12/10/2024 Letter to the Community

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December 10, 2024

Dear TUFSD Families and Staff,

Our community has demonstrated great strength and achieved remarkable milestones that we are excited to celebrate together.

First, congratulations to our music students, who wowed their audience at the NYSSMA Winter Concert. Their dedication and passion for the arts continue to inspire us.

Second, our athletes showcased incredible teamwork at the Howard Godwin Tournament.

Finally, I’d like to thank all of you for your continued support of the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns. Together, we are an integral part of a community that champions excellence, celebrates success, and works collaboratively.

Sincerely,

Dr. Raymond Sanchez

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Kindergarten Registration!

📅 Wednesday, December 11, 2024 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Please explore this letter with more information on how to register!

Join us for Heritage Horseman Family Saturday on Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Philipsburg Manor. FREE ENTRY!

• This month, we're shaking it up for Horsemen Family Saturdays! Join us at Philipsburg Manor for our monthly family gathering where we will be celebrating our theme of Horsemen Heritage. Free transportation will be available for families throughout the event between Sleepy Hollow High School and Philipsburg Manor (Children riding the bus must be older than 5).

✨ Explore history, enjoy breakfast, craft, and connect with the community.
📍 Philipsburg Manor, 381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, NY

In 2007, New York State implemented the Foundation Aid formula as the primary mechanism for allocating education funding to local school districts. A recent report from the Rockefeller Institute reviews this formula, offering recommendations that could influence future State Aid allocations.

Here is a link to the full report: report from the Rockefeller Institute

This New York State Education Department (NYSED) has shared its vision to transform graduation requirements. The recommendations aim to ensure that “all public school students in New York State have access to the educational opportunities and support necessary for success in school and beyond.initiative seeks to advance equity and excellence in education by providing students with meaningful, rigorous, and inclusive learning experiences”. For your information, below are some key components of the initiatives:

Key Components of the NY Inspires Plan:

• Portrait of a Graduate: Defines the essential skills and dispositions students should have by graduation, including critical thinking and cultural competence.

• Redefined Credits: Introduces new diploma requirements, such as financial literacy and Career and Technical Education (CTE), with flexible ways to demonstrate proficiency.

• Diploma Changes: Transition to a single New York State High School Diploma with optional endorsements and seals for specialized achievements.

• Assessment Adjustments: Regents exams may be optional for graduation, providing more diverse ways for students to demonstrate proficiency.

Please click on the corresponding link for a recording of the November 2024 Board of Regents meeting.

Graduation Measures:

Graduation Measures - Implementation Timeline:

• 2024–2025: Planning year.

• 2025–2027: Initial rollout, including financial literacy and climate education.

• 2027–2029: Transition to a single diploma and expanded CTE requirements.

• 2029+: Full implementation, including new transcript requirements.

As soon as we have more information on how these initiatives will impact specific cohorts of students, we will share it with families and staff.

Sleepy Hollow Middle School is a FINALIST for the Scholastic Esports Awards – Best Jersey Design in the USA! Our esports team worked hard to create a jersey that showcases our school pride and creativity. This recognition is a huge honor and we need your support!

Please vote for Sleepy Hollow and help us win this national award. You can just skip all the other voting on the page and just vote for Sleepy Hollow Middle School by scrolling down to the best jersey design (question four). Be sure to select SHMS and then scroll to the bottom and click submit.

The winner will be announced soon, and we’ll keep you updated. Thank you for cheering on our esports team and showing your Sleepy Hollow pride!

Go Sleepy Hollow!

Sleepy Hollow High School Freshman Zaydan Malik’s passion project, Threads of Kindness officially opened on Wednesday, December 4. Threads of Kindness allows students to thrift recycled clothing in efforts to reduce waste, conserve resources, and support the local community.

“The benefits are twofold,” said Zaydan. “It helps alleviate clothing insecurity and it promotes sustainability.”

Congratulations to Mr. Day for receiving the NYSSMA Music Education Innovation Award! His creative approaches continue to enrich our robust arts program. 🎶

Also, a big shoutout to our talented students at this weekend’s NYSSMA events in Rochester. We are so proud of you all!

Congratulations to Mr. Day and his talented students—Matias, Jamie, Dylan, and Dexter—on their representation at the electronic music showcase at the NYSSMA Winter Conference in Rochester! 🎶 A proud moment for Sleepy Hollow!

Over the weekend, the 33rd annual Howard Godwin Tournament took place, where we proudly honored Jack McCleery and Mimi Godwin.

Last week, a letter was sent to the community and staff providing them with an update regarding the first phase on the bond. Here is a copy of the letter: Build a Better Tomorrow - December 5, 2024

We have held two meetings to discuss the use of cell phones in the district PK-12. Recently, we surveyed staff and students. The taskforce is scheduled to meet next week. Updates will be provided to the staff and community.

During our upcoming Board of Education meeting on December 12, we will have updates from our elementary school leaders. We will also hear from the Tri-State consortium Executive Director Answer Selesnick Our school district has been accepted into the consortium.

Stop arm cameras are in the process of being installed on our buses, free of charge, from a company called Bus Patrol. Moving forward, when a vehicle passes a stopped bus with its red lights on, a traffic summons will automatically be generated by Westchester County through the use of these cameras. Please spread the word. We are hopeful that community awareness of this new process will allow our students to be increasingly safer during their bus commutes.

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce Dr. Mary Ford to you. Dr. Mary Ford will be temporarily supporting us as interim Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Equity.

Dr. Ford is an educator with extensive experience in curriculum, instruction, and educational leadership. She holds a doctoral degree in Administration and Supervision from Fordham University, alongside two master's degrees focused on education leadership and literacy. Dr. Ford served as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in the Katonah-Lewisboro School District and has held various leadership roles, including Director of K-12 Literacy and District-wide Staff Developer in the Chappaqua Central School District.

Please note. our process to permanently fill this critical position continues. and in the meantime, we hope you will give Dr. Ford a warm, TUFSD welcome.

The Public Schools of the Tarrytowns is set to embark on an ambitious Energy Performance Contract (EPC) in partnership with Energia, a leading energy consulting firm, and Ameresco, a renowned energy service company (ESCO). This forward thinking initiative will bring significant energy efficiency improvements and infrastructure upgrades to five district buildings, with construction slated to begin in the summer of 2025 and anticipated to be completed by fall 2026.

The project will introduce a wide range of energy-saving measures tailored to each building, including:

• Lighting system improvements

• Upgrading and recommissioning energy management systems

• Expanding EMS with pneumatic replacements

• Infiltration reductions

• Pipe or tank insulation

• Roof replacement

• Roof-mounted solar

The improvements will benefit the following district buildings: Sleepy Hollow High/Middle School, John Paulding School, Tappan Hill School, Irving Middle School, and the Administration Building.

Brian S. Fried, Assistant Superintendent for Business, emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating:
"This Energy Performance Contract will have the effect of completing an additional and approximate $6M worth of needed capital project work. The work comes at no additional cost to the taxpayers. It will be funded by the reduction in cost of utilities based on the energy savings. We also will be eligible for State Aid and grant funding on the project. It's the responsible and environmentally conscious thing to do for our students, our taxpayers, and our overall community."

This project represents a major step forward in the district's commitment to sustainability, fiscal responsibility, and providing a safe, comfortable, and energy-efficient learning environment for students and staff. The partnership with Energia and Ameresco ensures that the district’s goals of efficiency and environmental stewardship will be met through cutting-edge technology and a collaborative approach.

SHMS & SHHS proudly present Stories from Sleepy: Narratives Through Art! Inspired by Chagall & Matisse, students explore personal stories through stained-glass-inspired art. 🎨✨

📍Union Church of Pocantico Hills
🗓 Opening: Dec. 13, 4–6 PM
📅 Exhibit: Dec. 13–20

More info: https://sites.google.com/tufsd.org/shhsxunion/home

Join us for the Sleepy Hollow Community Band's second performance on Saturday, 12/14 at 12:00 p.m. in the High School auditorium—it's free and open to the public!

If you'd like to play, dust off your instrument and join our mix of community members, faculty, and local musicians. For more details, see the attached poster or visit sleepyarts.org to sign up.

Please see the attached poster for details, visit sleepyarts.org, or sign up using the linked google form: Sign-up!

This is made possible through a partnership with the Sleepy Hollow Arts Collective. Visit www.sleepyarts.org for more information about SHAC.

The Sleepy Hollow Performing Arts Boosters is hosting Breakfast with Santa at the SHHS Cafeteria on Saturday December 14. Please join us for an enjoyable breakfast capped off by a special visitor! Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and under 2 are free. Seatings are at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.; reservations are not needed. Proceeds benefit our SHMS and SHHS performing arts students.

Read this flyer for more information.

Family Services of Westchester, in partnership with TUFSD's Parent Leadership Institute, will be offering an immigration workshop with an attorney, free of charge. You don’t want to miss it! There will be information, learning, refreshments, and incentives.

🗓️ December 19, 2024

📍 SHHS Auditorium

⏰ 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Join us on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. from January 11 to April 26 at the John Paulding School for the TASH indoor Farmers Market.

Register now for the Spring 2025 season! Visit Elmsford Little League for more information.

📢Do you know a child turning 4 by December 1, 2025?

Our Pre-K Lottery Application Process is now open until February 14, 2025. Lottery results and waitlist notifications will be sent in early March 2025.

Read this newsletter for more information.

Help us help the community through the Sleepy Hollow PBA Winter Coat Drive.

PICK UP DATES:

Dec. 18 - Dec. 20 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

Dec 21 - Dec. 22 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Sleepy Hollow Middle School and John Paulding School have partnered with the United States Marine Corps to donate toys for our Third Annual Toys for Tots collection!

For more than 30 years, the primary goal of Toys for Tots has been to help bring the joy of the holidays, and send a message of hope, to America's less fortunate children. Last year Sleepy Hollow donated an amazing 200 items!

Let's see if we can help our community extend even more holiday cheer through your gift of a new toy, book, or piece of clothing this year! The collection ends December 13, 2024. Please reach out to Ms. Badolato with any questions (dbadolato@tufsd.org).

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

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