The staff of the Hendrick Hudson School District, along with members of the Board of Education, gathered en masse at the high school auditorium Wednesday for an opening day ceremony.

Board of Education President Alexis Bernard led those in attendance in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. She also welcomed back the staff and wished them luck to start the 2023-24 school year.

Dr. Dennis Lauro, the district’s Interim Superintendent, continued with an in-depth presentation where he established key goals that staff and students must strive to achieve. He set a benchmark of 95% for academic proficiency across all grade levels.

“It’s a lofty goal,” Dr. Lauro said, “but one I believe we can achieve by working together. It is one that we must aim for as we reexamine who we are and what we stand for here at the Hendrick Hudson School District.”

Dr. Lauro addressed those in attendance on several other topics, stressing the importance of innovation and citing investments made in new staff throughout the district. He also said he was committed to further modifications if data suggests reinforcements are required in certain areas.

“We will ensure adjustments are made when necessary that meet the needs of our students,” Dr. Lauro said.

Dr. Lauro also outlined new Board of Education goals, which will be officially adopted in September, and gave an update on the district’s strategic plan, which the BOE amended this summer.

The morning ceremony concluded with a presentation from Altaris, the district’s safety consultant, regarding student safety, giving staff members insight into past incidents and addressing how to react during crises.