Summer 2004 - Taconic Hills Central School District

Meet the 2004 Taconic HillsVALEDICTORIANSierra Sharron4She was captain of the field hockey team and class secretary. Hetried everything from fencing to Shakespeare to track and field.They both were mentors to younger students at Taconic Hills (seepage 3) and at graduation they spoke about individuality and thefact that in the TH class of 2004, most students knew a lot aboutone another as individuals. Now, they’re heading off to college.Recently, they shared some thoughts with the Titan Herald.Valedictorian Sierra SharronWhat are your plans for the fall?I’m going to Northeastern University in Bostonto study architecture. I know it’s going to be a big change,but I’m very excited about it.What was your favorite part of school?Math was my best subject. I really liked art, but I didn’thave enough room in my schedule for an art class this pastyear. I’ve always been interested in design and would like todo something design-oriented. People have told me I shouldbe an engineer because I’m good at math, but I’ve alwaysbeen fascinated by architecture.What kind of architecture interests you most?I was in Miami this year and I really liked the old art deco stylethere. I’m interested in older, ornate styles of architecture.Was finishing at the top of your class a goal of yours?It was definitely something I thought about. Zach and I finishedat the top of our 8th grade class. I was curious to see if it mightturn out that way at the end of 12th grade too.Were there particular teachers who helped you at Taconic Hills?Ms. Webster helped me a lot as my math teacher. Ms. Seeley,my field hockey coach. You could talk to her about things thatyou couldn’t necessarily talk to other teachers about and shepushed me. That was important to me.Do you have any advice for students who want to achieve at ahigh level?Actually, I spoke at the 8th grade moving up ceremonyand wrote up a top ten list of things to do if you want to besuccessful at high school. They included:• Challenge yourself.• Play your cards right so colleges will competefor you.• Don’t try to do more than you can do.• Number one on the list was: Be yourself.What are you doing this summer?I’m working a lot. I work at the Barrington Breweryin Great Barrington. I’m also teaching at an artcamp for kids at Start Studio in Copake. ▲Salutatorian Zach MabenWhat are you doing in the fall?I’ll be attending Cornell University. I’m planning ongetting a degree in biochemistry. Then I’m lookingat applying to medical school.When did you start thinking about this as a field youmight be interested in?My freshman year at Taconic Hills. I really likedbiology class. AP biology was even better. Mrs.Brousseau was particularly helpful as a teacher.Basically, I’ve always liked biology and I like peopleso I’m thinking that there must be some way tocombine those two things. Studying biology is likewatching life. I find the whole process of life to bemind-boggling. This year I was part of the QuestarNew Vision program for medicine and allied health.I studied anatomy and physiology in a classroomsetting, and then went on rotations with people atColumbia Memorial Hospital. I was working in thematernity ward, OR, the ER, the laboratory, thepharmacy; I followed EMTs from the GreenportRescue Squad and toured the Columbia CountyDepartment of Health.What part of this experience did you like the most?I really enjoyed the surgical procedures. It made meseriously consider becoming a surgeon.

andSALUTATORIANZach MabenYou did a lot of activities at Taconic Hills, didn’t you?I’ve done all the school plays. I played in the jazzband. I was in the Model U.N. and was a studentcouncil representative. This year I was on the trackteam and really enjoyed it. I was in the fencingclub. I really liked that. Fencing was so weird that itwas interesting. I really started to appreciate theschool at the end of my sophomore year and thebeginning of junior year. That’s when I startedbecoming more active in clubs and student government.I was more open with people—that made itmore enjoyable. I’ve always been kind of reservedand that made middle school a bit of a struggle.Coming into high school, it took me a little while toget used to the new environment, taking moreresponsibility for my grades and time.Do you have any advice for success in high school?The only thing I could say for certain: that doingwhatever you like to do is a way to be successful.Being successful is not only doing well, but alsoenjoying it. I don’t think you can be successful ifyou aren’t enjoying what you do. ▲SCENES FROMA GRADUATION DAYOn Thursday June 24, TH8th grade students moved upto high school. DarrinFrench, a recipient of severalacademic achievementawards, received an awardfrom librarian Steven Tigeron behalf of the TaconicHills Faculty Association.On Saturday, 102 THseniors officially becamehigh school graduates. EricVarelli received his diplomafrom school board membersJohn Mastropolo andRichard Viebrock. GraduatesBrittany Bielefeldt andRónan Haldane are picturedin a quiet momentduring the ceremony.PRIDE OF THE TITANSTwo graduating TH seniors earned prestigious,highly competitive appointments to U.S. armedservices officer academies. Matthew Schillerwill be attending the U.S. Military Academy atWest Point. Joseph Gursky was accepted to theU.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis.5

WHEN FOUR BECOMES THREE:Taconic Hills Restructures School System6This September, Taconic Hills will be rearrangedinside and out. By the first day of school, thefour-house system of the past will become athree-house system. Grades K–4 will be underthe guidance of Principal Anthony Marchesano,grades 5–8 under Principal Michael Hartner and grades9–12 under Principal John Gulisane.“This is the result of a nearly year-long study by committeesof administrators, teachers and community members,” saidSuperintendent David Paciencia. “It’s something other districtsare doing for the same reason we are: it puts us morein sync with the New York State assessment schedule andtests that are given in the 4th, 8th and 12th grades. Oneprincipal now oversees the four-year period before eachassessment. This will improve the way the grade levelswork with each and will help us be more accountable notonly for student achievement on the tests, but for meetingand exceeding our own standards as a school.”“Throughout this process, we’ve been careful to keep inmind that everything needs to be age appropriate,” saidAssistant Superintendent for Curriculum and InstructionKathleen Collins. “The committee looked carefully at suchissues as where the nursing staff will be, dismissal proceduresand the placement of programs like Stay and Playand Head Start, among others.”“For 5th and 6th graders, it won’t feel very different,”Mrs. Collins said. “Those students will still be in theirself-contained classrooms. But this restructuring eliminatesa transition by putting the 5th and 6th grade under themiddle school principal and having the teachers in thosegrades be in close communication with the teachers in7th and 8th grades.”MAKING THE CHANGE: WHAT IT MEANS TO YOURearranging the grade levels means moving classrooms.While students in grades 5 and 6 will find their classesin the elementary wing of the building, high school andgrades 7 and 8 students will be relocated.Most high school classrooms will be in the front of thesecondary wing—on the second floor where the middleschool classrooms were last year. High school classes willbe arranged for more interdisciplinary work. Specializedhigh school classrooms such as science and technologywill remain in the back of the building.The middle school office is being moved to the back of thebuilding, on the second floor. Middle school guidancecounselors and the school dean will have their offices inthat area and middle school classrooms will be along theback hallway.The three 7th and 8th class teams—Hufflepuffs, Ravenclawsand Gryffendors—remain in place.Other things are staying the same. Art, music and physicaleducation classes do not have to be moved, either in theelementary and secondary wing. Lunch and physicaleducation schedules are being planned over the summer,with a primary goal of having students working in ageappropriatepeer groups.For families with students in grades 5 and 6, the biggestdifference this fall will be transportation—and new arrivaland dismissal times. The school will continue to run on atwo-bell schedule. Grades 5 and 6 will be added to thecurrent 7–12 bus schedule, meaning that 5th and 6th gradestudents will come to school earlier in the morning andleave earlier in the afternoon. ▲DON’T FORGET…If your child is in grades 5-12, he or she willbe on the early bus to and from school.If your child is in grades K-4, he or she willbe on the 2nd bus to and from school.Grades 5 and 6 classrooms will remain in theelementary wing. Students in these gradeswill still have one primary teacher and willnot move from class to class.Grades 7 and 8 classrooms will be on the2nd floor in the back of the building.Most grades 9-12 classrooms will be in thefront of the secondary school, second floor.

MOVING DAYS: THEY’REGETTING THE JOB DONEAfter a year of discussion and planning, a school of more than2,000 people is redesigning itself. And for the building andgrounds crew, that means work. Lots of work.“More than 90 moves will be made,” said Otto Meilick,facility manager for Taconic Hills. “Teachers started packingbefore the end of school and the building and groundsdepartment got right to work as soon as school ended.”“Most of the furniture is staying where it is,” Mr. Meilicksaid. “But all the teachers’ supplies and personal items haveto be moved.“The biggest single project is moving the middle school officeto the rear of the building. The school’s building and groundspeople are doing all of the work themselves.MAKING IT HAPPEN These 2nd shiftbuilding and grounds people are part of theteam rearranging Taconic Hills over the summer.From left to right are Allen Weaver, Donny Miller,Jim Wellhausen, Don Elsasser, Helen Koziol and JimNewcomb. Not pictured are 2nd shift cleaners MikeO’Neil, Dan Prosser, Ron Ernst, Clara Haywood and 2ndshift maintenance men Joey Argus, Gene O’Reilly andDave Bashford. Other cleaners and maintenance peoplewho are making great efforts this summer are Mary Ray,Bert Ernst, Dave Simmons, Bill Rogers, Don Simmons,Doug Williams, Nick Smith, Scotty Burger, Joe Raco Sr.,Ron Parsons and Dan McGuire. Below, Allen Weaverhandled a desk in July. ▲“The challenge is to make sure that everything gets done and isset before the first teachers and students arrive in September,”Mr. Meilick said.At the same time, he points out, his building and groundspersonnel have their regular summer responsibilities—keepingthe building clean and running while summer school andenrichment programs are held during the day in July.“We’re getting some help from our substitute building andgrounds people,” he said. “But I think it’s fair to say that ourcrew is going to have a very busy summer.” ▲Superintendent Conference Days begin before Labor Day.Faculty and staff will have conference days on September 1and 2. Students will return to school on Tuesday, September 7.7

TH COMMEMORATIVE PARK IS DEDICATED…WITH LOVEOn June 19, the Taconic Hills Commemorative Park was dedicatedto the district, the culmination of a community-wide effort thatincluded the vital support and fundraising of past and present THstudents. Below is the school bell from the old Hollowvilleschool house, which was moved to the Ockawamickbuilding in the 1950s and was refurbished for its newplace of honor on the Craryville campus. Former buildingsand grounds supervisor Bud Atwood wore hisold Roe Jan letter sweater for the occasion. StateAssemblyman Patrick Manning posed with MaryMazzacano, who was president of the alumni associationand chairperson of the commemorative parkcommittee. Senator Stephen Saland and other localdignitaries and alumni were on hand for the event. ▲TH ART GALLERY8Based on the theories of artist David Hockney, 22 students from Nancy Andell’s photographyand portfolio preparation classes collaborated on an unusual project that involved creating atemporary art installation and then photographing it from a variety of angles and distances.“The students created something like a stage set,” Ms. Andell said. “They brought in personalobjects from home—hubcaps, teddy bears, jumper cables—and we got things from the custodialstaff and the earth science and technology teachers. The students each took one to tworolls of film in two days. Each student was responsible for shooting one section of the installation.The students then looked at the photographs and began assembling them to recreate theinstallation in a photomural that had a cubist quality of fractured space.” Titan Heraldphotographer David Lee served as an artist-in-residence for the project. Mr. Lee’s backgroundin art history, installation art and fine arts photography helped shape the project.He worked with the students in all phases ofthe project.Two of Ms. Andell’s students won juried prizesthis year. Barbara Stengel received an honorablemention at a juried art contest at Columbia-Greene Community College for her close-tolife-sizedrawing of fellow student Amy Cutler.Alex Strompf received a prize in CongressmanJohn Sweeny’s 20th district high school artcontest. Alex’s award-winning photographcaptured school buses leaving the TH buildingon a foggy spring morning. ▲

LOOKING UPPhoto: D. Lee Photo: D. LeeThrough the generosity of TH parent Mrs.Aine Ungar and the Taconic Hills EducationalEnrichment Fund, American Indian activist, actorand author Russell Means came to Taconic Hillsat the end of April. Mr. Means spoke to studentsand the community about traditional Indiansociety and the clashing ideals of native and nonnativesociety. Stressing the Indian concept of a“matriarchal” society, Mr. Means discussedtraditional male and female roles in his cultureand how many of these concepts might benefitour society as a whole. Above all, he stressed theneed for students and adults to learn tolerance forthings that don’t seem readily familiar. Quotingan uncle, he said: “What you do not know, youfear. What you fear, you destroy.” Mr. Meansposed with Mrs. Aine Ungar, more able learnersconsultant teacher Michael Robbins, AssistantSuperintendent for Curriculum and InstructionKathleen Collins, Principal John Gulisane andSuperintendent David Paciencia. ▲LOOKINGAHEADTH girls softball players didn’t have to put on their rallycaps very often this year, but they did in this game againstIchabod Crane on May 7. The Taconic Hills girls had adominating 17-1 season to win the Patroon Conferencechampionship and qualify for sectional play. Their coachis math teacher Angela Webster. Pictured (left to right) areCarolyn Schmolz, Stephanie Gardina, Rachel Keyser andGina Mastropolo. ▲LOOKING WITHINEvery year, Taconic Hills Middle School hosts a career day. This past spring, nearly60 TH community members came to the school to talk to students about what theydo for a living and how they do it. Among the presenters were a conservation officer,a pilot, police and firemen, a lawyer, hairdresser, photographer, psychologist,veterinarian and representatives from all branches of the military. James Strohwas one of the interested students, visiting with a local banker, Roger Decker.The students prepare for career day by taking a career and occupational preferencetest through a home and careers skills class taught by Lynne Colclough.Mrs. Colclough and guidance counselor Wendy Warfield create a career interestinventory and design the day so that 12 popular careers are featured in classroomsthat students visit in rotation. Other careers—ranging from that of a River Ratshockey player to a local chef—are featured in a career fair in the gym. “By thetime the students get to career day, they have all done a research paper for theirhome and career skills class and are anxious to learn more about specific fields,”Ms. Warfield said. Career day culminates in a demonstration by the ColumbiaCounty Greenport Rescue Squad Dive Team. ▲9

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF….PHYSICS TEACHER ALAN EGGLESTONHe’s a long way from home. On the other hand,he’s right at home. He’s living in an apartment inPhilmont thinking about his farm in Potsdam, tenmiles south of the Canadian border. He is a teacherwho was a principal for seven years, and for five years wasa superintendent of schools. For Alan Eggleston, being herenow is the culmination of a long and winding road thatsomehow—like physics—makes sense.“I am now doing what I believe I was meant to do,”he says.How did this former researcher, teacher, principal andsuperintendent get to Taconic Hills?“In 1976, I applied for a General Motors technical managementtraining program after getting my B.A. in physics,” heexplains. “G.M. couldn’t accept me into the program untilJanuary. I didn’t want to sit and wait until then, so I took aactively involved father to his growing children, he tookthe position of assistant principal and athletic director atPotsdam High School. His next career move was to becomeprincipal at Edwards-Knox School in St. Lawrence County.After seven years, he was hired as the superintendent ofBrasher Falls Central School District.Why all the moves? Money was one factor. “My firstteaching job paid $6,000,” he remembers aloud. But moreimportantly, he is not a man who tolerates the humdrum.“I think I have always been looking for new challenges.And that’s probably how I realized that teaching wasthe job for me: every day and every student is a newchallenge.”“There were a lot of things about being an administrator Ididn’t like. As a superintendent, you end up facing a lot ofangry people and I didn’t like all that conflict. I felt it eating“I’ve worked in industry, research, administration,but teaching is what I’ve always come back to.”10job teaching at a Catholic school. I taught everything there:religion, spelling, handwriting, history, math and science.When G.M. finally called, I told them I had already madea commitment. That’s how I got into teaching.”His next job was teaching science in a public school. Fromthere, he completed a master’s degree in condensed matterphysics. During the first oil embargo of the 1980s, he waspart of a research team working on photovoltaics/solar cells.He was hired by Shell Oil in Newark, Delaware and wasscheduled for a transfer to Houston. With two young childrenand a third on the way, he and his wife couldn’t faceanother, farther move.“We went back to Malone, New York, the town where Iwas born. I taught for a while at a community college.”At the same time, he began working on a doctorate.“I was working with an advisor who was doing some veryinteresting research,” he says. “We were working on superconductorsand conferring with I.B.M.” A heady time endedabruptly when his advisor left the project. Mr. Egglestonbegan teaching high school math and computer programmingwhile taking night classes in educational administration.After six years, during which time he was also anaway at me, taking a toll on my health. Teaching is alwaysnew. It’s like doing a performance and having your audience—yourstudents—react. Sometimes we delve off intothings that are on the bizarre side of physics, such as strongand weak nuclear forces. I love the sense of stretching theirminds, seeing how far they can go with an idea.”As a high school physics teacher, he teaches mostly accomplishedstudents. But Mr. Eggleston relishes the challengesof the less motivated students as well.“Even on my worst day, when I see the first student comethrough the door it becomes fun for me. I think the kids cansee that, too—that I’m having a good time and that I enjoywhat I am doing. I feel very privileged to be their teacher.”To him, the ideal of teaching is to take students from “theknown to the unknown. If you can do that, you don’t losekids,” he says.Does he feel a sense of kinship with the TH principals andSuperintendent David Paciencia?“Having held nearly every position in a public school, Ihave a rather holistic perspective of the issues and challengesthat face our schools. I know what Dave and the

“The ideal of teaching is to take studentsfrom the known to the unknown.If you can do that, you don’t lose kids.”other administrators are going throughand how hard their jobs are,” he said.“I don’t envy them. I also know thedifficulties that teachers face and howdifficult their jobs are.”Mr. Eggleston heard about Taconic Hillsat Potsdam. He thought the rural areamight feel like home, and in manyways it has. But his job here has meanta long commute, as his wife continuesher job as an assistant to the dean of theschool of science, health and professionalstudies at Canton College. Home is asprawling farm outside Potsdam, whereMr. Eggleston grows trees, leases out histillable land and hunts with his son andfriends. While he’s here, he stays on themove, coaching track and soccer, refereeingbasketball, doing tutoring andsummer school teaching, even running inroad races. The move has been stressful,but he knows his marriage of 30 yearscan stand the test.“We are together; we’re just in differentplaces. We’re both nearing retirementand will have some choices to makein the future about where we’re goingto live.”Physics is the study of how things work.It can only help when a teacher knowshow he himself is constructed.“I’ve always been a math and sciencehead deep down,” he says. “But it’s reallyjust a language to use. The real pointis the teaching. I’ve worked in industry,research, administration, but teaching iswhat I’ve always come back to. Beinginquisitive. Finding things out. Sharingdiscovery. That’s where my heart is.That’s where I’m most successful as ahuman being.” ▲▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲11

SANDS AROUND THE WORLD Visitors to the school mayhave noticed an unusual display in the back of the secondaryschool wing. The Wilcox family of Chatham gave Taconic Hillsa gift of a collection of sands from around the world. Thecarefully labeled jars in the collection—125 samples in all—contain samples of sand from places as far away as Denmarkand Dubai, Salt Lake City and Samoa. Forty-seven states and32 countries are represented in the collection. There is alsosand from historic battlefields, including Guadalcanal andthe Solomon Islands. Dorothy Wilcox began the collectionwhen her son Stanley brought some sand back from a visitto the New Jersey shore in 1960s. Soon, Mrs. Wilcox wasreceiving—and actively encouraging—gifts of sand fromtraveling friends and neighbors, and when Stanley’s sonbegan to travel extensively in the U.S. Navy, the collectionblossomed. Middle school science teacher Kevin Vallee, aneighbor of the Wilcox family, facilitated the donation ofthe collection to the school. ▲DATES TO REMEMBERSeptember 1 Superintendent’s Conference DaySeptember 2 Superintendent’s Conference DaySeptember 7 Classes BeginSeptember 9 HS Parents Meeting 6 p.m.September 14 Elementary Open House 7 p.m.September 21 MS Open House 6:30 p.m.September 23 HS Open House 6:30 p.m.October 1 Homecoming12THE TITAN HERALDis published by theTaconic Hills Board of EducationEditor: John SlotePhotographer: Brodie KramerDesign: Ron ToelkeRon Toelke AssociatesPlease address correspondence to:The Titan Heraldc/o Taconic Hills School DistrictP.O. Box 482Craryville, NY 12521TACONIC HILLSCENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICTP.O. BOX 482Craryville, NY 12521Please deliver to…BOXHOLDER—ORRURAL ROUTE RESIDENTof the Taconic Hills Central School DistrictNON-PROFITORGANIZATION U.S.POSTAGE PAIDHUDSON, NY 12534PERMIT #211