Edgemont residents learned of two significant departures from the Edgemont Junior-Senior High School via an email from the school on Wednesday September 14. At the September 13th meeting, the Board of Education accepted the resignation due to retirement of Dr. Barry Friedman, Principal of Edgemont Junior-Senior High School, effective August 31, 2012. Dr. Friedman began working in Edgemont in 1979 as a school psychologist at Greenville School. Four years ago he became principal of Edgemont Junior-Senior High School, where he is credited with making “profound contributions to the educational and social-emotional environment of the school.”

Members of the Board of Education accepted Dr. Friedman’s resignation with regret and with great appreciation for 33 years of service to the children of Edgemont; and wished him and his wife, Fran, a healthy, happy retirement, full of good times with family and friends. The Board also acknowledged Dr. Friedman’s timely announcement, enabling Superintendent Nancy Taddiken and the Board to engage in effective succession planning.

At the same meeting the Board also accepted the resignation of Christine Monseliu, Assistant Principal at Edgemont Junior-Senior High School, effective December 31, 2011. Ms. Monseliu will be relocating to Florida with her husband and children. She began working in Edgemont in October of 2005 after servivng as Director of Guidance and College Placement in Hastings, and as a school counselor in Chappaqua and Great Neck before becoming a full-time administrator. Members of the Board of Education acknowledged Ms. Monseliu’s skilled leadership during several periods of administrative transition at the Junior-Senior High School. During her tenure “she has established meaningful and supportive relationships with many Edgemont students.” Board members wished Ms. Monseliu well in her new role as a full-time mother to her twin daughters.

At the Tuesday, October 11, 2011 Board of Education meeting Superintendent Taddiken will present her proposal for the succession of leadership at the Junior-Senior High School.

These resignations leave both Scarsdale High School and Edgemont Junior-Senior High School in the search for new leadership.

Although it was a rainy first day of school for the junior and senior high school on Wednesday September 7, spirits were sunny as Principal Friedman stood outside to welcome everyone back to EHS. On Thursday, the rain stopped just in time to greet the elementary school students back to Greenville and Seely Place and on Friday students enjoyed the annual PTA "back to school" barbecue.

This week, students saw many new faces around the schools. Edgemont hired eight new teachers to replace some of the teachers that took the early retirement incentive offered by the Board of Education to reduce the budget increase last year. Students at EHS welcomed a new guidance counselor for the junior high, a new health teacher who was a district graduate and former modified lacrosse coach, a new Spanish teacher, and two new math teachers. At Greenville, there is a new third-grade teacher and a former teacher has returned to teach fifth grade. And at Seely Place, there is a new sixth-grade teacher.

The high energy at Edgemont continues this week with the start of Homecoming week (sponsored by the E Club). Each evening will feature a varsity sports team game under the lights on Blanford Field at EHS. The schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday, September 13th: Field Hockey vs. Ursuline at 7 pm
• Wednesday, September 14th: - Volleyball vs. Tuckahoe
• Thursday, September 15tth: Girls' Soccer vs. Mamaroneck
• Friday, September 16th: Football vs. Ardsley
• Saturday, September 17: - Boys' Soccer vs. New Rochelle

New Edgemont merchandise will be available for sale at all the games to support the E Club which in turn supports the athletic events at Edgemont.

On Saturday, September 17th, all members of the Edgemont community are invited to the "Relay for Tay." The idea behind this event is to bring the community, both young and old, together to celebrate the life of Edgemont student Taylor Matthews and to raise funds for a good cause. As Taylor hoped, Edgemont continues to try to fulfill her dream that "one day, no child will have to face cancer." The event will run from 9 am to 12 noon on the EHS track. There is a minimum $10 registration fee with the goal of adults walking eight laps (two miles) around the track, or two laps for youngsters. Food, drinks, t-shirts designed specifically for this event ($15), and Tay-bandz/kids curing cancer apparel will be sold by the track. All funds raised will go directly to tay-bandz/kids curing cancer, the pediatric cancer foundation that Taylor founded. tay-bandz/kids curing cancer is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and funding research for pediatric cancer. If you are unable to attend but would like to donate, you may send a check made out to tay-bandz to: Tay-bandz, Inc., P.O. Box 1342, Scarsdale, NY 10583.

Next week is also Spirit Week at EHS and each day will bring a different clothing theme for 7th through 12th graders. The week is sponsored by the student government, the G.O, and is always a lot of fun for the entire school population. The theme days are as follows:

• Monday: Pajama Day
• Tuesday : Favorite Band/Artist T-Shirt Day
• Wednesday: Neon Day
• Thursday: Favorite Sports Team Day
• Friday: Edgemont Blue and White Day

The week concludes with a pep rally in the Pantherdome on Friday afternoon.

Though enthusiasm runs high this month it will be a difficult year for the school administrators as they face the challenges posed by the two percent property tax cap that New York State passed this summer. The two percent tax cap can be overridden by a 60% super majority vote which will allow the Board of Education to put forth a budget that increases by more than 2% However, a minimum of a 60% vote for the budget will be required to pass a budget that exceeds the 2% cap.