As was said in an old movie once, it’s a dream for some and a nightmare for others — the 2019-20 school year is just around the corner, with students in the Kingston Central School District starting classes on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
Some speakers said more time was needed to comply, while others who oppose some or all mandatory vaccinations spoke about their dangers and the feeling of being marginalized in the community.
With the sudden closure of John A. Coleman Catholic High School ahead of the 2019-20 school year, the local public school districts say they are ready to accommodate a modest increase in student enrollment.
As schools all over the state wound down for the summer, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that removed religious vaccination exemptions for children attending school. The law was the latest in an effort to contain ongoing measles outbreaks in several New York counties. It mandates that unvaccinated students at public, private, and parochial schools have 30 days from their first day at school to provide proof they have received the first dose of required vaccinations.
When Lenape Elementary School students arrive for the first day of school this September, they will be greeted by a new principal: Sean Inglee, who was appointed by the New Paltz Board of Education at its August 7 meeting.
This year’s incoming class extends the increasing racial and ethnic diversification of the student population at SUNY New Paltz. About 48 percent of incoming first-year students are from traditionally underrepresented demographic groups, as are about 35 percent of incoming transfers.
New Saugerties school district superintendent Kirk Reinhardt says he intends a greater focus on shared decision-making in the next two years. Casting a wider net and involving more people in educational processes will lead to a more harmonious relationship between the district and the community it serves, he believes.
After serving the community for over 50 years, John A. Coleman Catholic High School will close its doors at the end of the month. The closure was announced in an Aug. 1 letter from Bryan Smith, president of the school’s board of trustees.
Duzine Elementary School, one of the two elementary schools in the New Paltz Central School District, has a new principal and his name is Ross Hogan. A New Paltz resident, Hogan brings with him experience working as both a teacher and an assistant principal.
Many Saugerties students have their noses in books rather than smartphones thanks to different reading programs designed to stimulate the minds of kids outside the classroom.