Our students and staff have so many tasty options for their school lunches! Today, all grades enjoyed one of our most popular hot lunch menu items: Pasta with Meatballs! Our cafeteria staff makes the homestyle marinara sauce on-site and serves the main course with fresh salad, green beans, and toasty garlic bread for dipping. Did you know all HFCSD students can enjoy free breakfast and lunch for the 2024-2025 school year?
Reminder! No School on 1/29/25, in observance of Lunar New Year!
Join us for our High School Curriculum & Club Fair!
This event is geared towards current 8th - 11th graders.
Learn about graduation requirements (6 - 6:15 in the HS Auditorium).
Hear from our High School Departments about the courses they will offer for the 2025 - 2026 school year.
Explore what clubs are available at HFCS, for 4th - 12th graders.
Please see the flyer for the High School's schedule for the week of 1/20-1/24/25.
Attention Class of 2025 Parents/Guardians: Yearbook Dedications are now being collected! If you would like to place a dedication for your child in the 2025 yearbook, please complete the attached form and return it to Mr. Viera. Dedications are due 3/31/25! Space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Contact Mr. Viera with any questions: vierar@hoosickfallscsd.org
Last week, Mrs. Davidson's Anatomy & Physiology class welcomed Hudson Mohawk Area Health Education Center's Pipeline Coordinator, Amber Guyette-Blackmer. The students enjoyed her presentation about healthcare careers and education associated with various career types. She informed students about upcoming summer camps, job shadowing opportunities, and benefits/funding for high school graduates entering the healthcare field. Follow the links for more information about these opportunities and benefits: https://www.hmahec.org/high-school-students
https://ihawio.org/cpt/
Questions may be directed to Amber. (See the flyer for her contact information.)
Please read this message from our school nurses!
Attendance at school is extremely important and necessary for student success however, we are seeing many cases of flu, RSV, COVID and the GI bug since returning from break.
Please keep your child home if experiencing any of the following:
A temperature of 100 degrees or higher- A temperature must be resolved 24 hours without fever reducing medication before returning to school.
Vomiting or diarrhea- These symptoms must be resolved 24 hours without medication before returning to school.
An uncontrolled cough or green discharge coming from the nose.
An unexplained rash that is itchy, appears to be spreading, and or it has appeared on other family members or friends.
If your child is complaining of a headache or upset stomach please keep them home.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact:
Jane Conte, R.N. (grades 7-12): contej@hoosickfallscsd.org
Carol MacDonald, R.N. (grades 3-6): macdonaldc@hoosickfallscsd.org
Jackie Reyman, R.N. (grades UPK -2): reymanj@hoosickfallscsd.org
Did you know that our Middle School Counselors, Mr. Long and Mrs. Sacks, offer a monthly virtual meeting called 'Coffee with the Counselors'? This is a great opportunity to talk about what's new and exciting in the Middle School, ask questions about the House System, learn about schedule updates and more! Join them this Thursday, 1/16, starting at 9:30 am. High School Counselors Ms. King and Ms. Thompson will also be there this week! Follow the link to join: meet.google.com/ymf-bpsj-tnf
Become a part of your school community! Join the HFCS PTA
for their monthly Members' Meeting, right before the HFCS BOE Meeting.
Don’t have childcare? Bring them along! This month we will offer a fun winter craft for the kids! (Craft credit: https://www.frugalmomeh.com/toilet-paper-tube-snowmen.html)
Please RSVP with your child’s name and age:
PTA@hoosickfallscsd.org
Please join us in celebrating the Middle School Students of the Month for December 2024! These students were nominated for demonstrating our Panther PRIDE character trait, Integrity! GO PANTHERS!
5th Grade: Jazmin Sutton, Kylie Percey, Dustin Friend, and Carte Austin.
6th Grade: Jonathan Mulligan, Kendall Bettis, Michael MacVeigh, Emma Wilson, and Carson Luke.
7th Grade: Korben Michaels, Mula Stellar, and Khloe Rawlings.
8th Grade: Lexi Gardner, Mia Brownell, Oliver Hickey, Kael Waytkus, and Kate Bundrick.
Before the school break, we had students painting 🎨and singing 🎶their way into the holiday!
Mrs. Philpotts-Breese's class participated in a holiday "paint and sip". The students took a vote and decided to paint a cow holding an ornament. Mrs. Philpotts-Breese shared that “Painting takes a little bit of bravery and a lot of risk. It’s not comfortable for everyone. But, what these students accomplished in one week’s time, was moooooooving. 🐮They always rise to the challenge and come confidently out of the other side. They should be very proud of their efforts! ”
Our Senior Chorus attended the annual Kiwanis Club Holiday Luncheon at the First Baptist Church in Hoosick Falls on December 17th. They performed an eclectic program of nine songs for the audience. Chorus Director, Dr. Yudkoff said, "This is always a thoroughly enjoyable event for the Senior Chorus!"
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!
