Board of Ed Congratulates Regeneron Semi-Finalist, Names District Architects and Offers Update on Puberty Education
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- Written by: Wendy MacMillan
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The first Board of Education Meeting of 2025, was short and sweet but still managed to cover a lot of important topics. Some of the matters discussed included a congratulations to an SHS Regeneron Science semifinalist, an overview of the District’s budget planning process, appointments of an architect and engineering firm, and construction management firm, and the Board’s decision on the NYSED Regionalization Initiative, just to name a few.
Regeneron Science Talent Search Semifinalist
After a warm welcome from BOE president Suzie Hahn, Superintendent Drew Patrick kicked off the meeting by recognizing Scarsdale High School Kelly Deng, who was recently named a semifinalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Search. Deng is one of 17 semifinalists in Westchester and only 300 across the nation. According to the Society for Science “The Regeneron Science Talent Search provides students a national stage to present original research and celebrates the hard work and novel discoveries of young scientists who are bringing a fresh perspective to significant global challenges. The 300 scholars and their schools will be awarded $2,000 each.”
The website also makes clear that, “Scholars were chosen based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions and exceptional promise as STEM leaders demonstrated through the submission of their original, independent research projects, essays and recommendations.”
Deng was recognized for her project on Macrophage-Stimulating Protein/RON (MST1R) Sensitivity Underlies the Pathogenesis of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Potential for Novel Pharmacological Interventions via Transcriptomic Imputation. Patrick called Deng’s work “fantastic” and offered a heartfelt congratulations.
Budget Development Process
With budget season right around the corner, Patrick also made note of the very detailed budget development process and highlighted some upcoming meetings. These budget meetings actually started on November 18th when the BOE invited community members to provide input on 2025/26 budget priorities. Other meeting dates include:
The Board will hold a Business Meeting on January 27th to discuss the initial budget development and staffing recommendations for the 25/26 school year. Following this meeting, the BOE will hold Budget Study Session number one, where they will discuss current year end projections and the various budget drivers and budget components such as debt service and transportation.
Then on March 3rd, at Budget Study Session Two, an updated Draft Budget Plan will be provided and will focus on budget components and instruction, special education, facilities, safety and security and technology.
A week after that on March 10, the BOE will host Budget Study Session Three, where they will provide an update based on the prior meeting and then a full budget presentation.
At the business meeting on March 24th, there will be another Public Forum for comments related to the budget and a review of the draft budget plan.
Then the Board will hold a Business Meeting on April 7th, where Patrick expects that the BOE will act to adopt a budget. Patrick explained, “That timing is important because there's a number of benchmarks that follow after that, that are statutorily required prior to the ultimate budget vote.” Patrick went on to say, “We submit a tax report card to the State Education Department and after that the budget is adopted by the Board.”
After they distribute a Budget Insight mailer that goes to every home in the community, the Board will hold a Statutory Budget Hearing that will take place on May 12th.
The budget vote, which will occur on Tuesday, May 20th in the middle school gymnasium.
Puberty Education
During the meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Edgar McIntosh gave a brief Cabinet Update outlining some of the recent work he and Director of Physical Education and Health, Ray Pappalardi have done with the District’s fifth grade puberty education. In an effort to provide the community with full transparency of what can be a sensitive subject for some, McIntosh explained that he and Papplardi hosted a webinar on Tuesday, January 7th for kindergarten through fifth grade parents and guardians.
About the webinar McIntosh said, “The purpose was to explain recent and upcoming changes to the elementary health program. Ray described his work gathering information, aligning standards and collecting resources. This includes expanding lessons required by Aaron's Law and personal body safety.”
McIntosh went on to say that on the webinar, “I reviewed the updates to the fifth grade puberty education, incorporating recent student questions and educator feedback. Participants could submit questions during the webinar and it was recorded for those unable to attend live and the recording will be available in the coming days.”
The following morning, McIntosh and Pappalardi hosted a well attended elementary coffee session, for families with current fifth graders, allowing them to review curriculum materials and ask follow up questions in person. McIntosh indicated that he plans “to make this an annual event to reflect the ongoing refinement to our resources, and regarding puberty education.”
Before moving on, McIntosh took the opportunity to highlight a PTC presentation featuring Vanessa Kroll Bennett, who is the coauthor of This Is So Awkward, Modern Puberty Explained and cohost of the podcast by the same name. The presentation will take place at the middle school auditorium on Wednesday, January 22nd at 7 PM. An invitation from the PTC reads:
"The PTC is excited to invite you to a special event featuring Vanessa Kroll Bennett, a renowned writer, speaker, and advocate for supporting children and teens as they navigate life’s challenges. Vanessa brings her expertise in parenting, education, and adolescent development to provide practical, compassionate strategies for fostering resilience, connection, and growth in our kids. She will cover modern realities for today's adolescents, managing kids' mood swings, understanding tween and teen brain development, and framing burgeoning identity formation.
Whether you're navigating the ups and downs of parenting or looking for tools to strengthen family dynamics, this lecture promises to be insightful and empowering. Check out her podcast This Is So Awkward to get a preview of her approachable and entertaining approach."
District Architects
An update from Andrew Lennon, Assistant Superintendent for Business, included information on his recommendation that the BOE award the RFP for BBS Architects and Arris Contracting Company allowing the District to move forward with their capital planning process. After an exhaustive search and thorough due diligence, in a report Lennon said of his decision to recommend BBS Architects:
“In the end, two primary factors influenced our recommendation. First, BBS convincingly demonstrated to us that they center their work on the activity of learning in a public school environment in NYS, and they conceptualize those ideas in a process coordinated with the practical needs of schools and NYSED. Second, they have successfully demonstrated what it takes to shepherd a large number of diverse projects such as the renovation and new construction of Greenacres Elementary School, as well as more mundane infrastructure improvements that are important though less visible. Furthermore, they have done this by successfully navigating both community engagement and regulatory processes, and delivered projects on time and within budget.”
No to Regionalization Initiative
Another highlight of the meeting was Dr. Patrick’s announcement that he and the BOE have decided not to participate in the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) Regionalization initiative. At a BOE meeting on December 16th Patrick related:
“Earlier this year, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) launched an initiative known as Regionalization. According to NYSED, "The Regionalization Initiative is a collaborative regional planning approach for local districts to communicate what they need in order to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students, leveraging the state’s existing capabilities, talent, and infrastructure. By engaging in regional conversations, schools and districts may identify, explore, and choose whether to pursue a variety of possible solutions to the academic and operational challenges they face by tapping into the full span of resources that already exist in their larger region." The initiative outlines five steps Districts are to follow over a period of two years to develop a plan that identifies shared "activities" between school districts within a BOCES region that support successful outcomes for students. The regulations require this process to occur every 10 years.”
The NYSED received a lot of pushback from many districts across the state prompting them to share a November 26, 2024 letter to stakeholders, where the “Commission of Education addressed concerns about mandatory participation in Regionalization by indicating that a new provision (Section 1242.8) will be added, which allows districts in consultation with their school boards, to elect not to participate in the regionalization planning process by submitting written notification by January 15, 2025.”
After noting that several neighboring districts have already opted out of participating, several boards members expressed their concerns with the unknown and the lack of clarity with the initiative with one member saying, “I don't think it's clear enough to be compelling and as we discussed in December, there are many ways that as a district we already liaison, collaborate and are open to partnerships. Also concerning, I think that we have a lot of complex, compelling work at the local level that already requires a lot of our time and attention as it is.
Demonstrating further support of opting out, Ron Schulhof added, “I've thought about this a lot since our last discussion and I more firmly believe we should opt out. I think for three reasons, one is the amount of work we have here at the local level both for our students and our community. Two, the uncertainty of the initiative. And three, as I think about some of the liaison assignments, we [already] have collaboration at the board level, at the administrative level of the superintendent level, and at the building level. I can't speak for the rest of the state, but it seems like Westchester and Putnam are doing it pretty well.”
Schulhof believes that our region is already collaborating so well that he suggested when telling the state that the District is opting out, he “would even love for us to go a little further and say back to NYSED, this is why we are opting out and maybe our region can be a model if there's a sense that this isn't happening in other parts of the state.
More information about the Regionalization initiative and all of the other meeting highlights, can be found in the Board of Education’s Board Docs here.
Scarsdale's Chase Kantor Wins Service Award for Improving the Well-Being of Worldwide Youth
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After founding Goalkeeper in ninth grade, a nonprofit that works to address the needs of communities around the world, Scarsdale High School Junior Chase Kantor ended 2024 on a high note when he received a Youth Service Award from the Westchester County Youth Bureau in recognition of his hard work.
The annual Youth Service Award Ceremony which honors “exceptional high school juniors and seniors who have distinguished themselves through their leadership and commitment to service and social justice,” was held on December 19th. In addition to Scarsdale’s own Chase Kantor, this year the ceremony celebrated ten remarkable students from around Westchester.
According to the Westchester Government website,“To qualify for nomination, they completed impactful projects on topics ranging from developing technical assistance for individuals with developmental disabilities to fostering literacy among young readers and raising funds for youth in homeless shelters both locally and internationally.”
Describing the work he’s done, Chase Kantor said he founded Goalkeeper “to give back some of what I have gained living in a town with adequate resources to support an active and healthy lifestyle. Since then, I've raised over $40,000 through annual pickleball tournaments at Fenway Golf Club, basketball skills clinics at Chelsea Piers, securing business advertisements from Scarsdale staples like Giannonis, marketing branded merchandise, and organizing S'mores and Waffle Stands at Chase Park.”
Kantor added, “These funds have directly addressed needs in communities around the world, improving outcomes for youth, creating opportunities for mental and physical development in underserved areas. We provided $11,639 for clean water systems and field renovations in Senegal and $13,280 to support basketball programs and educational opportunities for youth athletes in Dakar, two of our largest projects to date.”
Additionally, Chase collected 150 donated professional NBA and NFL jerseys worth over $10,000, which were distributed at zero dollar Holiday Pop-up shops at Mt Vernon Boys and Girls club and White Plains Coachman Family Center this December, in collaboration with Back Back America, providing access to symbols of athletic achievement that might otherwise be beyond these kids' reach.
Kantor says he also coaches flag football at both locations, which inspired him to develop a course combining wellness, fitness, and entrepreneurship, which he taught this past summer. “Every class included simple workouts that students could replicate at home, handouts with stories of people turning ideas into successful fitness ventures, and motivational activities, like designing a journal with fitness goals or posters with inspirational quotes from famous athletes.”
When asked what inspired him to create Goalkeeper, Kantor said, “Sports and outdoor activities have always been an important part of my life. It’s one of the reasons my parents chose to move to Scarsdale- they wanted my brother and I to have access to outdoor spaces and community programs. Growing up, I participated in nearly every recreational league Scarsdale had to offer. Those early experiences helped me be active, social and taught me the value of teamwork and hard work.
While I knew that not everyone has the same opportunities we have in Scarsdale, after a conversation I had with a family friend who worked in communities across Africa, who explained how many villages lacked funding for soccer programs, clean water for their athletes, and even basic field maintenance, I decided to do something about it. Since then, I’ve worked independently and in collaboration with other organizations similarly devoted to improving access to recreational, wellness, and developmental opportunities for youth around the world.”
Whether he’s working to ensure that soccer players in Africa have access to clean water, or designing fitness lessons to teach the importance of wellness and nutrition, Cantor hopes to build stronger, healthier, and more connected communities through hands-on engagement and fundraising, locally and abroad.
Letter to the Editor: In Opposition to Artificial Turf
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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(This letter was written by Deborah Porder of Scarsdale)
Dear Superintendent Patrick, Mayor Arest, Scarsdale Board of Trustees and Scarsdale Village Manager,
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the installation of artificial turf on Scarsdale playing fields.
Please do not expose our children to toxic substances that can damage their health or even kill them. Artificial turf contains carcinogens and neurotoxins. It contains PFAS. The EPA has recently said that there is no safe level of PFAS exposure and it is banned in Europe. Young children are especially vulnerable to it. Artificial turf exposes players to extreme heat on hot days and can cause heat-related illnesses.
I beg you not to purchase something that will increase the flooding that many Scarsdale residents are experiencing on a regular basis. Artificial turf does not absorb as much water as grass. We need more greenspace to absorb stormwater, not less.
Lastly, we should not be contributing to toxic air pollution that all of us will have to breathe. The lifespan of artificial turf is ten years. We should not be putting tons of toxic plastic in the County incinerators every ten years.
For me, the risk benefit analysis weighs heavily in favor of keeping our environmentally friendly grass fields. Grass is benign. Maybe it costs more to maintain, but there are costs associated with diseases and flooding caused by artificial turf. Don't just think about what the Village will have to pay to maintain the grass. Please consider the health and property damage that Scarsdale residents and others will suffer from artificial turf.
Kind Regards,
Deborah Porder
46 Lawrence Rd
Scarsdale, NY 10583
(914) 725-6393
Scarsdale Family Counseling Service Seeks Board Members
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Are you interested in joining the Board of a non-profit organization right here in Scarsdale? Are you passionate about supporting families and individuals in our community? The Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service (SFCS) is looking for enthusiastic and dedicated individuals from the Scarsdale/Edgemont community to join our Board of Trustees.
As a Board member, you'll play a vital role in guiding and shaping our organization's mission to be a hub for family growth and learning.
What is SFCS? Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service is a voluntary, not-for-profit family counseling agency. With over a century of service to the Scarsdale community, SFCS has been a cornerstone, offering counseling services, social programs, and crucial initiatives like our Scarsdale Action for Youth (SAY). In addition to counseling services, the Agency provides social service programs for Scarsdale residents across the life cycle from social skills groups for young children to leadership training programs and adventure trips for teens, to facilitated monthly discussion groups for parents with kids in 5th-12th grades, to aging in place services for older residents.
Why Join Us?
• Make an Impact: Your involvement directly contributes to supporting families at every stage of life.
• Community Engagement: Connect with like-minded individuals dedicated to the betterment of Scarsdale and beyond.
• Personal Growth: Gain valuable experience and insights in nonprofit governance and community leadership.
Who Are We Looking For?
We welcome Scarsdale residents with diverse backgrounds and experiences who are committed to our mission.
How to Apply: Interested in becoming a part of our Board of Trustees? Apply by February 1, 2025 by sending a short email with the following information to SFCSNominatingCommittee@yahoo.com
1. Volunteer/Professional Background
2. Community Experience in Scarsdale/Edgemont
3. Experience with SFCS
Join us in creating positive change in our community! Together, we can make a difference in the lives of Scarsdale families and individuals.
Thanks for your time and consideration.
The SFCS Nominating Committee
District Assesses "Off and Away" Smartphone Policy in Schools
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- Written by: Sharon Higgins
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Technology and in particular smartphones are not going away. However from the SHS/SMS joint presentation on November 20, “Phone Smart: How Can We Support our Youth in the Smartphone Era?” itis possible that future Scarsdale students will benefit from a policy that will have them putting their phones away from “bell to bell”.
The evening’s panel discussion, with an introduction made by Scarsdale Schools Superintendent Drew Patrick, highlighted the impact smartphones and social media have in our classrooms. Patrick talked about the challenges of smartphones and how “living” with technology and smartphone use would need to be a partnership between teachers, students and parents. He presented a short video taken at a conference this summer addressing this issue with Governor Hochul, various New York state teachers organizations representatives and students from across the state who gave soundbites on the harm smartphones have on students of all ages. Patrick noted that the surgeon general claims 95% of 13-17 year olds report using social media. And what that really means is that these kids are constantly getting beeped and buzzed throughout the day urging them to look and respond to a small screen that is attached to them at the hip.
Governor Hochel supports a “bell to bell” ban (8am-3pm) on all personal internet devices and feels it should be uniformity from class to class. Currently there is an Off and Away school policy in Scarsdale. For elementary school, children's phones and smart watches ideally should not be brought to school at all but if necessary, they should be turned off and put away in their backpacks. At Scarsdale Middle School, smart watches do not need to be put away but phones are left off and away in lockers. At the high school, students enter each class and place their phones in the phone caddy at the entrance of the class to be picked up at the end of class on their way out at the end of the period.
SHS English teacher Jennifer Rosensweig, helps to lead the district on the current school policies on smartphone use. At the meeting, she invited a panel of SMS and SHS students and faculty to discuss their opinions on smartphones and social media and their effects in the school setting. Rosensweig insists that both her experiences and observations as a teacher at SHS and the many studies she has researched over the years, technology has a negative impact on students.
She explained that in 2015 she started noticing a drop off in reading ability which led her to start looking at data on screentime of the adolescent mind. Since then it has been “a long journey of research”. She states that “the research is so strong, we can’t look away”. She refers to her personal experience with over 1,500 students where she has seen a difference in concentration, sleep habits and even an increase in anxiety. Students are now starting to ask for help with this issue. As a member of the SHS wellness committee that implemented the start of the phone caddy systems last year, she has received reports from teachers that the program has given them back their classrooms. Rosensweig says phone caddies “make a difference but not enough”. She adds that it is not realistic to eliminate smartphones altogether; however each student needs seven hours a day without pings and buzzes calling out to them.
As each of the student and teacher panelists were asked questions by Drew Patrick on their personal smartphone use, it was very clear from their answers that nobody thinks it’s a good idea to have smartphone access during the school day. One student commented that a “phone cleanse makes my day better. I can think better and just do more”. Another said that “without the phone it felt mentally refreshing. I can enjoy my classes, clear my mind during the day and have great conversations at lunch with my friends”. One student admitted that she “goes straight on it after class in the hallway and is on it the whole walk to my next class. I don’t even look up”. Rosensweig inserted that in her research she found that students “need down time between classes to absorb the information just taught and if they look at a screen that information is immediately lost”.
At one point a student exclaimed that smartphone use “is an addiction. I get a craving to be on it”. Having phones in the phone caddies this past year and a half, teachers have seen some real progress. In fact, one teacher commented that there has been “an enormous reduction in bathroom trips and they are far quicker”. Rosensweig also cautions us to be wary of “hyperbolic language for the threat of an emergency when students feel obliged to answer texts from parents.” She added that ipads and laptops also have social media messaging. A math teacher commented that in her class, she doesn’t really need technology except to submit scanned homework which takes all of 60 seconds. However, she does notice that when she returns tests at the end of class there is a mad student dash to retrieve their phones. She informs her students they don’t need to use their phones to calculate their grade percentages! There was definitely a chuckle or two from the audience here. But her story relates to Rosensweig’s comment that this is “not a children’s problem to solve”. Recognizing this, the district's Technology Department has been working very hard to figure out a balance between the technology smartphone use in the school and also how teachers use technology in the classroom.
The last question directed to the members of the panel was, “If you could change something why and what would you do?” Overwhelmingly the panel asked for a “more unified effort to keep phones off and away”. Rosensweig’s last words were of gratitude to be at this event and though she would like to see more progress, she believes we have come a long way already. She is glad that the community is talking more honestly about this and reiterated that kids deserve a more communicative and cooperative learning experience.
Drew Patrick closed the evening discussion with information on the Bell to Bell without phones program implemented in the Bethlehem Central School District. In this school district phones brought to school go in Yondr pouches and are sealed up as they enter school. The pouches demagnetize the phones in the sealed pouch. As the students leave for the day they unlock the pouch at exit stations to retrieve their phones from the pouches.
The Yondr pouches caused a change in social student connectedness. Drew Patrick sees the smartphone policy as a partnership between the schools and parents. “We can’t do this alone” he stated. “There is not a big solution” at the moment but he is hopeful for “a discussion for future dialog.”
Last, he directed parents who would like help with conversations with their children about smartphone use to the Scarsdale Family Forum pages. The Scarsdale Family Forum was designed and supported by the district’s Technology Department to help parents, teachers and administrators to start discussions on challenging issues.
