An Innovative Costume Display from the SHS Class of 2024
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 2053
The Class of 2024 and their teachers and advisers put on a resplendent costume show just after the sun camp up on Tuesday October 31, 2023.
The class drew inspiration from history, the movies, popular brands, food, Disney classics and musical stars.
Students were dressed as The Founding Fathers and Alexander Hamilton and his wife in a sign of their critical role today.
We found flamingos, menacing gorillas, chickens, and cows along with astronauts, princesses, scarecrows, wizards and blushing brides.
Some looked back at favorite classics like Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, Three Blind Mice and Winnie the Pooh while others dressed as the casts of more modern films and television shows such as Aliens, The Joker, Men in Black, Pitch Perfect, Top Gun and South Park.
Popular foods included a pair of ketchup bottles, Cheetos, a bowl of vegetables with ranch dressing and four cans of seltzer.
We got a kick out of a group dressed as Lois from the Progressive Insurance ad, and teachers dressed as Barbie, Frankenstein and Gamora and Nebula from Guardians of the Galaxy and a perennial favorite Captain Hook.
A group of Ed Sheeran look alikes serenaded the group and two sets of leprachauns and seniors sporting Lederhosen brought laughs.
A spirited morning for the SHS Class of 2024!
Board Invites the Community to Share Out Program on November 8, 2023
- Details
- Written by Wendy MacMillan
- Hits: 1446
In a meeting with a packed agenda, here are some additional highlights from the Board of Ed meeting on Monday night October 23, 2023.
Board VP Suzie Hahn reminded those present about the upcoming “Special District Share Out” Program on November 8th at 7:30 pm in the SMS auditorium:
“The PTC, SHS, and SMS Program Committees invite the Scarsdale Community to an informative, two-part program as presented by district administrators. First Dr. Drew Patrick and Dr. Edgar McIntosh will introduce the Belonging Survey. Building on our theme of Connecting our WIDE (well-being, inclusion, diversity, and equity) Community, Dr. Patrick and Dr. McIntosh will outline the District's plan to engage students, parents, faculty, and staff this fall in a survey focused on belonging. They will explain how the survey fits into the district's DEI work, describe the survey measures and elements, and review the timeline for survey administration. They will also discuss how the results will be communicated and utilized to inform next steps in the work. Attendees will have the chance to ask questions during the session.
Next, Jeannie Crowley, Director of Technology and Innovation and William Yang K-12 Coordinator of Digital Learning & Literacy will share a selection of the survey results from the Technology Survey administered in June 2023. The Technology Department solicited survey responses from faculty, parents, SMS students, and SHS students. The anonymous surveys were collaboratively developed by the Technology Department, the PTC, and the STA. In their presentation, Ms. Crowley and Mr. Yang will highlight how the data artifacts can be used by parents, administrators, faculty, and students to learn more about the technology experiences of Scarsdale Public Schools community members.
A short Q & A session will follow the Tech Survey presentation. All are invited to submit questions prior to the presentation via this form:Technology Presentation Question Submission Form”
NYS School Board Recognition Week
Dr. Patrick highlighted that October 16th-20th was New York State School Board Recognition Week. He extended his appreciation for our own BOE members with a gift and by saying, “Our seven Scarsdale School Board Members start their service by taking an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and that of the State of New York. But, as they each know, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Above the surface are Board meetings and events, but their service as volunteers who provide thoughtful, responsive governance for the education of our youth extends deep below the surface. They take training, serve on committees, act as liaisons, read contracts, memos, and resumes, learn together in Board retreats, and much, much more. Their service to the public is demanding, and they are dedicated to improving the education we provide to our students. They serve as a vital connection between the community they represent, and the educators who carry out the mission. Tonight, we have a small token of appreciation for your service. On behalf of a grateful school community, thank you for your service!”
Varsity A Girls Tennis Team
Dr. Patrick congratulated the Girls Varsity Tennis team on their recent sectional win and wished good luck to those participating in the upcoming state finals.
SAFE Coalition
Board member Jessica Resnick-Ault spoke about her meeting with the Scarsdale SAFE Coalition. She reported that October is National Domestic Violence Awareness and National Bullying Prevention Month. She also spoke about a program that the Safe Coalition is hosting: “Everyone knows Someone: Financial Abuse and the Dynamics of Domestic Violence.” The virtual program will be held on October 27th at 12pm.
School Visits
Board member Jim Dugan reported on the first of many school visits by our Board of Education. During this first visit, BOE members were invited to tour the grounds, building, and classrooms at Greenacres Elementary and Mr. Dugan was “left marveling at how fabulous things at Greenacres are.”
Social Awakening Program
Mr. Schulhof reported on the Social Awakening Program he attended at SMS on October 16th, calling the presentation very informative. For more information about the presentation click here.
Cabinet Updates
Eric Rauschenbach provided an update on the integrated lockdown system and reported that the system will be fully operational on Tuesday October 24th and drills under the new system will begin the first week of November.
Jeannie Crowley, Director of Technology reported on the upcoming “Share Out” program on November 8th and related that the results for the 2023 Tech Survey can be found online. She also noted that the survey results are intended to be a source of “inquiry instead of conclusions” and looks forward to exploring the meaning of the results in greater detail on November 8th.
Assistant Superintendent for Business, Andrew Lennon happily shared his recommendation to appoint Ms. Linda Pisano as the District’s Internal Claims Auditor. Her appointment was approved later in the meeting.
Family Fun Day at Scarsdale Library
- Details
- Written by Wendy MacMillan
- Hits: 1443
The clouds finally parted and the rain stayed at bay just in time for the Friend’s of the Scarsdale Library to host their Fall Family Fun Day! On Sunday October 8th, the FOSL welcomed families to the “Great Lawn” at the Scarsdale Public Library for an exciting FUNdraiser with an array of engaging activities including autumn-themed arts and crafts, kid’s yoga, and a nature walk and talk. Highlights from the day included:
-Crafting with Masha and Dasha designs https://www.mashadashadesigns.com/ where children could create art from found pieces of nature. Budding artists painted leaves to make leaf prints and beautiful leaf characters.
-A Read Aloud by Neighborhood Kids. Families gathered on yoga mats to listen to some of their favorite autumn inspired books read aloud by friendly neighbors ranging in age from grade schoolers to high school teens.
-Meet the Animals with the Weinberg Nature Center. The Weinberg nature center was on hand to introduce children to a variety of animals like turtles and toads. Animal lovers not only learned where the critters live and what they like to munch on but, those brave enough, got to touch and hold some of the animals too!
-Tara Sussman, from Pause to be Present (https://pausetobepresent.com/our-teachers/), a meditation studio located right in our village, lead kids of all ages through a sun-filled session of yoga.
-After finding their “calm” during yoga, families were guided on an informative Nature Talk and Walk with wellness and nature expert Jennifer Walsh (https://www.walkwithwalsh.com/about-jennifer-walsh). Jennifer led the group on a walk exploring the grounds of the library stopping to educate children about the various trees and plants that help support our ecosystem.
-Never Stop Moving was also on hand to introduce kids to some Fit-tastic Sports. The amazing coach engaged kids in a variety of games which had them running and jumping for joy.
-To round out the day, families were invited to take part in a meditation under a beautiful Oak tree. Cindy Olsen, also from Pause to be Present, is a certified Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide who lead both children and adults through a mindful meditation.
All proceeds from the FOSL’s Fall Family Fun Day support the Scarsdale Public Library and vital programming such as author talks and children’s programs.
Halloween Window Painting Award Winners
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 2612
7th Grader Yunong Lin took the Grand PrizeScarsdale is awash in color after the annual window painting event on Sunday October 15. Young artists were huddled around retail windows creating al fresco works of art – with comic, political and Halloween themes.
See the artists at work here.
Below is the list of winners and honorable mentions from the Scarsdale Recreation Department. Congratulations to all the talented painters.
Grand Prize
Yunong Lin
3rd Grade Individual 
3rd GradeFirst Place - Christopher Andriopoulos
1st Place – Christopher Andriopoulos
2nd Place- Zane Ahmed
3rd Place- Emilia Rodriguez
Most Comical- Leila Caposella
Honorable Mention- Anastasia Phillibert/ Ashyln Che
3rd Grade Pairs
1st Place- Marcelo Mayta-Sebastion, David Yuan
2nd Place- Blake Braslavsky, Max Forschner
3rd Place- Zoe Brudnick, Jillian Lesser
Most Comical- Freya Sontag, Ella Reader
Honorable Mention- Simran Dhiman, Olivia Matrullo/ Mila Pikover, Lia Ciccarelli
4th Grade First Place: Giovana Bardella4th Grade Individual
1st Place- Giovana Bardella
2nd Place- Kabir Singhal
3rd Place- Beatriz Gonzales
Most Comical- Josh Freundlich
Honorable Mention- Grace Ding
4th Grade Pairs
1st Place- Mabel Schwartz, Zoey Young
2nd Place- Ella Papale, Milena Papale
3rd Place- Caroline Moser, Arya Sahai
Most Comical- Harlie Posternak, Molly Kalish
Honorable Mentions- Kiyomi Shah, Mai Ishikawa/ Shelby Dubin, Jenna Hirsch/ Madeline Rosen, Brooke Biondi
5th and 6th Grade Individual
Fifth-Sixth Grade First Place Victoria Gong
1st Place- Victoria Gong
2nd Place- Teddy Wang
3rd Place- Leticia Schiavinato
Most Comical- Taylor Helman
Honorable Mentions- Emma Freundlich/ Madelyn Reemer/ Alma Kahan/ Irene Etlinger/ Yinan Jiang/ Maia Papale
5th and 6th Grade Pairs
1st Place- Irena Mao, Helen Feng
2nd Place- Jonah Bloomgarden, Teddy Eisenberg
3rd Place- Pehel Mody, Natalia Llosa
Most Comical- Leela Choudary, Vivian Elkhatib
Honorable Mentions- Dillon Soler, Luca Streche/ Marina McMahon, Finley Murtha/ Sofia Vakhraneva, Eliana Maxwell/ Elena Streche, Taylor Sebaski/ Gabriela Silva, Olivia McNally
7th-8th Grade First Place Aaron Pan 7th and 8th Grade Individual
1st Place- Aaron Pan
2nd Place- Natalia Gutierrez
3rd Place- Claire Zhang
Most Comical- Alessandra Morand
Honorable Mention- Brooke Mitchell/ YiLin Jiang/ Iris Zhu
7th and 8th Grade Pairs
1st Place- Sophie Luo, Michelle Peng
2nd Place- Jabez Keh, Jaden Galante
3rd Place- Talia Camhi, Jiya Choudary
Most Comical- Ella Peterson, Kate DiPalma
Honorable Mention- Rowan Baer, Mia Zhou
9th and 10th Grade Individual
1st Place- Sarah Luo
2nd Place- Shuyue Zhang
3rd Place- Julia Barro
Most Comical- Audrey Li
Honorable Mention- Evie Shiff
9th and 10th Grade First Place Sarah Luo
9th and 10th Grade Pairs
1st Place- Skylar Katz, Maddy Duignan
2nd Place- Jocelyn Raposa, Daya Garcha
3rd Place- Victoria Rodriguez-Lecuona, Faye O’Gorman
Most Comical- Charlotte Papir, Sarah Mayer
The 10th Anniversary of The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival to Highlight Banned Books
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 1356
The 10th Anniversary of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival (CCBF) will take place on Saturday, September 30, from 10 am-4 pm at the Chappaqua Train Station in Chappaqua, New York. This year’s Festival will be the largest one yet, with 180 authors in attendance and celebrity authors Mary Pope Osborne and Alan Gratz leading the charge. They look forward to introducing the community to new writers joining us this year, like Alex Gino, and reconnecting with returning authors like Bryan Collier. Admission and parking are free, and the event will be held rain or shine (http://www.ccbfestival.org/). CCBF is proud to announce that it is a recipient of the WestchesterArts 2023 Arts Alive grant, given to support community-based arts and cultural projects developed by cultural groups and organizations.
In its tenth year, the annual festival, promoting community, inclusivity, and literacy, will have authors covering different reading levels and multiple genres, including a larger selection of graphic novels than in years past, LGTBQ themes, and books that celebrate diversity. We will have author readings and special presentations, illustrator Demos, Book Signings, a bubble bus, and books for sale. This year, food will be available from gourmet food trucks and our local Chappaqua Farmers Market. CCBF will support literacy programs in area schools.
Fan favorite Pinkalicious author Victoria Kahn returns this year, as well as Sonja Cherry-Paul, Author of Stamped (For Kids), a very important adaptation of the New York Times best-seller introducing kids to the history of racism and antiracism in America.
There are several authors joining this year who are new to CCBF, and we are so excited! Mary Pope Osborne, the author of the Magic Tree House series, is our headlining author; we are so excited to have her. Also new to the festival is Alan Gratz, New York Times best-selling author of 19 young children’s novels, and Maulik Pancholy, a well-known actor from NBC’s 30 Rock and award-winning children’s book author. Mr. Pancholy recently launched his newest novel, Nikhil Out Loud, and his previous book, a middle-grade novel, The Best At It, is a Stonewall Honor Award winner.
The tenth-anniversary celebration festival poster was created by popular and prolific author/illustrator Mark Teague. Mark is an author and illustrator of over 40 books, including the First Graders from Mars series and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight.?
Joining them this year as a sponsor to celebrate the 10th anniversary is KidLit TV, an educator-led organization that reinforces an appreciation of reading for children through its web-based television. programming and videos that are seen in over 700,000 schools nationwide.
The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is a grassroots, all-volunteer effort, with community members working together so children and teens can be inspired by their favorite authors. The festival gives kids and families a chance to meet and interact with the creators of their favorite characters and to appreciate that there is a real person behind the art and the words on the page.
Since its inception in 2013, the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival has grown from 65 authors to 180 and from 4,000 visitors to 8,000 from all over the tri-state region. They hope to have approximately 10,000 visitors this year.
For more information, visit http://www.ccbfestival.org/ or follow the CCBF at www.facebook.com/chappaquachildrensbookfestival.
