FALL 2008 - Taconic Hills Central School District

Vol. 22 No.1 TACONIC HILLS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICTFALL 2008THE CLASS OF 2023 Judy Webb has become the first THteacher to teach a universal Pre-K class at Taconic Hills. Shedescribed her first few months as “exciting and a lot of fun.”Recently, members of the class of 2023 made scarecrows fordisplay in the elementary hallway.

Taconic Hills offers an enrichment program in theElementary School and Advanced Placement classes in theHigh School, as well as some college-level courses. Onearea of focus for students in regular classes is the abilityto earn honors credit for completing additional academictasks. The district’s Enrichment Committee was formed toinvestigate this issue and make recommendations. ▲STANDING STRONG CheerleaderKelsey Speed got some helpinghands from her teammates during aTH football game this fall.“IT’S INCUMBENT UPON US” During this summer’sannual TH Board of Education reorganization meeting,Ronald Morales stepped up to the challenge ofbecoming board president.“We have a good mix now,” he said recently. “Wehave newer members like myself as well as memberswho have been serving for a while, including PaulRobertson, John Mastropolo and Tom Bailey.”“We need to maintain a world view, I believe. Acutting-edge education is essential for young peoplewho are going to compete in a global economy. Weneed to keep raising the bar. It’s incumbent upon usto do so.”Mr. Morales is the son of former TH teacher ToddHorwitt. He attended Hobart College. His wife Jenniferis a social worker in Pittsfield and the couple has threechildren, two of whom are students at Taconic Hills.He is the manager of the Copake branch of the FirstNiagara Bank.“We know we face a challenge and challengingtimes,” he said. “But we’re fortunate to have astrong, proactive board and the leadership of Dr.Sposato. He is stressing the need to stay competitive,to keep making progress in all our programming andmaintain a top-shelf educational environment hereat Taconic Hills.”READY TO GO Jason Gaylord approached a 2nd grademath quiz with a positive attitude and a grin. His teacheris Jessica Schedler.3

A FREE YEARBOOK TO ALL SENIORS—AS TH GIVES BACK ONE STEP AT A TIME. . .Taconic Hills is looking for waysto give back to a communitythat has been one of the mostsupportive of any school district in thearea. School Superintendent Dr. MarkA. Sposato sought one such opportunity:make the school yearbook free toall seniors and reduce the price to allstudents who want to purchase it. Inaddition, several teachers are pitchingin to make this year’s yearbook differentthan in years past.Virginia DiPalma, Middle Schoolfamily and consumer sciences teacher, isbeing joined by business teacher CybilHoward, English teacher Dara Wheelerand art teachersNancy Andell andZachary Borge tomake the yearbook amore interdisciplinaryproject for thestudents working onit. In a collaborativeeffort, TH administration,staff andcommunity havereduced the price to$25 for all underclassmenand madeit free to all seniors.“Mrs. DiPalma and Dara Wheelerare co-advisors,” Mrs. Howard said.“I’m helping with the business aspectof the publication—getting advertisementsand adding up the dollars andcents. Nancy Andell is working withthe photographers and Dara Wheeleris helping with the writing. We hopeto get not only a good finished productbut an educational experience outof the yearbook as well.”The yearbook staff will hold fundraisersand is also supported by agrant from the THE E Fund alongwith donations.The yearbook editor is ChristaHamm. The assistanteditor is JaclynDavala. Along withabout a dozen studentvolunteers,they meet twice aweek after schoolto compile the yearbook,choosing photos,writing captionsand working withelements of graphicdesign. ▲HOMECOMING AND SPIRITWEEK LIVEN UP OCTOBER ATTACONIC HILLS Under the directionof new student council advisorKim Shyer, Taconic Hills hadits first-ever Spirit Week to markhomecoming. Members of thegirls field hockey team cheeredat a pep rally in October.In November the student councilarranged for a blood drivethat attracted 122 donors. TheRed Cross collected 120 units ofblood—enough to help up to 304local hospital patients in need.SNEAK PEAK The cover of the 2009 Taconic Hills yearbook was designed by SeanGrinvalksy. The yearbook is being put together by a team of students and teachersworking in Mrs. Howard’s High School business classroom after school.4SUPPORT YOUR SCHOOL—PLACE AN AD IN THE 2009TACONIC HILLS YEARBOOK!Local business owners can get their messageout, show their pride and support TH studentsby placing an ad in the yearbook. Formore information about the cost and sizes ofads, call Virginia DiPalma at (518) 325-0390.The deadline for ads is December 31.JOHNNY DEPP DOUBLEDThe halls were alive withcolorful characters onFriday, October 31. Atright, Pirate Jack Sparrowcame face-to-face withEdward Scissorhands.Need a hint to their realidentities? One is a HighSchool student; the othera school district superintendent.

SIGNING YOUR NAME: RACHEL’S CHALLENGE COMES TO TACONIC HILLSIn 1999 Rachel Scott, a 17-year-old high school studentin Colorado, wrote an essay called “My Ethics, MyCodes of Life.” In it she theorized that if one personwould go out of his or her way to show kindness and compassion,it would a start “a chain reaction of kindness.” Amonth later Rachel was the first victim of the Columbineschool massacre. Since that time her ideas have been keptalive by an organization called Friends of Rachel and aprogram called Rachel’s Challenge. In October Rachel’sChallenge came to Taconic Hills. The program left THstudents deeply moved.High School Dean of Student Services Drew Hopkinssaid the program was part of the ongoing work of charactereducation. “The presenter talked about Rachel’s life, herwritings and her premonition that she was going to die at ayoung age,” Mr. Hopkins said. “The students saw images ofRachel’s life and learned from her writings about what shewanted to do with her life. The focus is not so much on herdeath and Columbine, but on the positive message sheleft behind and the opportunity for us to acceptthe challenge of putting it into practice.”After the presentation students returned totheir classrooms and discussed what they werefeeling and what bearing Rachel’s story hadon life at Taconic Hills.“There were a lot of tears,” Mr. Hopkinssaid. “In the afternoon we had leadershipworkshops. Friends of Rachel strives to get kids to continuethe acts of kindness and compassion she talked about.Students volunteered to sign up for Rachel’s Challenge, toget together for goal setting and to take on a curriculumthat is task-oriented.” Such tasks include assigning a groupof students to a welcoming committee so that newcomersto the school don’t become isolated or lost. Other tasksinclude recognizing people in the community whose contributionshave gone unnoticed and the mentoring of youngerstudents by High School students.“Things like this can make a huge difference in a school,”Mr. Hopkins said. “Out of 585 HighSchool students we have 130involved in taking up thischallenge. That’sawesome.”▲SERVING THEIR SCHO0L: Volunters Help Kids Learn at Taconic HillsFormer TH teacher Joan Mattson had an idea: In anarea rich with retired professionals, why not see ifsome wanted to volunteer at Taconic Hills? Workingwith administrators and the School Board, she got her projectoff the ground. It is thriving today, with twelve dedicatedvolunteers helping out teachers in grades K–4. Mrs.Mattson would love to have more.“In the old days, there used to be more parent volunteersin the classroom,” she said. “Today, with parents workingtwo jobs, it’s harder to get teachers extra help. We thoughtthere was an untapped resource here in Columbia County.We put the word out and eventually we came up with apool of applicants. We interviewed everyone, checked references,and all the volunteers had to be approved by theprincipal and School Board. Then we did an orientationand matched volunteers with teachers.”Two of the volunteers, Louise McCord (right) and LauraManchester, come with helpers of their own. Both womenhave therapy dogs that they bring into school. Many childrenare comforted by the presence of a pet in a classroom.Students who are nervous reading out loud to people practicetheir reading with the dogs.“Our volunteers come in to make a difference,” Mrs.Mattson said. “We work directly with students under thesupervision of the teacher, one-on-one and in small groups.This gives the teacher another set of hands and studentsextra adult attention, involvement and mentoring.”Mrs. Mattsonwants to expandthe program ifmore people volunteer.She urgedanyone interestedin volunteeringto contact herthrough the elementaryschool at(518) 325-0370.“This is somethingthat worksfor kids, worksfor teachers andworks for thevolunteers themselves.Everyonegets a lot out ofit,” she said. ▲5

ELITE JAZZ PROGRAM TAKES FLIGHTTaconic Hills is home to one ofthe hippest, most challengingmodern jazz programs amongregional public schools. Music teacherThomas J. Russell has created aunique, high-level jazz ensemble classcomposed of students whose enthusiasmand playing skill qualify themfor the program. This gives them theopportunity to explore jazz improvisationboth in school and at performancesthroughout the region.“It’s amazing,” Mr. Russell saidrecently. “I’ve had the shiest, quietestkids come audition for the class. Andonce they start playing in the group, awhole other side of them comes out.”Mr. Russell is the director of theschool band, including the school’smarching band. He also teaches a classcalled Music in Our Lives and givesinstrumental music lessons throughoutthe week in school. While nearlya hundred students benefit from hisinstruction, the jazz ensemble classoccupies a special place in the schoolcurriculum.“Not many schools have a programlike this,” Mr. Russell said. “It’san honor when a kid gets in and Ithink the kids realize that. It attractsstudents who are ready for an extramusical challenge and that tends toattract a certain kind of individual.In this program we’re reaching to thetop of jazz composition. We teachhigh-level jazz charts and arrangementsand the art of improvisation.It’s not easy stuff.”The improvisational aspect of jazzis particularly demanding, Mr. Russellsaid. “If you play in a jazz band that’sdoing improvisation, there is no placefor you to hide. I stress that to the kids:‘You are the player.’ Since it’s a selectgroup, with basically one student permusical part, every student is responsiblefor making the piece work.”Mr. Russell said that he has noticeda lot of overlap between A.P. studentsand members of his jazz class. In addition,the music room becomes a popularplace for students to hang out afterschool and in study periods.“They like to come and practice.They like to talk about music. I wentto a jazz performance at the HudsonOpera House one night. The firstrow of seats was entirely taken up bymy jazz ensemble students. I said tomyself, ‘Hey, wait a second here …’”Mr. Russell has a youthful, infectiousenergy and is a lover of modernjazz himself. Growing up in Chatham,he played trumpet and was influencedby the Chatham band directorSteve Gitto. In college in Colorado hestarted to explore contemporary jazzand the pleasure of live performance.He brought that enthusiasm withhim to Taconic Hills five years ago.The improvisational jazz class usuallyincludes 15–20 students, fromfreshmen to upperclassmen, athletesto artists.“We’re learning how to perform.We get gigs. We just played at a benefitconcert at Olana and the last fewyears we have opened for the JazzKnights. A big part of what we’redoing is also music theory. These studentsare getting a cutting-edge educationin how music works. In thepast I’ve had students who started inthis program go on to become musicmajors in college.”Mr. Russell is particularly proud ofthe way his students interact with eachother. “Music is a common ground,”he said. “It’s an oasis from some ofthe more difficult aspects of being inschool. At conservatories and musicschools, some music programs are6BRINGING OUT THE BEST EsperanzaSanchez took a solo during a recentbenefit concert at Olana, while Mr.Russell conducted. Back at the school,the jazz ensemble class worked on anew piece.

AT TACONIC HILLSvery competitive. This is just for kids who like to play and want to learnmore. They really support each other.From Miles Davis to Duke Ellington, from Count Basie to Charlie Parkerand Charles Mingus, Mr. Russell knows for a fact that modern jazz has madeits way on to the iPods of many of his students.“We’ll be working on a piece and when it comes time for one of the playersto take a solo, I hear the student ‘copping a lick’ from Miles or Sonny Rollins.I just shakemy head. Youknow a kid’sreally feeling itwhen he startsto borrow fromthe best.” ▲“This isfor kidswho liketo playand wantto learnmore. . .Music is acommonground.”BOARD OF EDUCATIONRonald Morales, President (2012)Paul Robertson, Vice President (2009)Tom Bailey (2010)James Keefner (2013)George Lagonia Jr. (2011)John Mastropolo (2011)Donald McComb (2013)Robert McComb (2012)Harvey Weber (2009)BOARD MEETINGS — The Board ofEducation meets on Wednesday eveningsonce a month as noted in the annual schoolcalendar. The meetings are held in the BoardRoom at the school and begin at 7:00 p.m.The Board welcomes and encourages thepublic to attend these meetings.PUBLIC FORUM — Two 10-minute “PublicForum” sessions are scheduled at each Boardmeeting, at the beginning and near the end.These times are set aside so that residents mayaddress the Board directly on issues of importance.Because the Board has a great deal ofbusiness which it must attend to during itsmeetings, the public is asked to confine its participationto these public forum sessions.DISTRICT OFFICE(518) 325-0300 or (toll-free) (877) 359-5393Mark A. Sposato, Ed.D. ...Superintendent.........................of SchoolsAnthony Marchesano ........ Director of......Instruction and Staff DevelopmentLarry Proper ..........Superintendent of...............Buildings and GroundsMelissa Layman ...........District ClerkCarol Curtis ............. Food Services..................... Cook ManagerRichard Viebrock ...........Supervisor of..................... TransportationHarriett Kane .............Tax CollectorLinda Miller .................TreasurerKrista DeRocha .......... Business Office........................AccountantPLEASE ADDRESS MAIL TO:Taconic Hills Central School District73 County Route 11ACraryville, NY 12521BUILDING ADMINISTRATION• Grades 9–12 High School: 325-0390Michael V. Teator – Principal• Dean of Student Services: 325-0400Drew Hopkins – H.S. Dean• Grades 5–8 Middle School: 325-0420Neil L. Howard Jr. – Principal• Grades K–4 Elementary School: 325-0370John V. Gulisane Jr. – Principalwww.taconichills.k12.ny.us7

ONE MONTH: 5.37 TONS Taconic Hills recycles paper and cardboard.Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Larry Proper said that in Septemberthe school recycled 5.37 tons of paper and cardboard working with a companythat compensates the school by the ton. Mr. Proper said that recycling is “a teameffort.” Every classroom has a 32-gallon bag for paper products. “When a bag isfull, we take it out and replace it with an empty one.”SMILE “Picture Day” is an annual ritual for students everywhere. In OctoberVictoria Edge took her turn in front of the camera for her official school photo—before and after a little adjustment from the photographer.December 12, 13 “A Christmas Carol,” High School Drama Production, 7 p.m.December 18December 24January 5January 12–16January 19January 20–23January 27–30January 28Kindergarten Sing-a-long, 9:15 a.m.Grades 5–12 Instrumental Concert, 7 p.m.Winter RecessClasses ResumeGrades 3, 4, 5 ELA TestingMartin Luther King Jr. Day, District ClosedGrades 6, 7, 8 ELA TestingRegents TestingDATES TO REMEMBERGrades 1 and 2 Arts Festival, 6 p.m.; Winter Concert, 7 p.m.MAN ON A MISSION Neil L.Howard Jr. is the new TH MiddleSchool principal. One of his firstpriorities has been addressing thesocial climate of the school. “Wehave a great, very cohesive team ofteachers,” he said. “When I reachedout to parents at the beginning ofthe academic year, I found concernsabout social issues in the school.”Recently, both Middle School andHigh School students participated ina session called Rachel’s Challenge(see page 5). Dr. Howard said thatthe program had a “visceral impact”and he is following it up with a comprehensiveapproach to bullyingand an effort to return the schoolcommunity to such basics as goodmanners. “It will take everyone fromteacher aides to bus drivers, students,staff and our school climatecommittee,” he said. “Ultimately, Ihope to put in the right proceduresto ensure increased caring for oneanother in the building.”8THE TITAN HERALDis published by theTaconic Hills Board of EducationEditor: John SlotePhotographer: David LeeDesign: Toelke AssociatesPlease address correspondence to:The Titan Heraldc/o Taconic Hills School District73 County Route 11ACraryville, NY 12521TACONIC HILLSCENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT73 County Route 11ACraryville, NY 12521Please deliver to…BOXHOLDER—ORRURAL ROUTE RESIDENTof the Taconic Hills Central School DistrictNON-PROFITORGANIZATION U.S.POSTAGE PAIDHUDSON, NY 12534PERMIT #211