Living in Beacon has spoiled me - spoiled me into expecting loads of creative and enriching classes for kids in any town that I am visiting. There are two issues with this:
How would I know where to find all of these classes?
As a person who lives here, I see whizzes of great classes that people post all over Facebook, but what were they again? And how could everyone in the whole world see those single posts?
And so A Little Beacon Blog's Things To Do In Beacon Guides were created - to showcase all of these things that people can do in a dedicated Guide, where readers can find all of these choices in one place, in an easy-to-scan list of phone numbers, addresses, and links available with the tap of a finger or click of the mouse, with local, insider information about them when available, and updated as new options become available.
The Kids Classes Guide was two years in the making because it is just so big! And the wave of new classes being offered happens a few times a year. We are currently in one of those waves - in early February, Winter Sessions start for most programs, from art to yoga to swimming - making this a perfect time to launch the Kids Classes Guide to help families in Beacon and neighboring towns figure out which programs to hook their kids into.
Because, after all - just around the corner is Summer! And the Summer Day Camp Guide! Updates to that are under way now. For now, dive into the Kids Classes Guide to see which Little Dragon Karate program on Main Street Beacon or Snapology program at the Fishkill Rec Center you can plan for your family!
When you wake up on a Saturday, or any day of the week here in the Hudson Valley, do you think: "There is so much to do today! Where should I start!?" Us too! That's why we produced specialty Guides for you to filter your life in and around Beacon, NY. With so many creative minds creating so many events, shops, dining experiences, and specialty services, you can turn to A Little Beacon Blog for a local life more organized.
PS: If you are a business wanting to advertise in these Guides, please click here.
Locomotive Crossfit is an intense gym for people who like to move - a lot. Their programming is based on classes that work with equipment that has been specially designed to function as an extension of the body, making use of the body's own strength. Classes include mobility training, gymnastics, Olympic weight lifting, nutrition coaching, and more.
The HVF Training Camp is a four-week training cycle which challenges members in athletic-style fitness programs. The scalability of the camp workouts allows for participation by beginners and advanced exercisers. Every month a new four week training cycle begins. Members that participate in camp from month to month are able to push themselves further in each new camp.
Beacon Pilates is focused on your core, and the first step in that is to evaluate your body. They offer sessions to do just that before placing you into classes. You can also find a Beacon Pilates outpost at AllSport Fishkill, in addition to their Beacon location conveniently located on Main Street.
Tara Gregorio Pilates & Wellness
3590 Rt 9, Ste 205, Cold Spring, NY
(845) 809-5995
Offering Contemporary Pilates Privates & Semi-Privates on the STOTT PILATES equipment, as well as, yoga private & group classes. Tara makes her home in Cold Spring, New York. She accepts clients in her studio for fitness, injury rehabilitation, and herbal consultations.
Wellness professionals chosen based on their coaching in the areas of food and ways of living.
You may have seen or read her book, Essential Nourishment, or you may have taken one of her many classes that teach the ways of finding nourishment in forbidden foods like cupcake frosting. From workshops that get you eating right without dieting to wellness retreats to her farm in Estonia, a gift certificate here could be a game-changer.
Jennifer Clair created Home Cooking New York (HCNY) in May 2002 after years of writing cookbooks, recipes, and a Food Editorial position at Martha Stewart Living. The opportunity to come together with eager culinary students in a kitchen classroom seemed like the next logical step. HCNY’s classes are taught out of Homespun @ Home on 259 Main Street in Beacon. Classes range from basic cooking techniques (Six Basic Cooking Techniques, 20 Minute Meals) to cuisine-focused favorites (Understanding Thai Food, French Bistro). Each 2 ½ hour class is centered around the preparation of a complete meal and culminates in a full sit-down dinner to enjoy in the intimacy of your home or surrounded by your fellow students.
A wellness coach with a triple-threat to your happiness and weight loss management, Gina specializes in food and nutrition coaching, lifestyle guidance, and personal fitness training. Gina came into nutrition and yoga to deal with an auto-immune disease that happened to her, and found it more satisfactory than medication. She also specializes in helping moms figure out how to get back on track with fitness, lose the "mummy-tummy", and stay healthy and happy.
Ashley Lederer is a dietitian and food policy consultant with expertise in chronic disease management, healthy food program and policy development, research and evaluation. Ashley was formerly a Senior Adviser within the New York City Health Department’s Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control, where she worked on innovative policies and programs to improve access to healthy foods. She played a key role in the development of groundbreaking nutrition standards implemented in 12 New York City public agencies, impacting over 260 million meals and snacks served each year.
Located in the heart of Beacon, Shambhala Yoga Center features great teachers, several of whom are rooted in dance, all of whom are passionate about yoga and its many forms and the benefits it gives to the body. You'll find yoga classes focused on beginners, strengthening, elegant movement, and more. Check Shambhala's schedule for times and types of yoga classes.
A donation-based yoga center dedicated to the development of personal yoga and meditation that has partnered up with Center 4 Creative Education. Includes drum meditation and dance classes, as well as salsa and line dancing! Check the Beacon schedule to see what fits your fancy.
It's finally happening...the Adults and Kids Classes Guides at A Little Beacon Blog. This is a collection of classes that people living in and around Beacon really want to know about. These Guides will be a part of A Little Beacon Blog's Things To Do In Beacon Guides, and will be maintained and promoted throughout the year.
There are many ways to participate:
1. If you are teaching a class, please submit your information to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com. Those added will be added at a Basic level to a related category (like LANGUAGE, or PAINTING).
2. If you teach and you want your listing to stand out and get into our social media streams, you can start an advertising subscription as a Featured Business, details are in the Advertising Package which you can download here. Please note, you do not need to do this in order to be included at a Basic level in the Adult and Kids Classes Guides. This is for if you want to step it up a notch.
3. If you work for a business or corporation who supports the arts and community events, we are working with sponsors of single Guides or of all of the Things To Do In Beacon Guides, which includes Restaurants, Classes, Shopping, Beauty, etc. This major sponsor level helps us maintain and promote these Guides which helps smaller businesses and artists get the word out. To get your logo on the flyer and to be part of the initial launch of these highly anticipated Classes Guides, please email katie@alittlebeaconblog.com
Look for it soon! We are adding classes on a daily basis and perfecting how we want you to see it.
Pedicures are normally associated with summer and flip-flops.
Less-discussed is the often chronic, mostly silent problem of ingrown
nails that can make one shudder at the thought of putting on socks and
placing a sensitive toe into a well-padded, waterproof boot. Keeping
toes pretty for padding around a cold kitchen floor or just vacuumed
carpet doesn't make it into winter issues of fashion magazines.
We know from A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide that there are several options for getting your toes done around town. But if you want a pedicure right now this instant, even if it is in the middle of snowstorm Jonas (note: a snowstorm that simply gave Beacon an inch or two), then you want to walk to the pedicure place and avoid brushing off your car, driving, parking, and repeating.
This storefront has housed a nail salon for years. Currently managed by a husband-and-wife team, a mani-pedi is at your fingertips - pun intended. If you see a sign on the door that says something like: "We're here... call this number and we will be right there," you can believe it. Living upstairs, the managers will come down to help you right away.
While the appearance of the shop may be ready for an upgrade, the actual experience of the pedicure hits all of the important pressure points. Warm, bubbly water, ingrowns carefully removed, a scrub rub applied, all finished with a leg massage. Plus, they offer a 10-minute chair massage stool for anyone in need of a quick neck and shoulder rub.
For those who enjoy fast fashion, and need to quickly pick up a pair of Hello Kitty ear muffs, you will also find a retail selection in the front of Lilium Spa Nails. Anyone who has spent much time in New York City will recognize the tabletop spread of cellophane-wrapped scarves, gloves, and hats. During the research for this article at Lilium, a trio of moms with double-wide strollers popped in, in need of a fresh pair of gloves while traveling.
Did you know that we have a real, live, former cast member from Broadway's "The Phantom of the Opera" living in our town of Beacon? It's true: Kelly Ellenwood played the role of Carlotta Giudicelli in "The Phantom of the Opera" from 1994 to 1998. She also played Mrs. Fezziwig in the Madison Square Garden production of “A Christmas Carol” from 2000 to 2003. This four-year span was during the final years of its ten-year run in the theater at Madison Square Garden. One of the performances from this time is preserved in the Lincoln Center Archive. Frank Langella, stage and screen star, performed the role of Scrooge that year.
Kelly has kept up with the arts in Beacon, becoming involved in various community projects. She is currently Vice President of BeaconArts, as well as a Founding Member and Director Emeritus of the Wee Play Project, which has raised over $100,000 to build the toddler park in Beacon (we covered it here when they secured a playground upgrade). She is also involved with the Beacon Arts and Education Foundation (BAEF) which has raised $80,000 since its inception in 2004, and is currently an adjunct Professor of Voice at SUNY New Paltz.
Carlotta (played by Kelly Ellenwood) in The Phantom of the Opera.
You have most likely seen Kelly around town at the annual lighting of the Bicycle Christmas Tree produced by BeaconArts, or presenting at Board of Education meetings on behalf of the high school theater initiatives with The Beacon Players. Most recently, you may have read about Kelly in The Philipstown Paper in a preview of the Beacon Music Factory's 3rd Annual New Year's Day concert. At that event, Kelly and the Beacon Music Factory All Stars band performed Linda Ronstadt's 1974 album, "Heart Like a Wheel."
Being that most people know Kelly in her current roles, we are dedicating this #TBT, Throwback Thursday, to her career in opera and community service, which helped us learn even more about what makes her tick:
Did you stop singing operatic style?
Not really... I just don’t delve into the extremes anymore. I used to get paid pretty well (and regularly, LOL!) for what is known literally as “the money notes.” I’m aging and I simply don’t have the same ease of access to that part of my range, and frankly, it is a lot of work to maintain. But I make up for it in other ways! :) Age and experience do have their advantages.
Where can you be found singing now?
What is so great about Beacon is that there are plenty of opportunities to collaborate. I’m working on a concert concept with my dear friend and colleague Irina Mozyleva and another fabulous Beacon musician (and mom), singer-songwriter Carla Springer; and I’m even starting a new band! Not quite ready to announce yet, but stay tuned. All you need to know is that I bought an accordion yesterday.
I’m also asked to sing regularly at SUNY New Paltz where I’m on faculty, and you never know, Madera Vox may make a comeback. [Editor's note: The quintet featured Kelly on voice, and others on oboe, bassoon, piano and percussion.] I’m definitely not doing too much theatre these days, and I’m definitely not auditioning, although I do still get calls fairly often. If the project is right, I will make time in my schedule to work in the city, at a regional theatre or do a special concert out of town. And I’ve been known to sing the national anthem from time to time at big sporting events. [Editor's note: How many people can say that?!]
Are your children following in your footsteps?
Both my girls love to sing and are innately good musicians. We have been doing some trio work together recently, which has been really fun and gratifying. Since you asked, Rowan is one of two children at her school asked to participate in the All County Chorus Weekend, coming up at the end of February. That will be a great experience for her. And we just found out a couple of days ago that Rhiannon will be playing the title role in the Beacon (HS) Players production of PETER PAN. The show dates are April 8, 9, 10 and you should buy your tickets NOW! It’s going to be just great. They are even bringing in “Flying by Foy” so the kids will be actually flying. It’s pretty extraordinary. So glad that there is a strong drama program at the high school. So yes, I guess they are “following,” although they both made these opportunities happen all on their own. #proudmama
What was your first foray into contributing your time and creative energy to Beacon on a volunteer or community level?
I guess it would have to be my seven-year stint fundraising for and building the Wee Play Tot Park. I am thrilled that the organization has grown and continues to do so much good in our community. I like to think that the playground was a catalyst for much of the growth we are experiencing now in this town. I remember moving here in 2003, and not knowing where to find other mothers with young kids. We built a network, and that network continues to drive change and bring people together, as well as attract new residents. It makes me super proud.
What community and/or public school initiatives are you currently working on that you want to share with us today?
Well, I am super active in BeaconArts as a board member. If I’m re-elected at the end of this month - our Annual Meeting is January 27 - it will be my last term. I’m looking forward to implementing our strategic plan, and further stabilizing the organization as it heads into its 15th year.
I’m also active with the Beacon Arts and Education Foundation (BAEF) as the BeaconArts Board liaison. BAEF is a sponsored project of BeaconArts. As a parent, I’m fairly active at both of my kids’ schools, although I recently made a personal pledge to be MUCH more active at the high school - there is so much positive stuff that happens that gets overshadowed by the less positive.
PS: We could use help with the BHS PTSO West Point fundraisers! The Beacon High School PTSO works concessions at West Point sports events, including football games, and raises a pretty decent amount of cash for the organization to give away as scholarships, teacher grants, etc. You have to be 16 and have an ID to work. The Beacon High School PTSO has a Facebook page if you want to find out more.
Carlotta and her understudies in the touring company for "Phantom of the Opera." This photo was taken on one of their last days on the road, in Denver.
Can You Spot Kelly In This Video?
To add to our Throwback Thursday, here is a video with Tim Curry as Scrooge during the 75th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, in which Kelly gets a little facetime in costume from her days of performing in MSG’s Christmas Carol. It was right after 9/11, and Kelly says about that day: “I remember the feeling very well. The temperature was quite warm, not cold at all as we breezed down Broadway. Intense memories!”
You may be a new family in town, or a family who moved to Beacon a few years ago, and now your child is almost 4, and is ready for Beacon's Universal Pre-K Program! And if you do not have kids, or your kids are grown but you have neighbors who do not know about Beacon's Pre-K option yet, pass along this article to them because the time to register is now. After registration, acceptance letters go out at the end of July, according to a flyer from the Beacon City School District (BCSD). (By July, BCSD will know its guaranteed funding from New York state.)
Meet Gail the Registrar with Paperwork Neatly Stacked
Your child must be 4 years of age by December 1, 2016. You will need:
Registration Packet from the Beacon City School District (BCSD). Click here for the links to download and print the packet and handbook (scroll all the way to the bottom) and follow all directions. Note: If you are a mother who is married and did not change her last name, Gail may ask for your marriage license. This item is not included in the 2016 Packet that you are printing out, but it may come up during your appointment. There are other notes in that packet for different parenting situations, including unmarried parents of the child being registered who live together, so do read it carefully so that you have everything that the Registrar is asking for.
Two Proofs of Residency. The parent or legal guardian of the child needs to reside in Beacon.
Birth Certificate. Child's original birth certificate
Proof of Immunization
Call Mrs. Gail Morgan to set up your appointment at (845) 838-6900, extension 2002.
Program Times, Snacks and Busing
You can select between two sessions: Morning (8:40am-11:10am) or Afternoon (12:40pm-3:10pm). Busing is available to children who live at least 1.5 miles away from their school. Breakfast or lunch are offered for a fee, or your child may be eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Buying lunch at school is as slick as it is for college students who have meal plan cards. Your child is assigned an ID number, and you can refill their meal plans online.
Limited Seats
There are a limited number of seats available for kids in each of Beacon's four elementary schools:
J.V. Forrestal, Glenham, South Avenue, and Sargent. You are assigned to whichever school you live in the zone for. However, if capacity is reached in your child's "home school," as it is known by the district, then the next closest school with an available opening will be offered to your child for placement.
Satellite Schools Offering Universal Pre-K
There are several very good, privately owned Pre-K programs in Beacon for kids ages 3-5. A Little Beacon Blog will be producing a Guide that showcases these schools so that you have them all in one place. Private programs do have the option to offer Beacon's Universal Pre-K from within their walls, should your child already attend that child care center or preschool and you'd like a price break. In order to do so, schools must apply to the program, and "meet or exceed" standards. Not all private programs apply to Universal Pre-K, as they would need to meet certain requirements or jump through a lot of hoops to be accepted.
For the 2016-2017 year, two such programs are offering Universal Pre-K for their 4-year-old programs: Rose Hill Manor Day School and Cedar Street Day Care. If you are already attending either of those schools, do let your administrators know of your desire to be a part of the program at their facilities. Keep in mind, that there are limited seats for Universal Pre-K in the private satellite programs, and approval of participation at the state level of those facilities can always delay or change plans. Please note that each year is different in terms of which daycares offer it, and how many slots they get.
Feb. 8: BIG NEWS! The New Winter Session Starts for Kids' and Adults' Classes/Programs
That
means that the time is approaching to sign up for youth and adult programs, including
Swimming Lessons, the Soccer Clinic, Toddler Time, Boxing for Kids,
Gymnastics, and many more classes offered on different days and
times. Adult programs include Small
Group Training opportunities, Boxing for Adults, Racquetball, and more. Details are included here.
SPECIAL! Feb. 3: Michael Jackson-Themed Cycle Class, 9:15am: Get spinning to tunes from the King of Pop! All Sport spin classes provide you with great music and an instructor that will motivate you as you spin your wheels!
SPECIAL! Feb. 13: Buddy Boot Camp, 9:30am-10:30am: Share the love, bring a friend and work out together. This buddy boot camp will partner you up to complete exercises in pairs. If heart-shaped candies existed for exercise, they would say, "I love squats" or "Be my workout buddy" or "This rep is for you." Happy Valentine's Day!
Next Holiday School's Out Camp for Kids: Monday, Feb. 15
Tiaras these days are typically worn by brides. But really, let's be honest, Downton Abbey has inspired an upgrade to the traditional headband for us in current times. This is most pertinent on Sunday nights when watching the final season (weep) of the multi-award-winning show, while drinking a glass of champagne preferably set upon a silver tray (but any old coaster will do). Hot Tip for you: Conveniently on Sundays, Artisan Wine at 180 Main Street offers 15% off of champagne...
The big question is, where can you find a tiara for your nights of watching Downton Abbey? Turns out, there are a handful of tiaras on Beacon's Main Street right now. Seven to be precise. But just like the shrinking aristocratic class, these tiaras are mainly one-of-a-kind in each shop, so hurry in. I walked my way through A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide, and here is what is available right now:
Play, located at 167 Main Street near some of your favorite art galleries and the restaurant The Pandorica, is a trusty option for having just about everything. Currently, they have this heart-shaped, rhinestone-studded tiara for $24. You will need to ask the clerk in the store about where to find the tiara, as the location of this one tiara may move around. Play has recently flipped the front of their store to feature more of their jewelry and less of the mini-stickers and candy.
Two different shops on Main Street recommended I try the After Eden Gallery, located at 453 Main Street, the antique shop on the east end of town located near Brother's Trattoria. Sure enough, this gallery too had one rhinestone-studded tiara for $19, surrounded by a lot of other bling. Shop owner Donna was sure to mention: "Every woman needs a tiara." Indeed!
Lorraine Tynne, one of the queens of bridal and bling at many different price-points, was sure to deliver on a tiara. Two, in fact, that could work perfectly with your champagne and remote control. These tiaras (pictured above and below) from their 2016 collection are $125. Do check out the rest of their website for a fabulous selection of designer headpieces.
American Gypsy Vintage, at 263 Main Street next to Audioccult and across the street from Max's on Main, has this leaf-patterned hair accessory that is similar in theme to the one Lady Mary wore to her first wedding. As you can see, this tiara is $5, and it is the only one in the shop.
Season 2 of Downton Abbey takes place during a pivotal time in the world's history - 1916 - 1922, which included the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the Battle of Amiens and the Armistice in 1918, the Russian Revolution and the Spanish flu epidemic. Tiaras become less important to the family at Downton, but are still worn. The era of the flapper style begins, bringing with it the popularity of a flat tiara. Reservoir and Wood, located at 460 Main Street, had these handcrafted "collar" necklaces from local artist Marisa Lomonaco for $650. One of these could work as a tiara if you secured it with bobby-pins or clips and sat very still.
Echo had a few headbands for $34, with stretchy bling, similar to what you might find at Anthropologie. The nice thing about these headpieces is that you could wear them to other events too, not just to your dining room table while watching Downton Abbey.
Share with us please, if you are watching Downton Abbey in any one of these tiaras, or one you already had at home! Even if it is your 5-year-old's!
Cheers :)
NOTE: We were unable to check Nella's Bellas on the west end of town,
who usually has a delightful selection of bling, or Lady Gray Bridal, in
the center of town.
Something has been brewing in Beacon for quite some time, and it is all coming to a head now. The escalating situation - discussed among parents, teachers, and district administrators over several years - has now caught the attention of regional media after a parent (who is also a lawyer) filed a petition asking that the board remove Beacon's current superintendent.
[UPDATE] 1/22/16: After a Special Board of Education meeting was called on 1/21/16, Dr. Walkley handed in her resignation. A statement was given by the board via press release stating that they "accepted, with regret" her resignation and that they appreciated her work for the students of the Beacon City School District over the course of different periods where she served in interim positions. The Board of Education has appointed Deputy Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi to serve as Interim Superintendent as the Board considers their options for hiring the next Superintendent of Schools.
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING CANCELED
A regularly scheduled Board of Education (BOE) Meeting on January 11, 2016, was canceled when only three of the nine board members showed up, not enough to qualify as a quorum as required to make decisions on agenda items. This happened the same day an article was published in the Poughkeepsie Journal highlighting the above-mentioned petition, which was filed on December 1, 2015. Dr. Barbara Walkley, Beacon's current superintendent, was initially present at the meeting. The meeting was canceled after the remainder of the board members did not arrive, as seen in this Twitter video by Nina Schutzman, who wrote the article highlighting the petition. Schutzman is an investigative reporter at the Poughkeepsie Journal who often covers Board of Education meetings in other districts, and also live-tweets them, which means that she gives play-by-plays of what is being said in an event on Twitter. Should you need to follow other meetings or court hearings, check out her twitter.
While the BOE meeting was canceled, most in attendance stayed. This included some Beacon City School District staff, parents, teachers, state Senator Terry Gipson, and others. More than 370 people were in the Seeger Theatre at Beacon High School, the setting for these meetings. The security staff, who usually have a mellow night of greeting people and pointing to which door they should walk through, had a very active evening as more and more people showed up. There was one outbreak of an almost-fight between two or three very grown men, with several other men intervening, a few flipping of birds, and then disbanding.
Parents and other concerned parties delivered speeches and remarks as planned until 8pm, at which point the meeting ended. Normally these speeches would have taken place during the official "Public Session" portion of the evening, which is when members of the public can sign up to present a one-sided comment, question, praise or grievance. After a Public Session, the Board offers a one-sided response to the comment. Sometimes, the comments make it into the official minutes, but to be fully informed, it's best to watch the Board of Education meeting videos. (Between keeping up on those as well as recordings of the City of Beacon Planning Board and City Council meetings, it's not clear when we'll get back to binge-watching regular Netflix or Amazon shows.)
Three people also announced their candidacy for trustee seats on the Board of Education, including Meredith Heuer, the Chair of Beacon Arts and Education Foundation (BAEF), an organization that since 2004 has existed solely to raise money for Beacon City Schools through different initiatives including the Calico Ball, and pursuing grants, and is credited with buying new musical instruments for students among other improvements for the schools. Over the years, BAEF has raised a total of $80,000 for the Beacon City School District.
Antony Tseng, a director of the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps, also announced he was running. The third candidate, Michael Rutkoske, is the husband of the filer of the above-mentioned petition, and also announced his candidacy for a seat on the board.
NEXT STEPS
A Special BOE Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 14, at 8:30pm. According to Kelly Pologe, Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Superintendent and Clerk of the Board: "The meeting is open to the public but the board will immediately adjourn to Executive Session to review the employment history of a particular person. The Executive Session is not open to the public. The Board is not expected to take action after Executive Session. The meeting agenda is posted on Board Docs, which is located under the Board of Education section of the school district website."
UPDATE [1/15/16]: The January 14th Special Board of Education Meeting was held and attended by parents, staff and community members. Most attendees held signs of protest silently in the audience. During a comment session in front of the public before the adjournment, a few board members implied that they did not know that their absence would affect the quorum requirement, because of the amount of others who were also not able to attend. The full audio for this can be heard in a Poughkeepsie Journal article dated January 14th, 2016.
The next regularly scheduled BOE meeting is on Monday, January 25, with "the anticipated return to Public Session at 7:45 P.M. or sooner," as stated on the Beacon City Schools' website.
A BRIEF BACKGROUND:
Issues have been mounting over the years to bring the district to this point. Here is a brief background to help give recent events some context.
TEACHER TRANSFERS
The Beacon City School District is enduring one of its toughest years as it entered a new era of "Focus Lists," involved parents, modern administration systems and pleas for increased communication. Last year, 27 teachers were "transferred" to other schools within this district. Beacon has six schools - high school, middle school, and four elementary schools. Teachers were informed of the transfers by Dr. Walkley in a group setting, which did not go over well during that meeting, or outside in the community.
When Dr. Walkley was delivering the news to the teaching staff, she could tell it was not going over well. I spoke with Dr. Walkley in August of 2015, and I asked her about the transfers. She reflected: "Here's my
learning: There is a paradigm that people get transferred
because they are not good at what they do. I didn't know about that
paradigm. That some people would think they were being moved out of
punishment, or that they weren't good. I was completely surprised about
the reaction because that is not my paradigm. I did not anticipate that.
Even by saying that the reasons were for a strength, I could tell that
the teachers did not understand what I was saying to them. I invited
people to come and meet with me one on one. I love the process of
working with teachers and students. It was never my intention to hurt
people."
That invitation for a personal sit-down with the superintendent was
written into contract by the teachers' union during that meeting. As for
reasons for a teacher transfer, Dr. Walkley points out that districts
can transfer staff for many different reasons, including matters of
enrollment. For instance, if one year there are 50 students in a class that
had two teachers, and the next year there are 25 students in that class, then
only one teacher is needed. That example did happen in this school year, yet no
teacher lost their job. Instead, a transfer was possible. "Not
one teacher lost a job," Dr. Walkley confirmed. "Sometimes teachers
request a transfer within their level of certification, to try a
different grade level for instance, or a different building, in order to spark
them."
BEACON AND "THE FOCUS LIST"
It is a surprise to many who do not regularly keep up with school district issues, that Beacon is on what is called a "Focus List." A district does not get added to the list for being awesome. Instead, it is added to the list for meeting certain indicators that point to troubling issues, such as a low graduation rate. A tough climb is involved with bringing a school off the list. During our summer interview, Dr. Walkley called being on the Focus List a "slippery slope." More about why she calls it that is in the section below. Beacon's schools are among 496 in New York to be put on this Focus List. The job of the
district then becomes to design and present plans to the state to show how
they are going to improve, earning their way off the list. Cue the paperwork
and Excel spreadsheets.
IF YOU WANT TO NERD OUT ABOUT THE FOCUS LIST...
Taking a crash course in the Focus List involves a quiet room with a lot of coffee and several browser windows open on your computer in order to follow acronyms and changing rules at the federal and state levels. Advocates for Beacon Schools have a pretty good breakdown of what it means to be on a Focus List on their website.
As part of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), a Bush administration law that started at the federal level, and
trickled down to the state and district levels in unexpected ways, demands were placed on student performance. In 2012, the Obama Administration
tried to fix NCLB by making a No Child Left Behind Waiver, which judged districts based on students' progress rather than their performance.
In
2012, the waiver put schools on lists to be identified as Priority,
Focus, and Reward schools depending on test results. Schools within the Beacon City School
District were put on the Focus List. This designation means that a school meets certain criteria from the State Education Department Memo, which has been republished here on ChalkBeat.org:
"Identified as a result of their low performance and lack of progress
in ELA (English Language Arts) and math combined[,] or graduation rates for
one or more accountability groups (racial/ethnic groups, low-income
students, English language learners, and students with disabilities).
Districts could also be identified as Focus if one or more Priority
Schools were identified within the district."
Beacon's high school and middle school were on the Focus List, and one
elementary school, Sargent, is currently on the LAP (Local
Assistant Plan) List. The middle school was eligible to come off the
Focus List in 2014. Instead of the Focus List, the middle school got
moved to the LAP List. According to Dr. Walkley, "If new schools or
schools that came off the Focus List fell into the Focus School range
based on performance, the school would be identified as a LAP school.
This means that instead of state-supported reviews, the school review
would be conducted at the local level and assistance would come from the
local BOCES." BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services) were created in 1948 by the New York state legislature to partner with districts to provide a
broad range of services that help meet the evolving educational needs
of students.
To get off of the lists, a school needs to test 95% of its students. Three factors need to be met in order to get off the list:
Student Performance
95% of Students Tested
Graduation Targets Met at the High School
Last year, there was an uproar for an opt-out movement among parents in Beacon, as well as in the entire country, to opt out of testing that began in 2002 when President Bush signed No Child Left Behind. Testing starts for students in third grade. Because of the high stakes involved, which include teacher evaluations and these Focus List measurements, some say that too much stress is put on the child. Many parents in Beacon wanted their child to opt out. However, Dr. Walkley enforced what she thought was law to have the child opt themselves out, despite having a note from parents. Months later, while speaking to parents during a Forum, which is a session that she initiated in order to have conversations with parents days after a more structured Board Meeting, Dr. Walkley was open to finding better answers to address the next round of testing.
THE SLIPPERY SLOPE
During a summer 2015 Board Meeting, Dr. Walkley alluded to Beacon being on a "slippery slope." Hearing that as a citizen did not sound good, so I followed up with Dr. Walkley by email with that question - "What does it mean to be on a slippery slope?" The response I received was an invitation to have a chat with her in her office, to better understand this big question. Happy to oblige and learn one on one, I left with quite a lot of information.
Rather than put it into my own words, I will let you read how Dr. Walkley described it to me. This portion of our interview has been transcribed:
"We have a lot of targets to juggle. Not only do we have to have certain targets for [each grade level], we have targets by the district, by each school, and then we have targets for subgroups. Subgroups are made up of groups based on ethnicity, poverty, etc. Every district has different subgroups based upon their population.
"If we have a subgroup that [contains] a certain number of students, there are targets set for them as well. They include groups such as students with disabilities, students of poverty, and then certain ethnic groups. So we have to monitor those targets as well. So you’ve got your balls up in the air.
"One year, we may do really well with certain groups, and these other groups we need to work on. The tendency is to say ‘OK, let’s put all of our time over here.’ But guess what? We still need to monitor [another] group because their targets changed! The targets change! They get higher and higher. You can’t really rest on your laurels at all. That is The Slippery Slope, is managing all of the different targets that we have because what we want to do is accelerate This, but we have to do That while also working over Here."
I interjected her description with my own declaration: "You love numbers!" to which she answered, "Not necessarily. But I do have to work with them." Dr. Walkley later added: "The other reason that I talk about things that are boring, is that the state requires me to do so."
Back to the answer of The Slippery Slope:
"It is a slippery slope because it is so hard to manage. It’s hard to keep all of the balls up in the air. What you want to do is put all of your attention over here, but you can’t. Every district has these targets, regardless of presence on a Focus List or not.
"When you get to the point where you get to a target, and your performance is 20 or 30 points ahead of your target, you have a cushion there. When you are only a point or two away, that’s The Slippery Slope because it’s easy to digress and lose those few points. That’s why the state wants you to test 95% of your students. When you have a smaller population, it is statistically harder to maintain that target with a smaller population, than when we had a larger population.
"[Add to this, challenge:] If I miss a target one year by 5 points, they may change the target, and now we are off by even more. It doesn’t even make sense. It is a moving target.
"The gap, if you’re not attentive to every measure that you have, the gap can easily get wider and wider. When it gets so wide…to make up 5 to 10 points is a big challenge. You don’t normally see schools increase by 10 points. Sometimes you do, but it’s usually a smaller increment. If that target gets too far away from you, you’re never catching the train. It’s always ahead of you, and you can’t catch up. And then you don’t test everybody, and it changes your population.
"We have to work together as a community. We have to decide. Right now there are a lot of ethical things that are going on with politics, state funding, schools - to have public schools or charter schools - there are just a lot of agendas out there. As a community, we need to decide where we want to be in this.
"I am not saying that you need to be here or there. But let’s understand the choices that we make. Usually with any choice that we make, there are consequences. Knowing that, let’s make a choice and go forward."
BEACON AND EIGHT SUPERINTENDENTS IN EIGHT YEARS
During the start of the Focus List era, the Beacon City
School District was going through a chronic case of superintendent
turnover, with what was to be eight different superintendents in eight
years, two of whom were paid money upon resignation,
to the tune of “$183,000, not counting the cost of benefits, to buy out
the contracts of the last two ‘permanent’ superintendents, neither of
whom served for more than one school year,” according to documents the Poughkeepsie Journal obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request.
From
a logistics standpoint, if you work for a business that has a different
CEO every year, or a different manager every year, with changing board
members from time to time, you can predict what would happen: a
lot of confusion and lack of accountability. Beacon's current
superintendent is in her second year, and she had served as interim assistant superintendent in Beacon in years prior.
TEACHERS, COMMUNITY & COMMUNICATION
What has remained consistent in the Beacon City School District are very
good teachers who make astounding class projects and achievements using the resources they have, as well as dedicated students. Take a look around you,
and many of the business owners you frequent in Beacon, as well as in cities north
and south of Beacon, are graduates of the Beacon City Schools and have made
great lives.
The people in this area seem to
take it upon themselves to both fix things and create anew. Merging that do-gooder
habit with state and federal laws that cause restrictions or make this complicated can be a balancing act. The Beacon City School District is in the thick of it right now. We will all be looking for information as events unfold, but what remains unchanged is the caring nature that our kids receive from teachers, nurses and administrators, as well as the experiences they bring home to us each night from their experiences in Beacon City Schools.
A companion article to this one will be published soon that showcases what it is like as a student of different ages in Beacon City Schools. When reading about the politics of school, it can cloud what it is really like inside of the schools, and the opportunities the students do have. As a newbie parent in the district, I was hesitant to leave the comfort of our childcare center, which is a private business that has less hoops to jump through. But I have been amazed at the progress of my child in Beacon's schools, and I know I am not the only one who thinks that.
Deep in the woods, nestled above the Fishkill Creek, is ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation), a shelter for homeless dogs and cats from all over this nation. It is a 100% volunteer, non-profit, no-kill shelter that takes in dogs and cats that have been rescued and have nowhere else to go. With the help of the Pilots and Paws program, a program involving pilots who are dedicated to saving a dog or cat from being euthanized at a facility by flying the animal to a shelter, ARF has saved 335 animals to date. Of those, 293 were dogs - some of whom gave birth to a total of 22 puppies shortly after arriving at the shelter. My dog was a pound puppy, born in the pound in Charleston, SC, adopted by me at 12 weeks. Gerdy lived for 17 healthy and happy years with me until this holiday season.
As part of my healing process for my dog, I looked into donating to ARF. They graciously accepted
canned and dry food I had just purchased for her, as well as newly
purchased supplements to help her arthritis (Dasuquin) and powdered garlic-based flea and tick internal powder,
which I can swear by, because my dog never got fleas until the spring I
forgot to start back up with the powder regimen. ARF already gives Dasuquin to their dogs
in need, and they were on the lookout for a new flea prevention system.
Phoenix has been at ARF for over a year and still needs a home. She and her four newborn puppies had been living on their own in North Carolina, until they were discovered by a county official, who brought them to a local humane society. Then she and her pups were transported by plane from NC to ARF in Beacon, NY.All of her puppies were adopted. Now it's her turn... Will you be the one?
One of the many kitties ready for adoption at ARF.
While driving along 9D, you probably have passed ARF's sign many times - right next to the Mid Hudson Animal Aid Cat Sanctuary, down a tranquil path called Simmons Lane. While ARF's building is easy to miss as you are driving, let this blog post help you to remember them in your donation plans, or when you start to think about adding a dog or cat to your family. You can see all of the dogs and cats who are ready for adoption right here. Animal lovers watch ARF's active Facebook page with helpful, hopeful eyes every time new cat and dog adoption photos are shared.
Adopting a dog from an animal shelter is a very special act of giving that involves a lot of love. Animals who find themselves in shelters are often scared and uncomfortable, yet want to be loved and cared for. When you're ready to adopt a dog from a shelter, you will want as much of their life story as you can get, so that you can understand where they are coming from when you start to build your relationship with them.
Shelter dogs are dear to my heart. When I found my Gerdy, it was after two visits to the shelter. We had been looking for a calm dog that got along well with other dogs, as we sought a friend for a super-smart and high-energy border collie terrier, also adopted from the same shelter. In fact, on Gerdy's note card on her kennel door, her history included being fostered and returned. The reason she had been returned? "Played too much with older dog." WELL. That is exactly what I wanted. We brought the border collie terrier with us to the shelter, and they let us walk with her in private pens to see how the dogs would get along. Which was just about perfectly.
Wishing wells were soaking in the long-overdue rain this weekend, which hopefully added a bit to the reservoirs! Beacon residents and visitors from all over caught glimpses of rainbows and double rainbows this afternoon after a moody day of heavy winds and rain. During a few moments of sunshine, this double rainbow appeared, heading straight to our Instagram files, but it's been pulled here to the blog, too, for you to find in our permanent archives.
Once we spotted the rainbow, we definitely wanted to look for a pot of gold-wrapped chocolates. From this picture's angle and the intensity of the light, it looks like the source may be on Verplanck - or maybe a side street that houses a few intensely creative types who've just had especially amazing ideas, and shot off a rainbow storm (as opposed to a brainstorm).
"Second Saturday" is a lively day into night in
Beacon, and is a celebration of Beacon's galleries, restaurants and
other businesses arts on the second Saturday of every month. According
to Dan Rigney, current president of BeaconArts,
the organization who encouraged this movement to happen over a decade
ago and heavily promotes the events, says: "Back then, Beacon was one of
the last places people outside of town thought to go on a Saturday
night. Now Second Saturday has become a part of the fabric of Beacon.
It's such a part of it, many galleries have their opening events on
other Saturdays, so that they get two big crowds each month." Second
Saturday is a great reason to "walk" Main Street and beyond and explore
the events going on around town. It's always a pleasure eating and
drinking your way through Beacon, so this guide will help you know where
to eat and drink as you explore special exhibits and happenings.
What to Know About This Guide:
This Guide includes gallery and art showings that may be hosted in a gallery or in a shop or restaurant.
Many of these shows run through the current month, so check back often if you are on an art hunt.
Closing times posted here are for Second Saturdays only, and may not
reflect regular Saturdays. Always call an establishment directly for
current hours, offerings, or any other questions.
Parking can be found on side streets, on Main Street, and in
municipal lots. A new municipal lot opened near Fishkill Creek, near
the mountain.
Live-tweet your way through Second Saturday by using the hashtag
created by BeaconArts: #2SAT, and tack on #beaconny or #SecondSaturday if
you have room in your tweets or Instagram postings.
If you are a gallery and have something special to add, please email editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com.
Late-Night (After 9pm) Spots to Eat and Drink: After you walk the galleries, you'll be hungry and need (another) drink! See our full list of restaurants who are open prior to 9pm in our Restaurant Guide. Bank Square 129 Main St. Chill Wine Bar 173 Main St. Max's On Main 246 Main St. Baja 328 328 Main St. Quinn's 330 Main St. The Towne Crier (bar only) 379 Main St. Oak Vino Wine Bar 389 Main St. (call first to see if cheese plates and dessert are still being served) Draught Industries 394 Main St. The Vault 446 Main St. Joe's Irish Pub 455 Main St. The Hop 554 Main St. (reservations usually needed for food) Roundhouse 2 East Main St. Dogwood 47 East Main St.
There's so much going on - keep your eyes on our Things To Do In Beacon Guides for all dates!
Leave all Guides open on your phone because they include
addresses and phone numbers. Tap on a phone number to call anyone!
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NEAR THE TRAIN, BEFORE MAIN STREET
Dia:Beacon
Dia:Beacon
3 Beekman St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-0100
Special for Second Saturday: Community Free Day! Residents of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties receive free admission to the museum (with proof of residence). Activities take place all day: "Experiments in Looking" (11:30 am) is a family-friendly trip through the works of Dan Flavin, Blinky Palermo (an instant kid favorite based on name alone!), and Robert Irwin, led by artist educator Alisa Besher; "Experience and Perception in Painting" (1 pm) examines the medium's possibilities via works by three artists, guided by Dia's Ellen Siebers; "Dia Teens: Open Lab" (1 pm) encourages adolescents to discuss and debate the work of an artist (Robert Ryman); John Chamberlain's metal sculpture is the focus of curator Alex Klein's walk-through Gallery Talk (2 pm); Beer Tasting (3 pm) with Beacon's own 2 Way Brewing Company.
Don't forget: Beacon residents get in free on weekends!
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
15 South Ave.
Beacon, NY Special for Second Saturday:It might be chilly outside, but St. Andrew's Music in the Sanctuary is sure to warm your soul. "Jazz to Chase the Blues Away" is a program of classics from the American songbook and beyond, performed by Dead End Beverly (aka Angela Devine and Daniel Rayner). Hours: 4 pm to 6 pm
An artist-run rental space in Beacon. The intention of this artist-run space is to create an opportunity for individual artists or groups to show and sell work in a vibrant community that supports the arts.
Special for Second Saturday: Last chance! The Small Works Show has been extended through this weekend. It showcases 150 works - paintings, drawings, photography, prints, mixed media and sculpture - by more than 70 artists, and everything is for sale. Hours: Noon to 8 pm; closing reception 5 to 8 pm
Theo Ganz Studio
Theo Ganz Studio
149 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(917) 318-2239
Theo Ganz Studio, the little gallery with the big windows in Beacon's west end, was founded by artist Eleni Smolen as a venue for contemporary artists working in all media. Recognizing the importance of exhibitions in an artist's career, Smolen concentrates on presenting actively engaged emerging and mid-career professionals in either solo or group exhibitions. Second Saturday: "Small Things, Tall Things, Red Things, Dead Things," botanical photographs by Lori Adams. Her family's long history with photography impelled Adams (based in East Fishkill) to turn her passion for plants into prints. The details she captures can be seen with the naked eye, but Adams' use of macro photography really brings the precise nature of her specimens to the fore. Hours: Noon to 5 pm
"Political Theatre" at Hudson Beach Glass/Fovea
Hudson Beach Glass / Fovea
162 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-0068
A glass studio casting functional and sculptural objects for over 20 years. A truly special establishment to have in Beacon. Stop in to find blown glass objects of all kinds, from lights to bowls to wind chimes. Sometimes on Second Saturday you can watch them blow glass. Special for Second Saturday: Upstairs in the gallery space, witness the return of Fovea Exhibitions' photojournalism showcase. "Political Theatre, photographs by Mark Peterson," examines those vying for office in this year's presidential election. Hours: 10 am to 9 pm; opening reception 5 to 9, with a talk from the photographer at 6:30
163 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(212) 255-2505
The Clutter Gallery is a branch of the Clutter Media Group family, and is focused on showing quality work by both established and emerging artists in the fields of toy design and customization, as well as modern pop and lowbrow art. Clutter Gallery's exhibitions are open to the public and free of charge. Works are a variety of sizes. Second Saturday: After the smashing success of last year's Dunny show, Clutter (joining forces with KidRobot) welcomes back artists for more custom fun! The list of participating artists includes: Abell
Octovan, Andrea Kang, Artmymind, Brent Nolasco, Charles Rodriguez, Chris
Ryniak, Dolly Oblong, fplus, Amanda Louise Spayd, Gary Ham, Gianluca
Traina, Ian Ziobrowski/Nugglife, Jenn & Tony Bot, kaNO, Mab Graves,
Quiccs, RxSeven, Seymour, Sket One & Jamie Lee Cortez, and Yu Maeda.
Artists will be using the hashtag #DTADunnyShow as they post images of their works-in-progress leading up the show, so keep your eyes peeled for the latest - then come see the figures in person! Hours: 10 am to 6 pm; opening reception 6 to 9
iEurope at RiverWinds
RiverWinds Gallery
172 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 838-2880
RiverWinds Gallery features Hudson Valley artists. Work includes fine art paintings and photography, plus contemporary crafts including ceramics, jewelry, fiber arts and more. Special for Second Saturday: "iEurope: Strange Beauties" is a collection of photos from Galina Krasskova and Mary Ann Glass, who toured Baroque churches in Poland, Czech Republic, and Cologne, Germany, after their residency in Poland last summer. Hours: Noon to 9 pm; artists' reception 5 to 8
Artisan Wine Shop
180 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-6923 Special for Second Saturday: Try some new bottlings from around the world, just for fun or with an eye toward meal pairings. Several wines will be poured for tasting - and there might just be a snack, too! Hours: 10 am to 7 pm; tasting 3 pm to 6 pm
199 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 838-1600
This historic brick storefront houses the Institute’s gallery, Hudson River bookstore and gift shop, and its administrative headquarters. The gallery showcases river and environmentally themed art and educational exhibits. Events feature talks by artists and regional Hudson Valley authors. Special for Second Saturday: The historic Mount Beacon Incline Railway gets a spotlight in this exhibit, which features large-format photography, digital renderings, animations, and infographics, all exploring the Incline Railway’s early origins in shaping Beacon. The exhibition explores the initiative to bring back the Incline Railway, through the lenses of a historic narrative and an eye toward the future. Click here for more event details. Hours: 11 am to 3 pm
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THE MIDDLE & "MARKET SQUARE"
The start of The Middle, aka "Market Square"
Quinn's
330 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 831-1134 Special for Second Saturday: Beacon's favorite diner-turned-jazz/ramen/cocktail lounge plays host to MOVE IT baby MOVE IT! This special daytime family dance party will have food and drink specials as well as DJs, dancing, and face-painting! All proceeds will go toward hiring art, movement, and music teachers at Castle Point Early Childhood Learning Center (aka CPECLC). More information on the Facebook event page.
Hours: 2 pm to 5 pm
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THE EAST END & BEYOND
(Close to the mountain)
The start of the East End of Main Street and beyond.
At Matteawan Gallery
Matteawan Gallery
436 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-7901 Matteawan Gallery specializes in contemporary art with an emphasis on works on paper by emerging and mid-career artists.
Special for Second Saturday:Traditionally, the "Gallery" part of Matteawan Gallery closes for most of January, and one artist takes over on an installation basis for the month. This year, Beacon resident Jean-Marc Superville Sovak presents"I Draw & You Talk," an oral history project that combines
portrait drawing with discussions of local issues and current events. He is particularly interested in working with people who don't think of themselves as the "type" to visit an art gallery. In addition to the drawing/talking, Superville Sovak will post a poll outside Matteawan, inviting passersby to weigh in, whether they decide to set foot in the gallery or not. Hours: Noon to 5 pm
Morphicism Gallery
Morphicism
444 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-3092
Moveable art in frames. An art you must see and experience. Hours: Call first
Back Room Gallery
Back Room Gallery
475 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 838-1838
Find 30 artists showing here, from large paintings to small collectibles. Also find art supplies such as sketch pads and charcoal pencils. And if you're with a man who wants to skip the art but loves anything to do with the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, send him to the actual "back room" of this gallery for a viewing of a very valuable collection of War art on crepe fabric. Special for Second Saturday: Stop in and find out! Hours: LATE
Howland Cultural Center
477 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 831-4988
Beacon's Howland Cultural Center is not just another arts organization. Its beautiful home is a Victorian building that was born specifically to serve the community as a cultural resource Special for Second Saturday: "Some Favorites," a group exhibition featuring the work of 14 photographers, including Mark Baylash, Alissa Corrado, Russell Cusick, Joan D'Emic, Christine Jacques, Dale Leifeste, Raphael Lopez, Susanne Moss, Jean Noack, Melissa Robin, Linda Schiller, Donald Whitely, Michael Wilmot, and John Wynn. Hours: 1 pm to 5 pm
At BAU Gallery
BAU Gallery
506 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-7584
bau (Beacon Artist Union) is a platform for members/artists to grow, present and market their work and collaborative curatorial projects, while hosting events of related disciplines: performances, talks, film and music. BAU builds a vital link between the activities at bau and the community. Special for Second Saturday: In the Main Gallery, 12 members of BAU present colorful works. Artists include:Gary Jacketti, Joan Phares, Carla Goldberg, Russell Ritell, Herman Roggeman, Julie Jacobs, Tom Holmes, David Link, Grey Zeien, Melissa Robin, Eva Drizhal, Erica Caginalp, and Kirsten Lyons. In the Beacon Room, Dan McCormack presents "The Nude at Home," an extension of pinhole photography-based work he began in 1998.
Hours: Noon to 6 pm; reception from 6 pm to 9 pm
Don't forget to check out these two other Guides as well, as you mix and match dates and events for your weekend entertainment!
Have you seen this guy recently? He's one of several workers from Beacon's Highway Department who is driving around in a red truck for the month of January, scanning the sidewalks for discarded Christmas trees. If you're lucky, he might even hand you a previously undetected ornament from your tree before he hauls it into his truck. Or in my case, my son's "squishy football" that disappeared over the holidays and we were sure it was lost in Ohio somewhere. Who knew it disappeared into the tree?
Where Do Discarded Christmas Trees Go?
They go to Beacon's Transfer Station, which had been known as The Town Dump until recently. Like the name suggests, the trees are transferred into something else! Wood chips, which Beacon residents can pick up in the spring, to be used in your landscaping. Which is why your tree needs to be free of ornaments and not in a plastic bag when you set it outside. If you're from "The City," you may be used to hauling your tree to the sidewalk still filled with ornaments and maybe even lights. From my days of living down there, I remember walking past plenty of fully decorated trees - ornaments and all. Perhaps there wasn't enough room to store the decorative ornaments that held no meaning, and perhaps the tree owners bought new lights each season. (It worked out for me - I scavenger-hunted for decorations from trees and scored three giant pine cones covered in gold glitter!)
But not here! Once set curbside, trees need to be free and clear of any decor so that they can go to the chopper and get back to nature.
Tips for Hauling Out Your Christmas Tree
Inside: Cover your tree with two sheets.
First, make sure that the water from your tree stand has been emptied. If, like some people we know, you forgot to water your tree all season, then this won't be a problem. Put one sheet on the floor, then lay your Christmas tree on top of it. Put the second sheet on top of the tree to keep flying needles to a minimum. You will still have needles to sweep up after you drag it out, but it will be more manageable. Remove the sheets once you bring the tree to the sidewalk. Outside: Put your tree on the sidewalk, lying down.
If you prop your tree up against a fence, it will look like a living, rooted tree to a Highway Department employee driving by.
If you see a red truck in your neighborhood, get your tree curbside - quick!
The Highway Department gets assigned to a grid of the city each day. When they are not super busy with other projects, assigned trucks will drive around a grid of town for the day. So if you see a truck in your area, get on it and get that tree outside. If you don't see a truck in your area, get the tree outside anyway, and it will most likely get picked up soon.
Thank you so much for reading A Little Beacon Blog, and for finding value in the stories we share, and the obsessive organization we take pleasure in with the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. Thank you to each and every advertiser who has invested in A Little Beacon Blog, using it as an outlet to reach readers just like you, encouraging them to frequent these hard-working businesses, both the growing ones and those long established in this area. Without you, the way in which we produce this blog - with the varying degree of frequency, image production, and social media sharing to reach long-distance readers, following Beacon from California, Vermont, New York, all over, who are all vying to move here (for real...it's not just folks from Brooklyn!), as well as lifers who grew up here and are loving the changes - it would not be possible. You see, this blog is my business. When you visit this blog, you are standing in front of my storefront, and deciding to come in and explore.
Always obsessed with magazines, I wanted to write for them. Jane Pratt of Jane Magazine was my idol. I sold newspaper ads for the college newspaper and wrote a love advice column called "Dear Trudy." I went on to be the editor-in-chief of the school's literary magazine after it had started to fall apart (as I had a knack for graphic design), laying the whole thing out, and working with a team of very different people to produce a unified publication.
The business person in me (before I knew I had a business person in me), and the creative person in me, wanted to create a magazine. That is a bold statement, to be sure, as I had no idea what it meant to produce a magazine. Keeping that in the back of my mind, I tried other careers. I worked for a season on Law & Order as a production assistant. I learned the fascinating ways that people measure other people's likes and dislikes while working in the Research Department of the Food Network. I learned the ways of contracts and sifting through book ideas as an editorial assistant at Harper Collins. I took writing courses at MediaBistro. And then I fell into website production while taking costume design courses at FIT. This is also where I discovered blogging, which circles it all back to creating a magazine.
While blogging on the side, and after working for three years as the website editor for a national nonprofit organization, I quit my day job and hung my shingle as a website designer and producer. It was there that I started working heavily with small businesses to produce their dream websites, to sell their products and services. I was honored to work with a nonprofit who built schools in Africa, a yoga teacher who produced DVDs for pregnant women, and so many other shops on the web that you would love. My career morphed into another business that is a training platform for small businesses to learn to get the word out about their businesses using websites, PR, social media, and more. This began my opportunity to work with corporate advertisers like Capital One Spark, who contracted us to blog about the film crew they hired to make videos about business owners, getting to the heart of why they started and what made them tick.
When I moved to Beacon from a nondescript area of Manhattan, BOOM, the blogging fire was lit! Suddenly, so many story ideas began unfolding in my head, and fit perfectly like a puzzle. The local scene is so different from the national one, and so special. I have loved learning about how it works, and being a part of it. The businesses, large and small, are run by people who live here and are just like us, who have put their necks out on the line to live life on their terms to build a business that people hopefully frequent and love. And so this blog, this online magazine of sorts, was born in 2011, with this first post, from my iPhone.
Last year, I decided to make blogging about Beacon (one of) my full-time jobs. Nobody hired me; it's a job I made up. So far, you have liked the articles and return to read more. Those articles and Guides have been supported from businesses in this area with advertising, and I am so grateful. It means I can keep doing my job and keep on creating words and pictures you will hopefully like. :)
A huge thank you to these advertisers who supported A Little Beacon Blog in 2015:
We have more of what you love coming to you, and new stories and feature articles being planned in our editorial calendar. If you are a business who wants the inside track to articles we are working on, sign up for this business newsletter.
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A podcast from A Little Beacon Blog. Your hosts: Katie Hellmuth martin & Brandon Lillard.
The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.
