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HCSD eNewsletter: Fall 2019-20

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Hudson City School District eNewsletter: November 2019

District Insights: Vision 2020 Homestretch

When the starting bell sounded on September 4th, we headed into the homestretch that will bring closure to our Vision 2020 goals. We have come a long way since we first set our Vision 2020 goals to raise the bar, close the gap, align curriculum and instruction and promote the social-emotional development of our students.

Since 2015, we have either met or exceeded our goals in several areas but in some cases, we’ve missed the target. As we begin to develop a new set of goals for the next few years, I want to mention some of the high points we’ve had so our community has a sense of the Hudson City School District’s outlook for 2020 and beyond.

Read more in Superintendent Suttmeier's September 2019 column >>

New Website Launched in September

We recently launched our redesigned website, www.hudsoncsd.org. The new design is mobile-friendly and has helpful features such as Google Translate and a searchable staff directory. We also updated our calendars and created a section specifically for parents with tons of useful information. Click some links, look around, and tell us what you think!

screenshot of new website homepage
Board Appoints New HS Principal

We are pleased to announce that Mr. Robert LaCasse, current Associate Principal at Hudson Senior High School, will be the new building Principal after Dr. Abitabile’s departure in late November. He was appointed to the Principal position by the Board of Education at a special meeting on Monday, October 21, 2019. His first day as Principal will be Monday, November 25th.

Mr. LaCasse has worked at HCSD for 20 years as a teacher, coach and administrator, so many of you may already be familiar with him. Learn more about Mr. LaCasse on our website.

Hands-On Science

Elementary and high school students participated in the annual “A Day in the Life of the Hudson River,” a regional event that uses our local geography to engage students in hands-on science.

For the first time, third graders from M.C. Smith Elementary School participated in the large scale research initiative. As in past years, Hudson High School students in the AP Environmental Science and Marine Science classes, as well as the HHS Envirothon team, also took part in the data collection.

The data collected by students will be studied by the Department of Environmental Conservation. Read more and see photos from the event.

AP Scholars 2019

It is with great honor that Dr. Antonio W. Abitabile, Principal of Hudson Senior High School, announces that eleven seniors and 2019 graduates have been recognized as AP Scholars. To receive this honor, students must achieve grades of 3.0 or higher on at least three full-year AP (Advanced Placement) Exams.

Congratulations to Spencer Goldstien, Autumn Kudlack, Sarah Li, Rowan Meyers, Majed Murshed, Emilia Ortiz, Katarina Scali, Ahsraful Shamrat, Kyle Ublacker, Michael Zhang, and Victoria Gardner (who was named AP Scholar with Honors, which means she earned a minimum of 3.25 on AP exams and scored a 3 or more on at least 4 of those exams!).

New Mentoring Program

The “Sohotra Squad” is a new mentoring program at Hudson Junior High led by one of our School Resource Officers, Deputy Zac Sohotra from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. He works with other mentors to help the students set goals and stick to them.

We strongly believe that having a quality mentor can help inspire student interest in education and attending school regularly. Learn more about the Sohotra Squad on our website.

2nd Grade Loves STEAM

Second grade students learned about measuring and simple machines during a STEAM lesson. They engaged in a design challenge to create an inclined plane that could move a ball 12 inches. They could use only foam blocks, cardboard and toothpicks as building materials.

STEAM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math, is a new curriculum at M.C. Smith Elementary School. All grades, K-5, get to participate in STEAM lessons that correspond with curriculum in their regular classrooms. 

Unity Day 2019

Why are we wearing orange? To stand together and unite against bullying! On October 23rd our schools participated in Unity Day, a national event focused on bullying awareness and prevention. Students and staff wore orange to make a statement against bullying behaviors. 

High school students also used orange paper to write messages of positivity for our elementary students. You can see photos of these positive notes on our website. 

man speaks to students in library
Career Luncheon Series

Students at Hudson High School learned about finance careers from HHS graduate Mike Bucci during the first Creative Career Luncheon of this school year.

As a CPA (Certified Public Accountant), Mike talked about the various aspects of running his accounting firm, as well as career opportunities related to accounting, bookkeeping, business, and finance.

Afterschool Program Showcase

Our annual "Lights On Afterschool" celebration was a huge success! The students put on spectacular demonstrations of our program offerings such as Tae Kwon Do and baton twirling. We also had a great time making crafts and scaling the outdoor rock wall. See more photos here and learn more about the event on our website.

This event was part of the 20th annual "Lights On Afterschool" celebration, which takes place nationwide. It is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important roles in the lives of children, families and communities. 

Alum Visits from Australia

5th graders learned all about Australia in preparation of a visit from HHS Class of 1987 alum, Robert Unson, who is currently a hotel manager in Melbourne, Australia. Students studied various aspects of the country including landscape, architecture, wildlife, tourist attractions, cuisine, the coral reef, and climate. The visitors brought their own photos and stories to share with the class, as well as fake Australian currency and tasty Australian treats called Tim Tam. 

Kindergarten Class "Adopts" a Tree

Mrs. Rutkey's Kindergarten class "adopted" a tree on the Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School playground to learn about trees and weather.

The students made observations about the tree and discussed features like color and the different parts.

They recorded their observations for the Fall season and will go back to visit and observe the tree during each season.

Traffic Safety Assembly

Primary students got a refresher course in traffic safety from Otto the Auto (AAA Hudson Valley). They sang the "Buckle Up Cha-cha" and reviewed safe behavior for riding in cars and school buses.

They also learned about bike safety, staying safe near roads, and to "Stop, Look, Listen" before crossing the street. Thanks Otto!

nursing home residents visit a pre-kindergarten classroom
Pre-K Hosts Elderly Residents

Residents from Pine Haven Nursing Home stopped by to meet Mrs. McDonald’s pre-kindergarten students in October.

They sang songs together and then the students performed two dances for their guests. The students and their visitors also did other activities like coloring and bracelet making.

It was a wonderful outing for the nursing home residents. Everyone had so much fun!

Using AAC to "Talk"

5th grade students were introduced to AAC, or Augmentative and Alternative Communication, to grow their understanding of communication disorders and devices.

Students actively participated in exploring mystery bags, describing what they felt inside and making guesses about the items using only AAC devices to communicate! Read more about this activity and AAC devices on our website. 

 

Field Rehabilitation Project

The District is preparing to move forward with renovations to rehabilitate and modernize the John A. Barrett baseball field located on the grounds of the Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School. This announcement is a follow up to the announcement issued on August 6, 2019.

Click here to read the District's full statement about this opportunity to keep the historic field in operation as a competitive sports complex, as was intended when it first opened in 1935. Click here to view the most recent design draft.

positive behavior intervention and supports
Positive Referrals & Recognition 

Shout out to all the students at Hudson Junior/Senior High School who were recognized for their positive choices this fall! See who made the lists and what they did to receive positive referrals from staff:

Hudson Junior High School Positive Referrals for September 2019 and October 2019

Hudson Senior High School Positive Referrals for September 2019 and October 2019

"Getting to Know You:" Kayani Ilse

Meet our American Sign Language teacher, Kayani Ilse. This is the first year ASL is being offered as a language course, and Mrs. Ilse loves introducing high school students to ASL as a new language and culture.

Click here to learn more about Mrs. Ilse on our website. 

upcoming events and dates

Thanksgiving Recess: November 27-29, 2019 (re-open on Mon. 12/2)

Half Day for Parent/Teacher Conferences: Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Winter Concerts: December 10-19, 2019 (full schedule here)

Holiday Recess: December 23, 2019-January 1, 2020 (re-open on Thurs. 1/2/20)

Afterschool Program Advisory Board Meeting: Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Midterm & Regents Exams: January 21-24, 2020

MLK Jr. Day (All Schools Closed): Monday, January 20, 2020

Did you know...? There are lots of reasons to have Bluehawk Pride!
Watch this video to find out why!
Students holding "winning team" banner
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Copyright © 2019. Hudson City School District. All rights reserved.

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Hudson City School District
215 Harry Howard Avenue
Hudson, NY 12534
518-828-4360
www.hudsoncsd.org

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