District Eases COVID Restrictions in Schools
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COVID cases are clearly on the decline in Westchester. The Westchester County report says as of February 1, 2022 there were only 309 positive tests, or 4.9%, with a total of 146 active cases in Scarsdale. (Of course this does not include home tests that are not reported.) This week there are signs that COVID restrictions and mandates are easing in the Scarsdale Schools. Here is the latest information issued by Scarsdale Schools Suprintendent Thomas Hagerman:
Elementary school kids and parents will be pleased that snack is back. As of February 7, 2022 elementary school children will again be permitted a snack, with rules to be determined by administrators at each school. Parent Dianna Cohen who pushed for the change said, "I’m delighted by the change. It’s a win-win for the administration and community. Snack time will deliver the necessary nutrients to kids to help them grow while teachers will get kids with an improved energy level and ability to focus. This is a wonderful example of the district listening to the needs of the parents and kids and pivoting accordingly. I look forward to more examples like this from the district."
School trips will also be permitted, some with and some without parent chaperones. Here is the wording from Dr. Hagerman’s January 31 email. “Educational day trips will continue to be allowed as is current practice. Overnight trips that include flights will continue to require a one-to-one parent accompaniment. Overnight trips not requiring flights will no longer require a one-to-one parent accompaniment; however, families must be able to pick their students up if they become COVID positive while on the trip.”
Also beginning February 7, spectators will be permitted in the schools for sporting events and performances at 50% capacity. The note cautions, “There may still be a per performer/athlete limit on some events given the space restrictions of our various venues.”
Masking in schools is mandatory until February 21, 2022 when an executive order from NYS Governor Kathy Hochul is due to expire. The mandate is now in court, so a ruling could affect the order. Dr. Hagerman said, “We will follow any guidance from the New York State Department of Education and the New York Department of Health. In advance of any changes, note that we intend to support any individual’s decision to continue masking for those who feel more comfortable with this approach.”
Wrestlers Challenged by COVID and Quarantines Look To the Divisionals
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Scarsdale Wrestling Team pictured after Scarsdale TournamentEven experienced wrestlers will sometimes admit that competitions are arduous. But one event teammates look forward to is the annual Scarsdale tournament. The Scarsdale tournament marks the beginning of the end of the regular season for Scarsdale wrestlers. This is followed by tournaments that focus on individual-oriented rather than team-oriented competitions and provide wrestlers the chance to prove their skills to gain seeding for the sectionals.
The beginning of this season has been rough for Scarsdale, primarily due to quarantine and COVID. To start the season, Scarsdale went 2-3 in the yearly Rye tournament. After that point, everything fell apart. These results were more a function of COVID and quarantines rather than wrestler’s skill. Things came to an all-time low when Scarsdale traveled to Nanuet on December 18, 2021 for a tournament with only six wrestlers rather than the normal complement of 16.
“It has been mathematically impossible to win matches with the number of kids we are bringing to tournaments. With the number of forfeits we give up every match, even if the wrestlers there pin their matchups, we still lose,” says senior and captain Michael Mancusi. The transition from team tournaments to individual ones is actually very beneficial for Scarsdale as the number of kids who need to quarantine does not matter for these tournaments.
Despite the challenges, several Scarsdale wrestlers placed in the Scarsdale tournament on January 15, 2022 when 16 teams participated.
-Junior Ryan Chase took home 6th place from the 215lb weight class.
-Sophomore Matthew Hill came in 4th place from the 138lb weight class.
-Senior and Captain Jack Byers finished in 3rd at the 145lb weight class.
-Freshman Tommy Iasiello performed the best out of anyone else on the team at this tournament, coming away with 2nd place in the 110lb weight class.
Captain Jack Byers picks up a victory in the 145lb weight class, one of which would lead him to 3rd at the tournament.
Even though these four placed, credit is due to all Scarsdale wrestlers as they were in charge of keeping score of matches and cleaning while also taking part in the tournament. Without these wrestlers doing the dirty work, the tournament would not have been successful.
As the Scarsdale wrestling team looks to the future, individual aspirations for placements at the county tournament are at an all-time high. The Scarsdale tournament is the first step on this tough journey which every wrestler will take.
Captain Thomas Kuo pins wrestler on Harrison in his first match back since being quarantined.
Commenting on the team’s performance to date, Coach Jeremy Szerlip said, "The one thing each wrestler needs to do is show more effort. We have to do a better job fighting in neutral and doing whatever you can to get off your back. When you [wrestler] gives up on the mat, they are not only letting themselves down, but also the rest of the team. This year may have been rough, but we have a lot of young talent and I am very hopeful for the future."
Next up the team will compete at divisionals on February 5, 2022.
Photo Credit: Sherwood Kuo
Freshman Tommy Iasiello takes on Tappan Zee en route to his 2nd place finish in the 110lb weight class.
Vote in the SBNC Election on January 11 or Mail in your Ballot Today
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The 2022 School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) Election will take place on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, 7–10 a.m. and 2–9 p.m. in the Scarsdale Middle School Auditorium Lobby at 134 Mamaroneck Road.
For those who choose not to vote in person, mail-in ballots are available in electronic form available in electronic form here.
Hard copies of ballots can be found at Scarsdale Village Hall and the Scarsdale Public Library. Completed mail-in ballots must be sent to:
SBNC Administrative Chair
PO Box 172H
Scarsdale, NY 10583
and received in the SBNC PO Box no later than 4 p.m. on Tuesday, January 11, 2022. Please follow the detailed instructions on the ballot website to ensure that your ballot is filled out correctly.
Vote for Candidates in your elementary district ONLY:
Edgewood (vote for 3): Anne McCourt Bates, Frank Murtha, Christine Weston, Meng Zhang
Fox Meadow (vote for 2): Claudia Green, H. Gitonga Kiara, Jonathan Schmerin, Jennifer Zola
Greenacres (vote for 3): Kim Greene-Liebowitz, Allison Kahner, Seth Morgulas, Eva Romas Wilson
Heathcote (vote for 3): Kimberly Miller Champlin, Dianna Cohen-Irom, Sarah Hopkins
Quaker Ridge (vote for 1): Lisa Gans, Alexander Wolf
Candidate biographies can be found here.
Besides electing candidates, voters will also decide on the newly proposed amendments to the SBNC Resolution. View the amendments marked up in the original Resolution here.
12 Candidates Elected to Serve on SBNC, All Eight Amendments to the Resolution Pass
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On Tuesday January 11, 2022, 425 voters elected 12 candidates to serve on the Scarsdale School Board Nominating Committee for 2022. They also passed eight amendments to the resolution governing the process.
The passage of these amendments will result in meaningful change in the process of selecting and nominating candidates for the Scarsdale School Board.
-For the first time in Scarsdale history, non-citizen Scarsdale residents can serve on the School Board Nominating Committee and vote in the SBNC election.
-Also for the first time, the nominating committee will ask each school board candidate “individualized and differentiated questions,” in addition to having each candidate make a prepared oral presentation.
Elected to serve are:
Edgewood – Anne McCourt Bates, Christine Weston, Meng Zhang
Fox Meadow – Claudia Green, Jennifer Zola
Greenacres – Kim Greene-Liebowitz, Allison Kahner, Eva Romas Wilson
Heathcote – Kimberly Miller Champlin, Dianna Cohen-Irom, Sarah Hopkins
Quaker Ridge – Lisa Gans
A total of 448 votes were cast in the election, 379 in person and 69 by mail-in ballot. Vote totals by neighborhood were as follows:
Edgewood – 130
Fox Meadow – 103
Greenacres – 83
Heathcote – 31
Quaker Ridge – 101
This year’s new SBNC members will join the continuing members of the committee and will each serve a three-year term on the SBNC followed by a two-year term as part of the SBNC Administrative Committee.
The eight amendments to the Resolution were passed. A total of 425 Resolution ballots were cast in the election, of which 69 were mail-in ballots. The breakdown of votes cast for each amendment is as follows:
The SBNC will have its first meeting on January 23, 2022, and by the end of March it will nominate three candidates for the Scarsdale Board of Education to fill the seats currently held by Karen Ceske, Carl Finger and Ronald Schulhof, all completing their first term and eligible for re-nomination. All Scarsdale residents are welcome to propose Board of Education candidates to the SBNC chair at [email protected]. The SBNC-nominated Board of Education candidates, along with any other candidates who may choose to run, will stand for public election on May 17, 2022 at the same time as the school budget vote.
For more information, contact Laura Liu, 917-816-1461, [email protected]
Last Minute Gifts You Can Purchase Online
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- Written by Midori Im
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With unprecedented supply chain challenges this year, many gift givers are finding themselves forced to be creative, especially with less than a week before Christmas. If you find yourself in the same category, take the quiz below to find a perfect present that can be purchased online in a matter of minutes.
Is your giftee someone…
Who can carry a tune?
Music lessons for your future rock star, virtually or in person (https://therockacademy1.com/)
For the younger set there’s mommy (or daddy/grandparent) and me classes (https://www.slsbmusic.com/)
Who owns an oven?
Order a baking kit, either to make a sweet treat for your giftee or their pooch ([email protected])
In need of relaxation?
Yoga on the go with the Down Dog app (https://www.downdogapp.com/).
Who needs sleep?
A subscription to the Headspace app for help with sounder sleep as well as guided meditation and mindfulness (www.headspace.com)
Ready to turn over a greener leaf?
A food scrap recycling kit from Scarsdale’s sanitation department (https://www.scarsdale.com/495/Food-Scrap-Recycling)
A gift certificate for sustainable paperware & cutlery for the next big event, with on-site monitoring as an option.([email protected]).
Who has something to shout about?
Balloon yard art is so 2021! Skip the mylar and go for a custom yarn bombing (Sarah Divi Art @sarahdiviart).
A midnight snacker?
Fresh, local, hand scooped ice cream (pints or cake) delivered to your door. Subscriptions available! Penny Lick Ice Cream Co. (https://www.pennylickicecream.com/)
Who is part polar bear?
Snowshoe rentals delivered to your door from Moosejaw (https://www.moosejaw.com/content/)
Who loves being puzzled?
Subscription to the New York Times Games (https://www.nytimes.com/subscription/games)
A lifelong learner?
Masterclass is at the top of the online heap, with preeminent teachers joining periodically (masterclass.com).
DIYers will revel in the variety of online classes all accessible with one annual Craftsy membership (craftsy.com).
Bakers can take virtual classes from the famed King Arthur Baking Company (https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/).
Or go local, with a great breadth of courses right in your backyard offered by the Scarsdale Adult School (https://scarsdale.augusoft.net/index.cfm).
