Our students were busy in and out of the classrooms before holiday recess! Mr. Bushner's AP Government and Politics students visited the Federal Courthouse in Albany on Friday, December 13th. Mr. Bushner shared that "While there they attended a naturalization ceremony, received a tour of the courthouse and learned about the history of the building, spent time with Judge D'Agostino, and learned about the role that the federal court plays in society; they were also able to attend a live proceeding with the court in session. Judge D'Agostino brought some of the students into her chamber to show them what a judge's workspace looks like. We're very grateful to the court for welcoming students and arranging this trip!"
HFCS is sending a big thank you to Mary Pat Donnelly, Rensselaer County DA for organizing a pajama drive and visiting with us. The students were so happy to receive their new pajamas!
Did you know that there are two programs our students are involved in that help make the holidays for local families in our community? Our Philip Leonard Chapter of the National Honor Society organizes a Christmas Wish program and our Key Club students partner with the Kiwanis Club to hold a Toy Drive. Christmas Wish provides winter clothing such as pajamas, underwear, hats, mittens, boots, snow pants, winter coats, shoes, and toiletries to families in need. On December 14th, the NHS hosted an event for families to “shop” from our inventory of supplies, all for free. This year they provided “Christmas Wishes” to over 120 students from more than 40 families. (Please see the attached letter to learn more about how you can help this program.) Did you see the little trees with mittens around town? Those are for the Key Club's/Kiwanis Toy Drive, which provided toys and gifts to 315 children from 119 families this year. Thank you to our students, staff, and community members who help to make these programs successful!
We've had a few special appearances over the last few days and there are a lot of pictures on the way. Did you see our visitors this morning at the Elementary School? Deputy Garhartt was the Elf on the Shelf and Mrs. Fleming was Buddy the Elf. They have taken the holiday festivities to new heights! Thank you to Mr. Steller for keeping the magic of Polar Express Day alive and to Mr. Bundrick for causing a little mischief as the Grinch.
The PTA Members' Meeting is tonight! Become a part of your school community and join the HFCS PTA for their members' meeting, held monthly, right before the HFCS BOE meeting. Don’t have childcare? Bring them along! This month we will offer festive holiday coloring pages for the kids! Please RSVP with your child’s name and age: PTA@hoosickfallscsd.org
Please join us for our Winter Concert II, featuring:
5-6 Chorus
Junior Band
Junior Chorus
Band 6
Date: December 17, 2024
Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: HS Auditorium
Admission: Free
5-6 Chorus Conductor, Melissa Zimmermann
Piano Accompanist, Rob Allen
Junior Band Conductor, Rob Allen
Junior Chorus Conductor, Ambigay Yudkoff
Piano Accompanist Violin & Cello
Benjamin April Martha Von Schilgen
Band 6 Conductor, Melissa Zimmermann
Tonight, December 16th, from 6-8 p.m. there will be a virtual Hoosick Area CPWG public meeting. Find out how water source construction is progressing and get up to speed on site remediation activities. This month we will also have an update on the multi-community health study including the results of the Hoosick Falls community health survey administered during biomonitoring and an update on the timeline going forward.
A virtual link will be shared via the CPWG Listserv prior to the meeting. To join the CPWG Listserv, send an email with your full name and email address to: hoosickfallscpwg@paigegroup.com
To learn more, visit hoosickareacpwg.org
HFCS High School teachers recently nominated one outstanding senior student who, in their opinion, demonstrates the qualities of a good citizen for the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Good Citizen Award. DAR good citizens must have the qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism. Senior Aiden Fleming was nominated and received the DAR award last week alongside two other students from Cambridge HS and Hartford HS. Aiden had to write an essay about why service is an essential attribute of a good citizen and how it can foster a strong sense of community and strengthen our American identity. Aiden’s essay will now be judged on a national level by DAR in spring 2025. Congratulations, Aiden! For more information about DAR, please visit: www.dar.org
Fourth-grade teachers Mrs. Nash, Mrs. Donohu, and Ms. Callanan, worked with their students to create a "Words of Kindness" sticky note wall. HFCS is making a concerted effort to emphasize our Panther PRIDE character traits this school year. The Elementary School and Middle School are also following a 'Positivity Project' that stresses the importance of exhibiting positive characteristics, such as kindness!
🐾HFCS PTA's Winterfest is happening TODAY! All are welcome to attend this free family-friendly event, from 2 - 6 pm. Please enter through the Elementary School. HFCS Class of 2025 students are welcome to volunteer for community service hours (please see your emails). Join in the fun for games, snacks, raffles, vendors, and Santa! See you there!❄
This week, HFCS was recognized by Rensselaer County Legislature, for being a National Banner Unified Champion School! HFCS received National Banner Recognition from the Special Olympics this past September, along with 12 other NY schools, for meeting 10 national standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect, for our Unified Champion School® programming. HFCS is home to our Inclusion Fusion group, offers Unified Basketball, Bowling, and Bocce, and participates in the Special Olympics Polar Plunge and the Dagen Truck Pull. GO PANTHERS!🐾
HFCS Class of 2021 alumnus, Elliot Landin, was in the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Elliot is the current Captain of the Honor Guard for the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Minuteman Marching Band (UMMB). While enrolled at HFCS, he played baritone in the Symphonic Band, made All County one year, and played in the Pep Band. Elliot was also on the Air Rifle Team and earned the title of State Champion in 2020 after placing first at the State Championships at West Point. Keep up the great work, Elliot! (In the photo/video, Elliot is on the far left in front of the American flag, leading the group at the parade.) Thank you to our teachers, Mr. Bushner and Mr. Allen, for sharing Elliot's good news! https://youtu.be/sH85m9RDmxg?si=nmQ_ttHjhmDSV7qs
This week, 11th and 12th graders from Ms. Cary's World at War class visited with local veterans. The students brought cookies to a weekly 'Coffee Hour' at a local church in the village. Everyone enjoyed some refreshments together and the students felt honored to listen to the veterans' service stories. This was a great learning opportunity and a nice way to encourage the students to engage with their community!
Happy Holidays from the HFCS PTA!
We invite everyone to join us this Saturday, December 14th, between 2-6 p.m. at HFCS Elementary to enjoy Winterfest! Free activities will be offered for all ages, such as photos with Santa by Vanessa Lewis, cookie decorating, bingo with awesome prizes, popcorn, and a hot cocoa bar! But, that's not all! There will also be a cake walk ($1 entry per round), local vendors to help with those last-minute gift ideas, and raffle prizes at the PTA membership table, all donated by local businesses!
Please see the flyers for more information, including how to earn some Hershey kisses from the PTA membership table and how to donate baked goods for our cake walk!
We hope to see you at Winterfest on Saturday between 2-6p.m.! Any questions, please email the PTA at PTA@hoosickfallscsd.org.
Warm wishes,
The PTA
The Hoosick Falls PTA is still looking for donations of cake and/or baked goods for our Cake Walk this Saturday at Winterfest! Cakes and baked goods may be homemade (with ingredients listed) or purchased from your preferred bakery. Please consider supporting our PTA. See the flyer for full details and contact information.
Basketball and Wrestling sports are underway here at HFCS! Want to watch our home games live? Head on over to our YouTube sports channel: https://www.youtube.com/@hfcssports4653/streams
JV Girls Basketball plays at 6 pm tonight and Varsity starts at 7:30pm. This season, all levels for Wrestling will be streamed and JV and Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball will be streamed. Follow along and cheer on our Panthers!🐾
❄️HFCS is feeling festive and gearing up for the holiday season! We hope you can join in on some of the holiday-themed days each school has planned for the next two weeks. 🐾
⚽️Want to support the Hoosick Falls Soccer Club?! ⚽️Visit the Bennington Chipotle this Saturday, 12/7/24, between 4-8 pm, or order online and use the promo code Y3LDX7K and pick up in Bennington!! 🚨Please note this is only available at the Bennington location and you must show this flyer or use the code for us to receive the benefit! Thank you!
🎉Opening night is tonight and admission is FREE!! Please come and support our Drama Club students. Did you know that our Drama Club includes students from grades 5-12 and we have ~30 students involved in this production?! See you there!🎭🐾
Friday, 12/6/24, is a ½ day for the Elementary School, UPK-Grade 4, for a Professional Development Day. Dismissal is at 11:30 am and Parent Pick Up is from 11:45 - 11:55 am
