Raider Report June 2024
Voters overwhelmingly approved the Red Hook Central School District's proposed 2024-25 budget, which maintains services, continues its 1:1 laptop initiative, and includes funding to hire a new elementary assistant principal. “We believe we put forth a budget that provided students and families with the same high level of services and education they should expect out of the Red Hook district while remaining fiscally responsible,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Janet Warden said. “We are pleased voters supported the budget.” The $62,844,338 annual budget passed on May 21, 1,452 votes to 492. The $62.84 million budget maintains services enjoyed by district families while remaining under the tax cap. In addition to hiring an assistant principal for its Mill Road elementary building, the district also plans to continue its commitment to the 1:1 laptop initiative begun two years ago at the middle and high schools. Under the budget, approximately 150 new laptops will be purchased and given to incoming high school freshmen, and graduating seniors laptops will be reissued to fifth-grade students for use in their classrooms.
Three of four additional propositions were approved, though voters rejected Proposition 3, a $14.95 million capital improvement plan. Proposition 2, funding to purchase electric school buses, passed 1,155 votes to 789. Proposition 3 failed 1,052 votes to 891. Proposition 4, expanding the annual appropriation to the Red Hook Library budget, passed 1,436 votes to 511. Proposition 5, increasing the annual appropriation to the Tivoli Free Library budget, passed 1,376 votes to 570.
Three seats on the Board of Education were also contested by five candidates. Austin Crittenden (1,186 votes), incumbent Erin Misasi (1,020), and incumbent Jennifer Mañón (985), were favored for the positions over Seth Halvorson (961) and Mark G. Maroney (731).
Each school board seat is for a three-year term that commences July 1, 2024 and ends June 30, 2027.
The approaching end of the academic year means June will be filled with celebrations and ceremonies.
June 6: Senior Awards Night, 7 p.m. at Red Hook High School
June 7: Mill Road Reading Roundup incentive Program Finale and BBQ, at Mill Road
June 8: Senior Prom, 6 p.m. at Diamond Mills Hotel in Saugerties, followed by a post-prom party at Bard College
June 13: Senior BBQ, 10:30 a.m. at Red Hook High School
June 14: LAMS End of Year Dance and Activity Night, 7 p.m.
June 18: Mill Road Field Day, during school hours
June 20: Fourth Grade Pool Party, at Town of Red Hook Recreation Park during school hours
June 21: Third Grade Pool Party, at Town of Red Hook Recreation Park during school hours
June 21: Fifth Grade Celebration, during school hours
June 24: Fifth Grade Pool Party, at Town of Red Hook Recreation Park during school hours
June 25: Last day of school for students (half-day)
June 25: Kindergarten graduation, 9:15 a.m. at the Mill Road K-2 cafeteria
June 25: LAMS Field Day, 8 a.m.
June 25: LAMS 8th Grade Recognition Night, 7 p.m. at the LAMS cafeteria
June 26: Last day of school for faculty and 10-month staff
June 29: Red Hook High School graduation, 11 a.m. at Linden Avenue Middle School
As we approach the end of another school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the many accomplishments and experiences that have shaped our district. This past Memorial Day, I had the honor of attending the parade and ceremony, which reminded me of how fortunate we are to live in such a supportive and caring community. A special thank you to the Red Hook VFW for organizing a heartfelt ceremony that allowed us all to remember and honor those who have sacrificed for our country.
This time of year is particularly exciting as we celebrate the many graduations across our district. It is wonderful to witness our students reaching such significant milestones, each representing hard work and perseverance. On a personal note, I, too, have a child graduating high school and preparing to head off to college. As a parent, I find myself conflicted, still seeing my baby every time I look at her lately. These transitions remind us how quickly childhood passes and that each new chapter offers opportunities for growth. Be sure to take the time to enjoy every moment with your child. Cherish these moments and take a mental picture to hold onto or an actual picture if they let you.
To all of our students, I encourage you to embrace these new journeys with enthusiasm and confidence. Know that your Raider community is behind you every step of the way. Wishing you all a wonderful and restful summer. Let's continue to uplift one another as we look forward to changes in the lives of our children.
The Red Hook Central School District doesn’t have a formal marching band program. But, once a year, the bands from Red Hook High School and Linden Avenue Middle School combine to show their reverence for those who defended our country. Roughly 60 Red Hook band students participated in Red Hook’s annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday morning. The group marched along the parade route from the high school to VFW Post 7765, playing Katy Perry’s “Firework.” “We wanted to lean into the celebratory side of the parade and make the audience smile,” said Andy Van Ness, instrumental music teacher at Linden Avenue Middle School, who teamed up with his high school counterpart Ben Bardenett to coordinate the combined band. The Red Hook band learned to play together in a pair of hour-long rehearsals “using their concert band skills as a foundation,” Mr. Van Ness said. “They put the same hard work into this event that they put into the band curriculum, and I think it showed in their playing. I’m also proud that so many of them care enough about our community to volunteer their time on a holiday to participate in something like this.”
Once at the VFW, one member of the band took the spotlight. Eighth-grade student Axel Fenn played “Taps” for the assembled crowd, a ritual he’s repeated at the parade each year since learning the somber trumpet tune four years ago. “It really makes (the veterans) happy. I like to see that,” Axel said. “They sacrificed. I feel that they should have some joy, too.” Axel Fenn’s grandfather, who first asked him to perform the song, served two tours in Vietnam. His great-grandfather was shot down by German soldiers in World War II and was a prisoner of war for two years in a German prison.
Before the parade each year, the Linden Avenue student also travels with his grandfather to various cemeteries beginning at 5 a.m. each Memorial Day. Axel said it is “pretty difficult” to get used to playing with new people as a marching band in a short amount of time, but said it was fun and “another way to give back to the community.” Axel Fenn’s aunt, Stacie Fenn Smith, is the principal at LAMS. “For me, Memorial Day is a time for us to honor and remember those who have served our nation,” Ms. Fenn Smith said. “It is a day to reflect on courage, dedication, and selflessness and express our gratitude for their ultimate sacrifice.” Ms. Fenn Smith said she was proud of the student participants. She said LAMS has prioritized connecting with the VFW in recent years, noting the post has helped sponsor the annual eighth-grade trip to Washington D.C., and members volunteered to help build the school’s playground.
Mr. Van Ness said the parade was an “excellent experience … to see how music is often a part of community events. I know it meant a lot to them to realize what an impact their participation had, and hopefully, it showed them that there are many ways to get involved, even outside of school.”
The parade route normally ends at Memorial Park, but the route was altered this year due to the threat of rain.
How will you spend your summer vacation?
Writing? Cooking? Learning to crochet?
Maybe you’d rather delve into the world of nanoscale science? Or, you could take up an instrument – like the bagpipes.
They’re just some of the many unique opportunities offered through this year’s Summer Academy.
The academy provides free classes to Red Hook Central School District students in grades 8-12 in the month of July.
While students can join as many classes as their schedule allows, enrollment is first come, first served and class cutoffs vary by subject. The deadline to sign up is June 7.
In all, more than 30 different classes are offered. Each will run for one week, either July 8-12, 15-19 or 22-26, in one of three time slots: 10 a.m. to noon, 1 to 3 p.m., or 5 to 7 p.m. Some classes, such as Culinary Camp and Robotics, are held in two parts over multiple weeks. The full schedule and description of each class are available in the brochure.
Dr. Kitty Summers, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and staff development, said the goal "is to offer a variety of courses that allow students to explore educational opportunities not offered during the regular school year. We want students to learn through these different experiences and perhaps discover an interest or passion that is new to them."
In addition to classes on niche hobbies like Clock and Watch making or Quilting 101, there are also science and multimedia-focused options, like Introduction to Animation and Filmmaking.
Each week there are two classes offered focusing directly on college preparation, as well: The College Essay and SAT English. Those are scheduled at different time slots each week to allow students who may be working or have other obligations to pick a session that fits their schedule.
"We want all students to have the opportunity to attend SAT English to support the acquisition of the best score possible and to learn test-taking strategies and approaches," Summers said. "This adds equity to our offerings, as there is a cost to attend such a course outside of the district."
Summers also praised the College Essay course developed by Christine Griffin, the English Department chairperson and a co-coordinator of the Summer Academy, along with art teacher Kristin Larson.
"She has developed a program and a process that helps students begin with the gem of an idea and turn it into a polished essay," Summers said. "Students learn how to successfully articulate their life experiences, express how they have negotiated challenges and convey what they have learned through the process."
The Summer Academy, which originated in 2016, is sponsored by the Red Hook Education Foundation, the Ascienzo Foundation and the school district Office of Curriculum and Instruction.
T-shirts will be given to the first 100 students registered. Attendance to each class is expected, and students are expected to adhere to the high school’s Code of Conduct. Due to construction, the classes will be held at Linden Avenue Middle School.
Two dozen Linden Avenue Middle School students were able to experience what it is like to have their own professional art gallery opening. A collection of art pieces created by the sixth-grade art club titled “Through The Eyes of L.A.M.S.” officially opened with a reception at the Woodstock Artists Association & Museum April 20. The exhibition ran through June 2. The students and their families were invited to the reception, which was attended by more than 300 people. The students and art teachers then visited the museum on a field trip the following Monday. “I think it makes them feel like they’re part of the art community,” art teacher Ana O’Keefe said. She said the students’ exhibition was assembled with the professional appearance of any other display in the museum, with the pieces well lit and accompanied on the walls by the artists’ names.
The mixed-media pieces were inspired by the works of a professional artist, Kelsey Renko. In advance of creating their art, the museum’s Director of Education and Public Programs Tara Foley met with the art club to show examples of Renko’s work, as well as that of another artist, Ransome. The museum then bolstered the prestige of the student collection’s opening by holding the opening for an exhibition from Renko on the same night. “The students get to see, this isn’t just a museum of artists who have passed on, these are real contemporary artists,” O’Keefe said, noting the kids were able to meet Renko during the reception. “I had some parents saying, ‘It’s not every day you get to see a middle-schoolers art in a gallery.’”
During the field trip, the students toured the museum, viewed their exhibit and walked through the town of Woodstock with Foley. “The show was fabulous,” said art teacher Claudia Brehse. “The kids did an amazing job. It was very cool. They were so proud to see their work.” The museum is located at 28 Tinker St. in Woodstock. Visit Woodstockart.org for more information. “This was the first time we did it, and we’re already booked for next year,” O’Keefe said of the collaboration with the Woodstock museum. “We’re going to make it a tradition of it in the art club.”
The Red Hook Education Foundation (RHEF) is holding its 12th annual Fundraising Gala. The theme for the June 21 event, which will run 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., is “Masquerade Ball.” The party will be at Bard College’s Spiegeltent, and the purpose is to raise funds for the Red Hook Central School District students.
RHEF is a nonprofit foundation that has raised roughly half a million dollars since its creation in 2010. The money raised has been used to help fund new educational programs, teacher-led initiatives, new equipment for tech and art programs, the Summer Academy, the Student in Need Fund, and the annual eighth-grade field trip. More than $112,000 raised went to the creation of the high school Performing Arts Center. RHEF has also contributed to creating the Mill Road Outdoor Stage and funding such clubs as Model UN and the Robotics Team.
The gala will feature food, cocktails, and music. Guests are invited to wear their “most mysterious, fascinating and elegant outfit” to the Bard venue, the use of which was donated to the foundation. Tickets can be purchased for $120 each; anyone interested in becoming a sponsor can email info@redhookeducationfoundation.com. Sponsorship levels, which begin at $300, include such benefits as an ad in the program, recognition online, or, for platinum sponsors, signage at the event.
Recently retired Red Hook High School social studies teacher Mike McCrudden will be honored as this year’s Frank Knobloch Award recipient. Mr. McCrudden spent 21 years in the district as a teacher, mentor, coach, and student club adviser. He was also the International Baccalaureate program coordinator, helping to build and shape the academic offering. “Consistently supportive and non-judgmental,” the foundation wrote of Mr. McCrudden, “his kindness, care, and creativity have left an indelible mark on his students and colleagues.
Learn more about the gala and the Red Hook Education Foundation at redhookeducationfoundation.com
Linden Avenue Middle School (LAMS) Art Teacher Claudia Brehse looked forward to a much-needed boost on the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week: A coffee cart coming right up to her classroom door, filled with freshly brewed coffee and snacks. “It’s wonderful. Everybody’s so excited,” the art teacher said of the cart earlier in the week. “It’s usually at the end of the day when everybody needs a little coffee or a treat.”
The coffee cart on May 10 was intended to teach as it aids the teachers. Lauren Cerulo, who teaches the FLEX class, said the lesson helps the students practice job and communication skills. Though she brews the coffee, the students make promotional signs and handle the actual serving and interaction with teachers. Ms. Cerulo said the self-contained special education class provides the coffee cart at least twice a year. Ahead of the day, Ms. Cerulo sends an email to all teachers to see who may want to participate. She then prints fake money and leaves it in the teachers’ mailboxes so they can pay the students. “It’s like a coffee shop on a cart,” she said. “They have to go up to them and say, ‘Hello, would you like some coffee? What would you like in the coffee?’ “We have creamer and sugar and things like that. They have to make it for them and hand it to them,” Ms. Cerulo said. “It’s really about practicing social skills and work skills.”
And for the teachers, it’s about that extra dose of caffeine at the end of a week celebrating their efforts. As the students wheeled around their drink cart on that Tuesday, a free can of soda brought a wide grin to more than one teacher’s face. The cart, which is operated by the LAMS FLEX class, is one way in which the school’s students celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10. On Tuesday, May 7, National Teacher Day, members of the Student Council wheeled a cart around the school giving out cans of soda, water and cookies.
Student Council Treasurer Analiyah Otero said the middle school teachers are “underappreciated for all they do for us. Doing stuff like this really shows how much we care about them. Their happiness makes it worthwhile doing all this for them,” Otero said. “It’s very beautiful.”