What's Right with Spackenkill! March 1, 2019

Please see flyer(s) that might be of interest:

Youth Leadership Program

Career Exploration Night

Cinderella's Closet 

Better Budgeting for Youth

           district logo

What's Right with Spackenkill!

March 1, 2019

 

blue ribbon logo

blue ribbon logo

 

Dear Spackenkill Community,

School Board President Tom Keith has included a note regarding the future superintendent search. It is a joy to serve the Spackenkill community and I will continue my full commitment until June 30, 2020. I love Spackenkill and feel privileged to be here. My planned retirement will resume in about 17 months and the expression “lame duck” is not in my vocabulary. We have so much work to accomplish yet together. My intent in accepting this position was to serve as a bridge to the future. I will do everything I can to support the Board of Education throughout the search process.

I was taken by surprise as I read the first draft of the newsletter to notice that someone videotaped my serve at Todd’s volleyball fundraiser for Sparrow’s Nest. Phone cameras are everywhere! So impressed with the students, staff, and Marist volunteers. What a fun afternoon for such a worthy cause. Don’t forget the Middle School play this weekend and Girls Basketball sectional playoff game Saturday, which has been rescheduled for 2 pm at Bard College. Please follow @SpackSports for possible updates due to weather.

My best,

Mark Villanti

Mark Villanti, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

District Is Among Top 50 Upstate

niche

As reported on Syracuse.com, Spackenkill has been rated #13 among upstate New York school districts, with a Niche grade of A+. Click here to read the story.
 

A Letter from the Board President

 

Dear Spackenkill Community,

As you may know,  Superintendent Dr. Mark Villanti’s three-and-a-half-year contract, which he accepted at the December 12, 2016 Board meeting, ends on June 30, 2020, and he will resume his planned retirement.  We have been fortunate that Dr. Villanti came out of retirement to serve our district. In order to find the best possible candidate for the Superintendent position, we must begin the Superintendent Search process now. 

This Monday, March 4th, a posting for the position will be shared with all Spackenkill staff so that internal candidates may apply. Following this, we expect to advertise the position outside of the district. Over the next few months, we will share information through the district website and through notifications about the search process schedule and how the community can be involved, whether through serving on a Superintendent Search Committee and/or by participating in a questionnaire that outlines desirable qualities in prospective candidates. The schedule calls for the appointment of a new Superintendent by late April 2020 with an anticipated start date on or about July 1, 2020.

Should you have any questions about the status of the search, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Tom Keith

Thomas Keith
President, Board of Education

 

 It's Showtime This Weekend!

The Lion King, Jr. is being performed this weekend at Todd Middle School. Cast and crew, break legs!

Show Dates/Times
Friday, March 1 @ 7:00 PM 

Saturday, March 2 @ 7:00 PM 

Sunday, March 3 @ 2:00 PM

Tickets: $8
Seniors: $5

Todd Lion King

Upcoming PTSA Meetings

March 11th Todd
April 8th High School
May 13th Todd
June No meeting

All meetings at 7 PM in middle or high school library

Big Turnout for Volleyball Fundraiser 

A Message from the Organizers

Thanks to the Spackenkill Community’s support, Student Government's 3rd Annual Spiking for Sparrow's Nest Charity Volleyball Tournament was a huge success! Between donations from players, concession stand sales, donations from outside businesses, and personal donations, enough money was raised to feed an entire Sparrow's Nest family for one year!  The grand total came to $2,226, which is just a few dollars more than what was raised last year!

We want to thank everyone who contributed to the event by volunteering their time at this awesome community event!  We are so thankful for our students, staff, and Marist College for making this event possible!

Congratulations to the student team, Bowdren's Steam Rollers, for winning the student tournament and of course a huge congratulations to the teacher team for winning the student/teacher game! 

We are looking forward to running the event again next year and continuing to raise money for such a wonderful cause!

Mrs. Papo, Mrs. McGuire and Mrs. Rogers

winning Spiking for Sparrows team

Above: Winning student team

victorious Spiking Teacher Team

Above: Victorious teacher team

Marist athletes

Above: Visiting Marist athletes, who coached the teams.

Mark Villanti
 Watch a video of Superintendent Villanti serving the ball

Todd Teachers Run for Charity

For the 4th consecutive year, a group of teachers has participated in long distance running events to raise money and spread the word about the local Sparrow’s Nest charity. Kim Rogers, Jennifer Wilson, and Geraldine LaGasse recently returned from New Orleans, where they were part of a team who each fundraised to enable the charity to feed a family for one year.  The charity as a whole continues to expand and currently feeds 350 people per week.  Meals are prepared in their new state-of-the art location in Wappingers Falls by Spackenkill and CIA graduate Tyler Kowalski,  and are then delivered by a network of volunteer drivers.  The charity’s mission continues to be to provide meals for Hudson Valley families in which a member is undergoing cancer treatment. Sparrow’s Nest continues to add to its numbers and reach, including more Spackenkill community members who have been forced to deal with cancer in their daily lives.  In addition to two  meals for a family each week, Sparrow’s Nest also provides lunches for children in the summer, school supplies and backpacks, Easter baskets, and holiday meals. 

Each destination run is dedicated to a recipient family, and their expression of appreciation for the assistance, as well as the heart-wrenching stories they share regarding how the illness has affected them, keep this Spackenkill team coming back year after year to support this cause. They would not be able to do this without the assistance and generosity of their colleagues, the administration, and their friends who continue to prove that Spackenkill is indeed a family.  Please continue to support the fundraising efforts as they continue their involvement. It is truly making a difference in the lives of our neighbors and friends. 

Teacher who support Sparrows Nest
Above, left to right: Jennifer Wilson, Kimberly Rogers, and Geraldine LaGasse.

Above, left to right: Geraldine LaGasse, Krista Jones (Executive Director and Founder of Sparrow’s Nest),  Kimberly Rogers, and Jennifer Wilson.  

Marist Athletes Return to Hagan

Athletes from the Marist women's diving, rowing, volleyball, lacrosse, and soccer teams visited Hagan this past Monday to mentor fourth and fifth grade students. The month-long program grounds girls in what it takes to be academically successful as well as active in sports. Each session begins with homework, as the college students share strategies for getting class work done. Afterward, everyone hits the gym for exercise. Hagan students learn how to stretch properly and warm up, while being coached in good sportsmanship. PE Teacher Lisa Papo orchestrates the program.

Sparrows Nest teacher supporters
Click here to watch a video of Marist mentors and Hagan students in action.
 

Chorus Students Enjoy Master Class

High School Chorus Director Holden Maiorana’s former vocal teacher from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, professional opera singer Dr. Eileen Skull, visited Spackenkill High School on Friday, February 22nd and treated chorus students to a master class in voice. Dr. Skull taught the students about enunciating and stressing language and consonants, creating resonance with your voice, and understanding what you’re actually saying in a foreign language when you’re singing operatically. The students learned so much from this engaging performer and had many takeaways from her lesson. What an amazing opportunity!

Dr. Skull working with students

 

Catch a Sneak Peek of 'Pippin' and More

Come See First Look
 

Designing Islands

Mrs. Strapec's and Mrs Turner's second graders learned about landforms and bodies of water in science class.  After studying mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, and more, they had the chance to design their own islands. A few of their creations are depicted below and reflect their classroom learning.  Way to go, second grade scientists!

building islands of clay


 

Check Your Mailbox:
Dollars for Seniors Mailing Coming Soon

Every year, the Spackenkill PTSA offers scholarships to deserving seniors. A mailing goes out to the community asking for donations. On Wednesday, February 27th,  about 100 LEO Club members gathered in the SHS cafeteria to stuff and label the mailing. It will soon be on its way to the community, so please be on the lookout for an envelope from Spackenkill and support the graduating class of 2019.

students stuffing Dollars for Seniors mailing
 

The Science of Ice Cream

Mrs. Pink's science students have been investigating where energy goes when a liquid changes to a solid.  They made ice cream to explore the topic, not only having fun but also learning about a scientific process. 

students explore the science of ice cream

15 Croft Road, Poughkeepsie,  NY

(845) 463-7800

Mission: Inspired by a tradition of excellence and a spirit of continuous improvement, the Spackenkill School District will provide all of our students with the academic and social skills necessary to pursue their goals and become responsible citizens in an interdependent global community.

Vision: All Spackenkill graduates will be lifelong learners who are inspired to pursue their dreams and contribute to the global society.

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