Village Election Tuesday March 15: Voting Information
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The Village Election will take place on Tuesday, March 15, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. All election Districts will be voting at the Scarsdale Public Library, 54 Olmsted Road. All COVID-19 protocols set forth by the CDC for polling locations will be followed.
On the ballot three candidates are running for three Village Trustee positions.
Registration Information
Friday, March 4: Last day to register with Westchester County Board of Elections to be eligible to vote in the Village Election. The voter registration form can be downloaded from the Westchester County Board of Elections website: https://citizenparticipation.westchestergov.com/images/stories/pdfs/voterregeng.pdf. You must be a registered voter at your current address in the Village of Scarsdale to vote in the Village Election. If you have any questions about your voter registration status, please call the Westchester County Board of Elections at (914) 995-2000 or check their website https://citizenparticipation.westchestergov.com/register-to-vote. You may also check the website of the New York State Board of Elections: https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingRegister.html.
Absentee Ballot Information
Tuesday, March 8: Last day for the Village Clerk to receive applications for absentee ballots to be mailed to qualified voters. Voters can get an absentee ballot application (1) online from Village’s website https://www.scarsdale.com/523/Local-Election-Information, (2) request one by phone or mail from the Village Clerk, or (3) obtain one at the Village Clerk’s Office in Village Hall. Note: All voters can still apply to vote by absentee ballot using the temporary illness clause if there is a risk of contracting a disease (such as COVID-19).
Monday, March 14: Last day for the Village Clerk to receive in-person applications for an absentee ballot from an applicant or applicant’s agent.
Tuesday, March 15: Date of Village Election - Last day to drop off absentee ballots in-person (1) in the drop box at the Scarsdale Public Library any time before polls close at 9pm, or (2) in the drop box at Village Hall any time before it closes at 5pm. Also, this is the last day that absentee ballots sent via mail must be received by Village Hall.
For additional information, you may contact LWVS Voter Service Chairs Lauren Hertzog Fields, Beatrice Sevcik, or Jessica Zellner at lwvsvoterservice@gmail.com.
Succumbing to “Senioritis” in Scarsdale
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It’s the second half of the school year, and SHS seniors are coming down with something other than COVID. It’s a common syndrome called "senioritis" which was first noted in 1907 and is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as, “an ebbing of motivation and effort by school seniors as evidenced by tardiness, absences, and lower grades.”
With seniors done with college applications and some admitted to college, the pressure for perfection has lifted and seniors may need a boost to complete these last few months of school.
Some students feel they deserve a break. After 3.5 years of studying and homework and experiencing the rollercoaster COVID-19 placed on their learning experience, they are looking for stress relief. Though they realizes their classes still need to be taken seriously, if the straight-A student gets one B, not many will bat an eye.
For the remaining months of the school year, seniors will follow a separate schedule from the rest of the school: their third-quarter ends on March 18th, finals are from April 27th to April 29th, and Senior Options commence on May 2nd. Then the fun begins with the prom on May 19th, the senior class play from June 3rd to June 5th, Senior Options presentations ending on June 21st, and graduation scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on June 23rd.
With fewer than three months separating seniors from their final classes in Scarsdale, it’s no wonder they have newfound excitement and an extra urge to shrug off school obligations.
When asked about how real “Senioritis” is, senior David Zoota replied, “I think it’s real to the extent that people aren’t going to stay up super late to study. I feel like seniors are going to try and live a more ‘normal’ life. As long as my grades don’t go down, I am not going to stay up until midnight overstudying.”
Senior Jack Sindone, when asked about combatting the disease, said the key is “knowing that it’s going to hit a lot of people.” He added, as advice, “You need to make sure you know what you have to do and when it’s due. You must know how much is on your plate and continuing as normal as possible will help people remain at least somewhat productive: it has worked for me.”
Zoota concurred, even theorizing that “applying slightly less stress towards studying might actually help grades improve.”
One of the ways in which students are kept honest is the Advanced Placement exams that will be given from May 2 -13. With most students taking at least one AP test, there is an incentive to do the necessary work to prepare for the exams, which may allow them to place out of certain classes in college. If a student does not like math and wants to slack off now, the consequence is that they may have to take more math in college.
English teacher Frank Ceruzzi, who teaches a creative writing course for seniors, has an interesting plan to fend off senioritis. He said, “Now that we are beginning second semester, part of my planning is, in February, March, and April, to give students more choice, more voice, more independence, and hopefully that will keep them more invested. Right now, I am doing ‘choice books’ in creative writing. One of the goals there is to give students voice and choice in their work. We are also doing poetry in class which is something we will have more than enough time to complete in class.”
Before shirking on schoolwork, students who received an early decision acceptance to college should note the fine print of their acceptance letters. Most, if not all, colleges will look at mid-year and/or full-year grades to ensure students do not falter too much. Columbia University looks for “continued academic achievement.” New York University details, for accepted students, “You are expected to complete your academic coursework at a level consistent with what you achieved to earn your admission.” The University of Maryland describes, “It is our expectation that you maintain your current level of academic performance… Any significant changes in either of the above could result in the reassessment of your admission decision.” These sentiments are common threads for all colleges in the United States.
Third quarter grades do not need to be identical to first quarter grades but nonetheless, Scarsdale High School, parents, and colleges are keeping their eyes on student performance. But if the oldest students in town occasionally lift their foot off of the gas pedal a slight bit, no one should blame them.
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.
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.”
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 sbncchair@gmail.com. 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, ying.liu@gmail.com
