Hen Hud Band Director Ben Acrish with Allyson & Jessica Macci at awards ceremony.

On May 30th, the Hendrick Hudson High School Bands and Choruses, led by Benjamin Acrish and Erica Denler, respectively, once again competed in the Music in the Parks festival at Six Flags New England, in western Mass. Music in the Parks offers music festivals for bands, orchestras, choirs and other student music groups at more than 40 locations throughout the United States with more than 200,000 participants annually. Hen Hud competed in the Class AA Division, comprising high schools with 750 or more students. In our best showing 

Choral Director Erica Denler shows off the "hardware".

yet, Hen Hud musicians were thrilled to win first place in every single category in which they competed that day for a complete sweep in their division -- including the Esprit de Corps award, "presented to students from a school who demonstrated proper social behavior as well as musical behavior/ encouragement. They possess the qualities of highly successful people who are sensitive to the feelings of others and applaud accomplishments no matter if by one's own school or another school. Evaluation has taken place from arrival at the festival site to the awards presentation."

Hen Hud senior and National Merit Scholar,  Liz Feller.

Hendrick Hudson High School is pleased and proud to announce that Liz Feller has been selected a National Merit Scholarship winner. Liz, who lives in Cortlandt Manor and is the daughter of Mary Ann and Mitchell Feller, will attend Brandeis University, in Waltham, Mass. An avid fencer, Liz was recruited to fence for the Brandeis NCAA Division Three team. She plans to major in Physics with probable double minors in Astrophysics and Creative Writing. "We are so proud of Liz's accomplishment," said Principal James Mackin. "Receiving a college-sponsored Merit Scholarship is an extremely prestigious award, and Liz deserves the honor. As Liz moves to the next phase of her academic life we are excited about what she will accomplish. We wish her the best of luck at Brandeis University!"

Hen Hud staffers meet at the Hendrick Hudson Library for Instructional Technology Coach training.

On June 4, the Hendrick Hudson School District hosted an all-day kickoff meeting for its new Instructional Technology Coach initiative (ITC). Dr. Mathew Swerdloff, Director of Instructional Technology, led the meeting, along with Karen Young, of A+ Educators, a Phoenix-based professional development consultancy. 

Thirteen teachers from the five Hen Hud schools were on hand for a full agenda. These faculty members were selected from a large group of teacher applicants, Swerdloff said, with final selections made by balancing the needs of each building with the skills, attributes, and availability of each applicant. 

The ITC program is part of the ongoing implementation of the $6.2 million Hendrick Hudson Capital Project, which voters approved in December 2013. A significant portion of this project, $2.5 million, was allocated to upgrading classroom technology resources throughout the district.

This year the Frank G. Lindsey School started its After School Exploratory Academy with several new additions. Students were offered flag football, game club, knitting, photo club, arts and crafts, yoga, dance, theatre, science, Legos and many others to come. Over 500 students have participated to date. Future classes will be held in chess, Spanish, writing, math and cooking.

This Academy provides students with social events that promote positive behaviors and academics. It also provides students with an opportunity to see community members and teachers work with them outside the school day. We encourage individuals with a special hobby or talent to contact Principal Donna Torrisi to discuss a class that they may wish to teach. Frank G. Lindsey's number is (914) 257-5512.

Physical Educator Diane Swertfager, center, on ladder, helps a student prepare to work the  high ropes.

Diane Swertfager is a physical educator at Blue Mountain Middle School. The school's outdoor Project Adventure Challenge Course is "state of the art," according to Swertfager, and in late April and early May, physical education classes dodged the rainfall to work on the modalities there. It really is an impressive setup, towering high above the athletic fields at the back of the school, and marked with a bronze plaque. On the day we visited, groups of seventh graders were working primarily on a team-building exercise that lifts one carefully helmeted and harnessed student high into the air at a time. Once the student is up high enough, he/she releases one rope and swings freely out over a small hillside, gradually coming closer to the ground. It's a group effort: A ladder team mans the ladder that serves as the launch pad, a bungee team works together to pull the student into the air, and a rope team helps to slow the student down once she or he has completed their series of swings. 

Furnace Woods students try out the school's new traverse climbing wall.

Furnace Woods School got a new traverse climbing wall, thanks to a PTA collection of Boxtops for Education, and some Fifth Grade class gift funds from a previous year. The new 20-foot by 8-foot blue installation, which arrived in May, is attached to the Furnace Woods gym wall in sections, to which hand- and foot-holds are attached. Children learn to move laterally across the surface from one side to the other. The activity strengthens arms and legs and improves balance while giving students a sense of achievement. And, no one is ever more than a few feet off the floor as they climb across the wall, with an attached mat just below. Retiring Furnace Woods Principal Dr. Helene Kane said, "The wall is so beautiful and engaging. I wanted to run up and climb it myself. There are both physical and emotional benefits to climbing and it promotes lifelong fitness habits among children." 

Reading Buddies at the Buchanan-Verplanck Elementary School.

On Friday, May 16, Buchanan-Verplanck Elementary School held its third annual Family Reading Buddies celebration. Each month, students read with students in other grades (Kindergarten with 3rd graders, 1st graders with 4th graders and 2nd graders with 5th grade students). Principal Joshua Cohen was very pleased: "This day was special because every available B-V family member was invited. We had around 50 family members join us and the feedback was extremely positive!"