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Public SchoolS of the tarrytownS

Table of Contents
Welcome New Superintendent........... 3 Inaugural Sportsmanship Award................................ 3

Message from the Superintendent

Is it Time to Re-Invest in our Infrastructure and Fields? What do You Think?
Our school district maintains approximately 450,000 square feet of buildings and 35 acres of grounds. These facilities are used extensively all year round to support not only our educational and extra-curricular programs but also to support community recreational and sports activities. Our philosophy is that school resources, which are principally supported by local tax dollars, should be made available for the benefit of our entire community to the greatest extent possible. Consequently, in addition to suffering the natural effects of aging, our facilities also experience an extra measure of wear and tear. Dealing with the cumulative effects of age and usage requires a periodic investment of funds on a scale that exceeds what can be covered through funds available in our annual school budget.

Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591

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2013 CARRIER PRESORT

The Lion King ...................... 4 Common Core Standards...... 5 Sleepy Hollow Shorts ............ 6

We have reached one of those periodic checkpoints and are engaging in a process that will help us decide what approach to take in addressing our facilities needs. A committee consisting of school personnel and a school board member has met several times this fall to review building maintenance needs and recommend measures to address them. They have been guided in their work by a Five Year Facilities Plan that was completed by an engineering firm in 2012 in accordance with state regulations. Another committee, consisting of school personnel, a school board member, and representatives from our community recreation and youth sports programs, has been meeting to review our athletics fields needs
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Message from the Board President

Regional Lego Tournament ....................... 7 In the aftermath of the tragic shootings at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut, we remain in shock at the senseless brutality of what happened there. Parents across the country wonder if their children will be safe in school. Community members throughout the country wonder if their schools are safe. It is appropriate to raise these questions and voice these concerns. What can be done to prevent this from happening again? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. At our first Board of Education meeting after the tragedy, the Board and administration reviewed the safety procedures the District has in place. All of our buildings comply with current safety guidelines required by New York State. Supplementing this review, we are also engaged in conversations with our local police departments and other safety officials to determine if there are any additional actions we can take to make our schools safer that are reasonable, practical, and effective. It is a fine line we must walk. We must never forget that schools should be places of freedom and inquiry for our children. Finding the right balance between safety and an inviting environment is a challenge for all of us. Common sense measures are important, such as conducting age-appropriate drills and ensuring we have good communication systems within and between our buildings. Our District also supports the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents call for immediate action by the state and federal governments to fund mental health, social, and guidance services for violence prevention and incremental support services. Restoring community funding for youth and school resource officers (a partnership with our local police departments) would be a positive step toward making our schools safer. We have an excellent working relationship with the police departments in both Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, but having a resource officer dedicated to the schools would provide a clearer focus for their activities. As we all know, making effective security enhancements can be costly. We would like to see any security costs that the District incurs exempted from the recently enacted property tax levy limit calculation. We do not believe that spending money to keep our schools safe should be done at the expense of the educational program. The Board of Education plans to advocate at the state and federal level for all of the measures discussed above and we respectfully suggest that you, as concerned citizens, do so as well.

SHHS Accredited by Middle States ................................ 7

B. Joseph Lillis

President, Board of Education

Message from the Superintendent

and recommend measures to address them. They have been guided by a study that was completed in 2008 by a sports site design consultant, which has been updated based on current usage statistics. Our standing Finance Committee has also reviewed the potential fiscal implications of pursuing a facilities renovation project. A preliminary report on the work of these three committees was presented at our January 24th school board meeting and is posted on the district web site.

continued from page 1 upper WI field as the measures that are necessary to ensure access to safe, properly maintained fields. The committee was guided in their efforts by a common concern for the importance of minimizing cost and maximizing return on investment. A draft master plan for scheduling activities based on this approach shows that all of the youth sports and recreation activities operated by our community and our school district could be adequately accommodated as a result. For now, we are in the process of upgrading our fields maintenance program in an effort to improve conditions to the greatest extent possible given the ongoing usage demands. Financing Preliminary estimates place the potential cost of work required on our buildings and fields at approximately $8 million. It is anticipated that somewhere between 30 and 40% of the cost would be reimbursed through state aid. In addition, a plan is emerging that would result in no net cost to the taxpayers for the proposed upgrade of the upper WI field. The potential property tax impact, after accounting for state aid, would be a tax levy increase of less than 1%, which would translate to an increase of approximately $120 on the tax bill for a midrange home with a market value of $525,000. Timing and Next Steps The earliest the school district would be in a position to submit a bond proposition to the voters would be early December of this year. Our goal for the remainder of this school year is to seek as much feedback from the community as possible so we can use this input to refine the recommendations that have been drafted by our committees. The plan that emerges will ideally represent the best thinking on the part of many different people regarding the scope of work that should be done and the most cost-effective combination of approaches in terms of regular maintenance budget, energy performance contracting, and capital financing. Community members are invited to contact the district with comments and suggestions by phone at 631-9404, e-mail hwsmith@tufsd.org, or letters mailed to the district office at 200 North Broadway in Sleepy Hollow or faxed to 332-6283. In addition, various small and large group meetings will be scheduled for the purpose of giving people an opportunity to learn more about our needs and discuss their ideas about how best to address them. So let us hear from you and stay tuned for upcoming meetings!

budget that will be proposed for the coming school year will include some additional funds to begin addressing such items in a prioritized manner over a five year period. A few items, such as lighting replacement and installation of an energy management system at the Washington Irving School, could be financed through an energy performance contract and therefore paid for through energy cost savings. However, most of the items and associated expense can only realistically be addressed through voter approval of a capital project bond proposition that would allow the work to be financed over 15 years. In considering the work to be done, an important question to be addressed is the extent to which the district should invest in the Tappan Hill building, which is no longer used to house students but is currently leased to the Family YMCA. We will not be able to make the building available for regular use too much longer without a significant investment in boiler, roof, and window replacement. However, if an investment is going to be made in the building, we will clearly need to come up with a plan for financing it that is sensitive to the potential tax implications. Fields It is common knowledge that the demand for field space in our community exceeds the supply, resulting in over-usage that contributes to poor field conditions over time. The sports design consultants study actually quantified the excessive hours of overuse. The study also identified lack of sufficient irrigation systems as a contributing factor to the poor condition of most of our fields. A bond proposition resulting from the study that supported remedial measures, including installation of two artificial turf fields, did not receive the votes necessary for approval. In the time that has elapsed since the fields proposition vote, the proportion of high schools in our athletics section that have access to artificial turf fields as a means of addressing the problem of insufficient natural field space is now approaching 60%. Meanwhile, our field conditions have only grown worse and the contrast with field conditions in other communities throughout our region has become increasingly evident. After reviewing the ongoing demand for field access to support both school and community programs, the committee of school personnel and community youth recreation and sports leaders is recommending installation of one artificial turf field at the high school, accompanied by installation of irrigation systems for both the upper and lower fields at WI, and installation of new sod on the

The upper and lower fields at Washington Irving Intermediate School are in desperate need of new sod and irrigation.

Buildings The renovation and expansion project that was completed in 2008 focused largely on our middle and high school buildings, with some attention to identified needs at our Washington Irving School. The following list of issues identified as needing to be addressed now or in the near future consists of items that were either not addressed in the scope of that project or that have emerged in the years since that project was planned. Paving - All Lighting TH, MS, HS Windows TH, JP, Adm Roofing - All Bathrooms Morse, WI Boilers - TH Bldg management systems TH Elevator Morse, MS/HS Masonry Morse, WI, Adm Ventilation - Morse Electric - WI Fencing JP, WI, MS/HS Gas service - WI Storage District, MS/HS

Some items should be addressed as part of a regular maintenance program financed through annual budget appropriations. The

Howard W. Smith, Ph.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Public Sc hoolS of the tarrytownS

District Welcomes New Superintendent

The Board of Education of the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns has narrowed the field of Superintendent candidates to one finalist, Dr. Christopher Clouet. He is currently the Superintendent in White Plains, N.Y. Previous to this, Dr. Clouet was the Superintendent in New London, Conn. Dr. Clouets extensive career in education began in the classroom as a teacher at both the elementary and high school levels. He then served as a Director of Resources and Learning Technology and Curriculum Coordinator before becoming a high school assistant principal and high school principal prior to entering his first superintendency. Dr. Clouet has a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University. He received a Masters Degree in International Studies from Brown University and a Masters Degree in Corporate and Political Communication from Fairfield University. His undergraduate degree in Sociology is from Southern Connecticut State University. He speaks Spanish as well as Portuguese. Dr. Clouet recently visited the District to meet with students, staff, parents and community members. To help conduct this national search for a new superintendent, the Board hired two senior consultants from Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates. The consultants, Dr. Hank Gmitro and Deborah Raizes, met with members of the staff and community as well as students to develop the criteria that guided the search. National advertising was conducted. Thirty-seven applications were received from a variety of states including California, Connecticut, Illinois ,Maryland, Massachusetts, New York ,New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In addition, twenty- two candidates were recruited from across the country. The Board conducted extensive interviews with seven semi-finalists, narrowing the field, and interviewed that group of finalists before deciding upon Dr. Clouet.

Sleepy Hollow High School Awarded Inaugural Sportsmanship Award by Section One
Sleepy Hollow High School is proud to have received the first-ever Sportsmanship Award from Section One Athletics. Sleepy Hollow was chosen from among 29 schools in Class A. While the award officially recognizes the football team, Tarrytown Athletic Director Chuck Scarpulla called it a celebration of the entire community, including players, coaches, parents, fans and the community at large. Im thrilled to death about the award, said Scarpulla. Sportsmanship is a major part of our athletic program. For the past several years, said Scarpulla, participation in Tarrytown sports has increased, and with it, the number of fans who show up at the Districts many athletic events. Thats why the sportsmanship award is so meaningful to us. In addition, he said, Sleepy Hollows football players demonstrated class, teamwork, ethical conduct and citizenship throughout the fall season. When another player is injured our players take a knee out of respect for that player, said Scarpulla. After tackles, theyll help other players up. And this kind of attitude has carried over to the stands and the fans. The Section One award recognizes Sleepy Hollow for its honorable play on the field and its chivalrous and fair treatment of opposing players, coaches and referees. In addition, Section One noted the willingness of the Horsemen to go out into the local community and serve, participating in a clean-up day in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, and visiting a local nursing home to spend time with its residents. By exemplifying the attributes of caring, fairness, integrity, and responsibility, said Scarpulla, Sleepy Hollow student-athletes, coaches, parents, and community members remind everyone that success on the field is important, but dwarfed by success in life.

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201213 Was the Year of the Lion in Sleepy Hollow

Two Tarrytown schools were chosen by Disney Theatrical Group to pilot new adaptations of the classic musical, The Lion King, for young performers and audiences.
Fourth and fifth graders at Washington Irving School starred in a 40-minute version of the musical, Lion King Kids, written specifically for elementary-aged audiences, and the show took the stage in late November. Sleepy Hollow Middle School students starred in the Lion King Jr., an hour-long version of the Broadway musical, in January. Peter Royston was director for both shows. Dan Moriarty was musical director, Katy Wood was choreographer, and dozens of generous parents donated their time and talents to make creative costumes and sets. Washington Irving and the Middle School were among just three schools, along with Harlem School of the Arts, chosen by Disney to test these new adaptations of The Lion King before the versions are released for other schools and theater groups to perform. Both Tarrytown schools cast hundreds of students in the massive productions, with the Middle School alone casting 70 students as the lions, hyenas, and other animals in the show. The Tarrytown YMCA sponsored the elementary school version, with funding assistance from the Foundation of the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, and the Middle School production was sponsored by the district.

Public Sc hoolS of the tarrytownS

Building on the Common Core Standards

At the Winfield L. Morse School recently, Cathy Lopane-Chullas first grade students read books, wrote book reviews, and made iBooks as part of the project. Behind the lesson was a goal to get the first-graders to practice opinion writing, one of the requirements of the new Common Core standards. And Morse isnt the only school practicing and implementing the Common Core. A district-wide effort in grades 3-8, involving Morse, Washington Irving, John Paulding and Sleepy Hollow Middle School, is under way to bring Common Core learning into Tarrytowns classrooms. So what is Common Core? Its a national set of learning standards that provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn. The standards are designed to be relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills students need to succeed in college and careers. The Common Core standards were developed in response to concerns about American student achievement and just how prepared students are for college and careers. Education leaders in 48 states, along with the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, wrote the Common Core standards for students in 2010. Now, 44 states, including New York, are working to implement them by 2013-2014. In Tarrytown, the Common Core and its expectations have also been shared with parents and the public at Back to School nights and Principal Chats. An update is scheduled for the February 14 Board of Education meeting. One of the biggest challenges of the Common Core requirements is a shift in English Language Arts toward more non-fiction reading and writing, beginning at the earliest grades. Our students are spending more time reading informational texts and doing evidence-based writing, said Washington Irving Principal Deb Hand. In addition, she said, the reading thats expected of various grade levels is more complex. To prepare students for college-level work, there will be more of a focus on informational and expository text. In middle schools, students will be reading informational text, including original documents, from the Declaration of Independence to presidential speeches. Dr. Hand and Middle School Principal Elizabeth Lopez note that all of the Districts schools have been focused this year on academic language and vocabulary, practicing writing in short constructed responses and essays, and learning how to use details in texts to support their ideas and responses. The new math standards require students to approach math in a number of different ways and learn how to apply math to real-world situations. The Common Core emphasizes dual intensity the ability of students to both practice math problems and to understand those problems with intensity. Across the country, educators have praised the Common Cores approach to math, which emphasizes spending more time learning fewer concepts. The new math standards also expect students to be able to apply math to real-world situations, and move away from teacher-directed instruction to a student-centered approach to learning. The elementary schools have also altered their ELA and math curriculum maps to reflect Common Core requirements and expectations, and to ensure that expectations are carefully set forth by grade level. The District website has been revised to include the new curriculum maps and to make Common Core more parent-friendly. Two staff developers, teachers Christie Martinez and Sharon OGrady, spent the summer learning about the Common Core and spend time at each school working with teachers and acquainting them with the Common Core expectations in English Language Arts and math. We could not have made the gains weve experienced without the staff that is dedicated specifically to helping us implement the Common Core, said Dr. Hand. Theyve been extremely articulate in getting the message out. Morse Principal Thomas Holland agreed. Having the staff developers on hand to translate and articulate the Common Core for our teachers has been extremely helpful. Weve learned how to work smarter, not harder. Both Ms. Martinez and Ms. OGrady are planning to eventually send home newsletters that explain the Common Core and Tarrytowns gains in implementing the standards, along with tips for parents.

COMMOn CORe ReSOuRCeS FOR PARenTS

Want to learn more about the Common Core State Standards Initiative? Check out these helpful websites: New York State Education Departments EngageNY website: http://engageny.org/ Council of the Great City Schools Parent Roadmaps to the Common Core Standards: http://www.cgcs.org/domain/36 National Governors Association & Council of Chief State School Officers/Common Core State Standards Initiative: http://www.corestandards.org/in-the-states National PTA Guide to Student Success: http://www.pta.org/advocacy/content.cfm?itemnumber=3008 &navitemnumber=557 The Board of Educations goals for 2012-13 included a plan to realign the Districts K-12 curriculum to conform with the Common Core standards and to revise the Districts curriculum maps accordingly. The District is well on its way to achieving this goal. The new learning standards have been described by New York State as six pedagogical shifts that must take place in the way students learn. The shifts in English Language Arts include: balancing informational and literary text, knowledge about the world through texts, a staircase of complexity, text-based answers, writing from sources, and building an academic vocabulary. In math, New York State has summarized the six shifts as: focus, coherence, fluency, deep understanding, application, and dual intensity, the ability of students to both practice and fully understand math problems. The New York State Education Department requires preK-8 English Language Arts and math instruction to be aligned to the Common Core during the 2012-13 school year. Grades 9-12 instruction will be phased in according to Common Core guidelines. The states grade 3-8 standardized tests will be aligned to the Common Core Learning Standards starting this spring, and drafts of new report cards designed around the Common Core are expected to be completed by September 2013. Parents who would like to learn more about the Common Core can visit New York States Common Core website at engageny.org.

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SLeePY HOLLOW ShortS

SHHS Students Give Blood to Help Others
Sleepy Hollow High School hosted its annual blood drive in November, with students, staff and members of the public participating on behalf of the New York Blood Center, which serves more than 20 million people in New York, New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. The event was set up for 12 hours in the lobby of the Kusel Auditorium. Patients in the region need almost 2,000 people a day to donate blood, according to the NYBC. In addition, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, NYBC announced that it expected to experience a severe shortfall of up to 12,000 units of blood in the month following the storm because of damage to locations where blood is usually collected.

SHHS Stages The Angry 12

The Sleepy Hollow High School Fall Drama, The Angry 12, took to the SHHS stage on Nov. 16. Adapted from Reginald Roses tense and brilliant 12 Angry Men, the play focuses on 12 jurors who are charged with deciding the fate of a young man accused of murder. The SHHS production was directed by Peter Kennedy. Cast members were Mina Fassa, Sarah Hofmann, Jane Maloy, Emily Thayer, John Feigelson, Tom Sobolik, Paloma Gratereaux, Sarah Handelman-West, Connor Hanlon, Eamon Burke, Francis Pace-Nuez, Zoe Kaplan, and Brendan Murphy.

Shakespeare Night, the students presented projects on set design, costume design, historical research, and even acted out scenes from the play.

SHHS Students Visit Blythedale

Sleepy Hollow High School and its students continued a holiday tradition that began more than 30 years ago by visiting the Blythedale Childrens Hospital in Valhalla to distribute toys for the holidays. For the past 10 years, teachers Kristen Dreher and Leana Peltier have organized the event, in which students become Santas helpers and distribute toys to children at the hospital. Students asked family, friends, neighbors, and teachers to donate the gifts. Accompanying Santas Helpers were members of Sleepy Hollows jazz band, Santa Claus, police officers and firefighters.

Kindergarten Students Celebrate Thanksgiving

John Paulding School kindergarten students celebrated a Thanksgiving feast just before the holiday. The students strung beads, made feathered Indian headdresses, created placemats, baked cornbread, churned butter and made homemade cranberry sauce. Parents brought in other Thanksgiving food including turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pies, and families from other countries contributed traditional dishes to the mix.

Washington Irving Students Take the Shakespeare Challenge

Washington Irving fourth- and fifth-graders showed off their knowledge of Shakespeare on Nov. 8, when they held Shakespeare Night at the school. The evening was the culmination of the English Language Arts Challenge study of Shakespears play, The Tempest. The students, under the guidance of teacher Elizabeth Hickey, learned about the Elizabethan Age, Shakespeare himself, the Renaissance time period in Italy, and the play. They read a childrens version of the play and watched a film production of it. It is really amazing how much the kids really internalized, said Ms. Hickey. Young kids make great students of Shakespeare because they can be so open-minded about it all. At

Performing Arts Boosters Treat Youngsters to Breakfast With Santa

Youngsters from the region were treated to Breakfast With Santa on Dec. 16, an event organized by the Sleepy Hollow Performing Arts Boosters. With food donated by J.P. Doyles Restaurant and Public House, the breakfast, held at the SHHS Cafeteria, provided a pancake breakfast to children, all served by holiday elves, students from the High School and Middle School. Children were able to pose for photos with Santa, and write letters to Santa, which were mailed to the North Pole.

Public Sc hoolS of the tarrytownS

Sleepy Hollow Hosts LeGO League Tournament

Twelve teams of middle school students from around the Hudson Valley competed Saturday, Jan. 26, in the fifth annual Hudson Valley First Lego League Tournament, held at Sleepy Hollow Middle School. The students, working in school teams emblazoned with their team logos were charged with finding solutions for senior citizens using the small Lego robots they created. Everything from picking up prescriptions to gardening were examined by the Lego robotics teams, who then set out to provide solutions. In addition to having their robots complete a series of tasks on a playing field, the teams presented their research, robot design, and overall experience to judges. The robots the students created had a few minutes to complete as many tasks as possible, which scored points, and all of the teams were judged for overall presentation, core values and team spirit. Participating students came from school and community groups from Tuckahoe, Peekskill, Chappaqua, Sleepy Hollow, New Rochelle, Dobbs Ferry, Somers, Rye, Ossining and Yorktown Heights. Sleepy Hollow High School students from the Science Honors Society and teachers volunteered their time to run the event. The event was supervised by high school teachers Peter Lee and Jason Choi. The Headless Horse-bots, the 7thgrade Lego League robotics team from Sleepy Hollow Middle School, are coached by science teacher Michael Garguilo and the team is sponsored by Philips Research North America. Sleepy Hollows team members are: Katie Miles, Diego Arias, Alex Wills, Emma Tucker, Lance Evans, Alli DeCola-Judge, Jaden D'agostinis, Wilson Urgiles, Willa Odefey, and Jack Mcnally. Teacher volunteers at the event were Leana Peltier, Noah Berger, Michael Frank, Daniel Larkin, John Cincotta, Emory Davis, Mary Rosenberg, Jean OBrien, Jessica Leopoldo, and Bonnie Berry. Peter Lee also volunteered to set up for the tournament on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Student volunteers at the event were Emilie Bogusz, Ben Tschan, Camille Aulagner, Maddie McGovern, Abigael Titcomb, Maya Bauer-Moshi, Manny Rosario, Vanessa Davila, Devin Lopez, Nick Rosenberg, Deborah Duma, Kimberly Martinez, Randy Perez, and Jane Maloy.

Middle States Association Recommends Sleepy Hollow High School for Accreditation
Sleepy Hollow High School has been recommended for accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and praised by the Middle States team for the quality of its faculty and staff, its educational programs, its leadership, and the way it reaches out to all students. The Middle States team, which consisted of five educators from schools and educational institutions in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, visited SHHS in early December and spent four days observing classes, meeting with faculty and administrators, and examining the High Schools own self-study, an 18-month-long process during which time the High School looked at its progress and set out a strategic plan for its future. The Middle States team determined that Sleepy Hollow High School met or exceeded the organizations 12 standards and had a well-developed plan for growth with an unprecedented 100% involvement of the teaching faculty. Getting Middle States accreditation is an extensive process, said SHHS Principal Carol Conklin-Spillane. We committed to conducting a year of self-study, and worked on a strategic plan for the next five years. Ms. Conklin-Spillane noted that the degree to which our faculty embraced this was impressive. They used the Middle States process as a chance to celebrate our successes.
Dr. Valerie Valenti, who chaired the Middle States team, commended the High School specifically for:

1. Its faculty and staff, who demonstrate dedication to teaching and go to great lengths to meet the needs of students, working beyond contractual
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ufSd of the tarrytowns 200 North Broadway Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591 www.tufsd.org School News-Cable Channel 77 board of education B. Joseph Lillis,President Mimi Godwin, Vice President Sheila J.Conklin, Trustee Craig Laub, Trustee Vincent Nadile, Trustee Paul Rode, Trustee Katharine M. Swibold, Trustee Superintendent of Schools Dr. Howard W. Smith (914) 631-9404 Evelyn McCormack, Editor Maria Ilardi, Art Director

Non-Profit US Postage PAID Permit #91005 White Plains, NY 10605 CARRIER PRESORT

Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591

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The Public Schools of the Tarrytowns do not discriminate on the basis of sex, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, citizenship, age or disability or any other protected classification in its employment, admissions practices, vocational opportunities or access to and treatment in programs or activities, in accordance with Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Inquiries concerning application of these regulations may be made to the Assistant Superintendent of the UFSD of the Tarrytowns, 200 North Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. 10591.

Middle States Commends Sleepy Hollow HS

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obligations and building personal connections with students and families. 2. Outstanding educational programs that include rigorous courses that exceed traditional honors and AP classes, and teachers who routinely use the best researchbased instructional practices and technology applications to deliver instruction. 3. The schools Planning Council, which involves teachers in meaningful discussions of ways they can increase student engagement, establish and increase connections between teens and caring adults, and address critical topics faced by todays young people. 4. A commitment to provide academic rigor and opportunity for all students, embracing diversity and turning challenges into strengths, with group or individual feeling left out or underserved. 5. The school leadership, noting that Ms. Conklin-Spillane has provided SHHS with constancy and a vision that has shaped the structure and nature of the schools programs, and who has created a culture of acceptance

and commitment to excellence. The impact of her deep knowledge of pedagogy and practices, along with her conviction, compassion, and courage, is evident in the trust and support of those with whom she works most closely and the remarkable outcomes Sleepy Hollow High School has been well-recognized for achieving, wrote the Middle States team.
The Team also made two recommendations for further improvement:

1. Increase involvement of all stakeholders in the planning process (including college and university partners) to expand influence and meaningful ownership beyond the faculty. 2. Continue to use data to inform instruction and program development, deepening awareness of the volume of available data, and how it can be best used by teachers in their daily lesson plans.

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