Dugan to Step Aside from School Board Presidency After Pressure from the Community
- Details
- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: School News
After a tumultuous week in Scarsdale, School Board President Jim Dugan announced today that he is stepping down as President of the Board of Education – but will continue to serve out his term as a Board of Education member until the end of his term in June, 2027.
What led to his resignation? Last week there was an antisemitic incident at Scarsdale High School, where posters promoting an event sponsored by the Israeli Culture Club were put in urinals. The Board President’s daughter, who does not attend the high school, amplified the incident with a post on Instagram.
Dugan’s statement, along with those from the Board of Education, School Principal and Superintendent were not sufficient to diffuse anger from the community and a petition demanding his resignation circulated and was signed by over 1,000 people. A dueling petition was signed by supporters but Dugan decided to step down as President, saying, “The events of the last several days have made clear that my continuing in the role would be too much of a distraction from the critical work of the Board.”
A few minutes later, the community received a second email from the Board, announcing that Board Vice President Colleen Brown will assume the presidency until the Board elects a replacement for Dugan.
The conflict here in Scarsdale has been covered by television stations and newspapers and many hope that calm will now be restored.
See both of their emails below:
Dear Scarsdale Community,
After reflection and prayer, I have decided to step aside from the role of President of the Scarsdale Board of Education for the remainder of my term. The events of the last several days have made clear that my continuing in the role would be too much of a distraction from the critical work of the Board. I am sorry for the pain that this community is suffering. I empathize with that pain, and I hope that we can find some peace and unity as we work together to address and remediate incidents of antisemitism and intolerance in our schools. As our community continues to heal, I am dedicated to continuing my work as a board member alongside my colleagues as we collaborate with our school administrators to develop programs that can bring us together as a united Scarsdale.
Very truly yours,
James C. Dugan
From the Board of Education
Dear Scarsdale Community,
Earlier this evening, Board President Jim Dugan announced that he will be stepping aside from that role for the remainder of this school year. He will continue to serve as a member of our Board, until the end of his term, and remain an important voice in our deliberations and the decisions we make as we work through the serious issues facing our district, and the work still to be done for our upcoming budget and bond referendum votes on May 19. Effective immediately, Colleen Brown, our Vice President, will assume the responsibilities and leadership of the presidency until the board can elect a new president at an upcoming board meeting, consistent with Board policy.
This was an extremely difficult and personal decision for Jim; one we know he did not want to make. For nearly 20 years, Jim and his family have been a part of the Scarsdale community. He has contributed tirelessly of himself in service to others through community organizations and, over the past five years, our school district. His dedication to our students and commitment to this community have been unwavering and heartfelt. He has been a driving force for many of the innovative and precedent-setting initiatives our District has implemented that continue to earn Scarsdale Schools a reputation as one of the finest public-school districts in the country.
As Jim shared in his letter to the community, the circumstances that unfolded over the past week at our high school and involving a member of his family led him to this difficult decision. Putting the community first, Jim did not want to be a distraction that might intrude on the Board's work ahead, including responding to the recent antisemitic incidents with the seriousness they demand. We thank Jim for his leadership over this past year and know he will continue to be a strong advocate for our community throughout the rest of his term as a trustee.
As we noted in our letter to the community last Saturday, this Board condemns, in absolute terms, all forms of antisemitism, hate, and discrimination. The students responsible will be dealt with to the fullest extent possible as determined by our Student Code of Conduct. At no time should any student in Scarsdale Schools feel unsafe, disrespected or be a target because of their religion, background, race, or who they are or what they believe in.
We are committed to creating and sustaining learning environments in our schools that reflect respect, inclusivity, civil discourse, and an acknowledgment of our differences. What occurred last Friday made clear that, regardless of the various programs and processes we have, we still need to do more. To that end, this week several members of our Board attended a workshop at Purchase College entitled, “Identifying and Addressing Antisemitism in our Schools,” co-sponsored by Westchester Jewish Council. In addition, we will be reaching out to community partners to seek input, guidance, and what our next steps should be to raise awareness of the serious harm caused by all acts of hate.
We know there is anger, frustration, and pain in our community. We feel it also. We also know we must continue to engage, listen and lead with purpose, to ensure our schools are places that support our students’ well-being and ability to achieve their full potential. We can only accomplish this when we all work together in service of our children. Together, with understanding, we will build trust, unity, and come through this difficult time stronger and more united.
Colleen Brown, Vice President
Leah Dembitzer
James Dugan
Suzie Hahn
Robert Klein
Laura Liu
Amber Yusuf
Scarsdale Bowl Winner Terri Simon Urges You to Make the World a Better Place
- Details
- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: Events
One of the most unique aspects of Scarsdale is that the village is led by volunteers and in some cases, volunteers who spend almost as much time on their community assignments as they do on their full-time jobs. Running the schools, the village, land use boards, schools committees, recreation and more involve long hours of meetings and consensus building. The decisions they make are far-reaching including funding major capital projects like the expansion of Scarsdale Schools, the replacement of the Scarsdale Pool Complex and the reimagined Scarsdale Public Library.
These efforts don’t go unnoticed or unrewarded. Each year the Scarsdale Foundation hosts their annual Scarsdale Bowl Dinner to honor extraordinary community volunteers and thank them for their work on behalf of the Village. Selecting the honorees and hosting the dinner is a time-honored tradition, and this year, as in years past, Bowl committee members – who are also volunteers – put on a joyous and expertly produced event to recognize Bowl winner Terri Simon and Spotlight Award Winner, the Scarsdale Historical Society, at Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club in Mamaroneck on Thursday night April 23, 2026.
The evening began with photos and cocktails on an outdoor deck overlooking Long Island Sound. Guests sipped signature Greenacres Refresher mocktails [a nod to Simon, a former Greenacres PTA President] and Scarsdale Old Fashioneds in recognition of the Scarsdale Historical Society. Amongst the guests were former Bowl winners, members of the Scarsdale Foundation and Scarsdale leaders with representatives from the Village Board, School Board, Village Manager’s office, state legislators, business leaders, family members, friends from far and wide and even our Congressman.
Once seated for dinner, the room was greeted by 2026 Bowl Chair – and former Scarsdale School President – Pam Fuehrer who reminded the room that funds raised by the Foundation are awarded to Scarsdale college and postgraduate students to help them underwrite their education and realize their dreams.
Then the room was treated to a few songs from The Scarsdale High School a capella group For Good Measure and had the room moving and grooving to their rendition of Billy Joel’s, “For the Longest Time.”
After giving a shout out to the dinners’ sponsors, including Champion Sponsor, The Eye Gallery, she turned the mic over to Seema Jaggi, the Foundation’s President.
Jaggi said, “What really stands out about Scarsdale is the people. There’s a real sense of community here—a willingness to show up for one another—and the Foundation is one of the ways we do that. For more than 100 years, the Scarsdale Foundation has quietly supported local families and students facing financial challenges. Each year, we meet students with big goals and real needs, and we take the time to understand each situation so we can respond thoughtfully and meaningfully. Last year alone, we were able to help 48 students with nearly $230,000 in scholarships. We may not be able to do everything, but we know that what we do can truly change the trajectory of a student’s life and open doors that might otherwise have been closed.”
Presenting the Spotlight Award, Fuehrer said, “The Bowl Committee is happy to present the Scarsdale Foundation’s 2026 Spotlight Award to a dedicated, all-volunteer organization that has redefined historic preservation, creating cohesion and a "sense of place" through a multi-faceted and innovative journey, the Scarsdale Historical Society….Thank you to the Scarsdale Historical Society, for changing the way people think about the past by making history accessible, relevant, and meaningfully woven into everyday life.” 
President of the Scarsdale Historical Society Randy Guggenheimer accepted the award, explaining that the sale of the former Scarsdale Historical Society Museum on Post Road allowed the group to follow a new vision. He said, “We pivoted into the information age,” producing documentary films about Scarsdale history with Lesley Topping, digitizing more than 75 years of the Scarsdale Inquirer, hosting lectures about Scarsdale history and most recently producing a Podcast series called Scartales. He gave a shout out to Associate Village Historian Leslie Chang for hosting their social media and said the group also gives grants to other Scarsdale organizations. Lori Rothman then came up front to auction off a walking tour of Scarsdale with Village Historian Jordan Copeland which proved to be much in demand.
Announcing the 2026 Scarsdale Bowl recipient, Fuehrer said, “The Scarsdale Bowl is awarded annually to a resident whose unselfish volunteer service and leadership have profoundly enriched the civic welfare of our village. Throughout three decades of volunteerism, Terri’s impact spans foundational pillars of Scarsdale life: Educational Excellence, Library Modernization, Compassionate Advocacy, and Strategic Leadership. As many of us here know, her compassion and warmth, willingness to listen, professionalism, and a tireless work ethic have helped steer multiple boards and committees through significant challenges. Her guidance by example makes her an inspiring mentor to many.”
Simon looked thrilled to accept the silver bowl from Fuehrer saying “I am so, so honored to be included in the roster of extraordinary volunteers who have received this recognition – a group I have always admired – and I am most grateful.”
Congratulating the Scarsdale Historical Society she noted, “One fun fact I learned from your digitized Scarsdale Inquirers: the first owner of our house, Manvel Whittemore, a 1930s Mayor, was himself awarded the Scarsdale Bowl in 1948. Who knew? Maybe there’s something in the water!”
She continued, “Among the best aspects of volunteering in Scarsdale is the pervasive spirit of “unselfishness” that the Foundation collectively honors by the Bowl award. In the business world, as we all know, ambition or self-aggrandizement are common motivating forces. That is not the norm in the Scarsdale volunteer world.”
“Rather, we see, our local institutions thrive best when our shared and dominant goal is to sustain a wonderful community, doing important institutional work, yes, but more fundamentally weaving a fabric of warm, mutually-respectful relationships between all kinds of neighbors. Tackle the challenges, do the work – but remember to be a mensch. THAT’s what promotes the civic welfare of the community and nurtures us all.”
She traced her volunteer trajectory to Kathy Steves who recruited her to be Greenacres PTA President saying, “Here I am this evening – after decades of other volunteer roles that might not have come my way without that first phone call.”
She gave a callout to continue the volunteer trajectory saying “You just never know who will turn out to become a wonderful volunteer – unless you ask. So keep identifying younger residents, newcomers, and others who have not YET been involved – and think creatively about ways to mobilize their talents and enthusiasm, including bite-sized projects that can accommodate the many demands on their time. When asked, many of those folks will happily engage, with predictable ripple effects for us all.”
And to those in the room, she encouraged wider participation. “I hope you will each find some time to volunteer in the larger community beyond the bubble that is Scarsdale. If you bring your talents along with your compassion, warm respect for all kinds of other people, and a healthy dose of humility, you can help the world become a better place and you will appreciate, even further, our own great good fortune.”
A relatively new tradition at the Bowl dinner are video tributes to the honorees. Rather than long speeches from colleagues, friends and family members, the Bowl Committee produced videos about Simon and the Scarsdale Historical Society that were both amusing and enlightening. They served to offer credit to the awardees for all they have done – but also provide some comic relief.
In a follow up email to the community, Fuehrer said:
The annual Scarsdale Bowl dinner, held on April 23 at Mamaroneck Beach Club, was a tremendous success.
On behalf of the 2026 Scarsdale Bowl Committee, I want to thank everyone who supported and attended the Bowl Dinner this year. The energy in the room was high as we celebrated 2026 Bowl Award winner Terri Simon and the Scarsdale Historical Society, the 2026 Spotlight Award recipient.
I especially want to thank our thirteen corporate sponsors, including our Champion Sponsor, the Eye Gallery of Scarsdale, along with House of Flowers, Landsberg Jewelers, Wilson & Son Jewelers, The Laura Miller Team at Houlihan Lawrence, Scarsdale Improvement Corporation, Cum Laude Group, The Scarsdale Office of Houlihan Lawrence, The Angela Retelny Team at Compass, Andi Schreiber Photography, Yvonne's Team at Arwen Nicolas Inc., The Randi Culang Team at Compass, and Mark Nadler at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices NYP. Your generosity allowed us to present the evening’s program.
The Scarsdale Bowl and Spotlight Awards honor the spirit of volunteerism that makes Scarsdale so special. The Bowl Dinner brings together volunteers and reminds us of how fortunate we are to be living and working together in our village. The evening is always open to all Scarsdale residents and we hope those of you who could not be there this year will join us next year. It's a special event.
All photos by Andi Schreiber: Order yours here. Photo gallery password: Bowl2026.
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