Scarsdale Soccer’s Section Final Run Signals a Change in Outlook
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- Written by: Adam Katcher
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(Pictured above: The Raiders players and coaches lined up ahead of their narrow final defeat against Mamaroneck on October 30th)
For the past decade, Scarsdale’s Varsity Boys’ Soccer Team has been “just another team” in Section 1, Class AA. They were not known as “awful,” but the term “powerhouse” did not come to mind either. They would typically start the season slowly, end the regular season with a flurry of good results, and then be in the middle of the pack in terms of playoff seeding, before ultimately being tossed out in the early rounds.
Scarsdale was not bad, but they were “just another team” to their rivals, capable of strong performances, yet not too daunting to come up against. They were “just another team” at school as well, with people sometimes mentioning the scores but still living in the shadows of the football team. Even to the team themselves, they were “just another team,” always craning their neck to see the upper echelons of Section 1’s soccer hierarchy.
This season was a season a long time in the making. This season confirmed that Scarsdale is no longer “just another team,” and that will be the case for years to come. This season showed the Raiders are feared opponent.
Scarsdale entered the playoffs as the number three seed, finishing the season with a remarkable 11-2-2 record. Their placement in the postseason was up in the air until the final match, when an impressive 2-1 Senior Day victory over Mamaroneck earned the Raiders the third seed.
A 4-1 Round of 16 victory over Ketcham and 3-0 brush aside of North Rockland in the quarterfinals set Scarsdale up with a semi-final clash against Arlington. The first time Scarsdale visited the Admirals (early in the regular season), the hosts won 2-1. Scarsdale coach Marcos Monteagudo told his team that if they needed to go back north in the playoffs to play Arlington again, then Scarsdale should not be scared.
In one of the most convincing performances of the season for any team in any class of Section 1, Scarsdale eased by second-seed Arlington 3-0, with two remarkable solo goals from Lorenzo Galeano and Adrian Lim, as well as a composed finished (from a precise Eli Gelblum assist) from Nico Galeano proving to be the difference.
In the finals awaited Mamaroneck. Both sides had chances throughout the final on October 30 – with many members of the Ders’ Faithful making the long trip to Lakeland to support the team, suggesting Scarsdale soccer was getting the elite attention it deserved. Ultimately, a scrappy second-half goal from the Tigers proved to be the lone goal of the match.
Coming so agonizingly close to winning the section always has a bitter taste. Fortunately for the Raiders, the indications show that they will not need to wait for more than a decade for their next crack at winning the section championship. Even with 15 seniors graduating, the future is brighter than ever.
Five of the eleven starters for Scarsdale in the final were not seniors. Two are freshmen. Many other non-seniors made significant contributions this season as well. The Junior Varsity Team won every match they played, signaling there is a strong crop of underclassmen talent ready to be thrown right into the fray next season.
For the longest time, Scarsdale was “just another team.” This year, they were anything but that. Now that they made the section finals this season, there is a new baseline expectation. And, with a considerable amount of the core from this year’s team primed and ready to come back next season – as well as an injection of new talent – who knows how far the 2022 Scarsdale Boys’ Varsity Soccer team can go.
The bond within the team is firmer than ever. The desire to lift the championship plaque is stronger than ever. The hunger for revenge is louder than ever. The tools are most certainly there for Scarsdale to identify themselves as major section-championship-vying contenders for years to come.
Scarsdale sweeped by Arlington 3-0 to clinch a spot in the Section 1 Finals (October 27th)
SHS Class of 2021 Halloween Hijinks
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High spirits and hijinks marked the Class of 2021 Halloween celebration at the entry to Scarsdale High School on October 29, 2021. Though a plague doctor provided a grim reminder of the year behind them, the exuberant seniors showed COVID to the door, reveling, posing and prancing in their colorful costumes.
We saw pandas, priests, princes prisoners and Pooh, gold Olympiads, Go Go dancers, the Incredibles, the cast of Sesame Street, donuts, Dorothys, gladiators, Greek goddesses, Cinderella, astronauts, the air force, security guards, twin dalmations, strawberry shortcakes, zombie girl scouts, cavemen, highlighters, the blue man group and the President of the United States with his entire security detail. The faculty got into the act too, with the administration and counseling department dressed as Pink Ladies and Danny Zuko , peaceniks, superheroes, and more. With boys dressed as princesses and girls as security guards, the costumes defied stereotypes and were truly “woke.”
The outdoor fun concluded with a hilarious speech from the President of the United States, Eli Greenwald, backed by his security guards in suits and earpieces. Quoting, or misquoting, past presidents he said, “My Fellow Americans, Yes, we can. There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again. We Choose to go to the moon not because it is easy but because it is hard. To the American people, I say this. I did not have sexual relations with that women. Obama out…..”
District Unveils New DEI Website
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The concept of diversity, equity and inclusion and what it means for a public school district is not easy to grasp. Is it an idea that is taught, a philosophy that impacts the school’s physical plant, an employment policy for faculty and staff or an ethos for how those in the school community should relate to one another? The answer is all of the above. If so, how can the district adapt to include DEI into all aspects of the school experience for Scarsdale’s 4,700 students and staff?
In order to answer these questions and to build a home for their DEI policies and initiatives, the district has built an impressive new website that is accessible, informative and well designed. It showcases all aspects of DEI in the Scarsdale Schools, including term definitions, goals and policies, a history of DEI initiatives, information about partners and collaborators, reading resources, information for faculty and staff, statistics, student involvement and more.
As explained on the website, “The Board of Education and Scarsdale Union Free School District are committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students, especially those currently and historically marginalized. As such, we are committed to ensuring that all students feel safe, included, welcomed, and accepted, and experience a sense of belonging and academic success.
We recognize that inclusive education is based on the principles of acceptance and inclusion of all members of the school community. Therefore, students and faculty should see themselves reflected in the curriculum, physical surroundings, staff/faculty representation, and the broader environment, in which diversity is honored and all individuals are respected.
In order to realize this goal, it is imperative that the Board, District employees, and volunteers, and students understand the historical injustices and inequalities that have shaped our society and recognize and eliminate the institutional barriers, including racism and biases, that have and may continue to contribute to disparate educational outcomes within our schools.”
An exploration of the new website reveals a wealth of information pertaining to the staff, the students and the curriculum and highlights policies on topics such as sexual harassment, student harassment and bullying, the teaching of religion and controversial issues and equal educational opportunities.
Other pages define DEI goals by grade level and showcase a library of books that deal with these sensitive topics for children of all ages.
The site was designed to be user friendly for students, staff, parents and the community. The icons on the home page are easy to understand and navigate. An exploration of the site shows how much the district has already done that may be reconsidered through the lens of DEI.
The site can be accessed by visiting the Scarsdale School District website and going to Shortcuts, DEI or by clicking here. Whether or not you have children in the schools, take a look at this impressive new undertaking. It should make you proud to live here and be a part of the community.
Presenting the new DEI page to the community at the October 18 BOE meeting, School Superintendent Dr. Hagerman called it a “rich resource,” and explained, “The working definitions are a springboard for conversations.” He said, “It is designed for a variety of audiences,” and will allow users to “Dig into our DEI plans for 2021, what has happened already and the path that took us to where we are today.” He noted the speakers, collaborators and authors who are working with the district on enriching the DEI experience, all represented on the site.”
He said, “We are adding to this every day. We are incorporating the feedback that we receive. I would encourage folks to use this tool to follow our diversity trajectory in the community.” He thanked parent leaders who have been integral to the district’s DEI work.
District Reviews Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives at SMS
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The Scarsdale Middle School PTA hosted a webinar entitled “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Middle School Community and Curriculum” on Tuesday night. Dr. Edgar McIntosh, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Ms. Meghan Troy, Principal of SMS, presented on the ongoing efforts at the building level to engage in meaningful DEI work. PTA President, Leah Dembitzer, welcomed the parents, teachers, and students who were viewing the event and discussed that one of the 2021-22 PTA’s main goals is to reconnect with each other and build an inclusive community. She discussed several PTA initiatives related to DEI that were launched this fall including: the SMS Parent-Teacher Book Club is reading Crying in H Mart and additional learning resources are available if any SMS community member wants to learn more about the author or book.
The PTA also launched a DEI library donation initiative in conjunction with its book fair wherein parents may donate toward a DEI book wish list curated by SMS librarian Shana Frazin. With a donation of $15 or more, a bookplate will be personalized to recognize your student. Dembitzer mentioned the PTA multicultural committee, which is focused on social gathering and building community; had a welcome coffee in late September and will host a potluck lunch for parents next week.
The SMS PTA also has a new DEI committee, whose co-chairs, Mayra Kirkendall-Rodriguez, Esthela Lecuona and Rachana Singh spearheaded the event with McIntosh and Troy. The PTA DEI committee has rallied interested parents to create various “heritage pages” on the SMS PTA DEI website: and also collected art to display in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The PTA DEI committee has many engaging and dynamic initiatives planned for this year.
Dembitzer said that the PTA had collected questions in advance of the webinar with the hope that many of those questions would be incorporated into the building presentation on DEI.
At the start of her presentation, Troy said that middle school students are going through a period of tremendous change and transition; they are moving away from adults but still need them and inclusion and community-building plays a key role at the school. McIntosh and Troy discussed the multifaceted ways in which DEI work is taking place at SMS, including the SMS News show that airs every morning giving birthday shout-outs, bringing awareness to and celebrating different cultures and covering current events. The SMS faculty also leads the Keystone advisory group, in which a small group of students build a community within the school with a faculty leader and point of contact. There is a building DEI committee that has met and will also incorporate student voice to its process. Troy said that SMS is holding professional development with the Human Rights’ Campaign over Superintendent Conference Day, following their workshop with Dr. Derrick Gay in the morning. The Human Rights Campaign will work with them on creating “Welcoming Schools.” SMS also has a partnership with Prospector Theater in Ridgefield, CT; a non-profit dedicated to providing “competitive and integrated employment to people with disabilities.” (Prospector mission statement). SMS students go on field trips to Prospector and the SMS faculty and staff have been engaged in professional development with the theater staff as well.
Troy said Global Connection, Field Trips and After School Life, during which students are encouraged to pursue their passions and interests, are all key components to creating an inclusive community at SMS.
McIntosh and Troy discussed the SMS goals associated with DEI, including: creating positive relationships, proactive community-building; featuring and highlighting resources written and developed by traditionally marginalized voices.
Classroom libraries are also being started at SMS and a close look at the main library collection at SMS is ongoing to determine which voices are missing and in order to broaden perspectives and create a more inclusive collection of reading material for students. Classroom libraries are meant to allow students choices in what they read and also to provide, as McIntosh said, “windows and mirrors” allowing students to have a view into someone else’s life and experience via “windows” and to also see themselves reflected back in books, “mirrors.” McIntosh showed the newest textbooks that have recently been approved at Board of Ed meetings, displaying the new perspectives offered and exciting students and teachers alike in the English Department.
Toward the end of the presentation, McIntosh mentioned District hiring; the process now includes additional language in the call for applications to encourage a diverse group to apply. They also discussed SMS metrics regarding DEI work, including surveying faculty and staff; surveying students, documenting changes and strategies to measure attitude and disposition changes over time. Many question-responses were included in their presentation but McIntosh and Troy still answered questions at the end of the webinar, including what kind of support they have for students with learning differences; social and emotional learning supports and how students may become further involved in building a more diverse, inclusive and equitable community at SMS.
How can you participate?
The SMS PTA hopes to give to the library the books on this wish list through their donations. If you would like to contribute to this initiative, click here for instructions:
Here is the SMS Library DEI Book Wishlist, Fall 2021crated by SMS Librarian Shana Frazin
Books that Feature Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander Characters
Here I Am by Patti Kim
Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins
The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel by Sheela Chari
The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi
The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami
The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan Long Shang
More to the Story by Hena Khan
Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh by Uma Krishnaswami
Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year by Nina Hamza
Dear America: The Story of an Undocumented Immigrant by Jose Antonio Vargas
Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (character with disability)
Not Your Sidekick by CB Lee (LGBTQ+)
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay
Books that Feature Bi-Racial and Multi-Racial Characters
Cilla Lee-Jenkins, Future Author Extraordinaire by Susan Tan (series)
Ten: A Soccer Story by Shamini Flint
This is Just a Test by Madelyn Rosenberg & Wendy Wan-Long Shang*
Love Like Sky by Leslie C. Youngblood
Come On In: 15 Stories about Immigration and Finding Home by Adi Alsaid
I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir by Malaka Gharib
Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (LGBTQ+)
Books that Feature Black Characters
Child of the Dream: A Memoir of 1963 by Sharon Robinson*
Dragona in a Bag by Zetta Elliott (series)
Jayla Jumps In by Joy Jones
Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It by Andrea Davis Pinkney*
President of the Whole Fifth Grade by Sherri Winston (series)
Simon B. Rhymin’ by Dwayne Reed
The Sweetest Sound by Sherri Winston*
The Hero Two Doors Down by Sharon Robinson*
Midnight Without Moon by Linda Williams Jackson
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams- Garcia
Daphne Definitely Doesn’t Do Drama by Tami Charles (series)
Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri (series)
Jake the Fake Keeps It Real by Craig Robinson (series)*
Take Back the Block by Chrystal D. Giles
How High the Moon by Karyn Parsons
A Sky Full of Stars by Linda Williams Jackson
Chameleon by Charles R. Smith, Jr.
How Long ‘Till Black Future Month by NK Jemisin
Love is a Revolution by Renee Watson
PET by Akwaeki Emezi (LGBTQ+)
Books that Feature Characters with Disabilities
My Video Game Ate My Homework by Dustin Hansen
Born Scared by Kevin Brooks
Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (AAPI)
The Oracle Code by Marieke Nijkamp
On the Edge of Gone by Corrine Duyvis
Books that Feature Indigenous Characters
Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Children of the Longhouse by Joseph Bruchac
Crazy Horse Vision by Joseph Bruchac
Eagle Song by Joseph Bruchac
How I Became a Ghost by Tim Tingle (series)
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich (series)
The Warriors by Joseph Bruchac
Apple in the Middle by Dawn Quigley
The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson (series)
I Am Not a Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis
The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Wabi: A Hero’s Tale by Joseph Bruchac
A Girl Called Echo by Katherena Vermette (series)
Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith
If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth*
Books that Feature Latinx Characters
Flor and Miranda Steal the Show by Jennifer Torres
How Tia Lola Learned to Teach by Julia Alvarez (series)
Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana Lopez
Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older (series)*
The Fresh New Face of Griselda by Jennifer Torres
Lucky Luna by Diana Lopez*
Me. Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes*
My Year in the Middle by Lila Quintero Weaver
Nothing Up My Sleeve by Diana Lopez
Strange Birds: A Guide to Ruffling Feathers by Celia C. Perez
So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez (LGBTQ+)
Stef Soto Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres
All the Stars Denied by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Who’s Ju by Dania Ramos
Undocumented: A Worker’s Fight by Duncan Tonatiuh
Us, In Progress: Short Stories about Young Latinos by Lulu Delacre
Barely Missing Everything by Matt Melendez
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
ShadowShaper by Danile Jose Older (series) *
The Smoking Mirror by David Bowles (series)
You Brought Me the Ocean by Alex Sanchez (LGBTQ+)
Books that Feature LGBTQ+ Characters
So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez (Latinx)
The Whispers by Greg Howard
Fat Angie: Rebel Girl Revolution by E. e. Charlton-Trujillo
Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (bi-/multi-racial)
Not Your Sidekick by CB Lee (AAPI)
PET by Akwaeki Emezi (Black)
You Brought Me the Ocean by Alex Sanchez (Latinx)
Nonfiction
This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
The Talk: Conversation about Race, Love and Truth by Wade Hudson *
Rise Up: The Art of Protest by Jo Rippon
Stamped (for Kids) by Ibram X. Kendi, Jason Reynolds and Sonja Cherry-Paul *
Unspeakable: The Tulsa race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford
History Smashers by Kate Messner (series)
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People by Debbie Reese
Into the Streets : A Young Person's Visual History of Protest in the United States by Marke Bieschke
Making It Right: Building Peace Settling Conflict by Marilee Peters
The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph
Kids on the March: 15 Stories of Speaking Out, Protesting and Fighting for Justice by Michael Long
Poetry
Woke: A Young Poet’s Call to Justice by Mahogany L. Browne
COVID on the Decline at the Scarsdale Schools
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A Pep Rally and the Homecoming Game Drew a Crowd to Scarsdale High School on October 1st.COVID numbers are trending in the right direction at the Scarsdale Schools according to Assistant Schools Superintendent Eric Rauschenbach. At the Board of Education meeting on Monday evening October 4 he reported that the district’s risk of spread has fallen from a designation of “high” to “substantial” and the positivity rate has fallen to 1.8.
Better yet, there have been a total of 22 cases reported since the opening of school, 14 students and 8 adults and most of the cases are breakthroughs. The majority of the student cases are among elementary and middle school students.
Quarantines have been greatly reduced since the county changed the regulations around “proximate contact,” with 3-5 quarantines as a result of indoor lunch and another one or two from contact during outdoor lunch. Rauschenbach reported that these new protocols “seem to be working well.”
The district had hoped to embark on bi-weekly testing of a sampling of the school population to assess COVID levels in the school population. To that end they sent out a survey to all district parents requesting consent to test students via self-administered saliva tests. Testing materials will be sent home and samples will be collected in drop boxes at the schools. However, only 28% of parents have consented to the testing. Why? Rauschenbach believes the reluctance is due to fear of being quarantined or receiving a false positive on the test.
Also on the COVID front, COVID booster shots were made available to the faculty staff and members of the Board of Education of the Scarsdale School District and many took advantage of the opportunity. Dr. Hagerman reported that he got his booster and had no issues or a reaction to the shot.
Athletics
In other encouraging news from the district, Athletic Director Ray Pappalardo reported that the high school is experiencing the highest participation in athletics in his tenure at the district.
He said, “about 600 students are on team rosters. We are at 40% participation, 45% female and 55% male.”
However, they are “still experiencing some challenges,” primarily in securing a pool on a regular basis for swim team practices.”
He noted the “Incredible turnout “ and “extraordinary energy” at the homecoming football game and pep rally on October 1 and was also pleased about the “incredible level of cooperation between the community and the district for our athletic programs.”
Extracurriculars
About students who have interests outside athletics, Dr. Hagerman said, “We would like to open up all our clubs and activities…. We have 70 clubs at the high school in addition to the athletic teams. In the past, we have had 95% overall participation in extracurricular activities. At the middle school we have 23 clubs and 400 students have signed up already. “
Enrollment
Assistant Superintendent Drew Patrick followed up to a question about the number of students who transferred out of district last year. According to Patrick, during the 2020-21 school year, the district had almost double the number of transfers out of Scarsdale than in a normal year. While on average 260 students transfer out of Scarsdale to another district in NY State, to a private or parochial schools, move out of the country or make the decision to home school, last year 500 students transferred out of the district.
Patrick and Rachel Moseley provided some details and here is what they reported.
Of the 500 students who transferred, here is the breakdown of reasons:
-In an average year, 50 transfer to another public school in the state, but last year 135 transfers occurred to other public schools.
-In an average year 55 transfer to a NY private or parochial school, but last year the number was 154, almost triple.
-On average 75 students move outside the state, but last year 134 did so.
-Homeschooling stayed about the same as 12 opted for home schooling.
-And last year 66 left the country, which is on a par with the average of 65-70 who leave the country every year.
What differed is that 155 students transferred out last year and returned this year. Patrick said, “31% of the transfers came back. In a typical year only 7% come back.”
Overall, the district is experiencing a decline in enrollment of more than 200 students from a high of 4,821 students in the district in 2014-5 to 4,608 for the 2020-2021 school year.
Public Comments
During the pandemic people were able to make public comments at Board of Education meetings virtually via Zoom. Many enjoyed the convenience of speaking from home and asked for this practice to continue. On September 2, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation extending virtual access to public meetings under New York State's Open Meetings Law, which allows New Yorkers to virtually participate in local government meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic
As a result, Board President Karen Ceske said that a subcommittee of the board comprised of herself, Jessica Resnick-Ault and Ron Schulhof met to discuss remote public participation. The meeting was inadvertently not recorded but meeting minutes are available on the school board website.
Until new policies are written, virtual public comments will continue to be permitted at Scarsdale School Board meetings. Public comments cannot be more than three minutes, the first public comments session cannot last more than 1.5 hours and those who are commenting will be asked to turn on their cameras when speaking.
However at the October 4 meeting, there were no virtual comments.
Scarsdale Middle School PTA President Leah Dembitzer announced a speaker event to be held virtually on Tuesday October 12 at 6:30 pm. The SMS PTA DEI Committee invites all SMS parents, students, teachers, and staff to hear keynote speaker, Dr. Edgar McIntosh, joined by SMS Principal Meghan Troy, on "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Scarsdale Middle School Community and Curriculum," on Tuesday, October 12 at 6:30 PM. There will be a Q & A portion at this event. You can register to attend the event here:
Diana Cohen of 1 Duck Pond Road followed up on the comments she made at the September 20, 2021 School Board Meeting. She expressed concern about the school’s lunch and snack policy.
As the district does not permit young children to have snacks she said, “I am concerned that young children are not able to meet their nutritional requirements.” The AAP recommends two to three snacks per day. About lunch she said that the school has been putting the television on during lunch time which discourages social interaction and distracts children from eating. She said, “My daughter does not eat her lunch because she is busy watching television. This is supposed to be a time for socialization.” She continued, “My five year old son goes to Kids Base where he has a normal lunch and snacks. There has been no problem with COVID there. Kids need to talk and play.” She asked the administration to look at the experience of other districts who are permitting snacks.
Eric Rauschenbach and Thomas Hagerman both responded to Cohen. Rauschenbach said, “We are encouraging the kids to speak to each other during lunch and to pull up their masks when they want to speak. We don’t show movies often…. Any parent who believes their child cannot function without snack should speak to their teacher. We will revisit this as the year goes on.”
Dr. Hagerman added, “Television is just one choice for kids – they can pick something else.” He said “We will continue to revisit this decision. Parents who feel their students need a snack should speak to their teachers.”
Girls Ice Hockey
In other business, the Board of Education accepted a gift of $10,000 to form a Section 1 girls ice hockey team from the Hudson Valley Girls High School Ice Hockey Booster Club. This team will include players from Scarsdale as well as other districts.
Watch the meeting in its entirety on the Scarsdale Schools website.
