Community Update: 10/25/24

Dear RCSD Community,

Assessment Presentation

One of the things I am proudest of is the improvement in assessments demonstrated by our students. At Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Dr. Tricia Murray provided the Board with an overview of data from last year, including our local assessments, the K-8 NWEA assessments, and AP and Regents exams. The link to view the presentation is here. I encourage you to watch it as well, given the charts can be a bit weedy. The link to watch is here; begin at 18:14.

Construction News

On Monday we received final approval from New York State for the new addition at Midland School. We anticipate that construction will begin shortly! Approval for Osborn School should be right around the corner. Both projects are on track for fall 2025 occupancy. 

Post-Season Sports

We have a number of fall High School varsity sports teams that are competing in playoffs: the girls field hockey, soccer, swimming and diving, and volleyball teams, and the boys football and soccer teams all made it to the postseason this year. See below for this weekend’s events. Go Garnets!

Friday 10/25

• Girls varsity field hockey take on Somers at home at 3:00 p.m.
• Girls varsity soccer take on Westlake at home at 6:00 p.m.

Sat 10/26

• Girls varsity swimming and diving team have a championship league meet at 9:00 a.m. at Felix Festa Middle School in Nyack
• Boys varsity soccer take on Pelham at 11:00 a.m. at home

The Game

The 97th edition of the Rye Harrison game is this weekend. This week, Rye High School participated in the traditional Spirit Week activities in preparation for the event. Students, faculty, and staff dressed in sports jerseys, decade-appropriate outfits, and even robes and pajamas over the course of the week.  Then on Wednesday, the students decorated the hallways. We held the annual pre-Harrison game Pep Rally and Bonfire last night. This event is usually held on a Friday but had to be moved earlier due to playoff schedules (see above). It was great to recognize all of our fall athletes then head outside for the huge bonfire adjacent to Nugent Stadium. Many thanks to Rye FD and PD for their support last night!

Kick-off is at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 26, in Nugent Stadium at Rye High School due to the administration of the ACT earlier in the day.  We will once again be welcoming professional skydiver Jeff Provenzano who will land on the field with the game ball. This is Jeff’s 30th Rye High School reunion year, so I’d say the guy knows how to make an entrance!

The link to watch the game live for free is:

https://events.locallive.tv/schools/rye-hs

Please feel free to share the LocalLive link widely with anyone, anywhere, who might like to watch the game. Click here for all the game day details.  The information is also posted on the home page of the District website. LET’S GO GARNETS!

Diwali - November 1

Please note that schools are closed next Friday, November 1, in observance of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Serendipitously, this is also the day after Halloween, which will allow exhausted trick-or-treaters to recover from their sugary revels. School and District offices will be open from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. 

Have a terrific weekend,

Eric Byrne, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools