Each week’s word will be displayed on the electronic sign at the corner of State Route 23 and County Route 11A.
Families are encouraged to use the word at home as often as possible to reinforce learning and make language fun!
They explored their classrooms, met their teachers, learned the rules of bus safety, and even took a short practice bus ride to get comfortable.
Our Transportation Department went above and beyond by setting up lawn signs with stop lights, buses, and other reminders to help the students learn safety rules. To top it off, each child received a goodie bag for their great attention to safety—plus a coloring page and pack of crayons from our wonderful PTO!
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success: our Transportation Department, PTO, Principals, office, staff, teachers, and families who attended. The experience helped ease those first-day jitters and made the start of school a little smoother for everyone.
We are so proud and excited for our little Titans as they began their school journey!
Elementary families can enjoy “Poppin’ with the Principals”, where you’ll meet your child’s principal and enjoy some popcorn!
Our new Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Elsa Kortright-Torres, will also be available to meet the community.
Come Early at 5:00 PM!
Before Open House, join us for a session on programs funded through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Federal Fund. This is your chance to:
Ask questions about programs supporting student success
- Share ideas for new activities or opportunities
- Provide feedback to help guide educational decisions
- Meeting location: Lyle G. Hamm Performing Arts Center
We look forward to seeing all families and working together to support every student’s success!
Because this is the first drill of the year, afternoon drop-off may be delayed by approximately 5–10 minutes. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we prioritize the safety of all students.
Open House, Blood Drive, Bus Evacuation Drill, word of the week, and so much more!!!
Friday Folder is BACK for the 2025-2026 school year! Check it out here: 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
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
Happy First Day of School for the 2025 - 2026 school year! 🍎☀🧡
Make sure to share your back to school photos with webmaster@taconichills.k12.ny.us so we can share with our community!
Tomorrow is the first day of school for the 2025-2026 school year! Join Superintendent Brunger in the tradition of sending us your first day photos at webmaster@taconichills.k12.ny.us or direct Facebok message so we can share them with the Taconic Hills Community!
We can't wait to see everyone tomorrow!
School starts tomorrow!
Stay connected all year long with the Taconic Hills App! This is your one-stop spot for events, live feeds, news, and important notifications right at your fingertips.
Within the app, don’t forget to explore the Rooms feature, where you can message your student’s teachers and keep track of their classes.
Guardians who have not yet signed up for Rooms should have received an email and text invitation. If you don’t remember your Rooms password, you can easily reset it to ensure you stay connected to all important updates.
Click here to download the app for iPhone
Click here to download the app for Android
Be sure to allow notifications in the app so you don’t miss a thing!
We can’t wait to welcome students back tomorrow!
2025–2026 School Tax Bills are Now Available
School tax bills were mailed on August 29, 2025. Due to the Labor Day holiday, payments are accepted without penalty through October 1, 2025.
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.
A non-negotiable 2% penalty will be applied to all payments made October 2, 2025 - 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.
Today we honor the hard workers across our community and nation. We hope everyone is enjoying a safe and restful holiday!
We look forward to welcoming our faculty and staff back tomorrow as we prepare for an exciting school year ahead. Students, we can’t wait to see you on Thursday, September 4th for the first day of school!
Families have the option to purchase laptop insurance to protect their student’s school-issued device from unexpected costs. Coverage provides peace of mind, ensures quick and hassle-free service, and helps students stay focused on 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 & therft/loss protection: $64
The deadline to purchase insurance is October 31, 2025.
Purchase online here: https://gpo.worthavegroup.com/gpo/taconichills/
At its August 27, 2025 meeting, the Taconic Hills Board of Education adopted Policy 5695: Students and Personal Electronic Devices, following thoughtful review and consideration.
This policy fulfills New York State’s “bell-to-bell” restriction on personal internet-enabled electronic devices under the More Learning, Less Scrolling: Creating Distraction-Free Schools initiative. It clearly outlines student expectations regarding use of personal electronics during the school day, as well as the consequences for any violations.
We kindly ask all families to review this policy with your child to ensure understanding and cooperation. Administrators and faculty will consistently enforce the policy to maintain a focused, respectful, and productive learning environment. Review the policy here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WO7v9iOfNzIdSiW-fAxMqDAzRJpwwGbgxVrMyZjy26U/edit?usp=sharing
Thank you for placing your child’s education first and partnering with us to help ensure their success.
Highlights include:
- Roof repairs over the Performing Arts Center (PAC).
- New HVAC system installed in the Aquatic Center.
- New Board of Education room created, with easy access for community members.
- District Office updates:
-- Assistant Superintendent moved to a more central location
-- Assistant Superintendent space includes a professional library and places for teachers and staff to collaborate, learn and grow in their practices
-- Business Office relocated for individual private office spaces.
- Flooring repairs: The district has dealt with ongoing issues with some of the first floor tiling that was put in a few years ago. Correcting the issue requires flooring stripped down to the original concreate. This work will continue throughout the year. We ask for your patience and to pardon the appearance of these areas as we complete these necessary repairs to maintain overall safety for all students and staff, while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used efficiently.
- Grounds and cleaning: Our Athletic fields and outdoor spaces are being prepared for fall sports in addition to the deep cleaning that occurs annually each summer
- New classroom furniture assembled for grades 2 and 3.
The majority of this work has been completed by our own Buildings and Grounds staff, saving time and money while making our facilities shine. We are proud of what has been accomplished in just two short months and can’t wait to see students and staff back in our refreshed spaces! We are thankful for the expertise and talent that our team has.
The first lunch menu of the 2025-2026 school year is here! 🍎🥪
Check out the delicious meals the Food Service Department is serving in September!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1suSJzB4VFzrh7Iqu01ERHAcEHO0bHxJN/view?usp=sharing
Good Evening,
Student laptop and charger distribution night for Grades 6-12 will be Wednesday, August 27, 2025 from 2PM - 6PM in the Jr/Sr High School Cafeteria. Students are asked to sign the 2025 Student Laptop Contract upon picking up new equipment.
Please be advised that prior to issuance of computer equipment for the new school year, previously issued equipment that has not been returned must be dropped off and outstanding balances for lost or damaged equipment from prior years must be satisfied.
Laptops and chargers will only be distributed to students who returned their equipment from the previous school year. For those who have lost equipment, a representative from the Business Office will be available to collect payments at distribution. If payment is not received, new equipment will not be issued. Payments can also be made in person at the school any weekday between 8 am and 3 pm.
If you have a laptop or charger at home that you did not return in June, you must bring it to the laptop distribution so the IT Department can verify it is still in good working condition.
Equipment Replacement Prices:
- Power adapter: $25
- Battery: $130
- Touch screen: $120
- Non Touch screen: $50
- Keyboard: $70
- Complete Laptop: $600
Questions are to be directed to John Dodds, Coordinator of Computer Technology, at jdodds@taconichills.k12.ny.us
Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to a successful school year!
The elementary students drop off process will not change. This change is to ensure we are using the most efficient prompt way to get your children into school.
Thank you.
Due to technical difficulties, the Virtual Title Grant Presentation that was scheduled for yesterday has been rescheduled to next Tuesday, August 26th, at 2PM.
We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
Meeting Details:
Microsoft Teams Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjQ2ZTNlMzgtNjk3OS00ODMzLWFhODctZjk5YzUyMDkxOGU1%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2228e5a11b-6f5b-4e99-9b76-5963e5c2f4b5%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2206e94a63-a923-4b73-848d-36856daf3f13%22%7d
Meeting ID: 291 572 156 777 9
Passcode: nF96Ku29
There will be a public hearing on Wednesday, August 27th from 5:30PM - 6PM regarding the proposed code of conduct for the 2025 - 2026 school year.
During this public hearing, parents and community members are able to ask questions and discuss the code of conduct which will be approved at the Board of Education meeting later that night.
Your input is valuable and appreciated.
Dr. Kortright-Torres comes to Taconic Hills with over 25 years of experience in education. She began her career in the classroom and has since served in a variety of leadership roles, including Assistant Principal, Principal, Administrative Assistant Superintendent, and Executive Director of Teaching & Learning in the Hudson City School District. This past year at Hudson City, Dr. Kortright-Torres collaborated with principals, teachers, and instructional coaches to develop systems and protocols for their Multi-Tiered System of Supports and provided embedded professional development on using Harvard’s Data Wise to analyze student data and plan for explicit instruction in literacy and numeracy in all grade levels.
Fluent in Spanish, Dr. Kortright Torres’s personal and professional background allows her to bring unique insight and support to our growing population of English as a New Language (ENL) learners.
Since joining Taconic Hills, she has already been actively collaborating with administrators and faculty, building strong relationships, and laying the foundation for a smooth transition into her new role. We are confident that her leadership, vision, and commitment to student success will guide us forward, and we look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the coming school year and beyond.
