Area schools are on a two-hour delay, and some have closed due to threats received by the school districts. Hudson Falls and Queensbury are among the schools under a two-hour delay for Tuesday, April 4th, 2023, due to these threats.

According to The Hudson Falls Central School District website, Hudson Falls CSD – along with a number of other local schools – received bomb threats. The Hudson Falls Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were both notified. The validity of this claim is currently being investigated. 

Queensbury Union Free School District notified families via phone message; the message indicated that a threat was received, and that a two-hour delay was in effect.  According to Spectrum 1 News, the listing of schools that are either on delay or are closed include: Argyle, Cambridge, Granville, Fort Ann, Fort Edward, Greenwich, Hartford, Hudson Falls, Salem, White Hall, and Queensbury . 

Glens Falls City School District communicated with families via email: “Schools in our area have received emailed bomb threats this morning, Which is causing delayed starts. Glens Falls HAS NOT received any type of threat, as of this time. Our School Resource Officers are conducting walkthroughs of the HS/MS, and additional police presence will be at each elementary building, purely for the precaution and reassurance for the students and staff. As always, please be aware of your surroundings, and if you see something, say something,” the email stated.

We will continue to follow up as this story develops and more information becomes available.

Queensbury Union Free School District’s Athletic Director Richard Keys will receive the NYSPHSAA/CASDA Section II Athletic Director of the Year Award. This award will be presented at the CASDA Annual Awards Dinner being held at Franklin Terrace in Troy on April 20th. This award recognizes Athletic Directors who make a significant impact on the lives of students, use athletics as a catalyst for a positive school culture, and contribute to the professional growth of their colleagues.

Keys has integrated the Queensbury athletics program into the fabric of both the school and community: for the past six years, the school district has been recognized as a Scholar Athlete School of Excellence, and additionally, Queensbury has been awarded the NYSPHSAA Award of Excellence for an exemplary display of sportsmanship, ethics and integrity. Keys has made significant contributions to the local community through both community service projects and the broader athletics community, serving in various roles – including vice president of Section 2. 

“Mr. Keys is an amazing administrator,” said Queensbury Superintendent of Schools Kyle Gannon. “He always puts students and the school at the forefront of his thinking. He is a tremendous asset to our school district and the greater Capital Region. I feel fortunate to work with him.” 

Keys revamped Queensbury’s Athletics Code of Conduct, and is meeting with every middle school student to get them involved in athletics and clubs; and he has also helped run food drives to benefit the school’s Snack Pack program. “He attends every sporting event at the school,” Gannon said. “He is a mentor to other administrators every year.”

Keys and his wife, Rachel, are the parents of three Queensbury graduates — daughters Courtney, Taylor and Mackenna — and a son, Colin, a sixth-grade student at Queensbury. Keys also coaches his son’s baseball team.

Richard Keys has led an athletics program that is a positive force in the school community and a tireless supporter of youth, making him an exemplary recipient of the Section II Athletic Director of the Year Award.

Throughout the 2022 to 2023 school year, the Glens Falls City Schools have been working towards replacing their Indian mascot, in complying with the New York State Education Department mandate. They will have a new mascot by June 30th, 2023. The successful transition from being the Glens Falls Indians to their next moniker includes keeping the community connected, getting input from students, families, the school community and alumni, and having the student cabinet leads make the final recommendations to the board of education.

The goal is to have the Glens Falls “Indians” name, mascot, and icons officially retired on June 30th.  The nominees for the new mascots include Knights, Wolves, Black Bears, and Hawks. While in the process of finding a new mascot, the Glens Falls City Schools have also established the community’s shared values – these include unity, support, passion, and grit. The school colors of red and black will remain as will GF Nation. The survey – sent out by Glens Falls City Schools – gives the options of voting for both your first and second choice between Wolves, Knights, Hawks, and Black Bears. This survey is available until March 30th.

“I voted for the Black Bears, but everyone thinks that it’s going to be the Wolves,” one Glens Falls senior said.  On April 3rd, 2023, student cabinet members will present the outcome of the voting to the Board of Education, with a motion for approval in the business portion of the meeting.

Glens Falls will officially retire their Indian logo on June 30th, 2023. If school districts fail to comply with the mandate, they could be penalized by having school officials removed, and state aid withheld.