Orientation held for new district staff

District staff and administration welcomed new teachers and teaching assistants for the 2026-2027 school year at an orientation on Aug. 26. The three schools in the Webutuck Central School District are scheduled to open on Sept. 8.

“I’m looking forward to being part of a smaller community, being involved with things and sharing my love for music with others,” said Madeson Van Wagenen, who will teach music and chorus at Eugene Brooks Intermediate School and Webutuck High School.

Van Wagenen, who taught in Ellenville last school year, is entering her fourth year as a teacher.

“I look forward to meeting the students,” she said.

The teachers and teaching assistants met in the EBIS/WHS library. After a greeting from WHS Spanish teacher Sarah Martin, the teachers remained in the library for a meeting with the Webutuck Teachers Association. The teaching assistants toured the building and returned to the library, joining teachers for an introduction with administrators.

Following these introductions, everyone headed to the high school cafeteria for a lunch of sandwiches, salads, cookies and iced tea prepared by Food Services Director Dan Trotter. The new teachers also had the first opportunity to meet their teaching mentors for the upcoming year.

“We really see a great value in it,” said Martin, director of the mentor/mentee program. “It’s been successful in the past. It’s really nice for someone to have a person they can go to about anything. The mentors really go above and beyond to be there and answer questions. It makes a huge difference for the first year.”

The teachers and teaching assistants went back to the library after lunch for a presentation by Lauren Marquis, director of curriculum, instruction and technology. The teachers met with their mentees in their classrooms following Marquis’ presentation.

“I hope they feel welcome and they get a sense of the Webutuck community,” said Martin of the orientation. “We’re happy to have them here. We talked about how exciting it is to have new voices and new ideas, and they should feel confident to share what they’re bringing to the table.”

Allen Grant will be teaching social studies to seventh, eighth and ninth graders. He received the position before the end of the previous school year and was called early by the district to serve as chorus/music teacher for the final few weeks of the previous school year.

“It makes the transition to begin the year a little bit easier,” he said of his few weeks in the district for 2025-2026. “I look forward to meeting the students and just hit the ground running. I just enjoy the whole environment and teaching history.

“I want to help the kids succeed and just do the best I can to make sure I set them up for success.”