11/05/2024 Letter to the Community

Para leer en español, haga clic en el botón "Traducir (Translate)" arriba.

November 5, 2024

Dear TUFSD Families and Staff,

As we embrace the unseasonably warm fall season, I want to take a moment to celebrate with you the rich tapestry of cultures our community represents. This past week, we had the opportunity to celebrate Halloween, Diwali, and Día de los Muertos. Each of these traditions offers us a unique opportunity to learn from one another and honor our diverse heritage at the same time.

Throughout the district, we are not only learning from one another but also bonding, whether it be at sporting events or community-based gatherings. These shared experiences help to strengthen the connections that make our community so special. I encourage everyone to continue building these relationships and to take part in upcoming events that foster unity and understanding.

As we look ahead, let's carry the spirit of togetherness into the winter season, supporting one another and celebrating the many ways our community comes together. Thank you for your continued engagement and commitment to making our district a welcoming and vibrant place for all.

Sincerely,

Dr. Raymond Sanchez

Reminder! School will be closed on Monday, November 11 for Veterans Day.

🎃 This year’s Halloween parades were full of festive fun, but the biggest thrill came with a surprise appearance from the Headless Horseman! 🐴💀 Students were delighted as the legendary figure galloped across the field, adding an extra dash of excitement to the spooky celebrations. From creative costumes to the unexpected guest, it was a Halloween to remember for our school community! 👻🎉

Special thanks to the Corinthian Equestrian Center for bringing this to our WI students, and our amazing Sleepy Hollow Band members for leading both the Morse and JP parades.

For the last 15 years, the Headless Horsemen have been led onto the field by the very legend Washington Irving dreamed up in 1820. It’s a staple of meaningful home games on a field that overlooks the Hudson River, but it’s become part of the program’s tradition.

Read more on LoHud: Headless Horseman makes quite an entrance for Sleepy Hollow in Section 1 football

We are excited to celebrate cultural awareness by honoring two vibrant traditions: Día de los Muertos and Diwali. Día de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday, is a time to remember and celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed, with colorful altars, marigolds, and festive gatherings. Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, celebrated with dazzling lamps, sweets, and joyous festivities. Together, these celebrations highlight the richness of cultural diversity and the importance of embracing and understanding different traditions.

Julia Ryan & Thaddeus attended a Leadership Conference at Mt. Saint Mary College. Students and coaches from Sections 1 & 9 gathered to explore leadership at both the high school and college levels. The day included engaging presentations and panels on transitioning from high school to college athlete life, fostering inclusion and creating safe spaces on teams, and developing student-led athletic boards to organize events and address team concerns. It was a day full of valuable stories and insights, leaving everyone inspired to bring new ideas and leadership skills back to their teams and communities 💡💪.

In a fun and interactive connection to the upcoming election, our DL kindergartners cast their own votes to select the next play center and some for their next whole class activity. Each child learned they have a voice in deciding where the class will explore and play next.This activity helps our young learners understand choice, practice decision-making, and engage in a real-world voting experience, showing them how individual votes shape group outcomes.

The Sleepy Hollow High School Winter Sports Store is now open! Purchase authentic team apparel from now until November 10. Check out Sleepy Hollow High School Winter Sports 2024 shop

FamilyID is now open for the Winter JV/Varsity Sports Season. The season will begin on November 18. More info to follow in the coming weeks.

K-2 Families: You are invited to be your child’s partner at our K-2 Family Literacy Night! You will have the chance to play a variety of games with your child and learn ways you can continue this fun way to practice literacy skills at home.

When: November 6, 6:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.

Where: Sleepy Hollow High School & Middle School Gyms

Please RSVP by completing and returning the form sent home by Monday, November 4.

Save the date! 🎭

SHHS presents: Clue

📅 Friday, Nov 22 @ 7 p.m.

📅 Saturday, Nov 23 @ 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

📍 Sleepy Hollow HS Auditorium

🎟️ Free Admission – No Tickets Required!

🎲 Free Clue games for the first 15 families with children!

A rare opportunity to explore the creative process of Marc Chagall at the David Rockefeller Arts Center from October 11, 2024 - May 17, 2025. The Pocantico Center is offering complimentary tickets and transportation when needed to the TUFSD community – families can email pocanticoprograms@rbf.org with their request for tickets.

There are numerous exciting programs and exhibitions this fall at The Pocantico Center.

Check out Pocantico.org/events for more information!

Please also noted that the Pocantico Center is offering complimentary tickets and transportation when needed to the TUFSD community – families can email pocanticoprograms@rbf.org with their request for tickets.

📆Mark your calendars!

Please note that we have moved the Kindergarten registration earlier in the calendar year. In doing so, we hope this will provide us enrollment numbers that will help us identify the number of classrooms we will have available for Pre Kindergarten.

Registration is now November 20 and December 11 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at John Paulding School.

More info here!

We are working with Bus Patrol, a County approved contractor, to install cameras on the stop arms of our buses. Drivers who continue the unsafe practice of passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing will automatically be issued a summons. This will help to ensure that our children are safe when boarding and exiting our buses. This comes at no cost to our taxpayers, and we are anticipating that the installation of cameras will be completed in December.

Last spring, we piloted school climate, safety and belonging surveys with middle school students and staff. A recording of the results of the student surveys are available on the website, under the Social Emotional Learning tab here. A Spanish version of the video will be available soon.

The YMCA has informed us that they are prepared to offer a new “free” after school program for John Paulding kindergartners and Washington Irving School families. If your child already participates in the YMCA program, this opportunity can be a free additional enrichment opportunity. To sign up or for more information, please contact your child’s school.

Also, we still have available space for the after-school program offered at Morse School. The program is free. For more information, please contact your child's school.

Starting in November 2024, families with children aged 16 months to 3 years can enjoy home visits twice a week with an Early Learning Specialist. Participants will receive free books and toys in a joyful, engaging environment that respects family culture.

To register: Complete this form. For more information, please contact Heather Mitchell at 914-761-0600 ext. 2489 or email Hmitchell@wjcs.com.

To view past copies of the newsletters, please visit the Superintendent's Page.

If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here to receive regular updates.
Please note that parents are automatically enrolled.