Welcome to Wynantskill Union Free School District!
Understanding New York's Property Tax Cap
The Wynantskill Union Free School District is begining the process of creating a proposed spending plan for the 2012-13 school year. While the budget process timeline will remain largely the same, school officials will have a dramatic change in their budget development process this year in the form of New York State's Property Tax Cap. Click here for more.
Learning About our Country
Seventh grade social studies students are learning about our Founding Fathers and the impact their efforts had on our country. In class, students practiced writing like our Founding Fathers using an inkwell & quill pen.
Wynantskill Teachers Union Raise Money for a Good Cause
The Wynantskill Teachers Association usually collects money from Dress Down Friday and half of the money goes to the PTO and the other to a charitable organization. At a recent WTA meeting the teachers ‘spoke about helping the Schoharie community in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The Schoharie Teacher’s Union has been reinsulating homes in their district at no cost to the homeowners. Guidance Counselor Amy Murphy spoke with Martin Messner, president of the Schoharie Teachers Union and confirmed that they are still looking for donations.
The WTA will be contributing the Dress Down Friday money to this cause. The initial contribution was $250.00. The WTA would like to invite all staff members to consider donating. As of now, the WTA will be contributing $705.00!
Learning About Other Cultures
The seventh grade Spanish class recently learned about the legend of the Poinsettia. The plant is originally from Mexico and there is an interesting story of how it was introduced to the United States. Mrs. Hancock compared the Mexican folktale to one that is based in Albany, the Baker’s Dozen a Dutch colonial folktale. After studying this for a week, the class created paper Poinsettias of their own.
The seventh graders also asked Mrs. Hancock if they could sing Spanish songs to elementary students. The class sang Feliz Navidad and then the Spanish version of Jingle Bells. The students sang to many of the elementary classrooms. Mrs. Hancock was proud of her students since they had made the suggestion to sing to the younger students!
Ringing in the New Year like People do in Spain
Eight grade Spanish students rang in the New Year like the people of Spain did. As the clock strikes 12 times people eat a grape. In total they will eat twelve grapes. The tale is that this will bring them good luck and prosperity in the New Year. The students also wrote down something they are thankful for and something they hope for in the New Year.
Wynantskill Welcomes Dr. Lisa Henkel
Dear Wynantskill Families,
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday with time spent with friends and family. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you and say that I am thrilled to have this opportunity to serve the students, families, school, and community of Wynantskill as Superintendent/Principal. I truly feel blessed and honored to be here and look forward to
getting to know you all. Click here for more
Wynantskill Students Attend Rensselaer County All-County Music Festival
Recently the Rensselaer County All-County Music Festival was held at Hoosic Valley CSD. Gardner-Dickinson had students attend in band and chorus. The following students attended:
Elementary chorus: Courtney Miller, Giavanna Gumlaw
Junior Band: Jessi Dickinson, Rebecca LaBelle and Owen Miller
Congratulations on a job well done!
New Chief School Administrator Chosen
At the Board of Education meeting on Thursday December 15, Dr. Lisa Henkel was officially appointed as the new Superintendent/Principal of the Wynantskill Union Free School District. Dr. Henkel will begin her new assignment on January 1, 2012.
Superintendent Christine Hamill will be retiring after serving eight years as the Superintendent at the Wynantskill Union Free School District and after 35 years of working in education. During the next few weeks, Dr. Henkel will be working with outgoing Superintendent Hamill to ensure a seamless transition for the school district.
Dr. Henkel brings a variety of skills and experience to the Wynantskill community. She recently served as an Adjunct Professor for the State University at Plattsburgh where she coached and mentored undergraduate and graduate students in K-12 classrooms. Prior to this, she served as Principal in the North Colonie Central School District in the Boght Hills Elementary School which serves 483 students in K-6. Dr. Henkel also serves as a member of the Voorheesville Community and School Foundation as well as the School District’s Board of Education.
Dr. Henkel is excited to take the next step in becoming the Superintendent/Principal at Wynantskill Union Free School District and looks forward to working with our community. Please welcome her.
WYNANTSKILL UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Mr. Jack Lynskey the Principal of Gardner-Dickinson School has announced phone registration for children attending kindergarten for the 2012 – 2013 school year. In order for your child to attend kindergarten your child must be 5 years old on or before December 1, 2012.
Parents of children eligible to attend kindergarten in September must call Mrs. McKenna at 283-4600 Ext. 10, between 8 AM and 4 PM by January 3, 2012. An orientation meeting for PARENTS ONLY will be held on Tuesday March 20, 2012 in the school Media Center at 7 PM. Prior to the orientation meeting you will receive a request for information to be completed and mailed back to school.