Hancock Central School District is excited to remind families about Story Hour taking place tomorrow, Thursday, January 22, from 4:30–5:30 p.m. in the Elementary School.
Families should check in at the elementary school main entrance. Children, accompanied by their families, will rotate through three guest readers who will share engaging stories throughout the evening. To wrap up the night, each child will receive a free book to take home.
Story Hour is a family engagement event hosted by HCSD, in partnership with the Hancock Community Education Foundation. We look forward to a fun and meaningful evening of reading together!
This is a friendly reminder that our Morning Program will take place tomorrow morning, Thursday, 1/22, at 8:30 a.m. in the Elementary School.
Families are encouraged to join us as we gather together for a great start to the day. We appreciate your continued support and involvement in our school community, and we look forward to seeing you there!
Students in Mrs. Keller’s Healthy Foods and Baking classes have been busy building valuable culinary skills through hands-on learning in the kitchen.
In Healthy Foods, students prepared hearty and nutritious dishes, including beef stew and chicken with brown rice soup. Along the way, they practiced important cooking techniques such as sautéing and making a slurry to properly thicken sauces, while also sharpening their knife skills.
In Baking 1, students baked a delicious lemon vanilla Bundt cake and learned the secret to achieving an extra-tender crumb, club soda!
These classes continue to give students practical experience, confidence, and a strong foundation in healthy cooking and baking. Nice work, students!!
The D-H wrestling program had another outstanding moment to celebrate as several athletes reached major career milestones. Landyn Shaffer and Asaac Mead each recently earned their 150th career wins, an incredible accomplishment that reflects years of hard work, perseverance, and commitment to the sport. Evan Johnson also reached an impressive milestone, earning his 100th career victory. These achievements are a true testament to the dedication and effort these athletes bring to the mat every day.
In addition to these individual accomplishments, congratulations go out to the entire D-H Varsity Wrestling Team on a tremendous season so far. This weekend, the team captured the ICC Duals Championship in Ichabod Crane, showcasing their depth, teamwork, and determination throughout the tournament.
We would also like to recognize Jason Canedo, who was named Most Outstanding Wrestler (MOW) at the ICC Duals in Ichabod Crane, an exceptional honor and a well-earned achievement.
Great job to all of our wrestlers and coaches on an excellent year and continued success. Your hard work is paying off!
*Picture credit: Deposit-Hancock Wrestling*
Our UPK and Kindergarten students had snow-much fun today!!
They began by reading Sneezy the Snowman, following along with the story and discussing what happens when Sneezy tries to warm up. After the story, students brought the book to life by creating a melted snowman snack and a matching craft.
This engaging activity combined literacy, creativity, and hands-on learning, giving students the opportunity to practice listening skills, follow directions, and express themselves artistically. It was a fun and memorable way to make reading come alive, and the students loved every minute of it!
We would like to thank several HCS alumni for stopping in today to spend time with our 12th-grade students and share their firsthand experiences with life after high school. Wynter Stanton, Addison Makowski, and Vanessa Horton returned to HCS to speak with our senior class about the transition to college and what students can expect as they continue their educational journeys.
During the discussion, the alumni emphasized the increased level of responsibility that comes with college, including managing schedules independently and the importance of attending classes consistently. They also shared insights into campus life, dorm living, and how college courses differ from high school classes, particularly the expectations and teaching styles of college professors compared to high school teachers.
Our seniors were highly engaged and asked a variety of thoughtful questions about textbooks, digital learning platforms, study habits, and the overall expectations placed on college students. The open conversation provided valuable, real-world advice that helped students better understand what lies ahead.
Wynter is currently attending SUNY Oneonta, Addison is enrolled at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Vanessa is attending SUNY Broome. Thank you again to our alumni for returning to HCS and taking the time to support and inspire our seniors!
Our modified girls and boys basketball teams had a wonderful opportunity earlier today, taking a field trip to Binghamton University to watch the BU women’s basketball team take on the University at Albany!
They enjoyed an exciting contest, with BU edging Albany 63–61, and were part of an incredible crowd of 4,671 students and teachers in attendance.
Thank you to Binghamton University for providing such a memorable experience for our student-athletes!
Mrs. Keller’s Basic Foods class has been busy in the kitchen, creating delicious and nutritious power bowls! Students prepared teriyaki chicken and paired it with a variety of fresh, colorful toppings including pineapple jalapeño red bell pepper salsa, shredded carrots, diced cucumber, and avocado.
Along the way, students focused on many important skills, building a balanced, healthy meal, practicing kitchen and food safety, and working together through strong teamwork. They even added a touch of food styling to make their creations photo-ready!
Well done, class!
Sports photos for Modified Wrestling, Modified Volleyball and Bowling will take place on Wednesday, January 28th, the pre-pay link is listed below!
https://www.prepaysystems.com/view/ZzlsVXGW/d-h-eagles?utm_campaign=d-h-eagles&utm_medium=direct_link&utm_source=studio_link
Deposit–Hancock Merger Study: Update for Families, Staff, and Community
The Deposit Central School District and Hancock Central School District are working together to complete a merger feasibility study, and we are pleased to share several new updates with our families, staff, and wider community.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Why a Feasibility Study?
Conversations about sharing and merging services between the two districts have taken place for more than 30 years, with the first documented merger study completed in 1992. Since then, the districts have successfully collaborated in a number of areas, including:
• Shared staffing
• Professional development opportunities
• Athletic programs
These partnerships have strengthened educational offerings and opportunities for students in both districts.
As operational costs continue to rise and financial pressures increase for small rural districts across New York State, both Boards of Education agreed that an updated feasibility study is necessary. In March and August 2025, both Boards approved the study and selected Leadership Solutions Advisers to coordinate and manage the process.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Resources Now Available
Several important documents are now available to help community members understand the work ahead:
• Kick-Off Letter outlining the purpose and scope of the study
• Detailed Study Timeline with major milestones and phases
• Description of Stakeholder Groups, including how to get involved
These documents are now available and will remain posted for public access on our central webpage.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Central Merger Study Webpage
To maintain transparency and make information easy to find, a dedicated webpage has been created to host:
• Documents and reports
• Announcements and meeting summaries
• Frequently asked questions
• Future survey links
• Public engagement information
Visit the page here:
D-H Merger Study Central Webpage
Bookmark this page to stay informed throughout the process!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Opportunities to Participate
Community members who wish to join a stakeholder group may complete an interest survey linked in the stakeholder description.
➡ Interest Survey Deadline: January 30th, 2026
Please note: While stakeholder groups require mandatory meeting attendance, there will be many additional opportunities for public input through in-person sessions and online or paper surveys.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Commitment to Transparency
Both districts are committed to a thorough, well-informed, and community-centered process. We will continue to communicate frequently as the study progresses.
Please see the document below for information regarding stock medications. The stock OTC order form was sent home to families, but is also available on the Health office page of the website at the address below.
https://www.hancock.stier.org/page/health-office
Congratulations to our D-H Eagles wrestlers on their impressive win over UVUF last night in Deposit during Senior Recognition Night! With this victory, the Eagles have officially earned the MAC League Championship and are the 2025–2026 MAC League Champions!
We would also like to proudly recognize our seniors: Jason Canedo, Patrick Esolen and Asaac Mead! Thank you for your dedication, leadership, and hard work over the years. Your commitment has made a lasting impact on the program, and we are grateful for everything you’ve given to D-H Wrestling.
Well done, Eagles!!
We would like to thank SUNY Broome for stopping by HCS today to visit with our 10th graders. Owen Conklin, Director of Admissions at SUNY Broome, spoke with our sophomores about exploring career interests and shared how SUNY Broome may be able to support them when they graduate in the coming years.
We appreciate the time, insight, and guidance provided to help our students begin thinking about their future pathways!
Please be advised that NYS January Regents Exams will take place next week, January 20–23. Students scheduled to take exams should be sure to arrive on time and come prepared.
The schedule is listed below, best of luck to all of our students taking Regents exams!!
GIRLS BASKETBALL SENIOR RECOGNITION
This past Friday, we proudly celebrated our D-H Varsity Girls Basketball seniors during Senior Recognition Night. We extend a heartfelt thank you to these outstanding student-athletes for their years of dedication, hard work, and commitment to the program.
Autumn Dohanic
Olivia Esolen
Gwyneth Nebzydoski
Averie Lester
Your leadership, perseverance, and passion for the game have left a lasting impact on your teammates and our school community. We are grateful for everything you have given to D-H Girls Basketball and wish you continued success in all that lies ahead!
Tonight's (1/12) BOE Meeting will take place in the Elementary School Cafeteria at 6:00 p.m.
Today, we’d like to recognize several of our 12th graders who generously volunteered their time in Kindergarten, working with our youngest learners earlier today.
Their patience, leadership, and willingness to help made a meaningful impact and brought lots of smiles to the classroom. We’re proud of our seniors for setting such a positive example and giving back to our school community!
Please see the images below for Special Education training information!
Congratulations to our outstanding Students of the Week, Natalia Tarbox and Kira Kilian!!
Natalia was selected by Mrs. Cooper for her strong work ethic, thoughtful questions, and willingness to help others. Natalia is making great strides each day, keep up the excellent work!
Kira Kilian was chosen by Mrs. Prescott for being a hard worker, a great friend, and incredibly helpful to her peers. Kira also does a wonderful job using teacher feedback to continue improving her work.
Excellent job, Natalia and Kira! We are so proud of you!
Join us tonight as we celebrate our D-H Varsity Girls Basketball seniors before their game against Sidney!
Location: HCS Elementary Gym
Schedule:
• JV Game: 5:30 p.m.
• Senior Recognition: Immediately following the JV game
• Varsity Tip-Off: 7:15 p.m.
Come out to support our seniors and cheer on our Lady Eagles!!
