Raider Report April 2025
The Red Hook Central School District is proposing a $6.085 million capital improvement project featuring broad reconstruction of the main athletic field at its high and middle schools utilizing a grass surface. The proposal also includes two interior projects: renovations for some of the Red Hook High School bathrooms and the installation of a kiln room at Linden Avenue Middle School.
The measure was approved by the Board of Education during its meeting March 20 and will appear as Proposition 3 on the May 20 school budget and board election ballot. Though voters will be asked if they will approve spending more than $6 million on the proposal, taxpayers would be responsible for less than $2.2 million of the cost after state aid.
The district has sought to fix issues of safety and accessibility at its main field for several years. The field is overly compact, uneven and prone to flooding, the product of severe overuse. Three times since 2022, the board has unsuccessfully put forth propositions to voters in which the field would be renovated with an artificial turf surface. Environmental concerns tied to the materials used to create the field were a common reason voters cited for why they did not support the plans. Voters in October approved the renovation of two other field spaces at the high and middle schools utilizing natural grass.
“Throughout this process we have been listening to residents’ feedback while building proposals that would provide our students with safe outdoor facilities to aid in their physical and emotional well-being,” Dr. Janet Warden, Superintendent of Schools, said. “A grass renovation satisfies those concerns we’ve heard while allowing for the field repairs we’ve needed.”
The repairs included in this new proposal encompass the installation of a new grass surface and a drainage system. Field lighting would also be installed, allowing for competitions and community events after dark. The track surrounding the field, which was last resurfaced in 2010, will be replaced and the perimeter chain-link fencing would be repaired.
The field’s main use would be for football and lacrosse competitions and the track and field team, with other fields and spaces utilized for practices and the physical education department. The district would aim to preserve the surface and protect against the overuse that has plagued the schools’ fields.
If Proposition 3 is approved, the average homeowner with a property value of $400,000 can expect to pay an average of $20 per year over 15 years.
Spring has finally arrived, bringing with it longer days and renewed energy. A well-deserved Spring break is just around the corner! Schools will be closed from Friday, April 11 through Monday, April 21st, giving students and staff the opportunity to recharge and spend valuable time with family and friends. I hope everyone enjoys this time of rest and returns refreshed for the remainder of the school year.
Over the past few weeks, I had the privilege of hosting Community Conversations with students, board members, administrators, parents and community members. These discussions centered on the future of education — exploring the skills, programs, experiences, and facilities necessary to prepare our students for success. We also explored new ways to engage the community and strengthen partnerships, reinforcing our shared commitment to be collaborative and future focused.
Looking ahead, I am enthusiastically inviting all of you to our upcoming Budget Expo on May 8 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. This event is a fantastic opportunity to see firsthand the wide range of programs and services funded by our community. You’ll have the chance to ask questions about district programs, the proposed EV bus proposition and the upcoming capital project. Students and families are encouraged to attend! Immediately following the Budget Expo, we will hold our annual Public Hearing on the proposed budget. I look forward to seeing you at this upcoming event and continuing our conversations about the future of Red Hook Central School District.
Wishing you all a wonderful spring and a restful break!
Red Hook High School senior Ava Hubner’s painting, “Kosher by Convenience” took first prize at the annual Columbia-Greene Community College Juried Art Show, which included the work of artists from 12 area high schools. Ava and classmate Chai Cunningham were the two seniors selected by Red Hook’s art teachers to represent the school at the show, which ran Feb. 26-March 2.
“The technical skills the students showed in their pieces were exemplary. The compositions strategies they used to create a sound composition were off the charts,” Art Department Chair Julia Shultis said of how the two students' pieces were selected. “They put in a lot of time and effort but, visually, they just are very appealing to the eye. ... We’re very, very honored to have them representing our school and it’s exciting to have other school districts to see what’s coming out of Red Hook High School and to see what other school districts are doing, too.”
Ava’s piece depicts two blue crabs next to Old Bay seasoning, in front of Manischewitz wine and matzo ball mix, two notably kosher foods. As part of her family is both Jewish and from Baltimore, the blue crabs represent a contradiction.
“In Baltimore, Maryland a really big thing is blue crabs,” Ava said. “However, they’re not kosher. My uncle was always very strict about keeping kosher. Whenever we went out for blue crabs, he would order blue crabs anyway. You can’t not get blue crabs. ... We would say ‘What are you doing? We thought you were keeping kosher?’ He said, ‘No, only Kosher in the house.’”
Ava said she wanted her piece to represent how “people kind of change tradition and religion and culture to adapt to their lifestyle and for convenience. I think a lot of people, regardless of their culture or religion, can relate to that.”
Chai described her painting as “normal Buddhist storytelling.” Half the face depicted represents the Buddha, while the other half is Mara “the demon, who represents anger and attachment, tempting the Buddha from reaching enlightenment,” represented by a lotus at the bottom of the image. “Buddha is blue, so it’s more calm, and the demon is red, which is a more chaotic type of feeling,” she said, noting she wouldn’t say she’s a Buddhist, but “but I do like the morals and the story that goes along with Buddhism.”
Maggie Dimock, associate curator for The Olana Partnership at the Olana state historic site, served as judge. “To have someone who is that knowledgeable about artwork and composition, it’s really quite an honor to have them select Ava as the winner,” Ms. Shultis said.
It was the second time “Kosher by Convenience” was on display. Ava also included the piece in a collection she presented in December and January at the Trolley Barn in Poughkeepsie through The Art Effect’s Senior Project Course. “I think it’s nice to have something used,” she said. “I think a lot of artists can probably relate to that feeling that you make a lot of things and it sits in a closet and nobody sees them. Now that this piece has been in two shows it just feels good that it’s not sitting in my closet. Like, it’s made for a purpose.”
Lumi Haas has never thought about barcodes. They’ve just always been there, on everything. “We use them so much in everyday life and I didn’t even know there was math behind them,” the eighth grader said. “It was a fun experience for all of us to learn.”
That was the spirit behind the projects presented March 11 as Linden Avenue Middle School held its annual Math Fair. Working in small groups, students in the Math 7 Accelerated and Algebra 1 classes spent a month researching a topic of their choosing, from a lengthy list provided, ranging from logic puzzles and the game of Nim to topology, Pascal’s Triangle and happy numbers. “They learned about the history, the development and the use of their topic,” math teacher Julianna Loussedes explained. “They were presented with a question and they learned how to answer the question and the techniques behind the question.”
On March 11, they presented their findings to fellow students, staff and family who attended the after-school fair. Each group created a display for their topic and a hands-on activity to illustrate it. The algebra students also were required to create a Powerpoint presentation with some sort of interactive feature they could find online a replicate, like a video or a game. “It’s fascinating,” Ms. Loussedes said. “They do all their work outside of class time and they do a lot of research and present their findings.”
The fair was first created around a decade ago by math teacher Mackenzie Dabo and former math teacher Beth Goldberg. "It is such an important skill for students to develop," Ms. Dabo said, "to discuss their research and speak about their topics."
Gracyn Clements’ group focused on Tangrams, a geometric puzzle game in which shapes of blocks can be arranged to create images. “We just picked something that was interesting that we would want to learn about,” said Gracyn, an eighth grade student. “We all like puzzles, they’re fun, and it incorporates history.”
She explained, the game originates in a Chinese story about a sage bringing a piece of glass to a king only to have it break along the way. As an interactive element her group gave visitors black-and-white silhouette images and challenged them to solve the puzzle. “You have to pick the right shapes to solve it,” she said.
Many of the students enjoyed visiting friends’ booths, many of which gave out little treats to those who played games. “Everybody I’ve visited today has been fantastic,” Lumi said. “Everybody brought their A-game. Their posters are so fun.” Among her favorites was a booth linking the popular online Wordle game to a predecessor, Mastermind.
When visitors came to the booth, Maci Barry and her groupmates explained the history of Mastermind, “a guessing game with strategy,” and its evolution. They then got a physical game card to play themselves. “A lot of people have played. We have a lot of adults who have played,” Maci said. As for why their booth was among the more heavily trafficked, she said, “We have a lot of Jolly Ranchers on our board. If you win, you get a Jolly Rancher.”
Linden Avenue Middle School March 13 enjoyed a March Madness event to cap off ongoing gym class basketball tournaments. The event was shaped in the mold of NBA All-Star Weekend, with music, fun and games.
After students took part in a skills competition testing passing accuracy, dribbling and shooting, a group of students took on teachers and staff in a 3-point shooting contest. Each competitor shot 15 3-pointers (three at each of five stations around the perimeter, with a time limit. After the scores were tallied, the students came out on top. Finally, everyone watched the semifinals and finals of the gym class two-on-two tournament and champions were crowned.
Doug Keto this month taught his Garden students how maple syrup is made by creating it at the school, from tapping trees to cooking it down and, ultimately, tasting it on pancakes made fresh on an electric griddle. It’s a lesson Mr. Keto revived in 2023 and has been building each year he’s been with the district. While the unit teaches students how trees work and the differences between processed and homegrown foods, it doubles as a fundraiser with proceeds going directly back into the Garden program.
Mr. Keto took classes outside to see the trees he tapped lining Mill Road’s 3-5 side, teaching them how to identify that the trees are sugar maples by their bark and branches. He tapped 11 trees in all, including some on the PK-2 side of the building and by the garden. The sap is collected through tubes threaded into closed five-gallon, food-safe buckets, and then moved into a 65-gallon drum before it is cooked down.
“You want below-freezing temperatures at night, above-freezing during the day,” Mr. Keto said, noting 25 degrees during the night and 40 during the day is ideal sap harvesting conditions. “The freeze-thaw cycle pumps the sap through the tree.”
This year, Mr. Keto cooked the sap down in front of the school using a propane heating station, which has given off a smell similar to marshmallows and allows the students, for the first time, to see the different stages of the process. When the sap comes out of the tree, it’s roughly 97% water with a clear appearance. "It will give them a better understanding of the process," he said, motioning to the clear liquid. "If someone told you this turned into syrup, they wouldn't believe you."
He explained, it takes roughly 50 gallons of sap to create one gallon of syrup. Last year, roughly 170 gallons yielded four gallons of syrup. Most of it was given out in classes, though 50 eight-ounce jars were sold as a fundraiser. He plans to do the same this year. Mr. Keto gave each student the chance to taste sap cooked down around 50% before heading back inside. After asking students to guess how the clear sap transforms to brown syrup, he explained it’s a common transformation when sugar is heated. “When you add heat to sugar, what you do is caramelize it,” he said. “You see it when you cook onions, you cook bread, when you cook syrup, it’s just the sugar browning.”
Student questions included:
“Can a tree regenerate its sap?” (“Yes, because it just uses the water that’s available in the ground, the water it has stored and all the sugar it stored last year while it was growing, so it has everything it needs to make more sap,” Mr. Keto said.)
And, “Could you just taste sap if you see it coming down from a tree? (“Very soon, this sap will turn very bitter because the tree will start pumping chemicals through its body to tell it to start growing buds, and then flowers, and then leaves … if you try eating sap any other time of the year, other than early spring, it’s probably going to taste really nasty,” Mr. Keto said.)
Lucky for the students, the sap-turned-syrup was plenty sweet early this month. Mr. Keto made each student a pancake on an electric griddle in his classroom and gave them the option of topping it with his school-made syrup or a store brand which, he pointed out to them, does not actually contain maple syrup. Most students opted for the real stuff. And, most asked for seconds.
Students in Alicia O’Shea’s third grade class celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with Irish tea and soda bread they mixed themselves. With direction from Ms. O’Shea and help from parent volunteers, the students created the soda bread from scratch.
The lesson, which Ms. O’Shea has been teaching for around 15 years, not only stresses the importance of problem solving and following directions but also delves into baking and science. “In third grade, we study culture all year long,” she said. “Food is a part of culture. Making and eating food helps us learn how to read instructions, measure things, work together and enjoy a shared experience.”
Working in groups of four, the students executed two recipes: traditional soda bread – which came from O’Shea’s own grandmother – and a variation that swaps in chocolate chips for the raisins. For each, one group mixed wet ingredients and one group mixed dry before the students took turns folding the mixtures into each other. Ms. O’Shea then took the two full pans of bread home to bake and bring back for their St. Patrick’s Day celebration. “The kids always want the chocolate chip, but I feel like I have to push them to try the raisin,” she said. “Usually, more of the raisin ends up in the garbage.”
The lesson in baking was not the only way the class is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and historic Irish culture. The students on Monday explored the giant "Blarney Castle" outside the classroom. Ms. O’Shea also led a lesson on defensive architecture in which the students not only painted their own castles, labeling the features, but they also used castle blocks in the STEAM lab to create their own architecture. “Defensive architecture is teaching them about the culture of Ireland 800 years ago,” O’Shea said.
Martha Strever on Wednesday, March 19, was honored at the State Capitol as part of the Legislative Women’s Caucus’ annual Women’s History Month celebration. The event, which included lunch and a tour, brought together trailblazing women from across the state who have had a profound impact on their communities and were selected by their local lawmakers. State Sen. Michelle Hinchey chose Strever for the honor.
The Linden Avenue Middle School math teacher of 64 years, who was accompanied by principal Stacie Fenn-Smith, met Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and others. “I’m living in dream world. It feels like a dream world,” Ms. Strever said. “Being in the Capitol and standing there with the governor, I said, ‘How many people get to experience this?’ I don’t care what politics you’re in, this was purely women’s history day. How could it be me standing there?”
It was the latest in a series of honors and attention bestowed upon Ms. Strever this school year. She’s the longest-serving active teacher in New York and has three applications for Guinness World Records pending, including longest teaching career in one school, longest career for a female math teacher and longest-serving department head. Last month she was named among USA Today’s Women or the Year, the only honoree from New York, and has been honored by the state Education Department and other organizations.
Principal Fenn-Smith, one of many Red Hook employees who were once students under Ms. Strever, said the government staff in Albany “rolled out the red carpet for Martha.” At the lunch, each official introduced their honoree to the room and explained why they were chosen. The teacher and principal had planned to take the group tour afterward but, Ms. Strever said, Sen. Hinchey offered to give them a personal tour herself. “She was super. She stayed with us the whole day,” Ms. Strever said.
Sen. Hinchey, in a statement afterward, noted Strever broke barriers as woman teaching math and science in the 1960s. She called it “a privilege to honor” the teacher. She “served as a constant role model — paving the way for future generations of women in STEM and showing the profound impact a great teacher can have on shaping students’ lives for the better. We all remember that one teacher who believed in us and inspired excitement about the future ahead. For so many Red Hook students, that teacher is Martha.”
Photos courtesy Sen. Michelle Hinchey's Office.
Red Hook held its annual Community Conversations event March 5, an opportunity for district leaders, families and residents to have open discussions regarding issues facing students and how to better address those issues systemically and holistically.
Residents sat in small groups at tables with members of district leadership for each conversation. At the outset, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Janet Warden explained the purpose of the event was to have an exchange of ideas in which differing and broad perspectives are valued, promoting thoughtful reflection. Residents were encouraged to put the students first in all conversations and to think about all grades and all populations of students.
“Our Community Conversations will focus on envisioning the future of our school district as we adapt to evolving New York State graduation requirements, shifting workforce skills, industry demands, job growth, and the rapid advancements in technology,” Dr. Warden read from her presentation welcoming attendees. “As the world changes, so must our approach to education.”
Dr. Warden then detailed many of these elements, walking residents through the state’s changing graduation requirements and sharing statistics on the changing job market and the increased emphasis on skill building. These are themes that were also discussed by Red Hook district leadership and faculty at the outset of the school year during a summer retreat and on the staff’s first day back from summer break.
Community Conversations participants joined three different groups of people for about 10 minutes to share their responses to the following questions:
- What skills, programs and experiences do you believe will be essential for the future success of our children?
- How should our facilities evolve to support the skills, programs and experiences needed for the future?
- What should community engagement and partnerships with families and community members look like in the future?
“The discussions were lively and informative,” Dr. Warden said. “We thank everyone for attending. The support we receive from the community is an invaluable part of the educational experience at Red Hook.”