I am always amazed at how quickly a school year seems to pass. As we approach Graduation Day, we close out another year by reflecting on and celebrating the achievements of our Bluehawk staff and students.
We are about to finish our first year of having our entire elementary community, pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, under one roof at Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School. Although some final pieces of construction overlapped with the beginning of the school year, we have grown into a place where children are learning and teachers are taking advantage of their new resources. There is a great sense of excitement and opportunity at MCSES. We are already looking forward to the next year and the beginning of our new, innovative 2-Year Kindergarten program.
Before sharing end-of-the-year highlights, I would like to thank district voters for approving our 2019-20 school budget. We are grateful we can continue running all of the academic programs, athletic programs and support services available to our students. With your continued support we can maintain our ongoing progress toward Destination Graduation…to Occupation, and keep strengthening the student opportunities at the Hudson City School District.
The best measure of the educational experience offered by the HCSD is the success of our students and faculty. During this school year, there were several noteworthy accomplishments from Hudson students and teachers alike.
Earlier this year, we announced that eight seniors were recognized as Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars. To receive this honor, students must achieve grades of 3.0 or higher on at least three full-year AP exams. This year had the most AP Scholars in recent memory, increasing from three seniors in 2016 and four seniors in 2017. Each year, it seems more students are taking AP courses at Hudson High School.
Environmental Science is among the six AP courses offered and many students also participate in Envirothon, which tests students’ knowledge of aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and current environmental issues. HHS has a history of success at Envirothon events, having gone to the statewide event six times in the last 10 years.
At this year’s New York State Envirothon competition, Hudson came in 6th place out of 46 teams from across the state. Although they didn’t win the overall competition, the Bluehawks finished with the highest score in the state in the Wildlife category.
We also congratulate the 27 Bluehawks who were recently inducted into the National Honor Society. These juniors and seniors join the prestigious ranks with the 42 current NHS members at Hudson High School. To be an NHS member, students must be selected by a committee based on the four pillars of NHS: Scholarship, Service, Leadership and Character.
This spring, the HCSD hosted its first invitational track meet in nearly 40 years. Until the Bluehawk Sports Complex was completed in 2017, Hudson did not have the facilities to accommodate such an event. Athletes and spectators from nearby and out-of-state schools convened in Hudson for the invitational meet. The event allowed us to show off our state-of-the-art athletic facility as well as our vibrant community.
Lastly, I extend congratulations and well wishes to this year’s Valedictorian, Autumn Kudlack, and Salutatorian, Ahsraful Shamrat, as well as all the Bluehawks receiving their high school diplomas on June 29th.
The road to Destination Graduation to Occupation is full of challenges and triumphs, and we are proud of each and every one of our graduates. We hope they embrace what they have learned and experienced during their time at the Hudson City School District—in the classroom and on the field or court—as they continue to grow in their colleges and/or careers of choice.
To help you get the most out of summer, I encourage you to visit our website (www.hudsoncityschooldistrict.com) and download the “Hudson is a Summer Festival” booklet. Graciously put together by Dan and Mary Udell and Ohrine Stewart, the booklet contains information about numerous summer programs at the HCSD and other community organizations.
See you in September!
This column was published in the Register-Star on June 11, 2019.