08/20/2024 Letter to the Community

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August 20, 2024

Dear TUFSD Families and Staff,

As the summer winds down and we prepare for the upcoming school year, I would like to take a moment to share some upcoming events and exciting opportunities to look forward to in the coming year. The district has planned several Back-to-School events, and we hope to see you all there. One of these events is our annual Back-to-School Bash, which promises to be a day full of entertainment and fun activities.

As we prepare for the upcoming academic year, I’m excited to announce that we have many opportunities for our students, including a free afterschool program at W.L. Morse, the continuation of free breakfast and lunch, and programs that foster community partnerships.

I hope all our scholars have been enjoying their summer, checking books off their reading lists, and engaging in exciting activities. I look forward to seeing you all at the start of the new school year!

Sincerely,

Dr. Raymond Sanchez

The beginning of the school year will soon be here! We would like to remind everyone of our upcoming Back to School Bash at Patriot's Park on August 26, 2024 from 4-6 p.m. We want to thank all the partners, staff and volunteers who are helping to make this event a special one for our school community.

Next week marks the return of our students to school on September 3, 2024. We’re looking forward to kicking off an amazing year of learning and achievements!

We’d love to see your child’s excitement on the first day of school! Please send their photos to pr@tufsd.org, and we’ll feature them on our social media pages.

Save the dates for our Back to School Nights!

• John Paulding (Pre-K & Kinder): Sept 5 at 6:00 p.m.
• WL Morse (1st-2nd): Sept 4 at 6:30 p.m.
• Washington Irving (3rd): Sept 11 at 6:00 p.m.; (4th-5th): Sept 18 at 6:00 p.m.
• SHMS (6th-8th): Sept 17 at 6:00 p.m.
• SHHS (9th-12th): Sept 19 at 6:00 p.m.

The Board of Education continues to meet during the summer. On August 29, the Board of Education will be provided an update on our bond project, energy performance project, NY Forward grant, and all summer maintenance efforts. All community members are invited to attend.

As we continue striving for excellence in our schools, we are forming a task force to review the district's personal electronic device policy (e.g., cell phones and smartwatches). We believe that a collaborative approach will lead to the best possible outcomes for our students and school community.

This Electronic Device Task Force Memo provides additional info on the purpose of the task force and who can join. Please note that space is limited.

If you are interested, please contact Nelly Valentin at: nvalentin@tufsd.org by September 6, 2024, and share why you are interested in joining the task force.

We have updated our Safety Plan: Tarrytown UFSD: District-wide Safety Plan 2024-25. As a result of the new requirements, we are reopening the public comment period for the 2024-2025 district plan. If you have any comments regarding the plan, please contact my office.

As we get ready to welcome our students back to school I want to share our commitment to improving school attendance as a district. Every day of school is an opportunity for learning, social interactions and personal growth. When our students miss school, they miss out on these vital experiences which impacts their academic performance and overall development. By ensuring your child attends school regularly, you are helping them stay on track, stay connected and achieve their potential.

We as a district are committed to helping support getting our scholars to school every day. Should you find yourself in need of support to get your child to school on time or consistently, please feel free to reach out to us as we have staff to support you.

When you call our school, you'll soon hear an automated system to guide you to the right department (e.g., For the Main Office, press 1. For the Nurse, press 2.). Options will be available in both English and Spanish. This new system will help you quickly reach the appropriate staff member for your needs.

We recently informed parents on the PreK waiting list that we have been able to secure space at John Paulding, allowing an additional 18 scholars an opportunity to participate in the district’s program. We are excited about this opportunity and I want to thank our families for their patience and understanding throughout the process.

Registration is now open for the Education United Afterschool Academic & Enrichment Program! This free program runs from October through May, offering students academic support and engaging activities that spark creativity. Join us Monday through Thursday for a fun and enriching experience.

To learn more call or text 914-214-7086 or email morse@unitedwaywp.org

Two of our talented educators, MS/HS teacher Micah Sprague and WI teacher Abby Ferri, presented at the CSI Northeast Conference in Ithaca this week! Their session, "Commissioning Multi-Level Music for Students Grades 5-12," focused on how to commission music from new composers suitable for multiple grade levels. Micah and Abby shared their successful process and experiences, highlighting their collaboration with a partner composer and offering insights into fostering musical growth across diverse age groups.

Sleepy Hollow Middle and High School students participated in the Financially Intelligent Teens (FIT) program, which aims to educate young girls about the importance of financial literacy. The program took place from August 12 to 16 and was organized by Superintendent Dr. Raymond Sanchez, the Westchester County Youth Bureau, and G.O.O.D. for Girls, Inc. (GfG). Students in the program were provided with a backpack full of supplies and a t-shirt, as well as breakfast and lunch daily, all free of charge thanks to a grant to Sleepy Hollow from Westchester County.

Read more: Pilot Program Teaches Tarrytown Girls About Financial Literacy

View the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns calendars at: tufsd.org/calendar

And check out these quick links:

One-page Calendar

Digital Copy of the Wall Calendar

Beginning this September, Morse and WI will have new start times:

• Morse: Students at Morse will begin instructional learning at 8:25 a.m. Students will now end their day at 3:10 p.m. (15 minutes later than previous years)
• Washington Irving: Students at WI will begin instructional learning at 8 a.m., with dismissal shifting to 2:45 p.m. (30 minutes later than previous years)

To view all school start times see the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns School Schedules.

The new school year will be here before you know it! Get ready by checking out our school supply lists at tufsd.org/supplies. Make sure your child has all of the supplies they need for a successful year!

The Horsemen PTA has the easiest way to school supply shop. Just click the link, search your child’s school and order a district approved box shipped right to home. You can remove any items you don’t need, as well as add to your box anything. Choose from their thousands of school supplies.

www.schooltoolbox.com

We are excited to share our new K-5 Curriculum Overview Documents with you! Our curriculum outlines how we nurture communication, executive functioning, creativity, and critical thinking through interactive and engaging activities. It also highlights how our students develop curiosity, perseverance, socio-cultural competence, and civic-mindedness, ensuring they grow into empathetic, resilient, and socially responsible individuals. By embedding these essential skills and dispositions, our holistic approach prepares students for a lifetime of learning and active citizenship. These PDF documents are print-ready and can be easily downloaded.

We are pleased to share that we will continue to offer free breakfast and lunch for all our students.

We are pleased to share that Washington Irving will continue to offer its Global Competency program, a partnership with One World. Last year, fourth-grade classes were paired with a class in Ecuador, allowing them to learn about the culture through this unique partnership.

The district is interested in pursuing a grant to start a First Robotics team at the high school. As we develop a proposal, we are seeking community members who might be interested in volunteering to support the team. If you have any engineering experience, please feel free to contact my office.

WI and SHHS restorative practice teams participated in the 3-day team leadership training on implementing restorative justice practices. Participants engaged in community-building circles, learned about restorative justice, discussed implementation and accountability, and began action planning. The rollout will take place this school year.

The school district is continuously seeking grants to help address various needs. I am pleased to share that the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns secured more than $3 million dollars in grants over the course of the past few school years.

I'd like to provide you with an update on various items related to our facilities:

• Bond: We submitted the plans for Morse School. Soon, we will submit plans for the field and bleachers at WI. Additionally, we are exploring options to accelerate the installation of lights on the High School Field.

• Middle School Science Rooms: We're excited about the classroom renovations. The staff has reviewed the plans, which will be submitted soon to the State Education Department.

• Middle School Courtyard: We've secured approximately $350,000 in grants for courtyard renovations through NYS Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart Cousins’ Office. We aim to complete the renovations by early September, including improvements to the play and seating areas. We will seek some stakeholder input.

• Auditorium: We plan to sand and stain the stage in the MS/HS Auditorium. It will look fantastic!

• AC and Cafeteria: We are installing AC in the MS/HS cafeteria.

• Painting: Many sections of the MS/HS are being painted, giving it a fresh look for students, staff, and families. Thanks to our custodial staff!

• TV/Media Studio: We plan to paint, carpet, and better equip the media studio for TV production, with up-to-date equipment for our scholars.

• Library: The library renovations look spectacular and will soon be open for all to see.

• Energy Performance Contract (EPC): We are finalizing items for the EPC, including solar panels and roof replacements for buildings. We will share specifics once the plan is completed.

• NY FORWARD: We met with representatives from Sleepy Hollow to discuss the particulars of the Morse Playground renovations. The Village was able to secure approximately $1 million for renovations. We will begin working with our district architects to develop plans.

I hope this summary provides a sense of all that is being done to improve the learning environment for our students. Special thanks to our custodians, and Anthony DeMan, our Director of Facilities, for all their work.

🎒 Backpack Give-Away this Friday, August 23, at 4 PM! Open to Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow residents. Stop by the Tarrytown Community Opportunity Center at 105 Wildey St., Tarrytown, NY—first come, first served, while supplies last!

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