Taconic Hills Central School District

The 2021 Siena College Veteran & Cadet Award was presented to Alan (AJ) Glasser, a 2018 Taconic Hills High School Graduate at the 11th Annual Siena Veterans Recognition Dinner. AJ was recognized for "exceptional academic excellence as a Finance major at Siena College and outstanding leadership performance as a member of the ROTC program. He distinguished himself at all leadership labs and field training exercises over the past 4 years and truly lives the Army and Siena values. Cadet Glasser is a leader of presence and will serve well and honorably upon commissioning as an officer in the United States Army.” The award is also tied to a $1,000 scholarship. AJ is currently contracted with the U.S. Army Reserves and is assigned to his Psychological Operations Unit at Fort Totten in Queens, New York. He will be graduating Siena and the ROTC program in May of this year. Great job AJ!

The Taconic Hills Central School District is seeking a full-time laborer to work in our Buildings and Grounds Department. https://www.taconichills.k12.ny.us/page/employment

K9 Trooper Justin Bell and Tilly stopped by to visit with the Animal Club. Bell has been a member of the state police since 2014. Tilly is a 3 year old bloodhound. State Police have been using bloodhounds since the 1930s. The bloodhounds specialize in the tracking of people, including missing persons. Tilly and Trooper Bell recently helped locate two missing students in Hudson. In July 2020, Tilly and Bell located a car theft suspect from Ulster County who was hiding from officers. In December 2019, a man was found by the pair, hiding in a barn, after fleeing a traffic stop on foot. And in August 2019, the pair located an endangered adult who was lost in a wooded area in temperatures that exceeded 90 degrees. The person had Alzheimer’s disease and was missing more than four hours, but Tilly located the victim within 15 minutes of picking up the scent. Thank you Trooper Bell and Tilly!

From the Columbia County Department of Health: Multi-brand Booster Clinics 12/2 (All boosters CGCC 3-6 p.m.): https://apps2.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties?DateID=D1144631A71102A4E0530A6C7C15B7E4 12/3 (All boosters CGCC 1-3 p.m): https://apps2.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties?DateID=D114600F388B01C2E0530A6C7C15F54B AGES 5-11 We will have a Pfizer POD for the 5-11 age group on 11/29 at AB Shaw Firehouse in Claverack. The return date for dose two will be 12/20, same time and location. 1/29 (AB Shaw 5-11 3-6 p.m.): https://apps2.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties?DateID=D1289A2F09BA0230E0530A6C7C1524DD

Friday night is the Big Night...the 6th Annual Dodgeball Tournament at the Taconic Hills Gymnasium starting at 5-7PM. Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge. If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a dodgeball. Don't miss this fun event!

The following POD for 5-11 year olds PFIZER COVID-19 PRIMARY SERIES clinic will be held at the Chatham Firehouse, 2 Hoffman St Chatham. POD scheduled from 3pm-6pm on 11-17-21 open to the public with children from 5-11 years old. https://apps2.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties?DateID=CFF928FC51E801D4E0530A6C7C15AA09

Don’t miss it! Taconic Hills x Spotty Dog November Book Fair! Welcome to the Taconic Hills Virtual Book Fair, sponsored by The Spotty Dog! This fair runs throughout November 2021. You can shop the virtual book fair here: https://bookshop.org/shop/THspottydogbookfair 1. Browse the themed book lists, and/or ... 2. Search for ANY book—for kids *or* adults—by title or topic using the search bar. Over 10,000 books are available! 3. Select books to be shipped directly to your child, yourself, or anywhere in the U.S., within about a week. 4. Feel GREAT knowing that your purchase benefits the Taconic Hills Library and a local independent bookstore! Don't Want to pay shipping? Visit Spotty Dog in person! Pick out books and gifts from their in-store inventory, present the TH coupon at check out, and your purchases will benefit the school library, too. OR Check out our books available for purchase in the HS or ES libraries and/or print out the attached form for deliver-to-school options for books. Completed book order forms can be emailed or delivered to Tonya Frickey in the HS Library. If you have any questions regarding the book fair, need assistance with bookshop.org, or would like book recommendations, please don't hesitate to reach out! You can contact us by emailing spottydogbooks@gmail.com OR tfrickey@taconichills.k12.ny.us

Taconic Hills recently held its annual awards banquet to honor its Fall athletes. Madison Rowe and Ava Skabowski were named co-MVPs of the Titans’ field hockey team, which won its fourth consecutive Section IX Class C championship. Marilyn Roque-Velasquez received the Coach’s Award. Also receiving awards in their respective sports: Varsity Girls Volleyball: Kersten Keeler Co-MVP, Izzabell Bosko Co-MVP. Varsity Football: Robert Burns MVP, Ryan Nielsen MIP, Charlie Beck Coach’s Award. Varsity Boys Soccer: Ben Nardone Coach’s Award, Ryan Sigler MIP, Neil Howard III MVP. Varsity Golf: Zach Rowe Co-MVP, Ben Hunter Co-MVP, Carter Klima Co-MVP. Varsity Cross Country: Eli Russo MVP, Ellie Yang Coach’s Award. Varsity Girls Soccer: Samantha Henderson Coach’s Award, Isabelle Hamann Coach’s Award, Riley McDonald Coach’s Award. JV Volleyball: Yasmyn Pitcher MIP, Faith Judisky Leadership. JV Field Hockey: Gianna Stang Hustle, Madison Tkacy Leadership

Congratulations to Eli Russo who finished 25th at the Cross Country State Championship in Binghamton this weekend. Eli is the first Boys Cross Country athlete to make it to the State Championships in the school's history. Great job Eli! Picture: Eli Russo with Coach Kolewe https://www.hudsonvalley360.com/sports/local/local-runners-fare-well-at-state-cross-country-championships/article_c5738a1e-5273-5a32-b785-124865e0f5e0.html

Congratulations to our Section IX Field Hockey All Stars 1st Team - Madison Rowe, Ava Skabowski 3rd Team - Jennie Beck, Marilyn Roque-Velasquez, Alexia Vidaca https://www.hudsonvalley360.com/sports/local/field-hockey-section-ix-field-hockey-all-stars/article_4da81ccf-7dbd-5ff9-8feb-1609c8874840.html

There are still appointments available for children ages 5-11 for the CC Department of Health clinic at Taconic Hills High School 3pm-5:45pm. https://apps2.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties?DateID=CFBF1A9EC3F601E0E0530A6C7C15FA1D

Parents and Guardians of 5- To 11-Year-Olds Who Receive Their First Vaccine Dose by December 19 Can Enter Into the Random Drawing. Scholarship Includes Tuition, Room And Board 10 Winners per Week for Five Weeks with First Winners Announced November 24; Drawing Schedule Available Here Parents, Guardians, And Communities Encouraged To Visit Ny.Gov/Vaxforkids; https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-launches-new-vaccinate-educate-graduate-vaccine-incentive-program-5-11-year

What does your financial future look like? Learn the skills that can give you the tools to succeed financially. We will use games to illustrate money making / saving strategies so you do not make mistakes. Learn about Budgeting, Banking, Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds and other investments, Insurance, Credit and much more. You will NOT be sold anything during this class. This is a learning opportunity. Wednesdays 7-8:30PM 20 Weeks - Begins January 5th. Registration deadline is Monday, December 20, 2021. https://www.taconichills.k12.ny.us/page/course-catalog

Taconic Hills Field Hockey fell to North Salem in the Class C Regional Championships 1-0 at Rondout Valley on Sunday. The Titans’ defense did a good job of holding Tigers’ standout DeModna in check, but DeModna scored with 2:16 left in the second quarter. “Sophomore Grace Alvarez had a phenomenal game in goal,” Webster said. “She had 12 saves, blocking many shots. They gave me everything they had and represented Section IX well. Even though a trip to states would have been nice, I couldn’t be more proud of this team. We will keep fighting and will be back here again." https://www.hudsonvalley360.com/sports/local/local-roundup-th-field-hockey-greenville-boys-soccer-fall-in-regionals/article_abbf963c-9459-5fdd-84a0-9f916bb0bf09.html

Congratulations to Sophomore Eli Russo who placed sixth with a time of 17:06.18 at the Section II Class C Cross Country Championships at Saratoga State Park. Eli is the first TH Boys runner to qualify for the state meet in school history. Eli will travel to the State Meet at Chenango Valley in Binghamton this weekend. Good luck Eli! https://www.hudsonvalley360.com/sports/local/cross-country-titans-russo-makes-history-at-section-ii-championships/article_72cbf556-b804-5fd1-bfa0-a4447ebcd378.html

On Tuesday Nov. 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave the final approval for children ages 5 to 11 to receive doses of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech. COVID vaccines for children in this age group are not identical to the ones for adults or adolescents 12 and older. This younger cohort will receive one-third of the standard dose, drawn from smaller vials. Taconic Hills will be hosting a Vaccination Clinic administered by the Columbia County Department of Health for children ages 5-11 on Monday November 15, 2021 from 3-5:45PM. Parents and Guardians can register their children at the link below: https://apps2.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties?DateID=CFBF1A9EC3F601E0E0530A6C7C15FA1D COVID cases in children surged this summer with the delta variant. The CDC reported that during a six-week period in late June to mid-August, hospitalizations among children and adolescents increased fivefold. About 1.9 million kids in the 5 to 11 age range have been diagnosed with COVID, and around 8,300 have been hospitalized. If you have any questions about the vaccine, we encourage you to contact your child’s physician. Thank you all for your ongoing efforts to keep everyone safe and healthy. Sincerely, Dr. Neil L. Howard, Jr. Superintendent of Schools Taconic Hills Central School District Resources COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens [CDC] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html

Reminder: Tomorrow is a Superintendent's Conference Day (and Election Day). No school for students.

TH Senior Kristopher Gardella is working on a survey for his Science Research Project that focuses on vaping and how it correlates to other factors in a young adult's life. The survey is intended for adults aged 21-28. The answers are confidential and your personal information will not be collected. If you choose to participate, you will be asked to complete a semi-brief self-report survey. The purpose, and title of the research will be revealed at the end of the survey. Estimated Time: 10-20 minutes. If you know someone who vapes and is aged 21-28, please feel free to share this information. If you have any questions about the study, feel free to contact Course Instructor: Linda Hopkins at lhopkins@taconichills.k12.ny.us https://forms.gle/XpoftL1kqXcZUsmE8

Taconic Hills is currently seeking a Elementary Teacher – Term Position. Apply online through OLAS https://www.olasjobs.org/jobs?keyword=®ion=03 . More information is available at https://www.taconichills.k12.ny.us/page/employment

The Taconic Hills Central School District is seeking a full-time cleaner to work in our Maintenance Department. https://www.taconichills.k12.ny.us/page/employment