Hastings Happenings - May 2, 2024

May 2, 2024

To help you make an informed decision on May 21, we've created a dedicated webpage with sections including:

School Budget Vote & Trustee Election Information; and,
Links to all budget presentations

Please note: All Budget sessions are public, accessible virtually, and recorded, with locations and explanations posted on the BOE section of the website.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024: Budget Hearing at 6:00 p.m. in the Farragut Complex Lecture Room
Wednesday, May 8, 2024: Hybrid PTSA/SEPTA Sponsored Superintendent Budget Forum at 7:00 p.m. in Hillside's Multipurpose Room. To join virtually, click here and use passcode: 231466. Click the flier below by tomorrow, Friday, May 3, 2024 to submit questions or feedback in advance of the Forum.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024: Last day to submit an application for an absentee ballot (if the ballot is to be mailed)
Wednesday, May 15, 2024: Voter Registration 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. in the High School Lobby

7:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M., COCHRAN GYM, HHS

Emerging Wordsmiths: Kindergartners Show Off their Writing Skills

Students in Christina Hatjygeorge’s and Tammie Cecere’s kindergarten class were EMPOWERED, as they formed groups to share their first-ever personal narratives at a celebratory classroom visit with their families yesterday.

“They edited and revised their work before publishing their stories,” Hatjygeorge said.

The narratives even contained a "Dedication" page and an "About the Author" page. The day's activities were a perfect way to commemorate a big step in the students’ writing journeys.

Write on, write often, little learners!

Planting Seeds of Change: Elementary Schoolers Engage in Earth Day Activities

To celebrate Earth Day (April 22), students at Hillside Elementary School participated in various activities aimed at caring for the environment.

Facilitated by fourth grade teacher Amanda Peisel, a presentation from the Student Council engaged the packed audience with funny, educational skits about reducing, reusing, and recycling.

Hudson Compost Solutions gave students an extra lesson on composting and the importance of plant life during their lunch periods.

Stepping up to the challenge, elementary schoolers worked together to put their lessons into action. They even practiced random acts of environmental kindness and participated in spirit days throughout the week including, “One with Planet Earth,” where they dressed up in clothing to represent Earth and the elements.

Mapping Minds: Inside Farragut's Geography Bee

For the second year in a row, students at Farragut Middle School will compete in Hackley’s Tri-State Geo Competition against 15 other middle schools throughout the region. To prepare, they participated in a mock Geography Bee.

For round two of the Geography Bee held on April 18 in the Blue Lecture Room, a set of questions were presented to the top 12 students from round one:

Sixth graders Miles Gray, Lucas Greenfield, Diego Nafziger, and Jane Weber
Seventh graders Elias Costa, Antonio Marquez, Alyssa Schlacter, Miles Schwarz, and Liam Sexton
Eighth graders Jason Kass, Louis von Rege, and Benjamin Massey

With the timer set to 10 seconds, the middle schoolers quietly wrote their responses on the white board. Once their time was up, they stepped away to reveal their answers. Correct answers allowed them to move on to the next question and incorrect answers were marked. To stay in the running, each student was allowed just one incorrect answer.

According to sixth grade social studies teacher Alexis Comerford-Jones, the stakes were high.

“The original goal was to end with five finalists,” she said. “But at the end of the group written round, we still had nine contestants, and so a tie-breaker round began.”

The top five out of the final nine contestants will move on to round three at Hackley at a date to be announced later this month. These students are:

Seventh graders: Antonio Marquez and Miles Schwarz
Eighth graders Jason Kass, Louis von Rege, and Benjamin Massey

Congratulations to the top five and to all of Farragut's scholars on their geography brilliance.

From Classrooms to Champions: Academic Challenge Team Claims National Title

This past weekend, the A Team for Hastings High School’s Academic Team traveled to the Windy City for the National Academic Quiz Tournament’s (NAQT) National Small School Championship, cruising to the title with 17 consecutive lopsided victories.

"Playing exclusively against other similarly-sized public schools throughout the country, we won every match by huge margins,” said Academic Challenge Team Advisor Michael Willson. "It just goes to show how incredibly talented this team is.”

Next up, is the NAQT National Championship Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia, which will take place on Memorial Day weekend. Public and private schools of any size are eligible to compete.

A huge congratulations goes to Captain Benny Feldman, Hazel DePreist-Sullivan, Owen Linder, and Jacob Goldman-Wetzler—National Champions!

Special thanks to Karen Swartz-Feldman for traveling to Chicago with the team and to the Hastings PTSA for the generous grant, which financed the trip.

L to R: Hazel DePreist-Sullivan, Jacob Goldman-Wetzler, Owen Linder, and Captain Benny Feldman

Model U.N. Team Secures Triple Victory

Hastings High School’s Model U.N. Team attended a conference at Stuyvesant High School on April 6. In an impressive showing, Hastings won three awards:

Club President Emma Gelman was named Best Delegate on her committee;
Also named Best Delegate was Freshman Isaac Volpe, who was attending his first-ever conference; and,
Sophomore Adela Mihalcescu was named Outstanding Delegate.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to commend Emma Gelman," said Club Advisor Michael Willson. "It was through her leadership that our team members were always prepared for this year's conferences. We will miss her in the fall when she goes to Carnegie-Mellon to study design."

The team's successful season concludes this coming Sunday, May 5, with a conference at the Dalton School in New York City.