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Written by: Wendy MacMillan

Published: 17 December 2025

Created: 17 December 2025

Last Updated: 18 December 2025

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The Board of Education meeting on Monday December 15th, began with a somber message from Superintendent Dr. Drew Patrick which addressed recent acts of worldwide violence and affirmed the district's commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment. In his statement he shared:

“The period leading up to the holidays can often be challenging for many, bringing with it both great joy and sometimes significant stress. This difficulty was compounded over the weekend by deeply disturbing acts of hateful violence, which weigh heavily on the minds and the hearts of our students, staff and families, both the senseless shooting at Brown University and the anti semitic terror attack in Australia elevate our collective fears and challenge our sense of safety, reminding us that our school community is not immune to world events. We are connected to those communities as humans, but inevitably in very personal ways as well. These tragedies are a stark reminder of the division and prejudice that exist in the world. While it feels like we have to reiterate these things all too frequently, it is important to do so. We condemn hatred and violence in all its forms, extend our care and compassion to the victims and all those affected by these horrific acts, and we reaffirm our commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive and compassionate environment in every one of our schools, so they are places where every student feels seen, valued, heard and free from fear.”

Patrick ended his statement on a more uplifting note by wishing students and their families a restful break, a joyous holiday season, and a peaceful start to 2026.

Special Education Update

Later in the meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education, Eric Rauschenbach presented an update about the district’s Special Education program and highlighted four areas of significance including 1.Current Numbers and Historical Trends 2. Continuum of Service 3. Future Work and 4. Assessing special education.

To begin, Rauschenbach noted that after a decade of growth, Scarsdale’s Special Education enrollment is beginning to stabilize.The district currently serves 662 school-age students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 64 preschool students, representing a 14 percent classification rate. While the total reflects an increase of 242 students over the past 10 years, Rauschenbach shared that school-age classifications declined slightly this year for the first time since 2017–18, and initial referrals to the Committee on Special Education have leveled off.

Rauschenbach also highlighted that there has been a shift in the profile of students receiving services. The district has seen a decline in classifications for specific learning disabilities and a notable rise in autism and Other Health Impairment (OHI) classifications. OHI includes students with ADHD, anxiety, and depression, many of whom also have learning challenges.

Rauschenbach clarified that federal regulations allow only one classification per student, meaning the designation reflects the primary barrier to accessing instruction rather than the full range of needs. These shifts have required expanded social-emotional support and changes in instructional practice.

Scarsdale has made substantial progress in educating students within the district. Out-of-district placements have dropped from 12 percent to 3.4 percent over the past decade, with the number of students placed outside the district falling from 50 to 23. There are currently no out-of-district placements in grades K–2, and declines are seen across all grade levels.

At the same time, the number of students parentally placed outside the district has steadily decreased. These trends reflect the district’s long-standing commitment to providing a comprehensive continuum of services locally whenever appropriate.

Rauschenbach went on to explain the continuum of special education services that the district offers at each level.

These include:

Elementary schools provide Learning Resource Centers, Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) in four schools, and intensive special class programs.

Scarsdale Middle School offers Learning Resource Centers, ICT and special class options through the Parallel Program, the Scarsdale Support Program, and an 8:1:2 class beginning in sixth grade.

Scarsdale High School provides Learning Resource Center services, Skills classes with push-in support, the Scarsdale Support Program, and the new Pathways Program.

These programs are designed to ensure access to curriculum, build self-advocacy skills, and support long-term planning.

Looking ahead, the district plans to complete the rollout of ICT across all middle school core subjects and continue evaluating the need for expanded high school offerings, including alternate assessment programming by 2029. Rauschenbach emphasized that in-district programs remain more cost-effective than out-of-district placements and related that this year, the district enrolled five tuition-paying students from other districts in select programs, generating approximately $445,000 in non-tax revenue, helping offset program costs.

In terms of assessment, Rauschenbach described how individual student progress is assessed through the IEP process, which includes annual reviews, triennial evaluations, and clearly defined goals aligned to curricular and developmental needs. Families receive regular progress reports and are encouraged to request program reviews whenever needed.

At the program level, Scarsdale reviews both qualitative feedback and quantitative data. State assessment results show that students with disabilities consistently outperform state averages, with strong long-term upward trends in ELA, math, Regents passing rates, and graduation rates. Notably, Scarsdale’s graduation rate for students with disabilities meets or exceeds the general education graduation rate for Westchester County.

Rauschenbach credits the success of the Special Education program here in Scarsdale to the teachers, related service providers, aides, and administrators who work collaboratively to ensure that every student, regardless of need, has access to meaningful learning and a purposeful future. The data and outcomes reflect not only effective programming, but a community-wide commitment to inclusion, growth, and opportunity for all students.

To see the slide from the presentation see here.

Free School Lunch

Other highlights of the meeting include a cabinet update from Assistant Superintendent of Business, Andrew Lennon, who first shared that the Food Services Committee met to continue its evaluation of participation in the National School Lunch Program, a prerequisite for offering universal free meals. Committee members have conducted additional research and are preparing a survey to be distributed to the broader school community in January. Feedback from the survey will be combined with the committee’s ongoing analysis to produce a summary report for the Board of Education, including a possible recommendation or consensus. The Board is expected to review the findings in early 2026, likely in February, with a potential implementation date of September 2026 if a transition is approved.

Flood Remediation

In a separate update, Lennon reported positive developments related to flood management. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has approved a permit allowing dredging of up to 1,400 cubic yards of material from the stream near Brewster Road. The project is intended to support routine maintenance and reduce flooding during moderate storms. Final approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is still required but is not expected to delay the project. Consultants are preparing bid specifications, with construction anticipated to begin in 2026.

Supreme Court Ruling on Parental Rights

Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Dr. Edgar McIntosh, also shared an update at Monday night's meeting. He explained that the district has outlined updated guidance on curriculum and parental opt-out rights following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Mahmud v. Taylor, reaffirming the district’s commitment to an inclusive curriculum while complying with new legal requirements.

The ruling clarified that parents do not have the right to shield children from all ideas that may conflict with their beliefs, but schools must respect sincerely held religious beliefs, particularly for younger students and when instruction is clearly normative. While the case involved LGBTQ+ inclusive materials, the guidance applies to any content that may conflict with religious beliefs.

McIntosh emphasized that the district will continue using curriculum materials that reflect diverse identities and perspectives, in alignment with Board of Education policy and New York State’s Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education Framework.

To meet advance notice requirements, the district will post lists of commonly used instructional texts on its website. These lists will not be exhaustive, and teachers may continue to use additional developmentally appropriate materials from classroom libraries.

Parents may request an opt-out for lessons that directly conflict with their religious beliefs by contacting school staff and completing a short form. Alternative learning activities will be provided when feasible. The district will also continue its existing opt-out procedures for sex education and puberty-related instruction.

McIntosh said the guidance balances parental religious rights with the district’s obligation to provide an inclusive and comprehensive education.

Public Comment

During public comment, one Scarsdale resident thanked district leadership and the Board of Education for what she described as a comprehensive and transparent presentation on special education. Drawing on her experience as a parent of three students in the district, she praised the district’s long-term planning, strong professional development, and clearly defined continuum of special education services. She voiced strong support for continued investment at all levels, highlighting the importance of early intervention, expanded ICT offerings through middle school, and the thoughtful development of high school programs, including Bridge and alternate assessment planning. She also stressed the value of collaboration between families and the district and encouraged continued data-informed decision-making and family engagement.

Another speaker raised concerns about a recent event at the high school in which a student-led club, hosted members of the Israel Defense Forces search and rescue unit through a nonprofit organization. While acknowledging that the event followed existing district policies, she argued that allowing any foreign military-affiliated group into a public school during the school day is inappropriate, particularly when the military is involved in an active conflict. She expressed concern that the district’s suggestion of counter-programming places an unfair burden on students who may feel marginalized or at risk of social repercussions. She also urged the Board to revise district policy to prohibit foreign military-affiliated groups from presenting in schools during the school day, emphasizing the need to protect students and maintain neutrality in public education.

A correction from the district, "The Israeli Culture Club hosted a speaker from FIDF during a club meeting. It was attended by approximately 30 students. The subject matter was about the work FIDF does in supporting the search and rescue operations of the IDF around the world. no one from the IDF was invited or attended any event. There was a single representative from the Friends of IDF (https://www.fidf.org/about-us/), which is a registered 501(c)(3) organization.”

These are only some of the highlights from the meeting. To watch the meeting in its entirety, see here. 

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Written by: Wendy MacMillan

Published: 04 December 2025

Created: 04 December 2025

Last Updated: 04 December 2025

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Gambling and sports betting may appear harmless at first glance, but even occasional wagers can carry significant consequences for teenagers, influencing their mental health, relationships, and decision-making. Recent scandals in professional sports have further spotlighted the real-world dangers of gambling, underscoring why proactive education is critical, especially for young people navigating an increasingly digital landscape.

Middle school and high school educators, along with parents here in Scarsdale, have reported a noticeable rise in student gambling, driven in part by the easy access to online betting platforms. In response, the district organized a special presentation for 10th-grade students at the high school on December 3, aimed at raising awareness and supporting healthy choices.

To help families engage in this important conversation, parents were also invited to hear from the presenters at a program held on December 1st. The session offered an overview of the student presentation, explored the connection between underage gambling and mental health, and provided strategies for fostering informed, healthy decision making at home.

The program was facilitated by John Tessitore, Founder of the JCK Foundation (an organization dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and resilience) and Monique Tricarico, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Underage Gambling Prevention Coordinator at Student Assistance Services Corporation, a nonprofit specializing in youth prevention and education.

The presentation combined expert psychoeducation with John Tessitore’s compelling personal story. Together, the facilitators aim to help students understand how gambling can affect their mental health, influence their choices, and shape their lives. In addition to increasing knowledge, the program encourages students to think critically about their decisions and opens the door for meaningful conversations between parents and teens.

Some of the highlights from the thorough presentation include:

-Parents should make sure they understand how modern gambling works and that it includes forms of gambling such as: Fantasy Football Leagues, some forms of video gaming, poker games, on-line sports betting and so much more.

-It is beneficial for parents to understand how gambling can impact the developing brain and that gambling, like drugs and alcohol, affects the “reward pathway” of the brain.

-Some reasons youth gamble include: Fun, excitement, social pressure/influence, escape from stress/feelings/emotions, winning money, and FOMO (fear of missing out).

-Some warning signs that gambling has become a problem include: Mood changes after losing, spending more money than planned/borrowing money, losing sleep to play or bet, hiding from parents, feeling irritable or anxious when you stop, sudden interest in sports, sports odds or betting apps, defensive reactions when asked about money.

-96% of people who struggle with a gambling disorder also have a mental health diagnosis. Gambling can affect school, family, relationships, sleep, focus, mental health and is correlated with a risk for suicide and addiction.

-It is important for parents to talk to their teens about the risks of gambling and to establish space for healthy dialogue and non-judgemental communication.

The presenters suggest that a good way to start a conversation about gambling is to ask questions like, “what do you know about gambling?” and “Do you or any of your friends like to gamble?”

Parents seeking guidance on how to talk with their children about gambling can visit You Decide NY https://youdecideny.org/, the Student Assistance Services http://www.sascorp.org/ or the JCK Foundation https://www.jckfoundation.org/

If you are worried that you, or someone you know is struggling with gambling, you can call the NY HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (467369).

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 19 November 2025

Created: 19 November 2025

Last Updated: 22 December 2025

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(This is the opinion of Scarsdale10583 Publisher Joanne Wallenstein)

Is the school district budget heading toward a financial cliff?

That was the question parents asked Assistant School Superintendent for Business Andrew Lennon, but when they got the answer, no one seemed to know how to respond.

Late into the School Board meeting on Monday night November 17, 2025, Lennon presented a long awaited 5-Year Financial Plan for the Scarsdale Schools. It showed that the district has been using fund balances and reserves to balance the school budget and bring it in below the tax cap. In fact, $2.472 mm in reserves will be used to balance the 2025/26 school budget.

But draining reserves is not a long-term solution. When we continue to spend more than we take in, we use up our reserves and will eventually head into negative territory. And if Lennon’s projection is accurate, the $22.1 million fund balance as of June, 2025, will be down to just $2.3mm in June 2029.

By June 2030, the district will be $7.2mm in the red, and by June 2031, that deficit will fall to $19mm. See the chart below.

These projections were offered at the same meeting where the administration presented a $113 mm bond proposal that includes additions to Fox Meadow and Edgewood Schools along with a $15 mm air conditioning proposal and wide scale infrastructure improvements.

The catch is that Lennon’s dire financial proposal only included debt service payments on a tax neutral bond, of $40mm, not the $96-$113mm under consideration. With the new proposal approaching triple the tax neutral amount of $40mm, what would be the impact on district finances? Presumably debt service would rise and result in an even higher tax burden, further depleting reserves.

Looking back, how did we get to the point where we’re spending more than we’re taking in?

Staffing

As anyone who studies the school budgets knows, the budget is 85% personnel costs. Salaries, health benefits and retirement costs eat up most of the pie.

In the past ten years, the district has hired 74 more full time staffers while enrollment has declined by 82 students. So payroll costs have risen and we’re spending more per pupil to educate Scarsdale students. At the same time, health insurance costs have risen, the district has more people to insure on their self-insured health plan and there have been recent incidents of very high one time claims for catastrophic events or illnesses. Health insurance costs have been difficult to estimate given the unpredictability of health claims.

Special Education

The Special Education program has also contributed to this increase in costs. Here is a graph of the number of special education students from 2013 – 2024. The program has grown by 50%.

In addition to the teaching staff, the special education administration includes many full time employees. Here is a chart of a presentation in December 2024.

And there are plans to expand further in a chart that the Director of Special Education presented in December 2024.

8:1:2 and 12:1:2 Classes

One program has been launched to serve a very small segment of the population with individualized needs. According to the chart, there were a total of 13 elementary school students enrolled in the 8:1:2 and 12:1:2 program programs last year. These classes are for more disabled students who require therapy and life skills education. They were formerly educated out of district. Each class has a teacher and two aids and requires a classroom along with support spaces for services such as speech and occupational therapy.

Staffing these classes is intensive and the positions are tenured jobs. The population of these classes is highly variable, but the district cannot hire and fire based on the program enrollment.

The decision to bring this program in house was based on the assumption that it is less expensive to educate these students in district rather than pay out-of-district tuition which was estimated at $83,000 per student. The math may work if there is existing space in the district for the required dedicated classrooms and support spaces, but we don’t have the real numbers.

At the BOE meeting on November 17, 2025, the administration presented a proposal to add $14 mm to the upcoming bond, to build six additional classrooms and five new support spaces, much of it to house this special program at Edgewood.

What are the true costs of this program? We have not seen a fully-loaded long term analysis of the cost of the extra teachers and administrators, health insurance, retirement costs, therapy costs and now the $14 mm spatial expansion to accommodate the program. Does it make sense to spend an additional $14 mm to build these facilities when BOCES and other schools already offer what is needed? As another option, why not use rooms at Greenacres School which were proposed to alleviate crowding at Fox Meadow?

We also don’t know parents’ preferences. The results of a special education survey have not been released. Do parents prefer the in-district program to out of district placements that might meet specific needs?

It sounds heartless to discuss the economics of the Special Education program but we cannot be faint hearted about our finances.

Commenting on Lennon’s five-year forecast, Board Member Bob Klein said, “I feel strongly that people should live within their means. You don’t spend money you don’t have. There is an assumption in Scarsdale that we can afford things. Do we need a wake-up call? Do we need to think harder? Are we being naïve about what we think we can afford to do? Some are necessary and some are nice-to-haves. Do we think we can afford things that we cannot afford? Are we being irresponsible?”

To answer Klein’s questions, the Board needs an in-depth analysis of the 8:1:2 and 12:1:2 program costs. It’s clear that the continued expansion of personnel, facilities and services for a very small group of students, will ultimately impact the larger school population. Especially as the administration is proposing to spend $14 mm on new classrooms due to capacity constraints when there is an option to utilize BOCES and other out of district options for students that have very specialized needs.

As Klein said, Lennon’s financial plan should be a wake- up call to the Board of Education. They need to ask for all the numbers associated with the 8:1:2 and 12:1:2 program so that they can determine how much we can provide without putting the overall educational program and our solvency at risk.

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Written by: Sharon Higgins

Published: 12 November 2025

Created: 12 November 2025

Last Updated: 12 November 2025

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Tessa Franco, Lacrosse - SUNY Cortland On Wednesday, November 12, Scarsdale High School’s Learning Commons was packed with proud parents, family, and friends as the school honored 10 student-athletes at Fall Signing Day 2025. These seniors have committed to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level next fall. Athletic Director Cindy Parrott, with Assistant Athletic Director Jeff Weigel, welcomed the crowd and kicked off the celebration.

Before honoring the seniors, Parrott recognized underclassmen who have excelled this fall. Sophomore, Ava Turner won Section 1 in diving and will compete at the state championships on November 21–22. Sophie Rais, Sunny Kang, Ying Fang, and Alex Hormey were celebrated for winning the 400 freestyle relay, and Adrianna Pettinelli was recognized for winning the Section 1 Cross Country championships. Parrott also highlighted the Boys Volleyball team, which will compete in the Section 1 championships on November 13 and automatically advance to states later this month.

Parrott noted that “just under 7% of all high school athletes take their talents to compete at the college level” and praised the seniors for reaching this milestone. “Your hard work and dedication have paid off,” she said. “This commitment marks the beginning of a new chapter, go make Raider Nation proud!” She added that all athletes, whether committing to Division I, II, or III programs, deserve recognition for their achievements.Sophie Lamberg, Rowing - Boston University

The honored seniors are:

Division I

Stella Berry – Rowing, University of Texas at Austin
Sophie Lamberg – Rowing, Boston University
Alex Sharp – Rowing, Yale University

Division III

Colin Brennan – Football, Franklin & Marshall College
Tessa Franco – Lacrosse, SUNY Cortland
Katherine Kendall – Tennis, Williams College
Gil Krause – Baseball, Colby College
Leia Patel – Track & Field, Emory University
Jack Reis – Tennis, Amherst College
Charles Rich – Cross Country and Track & Field, Emory University

Parrott closed the event by thanking everyone for their support and reflecting on a successful fall season. She encouraged families to savor every moment, noting how quickly the past four years have gone and how fast the next four will pass. Alex Sharp, Rowing - Yale UniversityShe also thanked Maroon and White for their generous support of Scarsdale athletics and for helping make the day possible.

Colin Brennan, Football - Franklin & Marshall College

Tessa Franco, Lacrosse - SUNY Cortland

Katherine Kendall, Tennis - Williams College

Gil Krausz, Baseball - Colby College

Leia Patel, Track & Field - Emory University

Jack Reis, Tennis - Amherst College

Charles Rich, Cross Country and Track & Field - Emory University