Raider Report mid-September 2024

When the doors at Mill Road Elementary School opened at 8:40 a.m. Sept. 4, students didn’t immediately come in. Staff went out.

Principal Brian Boyd and many building educators greeted families and students with warm smiles and high-fives as they made their way from bus to building. Some students, as they lugged backpacks half their size, walked with friends or younger siblings entering the school for the first time.

For pre-K learners, teachers stood at the entrance ready to receive them and ensure they knew where to go on their first day. Three miles and 10 years away at the high school, staff likewise directed ninth-grade students staring down at printed schedules unsure of where to go first.

Around the Red Hook Central School District, the first day of the 2024-25 school year began with optimism and support. Staff in each building said the goal of the day was to get children settled in, with orientation assemblies planned for the coming days.

“For some of our students, this is their first school experience,” Mr. Boyd said. “Even our fifth graders on the other end, teachers are meeting them at the door.”

As the high school students flooded through the main entrance, many took note of the building’s new appearance, with several hallways and stairways painted to better match the school’s red, white and gray colors. Each of the schools received improvements over the summer, with many new doors and windows at the high school, renovations in the Linden Avenue gymnasium and broad exterior renovations to Mill Road, with new windows and red paneling.

Patrick Totman walked through the high school lobby and toward the cafeteria with a wide smile, greeting a couple of friends and staff members as he went.

“I’m just happy to be back,” the junior said. His goal for the day, other than reuniting with more familiar faces, was to get to know what materials he would need for the year. “I threw two binders and two notebooks in my backpack.”

Some students who play fall sports already returned to the school for preseason a week earlier, and received a sneak peak at the construction projects around the school. For much of the summer the ceilings at the high school had been removed as work was completed on its cooling system.

Maggie Rifenburg and Cami Palumbo, both juniors on the volleyball team, both said it was a little weird to see the school in unfinished form. Ms. Rifenburg said she’s excited to begin her film analysis class and to begin the volleyball season. Ms. Palumbo said her goal for the day was to fill out her schedule, removing study hall periods. Both juniors said they were looking forward to baking class.

“I love baking,” Ms. Palumbo said. “Ms. (Carole Anne) Miles is one of my favorite teachers.”

The school was aflutter with activity for about 20 minutes, as some students made their way through and others sought help from Principal Kyle Roddey and other staff members finding classrooms. However, the halls quickly fell silent as classes began.

As for that morning greeting at Mill Road – which will be repeated through the week – Assistant Principal Kristen Strothmann noted it likely also helps parents, some of whom moments before the school opened were crouched close to their young learner.

“They may have some nerves coming into the day,” Mrs. Strothmann said. “For them to see all of these happy, welcoming adults who are going to help their kid as soon as they get there, I think, is very comforting to them.”

Of course, Mr. Boyd noted, the educators are doing more than providing a warm welcome; they’re using that time to start their work before the first bell rings.

“It’s a chance to gauge where a student is emotionally in the morning,” he said. “You can see who’s having a rough morning, who’s ready to acclimate to school. I think even that quick personal connection makes a difference for a lot of students.”

We are thrilled to welcome all our students back and it was a true joy to see them return. We hope you continue to enjoy the many highlights of our district through our newsletters. This mid-September issue comes with an abundance of news to share.

I want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of safety and security in our district. Our strong partnership with the Red Hook Police Department, along with our dedicated building and district administration, enables us to implement swift and effective safety protocols when necessary, as we demonstrated last week. Most importantly, ensuring a safe and orderly school environment is a shared responsibility. It requires students to follow the rules outlined in our Code of Conduct and families to reinforce the rules and importance of an education and teach children respect for themselves and others. Safety is not just a school responsibility—it’s a shared commitment that requires active participation from all of us. Open communication between home and school is critical to addressing the needs of our students. In response to questions and feedback from families, we have developed a School Safety Resources, Training, and Programs guide. This resource provides a comprehensive overview of the safety measures and interventions we have in place to support our students and their well-being. Please visit this link on our website to review, https://www.redhookcentralschools.org/our-district/safety-information

Thanks,

Dr. Janet Warden

The school district will hold a special referendum vote in October to determine the future of capital improvement projects in and around each school building. The three propositions put before voters will include one proposition to reconstruct and improve various buildings, facilities and sites, and two athletic field renovation projects, including a proposal to build an artificial turf field that could be completely free of forever chemicals.

The vote will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Oct. 22 at the Red Hook High School’s Performing Arts Center Atrium. Absentee, military, and early mail-in ballots will also be accepted.

The newly created propositions include projects that were part of an all-encompassing proposition declined by voters in May. In October, those projects will be split into two propositions for the ballot. Additional verbiage for Proposition 2 is included that stipulates an artificial turf multipurpose field can only be constructed using recyclable materials and do not include intentionally added forever chemicals. An additional third proposition introduces a new grass field restoration project on separate field space from where the turf would be installed.

Since the propositions were written, the district obtained a letter from Tencate Grass America, one turf construction company the district can consider using if funding is approved, promising its "artificial turf products, and all components therein, are PFAS free," with all components tested and verified by third parties to be free of PFAS, otherwise known as forever chemicals.

Most of the projects in the Capital Project Vote are intended to increase the safety of district facilities, including those pertaining to athletic facilities, which are used as educational spaces and are currently out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Under state regulations, Propositions 2 and 3 passing are both dependent on voters approving Proposition No. 1. Proposition 1 has language for voters to "reconstruct and improve various District buildings, facilities and sites, such as safety and security upgrades, HVAC systems, gymnasium upgrades, lighting, window improvements and acquire original furnishings, equipment, machinery or apparatus required for the purpose for which such buildings, facilities, and sites." The two field propositions are not dependent on each other, and voters can opt to approve both, neither or either of them separately. In other words, Proposition 1, which does not include any language regarding artificial turf or grass fields, must be approved by the voters in order for Proposition 2 and/or 3 to pass.

Aid from New York State would cover 64.4% of the interior improvements covered in Proposition No. 1, and up to 64.4% of the exterior projects.

The district believes years of overuse have rendered their six athletic fields at the high and middle schools less than safe and out of ADA compliance. The grass fields, including the main field within the track, are overly compact, patchy and prone to flooding – which not only causes postponements but also reduces the safety of the surface when in use. Officials believe improvements of some sort are needed to ensure student safety and accessibility. Many district residents surveyed following the May vote said they would support, or may support an altered field proposal.

For more than six decades, the Red Hook Central School District community has known how special it is to have Linden Avenue Middle School teacher Martha Strever in its classrooms.

This fall, the district is celebrating Martha’s 64th year of service while taking steps to help the world understand her impact on Red Hook students and faculty.

Martha is the longest-serving active teacher in New York, according to records submitted by school districts annually to the state Education Department. Her time at LAMS officially began in 1961, before Red Hook High School or Mill Road elementary were built, though she also was a student-teacher at the school the previous year. In 1971 she became Red Hook’s math department chair – the district’s first female department head – a position she held for 49 years.

In August, LAMS submitted an application to Guinness World Records to confirm and recognize she is the owner of two records: the longest teaching career in one school and the longest career for a female math teacher. The district expects to receive a response to those applications by December.

Her impact on the school community is immeasurable. A memorable figure for thousands of students who have passed through the district, Martha has been known as a meticulous math teacher with a warm disposition and an expectation students give their all in the classroom, which has set a tone for student achievement in all areas. Many a student has also recognized Martha’s style – she’s rarely repeated an outfit through the course of a school year and can only be found wearing anything but a dress or skirt on annual field days. She’s taught students’ children, and students’ children’s children.

However, the most tangible representation of Martha’s career’s impact may be in the district teaching faculty itself. More than a colleague whose experience has benefitted dozens, if not hundreds, of young educators, Martha herself taught many members of the staff, including Principal Stacie Fenn Smith.

“Martha has made a lasting impact on thousands of students and educators,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Janet Warden said. “We deeply appreciate the commitment and joy Martha brings to the classroom every day.”

Now a math teacher for students with special needs alongside co-teacher Christopher Wood, Martha plans to continue making a difference for students for years to come.

Martha’s landmark career was highlighted Thursday in Education Week.

One day before students returned for the 2024-25 school year, Red Hook educators returned to school buildings to discuss initiatives that will shape their educational experience. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Janet Warden formally welcomed staff back for the new year with a presentation at the high school’s Performing Arts Center that focused on how the district would transform to meet the evolving needs of students. That includes not only addressing the elements that increasingly result in anxiety, but also how curriculum will be altered to better prepare students to thrive post-graduation. Warden repeatedly encouraged the educators to think about how to be ahead of the curve and anticipate the “plausible future” still to arrive. “What do our classrooms need to look like to provide a space for our students,” the superintendent asked, “to start thinking really critically about the world that we live in?”

High school senior Ellie Marlborough and Board of Education President Russ Crafton provided opening remarks. Each, from their different perspectives, drew attention to the care with which district staff approaches their roles. “You know us students are human. Because of that, there is a mutual respect you may not always see at a school,” Ellie Marlborough said. “On behalf of the Class of 2025, thank you for an amazing experience.”

BOE President Russ Crafton reminded the staff of the importance of caring about each student individually. “If they seem to have some issues, acting out, maybe they don’t show interest in your class, you still have to care about them,” he said. “In fact, it’s that caring is where you find the passion and energy to do the things that make a difference.”

Caring for students likewise includes being “future focused” – understanding how their educational needs have changed with the world, and that the approach to preparing them must change. Dr. Warden discussed with the staff the need to provide students with the skills to interact with the changing world, and meet their desire to create and impact the world around them. “They need to engage in local and global civics,” Dr. Warden said. “Right in front of us, we have the most caring community that I’ve ever been in.”

Dr. Warden also stressed that students must learn communication skills when dealing with people with differing perspectives. Many of those empathetic values, she reminded them, are part of the Raider Profile. “We have to have classrooms where students collaborate and constantly communicate,” Dr. Warden said. “This country is more diverse than it’s ever been before.” She said the approach is a “transformation,” not a “change,” and it ties in with the district’s 2024-27 goals, which include creating a “student-centered curriculum.” “This is our purpose,” she said. “Tomorrow, when you welcome your students, show them this. This is our mission. This is what we’re doing as a school district. “Show them what we’re working toward,” Dr. Warden encouraged. “They’re thinking about the future constantly, so this is what we’re thinking about. We want to empower you in this classroom to embrace today – that pull of the present – but navigate the possibilities of tomorrow – that plausible future that’s going to happen. We’re ready for that. We’re going to help you through that.”

High school students and teachers this year have a new resource to better understand material while also expanding their familiarity with artificial intelligence. The school is using Khanmigo, an AI-powered learning tool created by educational nonprofit Khan Academy. “We have a responsibility to help our students learn basic computer literacy, and now part of that is understanding how to leverage artificial intelligence,” Principal Kyle Roddey said, noting Red Hook is the second high school in the state to implement the service.

Unlike services like ChatGPT, Khanmigo includes “guardrails,” Roddey said, which prevent the AI from producing inaccurate information or images. Rather than giving students answers, it engages them in a Socratic style designed to be more conversational. Khan Academy describes the tool as a “personal tutor and teaching assistant,” which “offers engaging, on-topic, and effective learning for students, and is ethically designed with safety and learning as a top priority.” Each student has access to the program through ClassLink. Principal Roddey said teachers can push assignments to the students, or students can choose to use it for research, tutoring or other applications. Khanmigo notifies staff and provides students a warning if they attempt to use the system to search an inappropriate topic. Teachers can also go into the system and see the conversations students are having with the AI.

Some of those conversations can even happen with famous historical or literary figures – or, at least, approximations of them. “You could assign students to chat with FDR. You’re going to ask him about the Great Depression, you can ask about World War II, whatever,” Mr. Roddey said. “Obviously, you don’t know what he would have said, but this pulls all the content that’s known about that person. All the speeches, all of it transcribed. So, you can have a conversation.”

Students can also access Khan Academy’s library of prerecorded lectures and educational material. Teachers can utilize AI to generate lesson or exit ticket ideas or to expand the tools they use to reach students. Mr. Roddey said becoming familiar with AI is an important part of the school district’s focus on providing students with the tools they will need to thrive after graduation in the rapidly changing employment landscape. “They say jobs aren’t necessarily going to be eliminated by AI,” the principal said, “they’re going to be taken by people who can use AI.”

District students are once again receiving free breakfast every day this school year, with assistance from The Ascienzo Family Foundation, which is providing $30,000 for the program. The program also receives reimbursements from the state and the USDA. The donation was formally recognized at the Board of Education’s Sept. 12 meeting.

Under the program, any district student interested in receiving a free breakfast can simply visit the cafeteria without payment. Director of Food Services Larry Anthony observed that the program’s growing popularity was evident immediately last year, when a second serving line was needed at Mill Road in the first week of school. Last school year, Red Hook served more than 59,000 free breakfasts to students, 51% more than the previous year. Mr. Anthony also noted that the program has led to “increased alertness and improvement in mood” among students in the mornings and an “increase in camaraderie amongst students” gathering in the morning.

The menu provides students a wide variety of proteins, grains, and fresh fruit, including local produce like grapes, peaches, nectarines, plums, and pears. The goal, Mr. Anthony said, is not only to encourage healthy diets but also reduce food insecurity and absenteeism. Mr. Anthony stated the program is “an illustration of the Red Hook school community’s resolve for the care of its students.” Dr. Janet Warden added, “Students who eat breakfast are more likely to be receptive learners in the classroom,” The Superintendent noted, “The district and Board of Education are grateful to the Ascienzo Family Foundation for its continued support of Red Hook students.”

Breakfast and lunch menus at each school are available on the district’s website.

A state grant this month boosted the School Resource Officer Program and the district’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. The Red Hook Police Department purchased its first fully electric vehicle, which will be used by the School Resource Officer Program during school insession months, and installed a charging station at Vil using an $80,000 grant secured by state Sen. Michelle Hinchey.

The senator visited Linden Avenue Middle School earlier this month to celebrate the vehicle’s purchase with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Janet Warden, Village of Red Hook Police Lt. Patrick Hildenbrand, Village Mayor Karen Smythe, Red Hook Conservation Advisory Council chairperson, and Red Hook Energy committee member Laurie Husted, and other school and police staff.

Dr. Warden thanked Senator Hinchey for supporting the SRO program and the school district. “The EV police car is aligned with our goal of transitioning our bus fleet to electric, which will reduce emissions and save costs,” Dr. Warden said. “We appreciate Sen. Hinchey for her dedication to the safety and well-being of our students at Red Hook school district. Her support is essential in helping us create a safer and more sustainable future for our children.” Senator Hinchey said, “Electric vehicles make good climate and economic sense.” She called Red Hook “a small community leading the way locally to protect our planet, and our School Resource Officers are perfect role models to demonstrate the value of safety and sustainability, working together to support our schools and neighborhoods.” The electric vehicle will be used for regular patrol duties during the summer months. “I’m happy to contribute to such an important investment and excited to see how the new EV will bring cleaner air and cost savings to Red Hook,” Senator Hinchey said. Lieutenant Patrick Hildenbrand said he was “thankful” to Hinchey for securing the grant. “Switching to an all-electric vehicle allows the Red Hook Police Department a cutting-edge opportunity to advance police services to the community we serve and protect,” the Lieutenant said. “This grant not only ensures the safest vehicle for our officers but also leads to substantial reductions in both fuel and maintenance costs.”

In addition to the electric bus purchases approved by voters in May, the school district has installed new windows and doors to increase energy efficiency, solar panels on all of its school buildings and an HVAC system that cools the high school using ice created during overnight hours. The district’s steps to embrace green practices extend to its lunch periods, where well over 30% of the ingredients in meals served are grown and harvested in New York, and its garden programs at the elementary and high schools.

At a special hearing held by Assemblymen Jonathan G. Jacobson and Chris Eachus, Superintendent Dr. Janet Warden argued that any changes to the state’s educational aid formula should be predictable, equitable to all districts, and understandable by the general public. Officials from Red Hook were among the local school leaders and legislators asked to speak in front of the assembly people at Orange County Community College.

Last month's hearing was held as the state investigates changes to its foundation aid formula. While the state has tasked the Rockefeller Institute of Government to assess the funding formula and potential changes, and the institute is holding hearing sessions at which education stakeholder can speak, no sessions are scheduled to be held in the Hudson Valley.

In her testimony, Dr. Warden focused on several broad aspects of the formula, including that it should be knowable multiple years before its implementation so that a district can properly prepare for what funding it will receive. She cautioned against dramatic changes from year to year and advocated for changes to be phased in slowly. Dr. Warden said the basis for the formula must “adequately capture all local districts’ ability to pay,” even if that means some districts receive less funding. Red Hook, from when the foundation aid formula was created in 2007 to 2022, was underfunded by more than $11 million, total, she said, noting any change should include accommodations for districts similarly underfunded. By creating a formula that is predictable and equitable, Dr. Warden noted that it will be easier for all parties to understand how the system works and why their district is receiving what they are. “If a formula is understandable,” she said, “it is more likely to gain support from all impacted stakeholders.”

The Rockefeller Institute said it will present its findings and policy options with the governor and other state leaders in December.