Learn More About the Benefits of Studying Mandarin
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This article was submitted by the Mandarin in the Middle School Initiative Team: Just in time to celebrate the Chinese New Year, the Scarsdale school administration took a very important step to give our students a strong world language program in the Scarsdale Middle School. Dr. Thomas Hagerman, the superintendent, and Ms. Lynn Shain, Assistant Superintendent and Director of Curriculum announced that if at least 48 rising Scarsdale sixth graders sign up for Mandarin, that globally important language will be offered in the Scarsdale Middle School. Dr. Hagerman also stated that if at least 48 students sign up, the administration will commit to offering Mandarin for at least three years in the middle school. This means that the 2016 cohort of 6th graders would be able to take Mandarin all three years before ascending to the high school, where Mandarin has already been offered for five years. The video of the Board meeting can be accessed here.
The Mandarin in the Middle School Initiative Team thanks the Scarsdale administration for offering Scarsdale parents and students the possibility for the first time in Scarsdale's history of being able to choose one of three languages in the Middle School. Last year's October 2015 World Language Survey for Fifth Grade Parents had a statistically strong response rate. As can be seen in the tables and data in the survey included here parents of fifth grade students chose Spanish and Mandarin as their top language choices for their children, significantly surpassing the choice of any other foreign language.
This week, fifth grade parents received a notice on Monday February 8th from Ms. Lynn Shain informing them that Mandarin is now a choice available to them for their children. Parents will receive forms on Tuesday, February 9th so that they can make their world language choice.
Earlier this January, the Scarsdale administration had already given the district the good news that in the middle school, it will increase the frequency of French and Spanish instruction to daily from only a few times a week. The academic literature concurs with Ms. Shain that increasing the frequency of exposure in a foreign language helps students deepen their aural and oral skills.
Many nearby public and private middle schools such as in Brewster, Briarcliff, Croton-on-Harmon, Great Neck, Mamaroneck, Manhattan, Pelham, New Rochelle, Princeton, Rye, Westport, and White Plains have already been offering Mandarin in the middle schools for quite a number of years. Scarsdale parents and students deserve to have greater choice in foreign languages in the Middle School that go beyond the Romance languages of French and Spanish.
The Mandarin in the Middle School Initiative Team is pleased to announce that it is launching a Facebook page, Scarsdale Learns Mandarin, to provide resources to Scarsdale parents who are interested in learning about the many benefits of studying Mandarin. We welcome you to join us.
Claire He, Brice Kirkendall-Rodríguez, Mayra Kirkendall- Rodríguez, Joanne Teoh, Wanna Zhong & Julie Zhu
FAQ's About Mandarin:
Are you wondering whether or not your child should sign up for Mandarin in sixth grade? Here are some FAQ's from students in the honoros Mandarin Class at Scarsdale High School for your consideration:
Why did I take Mandarin?
I first took Mandarin because I love Chinese food. Chinese economy is developing therefore learning Mandarin would make it helpful to get a job. My family members also took Mandarin and they enjoyed it. I wanted to learn how to translate the different Chinese characters I have come across in my life. In high school the mandarin class is taught by Ms.Gu who is great and we all love her. I mainly wanted to learn Mandarin to be able to connect with the 1.3 billion Chinese people in the world.
Is learning Mandarin difficult if I am not Chinese?
If you are not bothered by memorization, Mandarin is not difficult. I found it fun and easy. It is also easy because there is no conduction like in Spanish and French.
Is learning Mandarin fun?
Yes it is fun because we play a lot of games in class and our teacher is great. This interactive learning that we have every day in class tremendously contributes to our learning and makes it fun. The Chinese culture is very interesting and our teacher constantly makes sure to incorporate Chinese culture into our curriculum. We also got to go on a field trip as a class to China town in the city. The small classroom environment we have in Mandarin class makes the learning environment fun because it keeps everyone engaged.
How can Mandarin help me later in life?
China's economy is growing and there are many Chinese people in the world so being able to communicate with people who speak mandarin will prove as an advantage later in life.
And here are responses from Kara Elcik who is an SHS senior currently in Mandarin Honors class:
Why did I take Mandarin?
I started taking Mandarin when I was living in Hong Kong and I wanted to learn how to speak the language that most people in China spoke. I continued taking Mandarin when I returned to the states because I found how valuable being able to speak Mandarin was and I did not want to lose the Chinese culture I loved in Hong Kong.
Is learning Mandarin difficult if I am not Chinese?
Many people who take Chinese are not Chinese and these people have never found Mandarin anymore difficult than those who are Chinese. I have friends in my class who are Chinese and friends who are not Chinese and I never feel that any of us have an advantage over each other.
Is learning Mandarin fun?
Learning Mandarin is so fun! Not only is the teacher amazing the classes are small so I have developed friendships with everyone in my class that I would never had the chance to form if I did not take Mandarin. Our teacher Ms.Gu understands how Mandarin can appear almost impossible to learn but she finds a way to make it fun and interesting making all of us want to continue learning. Along with all these benefits it is an extra bonus to surprise all my friends by telling them that I speak Mandarin.
How can Mandarin help me later in life?
I have already seen how helpful Mandarin is and I'm only 17! Mandarin has helped me and my fellow classmates get into the colleges we aspired to get into. Mandarin adds to all of our unique personalities and has given all of us a different perspective of the world that we will carry with us no matter where we go.
Letter from Brice Kirkendall-Rodriguez
Introductory Mandarin at the Scarsdale Middle School? Carpe Diem 5th Graders!
Our schools' superintendent Dr. Hagerman and the administration are to be commended for seizing upon an unexpected opportunity to create a cost-neutral pilot program for Mandarin instruction at the Middle School. It's a bold step that demonstrates a willingness to adapt and to be nimble. These positive attributes are often associated with successful companies but are not always acknowledged when observed in the public sector. All members of the community should applaud this clear sign of leadership. Parents of fifth graders can make an even more significant statement of support by actually registering their children to study Mandarin if this was ever an aspiration.
While it is true that our Chinese-American community has been passionate about the addition of Mandarin at the Middle School, this should not be mistaken for an attempt to dominate a program of study. On the contrary, it would not be surprising if most of the 20 or so fifth-graders that have native speaking abilities in Mandarin will choose to study Spanish in the Middle School. Would you enroll your fluent child in a class that the administration has stated will be introductory? Advocacy for Mandarin in the Middle School is born of a love of the Chinese culture and recognition of a previously glaring omission in our school curriculum. Ironically, the most likely beneficiaries of this pilot will not be the most public voices behind the initiative. Rather, this is a terrific opportunity for children with little to no prior exposure to the language.
For the first time in Scarsdale, sixth graders will have the opportunity to challenge themselves to learn a level 4 language well ahead of the pressure to build a college-ready GPA. Your rising sixth grader will actually have an advantage over his or her three year older self because your student's brain is better equipped at age 11 than at age 14 to begin learning a new language. If there are classmates of Chinese descent, they are likely to have the same fears and apprehensions about learning a new language as any child in the class without Asian DNA. For those with some prior Mandarin exposure, the decision to register would probably be to strengthen their grammar and oral proficiency just as a child of a French-speaking parent might choose to register for French. If anything, fellow students with some prior exposure to the language make great study partners!
The introduction of Mandarin to the Middle School is not likely to dramatically change the proportions of students choosing each language. Spanish will remain the most popular choice because children can build upon their exposure to the language in elementary school and because it too is one of the top languages spoken in the world. However, if your child and you had always wished for more choices, carpe diem. You are being given a brand new opportunity to help your child develop a 21st century skill set. Combined with Scarsdale's new STEAM initiative, your child might one day be designing new products for customers that reside in what is soon to be the largest consumer economy in the world. Or, perhaps your child will grow up to treat patients here at home using the third most widely spoken language in the U.S...Mandarin.
Brice Kirkendall-Rodriguez
19 Fox Meadow Road
Homestead Act Could Bring Big Tax Increase to Christie Place Condo Owners
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Scarsdale is now undergoing its second village wide tax revaluation in just two years, after a period of 45 years without a village wide reassessment. Part of this process is consideration of the adoption of the Homestead Act which would change the way the Village's 42 residential condominiums are assessed. Since all the condos in the Village are located at Christie Place (42 residential and 5 retail units), this decision has the biggest impact on those property owners. If adopted, these units would be taxed similarly to single family homes of the same value, rather than based on their potential rental income.
A joint meeting of the Village Board of Trustees and the Scarsdale School Board was held on Monday night February 1 to review the issue. According to a report from Village Assessor Nanette Albanese, the 42 residential homeowners at Christie Place would pay an estimated average of $14,464 in real estate taxes in 2017, on units valued from $737,000 to $1.9 million. If Homestead were adopted the average real estate tax for a unit at Christie Place are estimated to rise by $13,409 to $27,873 or almost double. On the other hand, if the Village does not adopt Homestead, and does not collect the additional $563,185 from Christie Place homeowners, the burden will be shared among Scarsdale's 5,698 homeowners at a cost of approximately $99 each.
The Village and School Board considered the adoption of Homestead in 2014, but after heated objections from the Christie Place homeowners, it was not adopted. Now the issue is on the table again.
In 2014, the stakes were even higher. Christie Place homeowners were paying an average of $11,500 in real estate taxes and if Homestead were passed, this number would have been tripled to an average of $36,000 a unit. When it was not passed, it resulted in an average $160 bill for all the other taxpayers.
At the time, Christie Place residents argued that their units were designated for buyers age 55 and up, who are therefore not utilizing the schools. When they purchased the units, no one knows whether or not they were made aware that their assessment status could change. Since a change in the law would impose a burden on a very small segment of older residents and offer a minimal benefit to the community, Board members voted "no" to adopting the Homestead at the time.
However, since that time Scarsdale seniors who live in single family homes have called on the Board to adopt Homestead, as seniors in single family homes are paying high taxes and also receiving no benefit from the schools. They don't think it's fair to provide this benefit to senior condominium owners.
The Scarsdale Forum's Assessment Revaluation Committee urged the Village Board to adopt the Homestead Tax Option in 2014, and that Committee is now preparing a report on the Homestead Tax Option for 2016. Commenting on the issue committee member Robert Berg said, "Based on the comments of the Board members at the February 1 meeting and my conversations with a couple of trustees afterwards, it seems likely they are not going to adopt Homestead. I think there is no principled basis to perpetuate a massive tax break for the Christie Place residents which is being paid for by the rest of Scarsdale's taxpayers. The Trustees in our non-partisan system are not supposed to act in response to political pressure from the loud, the wealthy, the powerful, and the connected. But that's what they did in their disgraceful decision to object to the Monte Nido project, when they should have stepped aside and let the wealthy, powerful neighbors deal with the issue themselves. And that's what I fear the Board is planning to do again in regard to the Homestead Tax option. Tellingly, the Village's Advisory Council on Scarsdale Senior Citizens unanimously recommends that the Village Board adopt the Homestead Tax option in connection with the 2016 revaluation. The Council correctly notes, in its letter to the Mayor and Trustees, dated November 17, 2015, that it is especially unfair for the many Scarsdale seniors who reside in single family homes (many of whom faced substantially increased property taxes following the 2014 revaluation) that the Christie Place residents continue to receive special tax treatment."
The Village Board will hold a hearing on the issue on February 9 following their regular 8 pm meeting at Village Hall. If they adopt Homestead, then the School Board can decide whether or not to adopt it. If the Village Board votes no, the School Board will not consider the initiative.
Learn more by attending the February 9 meeting at Village Hall.
Fox Meadow Hosts Multicultural Fair
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The Fox Meadow gym was teeming with happy kids and parents for an international celebration at the Fox Meadow Multicultural Fair on Wednesday afternoon January 13. Event chairs were surprised to find that the 200 passports they created disappeared in a flash – with attendance even higher than expected. Parents estimate that about a third of the school's population hails from other countries, providing a diverse mix in the school's classrooms.
At the fair, representatives from eighteen countries dressed in native costumes, served tasty treats from their homelands, taught customs and invited students to do crafts. Mayra Rodriguez, who manned the table from Mexico, noted that all the table organizers from the countries that exhibited were either immigrants or first generation Americans.
We found Prince William and Princess Kate serving tea and crumpets, Japanese women teaching origami, a chocolate fountain from Ecuador, empanadas from Argentina, delicious spinach and onion crepes called "pita" from Albania, Russians serving tea from a samovar and Indian moms showing kids how to say Namaste.
To kick off the event, earlier in the day students marveled at a Chinese face changing performer and swayed to the rhythms of a Dominican Republic dancing troupe. Mayra Rodriguez from the Multicultural committee said, "The Fox Meadow Multicultural Fair is a wonderful opportunity to expose Fox Meadow students to the numerous cultures, languages and cuisines of their own peers."
Commenting on the event, Lizi Xie of China said, "The multicultural fair made my fourth-grade daughter very excited. In just one hour she got the opportunity to know eighteen countries' food, crafts, costumes, music and much more. Writing her name in Egyptian, making a bracelet with South African beads, a spoon of chocolate from Ecudaor, a taste of Albanian traditional food, are so very exotic and precious experience for her! Kids learned and got inspired. And thank you the beautiful ladies Mayra, Nosipho, Mariko, Junko who made all this possible."
Committee member Junko Miyoshi of Japan said, "Through the fair, I hope children learned and felt that how comfortable they are in the diverse culture. As a committee member, I would like to share the importance of respect in today's chaotic world."
Nosipho Kweta one of the co-chair representing South Africa said, "Fox Meadow is a diverse community that embraces different cultures and through the multicultural fair kids get to learn about those cultures. It teaches them to be proud of who they are regardless of where they come from. That's what I love about being part of this committee."
Mario Takeda from Japan said, "Thank you for coming to the fair. I hope you felt the energy of young children and their parents towards learning something new. While there are many great things about Fox Meadow School, one thing, in my personal opinion, that makes this school so special is that families with multicultural diversities and non-international families all share the strong sense of mission and become united to dedicate to children's learning. This fair was just another opportunity that I appreciated such enthusiasm. "
Table organizers:
Country Organizers
Albania: Maria Grishaj
Argentina: Paula Bercun, Veronica Olivieri
Brazil: Mariana Albuquerque, Vanessa Chadovsky, & Sheila Melo
China: Lili Chen, Lixia Feng, Amy Sheng, Julie Tang, Lizzie Xie, Emily Zhang, Julie Zhu
Cuba: Martha Duval
Ecuador: Silvana Caccio, Cristina Moscoso
Egypt: Rokaya Hassaballa
France: Nathalie Nguyen
Germany: Cornelia Beyer, Shirly Friedman, Claudia Schwartz
India: Moumita Datta Gupta, Sushma Shadaksharappa, Srilakshmi Vallabhaneni
Israel: Sarah Smith & Ziva Green
Japan: Yuko Kuriyama, Junko Miyoshi, Yu Nakamoto, Misa Ono, Emiko Osada, Ryoko Ozaki, Mariko Takeda , Sachiyo Uchino
Korea: Jane Chwe, Regina Han Jansky, Serina Lee, Sophia Park Mullen, Jenny Ryu, Mia Cha
Mexico: Brice & Mayra Kirkendall-Rodriguez
The Netherlands: Janske & Pietr Aartsbekker
Russia: Anna Demina, Rebecca Gabin, & Yelena Landa
South Africa: Melanie FitzGibbon, Nosipho Kweta
United Kingdom: Sandeep Lally, Catherine Parkinson
Dominican Republic Dancers Donation from Sandra Alfonso
Celebrity Sighting in Scarsdale...Every Day
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Mark Jessamy is certainly a local celebrity. ...Don't know him?
Have you been to Starbucks in the Village and been greeted with a warm and friendly smile as early as 6:00 AM with a genuine, "How are you today? Really, I want to know?" Have you been to a sporting event at a Scarsdale elementary school and caught sight of the photographer that seems to know every single person by name?
Then you know Mark Jessamy. He's a true local celebrity here in the 'Dale. And if you don't know him, then he'll put a spark in your step and a bit of sunshine in your life simply by taking the time to say "good morning" and remembering your name (and probably your drink) the next time you come in to Starbucks. He's the name that comes up on Facebook when people on local sites seek photographer recommendations. And I was lucky enough to have the chance to sit down and chat with him about the ins-and-outs of Scarsdale and its people. We thought meeting at the Eastchester Starbucks would be a safer bet than meeting in Scarsdale where so many stop to say hello --but apparently he's just as popular in Eastchester.
How do you do it? Some complain that Scarsdale doesn't have a friendly vibe but you prove them wrong each morning.
I like to know people...really know them. I'm a firm believer that if I'm talking to you, I'm actively listening to you. I stay engaged. You have my attention and hopefully I have yours. That's important to me. I believe in neighborhoods and I love the Scarsdale neighborhood. I like the people I meet. Everybody has a story. It's like being in a library. There's always something interesting on the shelves in terms of people. And if you listen, if you take the time to listen, everyone tells their story and some people don't even realize they're doing it. Everybody wants to be heard...even little kids. And the kids tell you everything. I listen to everyone. I'm fortunate to have people trust in me and with my professional photography business, my brand is me, so I'm upholding that brand at all times. I approach life every day in a positive way. It works for me.
There can be 15 people in the line at Starbucks but you still give each person a moment of your time to show that you care to know how their morning or afternoon is going.
I understand that I might be the first person that you talk to in the morning. Your kids and spouse might not even be up yet. Your coffee is important to you. You have two minutes until your train is coming. I understand all of this and I try to show that I care, because I genuinely do.
You love working at Starbucks 20 hours a week but your other passion is photography and you have a professional photography business. Tell me more!
Well, I took art, music, and photography in high school as electives and when I realized I couldn't draw, I discovered that I could capture art through pictures. Film was my canvas. I pursued a college degree at FIT. It took me a few years until I believed that I could make a career of it, but I started with school pictures and sports and realized I was good at it. Now I do school photos at several of the elementary schools, sports photography for Scarsdale rec leagues, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, portraits...really anything and everything. I also teach photography 101. I love what I do. It's nice to be able to make a living doing what I love to do.
Working here, you consider Scarsdale part of your community. What do you love about Scarsdale?
I have friends in the community, I eat in the community, I work in the community. I'm really comfortable here. It's not just a place of work, it's a meeting place for me. I'm a cigar smoker. A couple guys and I go out and smoke cigars on a regular basis. And the kids around here are amazing. I love watching them grow up. I've embraced the village of Scarsdale and the village of Scarsdale has embraced me back. I feel very lucky.
What do you do for fun?
I love cooking, I enjoy a cigar every once in a while, and my photography is also my fun. I love jazz. I enjoy people; I consider people a hobby.
What's your drink?
I have 6 shots of espresso with a tall portion of milk. That's all the caffeine I have for the day. I love our teas. I like the earl gray and chai.
And with that, we concluded our interview and Mr. Mark gave me the biggest, tightest, most genuine hug goodbye. I highly recommend his hugs.
Labor Negotiator Alan Gordon Passes Away at 70
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Greenacres resident Alan S. Gordon passed away on January 1, 2016 in New Hampshire. He suffered from multiple system atrophy, a rare neurological disorder and died from a stroke.
Gordon was the executive director of the American Guild of Musical Artists and represented performers from all over the U.S. including the vocalists in NYC's Metropolitan Opera Company and the San Francisco Opera and Ballet. In a 2014 labor dispute with employees at the Metropolitan Opera, Gordon called for open negotiations to allow the press to report on the sessions. When the Met refused he invited reporters to pre-bargaining sessions. The New York Times said that Gordon "had a way of getting under his adversaries' skin and seemed to relish a good battle."
Peter Gelb, the General Manager of the Met said that a performance of the opera would be dedicated to Gordon this month.
Gordon was born on April 22, 1945 and grew up in the Norwood section of the Bronx where he attended public school. He graduated from City College and the Syracuse University College of Law and worked in labor law for the Textile Workers Union of America and the Directors Build of America.
Gordon is survived by his wife Susan of BrewsterRoad, his daughters Elizabeth and Jessica, a grandson and his sister Karen Gordon Marrinan.
A memorial service was held in his honor at the Riverside Memorial Chapel in Mt. Vernon where a tenor from the Met Chorus, Nathan Carlisle sang, "You'll Never Walk Along." Read more about Gordon here.
