Dear North Rockland Families,

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to express my gratitude for the incredible spirit of our community. This year, we have so much to be thankful for - from the achievements of our students to the unwavering support of our families and staff.

It’s been a busy and exciting November, especially for North Rockland Athletics. Congratulations to Red Raiders Varsity Football - crowned Section One champions! The team will travel tomorrow to the NYSPHSAA regionals at Lansingburgh High School in Troy, where they will battle on the gridiron against the 12-0 Albany-Christian Brothers Academy. We’re all incredibly proud of this team and coaching staff and wish them success this weekend!

We also celebrate our Conference champions Girls Swimming, as well as our Boys Volleyball and Boys Cross Country teams, which claimed Section One titles. A special shout-out to Girls Cross Country runner Gaby Castro and the Boys Cross Country team who have qualified for the New York State Federation Championships this weekend. These accomplishments are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our student-athletes and North Rockland coaching staff. Go Raiders!

As we reflect on our sporting successes, we also want to acknowledge the important role our local police departments play in keeping our school community safe. From ensuring the safety of spectators at our new stadium to providing support in keeping our school buildings secure, the Stony Point and Haverstraw police departments are key partners. I am pleased to report that now all NRCSD schools have a School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to the building for at least a portion of the school day, enhancing the safety and security of our students, employees and families

In district news, the community will be asked to vote on a January 6 referendum that would allow the North Rockland Central School District to purchase residential property at 28 Miller Drive in Stony Point, which would become a part of our long-term plan to improve our educational facilities. The property will provide much-needed parking for both families and employees and the existing home will be repurposed into a 21st-century learning space for our growing Prekindergarten program. Just like our other recent capital projects, this purchase is eligible for New York State aid reimbursement at a rate of 80% and carries NO ADDITIONAL COST to local taxpayers. To learn more, we invite you to attend our Board of Education meeting at 7 p.m. on December 3 at Fieldstone Middle School. I’ll present detailed information and a video on the referendum. I encourage you to join us.

On a somewhat related note, while the roundabout at the intersection of Hammond Road, Suffern Lane and Letchworth Village Road is not a district project, we want to acknowledge the improvements to local infrastructure. The roundabout has recently partially reopened and we’re grateful for the collaboration with the Stony Point and Haverstraw police departments during this challenging time. Their support has ensured minimal disruption to our community and continues to play a key role in keeping our roads and neighborhoods safe.

If you have a moment, we invite you to complete the All Access NR Accessibility Survey. This survey will help the NRCSD ensure our schools are welcoming and accessible to all community members, including those with a variety of disabilities.

Finally, this is a reminder that next week will be a short week. Students will be dismissed early on Wednesday, November 27 and there will be no school on Thursday, November 28 or Friday, November 29, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. This is a wonderful time to reflect on all that we have to be grateful for and to spend time with family and friends.

-Dr. Kris Felicello

Superintendent of Schools