Summary of 2022-2023
Approved Grants and Programs
Community-Based Programming
Asociacion de Familias Hispanas de los Tarrytowns (“AFHT”): This family literacy program helps develop vital literacy skills in underserved youth and their parents in our community.
Magician: The “Extreme Magic of Eric Wilzig” wowed students and their families at this free community event.
Food Pantry: The Foundation provides on-going support to the Sleepy Hollow High School Food Pantry, whose mission is to help eliminate food insecurity and hunger for SHHS students and their families by providing food in moments of scarcity and/or emergency.
Magician: The “Extreme Magic of Eric Wilzig” wowed students and their families at this free community event.
Food Pantry: The Foundation provides on-going support to the Sleepy Hollow High School Food Pantry, whose mission is to help eliminate food insecurity and hunger for SHHS students and their families by providing food in moments of scarcity and/or emergency.
Grades K-5 (John Paulding, W.L. Morse, Washington Irving)
Bilingual Kindergarten Books: Each year, we donate bilingual books to every incoming Kindergarten student to welcome them to our school community.
Summer Literacy Program: We fund an annual, two-week summer literacy course to help prevent summer learning loss. In 2022, the program was expanded to include rising 4th and 5th graders, making it available to all TUFSD children at the elementary school level.
Washington Irving Pilot Theater Program: Funds were provided to employ local theater educator, Josh Lewis, who implemented in-school drama classes for every student in grades 3 through 5.
Katonah Museum of Art Membership: Membership at the Katonah Museum provides world-class exhibitions, a rich program of events, illuminating tours, and many other activities.
Author Visit: Author and illustrator, Lizzy Rockwell, was invited to visit and inspire students at Morse.
Dr. Kaboom Performance: 5th graders visited SUNY purchase to partake in an interactive performance with scientist, Dr. Kaboom. Students observed over a dozen fantastic demonstrations, and even had an opportunity to go on stage and engage in the experiments.
Phillipsburg Manor: All 4th grade classrooms visited Phillipsburg Manor to have an interactive day spent studying slavery in the colonial north.
David Nielsen StoryTelling: Local parent and author David Neilsen spent a day visiting our 4th and 5th graders and shared a fascinating retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Mr. Nielson also has a talk called "inspiration is everywhere," and used his time with the students to motivate them and inspire them to succeed.
#JustBeYou: Students at Washington Irving learned about the perils of cyber-bulling and social media pressures through this interactive and student-acted production from Random Farms Kids’ Theater.
Tarrytown Music Hall After-School Musical Residencies: Students act, sing, and dance at these free musical theater residencies provided by the Tarrytown Music Hall.
K-5 Teacher Innovation Grants
Field Trip to Maritime Aquarium: As part of their science curriculum, 188 Kindergarten students visited the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT. They were introduced to a critical concept in Life Science, interdependence. Students gained a beginning understanding of how organisms on our planet (including themselves) acquire the resources they need to survive.
Playground Visual Communications Boards: Visual Communication Boards were installed at both John Paulding and Morse. These boards help children with diverse communication need sand diagnoses express themselves by pointing to pictures on the display to communicate their wants, needs, thoughts and ideas.
Greenburgh Nature Center Visits: The entire first grade at Morse visited the Greenburgh Nature Center to participate in their "Animal Adaptations" program. This gave students a close-up experience with local wildlife, and they investigated how animals use physical and behavioral adaptations to survive and learned about how climate change has impacted local species.
On the Mat with Mary Mac: This program brought yoga, mindfulness, and mediation techniques, skills, and practices to students at Washington Irving. Positive benefits included increasing strength & endurance, building self-esteem, improving focus and academic performance in the classroom, self-regulation, and reducing stress and anxiety.
Unplugged Coding: Through the 3rd grade Unplugged Coding project, students were able to test their problem solving skills by manipulating robots and their algorithms. Students used collaborative and logic skills to play a programming board game and learned valuable coding skills without screens.
Engineering Design Cycle with 3D Printing: With the 4th Grade 3D Printer project, students practiced their design skills by exploring the engineering design cycle and using 3D printers to create an object. The students were also able to improve their understanding of text based coding through a subscription to CodeMonkey.com.
Project Based Learning with Finch Robots: With the 5th grade project based learning project, students built on prior knowledge of the BBC micro:Bit to bring their code to life through the Finch Robot's ability to follow directions and draw an image. In addition, students manipulated the Sphero indi robot by using the colored mats to provide directions.
Summer Literacy Program: We fund an annual, two-week summer literacy course to help prevent summer learning loss. In 2022, the program was expanded to include rising 4th and 5th graders, making it available to all TUFSD children at the elementary school level.
Washington Irving Pilot Theater Program: Funds were provided to employ local theater educator, Josh Lewis, who implemented in-school drama classes for every student in grades 3 through 5.
Katonah Museum of Art Membership: Membership at the Katonah Museum provides world-class exhibitions, a rich program of events, illuminating tours, and many other activities.
Author Visit: Author and illustrator, Lizzy Rockwell, was invited to visit and inspire students at Morse.
Dr. Kaboom Performance: 5th graders visited SUNY purchase to partake in an interactive performance with scientist, Dr. Kaboom. Students observed over a dozen fantastic demonstrations, and even had an opportunity to go on stage and engage in the experiments.
Phillipsburg Manor: All 4th grade classrooms visited Phillipsburg Manor to have an interactive day spent studying slavery in the colonial north.
David Nielsen StoryTelling: Local parent and author David Neilsen spent a day visiting our 4th and 5th graders and shared a fascinating retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Mr. Nielson also has a talk called "inspiration is everywhere," and used his time with the students to motivate them and inspire them to succeed.
#JustBeYou: Students at Washington Irving learned about the perils of cyber-bulling and social media pressures through this interactive and student-acted production from Random Farms Kids’ Theater.
Tarrytown Music Hall After-School Musical Residencies: Students act, sing, and dance at these free musical theater residencies provided by the Tarrytown Music Hall.
K-5 Teacher Innovation Grants
Field Trip to Maritime Aquarium: As part of their science curriculum, 188 Kindergarten students visited the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT. They were introduced to a critical concept in Life Science, interdependence. Students gained a beginning understanding of how organisms on our planet (including themselves) acquire the resources they need to survive.
Playground Visual Communications Boards: Visual Communication Boards were installed at both John Paulding and Morse. These boards help children with diverse communication need sand diagnoses express themselves by pointing to pictures on the display to communicate their wants, needs, thoughts and ideas.
Greenburgh Nature Center Visits: The entire first grade at Morse visited the Greenburgh Nature Center to participate in their "Animal Adaptations" program. This gave students a close-up experience with local wildlife, and they investigated how animals use physical and behavioral adaptations to survive and learned about how climate change has impacted local species.
On the Mat with Mary Mac: This program brought yoga, mindfulness, and mediation techniques, skills, and practices to students at Washington Irving. Positive benefits included increasing strength & endurance, building self-esteem, improving focus and academic performance in the classroom, self-regulation, and reducing stress and anxiety.
Unplugged Coding: Through the 3rd grade Unplugged Coding project, students were able to test their problem solving skills by manipulating robots and their algorithms. Students used collaborative and logic skills to play a programming board game and learned valuable coding skills without screens.
Engineering Design Cycle with 3D Printing: With the 4th Grade 3D Printer project, students practiced their design skills by exploring the engineering design cycle and using 3D printers to create an object. The students were also able to improve their understanding of text based coding through a subscription to CodeMonkey.com.
Project Based Learning with Finch Robots: With the 5th grade project based learning project, students built on prior knowledge of the BBC micro:Bit to bring their code to life through the Finch Robot's ability to follow directions and draw an image. In addition, students manipulated the Sphero indi robot by using the colored mats to provide directions.
Sleepy Hollow Middle School
Materials for the Musical: Financial support was provided to support materials and set construction for the middle school musical.
Washington, D.C. Eighth Grade Trip: 8th grade students celebrate the culmination of their two-year study of American history with a three-day trip to Washington, D.C. where they visited such sites as the Smithsonian museums, Arlington Cemetery, and the Lincoln Memorial.
Middle School Teacher Innovation Grants
King Tut Immersive Experience: Created by National Geographic in collaboration with experts in Egyptian history, this NYC virtual reality exhibit taught sixth grade students about the life and death of King Tut as well as the discovery of his tomb by Howard Carter in 1922. Students learned about the art, culture, and religious symbolism associated with ancient Egypt.
Meditation Lab: In the Meditation Lab, students learned tools and techniques to increase focus and deepen concentration. Through the practice of mindfulness meditation, participants developed greater self-awareness and strategies to regulate their emotions to navigate the ups and downs of everyday life.
Internet Awareness Assembly: At these age-appropriate assemblies students discussed internet predators, identity theft, the repercussions (long and short term) of what our kids post online, cyber bullying, cyber stalking, cyber harassment and cyber threats. Parents also attended an evening to learn about these important issues.
Clearwater Tideline Experience at Kingsland Point Park: Seventh graders were immersed in hands-on learning and scientific exploration that enriches their lives as stewards of the Hudson River and as developing adolescents.
Hydroponic Gardening: With a hydroponic garden in their science classroom, students collected data and organized it into visuals, graphs, and pictures. They learned content language about life science and articulated their findings as they practiced the skills of observing, comparing, and analyzing their collected data and communicating their results.
Life Skills Apartment Learning Materials: The life skills apartment is an apartment that is located off-campus on Wildey Street. The apartment allows special education students to practice "life skills" that will help them to become more independent. Some of the skills that they work on include but are not limited to: cooking, cleaning, setting the table, identifying kitchen items, kitchen safety, hanging clothes, folding clothes, putting clothes away, making a bed, and doing laundry.
Washington, D.C. Eighth Grade Trip: 8th grade students celebrate the culmination of their two-year study of American history with a three-day trip to Washington, D.C. where they visited such sites as the Smithsonian museums, Arlington Cemetery, and the Lincoln Memorial.
Middle School Teacher Innovation Grants
King Tut Immersive Experience: Created by National Geographic in collaboration with experts in Egyptian history, this NYC virtual reality exhibit taught sixth grade students about the life and death of King Tut as well as the discovery of his tomb by Howard Carter in 1922. Students learned about the art, culture, and religious symbolism associated with ancient Egypt.
Meditation Lab: In the Meditation Lab, students learned tools and techniques to increase focus and deepen concentration. Through the practice of mindfulness meditation, participants developed greater self-awareness and strategies to regulate their emotions to navigate the ups and downs of everyday life.
Internet Awareness Assembly: At these age-appropriate assemblies students discussed internet predators, identity theft, the repercussions (long and short term) of what our kids post online, cyber bullying, cyber stalking, cyber harassment and cyber threats. Parents also attended an evening to learn about these important issues.
Clearwater Tideline Experience at Kingsland Point Park: Seventh graders were immersed in hands-on learning and scientific exploration that enriches their lives as stewards of the Hudson River and as developing adolescents.
Hydroponic Gardening: With a hydroponic garden in their science classroom, students collected data and organized it into visuals, graphs, and pictures. They learned content language about life science and articulated their findings as they practiced the skills of observing, comparing, and analyzing their collected data and communicating their results.
Life Skills Apartment Learning Materials: The life skills apartment is an apartment that is located off-campus on Wildey Street. The apartment allows special education students to practice "life skills" that will help them to become more independent. Some of the skills that they work on include but are not limited to: cooking, cleaning, setting the table, identifying kitchen items, kitchen safety, hanging clothes, folding clothes, putting clothes away, making a bed, and doing laundry.
Sleepy Hollow High School
Baseball Batting Cage Netting: The Foundation provided funds to replace that baseball batting cage netting at SHHS.
Choreographer for HS Musical: A professional choreographer was hired to direct students participating in the high school musical.
Updating Achievement Banners in the HS Gymnasium: Funds were provided to replace the outdated and fading achievement banners in the high school gymnasium.
Professional Visits to Performing Arts Ensembles:
Dual Enrollment Course Program: This pilot program removed the financial barriers for low-income students to take college level courses and receive transferable college credit for their work.
College Visits for Potential First-Generation Students: 40 high school juniors participated in a weekend-long trip to three different college campuses, meeting SHHS alumni and learning first-hand about college life.
Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Seminar: Two high school sophomores attended the weekend HOBY seminar where students come together across different backgrounds, cultures, and communities. HOBY helps students discover a newfound sense of awareness, confidence, connection, and purpose.
High School Teacher Innovation Grants
Music Technology Showcase: Professional songwriters and music producers worked with Music Technology students to develop the first annual Music Technology Showcase, creating an outlet for young composers to present their works and generate greater awareness of the exceptional creativity and talent possessed by our district’s students.
Italy and the Seven Worlds: Students studying Italian attended a live performance of “Italy and the Seven Worlds," a live, educational theater experience produced by professional dancers, set designers, and actors from Italy.
Robotics/STEM in the Library: Both middle and high school students were provided with opportunities to problem solve, think critically, and collaborate through the use of educational robots and other STEAM-based educational tools.
Whiteboard Tables: New whiteboard tables provide the diverse group of students in the Experiential Learning Class with the opportunity to enhance their educational experiences by allowing collaboration with one another as well as classroom staff and learning materials. These tables give students the opportunity to showcase their ideas, brainstorm, and work out problems instantly.
Choreographer for HS Musical: A professional choreographer was hired to direct students participating in the high school musical.
Updating Achievement Banners in the HS Gymnasium: Funds were provided to replace the outdated and fading achievement banners in the high school gymnasium.
Professional Visits to Performing Arts Ensembles:
- Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Performances: High school students were treated to a performance by the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival.
- Strawtown Studio Workshops: Educators from Strawtown Studio worked with high school art students and inspired them to make connections between art and nature and learn that art can be made with materials found all around them. Watch the video of the experience, made by alum Julian Sherry, SHHS '23.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art Visit: High School art students visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and attended an interactive workshop.
Dual Enrollment Course Program: This pilot program removed the financial barriers for low-income students to take college level courses and receive transferable college credit for their work.
College Visits for Potential First-Generation Students: 40 high school juniors participated in a weekend-long trip to three different college campuses, meeting SHHS alumni and learning first-hand about college life.
Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Seminar: Two high school sophomores attended the weekend HOBY seminar where students come together across different backgrounds, cultures, and communities. HOBY helps students discover a newfound sense of awareness, confidence, connection, and purpose.
High School Teacher Innovation Grants
Music Technology Showcase: Professional songwriters and music producers worked with Music Technology students to develop the first annual Music Technology Showcase, creating an outlet for young composers to present their works and generate greater awareness of the exceptional creativity and talent possessed by our district’s students.
Italy and the Seven Worlds: Students studying Italian attended a live performance of “Italy and the Seven Worlds," a live, educational theater experience produced by professional dancers, set designers, and actors from Italy.
Robotics/STEM in the Library: Both middle and high school students were provided with opportunities to problem solve, think critically, and collaborate through the use of educational robots and other STEAM-based educational tools.
Whiteboard Tables: New whiteboard tables provide the diverse group of students in the Experiential Learning Class with the opportunity to enhance their educational experiences by allowing collaboration with one another as well as classroom staff and learning materials. These tables give students the opportunity to showcase their ideas, brainstorm, and work out problems instantly.