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Several Middle School Students In Capital Region Exposed To Marijuana Edibles Several Middle School Students In Capital Region Exposed To Marijuana Edibles
Several Middle School Students In Capital Region Exposed To Marijuana Edibles A school district in the region is warning parents after several middle school students were exposed to marijuana edibles. The incident occurred at North Albany Middle School, Principal Andrea Piper said in a statement to parents Thursday, Nov. 17. “I am writing to let you know of a situation involving several students in our school community who reported exposure to, or ingestion of, suspected marijuana edibles Thursday,” Piper said. The students were evaluated by the school’s nurse and none were found to show symptoms while in their care, she said. It was not immediately clear how many…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Gotta Go: NY Education Dept. Orders Schools To Replace Native American Mascots, Team Names Gotta Go: NY Education Dept. Orders Schools To Replace Native American Mascots, Team Names
Gotta Go: NY Education Dept. Orders Schools To Replace Native American Mascots, Team Names Schools in New York can no longer have Native American mascots or team names without risking serious consequences. In a letter sent to all school districts on Thursday, Nov. 17, the State Education Department’s Senior Deputy Commissioner, James Baldwin, ordered schools with a Native American mascot to find a replacement by the end of the 2022-23 school year. The order also applies to team names and logos. Schools that don’t retire their mascots could have their school officers removed or have state aid withheld, Baldwin said. Thursday’s order came after the Cambridge Central School Distr…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Superintendent In Hudson Valley Resigns Just Over A Year After Taking Job Superintendent In Hudson Valley Resigns Just Over A Year After Taking Job
Superintendent In Hudson Valley Resigns Just Over A Year After Taking Job An openly gay Hudson Valley school superintendent has resigned amid backlash over his sexual identity by a small group of organized mothers.  In Orange County, Florida Union Free School District Superintendent Larry Leaven announced his resignation on Monday, Nov. 14 on the district's website, saying his resignation will take effect Wednesday, Nov. 30. "It has been a pleasure to practice my craft alongside some of the best in education," Leaven said. "I look forward to hearing great things about the Florida learning community and wish everyone well as they continue to connect, lea…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
Fairfield County Educator Fired After Video Shows Him Making Sexual Comments About Students Fairfield County Educator Fired After Video Shows Him Making Sexual Comments About Students
Fairfield County Educator Fired After Video Shows Him Making Sexual Comments About Students A teacher at a private school has been fired after a hidden camera video was posted on YouTube allegedly showing him making inappropriate comments about his female students in Fairfield County. The video of Iman Rasti, a teacher, writing director, and middle school dean at Green Farms Academy in Westport first surfaced online on Project Veritas on Thursday, Nov. 10. By Friday, Nov. 11, the school had fired Rasti, according to a letter sent to parents and obtained by Daily Voice. "Dr. Rasti claimed that the statements in the edited video were taken out of context," wrote Bob Whelan, he…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
Hundreds Of Drivers Shown Passing School Buses At District In Northern Westchester Hundreds Of Drivers Shown Passing School Buses At District In Northern Westchester
Hundreds Of Drivers Shown Passing School Buses At District In Northern Westchester A pilot program employed by a Northern Westchester school district has found that nearly 400 drivers illegally passed stopped school buses over the span of two months.  The program, used by the Hendrick Hudson School District which serves over 2,000 students in Buchanan, Verplanck, Crugers, Montrose, Cortlandt Manor, Croton-on-Hudson, and Peekskill, came from a partnership with technology provider BusPatrol, officials from the company announced on Tuesday, Nov. 1.  Through cameras installed on 49 school bus stop arms, the company captured a total of 367 il…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
This Westchester High School Ranks Among Top 20 Statewide, New Report Says This Westchester High School Ranks Among Top 20 Statewide, New Report Says
This Westchester High School Ranks Among Top 20 Statewide, New Report Says A high school in Westchester County is among the top 20 in New York, according to a new ranking from the school review site Niche.  Scarsdale Senior High School, in the Scarsdale Union Free School District, was ranked No. 13 out of 1,255 public high schools in the state with an overall grade of A+. It was also ranked No. 1 in best public high schools in Westchester County. Scores are based on a variety of school statistics like math and reading test scores, in addition to reviews from students and parents, according to Niche. Scarsdale High earned top marks in several categories, in…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
These Westchester Public Schools Rank In Top 25 Statewide, New Report Says These Westchester Public Schools Rank In Top 25 Statewide, New Report Says
These Westchester Public Schools Rank In Top 25 Statewide, New Report Says The Hudson Valley is well-represented in brand-new rankings of the best public schools in New York. The website Niche says its 2023 "rankings and grades are calculated using a series of steps to ensure statistical rigor and useful guidance in the school choice experience." The criteria used in making the selections are outlined by Niche here. Westchester County led the way among regional selections, with Scarsdale High School No. 1 in the Hudson Valley and No. 13 in the state. View Niche's profile of the school here. Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua was the next-highest school in th…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
These Westchester Schools Named 2022 Blue Ribbon Winners These Westchester Schools Named 2022 Blue Ribbon Winners
These Westchester Schools Named 2022 Blue Ribbon Winners Multiple Hudson Valley schools were named 2022 National Blue Ribbon winners. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, a part of the United States Department of Education, announces hundreds of award recipients annually. The award was created to recognize schools that are considered outstanding, and the winners are honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC, where schools receive plaques and flags. The following Westchester County schools were named winners: Croton‐Harmon High School in Croton-on-Hudson  Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua Bronxville Elementary School …

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by Nicole Valinote
Schools
Power Outage Causes Closure At High School In Hudson Valley Power Outage Causes Closure At High School In Hudson Valley
Power Outage Causes Closure At High School In Hudson Valley A high school in the Hudson Valley is closed on Tuesday, Sept. 13 due to a power outage. In Orange County, Warwick Valley High School is closed for both in-person and remote learning due to the power outage caused by a blown transformer, the Warwick Valley Central School District announced. "The power outage is isolated to Warwick Valley High School," the district said in an announcement on its website. "Therefore, this will not impact our other schools or students who attend morning or afternoon CTEC." Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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by Daily Voice
Schools
New England Teacher On Leave After 8 Middle School Boys Keep Log Of His Alleged Harassment New England Teacher On Leave After 8 Middle School Boys Keep Log Of His Alleged Harassment
New England Teacher On Leave After 8 Middle School Boys Keep Log Of His Alleged Harassment A log of alleged harassment by their teacher dubbed the “Pedo Database” that was created by eight middle school boys in New England is now part of an official investigation into the teacher, The Boston Globe reports.  The Rhode Island teacher, who works at Davisville Middle School in North Kingstown, has been placed on administrative leave amid a probe into numerous claims of inappropriate behavior, including that he made female students dance for him, the outlet reports. One of the former students, now a 15-year-old high school student, told The Boston Globe that he and several other male…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
NY School District Responds To Teacher's Allegations Following Firing NY School District Responds To Teacher's Allegations Following Firing
NY School District Responds To Teacher's Allegations Following Firing A teacher from the region who was let go is making waves with allegations that he was let go for being a friend and ally to the school's LGBTQ community. The incident began playing out in public in Suffolk County on Long Island when Smithtown High School East teacher Josh Tilton claimed on Instagram that he was denied tenure because of his beliefs. Tilson, who worked closely with LGBTQ students, wrote on Instagram that a mural he created with his students was painted over once he was no longer at the building and pointed fingers at several administrators as "hating" the LGBTQ community…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
School District In Hudson Valley Welcomes 28 New Teachers School District In Hudson Valley Welcomes 28 New Teachers
School District In Hudson Valley Welcomes 28 New Teachers A Hudson Valley school district is kicking off the school year by welcoming 28 new teachers. The Brewster Central School District in Putnam County announced on Wednesday, Aug. 31, that the new teachers have been completing "New Employee Orientation" this summer and have been assigned mentors to guide them as they get started. "The backgrounds of the teachers vary; they come from different districts and have different levels of experience," the district said. "But one thing they have in common is that–they are all excited to teach in Brewster schools." School officials said Cynthia Corona a…

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by Nicole Valinote