Summary of 2023-2024
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.
Asian Cultural Evening: Supported the fist Asian American Cultural Evening in collaboration with the Asian American Cultural Club at the high school. Different countries were represented at tables created by community members. A highlight was the Lion Dance performance by the New York Chinese Cultural Center.
Elementary Arts Block: $7,000 to the district in support of arts programming at the elementary level. Programs supported include a Historic Hudson Valley program on Slavery in the Colonial North and a program by Ballet Hispanico
Asian Cultural Evening: Supported the fist Asian American Cultural Evening in collaboration with the Asian American Cultural Club at the high school. Different countries were represented at tables created by community members. A highlight was the Lion Dance performance by the New York Chinese Cultural Center.
Elementary Arts Block: $7,000 to the district in support of arts programming at the elementary level. Programs supported include a Historic Hudson Valley program on Slavery in the Colonial North and a program by Ballet Hispanico
Grades K-5 (John Paulding, W.L. Morse, Washington Irving)
Bilingual Kindergarten Books: Each year we donate bilingual books to each incoming Kindergarten student to welcome them to our school community.
Author Visit: In support of Hispanic Heritage month, author Hilda Burgos read her book, "The Cot in the Living Room" to students at Morse and Washington Irving.
Tarrytown Music Hall After-School Musical Residencies: Students act, sing, and dance at these free musical theater residencies provided by the Tarrytown Music Hall.
Spooky School Project: A Halloween themed storytelling, songwriting, and performance residency for every 3rd and 5th grader, with local artist Josh Lewis
Girls on the Run: Supported the inaugural year of Girls on the Run at WI, which inspires participants to recognize their inner strength, increase their level of physical activity, imagine their possibilities, and confidently stand up for themselves and others. The girls successfully ran a 5k this Spring and also led the field in our community Color Run.
K-5 Teacher Innovation Grants
Keva Planks and Bee Bots: First graders were given a hands-on approach to learning technology and STEAM related skills with these innovative tools. They encouraged creativity, problem solving and collaborating on various projects.
Shero INDI Robots: This screen-free technology allowed the whole first grade team to collaboratively introduce coding to students, implementing STEAM curriculum. Students were given the experience of creating code to direct their group's car.
SEL Learning Library: We granted funds to supply a Social Emotional Learning Lending Library of English and Spanish books that Morse teachers and support staff can sign out and use with their students. The books and materials target specific topics (empathy and understanding, emotional regulation, anxiety management, loss, etc.), to aid in teacher-led activities, whole class lessons and during mandated and non-mandated counseling sessions with the school social worker and school psychologist.
Merge Cubes: The Merge Cube allowed W.I. students who struggle to express their thoughts through words to create their own virtual world and explore their creations and stories through coding and technology.
Stand-Alone Globes & World Maps: We supplied these crucial and underutilized tools, allowing W.I. students to work on special mapping projects throughout the year. The globes and maps are now available as a school resource for any teacher who wants to use them in their classroom.
Author Visit: In support of Hispanic Heritage month, author Hilda Burgos read her book, "The Cot in the Living Room" to students at Morse and Washington Irving.
Tarrytown Music Hall After-School Musical Residencies: Students act, sing, and dance at these free musical theater residencies provided by the Tarrytown Music Hall.
Spooky School Project: A Halloween themed storytelling, songwriting, and performance residency for every 3rd and 5th grader, with local artist Josh Lewis
Girls on the Run: Supported the inaugural year of Girls on the Run at WI, which inspires participants to recognize their inner strength, increase their level of physical activity, imagine their possibilities, and confidently stand up for themselves and others. The girls successfully ran a 5k this Spring and also led the field in our community Color Run.
K-5 Teacher Innovation Grants
Keva Planks and Bee Bots: First graders were given a hands-on approach to learning technology and STEAM related skills with these innovative tools. They encouraged creativity, problem solving and collaborating on various projects.
Shero INDI Robots: This screen-free technology allowed the whole first grade team to collaboratively introduce coding to students, implementing STEAM curriculum. Students were given the experience of creating code to direct their group's car.
SEL Learning Library: We granted funds to supply a Social Emotional Learning Lending Library of English and Spanish books that Morse teachers and support staff can sign out and use with their students. The books and materials target specific topics (empathy and understanding, emotional regulation, anxiety management, loss, etc.), to aid in teacher-led activities, whole class lessons and during mandated and non-mandated counseling sessions with the school social worker and school psychologist.
Merge Cubes: The Merge Cube allowed W.I. students who struggle to express their thoughts through words to create their own virtual world and explore their creations and stories through coding and technology.
Stand-Alone Globes & World Maps: We supplied these crucial and underutilized tools, allowing W.I. students to work on special mapping projects throughout the year. The globes and maps are now available as a school resource for any teacher who wants to use them in their classroom.
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.
Stephen Hill Presentation: Brought this powerful speaker to give a presentation on sobriety to all Middle Schoolers.
Ryan’s Story: In collaboration with the PTA, presented Ryan’s Story to Middle and High School students as well as a special parent presentation. This life-changing assembly program tells the story of how one young life has the power to inspire positive change in the fight against bullying, cyberbullying and teen suicides.
Middle School Teacher Innovation Grants
Vertical Tour of St. John the Divine Cathedral: Eighth graders visited St. John the Divine, the sixth-largest Cathedral in the world, and were given the unique opportunity to experience firsthand the power of architecture and understand it as a union of form and function.
Circles Social Skills and Be Cool Modules: A series of lessons, video modeling, and activities to teach the students in self-contained classrooms across the Middle and High Schools about the different types of relationships they can have with people and what levels of closeness are appropriate. The modules provided students who struggle with communication, social skills, social problem solving, social boundaries, and managing emotions a better understanding of how their feelings and others' feelings impact social situations.
Hands on Living Environment Composting Project: Funded the installation and pilot use of Sub-pod underground compost systems in a secondary garden space used as an additional learning area. Students on the eighth grade Ninja Team interacted with, observed directly, and investigated natural processes associated with the Living Environment course curriculum.
Meditation Lab: Continued funding of the Meditation Lab, in which 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.
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.
Whiteboard Desks: 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.
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.
Stephen Hill Presentation: Brought this powerful speaker to give a presentation on sobriety to all Middle Schoolers.
Ryan’s Story: In collaboration with the PTA, presented Ryan’s Story to Middle and High School students as well as a special parent presentation. This life-changing assembly program tells the story of how one young life has the power to inspire positive change in the fight against bullying, cyberbullying and teen suicides.
Middle School Teacher Innovation Grants
Vertical Tour of St. John the Divine Cathedral: Eighth graders visited St. John the Divine, the sixth-largest Cathedral in the world, and were given the unique opportunity to experience firsthand the power of architecture and understand it as a union of form and function.
Circles Social Skills and Be Cool Modules: A series of lessons, video modeling, and activities to teach the students in self-contained classrooms across the Middle and High Schools about the different types of relationships they can have with people and what levels of closeness are appropriate. The modules provided students who struggle with communication, social skills, social problem solving, social boundaries, and managing emotions a better understanding of how their feelings and others' feelings impact social situations.
Hands on Living Environment Composting Project: Funded the installation and pilot use of Sub-pod underground compost systems in a secondary garden space used as an additional learning area. Students on the eighth grade Ninja Team interacted with, observed directly, and investigated natural processes associated with the Living Environment course curriculum.
Meditation Lab: Continued funding of the Meditation Lab, in which 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.
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.
Whiteboard Desks: 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.
Sleepy Hollow High School
Choreographer for HS Musical: A professional choreographer was hired to direct students participating in the high school musical.
Sophomore Theater Experience: Every sophomore attended a production by the Chamber Theater Ensemble of classic short stories the students read in the English classes.
Dual Enrollment Course Program: This program removes 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: Sent 40 potential first-generation college students on a weekend long tour of colleges. Students toured SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Oneonta, UMass - Main Main Campus, and Western New England College.
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.
High School Teacher Innovation Grants
Jazz Festival: Funded the return of this festival which has not been produced since Covid. For the first time, it included a Vocal Jazz performance.
Anti-Bullying Program: a one-year grant to support the initial training and staff payment for an anti-bullying program called Safe School Ambassadors (SSA). The goal of this program is to train students on a grassroots level to help battle bullying by upending passive bystanders. Through role-playing, direct training, active feedback and regular monthly meetings with “family leaders” (or faculty members who are in charge of a small group of ambassadors), students are given the needed tools to be active bystanders and prevent bullying among their peers.
2024 Music Technology Showcase: Professional songwriters and music producers worked with Music Technology students and helped 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.
Auditorium Mural: Funded the stunning mural outside the new auditorium, a collaboration between SHHS art students and Artist in Residence, Illustrator Bernardo Rodriquez (SHHS 2014 alum). The work honors the common threads as well as the differences of our school community.
My Brother’s Keeper: The Foundation supported the hiring of a coordinator for My Brother's Keeper Alliance, a program that works to unleash the power of communities working together to solve problems for boys and young men of color, at a level to improve real life outcomes.
The Garden: Restarted the Garden program at the high school, which supports the education of our special education students utilizing Marybeth's Miracles Organic Garden, located in the high school courtyard. The garden provides an education and experiential learning environment with a currciulum developed for the Experiental Life Students.
SEL Mindfulness Journals: Guided journals for students to use during yoga classes to help them learn tools and strategies to cope with stress and anxiety and build self-esteem.
Life Skills Apartment Television: 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 make them 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.
Sophomore Theater Experience: Every sophomore attended a production by the Chamber Theater Ensemble of classic short stories the students read in the English classes.
Dual Enrollment Course Program: This program removes 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: Sent 40 potential first-generation college students on a weekend long tour of colleges. Students toured SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Oneonta, UMass - Main Main Campus, and Western New England College.
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.
High School Teacher Innovation Grants
Jazz Festival: Funded the return of this festival which has not been produced since Covid. For the first time, it included a Vocal Jazz performance.
Anti-Bullying Program: a one-year grant to support the initial training and staff payment for an anti-bullying program called Safe School Ambassadors (SSA). The goal of this program is to train students on a grassroots level to help battle bullying by upending passive bystanders. Through role-playing, direct training, active feedback and regular monthly meetings with “family leaders” (or faculty members who are in charge of a small group of ambassadors), students are given the needed tools to be active bystanders and prevent bullying among their peers.
2024 Music Technology Showcase: Professional songwriters and music producers worked with Music Technology students and helped 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.
Auditorium Mural: Funded the stunning mural outside the new auditorium, a collaboration between SHHS art students and Artist in Residence, Illustrator Bernardo Rodriquez (SHHS 2014 alum). The work honors the common threads as well as the differences of our school community.
My Brother’s Keeper: The Foundation supported the hiring of a coordinator for My Brother's Keeper Alliance, a program that works to unleash the power of communities working together to solve problems for boys and young men of color, at a level to improve real life outcomes.
The Garden: Restarted the Garden program at the high school, which supports the education of our special education students utilizing Marybeth's Miracles Organic Garden, located in the high school courtyard. The garden provides an education and experiential learning environment with a currciulum developed for the Experiental Life Students.
SEL Mindfulness Journals: Guided journals for students to use during yoga classes to help them learn tools and strategies to cope with stress and anxiety and build self-esteem.
Life Skills Apartment Television: 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 make them 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.