11/12/2024 Letter to the Community

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November 12, 2024

Dear TUFSD Families and Staff,

We have a short but fun week ahead of us, and we’re thrilled about the events we have planned. This week, our Kindergarten through fifth-grade families can look forward to an exciting night filled with science. Our young learners will have the chance to discover and explore new concepts, sparking their curiosity and encouraging a love of learning.

Our student-athletes have also been working incredibly hard, showing our community that dedication and determination pay off. Whether they’re practicing on the field or competing in games, they exemplify resilience, teamwork, and pride in representing our school. We’re continually inspired by their commitment to both their athletic and academic goals, proving that true success comes from hard work and perseverance.

Yesterday, we celebrated Veterans Day, and many of our students and families have a personal connection to veterans. I want to take a moment to acknowledge those who have served in our armed forces and thank them for their service. Their sacrifices have ensured the freedoms and opportunities we enjoy today, and their courage serves as an inspiration to us all.

Sincerely,

Dr. Raymond Sanchez

K-5 Families, Please join us for our Family Science Night on Thursday, November 14 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. at Sleepy Hollow High School.

The Horsemen PTA and the SHHS Science Department invite you to a fun-filled night of discovery and exploration! Here’s a sampling of what our scientists have planned for you:

• Fun with Water 💧
• Cold and Foggy ❄️
• Making Rainbows 🌈
• Bubble Pop! 🫧
• Sleepy Hollow Blaze 🔥
• Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream 🍦

Check-in begins at 6:10 p.m. Activities start promptly at 6:30 p.m. Look for balloons at the SHHS entrance.

For questions, please contact Jason Choi at jchoi@tufsd.org or Sophia Rana at srana@horsemenpta.com

Join us for a special event on Saturday, November 16, as we come together for Horsemen Gratitude! From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Sleepy Hollow High School, we’ll have interactive activities, delicious food, and plenty of fun for the whole family. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with our community and celebrate all we’re grateful for.

We look forward to seeing you and your family there for a memorable day!

Does your family want some free winter clothing? "Shopping" days (no money required) are coming to Horsemen PTA Community Wardrobe, 222 North Washington Street, on November 19 & 20 and December 10 & 12.

TUFSD families must sign up here to make an appointment. https://signup.com/go/tQEZWjQ) Because of space constraints, no walk-ins are permitted.

Community Wardrobe is a joint effort of the Horsemen PTA and the Village of Sleepy Hollow that finds new homes for great clothes, free to neighbors who need them, in a dignified, boutique-like setting.

At the November 7 Board of Education Meeting, the Board of Education adopted the following goals:

• Goal 1: Research and implement a process for selecting ex-officio High School student representatives to serve on the Board of Education.
• Goal 2: Enhance and expand current and new initiatives in communications, public participation in established committees, and responsiveness to new issues to strengthen relationships and engagement with all community stakeholders.
• Goal 3: Ensure fiscal responsibility, stability, and accountability through transparent practices that garner community support, while proactively addressing current and future needs.

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.

In honor of Veterans Day, our JP students have been learning about the courageous individuals who have served our country. Through their studies, they’ve explored how veterans exemplify our district’s core dispositions: Civic Mindedness, Curiosity, Perseverance, and Socio-Cultural Competence. Our students are inspired to embody these values themselves, following the example set by those who have dedicated their lives to serving others. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who have served our country.

Families had a blast at K-2 Family Literacy Night. 📚✨. Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the joy of reading and building early literacy skills! 🌟

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.

Wasteless Horsemen is officially underway! Our third graders kicked off the year with a bang, learning how to sort waste like pros. With the help of Ms. Kiko, they’ve set an ambitious goal: to reduce our waste from a whopping 159 pounds to a mere 14 pounds! The program is already in place at JP and Morse Schools.

During our last meeting, we reviewed our existing guidelines for cell phone use in the Elementary, Middle School and High School. The group also reviewed an article that focused on 6 approaches school districts have taken to address the use of cell phones. The six strategies included the following: 1. Cell Phones are restricted for all students, regardless of grade level; 2. Cell Phones restricted only for elementary students, more flexible for middle and high school students; 3. Cell Phones are prohibited for elementary and middle school students, but more flexible for high school students; 4. Cell Phones are restricted only in classrooms, locker rooms and bathrooms; 5. Cell Phones restricted only in the classrooms; 6. Cell Phones restrictions are left to each school.

We have a meeting this week and anticipate providing the staff and community with updates.

Last Friday was Dr. Felipe Orosco’s last day in the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns. He has accepted the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction role in the Edgemont School District. We thank him for his contributions to our district and we look forward to his leadership around curriculum and instruction in the region.

Since being informed of the news, we have started a search to fill this position immediately and will keep you updated throughout the process.

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!

Looking Ahead: Thanksgiving Recess in coming soon 🦃

🗓️ November 27: Half Day, Early Dismissal

🗓️ November 28 & 29: School Closed

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.

📆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!

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.

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