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Published: 16 January 2013

Created: 16 January 2013

Last Updated: 20 March 2013

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What should the Scarsdale High School of the future look like? Well, according to Dr. Michael McGill, Superintendent of Scarsdale Schools, it should be a place that supports more fluid learning, a building with greater flexibility and flow from one setting to another. This, in turn, would support education as it exists today, and is different from what today's adults remember. Today's learning is more student-initiated, student-centered, and student-directed, with much of it happening outside of the classroom.

Last week, Peter Gisolfi of Peter Gisolfi Associates, the district's long-time architectural firm, presented the Board of Education with his vision of how the high school could be altered to better reflect how learning is done today. Although the presentation was billed as addressing the district's physical plants' needs as a whole, district needs outside of the high school were only briefly touched upon; these included as a larger multi-purpose room at Heathcote, an improved library at Edgewood, and improved music facilities at the middle school. Gisolfi's work largely tackled the needs of the high school in the foreseeable future, with the bulk of the presentation was devoted to the idea of a Wellness Center.

Introduced as the replacement for the high school fitness center, a facility admittedly in need of much help, the idea of the Wellness Center grew out of a grant given by the Center for Innovation. A joint project of the high school science, physical education and technology departments, the Wellness Center would be located in the space under the new gym that is currently being used for storage.

In last year's budget, $300,000 was authorized for much needed upgrades to the current fitness center; however, that money hasn't been spent yet as the district decided to wait and explore the much more comprehensive plan put forward in the Wellness Center. How would this new facility differ from the current fitness center? According to Gisolfi, the current fitness center is smaller and split two attenuated space, while the new Wellness Center would be larger, with everything in one space. It would have direct relation to the outdoors with a multitude of windows, and the space is conducive to its purpose.

Stacey Wierl, Fox Meadow's physical education teacher, spoke on behalf of the faculty proposing the new Wellness Center. Wierl said that the faculty looked at this project as a way to enhance students' appreciation of lifelong physical activity and overall wellness. She spoke of a curricular redesign that would integrate critical and creative thinking into the physical education curriculum, and of creating a gender-neutral space that would also integrate room for science labs relating to physical activity, such as offering kinesiology classes with the technology and science departments utilizing lab space in the new center. Wierl also mentioned the opportunity for using the new space for community outreach efforts and as a place to teach about global issues around health, and also as a place available for use by district faculty and staff.

Wierl radiated enthusiasm as she spoke of the project. Faculty involved in the proposal visited similar facilities at West Point and at John Jay High School in northern Westchester. Wierl said that John Jay's facility is well-utilized with all types of people, not just those involved in school athletics.
The financing for such center would most likely come from a bond issue, which would have to be voted on by the community. Linda Purvis, assistant superintendent for business, said this would be the best way to finance it, given the current environment of low interest rates. "With a bond," said Purvis, "work can be done more rapidly with the same impact on the budget. The kinds of projects considered for a bond are generally those that would have a useful life of 10-20 years, and we consider program impact, too." Purvis said that this project is different from those usually presented for plant improvement, "because it's the education people who are making a case for why it's important."

This was not exactly the presentation that audience members were expecting to here. For some, the presentation left more questions than answers. "I voted on the budget last year so that my son, who's a sophomore, would have some working equipment in the fitness center," remarked one audience member following the presentation. "Now they're going to delay the work? This plan sounds nice, but my kid will never benefit from it. What happened to the money that I approved and had my taxes increased for?" Indeed, the idea presented was very broad in scope and seemed more like a "best case" scenario. Board president Liz Guggenheim repeatedly stated during the presentation that they were not looking for pros and cons, just the details behind the ideas, and Dr. McGill borrowed from Churchill as he put the presentation in perspective, saying that it represented "the end of the beginning." Given that the district is beginning its budget process looking at a tax rate increase that will be much larger than in past years, it is unclear how the community will receive the plan and any bond vote that it requires.

The rest of Gisolfi's presentation addressed changes to the high school that would create more common learning areas and would give areas that currently have no relationship to the outdoors, such as internal hallways, more openness. Also under examination are ways to use less energy within the building.
To see the presentation to the Board of Education, click on this link:

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Published: 10 January 2013

Created: 10 January 2013

Last Updated: 10 January 2013

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Though the last five years have brought modest school tax increases to the community, this year, challenges from the state could lead to a far greater school tax increase to fund the 2013-14 school budget. At the first community budget forum on Wednesday January 9, Mike McGill and Linda Purvis set the stage for upcoming budget discussions and explained the forces that will define the process.

McGill first gave a global view of the issues faced by schools across the country:

-At a time of a global revolution in innovation and technology American schools have fallen behind in producing achievement-oriented talent. At the same time, other countries are investing in education and shifting from schools that emphasize conformity to those that teach innovation and creativity.

-The marketplace is changing and when Scarsdale students graduate there will be fewer lifetime jobs. Instead, employers will seek a new breed of initiators and innovators with global competencies.

-The acceptance rate at the countries top colleges, including the Ivy League, MIT and Stanford was just 9.2% last year.

-In New York, we continue to face a difficult and uncertain economic climate. There is anger at unions and teachers, intrusive state and federal regulations and more and more unfunded and costly mandates.

For the last five years, budget growth has averaged 2.58% and a host of factors made it possible for the board to keep the increase below 3%. Among these were:

• Enrollment growth stablization
• Refinancing of debt service
• Employee cooperation on salaries
• Effective management of self-insured health plan
• Staff attrition
• Curtailment of capital investment

Since 2008-9, 15 full time positions have been eliminated and new staff has been hired at lower salaries. Debt refinancing saved the district $300,000 and improvements to the district's energy infrastructure reduced consumption. Department budgets at the high school have been reduced by 17%.

In the past five years the community has demonstrated overwhelming support for the current educational program, with school budget approval rates of more than 70%.

However, for 2013-14, the administration has already learned that Scarsdale's contribution to the state retirement system will add $3.5 million or 2.5% to the overall budget. That payment alone will cause the budget to increase beyond the 2% state cap by what McGill says is "a considerable amount." In fact, later in the meeting, Robert Berg said, "from what I see we are looking at a tax increase of 6-7%?" and McGill replied, "yes."

In addition, since the Board opted to use some of the reserve funds to balance the 2012-13 budget, these surplus funds are not available to fund the 2013-14 budget and buffer the community against a larger increase for 2013-14. In 2012-13, $6,195,354 of reserve funds were used to fund the 2012-13 budget, representing 4.37%.

Also this year, contracts with the teachers union as well as other school staff such as secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, and ground workers will be renegotiated in collective bargaining sessions. The outcome of these negotiations will impact the school budget as well.

Representatives from the school PTA's had questions about the budget. First, since a long-term plan for buildings and facilities was presented on Monday night, they wanted to know how improvements to the infrastructure would impact the 2013-14 school budget. (You can see the presentation on proposed building changes to the high school to enhance the educational program here:)

Dr. McGill explained that the infrastructure improvements were part of a long-range plan and suggested that the Board could consider issuing bonds to finance these improvements as interest rates are now low. This would have little impact on the current budget.

Questions were also posed about more immediate plans for construction of the fitness center at the high school, as $350,000 was already approved in the 2012-13 budget. McGill said that construction of the new "Wellness Center" had been incorporated into the larger scheme but acknowledged that this project may need to be undertaken this year.

McGill also said that school security was on the administration's agenda and said two ideas were under discussion.

According to the superintendent, there are now security locks available for classroom doors that lock both from the inside and the outside. McGill said that the district will replace locks on all classroom doors with these new locks.

The district will also revisit the idea of posting greeters or guards at school entrances. This is easier to do at the elementary schools where there are only one or two entrances, but challenging at the high school with its multitude of doors.

The first District Safety Team meeting will be held on January 14. The team includes representatives from each school, parents, principals, police, representatives from the buildings and grounds staff, and technology team. They will discuss current practices and explore what improvements might be made to enhance school security. The district will also consult safety experts from schools and universities.

A second School Budget Community Forum will be held on Wednesday January 16 at 10 am at the Girl Scout House.

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Published: 08 January 2013

Created: 08 January 2013

Last Updated: 17 January 2013

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The Scarsdale School Board Nominating Committee, which chooses School Board candidates, will hold elections for its 2013 slate on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 from 7:00am to 10:00 am and 2:00pm to 9:00 pm in the Scarsdale Middle School Auditorium Lobby (134 Mamaroneck Rd.) Mail-in ballots are available to be downloaded and printed here. Also, copies of the mail-in ballot are at the Reference Desk of the Scarsdale Library, the brochure racks in Village Hall or by calling Lisa Rodman at 725-3435. The mail-in ballot is not just for people planning to be out of town on Election Day. It can be used by anyone who will not be voting in person but must be received at PO Box 172H by 5pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013.

Two candidates from each of the five districts will be election. Biographies of each SBNC candidate are below:

EDGEWOOD

JEANNINE M. PALERMO - 24 Sprague Rd. Resident for 16 years.
Education: Fordham University (BS)
Occupation: Owner, FitnessLink LLC (Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor)
Civic Activities: Scarsdale Youth Hockey Association, VP (2008-present); PT Council, Secretary (2008- 2010); Edgewood PTA President (2007-2008), PTA President-Elect (2006-2007); Recreation Basketball, Asst. Coach (2007-2012); Summer Baseball League, Asst. Coach (2007-2011); Edgewood PTA Committee Chair for the Edgewood Fair, Fair Food Court, Teacher Luncheon, Theme Night, Class Mom (2003-2012); SMS PTA, 6th/7th Grade Rec Night co-chair (2009-2011), 8th Grade Breakfast co-chair (2012).
Children: 13, 11

NEIL PIERSON - 118 Bradley Rd. Resident for 8 years.
Education: SUNY Stony Brook
Occupation: Director, Application Development, National Hockey League.
Civic Activities: Coalition for Scarsdale Schools, founding member; Arthur Manor Association, member. Child: 8

JOHN SOUCHACK - 216 Nelson Rd. Resident for 8 years. Education: Kean College of New Jersey (BA)
Occupation: Self Employed
Children: 18, 16

CAROLYN STEVENS - 122 Potter Rd. Resident for 21 years.
Education: City College of New York (BA), Brooklyn Law School (JD)
Occupation: Executive Director, Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce; Special Consultant to the Federal Court Monitor on the Westchester Housing Settlement
Civic Activities: Mayor, Village of Scarsdale (2009-2011); Village Trustee, which included serving as Police Commissioner and Deputy Mayor; Westchester County League of Women Voters Board member; Citizen Budget Advisory Committee to the County Board of Legislators; Scarsdale Bowl Committee; chair of several Board committees; Scarsdale League of Woman Voters Board member; TVCC Secretary and Board member, Board of Architectural Review, Girl Scout Leader
Children: 25, 20

FOX MEADOW

MARY BLUM - 22 Wayside Lane. Resident for 16 years
Education: Pine Manor College (BA), Business Management AA Liberal Arts; Manhattanville College, Master's Elementary Education
Occupation: Realtor, Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International
Civic Activities: The Center @862 (Scarsdale Teen Center) Board member; The Windward School, Spirit Wear Chair; Scarsdale Adult School, Publicity Manager (2007-2011); SMS Multicultural Committee co- chair; Fox Meadow PTA Public Relations Committee, Learning to Look, Ways & Means '04 co-chair; Westchester Reform Temple-Religious School former Board member, Events Committee, Raising the Bar Committee; Scarsdale Community Center, former Board Member; TVCC, Centennial co-chair; Junior League of Central Westchester, sustaining member; The Little School, Fundraising and Events Chair Children: 15, 13

DEBORAH A. MOREL - 88 Brite Ave. Resident for 13 years.
Education: BS, Cornell University; JD, Buffalo Law School, SUNY
Occupation: Homemaker
Civic Activities: League of Women Voters of Scarsdale, Board member and Recording Secretary; LWVS Candidates Forum, Chair (last year and currently); Meals on Wheels of Scarsdale delivery person; PT Council Community Calendar co-chair (2012-2013); FM PTA member and volunteer since 2003,
FM PTA President (2010-2011), FM PTA board member (2 yrs prior to presidency); Junior League of Central Westchester, sustaining member and tour guide for Wayside Cottage (since 2003), also served two separate terms on board and co-chaired several committees; Girl Scout Leader (2004-2008)
Children: 14, 10

JOHN E. SPIRO - 43 Tompkins Rd. Grew up in Scarsdale (1-18 years old) Adult resident since 2000. Education: Haverford College (BA); PhD University of California, San Diego; Postdoctoral Fellow, Duke University Medical Center
Occupation: Neuroscientist; Deputy Scientific Director, Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative Civic Activities: Maroon and White, board member (2012); SMS Career Day presenter (2010), Speech Contest Judge (2008-2011); Young Writers Conference presenter (2006);
Children: 13, 16

JOHN ZAFF - 5 Lorraine Place. Resident for 11 years. Education: New York University (BA)
Occupation: Owner, Video Services Production Company Children: 16, 12

GREENACRES

PERRY BRAUN - 17 Kingston Rd. Resident for 15 years.
Education: Yale College (BA), Harvard Law School (JD)
Occupation: Chief Investment Officer
Civic Activities: Member, Social Action Committee, Westchester Reform Temple; Cub Scout Leader, Pack 440; SMS Speech Contest Judge
Children: 18, 16 and 14

KEVIN HIGGINS - 34 Claremont Rd. Resident for 6 years.
Education: Franklin & Marshall College (BS); Union College (MBA) Occupation: Banker, Managing Director, BNY Mellon
Civic Activities: Recreation Youth Soccer Coach; Scarsdale Little League Coach Children: 11, 9
JOSH WEISMER - 25 Greenacres Ave. Resident for 2 years. Education: Lehigh University (BS), Yale School of Management (MBA)
Occupation: Investment Banker
Civic Activities: Coach, Kindergarten girls' softball; Coach, 1st grade and Kindergarten boys' baseball; Board member, 10 East End Avenue Owners Corporation, NYC
Children: 8, 6, and 2

HEATHCOTE

MICHAEL W. BLUMSTEIN - 11 Wheelock Rd. Resident for 19 years.
Education: Brown University (AB); Harvard Business School (MBA)
Occupation: Chief Administrative Officer, Argus Information & Advisory Services, a division of Verisk Analytics
Civic Activities: Previously board member and treasurer of the JCC of Mid-Westchester
Children: 14, 21 and 25

DANIEL GOLDMAN - 12 Leatherstocking Lane. Resident for 5 years. Education: Brandeis University (BA); New York University School of Law (JD) Occupation: Attorney
Children: 10, 12

LEVI LITMAN - 59 Drake Rd. Grew up in Scarsdale; Adult resident since 2009.
Education: Trinity College (BA); Fordham University, Master's in Educational Leadership and Policy Occupation: Teacher, Byram Hills School District
Civic Activities: Class of 1998 Class President, Trinity College Alumni Association; member, Drake- Edgewood Neighborhood Association
Child: 10 months old

QUAKER RIDGE

RONNY HERSCH - 32 Benedict Rd. Resident for 17 years.
Education: SUNY Albany
Occupation: Homemaker/Former career as an Actuary
Civic Activities: Chair, SHS Safety Committee; Westchester Reform Temple Religious School Board member; Youth Employment Services (YES) Board member and office volunteer; Quaker Ridge School class parent, Learning to Look, and book fair volunteer; SMS store volunteer, Pizza Day, chair; DOROT volunteer; SHS College and Career Center and Library volunteer
Children: 16, 14 and 8

AVNER INGERMAN - 7 Corell Rd. Resident for 6 years. Education: MD MSc., Tel Aviv University Medical School Occupation: Pharma executive MD
Children: 14, 11 and 5

AMANDA RANGAIAH - 14 Black Hawk Road. Resident for 11 years.
Education: BA in Economics, University of Hartford
Occupation: Currently a stay-at-home parent. Lived in London May 2008-August 2012. Former positions; SVP, Citibank; VP Account Director, Wunderman
Civic Activities: Member of Saint John's Wood Women's Club (London); volunteer at the American Church in London soup kitchen; member PTA at American School in London, team leader for Community Service outreach program; liaison for ASL Welcome Family Program, coordinator for PTA Auction, key fundraising event for the school
Children: 15,13 and 11

ALISON SINGER - 3 Continental Rd. Resident for 13 years.
Education: Yale College (BA in Economics, Magna cum laude); Harvard Business School (MBA) Occupation: Founder and President, The Autism Science Foundation. Previously, VP, Cable & New Business Development, NBC; and Senior News Producer, CNBC
Civic Activities: Parent member, Scarsdale Board of Education Committee on Special Education; Parent member, Scarsdale Board of Education Committee on Preschool Special Education; Previous: Chair, Scarsdale CHILD
Children: 15, 13

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Published: 02 January 2013

Created: 02 January 2013

Last Updated: 02 January 2013

Hits: 4625

The School Board Nominating Committee (the "SBNC") will hold an open meeting on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 (snow date - January 24) at 8:00 pm in the Greenville School library to receive nominations for candidates to the Board of Education. Three vacancies will be filled at the general election on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, created by the expiration of the terms of office of Thomas McCormack, David Chao and David Stern. Both David Chao and David Stern will run for second terms.

The SBNC invites all Edgemont residents to actively participate in the nominating process by urging qualified residents of our community to seek nomination to the Board of Education, submit nomination letters for candidates, and attend the open meeting on January 23, 2013.

Nominations must be made in a letter addressed as set forth below and must be received before 8:00 pm on January 23, 2013. Nominating letters may also be presented in person at the open meeting held that evening. The letter may be written by any qualified voter of the Edgemont School District other than a member (or spouse of a member) of the SBNC. In addition to the name and address of the candidate, the letter must contain a brief biographical sketch of the candidate, including the candidate's educational background, occupation, participation in civic affairs and the length of residence in the Edgemont School District, and the grade level of any children attending any Edgemont schools and/or the year of graduation of any children who have previously attended Edgemont schools. The letter must also contain a statement indicating that the candidate has consented to serve if nominated and elected. Please address nominating letters to Monica Sganga, SBNC Chair, 350 Evandale Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583.