Hendrick Hudson High School

Hendrick Hudson High School, nicknamed Hen Hud, is a public high school in Montrose, New York. It draws its students from the neighboring towns of Verplanck, Buchanan, Cortlandt Manor, Montrose, Peekskill, and Crugers.

There are approximately 900 students in Hendrick Hudson, averaging about 225 students per grade.

Administration

The principal of Hendrick Hudson is James Mackin. The assistant principals are Aneca Bell Jefferson and Daniel Callahan.

Academics

In the 2007/2008 school year, Hendrick Hudson High School offered 50 Advanced Placement courses in eight different subject areas [http://www.henhudschools.org/files/134780/handbook.pdf] . It also began offering a three year science research course sequence to current tenth graders.

ports

In 2006, the Hen Hud Varsity volleyball team made school history when they won the Class A New York State championship. [http://henhudvolleyball.com/news/article.asp?id=176490] One of their captains, Jessica Harris, was one of the 2006 Wendy's High School Heisman Award National Finalists. Lindsey Hock, a fellow co-captain on the varsity volleyball team, was named Journal News Player of the Year and was also named as a Con Edison Scholar Athlete. [http://www.wendyshighschoolheisman.com/national/jessica_harris.asp]

The volleyball team repeated as New York State champions in 2007.

Controversy

In November, 2007, an altercation between several students during school hours escalated into a cross being burned on a black student’s property. This incident is being treated as a hate crime by the police, and two young men have been arrested [http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071212/NEWS02/712120359] . The cross-burning incident resulted in a community forum where the issues of tolerance and racial bias could be discussed, the cross burning incadent was led by a fight in school with the involvement of the crossburners siter [http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS02/711300383] .

In June, 2007, several students were arrested after they entered the high school after school hours and taped alarm clocks to the walls. They intended the clocks to go off the next day, disrupting the last day of school. Police, however, were concerned that the clocks were bombs, and the students were charged with placing a false bomb. The charges were eventually dropped [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/31/nyregion/31bomb.html?_r=1&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/S/Santos,%20Fernanda&oref=slogin] .

In the 2005-2006 school year, an article in the North County News published allegations that Trooper Mario Velez, the School Resource Officer, mistreated and harassed students in the school. One example of this allegation came from a student, who said that Velez remarked that "'If you don't shut your mouth, then I'm going to (hit) you in the face." Following publication of the article, supporters came to trooper’s defense, and the officer was praised as a role model. Since then Trooper Velez has been removed from the high school's SRO program, and trooper Pugh is the current SRO of Hendrick Hudson. [http://northcountynews.com/archives/archives_2006/6-7-06/topstory.htm]

In March 2000 Marci Stein, a special-education teacher, was found guilty of having sexual relations with three students. She was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in state prison. A jury convicted her of 10 criminal charges, including statutory rape, on Aug. 4. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE5D81230F932A05753C1A9679C8B63&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink] In early 2005 the conviction was overturned and she pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and been freed. She admitted in court that she had endangered a child and was sentenced to a year in jail, but was then released because of time served. An appellate court ruled that she had not received a fair trial because prosecutors did not tell the defense that two of the boys had filed notices to sue Ms. Stein's school district. That information was relevant to the students' credibility, the panel ruled. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9802E4DD113AF93BA25751C0A9639C8B63&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink]

Miscellaneous

In 2005 and 2007 the Hendrick Hudson Wind Ensemble scored a Gold Rating in the annual NYSSMA festival under the direction of Joe Stamboni, despite being faced with toxic mold in the band room that kept the band out for several weeks. The school orchestra also made it through the mold under the direction of Mr. Michael Ambruster.

The Hendrick Hudson Treble Chorus, a chorus composed only of girls, won Best Overall Choir and Best Women's Chorus at the Music in the Parks festival at Six Flags in New Jersey in May 2007.

The actor Evan Handler attended the school.

The Hendrick Hudson Speech and Debate team annually hosts the Malcolm A. Bump Memorial Tournament, one of the largest debate tournaments in New York state. In 2005, the team was rated 13th overall in the country [http://www.nationaldebaterankings.net/]

2008 Academy Award-winner Cynthia Wade attended the school.

Movie producer/director Andrew Jenks graduated from the school in 2004

References