Mayor Butler Meets with Students and Shares Important Lesson about Perseverance and Teamwork

“I think I can, I think I can….” Those four important words make many people think of the classic children’s book, “The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper. Although nearly a century old now, this inspirational message seems more relevant than ever. That is part of the reason that Village of Tarrytown Mayor Butler chose to read this particular book to second grade students at Morse elementary school.

COVID 19 Screening Attestation for Students and Visitors

Staff and Students: Please complete this short survey prior to coming to work or school https://entry.neric.org/tarrytown

Honoring Black History Month Through The Written Word

Throughout the month of February, the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns celebrated Black History Month with a wide variety of lessons and discussions.

TUFSD Presents Virtual Bingo Night

Friday, February 26th 5:00 – 6:30 PM To Register: Please email Samantha Dorn at sjdorn@tufsd.org Please include the name and email address of the student who will be playing upon registration. Great prizes! Fun for all!

Black History Month Celebrated in TUFSD

Black History Month is an opportunity for education and celebration of Black American history and culture. Here in the Public Schools or the Tarrytowns, our students are learning about and honoring historical and modern-day Black scholars, activists, musicians, scientists, mathematicians, leaders, and more.

Horsemen Happenings

Find out the latest news from the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns in this edition of Horsemen Happenings.

Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

The Public Schools of the Tarrytowns recognizes eight Science Research students who participated on Jan. 31 in the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS). The event is open to high school seniors and this year was held via ZOOM. The students explained their research using PowerPoint presentations.

Young Scientists Study Digestion

There are numerous benefits of hands-on learning, including better retention and engagement of the senses. While remote learning has made many hands-on projects a challenge, Washington Irving students in Mrs. DeVivo’s fourth grade class had a virtual experience that offered them the next best thing. Remote learners in Mr. Ramos’s class did a similar exercise.

January 26, 2021 -COVID Surveillance Testing

Dear Families and Staff, As I informed you in my January 22, 2021 Community Update, the District has collaborated with the Westchester County Department of Health to receive additional SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests. The acquisition of these tests will allow us to conduct a minimum of four weeks of surveillance testing of randomly selected in-person students and staff. This testing is not mandated by New York State, but rather a voluntary action by the District to help ensure the health and safety of our students, staff, and community. We will be testing 5% of our in-person students and staff per week to bring us to our monthly goal of 20%. If you have not already done so, please complete and submit the consent for testing form which can be accessed at this consent for testing link. Fully remote students do not need to complete a consent form. We will begin testing with Cohort A and staff on Monday, February 1, 2021.

January 21, 2021 - Message from the Superintendent - WI, SHMS/HS

One Washington Irving student, one Sleepy Hollow High School, and two Sleepy Hollow Middle School students have reported positive COVID-19 test results to the District. The District has notified the Westchester County Department of Health, who is responsible for contact tracing. Our District COVID Coordinator, Scott Dorn, is working with the Department of Health on the implementation of this process. The Washington Irving student is fully remote. However, the Sleepy Hollow Middle and High School students have been in school. Mr. Dorn’s office will notify those Sleepy Hollow Middle and High School students and employees who are considered close contacts by 7:00PM. The COVID positive students are currently in quarantine. Additionally, Sleepy Hollow Middle School will switch to an all-remote instructional model for Friday, January 22, 2021.

Sleepy Hollow High School Student Named STS Scholar

The Public Schools of the Tarrytowns congratulates senior Maya Weitzen on her selection as a scholar in the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) competition. The STS is the nation's oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for seniors. This year, students from across the nation submitted 1760 research papers and Maya is one of just 300 students selected for this honor.

Sleepy Hollow High School Student Named STS Scholar

The Public Schools of the Tarrytowns congratulates senior Maya Weitzen on her selection as a scholar in the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) competition. The STS is the nation's oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for seniors. This year, students from across the nation submitted 1760 research papers and Maya is one of just 300 students selected for this honor.

Message from the Superintendent

Dear TUFSD Families & Staff, One John Paulding employee has reported positive COVID-19 test results to the District. The District has notified the Westchester County Department of Health, who is responsible for contact tracing. The employee has not been in school since the Holiday Recess so there were no potential exposures to be notified by the District. The employee is currently in quarantine. As an update, John Paulding will remain in an all-remote instructional model on Monday, January 11, 2021, but will return to the hybrid instructional model on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 for Cohort A students.

Message from the Superintendent

Dear TUFSD Families and Staff, On Friday, January 8, 2021 one Sleepy Hollow High School employee and one Sleepy Hollow Middle School student reported positive COVID-19 test results to the District. Contact tracing was completed and no close contacts were identified. Today, one Washington Irving student, and five Sleepy Hollow High School students have reported positive COVID-19 test results to the District. The District has notified the Westchester County Department of Health, who is responsible for contact tracing. Our District COVID Coordinator, Scott Dorn, is working with the Department of Health on the implementation of this process. The Washington Irving student was not in school during their infectious period and four of the Sleepy Hollow High School students are remote. However, one Sleepy Hollow High School student has been in school. Mr. Dorn’s office will notify those Sleepy Hollow High School students and employees who were close contacts by 6:00PM. The COVID positive employee and students are currently in quarantine. Additionally, after careful analysis of data provided to the Westchester Department of Health (DOH) by regional school districts, the DOH has provided school districts with updated guidance on quarantining those who have been exposed to individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19. This revised guidance was shared with districts late on Friday, January 8, 2021.

Tarrytown Celebrates Pearl Harbor Centenarian

It takes a special kind of person to endear themselves to both children and adults for decades and that is exactly what sets Sleepy Hollow resident Armando “Chick” Galella apart from others. On Jan. 4, the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns wished Galella, a Pearl Harbor survivor, a Happy 100th Birthday and threw him a virtual party with family members, faculty, school leaders and students in attendance. Galella turned 100 years young on New Year’s Day.

Message from the Superintendent

Dear TUFSD Families and Staff: This past weekend, residents of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown alerted law enforcement that stickers promoting a hate group, named Patriot Front, had been found throughout both Villages. Swift action was taken by the community and police to remove the stickers, initiate an investigation, and our local officials quickly denounced this show of hate. On behalf of the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, I want to express our disgust for the beliefs and actions of these hate groups and reiterate that there is no place for racist, derogatory, discriminatory and/or biased words or actions within our school district. I am gratified to know that community members spoke up about these stickers. Through our ongoing work with our district equity stakeholder team and the NYU Metro Center, we have learned that bystanders of acts of hate must also be held accountable, act as agents of change, and take responsibility for impacting their sphere of influence through their own initiative and upstanding words, actions, and behaviors.

Sleepy Hollow & Tarrytown Community Testing

Westchester Medical Center will be conducting testing over the next week for residents of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown. Testing will occur from 10:00am to 3:00pm on Thursday, January 14th at Saint Theresa’s Church at 130 Beekman Ave. In order to sign up to be tested, residents must make a reservation. Click title for more information.

Message from the Superintendent

Dear TUFSD Families & Staff, Two John Paulding employees, one Washington Irving student, and two Sleepy Hollow High School students have reported positive COVID-19 test results to the District. The District has notified the Westchester County Department of Health, who is responsible for contact tracing. Our District COVID Coordinator, Scott Dorn, is working with the Department of Health on the implementation of this process. The Washington Irving student, one John Paulding employee, and one Sleepy Hollow High School student have not been in school since the Holiday Recess so there were no potential exposures to be notified by the District. However, the other John Paulding employee and Sleepy Hollow High School student have been in school.

Need Resilience? Has the Pandemic Got Your Family Overwhelmed?

The Horsemen PTA is excited to share their Rivertown Parents' presentation to help families proactively build resilience and foster mental health. This two-part online event will be January 12 and January 19th. Check out more information on the attached flyer and register for this free event at http://www.rivertownparents.com/resilience-registration.html

Message from the Superintendent

Dear TUFSD Families & Staff, Happy New Year! I hope you and your families enjoyed the holidays and the extended recess. While the schools were closed, a number of employees and students reported positive COVID-19 test results to the District. The District has notified the Westchester County Department of Health who is responsible for contact tracing. As we were on break, the exposures were limited to employees and all potential exposures were notified by Mr. Dorn’s office. The cases reported over the break were as follows:

Message from the Superintendent

Dear TUFSD Families and Staff: On behalf of Mr. Dorn, myself and the entire administration, I want to extend our sincere thanks for your cooperation with the in-school SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing we conducted this week. As I shared in my update yesterday, the District administered 420 tests to students, faculty, and staff which yielded only six positive results. This represents a 1.4% positivity rate, which is far less than the percentage in the community and, in accordance with the NYS Department of Health, allows us to discontinue testing at this time. Your willingness to participate in the tests has allowed the district to remain open and keep our students in school and we appreciate all that you are doing to remain vigilant in your daily lives.

Message from the Superintendent

I am glad to report that we completed our mandated testing of 20% of our in-person staff and students today with Cohort B, administering 172 additional tests. In total the District administered 420 SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests to students, faculty, and staff. Between Monday and today, these tests yielded six positive results. This represents a 1.4% positivity rate which is significantly lower than the positivity rate within our community which has ranged from 8.8 to 4.7% since our designation as a Yellow Zone microcluster. In accordance with the revised guidance from the New York State Department of Health, which I have excerpted below, we will no longer need to test in-person students and staff as long as we remain a Yellow Zone:

Message from the Superintendent

Dear Families and Staff, I hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving with your families and that you enjoy the remaining days of the holiday weekend. Below you will find some bulleted reminders regarding next week’s schedule and mandated COVID testing which you should find helpful. Schedule for Week of November 30: Please note that we will operate on a three-hour delay schedule on November 30 and December 3 to allow for COVID testing among the 20 percent who have been selected in each cohort. Please continue to check this calendar for the most up to date information. Mandated COVID Testing: As a Yellow Zone, we are required by New York State to conduct mandatory bi-weekly COVID-19 testing of 20 percent of in-person students and staff to remain open.

Weekly Math and Science Tutoring

The Sleepy Hollow High School Math and Science Honor Societies Tuesdays starting December 1st 5:00pm-5:45pm via Google Meet Open to all students in TUFSD Students, tutors, and Honor Societies advisors will meet together and then tutoring pairs will split off into breakout groups Interested students, parents, guardians, or school administrators should contact Jennifer Walsh at jwalsh@tufsd.org to confirm a spot Students will need to bring assignments or homework to work on with the tutor

Message from the Superintendent - Mandatory COVID Testing Update

Dear Families and Staff, As I shared in my letter on Saturday, as a school district in a designated Yellow Zone, we are required to administer bi-weekly COVID screening tests to 20% of in-person students and staff. These SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests will be provided to the District by the Westchester County Department of Health and are conducted using a simple nasal swab which will provide results in fifteen minutes. Over the past few days, we have been clarifying the testing requirements and scheduling of our testing plan. The first requirement is that parents complete the consent for testing form, which can be accessed at this form link. It is very important that we receive a high response rate for testing in order for our schools to remain open and ask that you complete this form immediately. We will randomly select the initial 20% of students to be tested from those who have submitted the consent form.