The Hudson Independent: News for Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, NY

Students Explore the World During Spring Break

by Elaine Marranzano

 During spring break in April, three separate groups of students from Sleepy Hollow and Irvington schools participated in school-sponsored trips to Spain, Egypt and London. An enlightened and inspired group of teenagers (and one fourth grader) who returned.
 Student strike a pose in Egypt.

Group Formed to Improve Athletics Program at Sleepy Hollow

by Rick Pezzullo

 In recent years in the Tarrytown School District, Athletic Director Chuck Scarpulla believes the district has focused on developing individual teams instead of improving the athletics program overall.
Sleepy Hollow Middle School softball players cheer for their teammates.               photo by Joe Golden

Irvington High Seniors Share Love of Science and Water

by Kyle Lockett

 One qualified for Junior Nationals to become an All-American in swimming, while maintaining a 4.5 GPA and winning gold medals with her Empire State swimming team. The other is fresh off a trip to Reno, Nevada’s International Science and Engineering Fair. He won the trip for his research in neurobiology, which showed the glial cells of the brain play more of a role in memory than what was previously believed.

School Budgets Pass The Muster

Irvington Voters Oust Board President

by Rick Pezzullo

Voters in the Tarrytown and Irvington school districts apparently were satisfied with the budgets presented to them a few weeks ago as both spending plans passed easily.
 Newly elected Irvington school trustees Robyne Camp and John Dawson congratulate each other.

Leaner School Budget in Tarrytown Hikes Spending 4%

by Andrea Kott

 Like most school districts, Tarrytown is facing a leaner year in 2009-10. As expected, next year’s $62,511,933 budget, which comes to a public vote May 19, reflects $2 million in spending cuts, with no money allocated for new textbooks, computers or buses, along with the reconfiguration of bus routes, as well as 8.5 instructional and 10 non-instructional positions.

Five Vie for Two Seats on Irvington Board of Ed

by Rick Pezzullo

 Five candidates are seeking two available three-year seats on the Irvington Board of Education on May 19.
  Only one of the five hopefuls is an incumbent, current board President Tanya Hunt, who has been on the board since 2006. She has lived in Irvington nine years and has two boys who attend Dows Lane Elementary School.

Irvington School Budget Battle Ends With 2% Tax Hike

by Rick Pezzullo

The Irvington Board of Education and administration found themselves between a rock and a hard place as they grappled with the 2009-10 budget.

Ugly Side of Steroids Pumped Up at Sleepy Hollow High

by Rick Pezzullo

 Thanks to high profile athletes like Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, steroids have been dominating the sports pages more than the games themselves.
 Of course, professional athletes are also role models, rightly or wrongly. If they’re successful using performing enhancing drugs, what harm could it cause a high school athlete?

Jazzfest at Sleepy Hollow High School

The Tarrytown school district is sponsoring a high school jazz ensemble festival on Friday, April 17 at Sleepy Hollow High School. The event is an educational opportunity for area high school jazz ensembles, who will perform during the day before three well-known jazz musicians/educators – David Lalama, Ralph Lalama, and Mark Patterson. In the evening the judges act as guest soloists, performing along with the three top-rated bands.  The public is invited to attend the concert which beings at 7 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door for $8 adult and $5 for student at the Dr. Kusel auditorium in the Sleepy Hollow High School.
The evening performance will also include presentation awards to art students who designed posters in Angela Langston’s Media Arts class, to publicize the event. The winning posters were voted by the public on the Tarrytown District Web page.
The JazzFest is funded by a generous grant from The Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns. For more information, contact Gail Persad at 332-6223.

Petition Calls for Irvington School Super Contract to be Reworked

by Rick Pezzullo

At least 350 residents in the Irvington School District would like to have an active role in the hiring of administrators and staff.
 In addition, they are calling for a salary freeze for all district employees and for the Board of Education to renegotiate Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Matusiak’s current five-year contract.
 A petition with those demands and others was presented to the Board of Education, which had already been made aware of the concerns, at its March 24 meeting.