Hen Hud approves senior open-campus pilot for fourth quarter

The Hendrick Hudson school board approved an open-campus pilot for high school seniors at its October 7 meeting, limiting it to the fourth quarter of the 2026–27 school year. Administrators must develop the rules for leaving school grounds, and the superintendent must report back by the first board meeting in June 2027 on what the district learned.

The resolution creates a limited exception to the district’s closed-campus policy. It does not give seniors immediate, unrestricted permission to leave. During discussion, administrators said an earlier start would require the board to amend the resolution. They also said the rules and the way the pilot would be assessed would be shared before it began, with opportunities for student feedback.

A lengthy curriculum review described changes already underway and work still being planned. Elementary leaders discussed expanding support for English learners, play-based learning and academic and behavioral interventions. Frank G. Lindsey increased its intervention block from 30 to 40 minutes. Blue Mountain Middle School outlined more consistent support meetings, classroom feedback and positive-behavior work. Possible changes to schedules and specials were to return to the board in November or December before final decisions.

At the high school, the update emphasized teacher collaboration, digital portfolios, performance-based learning and courses connecting subjects with real-world work. A ninth-grade teacher team was intended to strengthen the transition from middle school. Administrators were still awaiting further state guidance on graduation changes; the discussion did not amount to a new local graduation policy.

District officials said local grades 3–8 test results remained under embargo at the time of the meeting and would be discussed after release. They described NWEA MAP Growth as one measure to help identify students needing support or additional challenge, with a separate explanation for families planned before reports were widely shared. Board questions also prompted an update on artificial intelligence: the technology committee was considering a district position statement, while staff described existing supervised use of School AI. No new AI policy was adopted during that discussion.

The board approved replacement policies for free meal services and for purchasing additional meals and food items, retiring the older free-and-reduced-price and meal-charge policies. The new language distinguishes free student meals from extra meals and à la carte purchases, which require available funds at the time of sale. Separately, the consent agenda set minimum adult breakfast and lunch prices at $3.62 and $5.40, effective October 13; the supporting item said à la carte prices would stay the same.

Other consent business included the 2027–28 budget-development calendar, general-education tuition of $20,909 for grades K–6 and $21,666 for grades 7–12, and a $2,323.78 plumbing change order for a hot-water line and isolation valve in a bathroom off the gymnasium at Furnace Woods Elementary.

In policy business, the board retired six budget policies covering deadlines, dissemination of recommendations, hearings, voting, contingent budgets and implementation. The explanation at the meeting was that they duplicated provisions addressed elsewhere in education law. The board also approved revisions concerning students with disabilities, fixed-asset accounting and voting procedures, and renumbered the policy on assigning students to classes. Those final actions were separate from procedural motions to waive reading the texts aloud.

The meeting opened by recognizing the student mural at Frank G. Lindsey Elementary, a 75-foot project created with a professional artist and support from the district, parent groups and the community education foundation. Blue Mountain’s PTA and the district’s special-education PTA described their programs and asked for more members and volunteers. Student representatives later reported on school activities.

The superintendent announced three November town halls on district operations: instruction on November 2, facilities on November 10 and administration on November 23. Work on a District Compass community survey was continuing. A possible centennial fireworks event remained exploratory, with permitting, insurance, contracting and fire-department coordination still to be completed.

Board members also discussed proposed statewide school-board advocacy resolutions, including capital funding, testing formats, literacy, meal-program water options, elections and lockdown drills. Those exchanges concerned positions for the association’s advocacy process; they did not themselves enact state rules or establish the outcome of a later statewide vote.