Taconic Hills Central School District

2025–2026 School Tax Bills

School tax bills were mailed on August 29, 2025. The non-penalty phase expired on October 1, 2025. As of October 2, a non-negotiable 2% penalty is applied to all school tax payments.

• In-person payments are available at the District on weekdays from 8:00 AM–3:30 PM. Payments will not be accepted from 12PM - 12:30PM for a lunch break.

• The District will no longer collect school tax payments after October 31, 2025.

Payments can be made online anytime. Pay online here: https://www.infotaxonline.com/FindProperty.aspx?69
(Taxpayers are responsible for any service charges on online payments. Use only one identifying search criteria and confirm the correct tax year.)

If you believe you qualify for any exemptions, please contact your Town Assessor.

More detailed information regarding school tax collection can be found on our webpage https://www.taconichills.k12.ny.us/page/school-tax-information. 

Questions? Contact Alexandria Rose, Tax Collector at taxcollector@taconichills.k12.ny.us or 518-325-2815.

We will be hosting a Flu, COVID-19, and Pneumonia Vaccine Clinic on Tuesday, October 21, provided by Hannaford Pharmacy.

Faculty and staff are welcome from 2:30–3:30 PM, and families and community members are invited from 3:30–4:30 PM. No appointment is necessary — please bring your completed vaccine consent form and your insurance card (copies are accepted).

Complete the vaccine consent form here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10cMk1qxBVrc_1_4oXYV2yNXRTLZbih9K/view?usp=sharing

The clinic will be held in the Former Board of Education Room, S104 (High School side).

Stay healthy this season — we look forward to seeing you.

REMINDER: The annual review of the Title I Parent & Family Engagement Policy (BOE Policy 1900) will take place during the Policy Committee Meeting on Thursday, October 9th at 5:30PM

We encourage community members and families to participate and share any suggestions or revisions to the policy.

You can review the current Title I Parent & Family Engagement Policy here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12Yx_BWtnedJibIg7_SRIkeUA-Sp_q9b6zG7Or3ypP44/edit?usp=drive_link

Warmest greetings from the Taconic Hills Elementary PTO!

The PTO would like to take a moment to share our plans for the Lost and Found and Books on Wheels programs this year:

Books on Wheels will begin on Wednesday October 1st, 2025!
Children will have the option to visit us during their lunch times every Wednesday for the rest of the school year, please check our calendar for any updates or cancellations at https://taconichillspto.ptboard.com/calendar.

As always, we will be offering all of our books for just .25¢ and also have other small items for the children to shop for!

October’s theme will be “Messner the raccoon & his leaves!”. Children can bring home a leaf for free from Books on Wheels to write their name on and decorate for Messner's tree! Once they have completed it, they can bring it back to us at Books on Wheels to be displayed at school!! If this new addition item is well received we plan to continue with a different theme each month.

As an incentive to do well in class, the children can earn tokens from their teachers for various achievements (if the teacher elects to participate in this Books on Wheels program). These tokens can then be exchanged by the deserving child for a book at Books on Wheels!

Teachers if you would like to participate please email the PTO and ask for tokens! All funds earned by the Books on Wheels program go to the Taconic Hills Elementary PTO. If you would like to donate books to The Books on Wheels program, please contact us at Taconichillspto@gmail.com.

Please visit us on our Facebook page to learn more about our mission statement and for the latest PTO updates.

T.H.E. PTO plans for Lost and Found Items:
In an effort to alleviate the enormous number of items that were left in the Lost and Found last year, the PTO has set up a few plans to help the items get back to families. As always, none of these plans are as effective as labeling all of your children’s belongings. Weekly the PTO will collect unclaimed items from the playground, cafeteria and other common areas and place them into the Lost and Found.

On Wednesdays during Books on Wheels the Lost and Found will be made available to the children to look through as well. The PTO volunteers will encourage this as much as possible. Please also encourage your students at home to look through the Lost and Found while they are at school, on every day but Wednesday it is sitting in the hallway outside of the art room.

All unclaimed items at the end of the school year will be donated to the school’s Care Closet and/or other local community resources for families in need. If you are a family that can use help, please reach out to a school guidance counselor, there are many opportunities for help available through their office. Contact information for the counselor's can be found at: https://www.taconichills.k12.ny.us/staff?search=counselor

REMINDER!

The district offers families in grades 6-12 the opportunity to purchase laptop insurance for their student's device.

Insurance coverage provides peace of mind, ensures a quick and hassle free service, and helps students stay focused on their learning without interruption.

Coverage options:
- Lenovo 11E (Grades 7-12) for accidental damages: $46
- Lenovo 11E (Grades 7-12) for accidental damages & theft/loss protection: $80
- Lenovo 300E (Grade 6) for accidental damages: $38
- Lenovo 300E (Grade 6) for accidental damages & theft/loss protection: $64

The deadline to purchase insurance for this school year is October 31, 2025.

Purchase Insurance Coverage here: https://gpo.worthavegroup.com/gpo/taconichills/

REMINDER!

Join us for the 2025 Pumpkin Run on October 18th from 10AM - Noon at the field next to the Elementary Playground.

Chek out the races for toddlers through Grade 6 students! Every child who runs will get to pick a pumpkin to bring home!

There will be temporary tattoos, face painting, and much more!

Sign up to participate here: https://forms.gle/mqaULCC4f1ZY4NDU7

It is crucial that you sign up ahead of time to ensure we have enough pumpkins!

Dear Taconic Hills Families & Staff,

I am writing to inform you that the school will conduct a required emergency response drill within the next week. Before our drill, staff will talk to students about procedures, explain what to do, and why their actions are important. After the drill, staff will reassure students that they are safe. This drill is conducted to ensure that, in the unlikely event of a dangerous situation, our school community is prepared and knows how to stay safe.

You can help us practice and prepare for our drills. During the drill, we respectfully ask for your support:

• Please do not come to the school campus.

• Please do not call the school offices.

• Please do not contact students or staff members via cell phone or social media.

After the drill, you can support your child by helping them understand why we practice and prepare by conducting drills.

Please remember that conducting these safety drills can help maintain our schools as a safe place to learn and work.

Please make sure that your contact information is always current.

Please remind your student that any concern regarding safety within our school should be immediately reported to a school staff member.

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Lynnette Brunger, Superintendent of Schools
Nicholas Smith, Director of Facilities II

Join the Taconic Hills Elementary PTO in showing appreciation for two groups of people who help make our school such a special place!

Thursday, October 2 – National Custodial Workers Recognition Day
Every year on October 2, we take time to recognize the hard work and dedication of custodial staff across the country. Here at Taconic Hills, our custodians keep our school clean, safe, and welcoming every single day. Let’s show them some love!

How to participate:
- We’re asking students to create thank-you cards, notes, or drawings for our custodial team.
- Please send them to school with your child by Wednesday, October 1. Teachers will forward them to the PTO, and we’ll create a cheerful display for our custodians to enjoy!

Sunday, October 5 – World Teachers’ Day
World Teachers’ Day is a time to celebrate the impact teachers have on education and to show them the support they deserve. Let’s make our appreciation visible!

How to participate:
- Have your child wear orange on Monday, October 6, to celebrate our Titan Strong teachers and remind them how much they mean to us!

To learn more about upcoming recognition days and all the exciting things the T.H.E. PTO is planning, visit: https://taconichillspto.ptboard.com/home

The 2025–2026 District-Wide Safety Plan, originally approved on August 13, 2025, is open again for public comment until November 1, 2025.

On July 24, 2025, Governor Hochul signed Desha’s Law (S.5539A/A.785A), which takes effect on September 1, 2025, requiring all school safety plans to include a comprehensive Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP). Desha’s Law mandates that AEDs be clearly marked, accessible, and properly maintained. It also requires a Board of Education–adopted policy addressing sudden cardiac arrest, inclusion of a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan in the District-Wide Safety Plan, and an annex for sudden cardiac arrest in each Building-Level Emergency Response Plan.

To meet these requirements, Appendix E, Cardiac Emergency Response, has been added to our safety plan. Each individual building’s emergency response plan will also specifically address cardiac emergencies to ensure preparedness at each school. In addition, the District is working on an AED-specific policy that will be presented for Board approval. Taconic Hills is proud to already be ahead of the curve, with AEDs in place and maintained throughout the District.

Community members are encouraged to read the plan and submit feedback. A public hearing will be held on November 19, 2025, at 5:30 PM to allow community members to share input before the Board adopts the revised plan at the board meeting later that night.

You can read the updated safety plan, including Appendix E, here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fhLfZEcWpw5FrvlZ5JHj2jmzOY-HjMvj/view?usp=sharing

Please submit any feedback using the form here: https://forms.gle/eKeGyvePeeQ4xHx2A

At the September 15 Board of Education meeting, a revision was made to the Code of Conduct reinstating the no-backpack rule in classrooms. This rule was accidentally removed when the Code of Conduct was originally approved in August, but it has been a longstanding policy and has now been put back in place.

The policy applies not only to backpacks but also to large canvas bags, purses, and other items that carry many belongings.

Students should not have these items in classrooms or walking around the halls during the school day. Sports bags should be stored in the Veterans Community Room at the start of the day. The only acceptable time to see backpacks or large bags in the halls is during arrival or dismissal.

The reasons for this policy include:

• Safety concerns: Keeping large bags/backpacks out of classrooms reduces the risk of weapons or contraband being brought in.
• Classroom accessibility: Large bags/backpacks on the floor can create obstacles and clutter, making it harder to move around safely and efficiently in the event of an emergency.
• Minimizing distractions: Accessing large bags/backpacks during class can interrupt learning and focus for both students and teachers.

Students should store their backpacks and items in lockers and retrieve necessary items during classroom transitions throughout the day.

We appreciate your understanding and support in maintaining a safe, organized, and focused learning environment for all students.

Dear Taconic Hills Community,

We want to inform you that the Taconic Hills Aquatic Center will remain closed through October 31st as we complete important upgrades and maintenance to our HVAC system.

Our goal is to reopen on November 1st, just in time for the start of the swimming sport season. We understand this may be an inconvenience and truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we carefully complete this project. To accommodate our valued community members, all community memberships will be extended by one month. The Fitness Center remains open.

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the Aquatic Center soon!

October Lunch Menu, Code of Conduct Update, News from the PTO, and so much more!

Don't miss the Friday Folder for September 26, 2025: https://www.taconichills.k12.ny.us/page/friday-folder

To stay up to date with current news & events, follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaconicHillsCSD

We are hiring for a Jr/Sr High School Psychologist!

Benefits include:
- competitve salary
- summers & school breaks off
- ongoing professional development opportunities
- health insurance
- NYS retirement benefits

Apply on Taconic Hills CSD OLAS today! https://olasjobs.org/taconic-hills-csd

The October 2025 Lunch Menu is here!

Get ready for a SPOOK-tacular month packed with delicious meals, including:
🍟 Loaded Potato Wedge Bar
🌮 Walking Tacos
🍝 Baked Ziti

Plus, don’t miss National School Lunch Week from October 14–17, when students can taste their way around the world with these international favorites:
🥘 Sweden: Swedish Meatballs with Gravy & Mashed Potatoes
🥡 China: Honey Soy Chicken with Stir-Fry Noodles & Vegetables
🌯 Mexico: Chicken Fajitas with Peppers & Onions + Street Corn 🌽
🌭 Germany: Bratwurst with Braised Red Cabbage & German Potato Salad

View the whole menu here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wlcr6GYLz8YNfM57BmWjFwdc3JHcrDLD/view?usp=sharing

Tune in to News10 at 4:10 PM for a special feature on Taconic Hills and one of our most inspiring alumni, Imelda Muller (Class of 2009), who was recently selected as one of NASA’s newest astronaut candidates!

Taconic Hills 2009 graduate, Imelda Muller, has been selected as one of NASA’s newest astronaut candidates, launching her on a path toward space exploration. Muller, who grew up in Copake Falls, credits her roots at Taconic Hills High School as the start of a journey that has taken her from Columbia County classrooms to the global stage.

After graduating from Taconic Hills, Muller pursued a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Neuroscience at Northeastern University and went on to earn her medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. She joined the U.S. Navy, where she trained as an Undersea Medical Officer and served at the Navy’s Experimental Diving Unit, overseeing groundbreaking research in diving medicine and supporting high-risk operations. Along the way, she earned commendations for her leadership, clinical excellence, and teaching.

Muller’s medical career continued at Johns Hopkins University, where she was completing her anesthesia residency when NASA announced her selection in 2025. She began astronaut training this fall, a rigorous two-year program preparing candidates for missions to the International Space Station, the Moon, and beyond.

Outside of medicine and military service, Muller has long been passionate about endurance sports, scuba diving, and outdoor adventures. She has competed as an elite triathlete on the U.S. Military Endurance Sports team and represented the Navy in national competitions.

Her story is one of perseverance, service, and inspiration - a reminder to Taconic Hills students and families that big dreams can take root in a small community and reach all the way to the stars.

📺 Watch the full story on News10 at 4:10 PM

🔗 Read more from NASA here: https://www.nasa.gov/people/nasa-astronaut-candidate-imelda-muller/