Croton-Harmon Schools

Please note that all schools will follow a remote schedule from Monday, January 4, 2021 through January 8, 2021. At this time, the district plans to resume in-person/hybrid schedule on January 11, 2021. A K12 alert sent by Dr. Deborah O'COnnell on December 31 provides additional information and can be viewed here: https://drive.google.com//155lC-l_JP1ysJDqCNK9gTxhnZL/view

Sending our best wishes for a happy and healthy new year to all!

Enjoy some holiday cheer, courtesy of the very talented music department and students at PVC! Need a Little Christmas: Performed by the 7th & 8th Grade Chorus Conducted by Michael Katzman - Chorus Teacher https://drive.google.com//1jCrNYuPZ9HEhHg9HdGAXs3SkqT/view... Christmas Canon: Performed by the Orchestra Light The Candles: Performed by the 7th & 8th Grade Orchestra. Conducted by Sara O'Brien - Strings Teacher https://drive.google.com//1Rxz5eeJj8jSFBiTYMvMWnSnBNj/view

Thursday, December 17, 2020 will be a snow day. All schools are closed. There is no remote instruction on this day. Reminder: All CET, PVC, and CHHS students will follow a regular schedule REMOTELY - Friday, December 18 through December 22, 2020.

At PVC, Students Have a Unique Way of Getting Dirty at Recess In this age of computer screens and instant gratification, it may be surprising that one of the most popular activities for PVC students at recess was to roll up their sleeves and pant bottoms to create a clay, water and straw mixture with their hands and feet that, more than a year later, would take the form of a bench. But ask the more than 40 who participated under the guidance of Physical Education teacher Mart...in McDonald and you’ll quickly learn why this project was such a labor of love. They use words and phrases like energized, creating, teamwork, and making memories with friends. In fact, the making of the bench is captured in a documentary that can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/PVC-Cob-Bench. This is my first experience really getting dirty and making a structure with (my) bare hands and primal elements, said Spencer. It’s just very fascinating. Mr. McDonald has taught the students about every aspect of this project - from the history and creation of the materials to creating the structure to the need to work together and be patient. When I first suggested to my fifth grade students that we give this project a try, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. This was truly a learning process for all of us, said Mr. McDonald. But, very quickly, I had a variety of students showing up to work - and it can be hard work - and they kept coming back. He continued: They have an enormous sense of accomplishment in the completed bench and are proud of themselves. Not as proud as I am of them, but very proud!

The CHHS media center has a fresh, modern look. Librarian Pam Morrison says that students are enjoying the new furniture and layout. "The purpose of the new spaces and furniture is to create a multifunctional and flexible common area that is not just designed to hold books but to integrate multiple resources," said Ms. Morrison . SHHS senior Molly Mitchell says that she likes that the furniture can easily be moved around and that there are mobile chargers available. "We hav...e a lot of group projects and the layout will definitely help people work together," said Molly. "The entire school community will have greater ability to explore, create and collaborate with access to a welcoming environment that integrates the best of all of our resources, including both physical and digital materials. 21st Century libraries are considered 'Learning Hubs,' which is the ultimate goal of our new design," said Ms. Morrison.

Members of the Croton-Harmon Board of Education will be available to meet online with members of the public on Wednesday, December 2 from noon to 1pm, and from 7pm to 8:30pm. There is no set agenda for these sessions; rather, it is an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions, share their thoughts, and discuss school-related matters. To sign up, please visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4EAAAA2CA5FACF8-meet1. We request that a single family only sign up for one 15-minute appointment slot.

In addition to the wonderful car parade for veterans at CET earlier this week, CHHS juniors Colin Kooney and Gabriel Martinez-Amezaga supported our Veteran's with a special gathering. Led by CHHS Jazz Zantay, students performed a duet of America the Beautiful and Colin also played Taps on trumpet. We applaud our students commitment to honoring veterans and, again, thank all former and active service members for their dedication to our country.

Veterans Celebrated by CET Students and Staff Our nation pauses today to give our thanks and respect to the more than 17 million veterans who have served our country. Here in Croton-on-Hudson, students and faculty at Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School celebrated local veterans with a car parade through the school’s front circle, including many students who were learning remotely and participated virtually. Students made signs and waved flags and streamers as veterans, incl...uding a district employee and a grandfather of a CET student, drove through. The event was organized by the school’s Kindness Club whose mission is to spread kindness to CET and the greater community and to show students the impact that being kind can have on everyone. Several teachers talked about how moved they were as the song, Proud To Be An American blared through the speaker. When asked why it was important to do a parade for our veterans, one kindergartner student summed it up perfectly: Because they’ve done so much for us, he said. The Kindness Club is overseen by teachers Marlena Horton and Ana Maria Strattner. Mrs. Horton said that the club felt strongly that they needed to do something to honor veterans, even in this time of Covid. Last year we were able to have a large school assembly and several Veterans attended. We did not want them to think we forgot them this year, so we planned a safe way to have them come, explained Mrs. Horton. We feel it is very important for our students to learn why we celebrate Veteran’s Day and that’s it not just a day off from school. Mrs. Strattner said that she was thrilled with the reactions of the students. We are so proud of our kids! It brought tears to our eyes seeing the happy expressions and excitement of the Veterans, getting the recognition they deserve, Said. Ms. Strattner. . Mrs. Horton added, It was also nice to have an event involving so many kids coming safely, together. We have not been able to have any assemblies or large group gatherings so it was great having kindergarten and fourth grades attend. All of us here in the Croton-Harmon School District appreciate our veterans and active duty soldiers, as well as their families, for the sacrifices they have made on our behalf.

An Important Message from the BOE: The pandemic has resulted in great uncertainty regarding state and federal funding for education throughout New York State, including here in the Croton-Harmon Union Free School District. As we continue work on our 2021-22 school year budget, we are asking for your help with two key advocacy efforts that affect our school district. We passed resolutions for each at our Board of Education meeting on November 19. The first issue relates to pro...viding schools with COVID-19 testing resources if the district is designated a micro-cluster and, thus, required to conduct tests. The second issue is to protect funding for school districts by reimbursing transportation aid. In our district, this accounts for approximately $280,000. The Westchester Putnam School Board Association created advocacy e-letters relating to these issues to assist community members in sending their concerns to NYS legislators and the NYS Department of Health. You can access the letters here https://www.wpsba.org/domain/57. You can also read more about these important issues on our website at www.chufsd.org.

REMINDER! Please join us for a Community Conversation on Diversity & Inclusion tomorrow, October 28. Parents, students, alumni and community members are all welcome to participate. MEETING LINK: https://zoom.us/j/92739208241 MEETING ID: Meeting ID: 927 3920 8241 ONE TAP MOBILE: +16465588656,,92739208241# US (New York)... DIAL IN: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) See more

PVC, CHHS Students Promote Drug Abuse Prevention for Red Ribbon Week This past week, the Croton-Harmon Union Free School District celebrated Red Ribbon Week along with schools around the country. Founded in 1985, the Red Ribbon Campaign is the largest public school drug abuse prevention program in the United States. In addition to raising national awareness and educating students on the dangers of drug abuse, Red Ribbon publishes abuse prevention literature and advocates for... policy changes on local, state and national levels. This year, both PVC and CHHS participated in Red Ribbon Week in a variety of ways. At the middle school, a bulletin board featuring info about the Red Ribbon program and the activities planned for the week was put up, and flyers were sent to all seventh and eighth-grade students. At the high school, Red Ribbon info was shared in students’ CHAP classes, and there was also a bulletin board as well as facts shared each day of the week during daily announcements. The CHHS Teen Leadership Council (TLC) also got involved in Red Ribbon Week by sharing important information with their Instagram followers. At both schools, students were given the option to sign a pledge promising to avoid drug abuse. 135 students signed the pledge at PVC, and 125 signed at CHHS. Students and staff at both schools also wore red to show their support, and many teachers tied red ribbons onto their classroom doors. Read more at www.chufsd.org

As we wind down National Principals Month, we hear from new CET Principal Dr. Kern Mojica who talks about problem solving, how sports taught him greater accountability and even how he managed to get his two children to take on a share of the family cooking! Q. When did you decide that you wanted to be an educator? I’ve known I wanted to be in education since middle school. I wanted to help children the way my teachers helped me, including getting through some difficult times.... Q. Did you have a favorite subject as a student? My favorite subject was mathematics and Chemistry. I loved learning about cryptography (the art of solving codes) in college. I look at most challenges in life as puzzles that can be solved with deep thinking. Q. What lessons did you take away from participating in sports? Playing sports at a high-level developed my growth mindset. Also, being part of a team taught me how to be accountable to others and to trust them to help me be successful. Q. Do you have a goal or philosophy that you've brought into your new role as principal of CET? My philosophy is to continually ask myself how I/we can be better. I approach each situation as an opportunity to grow and develop and then reflect on it to see where improvements can be made. Q. Do you have a role model or a person in your life who has helped shape the person you are today? Do you have a favorite musician or author? Absolutely. The first is my mother. She taught me about the value of hard work and to never give up, and what a kind heart can achieve. Another one of my role models is Dr. John J. Russell, a mentor to whom I frequently look for guidance and reflection. My favorite musician is Buju Banton, a reggae artist from Jamaica. My favorite author is Malcom Gladwell. He seems to always be looking for different perspectives or approaches to problem solving. Q. How has your family been managing through this challenging time? My wife is also an educator and we have three children. Our oldest son is in 6th grade, our daughter is in 3rd grade, and we have a 3-year-old son. During remote learning we all took time to read to him when we weren’t at orur computers. This summer we frequented Teatown, the Valhalla Dam, and the Rockefeller State Park. We love being outdoors and when we were home we taught our older children to cook. They started making breakfast (pancakes, french toast, eggs, and matzo brei) for the family everyday and are now starting to step up their cooking skills with help from Hello Fresh. Q. What do you do to relax or take time for yourself? I ride a peloton bike and/or play sports with my kids everyday.

As we continue to celebrate National Principals Month, PVC Principal Michael Plotkin tells us about why he's an educator, what he enjoys doing outside of school, and why being at PVC is his dream job. Q. When did you decide that you wanted to be an educator? I decided to become an educator in 1993 when I was called to be long term substitute in social studies at Madison HS in Brooklyn NY. After a week, I knew that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I love...Continue reading

Please join us on October 28 at 7:30pm for a Community Conversation on Equity and Inclusion in our Schools. The event is being hosted by CHUFSD, in partnership with the NYU Metro Center, and will be facilitated by Natalie Zwerger, Director of the Center for Strategic Solutions at NYU. For the safety of participants during COVID-19, the conversation will be held virtually (see link below). Parents, students, staff, and all other members of our educational community are invite...d to attend. This event is one component of a multi-year, district initiative to advance work on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). MEETING LINK: https://zoom.us/j/92739208241 MEETING ID: Meeting ID: 927 3920 8241 ONE TAP MOBILE: +16465588656,,92739208241# US (New York) DIAL IN: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

October is National Principals Month! We conducted brief interviews with each of our three fabulous principals to help get to know them a little better. Here’s what CHHS Principal Laura Dubak shared. Q. When did you decide that you wanted to be an educator? A. I am one of those people that has always known they wanted to be a teacher. When my mom would ask us what I wanted for Christmas or birthdays, I always asked for a trip to teacher supply store so we could get the real...Continue reading

CHHS Senior Anna Eng Commits to Fairfield University’s Basketball Program Anna Eng, a point guard for the Croton-Harmon High School Girls’ Varsity Basketball team who averaged 19.3 points per game last year, has verbally committed to Fairfield University to play basketball. She chose Fairfield from among other schools because of the connection she made with the school’s basketball coaches, and because her first impression of the team was that they felt like a family - the sam...Continue reading

CHHS Math Teacher Finds Creative Approaches to Engage All Students As teachers begin this school year, one of the top concerns for many is keeping students who attend classes from home engaged in lessons helping them feel like they’re still part of the classroom community. This is particularly challenging for teachers of subjects that don’t typically lend themselves to a great deal of class discussion. So at Croton-Harmon High School, math teacher Samantha Confalone has been... implementing a variety of creative lesson plans to challenge students to think differently and enhance conversation as students learn about different types of equations. Rather than simply learning how to solve these equations, students started the unit by thinking about what equations are and what they actually mean. Ms. Confalone then had students come up with equations they’ve already learned and the procedures they used to solve them. Using Jamboard, all students could see what their classmates were typing in real time, regardless of whether they were sitting in the classroom or on their couch at home. This approach gives a new perspective on what math is and what it can be, said Campbell White, a student in Ms Confalone’s class. It shows that contrary to popular belief, math can be creative. The class later split into breakout rooms made up of both in-person and remote students, with each group completing a Choice Board project where they chose four of six equations. For each example, they explained what type of equation it was, gave examples of that type of equation and then solved several examples while detailing the problem-solving process. At the end of the lesson, students even had the option of playing a Kahoot game related to what they were learning. As the semester progresses, CHHS teachers will continue to utilize collaborative, technology-based lesson plans like these to keep remote learners as engaged and connected as students learning from the familiar confines of the classroom. CHHS Principal Laura Dubak is extremely proud of the work that teachers are doing to engage with and connect our students at a time when there are many hurdles. She said: There is no doubt that we are all learning and growing, and Ms. Confalone's approach is one of many examples of how teachers are finding creative ways to use technology and focusing on collaboration and critical thinking. When transitioning to the new high school model put in place because of COVID-19, I was unsure if I would be able to collaborate with my peers and ask the same guiding questions that I could before, said another student. Ms. Confalone’s class has shown me that we can still do both of those things.

CHHS athletes are enjoying getting back on the field, court and track as they prepare for the opening of the fall season this coming weekend. Go Tigers!

Two Croton Students Among 2020 National Merit Semi-Finalists The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District is proud to announce that two of our students, Maya Gardos and Jacob Aronson, have been named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists for 2020. This prestigious recognition is given only to high school juniors who score in the top 1.25 percent nationally on the PSAT test. Ninety percent of semifinalists generally move on to become finalists, with about half of the finali...sts eventually winning a National Merit Scholarship. Semifinalist Maya Gardos credits her academic success to her inquisitive nature and passion for learning.. After class, I am always left with so many questions about the subject matter, said Maya. It leaves me eager for the next day! Maya’s favorite subject is English, although she says she enjoys all of her classes in high school. When asked what advice she would give to incoming freshmen, Maya stressed the importance of being an active participant in your own learning. It's so easy to feel disconnected from your classes and your school, especially with the current pandemic, she said. However, if you actively engage with what you're learning and the people learning with you, passion and enthusiasm will come naturally. CHUFSD’s other finalist, describes himself as a highly self-motivated person. I push myself to be the best that I can be, he said. I’ve always been that way. Jacob’s favorite subject is math, but he is also very interested in the sciences, especially physics. It makes me incredibly proud to have two of our students recognized for their hard work and dedication on a national stage, said Principal Laura Dubak. I wish them the best of luck throughout this year and hope they both come away with National Merit Scholarships. The winners of the $2500 National Merit Scholarships will be announced in May.

CET students are enjoying their time outdoors and, thanks to these new carts to transport equipment, PE instructor Ms. Leslie has then spreading out on the school grounds. The students are also taking social distancing very seriously and working hard to maintain their six feet separation.

Please don't forget to participate in the 2020 census - the deadline is September 30th. All information provided is private and an accurate count is very important to helping the district secure federal funding.

As the week continues, some of the students in the Harmon cohort for hybrid learning returned to their schools today. Kindergarten families were able to meet teachers, while fifth graders reconnected with friends, in-person and online. High school students moved quickly to first period, with a few stopping for a quick chat or photo. Remember that the reentry schedule, and all information about reentry, is a click away on the district's website. Find the link below the photos.