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Schools
These Are Best School Districts In Columbia County, Report Says These Are Best School Districts In Columbia County, Report Says
These Are Best School Districts In Columbia County, Report Says When it comes to quality education, two school districts in Columbia County stand out for their academic excellence, according to the community and school ranking site Niche. Of the six school districts in the county to receive a grade, the following earned the highest marks on the website’s 2023 “Best School Districts in Columbia County” report: The Kinderhook Central School District in Valatie Chatham Central School District in Chatham Each district was given an overall grade of B+ when considering eight different categories that include academics, teachers, diversity, and sports. Kinde…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
15-Year-Old Threatened To 'Shoot Up' High School In Capital Region Over Policy, Police Say 15-Year-Old Threatened To 'Shoot Up' High School In Capital Region Over Policy, Police Say
15-Year-Old Threatened To 'Shoot Up' High School In Capital Region Over Policy, Police Say A student upset over a school policy threatened to carry out a mass shooting at a high school in the region, authorities said. In Albany County, the Watervliet Police Department was contacted on Thursday, May 18, with reports of a physical threat against Watervliet High School. An investigation determined that a 15-year-old girl was angry over a school policy and took to social media, threatening to “shoot (the school) up,” police said. The student was arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat, a felony. She was arraigned in Albany County Family Court and later released on he…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Student Turned Politician: 18-Year-Old Elected To NY School Board Student Turned Politician: 18-Year-Old Elected To NY School Board
Student Turned Politician: 18-Year-Old Elected To NY School Board A New York high school senior is going from the classroom to the boardroom - the school boardroom that is. Long Island’s Quinn Bedell, an 18-year-old senior at West Islip High School, was elected to the West Islip Board of Education as a write-in candidate in the election held Tuesday, May 16. “I would like to thank the West Islip community for choosing me to be a trustee on the Board of Education. I am truly honored,” Bedell wrote on Facebook Wednesday, May 17. “I could not have done this without the overwhelming support of this community. I am forever grateful to every one of you and I …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
This School District Ranks Best In Capital Region, Report Says This School District Ranks Best In Capital Region, Report Says
This School District Ranks Best In Capital Region, Report Says When it comes to getting a quality education in the Capital Region, one school district is a cut above the rest, according to a new report. In Albany County, the North Colonie Central School District in Latham was ranked No. 1 in the Albany metro area, according to Niche’s new 2023 rankings. The district received an overall grade of A+, with high marks in the categories of academics, teachers, college prep, and clubs & activities. It received an A for sports, and A- for diversity, administration, and resources & facilities. There’s work to do in the lunchroom, however, as the dist…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
School Superintendent In Region To Step Down: Decision Made With 'Very Heavy Heart' School Superintendent In Region To Step Down: Decision Made With 'Very Heavy Heart'
School Superintendent In Region To Step Down: Decision Made With 'Very Heavy Heart' The superintendent of a Hudson Valley school district has made the unexpected decision to retire in order to take care of a family member. Laurie Bandlow of the Brewster Central School District in Putnam County is set to retire at the end of the 2023-24 school year, according to an announcement by the school district.  The "unexpected" decision came after Bandlow's mother died in September 2022 and she realized that she would soon need to care for her aging father, according to district officials.  Because of this, she decided to give notice to the district a year in advance…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
School Swatting Threats: 50 NY Districts Report New Round Of Incidents School Swatting Threats: 50 NY Districts Report New Round Of Incidents
School Swatting Threats: 50 NY Districts Report New Round Of Incidents More than 50 school districts across New York reported receiving swatting threats of an active shooter. The districts reporting the incidents on Tuesday, April 4 were located on Long Island, in Central New York, the Southern Tier, and the North Country, authorities said.  "I want to reassure parents that their children are safe at school - swatting threats are false and intended to cause panic and scare students, teachers, and families," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement on Tuesday. On Thursday, March 30, numerous school districts reported receiving swatting calls of…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
Swastikas Found At High School In Region Swastikas Found At High School In Region
Swastikas Found At High School In Region Police in the Hudson Valley are investigating after several swastikas were discovered at an area high school. The incident took place in Rockland County on Wednesday, March 22, when a school resource officer assigned to Clarkstown South High School in West Nyack was informed that swastikas were discovered in a classroom, said Clarkstown PD Det. Norm Peters. Peters said the drawings were reported by a teacher who stated that she observed the two swastikas over the past month in her classroom.  The first was observed on a wall near the exit door accompanied by the words “…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
School Swatting Incidents Occurring Across NY, State Police Say School Swatting Incidents Occurring Across NY, State Police Say
School Swatting Incidents Occurring Across NY, State Police Say Authorities are investigating numerous incidents of schools in New York state receiving swatting calls claiming there is an active shooter in the building, state police said.  The threatening calls were received by schools on Thursday morning, March 30, and have all been found to be false, state police announced.  The State Police is aware of swatting incidents that have occurred across the state, in which a caller states that there is an active shooter in a school. All of the reports are unfounded. We are working alongside our federal & local partners to investigate the threats. pi…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
Report Of Shots Fired Causes HS To Be Placed On Lockdown In Region: Police Report Of Shots Fired Causes HS To Be Placed On Lockdown In Region: Police
Report Of Shots Fired Causes HS To Be Placed On Lockdown In Region: Police A high school in Northern Westchester was placed on lockdown and inspected by authorities after a complaint of shots fired was reported, police said.  The incident happened at 8 a.m. at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua when New Castle Police responded to an anonymous complaint of shots fired. Because of the complaint, the school was placed on lockdown, and responding officers checked the school. After a search of the building, the initial report was determined to be false, police said. The lockdown at the school was then lifted.  After this incident, all schools in t…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
Person Accused Of Making Threat Against Current Student At High School In Region Person Accused Of Making Threat Against Current Student At High School In Region
Person Accused Of Making Threat Against Current Student At High School In Region A former student has been accused of making threats against a current student at a high school in the Hudson Valley. On Thursday, March 23 at approximately 12:30 pm, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into threats made on social media targeting a student at Brewster High School. The suspect, who resides outside the county, was quickly identified, located, and issued an appearance ticket for Putnam County Family Court, Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville said. Out of an abundance of caution, additional sheriff’s patrols are on the scene at all of the B…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
Teacher Injured During Fight At High School In Region Teacher Injured During Fight At High School In Region
Teacher Injured During Fight At High School In Region A teacher was injured during a fight between two students at a school in the Hudson Valley. The incident took place in Orange County on Monday, March 6 at Middletown High School. The fight took place in a hallway outside a classroom.  The teacher was injured while attempting to intervene, said Amy Creeden, Superintendent of Schools for the Enlarged City School District of Middletown. "This saddens our entire school community and we are thinking of the faculty member during this difficult time," Creeden said in a letter to staff.  Security staff responded immediately, arriv…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
Reports Of Student With Gun Prompt Lockdown At Capital Region High School Reports Of Student With Gun Prompt Lockdown At Capital Region High School
Reports Of Student With Gun Prompt Lockdown At Capital Region High School A high school in the region was placed on a lockdown after several students reported that a classmate had a gun. Saratoga County Sheriff’s deputies were called to Shenendehowa High School West in Clifton Park at around 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, after a student told their parent that another student possibly had a gun, officials said. Other students at the school made similar reports directly to the school resource officer, who is a Saratoga County Sheriff’s deputy. The school was placed on a lockdown while deputies and State Police troopers searched the campus. They eventually located the…

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by Michael Mashburn