Frank G. Lindsey students and staff gathered outside on September 13 for the school’s annual flag-raising ceremony. On hand were local first responders, including the district’s School Resource Officer Ed Ramirez and FGL's own Ken Gilleo. “We thank you for keeping us safe every day,” said Principal Donna Torrisi.

The Hendrick Hudson Athletic Department, in conjunction with the Hen Hud Hall of Fame Committee, is proud to announce the Hendrick Hudson Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2021. This group was slated to be inducted in the Fall of 2020, but was unable to, due to spectator guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The induction ceremony will now take place on Friday, October 1, at 5:00 pm, on the high school track, before the varsity football game against Ardsley High School.

The committee wanted to honor various community groups and organizations that have been vital to not only the Athletic Department, but the entire Hendrick Hudson community. With this year’s class centered on the theme of keeping our district safe, healthy and protected, the Hall of Fame Committee will induct first responders, health care professionals and United States veterans from in and around our local community.

Athletic Director Tom Baker has invited the following groups to be a part of this special Hall of Fame class:

Baker noted that this year’s Hall of Fame class has a much different look to it than previous years. “This unique class has been essential, not only to our student-athletes, but to the entire community,” he said.

Congratulations to HHHS seniors Aidan Wong, Brook Kivel, Nish Mistry and Isabella Zahl, who have been named Commended Students in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students are recognized for their exceptional academic promise, having placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2021 competition by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).

The district’s three-week Kinder Camp program took place over the summer, helping to prepare Hen Hud’s youngest students for the start of their school careers! The program focused in skills such as learning to follow directions and transitioning from one activity to another. Silly songs and theme weeks kept the accent on fun!

“I am interested in using materials that would otherwise be in a landfill and making something useful out of them,” said Oona.

“It’s important to take care of your environment, because if you don’t, it might not be here,” said Lexi.

Oona and Lexi shared their thoughts about the environment while participating in a two-week Sustainability Boot Camp held over the summer at Blue Mountain Middle School.

According to Blue Mountain Assistant Principal Anecia Bell-Jefferson, the program was a great way for students to engage academically over the summer and reconnect prior to school reopening fully in person this fall.

The program focused on three areas: composting, eco-entrepreneurship (upcycling), and marketing/communications. After a few days of learning what sustainability means, the students were divided into three groups to pursue deeper knowledge of the subjects.

On any given day, students could be found creating decorative and useful items, such as wall art and candles made from discarded products like toilet paper rolls and milk cartons. Other students constructed 3-D displays of landfills and composting systems, while a third group worked on video presentations about sustainability, which they hope to share during lunch periods at the school.

The Hendrick Hudson School District is poised to begin short- and long-term strategic planning. This is a unique opportunity for the school community to participate in developing a vision and strategic direction for the next five years. The district is partnering with Putnam | Northern Westchester BOCES and consultant Education Elements to create its next Strategic Plan.

Anyone interested in participating should fill out this Google form by October 8, 2021. The district will notify individuals of team placements by October 15, 2021.

With masks required inside school buildings and on school buses, now is a good time for families to review what types of masks are acceptable.

Last month, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released updated mask guidance, including a number of important “do's and don’ts,” which are highlighted below.

DO choose face masks that:

DON’T choose the following types of masks:

Additionally, the guidance suggests that for a better fit, children wear masks especially made for children, and that a child’s face mask should fit over the nose and mouth, with no gaps on the sides.

CLICK HERE to read the complete CDC guidance on masks, endorsed by the New York State Department of Health.

A number of positive COVID-19 cases have recently been reported in the district. I’d like to remind everyone to report any positive test results to your child’s school right away, using the dedicated email addresses that have been created for this purpose:

Also, it is important that you send in any lab report(s) to your child’s school as soon as possible, so that appropriate steps can be taken.

Thank you for your cooperation, and I hope you have a healthy and safe weekend.

Superintendent

The Hendrick Hudson School District receives regular updates from the New York State Department of Health, New York State Education Department and the Centers for Disease Control regarding the coronavirus. Please check the district’s website regularly for current information and contact your child’s school nurse if you have any specific questions or concerns. Click here for the district's dedicated COVID-19 resources page.