State Leaders Visit Furnace Woods, Bring $2 Million Investment in Hendrick Hudson Students
On Thursday June 18, 2026, second graders at Furnace Woods Elementary School welcomed two very important visitors on a very important mission.
State Senator Pete Harckham, a longtime and deeply engaged advocate for the Hendrick Hudson School District, and State Senator Shelley B. Mayer, Chair of the New York State Senate Committee on Education, visited the school to experience firsthand the outstanding learning taking place in our classrooms and reaffirm their support for our students and community.
Led by Principal Josh Cohen and a team of student tour guides, the senators visited classrooms throughout the building, meeting with students and teachers while seeing the innovative instruction and strong sense of community that define Furnace Woods.
"Senators, on behalf of our students and our community, we thank you for being here and supporting us," said Superintendent Michael A. Tromblee.
At the conclusion of the visit, Senator Harckham presented the district with a check representing a $2 million state grant. While the funding is only one piece of the broader work still ahead to address the district's long-term financial challenges following the closure of Indian Point, it provides meaningful support for our students and reflects the continued commitment of our legislative partners.
In addition to Superintendent Tromblee and Principal Cohen, those in attendance included Board of Education Trustees Cori Boudin, Tomica Dietrich, and Lauren Stanco; Resources Development Liaison Beth Gruber; Lisa Anderson of the PTA Advocacy Committee; and Hendrick Hudson Education Association Political Action Coordinator Penny Hine.
"Great advocacy and a great community," Senator Harckham said. "Please know that we appreciate you."
"Thank you all," Senator Mayer added. "Thank you to everybody."
We are grateful to Senators Harckham, and Mayer, and Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for their continued partnership and support as we work together to ensure a strong future for Hendrick Hudson students.
