of studies, assuming no financial assistance from the state, regarding operations and fixed costs, which may include demographic projections, re-districting, school closure, class size policies, etc. 
  • continue to aggressively participate in advocacy and policy efforts, aimed at restoring funding and obtaining direct assistance to the district.
The facilitators presented the Action Plan at the September 27 Board of Education meeting. Click here for an 8-minute video clip of the presentation and discussion. 
FGL Students "Lunch and Learn" With State Senator Terrence Murphy

New York State Senator Terrence Murphy visited a lunch period at FGL during National School Lunch week to discuss healthy habits and good nutrition.

New York State Senator Terrence Murphy dropped by Frank G. Lindsey recently to chat with students about good nutrition. Timed to coincide with National School Lunch Week, the Senator's visit aimed to highlight the importance of making good food choices and maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle.

"When we put good food inside us, we feel energized," he told a group of second graders as they ate lunch. "When we eat the bad stuff, that's when we feel sick."

Murphy, a practicing chiropractor and nutritionist, also stressed the importance of exercise. He asked the students about the various sports they liked to play, and told them, "You need to have a good balance between the foods you eat and the physical activities you take part in."  

"The children loved having Senator Murphy as a guest for lunch," said Principal Donna Torrisi. "They enjoyed asking him questions about his job and learning about   his efforts in the area of children's nutrition."

Furnace Woods Rolls Out Chromebooks Mobile Learning Initiative 

Second graders in Greta Sieverding and Kayla Sciacchitano's class at FWS used their Chromebooks during a recent lesson.

Lightweight, collaborative and easy to use, Chromebooks are an appealing choice for school districts, and this year, Furnace Woods has elected to deploy them in each classroom rather than replace the school's Windows computers. The Furnace Woods staff felt the Chromebooks' flexibility, ease of use and mobility made them more valuable instructional tools.

The Chromebooks rollout represents the district's first 1:1 mobile learning initiative at full scale, and the school's Instructional Technology Coaches have been working wth 
Dr. Mathew Swerdloff, Executive Director of Educational Support Services, to devise
a staff training and implementation plan.

"Chromebooks represent a wonderful opportunity for our staff and students," said Swerdloff. "These devices enable all children to access information and applications in a very user-friendly way. Additionally, classroom management is simplified, and hardware issues associated with Windows devices are minimal. I look forward to working with the Furnace Woods staff this year as they explore and develop new learning opportunities for their students."

Many teachers were already utilizing Chromebooks in the classroom, according to
Dr. Cindy Kramer, Furnace Woods principal . "Now students will have access to technology at all times, whether to do research, create projects, or read books that may not be available in the classroom," said Kramer. "Using Chromebooks helps students better engage with the curriculum and opens up many avenues to learning."

Buchanan-Verplanck's Awesome Ambassadors  
 
This year's B-V Ambassadors, ready to proudly represent their school.

Congratulations to a group of B-V students who recently earned the title of "B-V Ambassadors." For the past few years, fifth graders at the school have had the opportunity to apply for this highly coveted leadership role, and this year's group is very excited to get started making a positive impact.

Becoming an Ambassador involves two key steps: an application letter and an in-person interview. Each of the applicants wrote a letter to Principal Cohen, highlighting their communication skills, expressing what they love and know about the school and describing how certain teachers have made a positive impact on them.  

For the next step, students participated in an interview with Mr. Cohen and  the District Superintendent, Mr. Hochreiter . After the interviews were completed, 11 students were named B-V Ambassadors - the biggest group to date. "We had an amazing group of qualified students, and they all deserved to become Ambassadors," said Mr. Cohen.

The students' love for their school came shining through during the application process. When asked what they liked best about B-V, responses included the great attitude among students, helpful staff and teachers and the school's welcoming atmosphere, to name a few.  

The 11 ambassadors are   Almar A., Diego B., Valeria C., Angelina C., Brittney P., Carly L., Kayla M., Nava M., Kiely M., Jaiden S. and Andres T-S.

A number of the newly named Ambassadors said they were extremely excited and anxious as they waited to find out if they had been selected, and all described feeling proud and happy upon hearing that they had.

The students had many different reasons for wanting to become Ambassadors. Nava said it would, "boost my social skills." Kiley felt she could "help B-V and make it a better place." And Jaden stated that it meant everything to him because he has "always wanted to help people."

The Ambassadors assisted Mr. Cohen during the September Student of the Month ceremony, and they will be a called on for a variety of roles throughout the school year, from setting up and announcing at assemblies, to leading parades and helping new students and families feel welcome at the school. Congratulations to all of the new B-V Ambassadors!
Hendrick Hudson Athletes Host Staff Appreciation Events  

Members of the Hen Hud Volleyball team and their guests during a recent Staff Appreciation Game.

For two weeks in October, Hendrick Hudson High School varsity athletes held Hen Hud Staff Appreciation games. During these specially designated games, the athletes honored staff members with a "thank you" for all of their hard work.  

"Each varsity athlete invited one staff member who has made a difference in their life to their respective team's Staff Appreciation Game," said Athletic Director Thomas Baker. "We felt this would be be a very nice way to honor the great work that many of our teachers do. The Hen Hud Athletic Department is very happy to honor our wonderful district staff."
Hen Hud in the News  

There is always something going on in the district, and local and regional media routinely cover the many Hen Hud happenings. Click on the following links for some examples of the district in the news this fall.


Visit our District's website at www.henhudschools.org

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