District officials meeting again with Amenia leaders, businesses

The Webutuck Central School District is scheduled to host a third meeting on Oct. 21 to further discuss a collaboration with Town of Amenia officials and business leaders to have district students promote Amenia events and businesses.

The district hosted its most recent meeting on Sept. 23.

“This will allow our students to get true authentic instruction and project-based learning from some of the experts in our community. It will promote Amenia businesses and programs while providing mentorship to our students,” said Interim Superintendent Raymond Castellani.

Castellani was among the district officials at the September meeting with Deputy Superintendent Robert Farrier; Business Administrator Robert Knuschke; Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Lauren Marquis; Webutuck High School Principal Matt Pascale, work-based learning teacher Jonathan Scarinzi and English teacher Shea Olszewski.

In a proposed curriculum that will begin with sophomore English students, students will shoot and edit video, and may use outlets such as pamphlets, email and social media to promote Amenia events and businesses.

“There was lots of excitement,” Castellani said of the meeting. “Ms. Olszewski is really starting to build her curriculum that will have this project-based learning embedded into it.

“The hope is we can embed this in a number of different sections throughout our curriculum. We’re just trying to get it off the ground as fast as we can.”

Representatives from the district, town and town businesses will be meeting later this month to discuss the next steps in this coalition.

“I think it’s something they can’t learn from a book. This is something that is real world,” said Castellani.

“We’re hoping that the community and families can appreciate the final results. We’re just developing partnerships for our children, for our community and for visitors to see how amazing our community is and how amazing our students are.”