On-Hudson.com

Hudson Valley Fair Weekends May 6th - May 22nd Dutchess Stadium Wappingers Falls, N.Y.

http://www.hudsonvalleyfair.com/

"Pumpkins in the Park" Jack-o'-Lantern Lighting Event Friday, October 30, 2015 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm 8 Long Dock Road Beacon NY

http://scenichudson.org/event/pumpkins-park-jack-o-lantern-lighting-event-2015-10-30-220000-2015-10-31-000000

 

LONG DOCK PARK (Dutchess)–Show off your pumpkin-carving artistry and see Long Dock Park ablaze with jack-o’-lanterns—including yours.

Pumpkins will be available for carving Tuesday, Oct. 27, through Friday, Oct. 30 from 3 - 6 p.m. Friday night they’ll be lit and displayed throughout the park.

NOTE: Pumpkins are free, but supplies are limited. Please register using the form below.  Contact Scenic Hudson Parks Event and Volunteer Coordinator Anthony Coneski with any questions: [email protected], 845-473-4440, ext. 273.

Brick-Or-Treat Legoland Ridge Hill Yonkers October 31st 2015

https://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/westchester/news-events/event/3899/brick-or-treat-halloween-party.aspx

 

LEGOLAND^® Discovery Center Events

Brick-or-Treat Halloween Party!

31st October 2015

Come out and have a Franken-tastic time at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester at our Brick-or-Treat Halloween Party!

 

Wear your costumes and join us for…

-  Brick-or-Treat throughout the Center for pieces to build your LEGO bat

-  A spooktacular MINILAND experience

-  Receive a Limited Edition LEGO® Halloween Brick

-  and more!

Join us for lots of safe Halloween fun for the whole family! Wear your costume and receive $3 off Admission at the door!

(Center will open for general admission at 10am)

Click here to purchase tickets!

Barton Orchards Corn Maze

http://www.bartonorchards.com/cornmaze2015.cfm

63 Apple Tree Ln,
Poughquag, NY 12570
Phone:(845) 227-2306

Monday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Tuesday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Wednesday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Thursday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Saturday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Sunday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Barton Orchard’s Corn Maze is an interactive 5-acre experience. Come get lost with us in the corn! Each year features a challenging theme that is fun for whole family to participate. The maze includes educational games for all ages along with colored paths highlighting shorter to longer adventures. Barton Orchards is the premier Hudson Valley maze featuring 3 bridges and a new escape slide! 

The 2014 Maze "Mazes in the Movies" was a huge success. We had a record number of visitors come and pass through it. We are very excited for our new theme this year, and hope you enjoy it just as much!

Labyrinth (1986) "Young Sarah is left to babysit her little brother Toby. But the baby keeps crying and Sarah, while telling him a story to make him sleep, inadvertently conjures from a fantasy world the Goblin King who steals the child and brings him to his castle in the middle of a labyrinth. Sarah has to rescue him before midnight, or the baby will became a goblin."

The Shining (1980) "Jack Torrance, a writer and recovering alcoholic, takes a job as an off-season caretaker at the Overlook Hotel. His young son possesses psychic abilities and is able to see things from the past and future, such as the ghosts who inhabit the hotel. The family is trapped in the hotel by a snowstorm, and Jack gradually becomes influenced by a supernatural presence; he descends into madness and attempts to murder his wife and son. The presence of a maze in the movie has connections to the Minotaur myth and has been subjected to plenty of psychoanalytical allegories in the past. How does Danny survive? He retraces his footsteps inside the Maze, therefore confusing an axe-wielding Jack Nicholson. 

Harry Potter (2005) The Goblet of Fire. "Hogwarts is hosting 'The Triwizard Tournament', a magical tournament between three well-known schools of magic : Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. The contestants have to be above the age of 17, and are chosen by a magical object called Goblet of Fire. On the night of selection, however, the Goblet spews out four names instead of the usual three, with Harry unwittingly being selected as the Fourth Champion. Harry is forced to brave three exceedingly difficult tasks. The last being a race through the Hedge Maze to reach the Goblet!"

The Maze Runner (2014) "Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his own name. He emerges into a world of about 60 teen boys who have learned to survive in a completely enclosed environment, subsisting on their own agriculture and supplies. A new boy arrives every 30 days. The original group has been in "The Glade" for two years, trying to find a way to escape through the Maze that surrounds their living space. They have begun to give up hope. Then a comatose girl arrives with a strange note, and their world begins to change." 

*Children under 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

See last year's maze - Matt Siren's Ghost Girl them (2013)

Great Jack O" Lantern Blaze 2015 Evenings Oct. 2-4, 9-12, 15-18, 21-31 + Nov. 1, 5-8, 13-15 at Van Cortlandt Manor

https://www.facebook.com/PumpkinBlaze

http://www.hudsonvalley.org/events/blaze

Van Cortlandt Manor

2015 Evenings
Oct. 2-4, 9-12, 15-18, 21-31
+ Nov. 1, 5-8, 13-15
at Van Cortlandt Manor

Advance Tickets Required
Times Vary by Evening

Buy Tickets

The tri-state area’s biggest, most exciting, most electrifying Halloween event returns for a delightful 30 nights in 2015!

See more than 7,000 individually hand-carved, illuminated jack o' lanterns in this elaborate walkthrough experience. Meander through an historic, 18th-century riverside landscape and discover a breathtaking display — all made of jack o' lanterns!

Find your favorite constellations and get star struck walking through the Pumpkin Planetarium. Squeal with excitement as the Circus Train rolls into town featuring a cast of colorful clowns and awesome animals. Flying pumpkin ghosts will draw your eye to the sky, and don’t miss Sleepy Hollow Country’s most iconic inhabitant, the Headless Horseman!

Witness the incredible sight of gourd-filled Jack-in-the-Boxes springing up and bouncing around. See slithering snakes, a giant spider web, and go gaga over shrunken Little Monsters. Gaze in amazement at a working doomsday grandfather clock.

A giant sea serpent adds some hiss to the Undersea Aquarium while comical, squash-eating Venus pumpkin traps sprout in the garden. Blaze's perennially popular Jurassic Park includes a triceratops, a pterodactyl, a brontosaurus, and a T-Rex!

Come gawk at more jack o'lanterns than ever before. Tens of thousands of visitors experienced last year’s Blaze^®, which was sold out EVERY NIGHT! Complete with sound effects, elaborate synchronized lighting and an all-original soundtrack by recording artist Richard Christy, this not-to-be-missed spectacle is the area’s most innovative Halloween happening.

Recommended for all ages.

Online Tickets

Adults, $20; Children 3-17, $16  (Saturdays $25, $20)
FREE for children under 3 + members

Accessibility

Blaze is handicapped accessible, as there are no stairs to negotiate through the installation. However, there are some narrow and slightly sloped brick paths and it is a walk-through experience along uneven, unpaved, soft-surface terrain. Handicapped parking is available, but your car must display a handicapped placard or plate.

River Pool On-Hudson Beacon New-York Hours & Info

https://www.riverpool.org/pool#tabs-4

This exciting and innovative structure is intended to provide a safe area for swimming and wading in the Hudson River for people of all ages and to promote use, awareness and stewardship of the Hudson River. The first phase of the River Pool is a 20’ prototype wading pool which will be used to test the concepts and materials. A larger, full use swimming pool will be constructed during Phase 2.

Goals and Objectives

• Provide access to the Hudson River via a facility inexpensive to the public.
• Educate the general public about the importance of continuing to preserve and clean the Hudson River.
• Promote swimming as a fun healthful fitness activity in a natural environment.
• Demonstrate to other communities the viability of floating pools by building a successful prototype.

Beacon River Pool Description

       Like its historic precedents, the Beacon River Pool is partially submerged in the water, allowing River water to flow through. From the shore of the park,
        a ramp leads to the pool. This prototype pool is 20 feet in diameter with a water depth between 24 and 30 inches. The pool bottom, a high strength net made of Dyneema twine, is held in place by a rigid structural perimeter tube. Floatation/seats line the perimeter of the pool - offering pool users spectacular views of the River. The pool is used from early July to Labor Day and is stored in sheds at Riverfront Park in the winter season. The success of this prototype will facilitate the development of larger and deeper floating pools in the future.

The River Pool Site

The river pool is located just off the north shore of  Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park – a central destination for local youth and adults. The park is only minutes away from Beacon’s train station and ferry dock as well as regional attractions such as DIA: Beacon and the Beacon Landing peninsula. The water quality at the River Pool site is one of the best in Dutchess County.

Need Driving Directions? Enter your start address here

River Pool Precedents

In the 19th and early 20th Century floating bathhouses dotted the perimeter of Manhattan. These submerged wooden cages were open to the flow of the river- and allowed for safe swimming and bathing. Similar “flow-thru” river pools were found in Paris and other European cities and a few are still in active use in Switzerland’s rivers today. Today, due to considerable water quality improvements in the Hudson River and growing community interest in recreational river swimming, the construction of a River Pool is once again a timely endeavor.

Hours of Operation

River Pool will be open Tuesday through Sunday (12noon to 6pm) from early July to Labor Day. See you at the pool!

 

Copyright ©2015 River Pool at Beacon Inc, All Rights Reserved.
Mail: River Pool at Beacon, PO Box 173, Beacon, NY, 12508 USA
General: (914) 629-4598 || Swim: (845) 784-1790

 

For More on Beacon go to www.BeaconOnHudson.com

Kidz Karnival Sunday October 26th 2014 Hudson River Park Pier 26

Sunday, Oct 26, Noon-5pm

Come celebrate Halloween with the whole family at Hudson River Park's 6th Annual Halloween Kidz Karnival! This year the fun returns to Tribeca at Hudson River Park's Pier 26! Join us as we transform Pier 26 into "Halloween Central" with fun-filled attractions for the family. Dress up and join the crowd for face painting, mask decorating, wax hands, cotton candy, spin art, rides and more.

 

In addition to these spooktacular activities, the Story Pirates will perform Halloween-themed improv shows throughout the day.

All ages are invited. Most attractions will appeal to kids aged 2-8 years. Some activitie

NY Marine Science Festival Hudson River Park's Pier 26 October 5, 2014

Hudson River Park's Pier 26 October 5, 2014

General Information Date: Sunday October 5, 2014 Location: Hudson River Park's Pier 26 (Cross as North Moore Street) Time: 11 am to 3 pm Cost: FREE! Getting There:  Map Subway: 1 train to Franklin St; 2 / 3 to Chambers St; A C E to Canal St Bus: M20 or M22 Festival Highlights: Over 40 research stations and other exhibitors, science talks by notable experts, kid's tent, catch-and-release fishing, river kayaking, music and more!   Experiment, learn and explore! Scientists and other exhibitors will present their work through hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations.   More information on exhibitor topics can be found here. Presented by Delta   Listen to key talks by notable experts. Topics include: Climate Science, Ocean Literacy, Exploration, and Understanding our Local Waterways.   A complete list of topics, presenters and times can be found on the SUBMERGE website.   Supported by Children's Museum of the Arts   Budding scientists learn about NYC's local waters by exploring touch tanks with live river critters, participating in hands-on experiments and crafting ocean-themed projects.       High school students present their own water-related research projects.  Selected schools:  City-As School, Rondout Valley High School, In-Tech Academy, Sayville High School, Tenafly High School.   Enjoy rock jams from Solar Punch (approx. 1pm-3pm)  and twangy tunes from Breakneck Ridge Revue (approx. 1pm-3pm)       Try your hand at catching a Hudson River fish! Rods, reels, bait and instruction provided. Open to all ages.        The Downtown Boathouse provides free instruction and use of their sit-on-top kayaks at Hudson River Park's Pier 26 boathouse.    LUKE'S LOBSTER   GORILLA CHEESE   GREEN PIRATE      hudsonriverpark.org

Join us on Sunday, October 5th for SCIENCY- FUN on the waterfront!  EXCITING experiments! FASCINATING facts!  ENRICHING entertainment! Come learn AND play at SUBMERGE! NYC Marine Science Festival.  From underwater robotics exploration to aquatic wildlife ecology - noted marine scientists from across the country will teach, inspire, and entertain audiences of all ages from 11AM - 3PM.  Hudson River Park, in partnership with the New York Hall of Science, proudly presents this day-long festival aimed at raising awareness and connecting New Yorkers to our local waterways.

Please Help Find Pierce Crowley ! 15 Year Old Needs Your Help NOW !

Urgent: Rye Boy Missing

The Crowley family of Manursing Way in Rye has reported their son, Pierce Crowley, missing. He was last seen Friday in White Plains. Here is the "missing" flyer you can post in your store or neighborhood.

The above Photo is PIERCE CROWLEY, HIS FAMILLY NEEDS YOUR HELP IN LOCATING HIM AND BRINGING HIM HOME SAFELY. PIERCE IS 15 YEARS OLD- 5 FEET 10 INCHES AND 150 POUNDS. BLUE EYES, LIGHT BROWN HAIR, WEARS BRACES. PIERCE WAS LAST SEEN FRIDAY 25TH MAY, 2012 IN WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK- POSSIBLY NEAR THE TRAIN STATION.

HE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING DARK JEANS, A BRIGHT BLUE FLORIDA GATORS SHORT SLEEVE T-SHIRT, AND BLACK SNEAKERS WITH LIME GREEN TRIM THERE IS A REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS SAFE RETURN. Please contact the White Plains Police at 914-422-6111 with any information.

In an email to concerned friends, Gretchen Kaye Crowley wrote:

Date: May 27, 2012 1:05:10 PM EDT

Subject: re: PIERCE CROWLEY
"as some of you may already know, our dear pierce is missing.

he was not feeling well before he disappeared and is in a fragile state.  it is URGENT that we locate him ASAP.

attached is a flyer with information and a picture.  please share it with any and all.

police, taxis stands/drivers, train stations, recreation centers, playland, skateboard parks, fastfood places. typical 15 year spots.

if one of you could keep track of where the information is being shared, posted that would be helpful. don't want to duplicate and even more importantly we don't want to miss any spots.

if you need copies - i will leave a pile by my front door for you to use.

thank you all so very much for helping us find pierce as quickly as possible.

xo,

gretchen"

Email this

Education Department Instructor Rankings First Step In Repairing Broken Education System

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/a-dozen-teachers-earned-lowest-scores-controversial-rankings-article-1.1028113

More than a dozen teachers earned lowest scores on controversial rankings 

News analysis: 50 earned highest marks for several years in ratings, which union blasts as flawed

 

BRYAN SMITH FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott says it would be “irresponsible” to draw conclusions about teachers only from their rankings.

 

More than a dozen city teachers got the lowest possible score on the Education Department’s controversial instructor rankings, a Daily News analysis has found.

Seventeen teachers received zeros in either math or English on evaluations of how well they raised student achievement over more than one year, according to city data released Friday.

Meanwhile, 47 teachers aced the evaluations, each scoring a 99 out of 100 in math or English. Of those instructors, three recorded highest scores in both subjects.

CHECK THE RATING FOR YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER: FULL LIST AND SORTABLE DATABASE

The lowest-ranked instructors taught at both high- and low-performing elementary and middle schools around the city. All had at least three years of teaching experience, making their scores more reliable.

The Education Department rated teachers using a complicated “value-added” method, which measures how well students improved on state exams compared to a projection of how they should have performed based on demographic factors like poverty and ethnicity.

In all, 20,000 fourth- through eighth-grade math and reading teachers received at least one yearly evaluation between 2007 and 2010.

The News’ analysis only includes about 8,000 teachers who taught in 2010 and have more than one annual evaluation. These were viewed as the most reliable of the numbers.

Still, those with zeros challenged the accuracy.

“I'm absolutely being scapegoated,” said Mirta Serrano, 53, a sixth-grade teacher at Brooklyn’s Intermediate School 318 who got a zero after two years of evaluations.

“I don't agree with the scores. The tests are not fair. It's not one size fits all.”

The rankings, requested by the Daily News and other media outlets under the Freedom of Information Law, were made public after a year-and-a-half legal battle by the United Federation of Teachers.

 

They divides teachers into five categories depending on their scores.

About 1,384 teachers received a score of 24 or lower — the bottom of the scale. In math, about 1,347 instructors got a 24 or below.

About 1,435 teachers recorded a 75 or above in English, making them top performers, while about 1,630 math teachers received a 75 or above.

Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said he hoped the data will create a dialogue among parents, teachers and principals.

"I think thoughtful discussions taking place at the schools between parents and principals and teachers is something that's extremely healthy that benefits our students," he said Friday.

 

“To me that allows that parent to be an involved stakeholder in far as what's happening in their child or children's classroom.”

The teachers union and education advocates have ripped city officials over the release, calling the data deeply flawed with the potential to demonize instructors.

"This was a complete calamity and it is the clearest example of the mismanagement that the Department of Ed has put upon the teachers of New York City," United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew said.

Even Walcott warned that the data is old and cautioned against drawing conclusions.

"I definitely believe in transparency and people having information,” he said. “On the other hand, I'm very conscious ... the data with the names attached could be used in ways that could be harmful to the process of what we're trying to achieve."

One measure of caution is the wide margins of error on the rankings

. The average margin of error on multi-year scores is 35 points for math and 53 for English.

On some individual teacher rankings, the margins of error become even more troubling, going as high as 75 for math and 87 for English.

"The fact that one teacher in a school might be at the 60th percentile and another one's at the 45th percentile doesn't mean that the first teacher is more effective than the second because they come with very large margins of error," said NYU Professor Sean Corcoran, who has studied a similar ranking system in Houston.

The UFT said the rankings are also riddled with straight-forward errors like assigning the wrong students to instructors.

Pamela Flanagan, a teacher at Tompkins Square Middle School in the East Village for the past six years, initially received a zero in a 2009 report.

There was one glaring problem: she was evaluated as an English instructor when she only taught math and science.

“It’s absurd. The margin of error is so wide that you can’t tell anything from it,” Flanagan said. “How is this going to help with my teaching at all?”

The city has asked teachers to come forward to report any flaws, but so far only 37% have verified the last two year’s of their reports. Of those, 3% were connected to the wrong courses.

Another problem, critics say, is how small achievement changes among high- and low-performing students dramatically skewed the evaluations.

For example, teachers of top-performing students could see their ranks plummet if their kids get just a couple more questions wrong than expected on state tests.

That didn’t stop three teachers at A-rated Public School 122 Mamie Fay in Queens from each scoring a 99 on their evaluations.

One of them — Rebecca Victoros, who teaches fifth-grade in the Astoria school’s gifted and talented program — even earned the top honor in both English and math.

“I know that we have wonderful teachers. I didn’t need the teacher value reports to verify that,” the school’s principal, Pamela Sabel, said. “Good teaching is good teaching.”

 

While the department no longer uses the rating system, the state will use similar calculations in judging the performance of teachers under the program recently established by Gov. Cuomo.

Those calculations will be supplemented by other measures, including classroom observations that many education experts say are necessary to fairly evaluate a teacher. Instructors who fall into the lowest band will be subject to firing.

with Rachel Monahan and Tina Moore

[email protected]