Letter to the Editor: Did the School Board Go Too Far?
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Scarsdale School Board elections were held on May 21st of this year. Three of the seven seats were up for election, or nearly half of the Board. Two of the outgoing Board members had decided not to run for re-election, despite being eligible to do so. If they wanted to have a say in the future of our schools, there were free to run for a second term. They chose not to. On June 10, 2019, during the regularly scheduled Board Meeting, the contract of Superintendent Thomas Hagerman was extended for five years, beyond the term of the newly elected Board members. Not only was this significant action taken with no advance notice to the community, or opportunity for public comment, but it was taken by a Board comprised of 3 lame duck members. These outgoing Board members have effectively removed the newly elected members from the most important decision affecting our District. They will be required to run for a second term in order to have any say in the decision to employ our Superintendent.
This lame duck action was disingenuous and in direct conflict with the decision made during Board elections. Our community made the decision to have Karen Ceske, Carl Finger and Ron Schulfof represent us on the Board. They were chosen to exercise their best judgment. Unfortunately for them, and us as voters, much of their input has been usurped by people who have chosen not to serve any longer. This action was inappropriate and should be reserved for the incoming board. Dr. Hagerman’s contract was not set to expire until June 30, 2021, providing ample time for the new Board to provide considered input. According to documents produced by the District, there has not been a five-year Superintendent contract since 2001. With one exception, one of Dr. Hagerman’s agreements, all contracts and extensions have been for three years or less. We think it no small coincidence that three years is precisely the term of a Board member. We also find it interesting that the Board of Education does not keep a record of how each Board member voted on a particular subject. In other words, there is very little accountability. Most elected, representative bodies keep records for this very reason.
We fail to see any reason for such a rush, two full years before the expiration of the current contract or for any reason to extend the contract past the term of the incoming Board members. Did the outgoing Board have a lack of trust in the newly elected members? The Board of Education should govern their actions in light of the wants and desires of the community that elected them and to solicit input before simply enacting far-reaching decisions. This was not done and simply ignored the election results just shortly before. This is exactly the type of behavior that we have come to abhor in Washington, DC. We expected more from Scarsdale.
Roger Neustadt
Scarsdale Coalition for Safer Schools
Seniors Chalk It Up
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- Written by Sophia Albert
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Each year, the SHS senior class holds an annual chalking event early in the school year. This year at Scarsdale High School, the seniors were as enthusiastic as ever. Some came as early as 6:00 in the morning to create their masterpieces!
Each group was given a square to their chalk art. Some groups combined their squares to make an even bigger arrangement. Each piece was intricate and thought out, and seniors used different colors, blended the chalk with their hands, and included clever phrases. Many of the phrases incorporated the class graduation year, 20 (2020) in them. Some examples of phrases were “La2t 0ne” and “2 Infinity and Bey0nd”. The event was a great teamwork activity to launch the senior’s last year in Scarsdale.
See their creativity below:
Little Free Library Allows Neighbors to Share Books
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- Written by Jordy Love
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The Little Free Library, a non-profit organization that works to promote a love of reading, cultivate community and inspire creativity is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary this year. This book sharing movement was started in order to allow neighbors and community members to share books with one another. Over 120 million books have been exchanged in more than 90,000 Little Free Libraries since 2009. There are Little Free Libraries all over including all 50 states and 92 countries across the world. Not only has the organization established relationships between books and readers but has also strengthened the relationships between neighbors who go to the libraries and share their favorite stories.
The libraries are unconventional; they are small, weather proof structures that contain books and are often placed on front yards in order to make them easily accessible and visible in high foot traffic areas. In order to be officially called a Little Free Library, it must be registered with an official charter sign and charter number however there is no standard structure or shape for a free book exchange. I recently purchased a kit to build my own Little Free Library and I am excited to donate my books and learn more about my community through the books they enjoy.
Learn more about building your own Little Free Library here.
Inside the Admissions Office - at the JCCMW
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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What really happens behind the closed doors of the Admissions Office? On Monday, October 7, 2019 from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at the JCC of Mid-Westchester, 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale, the deans and directors of a number of top colleges and universities will open those doors and dispel the myths about what it takes to get into college. This is the eleventh year in a row this program is being presented.
The free community-wide event – “Inside the Admissions Office” -- is sponsored by the JCC of Mid-.Westchester and Woolf College Consulting. Students and parents will hear the real story behind how decisions are made from the deans and directors of Binghamton University, Mt.Holyoke College, Swarthmore College, Syracuse University, Union College, and the University of Chicago. The evening will give the public the opportunity to learn the differences and similarities in how decisions are made by a range of colleges including selective universities, state universities, and liberal arts colleges. Advance registration is required here.
Moderated by Mamaroneck-based college admissions consultant Betsy F. Woolf of Woolf College Consulting, students and parents will learn:
· What makes a student’s application “stand out”;
· How an admissions staff makes the ultimate decision to admit, deny or defer;
· How colleges weigh grades, test scores, family connections, athletics, campus visits, interviews, essays and other factors;
· The institutional needs and policies behind the decision-making;
· The difference between a well-rounded student and a well-rounded class – and why that is important in college admissions;
· Whether declaring certain majors gives students a leg up in the admissions process;
· How admissions committees treat the application of a student who discloses his or her learning difference or ADHD.
Betsy F. Woolf is a college admissions consultant and an award-winning editor specializing in higher education and secondary school. She is a magna cum laude graduate of NYU and holds a J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law and a Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA.
Who Wins? Who Should Win?
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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This is the opinion of site founder Joanne Wallenstein:
As a longtime resident and chronicler of the community I’ve seen many proposals for new facilities live and die.
Once upon a time, ice hockey enthusiasts set their sites on a skating rink next to the library but were dismissed by Fox Meadow residents who did not want an ice rink in a residential neighborhood. A few years later, in 2009, swimmers developed plans for an elaborate $25 million underground indoor pool and community center on the site of the outdoor pool. Neither of these passed muster, and in fact, some are still awaiting refunds for the fees they paid to join this never-built indoor pool.
After years of debate the community decided to commit $9.9 million of public funds in a public-private partnership for an extensive renovation and expansion of the library, but also shelved plans to build a new elementary school at Greenacres. Neighbors who bordered the Greenacres field launched a vocal and effective campaign to “Save the Field,” trumping others’ wish for a state of the art facility and silencing parents concerns about keeping children inside the antiquated school during the 2-year construction project.
Most recently, a proposal to build a dog park at the underutilized Weinberg Nature Center was squashed when a few neighbors raised the specter of increased traffic on Mamaroneck Road and the sound of barking hounds.
Why am I bringing this up?
Because we currently have two more proposals before us: one to install field lights on 80 -foot poles and a sound system at the high school…. and another for a large residential and commercial development project at the site of the Freightway Garage on the West side of the Metro North tracks.
Considering Scarsdale’s history, will these see the light of day? Will the fears of the few override the benefits to many?
I have no dog in either of these fights but it seems to me that decisions on most of the land use development proposals come down to NIMBY. If those who live closest to the proposed site, or would be most affected by the change are able to marshal support and run a successful campaign they can often kill a proposal that would improve the lives of other residents.
If however, the NIMBY forces fail to organize or are afraid to speak up, they’ll find that proponents for change will win out.
There are times when the overall benefit to the community should override parochial concerns. It’s unfortunate that many good ideas are turned down as a result of a few loud voices in the room.
And that’s where good governance comes in. The job of our school and village boards is to balance the needs of the individual vs. the community and strike the right compromise to benefit the most people.
Whatever the issue before them, let’s hope our leaders do their due diligence, listen carefully and do not permit a few outspoken people to dominate the conversation. Our chosen leaders have the interests of the community at large in their hands and it’s a big responsibility.
