Tonight, we proudly recognize our senior bowlers as they take on Walton/Downsville! Join us at Fox Bowling Center as we celebrate their dedication, hard work, and contributions to the program over the years. Matches are set to begin at 3:45 p.m.
Good luck to our bowlers, and congratulations to our seniors on a great season!
The initial site visit scheduled for Tuesday, January 27th, by Leadership Solutions Advisers (LSA) has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 29th.
Deposit CSD and Hancock CSD Welcome Leadership Solutions Advisers for Initial Site Visits
Dear Families & Community Members,
As part of the Feasibility Study, Deposit Central School District and Hancock Central School District will be welcoming members of Leadership Solutions Advisers (LSA) for initial on-site school visits in both districts on Tuesday, Jan 27 and Wednesday, Jan 28 with a snow date make-up for Hancock on Thursday, January 29.
These visits represent an important early step in the feasibility study process. During their time in Deposit and Hancock, the LSA team will visit school buildings and key operational areas to better understand each district's unique context. This includes meeting with staff and administrators, observing classrooms, and learning about the daily practices that support student learning in each community.
Engaging directly with students, staff, and school leaders allows the feasibility study to be grounded in authentic, firsthand experiences. During the site visits, the LSA team will:
observe teaching and learning in action; examine how facilities, operations, and systems support educational experiences; and gather information that will inform subsequent conversations with the Advisory Committee, Stakeholder Work Groups, Focus Groups, and Elevating Student Voices sessions.
These site visits are informational and exploratory in nature. They do not assume any outcome, but rather help ensure that future discussions and analyses are based on an accurate understanding of both districts.
This work reflects the shared commitment of both school districts to transparency, collaboration, and community engagement throughout the feasibility study. We are grateful to our students, staff, and administrators for welcoming the visiting team and sharing the important work happening in our schools each day.
We look forward to keeping you informed as the feasibility study continues and to sharing what we learn together.
Sincerely,
Superintendents of Schools
Deposit Central School District & Hancock Central School District
Thank you to all of the families who joined us for last night’s Story Hour! It was wonderful to listen to several of our staff members and students share stories with our younger boys and girls. The smiles, laughter, and excitement made for a great evening of reading together.
To wrap up the night, each student was able to take home a free book to enjoy with their families.
A special thank you to the Hancock Community Education Foundation for their support and assistance in making Story Hour a success. We truly appreciate your continued partnership in supporting family engagement and literacy at HCS!
See the flyer below for more information relating to:
• Evidence-based positive parenting
• Strategies for managing challenging behaviors
• Techniques for building strong relationships
• The impact of routines
• And much more!
This opportunity is designed to support families with practical tools and strategies that promote positive behavior and strong family connections.
Today’s Morning Program was full of great information and celebrations! We would like to thank Mr. Nick and Mr. Keith from Scouting America for stopping by to talk with our students about joining Cub Scouts. While in Scouts, students have the opportunity to enjoy activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, hands-on science projects (including creating volcanoes!), and plenty of “crazy” fun. Cub Scouts is open to students in grades K–5, and meetings are held locally on Wednesdays.
We would also like to thank Mr. Mitchell for selecting our Golden Trash Can Award winner for the first half of the year. The Golden Trash Can Award recognizes the class that keeps their classroom the cleanest and most organized throughout the year. This year, there will be two award winners, with the second class being selected at the end of the school year.
Congratulations to Mrs. Karcher’s class on earning this honor for the first half of the year! Great job showing responsibility and pride in your classroom!
HCS Bowling and HCS Speech & Debate apparel is now available! Show your school spirit and support our student-athletes and competitors by sporting your HCS gear.
More information is listed in the flyers and QR codes below!
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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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!
