4/2/2024 Letter to the Community

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April 2, 2024

Dear TUFSD Families and Staff,

I’d like to take a moment to welcome everyone back from spring break. I hope it was a restful and an enjoyable time for everyone. Just before we went on break we had a few events that brought together our students and staff in fun and engaging ways.

Our W.I. students immersed themselves in the Step Afrika Performance where they celebrated African American culture. It was an exciting way for our students to come together, learn new things, get up, and dance.

The Open Door dental van rolled up to Morse where the first set of students received care during the school day. This is truly a partnership that will keep those bright smiles on our young scholars' faces for a long time.

Throughout the district our educators have been working hard. Our wonderful K-12 ENL team utilized our data protocol to evaluate the best way to support our English Language Learners. While our board and staff have been discussing our Portrait of a Learner and how we can refine our strategic plan. All in effort to lay the foundation for our students to be successful in the changing world around them.

As we head into the final months of the school year, I want to thank our community for your continued support of the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns and for your help in “Building a Better Tomorrow” for our students.

Sincerely,

Dr. Raymond Sanchez

On April 8, 2024, portions of New York will be along the path of a solar eclipse. Locally, this will be experienced as a partial eclipse.

We have implemented several measures to ensure minimal disruption to our school day and to prioritize student safety, we have implemented several measures. Our school buildings will operate on their regular schedules, and students will receive protective glasses. Additionally, extra staff members will be stationed outside schools to assist students during dismissal.

While students will be educated about the hazards of staring at the sun without protection, we urge parents to reinforce these safety measures at home. Students should refrain from looking directly at the sun unless they wear approved protective eyewear.

Our athletic programs will temporarily pause until after the eclipse.

Please contact your school building’s main office if more information is needed.

During the solar eclipse, the moon will pass between the sun and Earth, darkening the sky like dawn or dusk. Safety is paramount when viewing a total solar eclipse. Here are some guidelines to follow:

• Do not look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection. Viewing any part of the bright sun without proper protection can cause severe eye injury.

• Use safe solar viewing glasses (eclipse glasses) or a safe handheld solar viewer to watch the eclipse's partial phases with your eyes directly. Regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the sun.

• Safe solar viewers should comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. Purchase from trusted vendors listed on the American Astronomy Society's website.

• Inspect your eclipse glasses before use; if damaged, discard them.

• Do not use eclipse glasses with optical devices like cameras, telescopes, or binoculars; the concentrated solar rays can cause serious eye injury.

• Supervise students to ensure they wear their protective glasses correctly.

During the eclipse

• View the sun through eclipse glasses during the partial eclipse phases before and after totality.

• View the eclipse directly without eye protection only during totality, when the moon completely obscures the sun's bright face. Put your eclipse glasses back on as soon as you see any part of the sun reappear after totality.

Skin Safety

• Wear sunscreen, a hat, and protective clothing to prevent skin damage.

Please join us for the SHHS Spring Musical Cinderella! The show is appropriate for all ages and is completely free!

🗓️ WHEN:

April 5 at 7 p.m.

April 6 at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

April 7 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are available at the door or reserve your seat on-line before April 3 through this link: Cinderella Reserved Ticket Link

We hope to see you all there!

Join us in April for Tie-Dye Fridays as we celebrate National Autism Acceptance Month, promoting kindness and inclusion within our school district.

Spring is here and the signs are all around us. Take a stroll in Peabody or any number of nature walks in our area and play Signs of Spring Bingo.

Peabody Preserve Outdoor Classroom is located off Route 9 across from Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. The entrance is marked with a big red sign: "Peabody Athletic Fields/Peabody Preserve Outdoor Classroom"

April 13, 9-11am: Get ready for a morning of Environmental Awareness at Saturday Academy this month! We're excited to feature a special STEAM activity facilitated by the Westchester Children's Museum and sponsored by the Pocantico Center at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Our guest chef, Scott Dorn, Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Services, will be cooking up a delicious hot breakfast for everyone to enjoy. Explore interactive activities and resources from our community partners. Join us for a day of learning and joy – see you there!

As we approach the beginning of spring, your district administrative team and Board of Education has been hard at work on the formation of the proposed school budget for 2024-25. The annual vote will take place this year on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

During the upcoming Board of Education Meeting, we will continue to discuss our proposed 2024-2025 school district budget. We anticipate having the Board of Education adopt the budget. Over the course of the upcoming weeks, we will seek to provide our community with information. We will also update our website with relevant information.

Before the recent break, a team of teachers, administrators, and Board of Education members, met to discuss our goals for the future.

Last week's third annual Bandemonium event, featuring band students from grades 5 to 12, was a great success! It showcased the "World Premiere" of a new arrangement of our Alma Mater "Hail To Sleepy Hollow" by alumnus Bill Losier (Class of '88). Many thanks to Horsemen PTA and the Sleepy Hollow Performing Arts Boosters for their support of this event!

Sleepy Hollow Middle School and Sleepy Hollow High School are home to a handful of young musicians who recently displayed their passion for music. Some students had the opportunity to perform in the New York State Band Directors' Association (NYSBDA), while others took part in the Westchester County School Music Association (WCSMA) All-County Jazz Band.

Read more: Sleepy Hollow Band Students Perform During Prestigious Events

Sleepy Hollow High School senior Milo Eaton’s film has been accepted into the Nyack International Film Festival on April 2 at 7 p.m. Milo is co-president of the SHHS Film Club and will be majoring in film at Emerson College in September. This is quite an accomplishment!

Click on the link to see the films that were selected: Nyack International Film Festival Films

Presenting our Portrait of a Learner! Our vision encompasses vital skills and dispositions that we want all learners to develop:

• Key Skills: Communication • Executive functioning • Creativity • Critical thinking
• Key Dispositions: Curiosity • Perseverance • Socio-cultural competence • Civic mindedness

Beyond academics, we're committed to equipping students with skills for success in a changing world. Read more in our recent message about our Portrait of a Learner.

We are excited to announce the lineup for the annual Sleepy Hollow Jazz Festival, a celebration of music and talent that has been a beloved tradition for over 15 years. This year promises to be as exceptional as ever, with top-notch musicians collaborating with our dedicated students for an unforgettable evening of jazz.

Event Details:

• 🗓 Date: April 12
• ⏰ Time: 7:00 p.m.
• 📍 Location: Kusel Auditorium, Sleepy Hollow Middle/High School

The Board of Education adopted the calendar for the upcoming school year. Attached you will find a link to the 2024-2025 School Calendar. We hope this information will help you and your family plan.

The Public Schools of the Tarrytowns are committed to providing a safe environment for students, staff, and visitors. In the event of an emergency, it is important for parents and guardians to be familiar with the way the District prevents and manages emergencies.

For this reason, I would like to direct you to the safety and security guides found on our website: TUFSD Safety & Security

These guides outline key information and terms that are helpful to know in the event of an emergency situation.

April 11, 6:30-8pm

(Ages: 18+) In partnership with COPE, JCC is presenting their third Healing Workshop. Join Grief and Death Doula (a person who guides individuals and their families through the dying process) Madhu Matthew Dwyer for an exploration of the mystery of grief, the seen, and the unseen as we explore signs from spirits. We will create a compassionate and inclusive atmosphere where we can openly talk about our longing to connect with our loved ones who have died.

Things to bring to the event: It is not required, but we find that it is helpful to bring a journal to write in, a photo of your loved one(s), and a transitional object connected to your deceased loved one, i.e., tie, necklace, book, stuffed animal.

$5 per person; please email abridson@shamesjcc.org if cost is a concern.

Register here for the Healing Workshop

After leading 4th and 5th grade orchestra students on an exploration of musical ideas which include listening activities, audience interaction, and reflection on April 11th, Carnegie Hall Ensemble Connect will present a work-in-process performance for the general public at The Pocantico Center’s David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center on April 12 at 6:30pm. More information is here. The Pocantico Center is providing free tickets on a first come, first serve basis to TUFSD families and staff. All are welcome, but priority will be given to families of orchestra and band students, particularly those from Washington Irving. Anyone interested can send an email to pocanticoprograms@rbf.org and write “Ensemble Connect giveaway” in the subject line.

The Tri-State Engineering EXPO will host it’s 20th annual Engineering EXPO event that aims to inspire young people to pursue an education and career in engineering. The goal of the event is to inform and recruit the next generation of innovators through interactive displays, educational discussion panels, robotics competitions and more!

📍 Where: White Plains High School - 550 North Street, White Plains, NY 10605

🗓️ When: Sunday, April 14

Engineering EXPO is free for students and their families to attend.

Learn more at: BeAnEngineer.org

April 21, 1-3pm

COPE hosts Camp Erin NYC, a weekend long bereavement camp for grieving children each year. We invite our past families to come back together for continued support and healing and welcome new and prospective families to come and learn more about camp.

Licensed Creative Art Therapist Jane Bishow-Semevolos will lead the group through a fun and healing art directive for families to work on together, highlighting the family's strengths, connection, and mutual support. These activities will allow participants to connect with others in an authentic and engaging way while paying tribute to their loved ones.

Register here for the Family Support Event

Ages: Families and children ages 7-17

Free to families; Accessible to Spanish-speaking families

Learn more about Camp Erin NYC.

Please contact COPE at info@copefoundation.org / (516) 832-2673 with any questions.

We look forward to spending the afternoon with your family

JCC offers a Sensory Swim program every 3rd Friday of month from 6:00pm-7:30pm, open to all ages!

Register at: https://www.shamesjcc.org/programs/friday-night-swim/

Looking for an April Earth Month activity that's fun for the whole family? Whether your crew enjoys hiking, getting your hands in the dirt, or removing litter from our community, the Earth Month 10591 event lineup has something for you--check out all of the environmental events in town this April, and get involved!

It's time to dig out those spring and summer clothing donations!

Please refer to our clothing donation guidelines before bringing your goods to us. Remember, if you wouldn't give it to a friend, please don't give it to Community Wardrobe.

We accept clothing, shoes, and accessories for the whole family.

At this moment we are in need of:

❤️ Costume jewelry

❤️ Bras

❤️ Sleepy Hollow (Horseman) spirit wear

❤️ Reading glasses

❤️ Handbags and purses

❤️ New socks and toiletry kits, available for purchase from our Amazon wish list

❤️ Casual and fancy dresses and skirts for women and girls; these are popular and go quickly

Bring items on the dates and times listed below and on our donations page. Please do not leave donations outside the shop, doing so will jeopardize our tenancy.

SPRING CLOTHING DONATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED AT 222 NORTH WASHINGTON STREET:

• Tuesday - April 2 — 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Wednesday - April 3 — 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  
• Thursday - April 4 — 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Attention all Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown students!!!!

The Sleepy Hollow Police Department, in conjunction with the Tarrytown Police Department and the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns is excited to announce that we will be hosting a Youth Leadership Academy this summer for students ages 10 to 13 years old! There will be NO COST for this camp.

For more information, contact SRO Bencosme at SBencosme@sleepyhollowny.org. If interested send a DM or message to our PBA page.

Save the Date for the Spring Gala hosted by the Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns! Mark your calendar: this event will be April 27, 2024 at the Tarrytown House Estate. Stay tuned for more details!

For food support visit one of our local food pantries.

Check out past editions of Dr. Sanchez's newsletter on our Superintendent page.

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