Category: Whitehall

The Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Albany, Edward B. Scharfenberger, D.D. (left), stands with Fr. Rendell Torres, Pastor of the Chapel of the Assumption (right) in a previous visit to Huletts Landing in 2014.

Fr. Rendell Torres, the Catholic priest who served at the Chapel of the Assumption in Huletts Landing and Our Lady of Hope in Whitehall for the past eight years announced this week that he has been transferred to a new parish. Below is his letter to parishioners.

June 12, 2021
+ The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Dear parishioners and visitors,

The Holy Spirit brought me to our parishes in 2013, and at the end of this month the Holy Spirit is moving me to another parish, St. Joseph the Worker in West Winfield and Richfield Springs. Their pastor died suddenly this past December, so they lost their spiritual father. My own father died a couple of months later, so it seems fitting that God is joining us together.

On the weekend of July 3-4, please welcome Father Zachariah Chichester, your new resident priest. Ordained in 2018, he will technically be the parochial vicar (or “associate pastor”), while the canonical (“official”) pastor will be Father Busch, who lives in Queensbury at Our Lady of the Annunciation. Father Chichester will live at the priest’s rectory at Our Lady of Hope in Whitehall and minister to your sacramental needs; additionally, he is also assigned to serve St. Mary’s in Granville (where retired priest Fr. Powhida has been the sacramental minister), although the three parishes in Whitehall, Fort Ann, and Granville remain distinct and are not being merged.

I am grateful to God and to you for the eight years that I have been blessed to serve as your parish priest. Please forgive me for my shortcomings, and pray for me to do God’s will always. I will also continue to pray for you.

Peace in Jesus
through Mary,
Fr. Rendell R. Torres

Voting for three seats on the school board, adoption of the annual school budget and a school bus purchase resolution will take place on Tuesday, May 18th between 12:00 noon and 8:00 pm at the Large Group Instruction Room of the Junior-Senior high school building on Buckley Road in Whitehall.

Petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education can be filed with the Clerk of the District, between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, no later than April 19, 2021. Each of the seats open are for 3-year terms: commencing July 1, 2021 and expiring on June 30, 2024.

The budget for the 2021-2022 school year has not been finalized at this time but the public hearing for the presentation of the budget is scheduled for May 10, 2021 at 6:00 pm in the Large Group Instruction Room of the Junior-Senior high school building on Buckley Road in Whitehall.

The Whitehall School system posted this undated letter from Jr./Sr. High Principal, Ethan Burgess, on February 19th. In it, Mr. Burgess goes on to explain when additional students might be able to resume in-person learning at the school.

“It’s been a long time coming but we can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Today I am excited to share that we have been in ongoing discussions with our contractors and tentatively believe we will have the ability to return our 7th and 8th grade cohorts around March 1st. The plan is to bring back all Middle School students at this time.

Not far behind, we will also have the opportunity to fill the hallways with our 9th -12th grades as well. I am hoping for a March 15th date for these students.

Please understand that these dates are somewhat tentative, but we are nearing the timeframe in which we should have access to our facilities for faculty, staff, and students. …”

The entire letter can be read here.

8/27/2020
Good afternoon Whitehall Families and Community,

As promised, I am providing a status update on the condition of our school buildings as we continue to assess the damage:

Elementary School

Some skylights were pulled from the roof due to the high winds, allowing water to enter directly into the gymnasium.
The majority of the water damage was relegated to the gymnasium, the cafeteria and the hallway outside of the gymnasium and cafeteria.
Ceiling tiles that were damaged are being replaced
The Gym floor will be addressed
Most water that entered the building stayed on the gym floor and tiled spaces
Mitigation staff is on site and drying the carpet that got damp in 1 cluster as well as some hallway carpeting
The majority of our elementary classrooms were not impacted by flood water

Jr./Sr. High School

100% of the school (Classrooms, offices and common spaces have been impacted by standing water.
The auditorium had ankle-deep water.
The boiler room had at least 8” of water.
The pool filtration room had at least 5’ of water (pumped out by Poultney VFD)
The pool has been drained (Whitehall VFD & Washington Co. Emergency Services)
Mitigation experts are on site, all standing water has been removed
ALL carpeted areas in the building have been stripped of carpeting
Drying equipment is in place throughout the building
Mitigation protocols for remediation to ensure no water is remaining inside wall cavities and protect against mold growth are being formulated
The water damage and remediation to the building has significantly impacted the progress of the building project
The New York State Department of Education has reached out to us to learn the extent of the damage, which was assessed during a walk-through of the building with our insurance carrier. Tuesday, I met with and toured the buildings with Senator Betty Little, Assemblyman Dan Stec, and representatives from Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s office, the New York State Department of Emergency Services, and Washington County Emergency Services. I am pleased to share that each of these individuals/organizations fully understand the significance of the damage and what we as a district are up against. All have offered to be of support to our district as we move ahead and better understand our needs.

So, what does this mean now that we have come to better realize the full extent of the damage and the amount of time for the repairs and remediation that have been caused by this massive storm?

I am pleased to share that we are on track for a September 8, 2020 in-person opening at the Elementary School. The schedules that Mrs. Gould has previously shared to kick-off the year still remain in effect!

The High School, which suffered the brunt of the damage from the storm is unfortunately a different story. Based on my conversations with the Architect, General Contractor, Insurance Carrier and Remediation specialists, the High School Facility will not be available for in-person instruction on opening day. Our goal is to have our students and staff back in a safe and clean building during the second marking period. If there is any way that we can bring everyone back into a safe and clean environment before that time, we certainly will. If, during remediation and repair we find that these dates need to be extended, we will let you all know as soon as possible. In summary, all students in grades 7-12 will be engaging in Remote-Learning beginning on September 8, 2020 until we can bring them back into a safe and clean environment.

Our building administrators will be in touch with families to coordinate the details involving return to school at the elementary and how remote instruction will work at the high school. Distribution dates/times and location for Chromebooks will be shared.

While much of this is news that is disturbing and difficult to hear, I believe that clear and honest communication of the information as we know it, is exceptionally important during these times. I will continue to be in contact throughout this ordeal.

In the meantime, stay safe, and remain Whitehall Strong!

Best,
Patrick M. Dee

Patrick Dee
Superintendent of Schools

Four of the nine seats on the Whitehall School Board will be up for a vote in this year’s election.

Interested candidates have until Monday, April 20th at 5 pm to submit a petition to the school district clerk, Kim Manney.

Tom Baker, James Brooks, Richard Lachapelle and Pat Norton are the members whose terms are expiring. Baker was appointed to fill Michael Rocque’s seat this past October when Mr. Rocque resigned.

The election will be held on Tuesday, May 19th from noon to 8 pm at the high school.