Budget Expo, Farm to School Showcase highlight district for community

The Red Hook Central School District hosted its annual Budget Expo and inaugural Farm to School Showcase Thursday evening, inviting residents inside Mill Road Elementary School to experience all the district has to offer and has planned for the coming year.
Now in its third year, the expo was even bigger than years past, with tables and activities stretching into both gyms, the STEAM Innovation Center, the Little Engineers Room and the Imagination Station, as well as outdoor displays showcasing the new Winners Circle Project and the Transportation Department.
Many visitors, though, began their expo experience by visiting the Farm to School Showcase, at which there were roughly a dozen tables of local farmers and vendors of school foods, who spoke about their products and provided ample samples. Food Services Director Sam Pride operated one table, speaking to guests about his approach stressing locally sourced, wholesome foods, and Frank McCann, who leads the Linden Avenue Middle School kitchen, made fresh smoothies. Many visitors left the expo armed with full bags of apples.
While there were roughly two dozen tables with displays of various programs and demonstrations for parents to learn more about the district, there was also plenty of entertainment for our young visitors. The STEAM rooms featured activities, like coloring or use of the Beaver Bots cardboard cutters, the PK-2 gymnasium was set up for students to use the rock wall, balance beam and rope swing, and there were even hands-on demonstrations from the Robotics programs.
Outside, Technology Teacher Steve Hutman spoke with numerous families about the new Winners Circle Project while they stood next to a Factory Five Shelby Cobra, the same car model the students will build next year. And, not far away, Transportation Director Anthony Curcio had electric buses lined up for visitors to take rides or to visit the bus garage to see why the district is proposing a renovation and expansion project of the facility on this year’s ballot.
Afterward, many stayed for the official Board of Education budget hearing, where several board candidates spoke. Watch below.
If you weren’t able to visit Mill Road to attend the expo – or even if you did – you can learn more about all the programs and initiatives on the May 19 ballot by visiting https://redhookcentralschools.org/find-voting-information