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Saturday, sep 28
Schools
Hudson Valley's West Point Ranked As Top 10 National Public College
The US Military Academy at West Point moved up one in the Top Public Schools category to No. 2 in the 2025 Best Colleges Rankings by US News & World Report. The rankings, released this week, showed the Orange County college in the town of Highlands also ranked as No. 8 in Best National Liberal Arts College, the magazine said. The rankings were based on statistics, the top-ranked schools provided ample classroom resources for students and faculty; conferred bachelor's degrees at high rates; and produced graduates who entered the workforce with manageable debt and worthwhile starting sala…
Schools
Leader Of Hudson Valley School District Named NYS Superintendent Of Year
The head of a Westchester County school district has been awarded a top honor for superintendents in New York State. Tarrytown Union Free School District Superintendent Raymond Sanchez was named the Superintendent of the Year for 2025 by the New York State Council of School Superintendents, the organization announced on Monday, Sept. 23. Council President Lars Clemensen, the superintendent of the Hampton Bays School District on Long Island, explained the reasons why Sanchez was chosen: "Ray’s recognition as the New York State Superintendent of the Year is a testa…
Schools
New Poll Reveals NYers' Views On Banning Cell Phone Use In Schools
With the new school year comes renewed debate over the use of cell phones in the classroom. Among New York parents of school-age children, 77-percent support barring cell phone use in schools during the day, a Mount Sinai South Nassau “Truth in Medicine” poll found. Most parents, 72-percent, said they still want their child to have their phone on them in case of an emergency, the poll found. Earlier Report: Hochul Signs Bill Restricting 'Addictive' Social Media Feeds Targeting Children The poll was conducted by 600 parents with at least one child under the age of 18 in New York Cit…
Schools
These Putnam Students Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Several talented high school seniors in Westchester and Putnam have been recognized for their impressive achievements by being named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. Those who earned this title join more than 16,000 other students across the country also named as semifinalists after earning high marks on the Preliminary SAT during their junior year. Now, each semifinalist must fulfill requirements to advance to the finalist level, including submitting an application including information about their academic record, school and extracurricular activities, leadership abil…
Schools
New Law Will Put A Student On Every School Board In NY
There will soon be a student on every school board in New York.A new law requiring all state boards of education to have at least one student member will take effect on July 1, 2025. The students will attend public meetings, but not executive sessions, and won't be allowed to vote. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the bill on Thursday, Sept. 5. It will also remove the current law requirement that a student member seat be authorized by referendum of the voters of the district. The bill would also remove the requirement that a student member be a senior at the school and instead require only …
Schools
County Equips School Buses With Stop-Arm Cameras In Hudson Valley
A Hudson Valley county is ensuring drivers are fined for not stopping for a stopped school bus by installing new stop-arm cameras. Rockland County Executive Ed Day announced on Tuesday, Aug. 27, that stop-arm cameras have been installed on nearly all school buses countywide in time for the 2024 school year. “These cameras will automatically record any vehicle that illegally passes a stopped school bus, capturing crucial evidence that will be used to enforce traffic laws and hold offenders accountable,” explained Day. “But this program is not about enforcement; it’s about saving lives, and n…
Schools
School District In Putnam Latest To Ban Students' Cell Phones
Students in another Hudson Valley school district will be forced to look up from their phone screens, as officials will be requiring them to lock up their devices for the entire day. In its end-of-summer newsletter, the Garrison Union Free School District in Putnam County announced that it will no longer allow cell phone use during the instructional day between 8:25 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. During this time, students will have to store their devices in lockers and keep them powered down or in silent mode. More information about the policy will be contained in the district's updated&nb…
Schools
Students' Cell Phones Will Be Locked Up At This Hudson Valley School
A funny thing happened at a Hudson Valley high school last year when students were required to lock up their cell phones during the day—it worked, and now the middle school is joining the club. Poughkeepsie Schools Superintendent Dr. Eric Rosser said the Yondr pouch program was launched in Dutchess County at Poughkeepsie High School in April. Rosser wrote in his school newsletter that the program has changed its culture and improved attendance and engagement since its inception. This fall, district officials are expanding the program to Poughkeepsie Middle School. “The su…
Schools
Club From Yorktown High School Wins National Championship
Only two years after it was first started, an aeronautics club from a Northern Westchester high school emerged victorious in a prestigious national competition. The Yorktown High School Aeronautics Club competed in the finals in the Beginner Division of the UAS4STEM competition held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin from Monday, July 22 to Wednesday, July 24, school officials announced on Wednesday, Aug. 14. The club was one of only five teams of drone enthusiasts to qualify for the finals, which took place during AirVenture, an aviation celebration that garners over a half-million visitors …
Schools
School Board Member In Hudson Valley Under Fire For Comments On Israel-Hamas War
Elected officials and community members are calling for a Hudson Valley school board member to step down following alleged antisemitic remarks made at a board meeting. The outrage was prompted following a school board meeting in Putnam County on Tuesday, July 9, when Carmel Central School District Trustee Jim Wise allegedly controversy within the town over a comment on the Israel-Hamas war. The statement in question, "From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free," was defended by Wise in a post on social media on Wednesday, Aug. 7. "I also reject absolutely the idea that …
Schools
Pair Of New Principals Named At School District In Hudson Valley
Two new principals will soon take the lead at two Hudson Valley schools. In an announcement on Thursday, July 25, the Carmel Central School District in Putnam County revealed that new principals were hired for both Kent Primary School and Kent Elementary School. Vincent Fino, the former Assistant Principal at Carmel High School, will take over at Kent Primary School. He replaces Dan Brown, who retired at the end of the 2023-24 school year, the district said. Meanwhile, John Fratto will be the next principal at Kent Elementary School and replace Michael Setaro, who will begin a new ro…
Schools
Superintendent Put On Administrative Leave In Northern Westchester
A Northern Westchester school district has appointed a new acting superintendent after putting its previous leader on administrative leave. The North Salem Central School District announced on Wednesday, July 24, that Superintendent Duncan Wilson had been placed on administrative leave. In his place, Adam VanDerStuyf was named Acting Superintendent on Monday, July 22, according to the school board. VanDerStuyf, who has been with the district since 2015, has held roles such as Director of Pupil Personnel Services and Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Personnel Se…
Schools
Cyberattack Hits School District In Hudson Valley
A school district in the Hudson Valley was the target of a cyberattack that disabled computer services and access to phones and email. In Orange County, the Goshen Central School District announced on Thursday, July 11, that it was the subject of the ransomware incident. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kurtis Kotes said the district notified law enforcement and is working with cyber security experts to determine the source of the attack and take the necessary steps to repair the problems as quickly as possible. In an update late Friday afternoon, July 12, Kotes said: "The disaster reco…
Schools
New Superintendent Takes Command At One Of Hudson Valley's Largest School Districts
An educator with decades of experience is following in the footsteps of her father and stepping up to lead a large Hudson Valley school district. On Monday, July 1, Erin Meehan-Fairben officially began her position as superintendent of Putnam County's Carmel Central School District, to which she holds deeply personal ties. A native of the area, Fairben was born in Putnam County Hospital and was raised within the Carmel community until she was around 5 years old. As a child, she used to play on the steps of Carmel's one-room schoolhouse as her father, Richard R. Meehan,…
Schools
New Superintendent Named At Northern Westchester School District
A Northern Westchester superintendent will soon transition to leading another nearby district in the county. In an announcement on Friday, June 14, the Katonah-Lewisboro School District revealed its next superintendent would be Raymond Blanch, who will be formally appointed in the role by the Board of Education on Thursday, June 20. Blanch, who has served as superintendent of the Somers Central School District since July 2010, will officially begin in his new role on Monday, July 15. Blanch's selection follows multiple rounds of interviews conducted by the school board in an ef…
Schools
Hudson Valley School To Close For Year
Delays from the state Department of Education have forced a Hudson Valley school district to close an elementary school for a year. The school, Fort Montgomery Elementary School, is located in Orange County. According to Superintendent of Schools Michael McElduff, the district submitted all required documentation for the extensive project review to the State Education Department. On Thursday, May 30, the district had not heard back from the state on the proposed improvement and much-needed upgrades for the school. "The district has been proactive in communicating with SED and h…
Schools
Yale University Names Maurie McInnis As New President
The president of Long Island’s Stony Brook University has been selected to first permanent female president of Yale University. Maurie McInnis was named Yale’s 24th president in an announcement by the school. The 58-year-old cultural historian, currently serving as the president of Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, graduated from Yale with a Ph.D in art history in 1996. In the years since her graduation, McInnis has served in senior positions at the University of Virginia and the University of Texas at Austin before moving to Stony Brook University in 2020. She became a Yale trus…
Schools
New Assistant Superintendent Named At Northern Westchester School District
A Northern Westchester school district has selected a new assistant superintendent who will soon be leaving his current role at another municipality in the county. In an announcement on Thursday, May 23, the Hendrick Hudson Central School District revealed the appointment of Steven Garcia as its new Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Leadership Development. Garcia, who currently serves as Executive Director for Human Resources & Leadership in the Pelham Public Schools, will begin his three-year probationary term with the Hendrick Hudson District on Mo…
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