Hello North Rockland Families,

As we embrace the heart of winter, it’s important to prioritize our physical and mental well-being. Getting outside to soak in the sunlight, staying healthy and making time for exercise can help to beat the winter blues and keep up our energy for learning. Whether it's a brisk walk or a quick stretch, let's stay motivated to keep achieving!

Today marks the 90th day of school, placing us at the midpoint of the 2024-25 school year! With Mid-Winter Recess approaching, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what we’ve accomplished so far and set new goals for the second half of the year.

In exciting academic news, we’ve recently wrapped up our school spelling bees and would like to congratulate all the winners for their hard work and dedication! A special shout-out to those moving on to the District Bee, which will take place on February 12 at 6:30 p.m. at Fieldstone Middle School. Best of luck to everyone competing!

We also want to congratulate the students who participated in this past weekend’s Rockland County Music Educators Association (RCMEA) Elementary Music Festival, hosted at our Willow Grove Elementary School. Third and fourth graders from across Rockland County came together for a day filled with music, fun and learning - a wonderful opportunity for these young musicians to collaborate and showcase their passion for the arts.

And speaking of talent, we were thrilled to host our second North Rockland High School Coffeehouse event of the year! The performances were incredible, showcasing the outstanding musicianship and creativity of our high school students. It’s a testament to the remarkable talent we have here in North Rockland and we’ll keep supporting and nurturing that talent through events like these.

Dr. Kris Felicello

Superintendent of Schools

Last week, NRHS welcomed the incoming Class of 2029 for their Incoming Ninth Grade Orientation and we want to thank everyone involved. A special thank you to our Student Ambassadors for leading the tours, to the students who showcased our clubs and activities and to our faculty and staff for their hard work in making the day a success. Reminder to parents: the Incoming Grade 9 Parent Orientation is on February 5 at 6:30 PM at North Rockland High School.

The North Rockland Central School District is currently working with an Albany-based research firm that advises public and private entities on economic development to help guide our Board of Education on decisions relating to all proposed PILOT agreements - now and in future years. With the guidance of this consultant, our Board and administration are developing a minimum criteria for PILOT proposals and a streamlined process to help assess individual projects in consideration of their potential adverse impact on the tax levy limit of the school district. In simple terms, this new process will help NRCSD scrutinize all proposed PILOT agreements to ensure they make financial sense for our schools - and, our taxpayers.

PILOTs (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) are agreements in which developers pay a fixed fee to a municipality instead of regular property taxes. These agreements help to encourage development, but often reduce funding for schools and fire districts, as they do not receive a share of the payments.

Working with our consultant, the Board is studying the impact of PILOT programs for five pending projects in the Town of Haverstraw and the Village of Haverstraw. Four of the five projects are residential. The proposed PILOTs have the potential to increase school enrollment without providing additional local tax revenue to our school district.

Residential PILOTs, such as the five recently presented to NRCSD, typically come with additional students who must be educated. Inevitably, there would be additional costs to educate these students, with little additional revenue from the PILOTs allocated to the school district to fund these costs. With data compiled by our consultant, the Board and administration will closely review school enrollment and the status of current and future residential PILOT programs in an effort to make sound decisions that will not burden our schools and create financial stress on our residents.

Goldy Baum, a senior at NRHS, shared information about the QuestBridge College Prep Scholars Program and National College Match with juniors in AP English classes. Top colleges and universities are looking for students who have excelled academically despite financial hardship and they partner with QuestBridge to find students. For high-achieving high school juniors from a low-income background, the College Prep Scholars Program can equip students with knowledge, confidence and resources to connect with the nation's most sought-after colleges. Learn more by visiting the QuestBridge website.

We’re thrilled to celebrate the retirement of Principal Avis Shelby, who has served the North Rockland Central School District with unwavering dedication for more than 24 years. During this time, Avis held the roles of Assistant Principal at Haverstraw Middle School, Principal of Farley Elementary School, Principal of the Remote Academy and Principal of Neary Education Center. Her exceptional leadership, compassion and steadfast commitment have made a lasting impact on the students, staff and families at each school.

Principal Shelby, thank you for your hard work, passion and the profound influence you've had on NRCSD. As you embark on this exciting new chapter, we wish you a joyful and well-deserved retirement. You will be deeply missed!

The 2025-26 budget continues our mission of providing a safe, caring and positive learning environment in which all students can achieve their maximum potential and acquire the skills, attitudes and abilities needed to succeed. It is the District's goal to provide our students with an exemplary experience while controlling taxes for our community. We understand the fiscal challenges that living in Rockland County pose and are committed to addressing these through strategic planning.

For the past 5 years, NRCSD has been committed to:

• 0% tax levy increase
• No additional funding requested through referendums
• Investing in program improvements and facility upgrades

View the January 7, 2025 Budget Presentation HERE.

The next Board of Education meeting on February 4 at 7 p.m. at Fieldstone Middle School.

For January, NRCSD's Social Emotional Learning Office highlighted social awareness. We invite you to roll some dice or choose a numbered prompt to explore with your family how each of you would respond with empathy if we noticed someone feeling frustrated, excited, lonely, thankful, furious or motivated. View the activity HERE.

Congratulations to our five incredible Red Raiders for rewriting the record books and making North Rockland proud during the County Championship over the weekend! Their hard work, dedication and talent are setting new standards and leaving a legacy of excellence. Naji Mosley, Jaquan Johnson, Javon Lawrence and Darwin Almonte broke the School Record, County Record AND Section Record in the 4x200 Relay. Desirae Hernandez broke TWO school records with 55m Dash and High Jump. Check out the post HERE for specific stats.

Congratulations to varsity wrestling on placing second the Rockland County Wrestling Tournament held at NRHS. We are so proud for all of our Red Raiders on competing today as well as helping with the event! Check out individual stats and pictures HERE and HERE!

Congratulations to Varsity Cheer on winning the Westchester County Center Championship After a tough first round, the Raiders persevered and remained positive to take that first place title. We’re so incredibly proud of the girls!! Check out action shots HERE!

Congratulations to senior captain Nick Thiell on the boys bowling team for bowling 12 strikes together to achieve a perfect game of 300He bowled 185, 300, and 233 for a 718 series. It was certainly a great way to cap his senior year with such a great accomplishment. View his "Perfect" strike HERE!

Earlier this week, our Red Raiders took on CNHS at NRHS and came out on top! A stellar performance from our varsity squad, let’s keep it rolling Raiders! Check out action shots HERE!

Congratulations to Coach Joe Gizzi on being named the 2024 NY State Assistant Football Coach of the Year! Coach Gizzi has been an unwavering force within the North Rockland Football program for 14 years, beginning his journey at the modified level and steadily rising to become a key leader on the Varsity Coaching Staff. His extraordinary dedication, unmatched work ethic, and selfless spirit have made an indelible impact on the football program, culminating in their first Section 1 Championship in over a decade. In his third year as Defensive Coordinator, Coach Gizzi’s defensive strategies have set a new standard, holding opponents to just 12.3 points per game and an average of 66 passing yards. His defense delivered an incredible 15 turnovers and 12 sacks this season, shutting out three playoff opponents and holding others to only 3.5 points per game in the postseason. Coach Gizzi’s impact goes beyond the stats; he is a mentor, a motivator, and a model of what it means to lead with heart. Whether on the field or during the offseason, he inspires our players to achieve greatness both athletically and academically. His leadership has transformed the #NRockAthletics football program into one of the best in the state, and his influence will be felt for years to come. #NRockAthletics is beyond proud to celebrate Coach Gizzi’s monumental achievement along with the football program and we thank him for his relentless dedication to our athletes and our community. Coach Gizzi, you’ve earned this!

TOMORROW, Saturday, February 1

Elks Lodge #877

6:00 PM

Learn more HERE!

Ski - Thursday, February 6 at 6:00 PM

Boys Basketball - Wednesday, February 12 at 5:30 PM

Girls Basketball - Friday, February 14 at 5:30 PM