BioBus Rolls into District with Mobile Science Lessons
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On a chilly, late November morning, fifth graders at all three elementary schools had the opportunity to hop onto the BioBus, a high-tech Airstream trailer-turned-science classroom, and take a fascinating tour of the microscopic world all around us. The bus made stops at Buchanan-Verplanck and Furnace Woods; students from Frank G. Lindsey were brought over to Furnace Woods for their turn to board the mobile lab.
Through the magic of a microscope connected to a large monitor, BioBus scientists demonstrated how a tiny sample of pond water contains much more than meets the eye. When magnified images of single cell organisms suddenly appeared on screen, the students (and teachers) were transfixed.
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Bridging Connections between the Classroom and the Engineering World
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A recent trip to Wheelabrator Technologies, the Bear Mountain Bridge and museum, and the new Popolopen Creek footbridge sparked the imagination of students in Alan Zollner’s Project Lead the Way classes at Hendrick Hudson High School.
Sixteen students from Zollner’s PLTW Principles of Engineering and Digital Electronics classes started the day at Wheelabrator Technologies in Peekskill. Wheelabrator turns the energy in Westchester's municipal waste (trash) into electricity by heating steam to run a turbine steam generator. Plant staff described the facility’s operation, from delivery of Westchester's municipal solid waste to the tipping room, the loading of furnaces, and the incineration process that generates steam and ash. Students also toured the facility and were treated to a Q/A session with the plant’s Ash Disposal and Safety Manager.
The group then headed north to the Bear Mountain Bridge to learn about the historic structure’s construction and maintenance. A representative from Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley welcomed the group at the Bear Mountain Bridge Museum and showed the students original blueprints of all six mid- Hudson River bridge crossings, along with construction photos of the Bear Mountain Bridge.
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Excitement was in the air on Monday, November 26, when Hendrick Hudson High School hosted its fourth annual Blue and White Madness pep rally. The event kicked off the start of winter sports, highlighting the cheerleading team, and boys and girls basketball.
The pep rally included intersquad games for both the boys and girls basketball teams, and cheers and stunts performed by the cheerleading team. In what has become an annual tradition, students from the district’s three elementary schools escorted the high school team members as they were announced, and the elementary cheerleading squads joined the high school cheerleaders in a number of cheers. In all, 50 elementary students participated in this year’s event.
"The winter pep rally is a wonderful community event,” said FGL librarian Megan Boyle, who is also the assistant girls basketball coach. “Seeing the younger students and the high school students participating together is a great example of how special the Hen Hud community is.” She noted that the event also provides the elementary students with great high school role models and encourages them to come out to support the Sailors.
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Blue Mountain Middle School’s Flag of Hope Restored
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The Flag of Hope, which has welcomed visitors to Blue Mountain Middle School for 15 years, was restored this fall, and the Hen Hud family that helped make it possible was honored at the November 14 Board of Education meeting.
Marcos and Cristina Campos, parents of Blue Mountain Middle School eighth grader Kayla, volunteered more than 80 hours of their own time to rebuild the flag’s façade with durable, synthetic PVC material, primer and paint. The district presented the family with a plaque and certificate of appreciation at the Board meeting.
The Flag of Hope was originally conceived following the 9/11 attacks. Built through a school/community partnership, the project took more than two years to complete. Every BMMS student played a role in the flag’s creation, painstakingly attaching thousands of red, white and blue glass “rounds” to the structure.
The flag’s unveiling on June 12, 2003 was attended by local dignitaries, New York area media, and representatives from all four branches of the military. The event featured a military fly-over, a 21-gun salute, and the release of doves.
However, the flag’s facade fell into disrepair over the years, with many of its red, white and blue components crumbling and falling off. “The flag lasted for 15 years, but it was clearly showing signs of wear,” said teacher Diane Swertfager, who had long wanted to see the structure restored.
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Senior Larisa Bushkin Attends NYSSMA All-State Conference
Hendrick Hudson High School senior Larisa Bushkin attended the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All-State Music Festival earlier this month, singing with the 2018 New York All-State Treble Choir.
Larisa achieved one of the highest accolades a high school musician can achieve: a perfect score on a Level 6 NYSSMA Solo. Students who achieve such a score are invited to attend the NYSSMA All-State Conference. Many high school musicians prepare all year long to be adjudicated on their NYSSMA solo.
Larisa and her chorus teacher Erica Denler traveled to Rochester, New York, to sing with the best young singers in the state. They rehearsed 12 hours each day, under the direction of renowned conductor Dr. Sharon Hansen (pictured here with Larisa) and then performed on stage in one of the best performance spaces in the country, The Eastman Kodak Theater at the University of Rochester.
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District Team Attends Social Emotional Learning Conference
A positive school climate leads to increased academic success. Creating that climate is at the heart of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), a rapidly growing movement in the field of education. Ten Hendrick Hudson administrators, teachers, social workers and psychologists had the opportunity to delve into SEL research and practice at the Social and Emotional Learning Regional Conference at Putnam | Northern Westchester BOCES on December 7.
During the conference, participants heard from SEL experts and explored emerging and best practices. Through breakout sessions and informal “table talks,” they were able to learn from one another’s successes and challenges.
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The district submitted its design documents (prepared by architectural firm, KSQ Design) for Phase I of the Capital Project to the New York State Education Department on November 28. This phase includes creating separate visitor entries at the three elementary schools and middle school, installing new doors and hardware to compartmentalize/enhance security at the high school, renovating the main athletic track and field at the high school, and the construction of a new maintenance building. The district expects the review of the project to take approximately 45 days, and anticipates approval by mid-February. Once the district receives SED approval, it will put the project out to bid for contractor pricing.
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Hen Hud Mobile App Available Now
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Don’t forget to download the free Hen Hud Mobile App and access all the latest news and information from the Hendrick Hudson School District on your smartphone! The mobile app will offer a constantly updated feed of district news and events with photos and links to the district’s website. Users can customize the app by selecting the schools they are most interested in for news and updates. Users may also choose to receive push notifications to get breaking news, updates about school closures, calendar changes, or even sports updates.
Download the free app at the following links:
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Hendrick Hudson School District, 61 Trolley Road, Montrose, NY 10548
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