Raider Report September 2024

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! I hope you and your children enjoyed a restful and enjoyable summer break. Some of you are experiencing the excitement and nerves of dropping your child off at school for the very first time. Others are watching as your child transitions to a new school building, while some of you are witnessing your child begin their final year of high school.

This past week, I, too, reached a significant milestone — I dropped my daughter off at college. In that moment, I found myself deeply grateful to the many teachers and staff who played a role in helping her grow and preparing her for this new chapter. While I am excited for the future that lies ahead of her, it reminded me — as many of you know — that childhood passes by quickly. So, hold on to these moments, cherish them, be present and take them all in. Your child's journey is our priority, and we are here to support them every step of the way. It is truly an honor to serve as the superintendent of the Red Hook Central School District, where we all play a role in cultivating our students' growth and success.

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been hard at work preparing our schools for the new year. Our summer workers, including custodians, directors, secretaries, administrators, technology staff, business staff, curriculum staff and personnel staff, each of these dedicated professionals has played a vital part in ensuring that our schools are ready to welcome your children back. I especially want to recognize our facilities department for their outstanding management of the construction projects completed over the summer. I hope that as you drop your kids off or walk into our schools, you'll notice and appreciate the upgrades we've made to our facilities to enhance the learning environment.

This year, our district is more committed than ever to looking ahead and fully embracing the Raider Profile. We believe in empowering our students to become engaged citizens who are prepared to navigate an ever-changing world. The importance of creativity, holistic thinking and practical skills is growing every day, and we are focused on equipping our students with the tools they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market and world. Flexibility, adaptability and the ability to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds are key to their future success. As we look to the future, we understand that knowledge is no longer just something to be delivered or acquired; it’s an ecosystem that our students will learn to navigate, participate in and contribute to. We are committed to preparing them for this dynamic environment, where their ability to think critically, work creatively and engage with different perspectives will be essential.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our shared educational goals. As we step into this new school year, let’s embrace it with enthusiasm and creativity, working together to unlock the full potential of each and every student. I’m excited for all that we’ll accomplish this year and wish you and your children a wonderful start to the academic year! My commitment is to being accessible and working closely with you and your children. I’m dedicated to listening and collaborating with everyone, and I welcome your thoughts and input at any time.

Warm regards,

Janet

The district has completed major HVAC renovations at the high school. It’s one of several projects completed this summer or nearing completion that will improve energy efficiency throughout the district, including replacing windows and the long-awaited implementation of solar power at each building. Director of Facilities, Scott Rajczi, said that most of the projects are aimed to reduce energy waste by applying green strategies to existing practices.Much of the work was funded as part of the $22 million capital project approved in 2022.

The solar project, which is estimated to save the district around $90,000 in energy costs, was approved in 2019, is up and running. Each school is producing energy through the solar panels that were installed last summer. Each building’s lobby will have a screen displaying how much power is being created by the panels.

The high school HVAC project involves installing infrastructure, including large tanks for holding ice behind the building and glycol lines installed in ceilings throughout the school. Rajczi called the cooling process unique. “It’s going to make ice at night, off-demand when electricity use is low, and the sun is down. The system will then draw from the ice through the course of the day to create cold air.” HVAC units have also been installed that include energy wheels, which preheat or precool air as it is being reclaimed and subsequently save an estimated 10-12% on energy use. With the new units in, portable air conditioner units will be removed from classrooms where they were installed as a temporary solution.

Many of the doors and windows have also been replaced, which will likewise reduce the amount of heat or cool lost in each room, and new ventilation hoods in the kitchen will reduce energy use.

Mill Road Elementary is also in the process of a building-wide replacement of its windows to improve efficiency, a process that began in the spring.

Other construction projects this summer included:

The gymnasium floor at Linden Avenue Middle School was renovated to fix damaged areas, include new painted lines and remove floor box outlets. Folding divider walls were also removed.

“The whole thing has a fresh new look,” Rajczi said.

A sidewalk behind Mill Road is being paved. There were also smaller projects happening at the high school, improving the appearance of hallways, the lobby and area outside the main entrance.

What will the world look like by the time this fall’s kindergarten class graduates high school? How much has the job market changed in recent years and what attributes will be needed to succeed in the future?

These were central questions guiding discussion for the Red Hook Central School District’s annual administrative retreat. District officials and school building leaders convened for two days of introspection and analysis earlier this month. Among other topics, they examined not just what students learn but how that should change to meet post-graduate needs. “We have a lot to be proud of and thankful for as we enter another school year,” Dr. Janet Warden, Superintendent of Schools, said. “We need to celebrate our successes while we pursue continuous improvement. In addition, we need to understand the importance of being adaptable and flexible in our organization as we to teach our children that skill.”

Ray McNulty, President and Senior Fellow for the Successful Practices Network, guided the Red Hook leaders through a discussion on how education relates to the rapidly shifting landscape of employment. “The primary aim of education is not to enable students to do well in school, but to help them do well in the lives they lead outside of school,” he said in a presentation. “What our students need to be successful has changed.​” McNulty stressed the need for education in building skills rather than focusing on the relay of information. Employers, he said, are increasingly less interested in what traditional degrees a job candidate may have, and more interested in the cogitative and interpersonal skills that create nimble problem-solvers who can adapt to changing technological landscapes.

McNulty also discussed the steps an educational leadership team must take to transform their approach to create sustainable change. “To give young people hope and prepare them to thrive in any future, educators must learn to care for the present and prepare for the future simultaneously,” he said.

The Red Hook team took those lessons and discussed approaches than can be adopted to better serve students. Dr. Warden shared a roadmap of concepts and ideas for the district to follow, which she plans to present to the entire staff when it returns for the fall. She noted the importance of creative thinking and the ability to communicate effectively with those from difference backgrounds, as well as the high value young people place on real-world experiences. “Knowledge is no longer seen as a product to deliver or acquire,” she said, “but as an ecosystem to navigate, participate in, and create.”

Ask Kristen Strothmann about her philosophy as an elementary educator and you’ll likely notice one recurring word. “There should be joy in this work,” the new Mill Road Elementary Assistant Principal said. “When you’re around kids, it should feel joyful. A school should feel like a place where everybody wants to be here.”

After leaving Red Hook Central School District two years ago to pursue another position, Ms. Strothman now returns to Mill Road. A special education teacher on the primary side of the building for seven years, Strothmann formally returned to the now-consolidated elementary school on Aug. 19. Mill Road is where she wanted to be. “It was definitely the right move to make,” Strothmann said. “It was a school I loved and a community I loved, so I’m happy to be back.”

Strothmann is also rejoining Principal Brian Boyd. The two previously worked together on various projects and committees during her time at Mill Road. Dr. Boyd said her work ethic and very genuine, honest approach made an immediate and repeated impression. “She is always student-centered,” he said. “For both of us, that’s a really clear alignment – we put students first.”

Before serving as an Associate Principal at Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School in the Hudson City School District for the last two years, Strothmann worked in special education for the Poughkeepsie and Watervliet City School Districts. Her background in one-on-one intervention informs her educational approach. “When I think about a situation with students I really am thinking about an individual, as opposed to an entire class or an entire school, and thinking about what does this child need in this situation in order to find success at school,” the Arlington High School graduate said. “So, I try to tailor my decision-making and resources that I bring to kids on an individual level, as much as possible.”

On her second day on the job, Ms. Strothmann and Dr. Boyd greeted incoming kindergarteners and their families at the pavilion behind Mill Road before a Stories by the Swings event. She rejoins the staff for a fall in which the Primary and Intermediate schools have officially become a single unit. Dr. Boyd said the process of joining the two populations already began last year with all students taking part in some of the bigger events, like field day and the reading incentive program. And, he noted, the two elementary building occupants have operated somewhat intertwined throughout his 17 years here. Still, there’s some work to be done to complete the transition. “I think a big part of what I would like to support Brian on this year is bringing the two schools together into one community,” Ms. Strothmann said. “We’re thinking about what we can do to bring the teachers and the kids and the families together so we’re functioning as one larger community.”

Moving forward, Mill Road will likely have a mix of events and initiatives, with some suited for just one age group and others in which the whole population can be engaged. Ms. Strothmann, a Poughkeepsie native who holds a dual master’s degree in Teaching Students with Disabilities and Literacy from SUNY Albany, called it a “privilege and honor” to return to Red Hook. Being at Mill Road, you can watch children “grow and learn and develop – making friendships, problem-solving, working together – all those things. To watch students go from 4 years old to 11 and see all the growth and development is really pretty awesome.”

Gavin Campolong exploded into the open field and cut to the right with the ball at his feet. Suddenly, the ball was gone and the senior was rolling on the ground. A sophomore had poked it away, eliciting howls and shouts from everyone on the sideline at the Raiders boys soccer practice. Campolong made a beeline for the sophomore. Then, he put his arm around him. “That was varsity stuff,” the senior told him. “Varsity.”

At preseason practices around Red Hook High School, teams have been focusing on building bonds with new teammates and teaching upcoming talent as much as building specific skills and teaching plays. For Gavin, who thought he was looking at a goal during the scrimmage on the second day of preseason, losing the ball only sprouted excitement at the skills of a teammate who may be joining the varsity squad. “He got me good. It was pretty sweet,” Gavin said. During preseason, “you get to see the new talent. I don’t know half these people. There’s a lot of young kids who are definitely talented. It’s nice to see the next generation coming up.”

Under New York State Public High School Athletic Association rules, football teams were permitted to begin practices Aug. 19. All other teams started Aug. 26. That’s shortened the preseason to a little more than a week for many sports and accelerated the tryout process, making it all the more important to get to know teammates quickly. Several of Red Hook’s teams, including girls soccer and field hockey, are navigating the departures of key senior contributors, creating opportunity for new faces to step into relied-upon roles. The football and field hockey teams also have new head coaches – former modified football and current baseball coach Tom Giorgio and 2021 Red Hook graduate Ciciley Manhart, respectively.

After stick work Tuesday, the field hockey team wrapped up its early practice with an extended period of laps around the field and stretching. Sophomore Maya Anderson called out the stretches. “We don’t have any seniors this year. We only have two juniors,” Maya said. “Being here helps us get closer with each other and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so we can understand how to play with each other again.”

Cardio and conditioning is a major focus for teams across the high school campus. Field hockey junior Amelia Soave has looked around her team this year and thought back to how she felt as a freshman learning from a senior-heavy group. “It’s kind of cool that that’s now my role on the team,” she said. “We want to just bond and hopefully create a close-knit team. Some of us don’t know each other year, but this is the whole point of preseason.”

Though several teams have scrimmages and play days scheduled before then, the boys golf team will have the first official match of the 2024-25 school year on Sept. 4 against Spackenkill at McCann Memorial Golf Course. The Raiders teams enjoyed various levels of success a year ago, including a Section 9 Class B title in volleyball.

Campolong said while winning is the goal, improving each day is the main objective.

“That’s what I look for,” he said. “And, definitely to win a championship, but that will come with time.”

Red Hook High School students will have expanded opportunities to earn college credits this year and a new way to experience physical education. Two classes – Psychology and the newly created Mind Body Wellness – have been approved as dual enrollment courses, classes in which students can earn both high school and college credit simultaneously.

In addition, for the first time, 10th-grade students will be able to participate in dual enrollment courses.

Principal Kyle Roddey called the Mind Body Wellness class “transformational.” Under the course description, students will “experience different forms of stretching and movement such as dynamic and static stretching, mindful ergonomics, guided relaxation, mindfulness breathing and awareness,” while studying “how to create calmness, relaxation and positive thought process in the human body.”

“Everyone has to take PE every year in order to graduate,” Roddey said. “This counts as a PE credit, but anyone of any ability level can do it, and it’s a college-level course.”

The program, held in conjunction with Dutchess Community College, is “about providing options for kids to get college credit outside of the traditional IB/AP courses,” Roddey said. Dual enrollment courses are taught by high school teachers who have been approved as college adjunct professors. Red Hook previously offered duel enrollment in Statistics, Pre-Calculus and Social Problems courses, though Dutchess Community College’s regulations only allowed students who were in 11th or 12th grade to participate.

More information on Red Hook’s advanced course opportunities, including honors, advanced placement IB and dual enrollment classes, can be found on the school’s website.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association again named Red Hook High School among its Schools of Excellence for the 2023-24 year. Each year, the governing body of scholastic sports in the state honors schools with teams that excel not only athletically, but academically.

A school is eligible to be named a School of Excellence if 75 percent of its varsity teams earned the NYSPHSAA’s Scholar-Athlete team distinction this academic year. Scholar-Athlete team awards were given to any team in which 75 percent of the roster finished the season with a GPA of 90 or better. At Red Hook, 20 of 24 varsity teams met that mark this year. It's the second consecutive year the school was honored.

"As a coaching staff, we talk to the kids about being good students and being in good standing in the building," Athletic Director Tom Cassata said, noting also the value of having teams that are mentally sharp. "It's no coincidence that when your teams academically are strong, athletically they are strong."

Individually, Red Hook students earned Scholar-Athlete distinctions, finishing their season with a GPA of 90 or better, 250 times. In a release accompanying the late-July announcement, NYSPHSAA Executive Director Dr. Robert Zayas said, “The efforts made by student-athletes in the classroom are paramount to their success in the athletic arena, and beyond their high school days. In all, 226 schools in the state were named a School of Excellence. Of them, 114 were named Schools of Distinction, with 100 percent of their varsity teams were named Scholar-Athlete teams. The schools will receive their awards this fall.

Max Hangac has always loved graphic novels. He just isn’t confident in his ability to draw. Still, when he saw a graphic novel class offered at Red Hook’s Summer Academy, he signed up. “I knew this would be a challenge,” the rising freshman said. “When I came in here I wanted to learn how to make a better story and draw better.” In the Graphic Novel class, English teacher Brendan Fix discussed with students techniques for using visual storytelling and got them started making their own graphic novels. “Getting the opportunity to express yourself and tell a story through images and words is a little bit more accessible sometimes than the ways that we might be used to,” Fix said, before asking, “Who doesn’t like to spend their time drawing?”

Max was among 98 students who took part in the annual academy, which wrapped its three weeks July 26th. Max was able to take both weeks of Culinary Camp this year, learning to make burgers, salad and carbonara, among other items. A chef from Taste Budds Café visited to teach how to make a German chocolate cake. While Max felt he could cook before these classes, “I was trying to give myself a boost of confidence in the kitchen.”

English teacher Christine Griffin said, “I thought it went really well,” Ms. Griffin co-coordinates the academy with art teacher Kristin Larson. Ms. Griffin taught two of the most-popular courses, The College Essay and SAT English, which were held at different times each week in order to work around students’ summer obligations. “My classes were pretty full,” she said. “I feel like the kids were very successful. Almost every single one of them left with a draft ready to go. They’re going to keep polishing them.”

Other classes included Filmmaking, Clock and Watchmaking, Wild Biology, Culinary Camp and Robotics. Some, like the cooking and robotics classes, were held for multiple weeks. The classes are free and open to any Red Hook student in grades 8-12. The aim each summer is to offer a mix of college preparation and educational opportunities not available during the school year. “I am proud of the rich and diverse programs that were offered this year,” Kristin Larson said. “We were fortunate to have a strong and talented group of instructors.”

One of them, science teacher Dwane Decker, is also the coach for Red Hook’s RoboRaiders team. Over the two one-week Summer Academy Robotics sessions, the students created three working robots. Decker said the plan was to bring the robots to the team’s booth at the Dutchess County Fair and allow visitors to play a game using them. Quinn Kortbus, a rising senior, called the summer Robotics classes “a great experience,” pointing out they are especially valuable for younger team members who may have had less involvement physically building a robot in the past. “Seeing people get this experience is really valuable, not only just to build the robots themselves but for the longevity of the team,” Quinn said. “I think it’s really crucial that they get some hands-on experience.” Quinn also took The College Essay course and in the past took a cooking course.

The Summer Academy, which originated in 2016, is sponsored by the Red Hook Education Foundation, the Ascienzo Foundation and the district’s Office of Curriculum and Instruction. Ms. Griffin said they plan to increase promotion of the Summer Academy before next year so more families know to incorporate its offerings into their vacation planning. “I’m just so grateful for the support we get from the foundations that we can offer these programs,” Griffin said. “It’s so amazing that it’s free for students who want to take advantage of the programming.”

Red Hook Principal Kyle Roddey will be honored next month with a Vision of Hope Award in recognition of his contributions beginning a student mental health program that is now utilized throughout the mid-Hudson Valley. Access: Supports for Living, the organization with which Roddey worked to create the program, is honoring him at its foundation’s Vision of Hope Celebration fundraiser in Middletown.

Before he was principal at Red Hook, Mr. Roddey served the role for Fallsburg Junior Senior High School. He joined the school in January 2021, amid ongoing challenges every school community faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. He identified addressing the mental health needs of a student body that had been mired in months of isolation as an immediate priority. He reached out to a friend who worked for Access: Supports for Living, a Hudson Valley-based organization devoted to providing a range of social support services. Roddey asked, "are there any supports you could give us for this?’” We then brainstormed and were able to start a mental health program in Fallsburg.

Under the program, Access connected Fallsburg students with celebrities, such as retired professional athletes and Broadway performers, and conducted discussions and trainings regarding the common challenges we all face with mental health. “What we did there, Access took it and they standardized it, and they started a whole school mental health initiative,” Mr. Roddey said, noting the program is used in schools in five different counties. That includes Red Hook, which hosted a mental health assembly with former New York Yankee and current broadcaster John Flaherty. “Kyle recognized that he needed to do something,” said Mariann Cheney, director of development for the Access: Supports for Living Foundation. “What it became was a non-clinical approach to how we handle folks that have mental health challenges. … We reduce the stigma when we’re having conversations about that.

“We hold some people to a very high standard, but they’re just people,” she said of the impact when a known person discusses their own struggles. “If that resonates with a child and it gets them to their parent or someone they can talk to, a guidance counselor, a teacher so that they can get the help they need, then we’ve done our job.”

Access also connected Red Hook with Guardian Revival, the non-profit that brings a therapy dog to the high school once a month. The Vision of Hope Award “honors an individual or organization whose value and concern for human life – eloquently demonstrated through their leadership, accomplishments and commitment – serves as an inspiration to others.”

In addition to Roddey, two organizations will be honored during the celebration scheduled for Sept. 19 at West Hills Country Club: Resorts World Catskills and the Lt. Gregg Atlas Foundation are also receiving Vision of Hope awards. Learn more about the event or purchase tickets at Access’ website.

Roddey said he was “certainly happy” to be given the award, but noted more importantly the money that is raised at the event will support crucial programs. “I appreciate their support and acknowledgement for the early work we did,” Mr. Roddey said, “and I’m glad that my work in Fallsburg allowed them to serve all these other schools and students, including Red Hook.”

Key dates to know before classes resume:

Sept. 3: Mill Road Elementary School Open House, Meet and Greet, 3-5 p.m.

Sept. 4: First day of classes

Sept. 12: BOE Meeting 7 p.m. MRP Cafeteria

Sept. 13: LAMS Welcome Back Activity Night, 6-8 p.m.

Sept. 18: LAMS Open House, 6-8 p.m.

Sept. 26: High School Open House, 6-8 p.m.