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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 21 November 2018

Created: 21 November 2018

Last Updated: 29 November 2018

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Coleytown Middle School in Westport is closed due to mold.Two news stories from other school districts came to my attention this week -- one involving the complete closure of a middle school in Westport, CT due to mold --and another about lead in the water in schools in Detroit, Michigan.

Why is this relevant to Scarsdale? Read below:

From the Westport News, “After a two-year saga fighting mold strung along while students remained in class, Coleytown Middle School will now be shuttered for the remainder of the year. The relocation of 450 Coleytown students grades six through eight first appeared to be a temporary fix but has now become a permanent solution, according to officials. “

Another story explains, “It’s more than 50 years old. It was built hastily, to house the postwar baby boom generation that was flooding Westport schools. A major renovation in the 1990s made its hallways more navigable, its curves less quirky and its classrooms more pleasant.

But it’s tough to fight mold.

Westport is in the first phases of deciding what to do with Coleytown Middle School. Experts are still trying to identify the causes of physical symptoms experienced by students and staff. Reports will be followed by debates. District administrators, the Board of Education, Board of Finance and the public — particularly parents — will weigh in. Can — and should — the school be renovated? Torn down? Meanwhile, what will happen to sixth through eighth graders, who currently share Water fountains at Detroit Public Schools are dry due to lead.Bedford Middle School and Staples High?”

Concerning school water quality, on November 15, in a story titled, “Not Far from Flint, Contamination Has Left Detroit School Taps Dry,” the New York Times reports all the water fountains were turned off in Detroit Public Schools in August after testing revealed elevated levels of copper and lead in drinking water at some schools. The article goes on to say that the problem in Detroit may be due to aging pipes, and explains, “Joints and other plumbing components often contain metals that can leach into the water over time.”

Why does this all sound familiar and why is it relevant to Scarsdale?

The Greenacres Elementary School, now more than 100 years old, will soon undergo a $28 million renovation. The school has aging plumbing and recurring outbreaks of mold. However the renovation does not include plans to replace the water pipes in the old building. Lead filters will continue to be required on fountains and faucets with elevated lead levels as it's too expensive to open up the walls and replace the pipes. *A $28 million renovation is planned for Greenacres. Have environmental issues been adequately addressed?

What about the mold? Efforts will be made to improve ventilation and dehumidify the basement, but the majority of the old building sits on a dirt foundation described as a crawl space, so it’s unclear how new ventilation will reach this space and reduce mold growth underneath the school. Air conditioning was promised for the eight new classrooms, however it is not listed on the documents provided by the district.

We asked Assistant Superintendent Stuart Mattey what will be done to address these issues during the renovation and his answers are below. Unfortunately he did provide a direct answer to some of my questions and rephrased others and answered his own questions. The environmental reports he cites for air quality are from 2015 when mold was found in Greenacres. Mold has been found again since that time. The water quality report is from 2016. The problems still exist.

Here are the questions I asked:

What is being done to address the dirt crawl spaces underneath the building that have mold? What short-term and long-term solutions are incorporated in the construction to address any current or future mold from these high moisture areas?

Given the presence of lead in the water, what, if any, pipes will be replaced? For any pipe not being replaced, what’s the short-term and long-term solution for water quality at the school?

(Please provide the) Most recent water quality reports for Greenacres

Ventilation: What will be done to improve the air quality in the old classrooms, the library and the gym? These rooms get too hot and damp in the warmer months.

Sustainability: what is specifically being done to make this century old building greener, cleaner and more energy efficient? How is the district sustainability committee involved in this process?

Parking and traffic plan. Prior to the bond vote Dr. Hagerman announced the district would work on a parking and traffic plan for the school. If this plan has not been completed, please provide a timeline for completion. The plan should include the current proposal to use the kitchen at Greenacres to transport food to other schools and parking for food service employees.

Here is his response:

Here is what I received:

“Dear Joanne: Thank you for your continued interest in the Greenacres project. You may find it reassuring that most of the issues you bring up were in fact studied, reported on, and thoroughly discussed by the Board and community members at the time the Bond Scope was determined. The items that were approved as part of the bond scope by District residents last February are indeed the items that will be included in the project specifications and eventually built as part of this project. All bond reports and environmental reports are available on the District website.”

For example, the question of mold was addressed in detail in a comprehensive report on air quality, which may be accessed here:

(Editor's note: The link is to a 2015 report. Mold was found again in 2017. There is no mention of the mold emanating from the dirt crawl spaces that are the foundation of the old building.)

Concerning water testing, the District has been most diligent, as can be seen in this report:
As was announced earlier this year, updates on environmental testing will be reported at regular intervals throughout the year at Board meetings.

(Editor's Note: This link is to a report from 2016. There is no mention of the lead filters on the drinking fountains and sinks)

Ventilation was thoroughly addressed in the Bond Scope:
Here’s an excerpt regarding this type of work at Greenacres:

Air Quality/Health Related
Install new unit ventilator system to improve ventilation in classrooms
Install commercial-grade dehumidification system for basement rooms; tie condensate to the sanitary system
Replace old boilers and burners that have exceeded their life expectancy
Abate and replace VAT flooring and Install roof (attic) insulation
Relocate drinking fountains
Improve drainage at window wells
Paint corridors, multi-purpose rooms, and the gymnasium

Sustainability issues were addressed under Frequently Asked Questions:

5. HOW ARE SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS BEING ADDRESSED IN THE PROPOSED BOND SCOPE? The District’s architecture and engineering consultants, BBS Architects and Engineers, intend to employ many eco-friendly principles when developing construction plans, both in materials selection and interconnected component design. For example, new materials would be low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and sustainable products, including adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, flooring and wood products (casework and furniture). All new lighting will be high efficiency LED with vacancy sensor controls. All new heating and ventilation equipment will be high efficiency and provide for energy recovery where feasible. For the Greenacres expansion, projects will be designed following LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) best practices and principles.

Parking and traffic concerns were also addressed under Frequently Asked Questions:

14. WHAT IS THE ANTICIPATED TRAFFIC IMPACT AT GREENACRES DURING CONSTRUCTION AND AFTER ALL WORK IS COMPLETE? WILL ANY CURRENT TRAFFIC PATTERNS BE CHANGED? A State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) performed by J.C. Broderick & Associates, Inc., an environmental construction and testing company, has determined that construction at Greenacres will not have a significant adverse impact on traffic. As is the practice with all the other elementary buildings, at Greenacres, the District is working closely with the Village of Scarsdale and the Scarsdale Police Department to continue to identify effective ways to help traffic move smoothly for parents during drop-off and pick-up times.

As a matter of fact, I believe the Village just received an award for their work in this regard.

(Editor's Note: There is no mention of the loss of parking spaces, parking issues due to the increased number of employee cars working in the cafeteria, nor a discussion of the food trucks on Sage Terrace that will bring food to Greenacres and ferry meals back and forth to Fox Meadow School.)

As a reminder, all these documents and many, many more can be found in the Facilities and Grounds section of the website:

Sincerely,
Stuart P.G. Mattey, Assistant Superintendent for Business

Clearly it’s uncomfortable and unpopular in Scarsdale to speak of environmental hazards like mold and lead in our schools, but there is no denying that they pose a threat to children now and in the decades to come. When we look at what’s going on around the country, it’s evident that you can’t wish these problems away.

In my view, parents, neighbors and environmentally conscious residents should ask more questions and request a full and transparent environmental assessment of the existing building to find out if these issues can be adequately addressed in the upcoming renovation. Before taxpayers spend $28 million on a shiny new cafeteria, we should find out what it will cost to make Greenacres a safe, clean school. We don't want to spend money renovating now, before we have assurances that mold and lead will not cause big problems down the road.

Let's learn a lesson from Westport and Detroit. According to Dr. Hagerman, architects plans to submit the project to the State Education Department for approval within weeks, so action should be taken now.

* An April 2015 feasability study from former district architects KG&D said this about the school:

Ground water intrusion & high water table – The northern corner of the building has a lower level that routinely has odors and other evidence of some water intrusion. Despite several attempts at repairing the condition there does not seem to be any easy answer to this problem. It is likely the result of a high water table which varies seasonally and has many sub‐surface points of entry into the aging structure. With moisture penetration likely coming from under slabs and through walls that are significantly below grade it is difficult to imagine a cost‐effective method of repair. The condition could be made more tolerable with improved ventilation and air conditioning but will still require monitoring and could continue to make this portion of the building uncomfortable or inappropriate for student use. This area is currently used for Art, Music, Instrumental Music, Art Storage and mechanical support spaces.

Aging systems – The school did experience the collapse and failure of the main sewer pipe that exits the building a few years ago. This type of failure can be very disruptive and costly to repair in an emergency situation. Given the age of the building and the expected useful life of building materials and systems these types of failures are likely to continue. As a result the long term recommendation is to completely replace all of the original piping and plumbing systems that have not already been updated.

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 08 November 2018

Created: 08 November 2018

Last Updated: 15 January 2025

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The community has heard little about the plans for Greenacres Elementary School since a very contentious bond vote in February 2018. Though the $35 million renovation is the largest single spend for the district in decades, there has been almost no opportunity for input from residents and neighbors. At the November 5 meeting of the Board of Education the administration invited representatives from district architects BBS and construction management firm Park East to provide an update on construction plans for the school, which School Superintendent Dr. Hagerman said will be submitted to the State Education Department in a few weeks.

The interior plans, most of which were very simple sketches lack detail. The rough schematics, provide an overview of the building layout, but reveal little about the building infrastructure, any features of the classrooms or common rooms, the casework, finishes and design. In explaining the plans, the architects did not address many of the key concerns that were expressed in 2017 before the passage of the bond.

In the half hour given to the project, here is what we did and didn’t learn:

What we know:

Architects presented two renderings of the new façade of the school featuring two three-story stair towers, a two story classroom addition and a cafeteria/learning commons on the Huntington Avenue side of the school.

About the plaza between the school and the sidewalk on Huntington Avenue, the architect said, “We tried to step that back off the street,” but just how far off the street is unknown as no dimensions are provided. Also unknown is the height of the large retaining wall that buttresses the plaza. The reconstruction of the parking lot shows five parking spaces and room for dumpsters.

Discussing the schematics, the architect explained that the large kitchen is included in the plans and indicated that there would be access for food service trucks on Sage Terrace. A handicapped ramp has been added to the rear of the school to allow access to the upper playground.

About the lower level of the school architects said that all students would be moved upstairs and the remaining space would be converted to storage. The second floor will include both the art rooms and rooms for special education.

The gymnasium, where the original windows will be covered by the new classroom wing, will get skylights.

The kindergarten, first grade and second grade classes in the original portion of the school will get new ceilings, new flooring and new lighting. Bookcases will be added under the windows and some of the teaching materials will be placed on portable carts to de-clutter the classrooms. Large teaching monitors- or screens – will be on wheels so that they can be moved around the classroom. The rooms will be outfitted with flexible furniture to allow for various seating configurations. Prior to the bond vote there were lengthy discussions about the small size of these classrooms which do not meet national standards. It appears that walls will not be moved but efforts will be made to maximize the existing space.

The interior space of the existing library will be reconfigured with new bookcases and furniture.

Schematic for library, maker space and computer lab.

There was also discussion of redesigning the courtyard though no plans were shown. Dr. Hagerman mentioned a labyrinth, an outdoor reading area and a small group spot and possibly a water feature. Planter beds may also be added to replace those displaced by the construction.

In the discussion that followed, Board Member Lee Maude asked if the scope of the job had changed since last year and was assured that it remained the same.

Assistant Superintendent Stuart Mattey mentioned that the large kitchen might be used as “relief for the commissary program for the district,” as all meals are now cooked at the high school, putting considerable pressure on the high school’s kitchen. This new kitchen may be used to cook meals for Greenacres and possibly Fox Meadow School – so presumably food would be transported from the Sage Terrace entrance to Fox Meadow. There are no elevations shown of the Sage Terrace entrance but the architect said there will be a driveway there to accommodate food delivery, pick up and distribution.

Check out the ceiling of the new Edgewood Library. What's planned for Greenacres?In terms of timing, plans now call for the renovations to the existing classrooms in the school to take place over the summer of ’19 and to be completed by the beginning of school. Work on the large addition on Huntington will also begin in June 2019 and run through August of 2020.

The construction site will be surrounded with an eight-foot fence and a two gated entry system that will cut off access to the sidewalk during deliveries. A portion of the blacktop across the street will be used as a staging area. This will be used for parking for the construction workers, storage and office trailers and dumpsters. It was not clear how this would be screened from the playground.

Since the State Education Department is short staffed, BBS will expedite approval of the plans by having them reviewed by an architecture firm who has been approved to do third party reviews. This will take 8 – 12 weeks, rather than the 42 weeks estimated through SED. However if the project bypasses the State Education Department, will it receive as rigourous a review?

What we don’t know:

Prior to the bond vote many questions were raised about the suitability of the building for a large expansion. Below are some of the outstanding issues that were not addressed on Monday night:

Air conditioning and ventilation: The gym has had very high humidity levels and under this plan the existing windows will be covered up, possibly decreasing air circulation in the room. There was no discussion of adding ventilation or air conditioning to the gym or to the library which is also very warm. Ventilation for the existing classrooms, some of which get very hot in June and September was not mentioned.

Lead Pipes: The school has now installed filters on sinks and water fountains due to lead. There was no discussion of replacing the original pipes in the old part of the school which leach lead and require filters.

Mold: The school has a history of mold problems. There was no discussion of how this would be addressed. The original portions of the school are sitting on a dirt foundation which generates moisture and humidity. There was no mention that anything would be done about the dirt crawl spaces that are the foundation of the original part of the school.

Renderings: There were no renderings provided of the interior spaces at the school. For a project of this scope, one would expect to see elevations and renderings of the cafeteria, learning commons, renovated library and a model classroom. No details on what will be included were provided. When former district architects KG&D presented plans for the high school learning commons and Edgewood library, detailed schematics were provided. (See below) Take a look at the sketch that BBS presented for the Greenacres Library. Will there be casework, reading nooks, group instruction areas? Will Greenacres receive a library on parity with Edgewood?

A rendering of the new learning commons provided by former district architects KG&D prior to the construction at Scarsdale High School

The main feature of the new building is a large learning commons and cafeteria. However no details have been provided. How will this room look from the inside? How will the space be used? Will the custodial staff still need to set up and take down lunch tables every day or will they be built in? Will there be a stage or any place for a performance in the new learning commons?

Parking: Another ongoing concern is parking. The school lacks a parking lot and a pick up area. In the new plan, several of the existing parking spaces have been eliminated. No plan was put forth to replace these, add parking or improve the drop off and pick up process. With the school extending to the sidewalk, it is not clear where the children will line up to be picked up. In addition, the entrance to the school will be two three story stair towers. One wonders how many young children can be safely inside a stair tower at once for recess and when school lets out at the end of the day.

Food delivery: Residents on Sage Terrace will now have trucks on their street delivering food and transporting cooked meals for children at other schools. It is not clear that they are aware of this development.

The project has a big impact on the Greenacres community. The building does not conform to neighborhood norms and lacks the required setbacks from the street. Has the district met with the Greenacres Neighborhood Association to review the project and get their input? What about the Village Planning Department who reviews traffic and parking requirements? If they have met, the public should be made aware of what was decided.

Despite all these questions, the administration is quickly moving forward with the plan, and says they have fully vetted them with the teachers. They plan to submit the package to the State Education Department in just a few weeks. If community members have concerns, they need to speak up quickly.

Watch the presentation online here:

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Written by: Kelli Rainer

Published: 31 October 2018

Created: 31 October 2018

Last Updated: 06 November 2018

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It's an SHS tradition. Every year on October 31st, the SHS senior class dresses up in extravagant costumes for school to commemorate their final Halloween in Scarsdale. The Class of '19 put on their craziest outfits and makeup to celebrate. Though underclassmen are discouraged from dressing up, they are included in the ritual through seniors’ booming music in the hallways and interruptions during classes.

This Halloween, there was an unprecedented level of creativity and variety present among the seniors’ costumes. Some crowd favorites included 70s disco dancers, over-the-top pageant girls, SHS prison inmates, and Globo Gym dodgeball players. In addition to student festivities, many teachers chose to participate in the tradition. While some grouped together to dress up as characters from Star Wars, others opted for solo takes on the holiday: Spanish Teacher Señora D’Angelo was Flo from Progressive, and Science Teacher Mr. Sipe dressed as Dwight from The Office.

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In light of the highly spirited atmosphere that encompasses school Halloween, the day is full of fun, camaraderie and commemoration of the seniors’ time thus far at SHS. Though the seniors may be headed in separate directions, this year’s festivities celebrated the final Halloween they would spend together.

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Written by: Laura Halligan

Published: 24 October 2018

Created: 24 October 2018

Last Updated: 24 October 2018

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Much of the October 22, 2018 Board of Education meeting focused on a recent education report prepared by the district, “A Celebration of Scarsdale Learners through Multiple Measures with a Focus on Global Competencies.”

Presented by Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction Edgar McIntosh, the report looks at “student learning through the lens of assessment,” and contains information about the ways in which the administration evaluates and benchmarks programs, student learning and engagement in Scarsdale schools.

“In Scarsdale, there is an interest in producing students who are skillful, knowledgeable and possess the dispositions that position them to be informed, ethical, collaborative, balanced, healthy global citizens.” McIntosh said. “We build historical, political, civic understanding and support conceptual understanding through the use of common vocabulary and determined content.”

Generally speaking, the district relies on both formal and informal classroom assessments, and standardized testing. While many believe that standardized tests are the most important measure of student performance, Scarsdale recognizes that they serve as just snapshots of students at single point in time. Quality assessment should consider how children are learning and growing over time. However, even though the district doesn’t place much value on testing, it recognizes that it’s important to consider test results, along with other measures, to evaluate performance of both students and the Scarsdale as a whole.

As stated in the report, “Student assessment includes authentically evaluating students’ abilities, relative strengths and weaknesses, and their ability to apply knowledge to ‘the real world.’ It is an ongoing, iterative process in every classroom and critical to effective teaching and learning. “

Performance Metrics

In measuring students’ “knowledge, skill and disposition,” McIntosh explained that the village uses a variety of benchmarks, including survey data, district and state test results, and college entry statistics.

Recently, the administration asked members of Scarsdale High School’s class of 1968 about their experiences and satisfaction with their education. “They were overwhelmingly positive about the quality of academic preparation received in Scarsdale. Strong evidence is that over 200 of them returned for tours of their elementary schools and innovation spaces,” McIntosh said.

Members of SHS’ class of 2009, 2013, 2017 also were surveyed, and 99.4 percent felt they were as prepared or better prepared than other students at their colleges.

With regard to more traditional metrics, McIntosh reported, “We look at end results in terms of placement tests and college acceptance. College acceptance always has been strong and continues to be… Scarsdale’s mean combined SAT scores continue to be the highest among comparable districts.” He also added that, “The percentage of students receiving scores of 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams is 93 percent.” In addition, last year, 99 percent of SHS graduates were accepted to college, with 63 percent accepted by colleges and universities considered among the “most selective” in the US. (See charts for testing statistics.)

McIntosh then discussed the standardized tests administered by the district, as required by New York State, which provide another piece of information about the district curriculum. He began by stating, “In examining all standardized tests, it’s important to recognize their limitations… they are a poor substitute for the ongoing assessment that goes on in classrooms every day.” With that said, McIntosh noted that 84 percent of Scarsdale students in grades 3 through 8 were “proficient” (scoring 3 or 4) on the 2018 state ELA tests and 88 percent were proficient in math, and outperformed students in comparable districts in both subjects. At SHS, almost all students passed the state regents exams in those subjects tested (algebra, English, biology, global history, and U.S. history and government).

A Global View

Good metrics aside, Scarsdale is unique in its commitment to looking beyond this village, state and/or country, and thinking globally. The district continues to seek ways to provide students with opportunities to develop a knowledge and thoughtfulness about their place within global community.

By building global awareness, the district connects Scarsdale to international issues and events, encourages understanding of a wide variety of perspectives and counteracts stereotypes.

Scarsdale offers numerous courses that “explicitly engage global issues,” including, of course, world history and language, and others such as international politics, geology, environmental science, global citizenship, “Food for Thought,” and “City 2.0.” In fact, 87 percent of the student body participates in the district’s world languages program. Students also have the opportunity to take part in international travel, student exchange programs, extracurricular activities with a global focus, programs featuring international experts and scholars, and special events (multicultural days, human rights days, global citizenship days) that help shape their perspective and learning.

One important example of this effort is Scarsdale’s participation in the Global Learning Alliance, a partnership among schools and universities in the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe, supporting research and building knowledge about how to promote the best learning in the world.

This summer, Scarsdale High School students took part in the fourth Global Learning Alliance Summit in Helsinki, Finland. The purpose was to finalize their cross-cultural research study on student wellness, a collaborative project with students in Singapore and Finland. Together, the group first reviewed their findings, and then presented their work and recommendations to summit attendees. The Scarsdale “diplomats,” who included Charlotte Kelson, Sydney Mone, Spencer Sheppe and Alexandra Wilson, also explored educational policies and practices from around the world with a close­-up view of the Finnish school system.

To learn more, you may view the meeting via the “Scarsdale Cable TV” portion of the district’s website.

Laura Halligan is a local writer, editor and marketing consultant. She is principal of Pinch Hit Prose and provides communications services to entrepreneurs, small businesses and nonprofits.