RIDER REPORT

With the last quarter of the school year just around the corner, we have much to celebrate and look forward to during these last few months – student art exhibits, musical performances, our spring athletic team competitions, the graduation of our Class of 2023, and much more.

But our work and excitement doesn’t stop there. Starting July 5, our district will once again offer a robust summer school program for our students entering kindergarten through 12th grade. Last summer, we had our highest attendance ever, with about 250 students attending a variety of programs on our campus.

As we inch toward those summer months, we continue to celebrate all that it means to be a Rider. I am happy to announce that two of our talented high school artists were selected to have their work displayed in the 24th Annual High School Regional Juried Exhibition at Albany Center Gallery. The exhibit runs until April 22. Keep reading to learn more about our student artists and to see their pieces!

At the end of March, our second-grade Odyssey of the Mind team participated in the annual regional tournament at Coxsackie-Athens Central School District. At the primary-level, our Lil Riders were tasked with creating a performance and parade all about dinosaurs! Please read the article below to learn more about this year's team and OM.

And before we know it, graduation will be here. We are very proud of the Class of 2023, and all they have already accomplished during their years at Ichabod Crane.

Articles in this edition:

• Summer School Programming

• Spotlight on Two High School Student Artists

• 2023 OM Competition Highlights

• Spirit Week Recap

• Coming Next in April

• #ICYMI

Two ICC juniors – Kristanna Samascott and Carter Cairns – were chosen to have their work featured at the 24th Annual High School Regional Juried Exhibition at the Albany Center Gallery, a non-profit, community-based organization located in the state's capital city.

Their pieces were among approximately 125 selected from over 550 entries. “Memorabilias,” a drawing by Carter, and “The Thread of Life,” a photograph by Kristanna, will be on exhibit until April 22. They join students from over 25 high schools around the Capital Region. The exhibit showcases a variety of student work, including painting, drawing, photography, film, digital media and sculpture.

On March 24, the gallery hosted a reception and awards ceremony. That night, 27 awards were given to individual students, including Kristanna, who was chosen for the Brendan Fahy Bequette Fund Award, given by state Rep. Pat Fahy in honor of her son, who found comfort through photography and lost a difficult battle with cancer just over a year ago. Kristanna received $250 and it was the highest monetary award given to the student artists.

“It is always fascinating to me when our students create something new and so inventive,” said Sandy Dwileski, one of the High School’s art teachers. “I am so proud that the jurors at the Albany Center Gallery recognized that and the talents of Kristanna and Carter.”

For more information on the exhibit, please visit the gallery’s website.

A team of ICC second graders recently competed in the Odyssey of the Mind (OM) Regional Competition, where they had to put their problem-solving skills to the test.

The team of seven Lil Riders spent the last few months meeting regularly to figure out how they would solve the problem assigned to the K-2 age group. This year, they had to solve “Dinos on Parade!” They were tasked with creating a performance all about dinosaurs and to present it in a fun parade.

They presented their solution at the regional competition hosted at Coxsackie-Athens School District. OM is open to students of all ages and learning levels. All teams also have to participate in “spontaneous,” where they solve a problem they don’t know about until they enter the competition room.

At the K-2 levels, teams don’t compete, but they do receive scores and feedback from the judges. The Primary Problems are designed to provide younger “OMers” with a comprehensive, fun and instructional experience that introduces them to OM.

“The second-grade OM team was amazing,” said Elizabeth Phillips, one of the team's coaches. “The team performed incredibly well. They braved the stage and were clear and determined in executing their skit. The judges were extremely impressed with the creativity and imagination that went into the performance. The team is already excited for next year!”