Community Update

October 22, 2021

Hello North Rockland Families,

This week students at NRCSD united to stand up to bullying, explored what traits build good character, celebrated our senior athletes and soaked up the first full Friday of fun fall events!

The air is getting chillier, plump pumpkins are popping up in our school's patches and Halloween is officially just around the corner. So get your brooms, spells and costumes ready, because the District has a variety of equally safe and haunted spook-tacular events planned for next week linked here.

I know there is much excitement and anxiety that holidays during a pandemic can bring to children and parents alike. Halloween 2020 brought creative ways to trick or treat while minimizing the spread that we will continue to implement. Scientists have since determined that the risk of transmission of COVID-19 via candy wrappers is low. Parents may be wondering if participating in Halloween fun and games is safe, or if they would be better off staying home this year. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said that kids can indeed still enjoy a safe, fun Halloween. But here are a few simple precautions that trick-or-treaters can take.

Important Information as we continue onward in this school year:

Snow Day Policy - NR will follow a similar process for inclement weather closings this year as we did last year, utilizing the colored system which you can find further below in today’s update. The District will continue to participate in traditional snow days. There is something magical about a snow day for both children and adults alike. Our children have persevered through so many changes. We feel it’s important during the long winter months to preserve our traditions and make memories. While we know frosty days filled with Netflix binging, playing with friends and hot cocoa breaks are not a school lesson, they are a lesson of life and valuable for students to just be kids again.

Our teachers are looking forward to checking in with parents during our upcoming Parent Teacher conferences beginning the first week of November. As we transition back into a world looking more and more like it did pre-COVID, please keep in mind that what’s most important, above all is mental health. Do not hesitate to reach out to our school support teams as we all recover together from what has been one of the most challenging times in our countries history.

In closing, I would like to thank everyone who participated in today’s District Wide Pink Out to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer. It’s a cause that our District, students and community are very passionate about supporting. This year's Pink Out was in honor of Michael Bosco who would dye his hair pink every year around this time in honor of his mother, a breast cancer survivor. Michael’s mission inspired all the Districts in Rockland County to join us to help uplift women in need and remember a truly special friend. In his honor we were reminded that #NRTogether we are tougher than cancer!

In an effort to accommodate parents and limit capacity in our schools, NRCSD is hosting Hybrid Parent Teacher Conferences. While we know face-to-face conversations are a better option for some parents, we also understand the convenience of a virtual conference is more desirable for some families. Parents will be able to choose how they want to schedule their P/T conferences either in person, via Google Meet, or through a phone conference. This will serve to offer parents the option that works best for them while also reducing the number of visitors in our buildings for this event.

Please find a link to the schedule of the dates and time at each school building linked here.

North Rockland High Schools' Music Honor Society held their first in-person live Coffee House in over a year, and it was epic.

We've got the mash up of student performances -- that included switching up covers and bringing their vocal imaginations to life on stage in front friends and family #NRTogether -- playing on repeat. Watch and listen here.

We ROSE together to help uplift women in need and remember a very special friend #NRStrong!

Thank you to all our staff and students who participated in the annual #PinkOut campaign by wearing pink to school today to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer.

This year's Pink Out was in honor of Michael Bosco who would dye his hair pink every year around this time in honor of his mother a breast cancer survivor. We will carry him forever in our hearts #NRTogether! More photos linked here.

NR Athletics' 2021-22 Senior Nights brought about a pretty wide range of emotions.. ranging from #NRPride to gratitude.

Truthfully we wished this season would never end. We are so grateful for team bonds, friendships and all the memories made with our senior athletes this school year. It was an honor to celebrate them during their last home game of their high school careers in a fall sport. Each senior athlete was awarded for their achievements, hard work and their dedication to their sport, school, coaches and teammates #NRStrong. #RedRaiders for life! More photos linked here.

The North Rockland Field Hockey Team would love to humbly express our gratitude for the success of our USA Tribute Fundraiser. Through the support of our community, we were able to make a donation of $1,000 to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. A special thank you to Barry Baloga and the Fleet Fundraising team for helping us pull it off. Most importantly, thank you to our first responders and those that gave the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001. We are so thankful to be apart of such a supportive community.

Special thanks goes out to the Haverstraw Italian American Social Club who raised and thoughtfully donated $6,000 towards the District's new scoreboard installations through a special fundraiser carnival. This generous donation means so much to our Red Raiders!

• For more info on Athletics visit the NR Athletics homepage linked here.

• Be sure to follow our Twitter @NRockathletics for all the latest sports action!

LocalLive

Want to watch remotely? No problem! The District has continued to partner with LocalLive, allowing most of our athletic contests to be live-streamed and recorded. Missed a game this week? Watch it on our LocalLive channel by clicking here.

Pumpkins sprouted overnight from special spells and magic seeds K-3 learners planted just one day earlier at West Haverstraw Elementary School. Students arrived to a full patch this morning where they were greeted by a friendly scarecrow and treated to a Monster Mash dance session before selecting the perfect pumpkin to learn about in class then bring home to decorate with loved ones.

When students examined their enchanted crops they discovered some fun facts and learned that the more you use (or put back to the earth) the more you offset the footprint a pumpkin leaves behind.

• The Red Raider's Pumpkin Facts and Hacks:

1.The word 'pumpkin' comes from the Greek word, pepon, which means a “large melon.”

2. Pumpkins originated in Central America and there are over 45 different varieties that range in color from red to green.

3. Pumpkins are technically fruits.

4. Every single part of a pumpkin is edible, full of vitamins and a good source of nutrition. Rather than discarding your pumpkin, use it for cooking or donate it to animals, like chickens, to eat.

5. Each pumpkin has about 500 seeds, which can be toasted as a snack after carving (they’re super healthy)!

Special thanks to our WHES PTA and the NRCSD Food Services Department for generously providing the pumpkins.

Know a teacher? Administrator? Or any educational staff, from grades K-12, who’s a real-life hero? Now you can honor them by nominating them for a chance to win a new CX-5 lease!

Simply enter our Heroes In Education Contest by 11/1/2021 by following the steps linked here.

To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at the RCDOH Clinic, click here.

The Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH) is participating in New York State’s #VaxToSchool campaign! Starting October 19th, youth ages 12 to 17 will get a gift card with a first and/or second COVID-19 vaccine at a RCDOH COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

Sun River has informed us that they are providing immunizations, COVID-19 vaccinations, physicals, and child health insurance assistance. All of these services are available for #NRCSD students and school community members. To make an appointment, please call (845) 659-2436 or visit https://www.sunriver.org/.

Project Hope

Free emotional-support service offered by NYS

Flyer

**Visit the New York State Am I Eligible webpage or Vaccines.gov to find a vaccine near you. For questions, more information, or if you need assistance scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, call 845-238-1956 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Hurricane Ida Survivors

Are you a homeowner or renter who was affected by the recent disaster? First file a claim with your insurance company. Then see if you are eligible to receive disaster assistance by:

Going online to DisasterAssistance.gov.

Or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Recovery Process Form

The Rockland County Disaster Recovery Center is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. It is located at Orangetown Soccer Club Complex, 175 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962.

NR Weekly Positive Case Report

***NRCSD continues to work tirelessly to ensure that all health and safety protocols are working effectively. It is incumbent upon each and every one of us to make sure all safety protocols are followed at all times—in and out of school— so we can mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We must work together in partnership—schools, families, and students—and be mindful of the great responsibility we all have to protect ourselves and those around us. This virus can be present without any symptoms. That fact alone can lead to the unintentional infection of others.

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The District is looking for more great employees to work with our students. If you are looking for a rewarding position, please consider applying with NRCSD further below in today’s update. Please click on the job image to apply through the District Form.