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Written by Lisa VanGundy

Published: 20 May 2024

Created: 20 May 2024

Last Updated: 30 May 2024

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Megan Simon with her family.At a festive gala Thursday, May 16 at the Scarsdale Golf Club, Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service (SFCS) lauded their staff, volunteers and community partners and awarded Megan Simon the 2024 Rising Star Award in recognition of her active history as a volunteer, leader and contributor to many Scarsdale organizations. The annual Rising Star Award recognizes leaders in the Scarsdale Community who have demonstrated dedicated, impactful and active community service.

Executive Director Jay Genova acknowledged SFCS’ 104 years of service to the individuals, families and communities of Scarsdale and Edgemont and thanked local, Executive Director Jay Genovacounty, state and school board officials for their dedication to SFCS partnerships and their dedication to the mission. Without community support, this work would not be possible. SFCS functions in a spirit of partnership for the benefit of the entire community with counseling services, parent support groups, vital aging in place initiatives, and has staffed the school district with mental health professionals. Through the new child services division, children are being cared for by using modalities of art to soothe stress, which requires space, materials and talented staff. Improving health, safety and wellness of families and children is in the organization’s DNA. Jay highlighted the importance of community support for these programs.

Amy Nadasdi thanked Jay, who she said runs the organization with integrity, kindness, patience and skill. She also lauded the extraordinary Gala committee, led by Wendy Gendel for the evening’s gathering. She said, “Organizing an event like this is a major challenge, and, to Wendy and your Gala committee, I know you’ve put your collective hearts and souls into this effort.” She also thanked the sponsors and vendors who contributed to the successful event.

Kathy Stahler introduced Megan Simon who she said has risen to leadership with drive and determination, and has contributed greatly to Scarsdale schools and the community at large.

Jordan and Lisa Copeland, the previous recipients of the Rising Star Award, presented this year’s award to Megan Simon.

Megan thanked the many people who helped pick up her kids so she could spend so much time volunteering. She’s had success in college and her professional career by virtue of living and growing up in Scarsdale. She also mentioned the importance of volunteering and giving back. She said, “students benefit when we all work together. Positive change is possible, and kids benefit from being in the school community. Our children deserve the best support possible. Volunteering is a passion. SFCS embodies the qualities of commitment, kindness and collaboration and gives back to the community. You get joy from helping others and being part of a wonderful organization.”

Megan thanked everyone in attendance and said, “none of this happens without a village, and this is the best village.”

About Megan Simon
Meg Simon (nee Wolters) grew up in Scarsdale, attending Greenacres Elementary School, Scarsdale Middle School, and Scarsdale High School. She moved back to Scarsdale in 2014 with her husband Chris Simon to raise their two children: Patrick (age 14) and Devon (age 12). Attracted by the excellent schools and her own experience growing up, Megan was eager to get involved in supporting community organizations.

Meg joined several Parent Teachers Association (PTA) committees at Greenacres School and at The Hitchcock School, then rising within just a few years to become Greenacres PTA President and the PTO President at The Hitchcock School. As Greenacres PTA President, she worked with Parent Teacher Council leadership, the District cabinet and Board of Education towards a successful $68M bond referendum. The majority of those funds were used for the renovation of Greenacres in addition to addressing health and safety issues at all seven Scarsdale schools. Her leadership, dedication and relationships within the school district then led her to be named PTC President in 2021-2022. As PTC President during part of the Covid Pandemic, Meg served on the District Restart Committee as well as on the Scarsdale Middle School Restart Committee. These committees helped plan and facilitate a smooth transition for both students and staff back to in-person classes.

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In addition to her leadership of the PTA and PTC, Meg was named co-president of the Scarsdale Schools Education Foundation (SSEF) in 2021, a role she continues to this day. Meg has overseen SSEF’s donations of the upgraded cameras and microphones used by teachers to enhance remote learning during the COVID pandemic. Recently, Meg has been involved with SSEF’s grants to Scarsdale Middle School for the library renovation and to Scarsdale High School for flexible furniture which can be moved and reconfigured in classrooms to create different learning environments that best meet teachers’ needs.

In 2023 when her son entered high school, Meg joined the board of Maroon & White, the athletic teams support organization. Meg currently serves on the journal committee, which is Maroon & White’s largest fundraiser.

Meg has also been on the board of Scarsdale Golf Club for the last five years, serving as the Head of Admissions, Secretary, Vice President and, now, President. She will continue to serve on this Board for the next two years.

Prior to her return to Scarsdale, Megan worked in advertising sales and marketing for CBS and A&E Networks. She is a graduate of Bucknell University.

Article and Photos By Lisa VanGundy

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 27 May 2024

Created: 27 May 2024

Last Updated: 03 June 2024

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Sarah Bell and Omer WiczykHow can the Village keep a 120 year old organization vital and relevant? That was on the minds of the leadership of the Scarsdale Forum when they held their annual meeting on Thursday night May 23, 2024 to pass the leadership gavel from current President Sarah Bell to this year’s President Omer Wiczyk.

The Forum, originally called the TVCC, has seen its mission morph over the years. The TVCC formerly acted as unelected overseers of Scarsdale’s Non-Partisan Process, placing 11 selected members of the Procedure Committee that governed the election of Village Trustees. The Citizens Nominating Committee was chaired by two members of the TVCC rather than elected by the nominators who were elected in a general vote. All that changed and now the leadership of the Citizens Nominating Committee is voted on by the members, and the Procedure Committee is led by those who have completed three years of service on the CNC.

Now the Forum’s mission is to “provide a platform for meaningful community dialogue about municipal, school and related civic affairs. Forum activities and committee work afford members a variety of opportunities to be informed, to express personal views and to become involved in addressing the issues, choices and solutions that directly impact our community.” The group produces in-depth reports on issues such as education, downtown development and sustainability that are submitted to the Board of Education and Village Board for review.

At the May 23 meeting, departing President Sarah Bell described her efforts to “move the Forum into a new generation.” She said, “It wasn’t an easy year. It was hard. It seemed like we didn’t want to move into the future.” However, working to facilitate “inclusive engagement,” they recruited eight new board members and formed the Scarsdale Forum Youth Advisory Panel to engage youth in civic affairs. She recognized six high school students in the audience calling them, “interesting, interested and engaged.”

She also mentioned publication of their “mini focus” newsletter, saying it was the most opened publication in five years.

She welcomed incoming President Omer Wiczyk to the podium and said she was excited for the future.

Forum members and students with Amy Paulin and Shelley Mayer.

Wiczyk thanked Bell for her energy and laughed saying, “We are going to have an Instagram account!”

Taking the stage he said, “I have dedicated my life to public service – I believe that by volunteering you can make your community a better place. We are all on the same page. We may disagree about how – but we all want to move forward. One of my themes will be civility.
He invited Forum members to participate, saying “I want to hear ideas on what we should change – and should not change. Inclusivity is vital when change is afoot.”

He welcomed the evenings speakers, State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and State Senator Shelley Mayer who offered comments on what’s going on in NYS government and on their priorities this year.

Amy Paulin referred to the struggle to reach compromise in Albany saying, “We battle and we move forward.” She said that the COVID crisis had decreased contact between members and results in antagonism. Now she said, “civility has returned because we see one another.”Paulin addressed the group on a wide range of state and local issues.

She noted that our districts two representatives are responsible for 87% of the state budget, with Paulin chairing the Assembly’s health committee and Mayer, chairing the Senate’s education committee. She discussed the drawn out fight over redistricting, restoring funding for cuts in the health care budget and challenges to the CDPAP program which allows residents to receive benefits for caring for relatives at home.

Paulin brought up two bills she is sponsoring that she is working hard to get passed this session. One she calls the Harvey Weinstein bill as it was prompted when Weinstein’s rape conviction was overturned in New York. This bill would allow the court to admit evidence that a defendant has committed any prior sexual assaults in a criminal proceeding in which a defendant is accused of sexual assault.

Second, Paulin is championing a bill called “Aid in Dying,” to allow terminally ill patients to request pharmaceuticals for the purpose of speeding up their deaths and providing legal protections to the physicians who prescribe them.

Turning to local issues, Paulin is working with Mayer to pass legislation to allow the Village of Scarsdale to refund tax fees and penalties that were incurred due to a post office failure. She is also working on legislation to assist Scarsdale Village Ambulance Corps and on another bill to help non-profits collect funds.

She is working on getting funding to alleviate flooding on the Hutchinson River Parkway and to prevent Lake Isle in New Rochelle from overflowing and damaging property.

On a personal note, she choked back tears as she announced plans to move to New Rochelle after 44 years in Scarsdale. She said, “it is an understatement to say that I am devastated. I will never feel as connected to another community as I am now.” She said, “I will always say that this is my home.”

County Executive George LatimerState Senator Shelley Mayer explained that she represents a “big, complicated district.” In the Senate she said there are 42 Democrats where “everyone has their own opinion but they pull it all together.” She said, “with strong leaders we move in the right direction.”

Turning to the issues she is working on she discussed the following:

-We are re-visiting the state funding formula. School districts like Scarsdale receive very little funding. The formula is out of date. Districts in Long Island receive more. We need a fairer way for the state to pay out based on need.

She gave credit to Scarsdale for passing the school budget saying, “It is a sign of support for education when a district passes a budget above the state tax cap.”

She is in favor of a bill to have one ex-officio student on each school board.

Security : She said that some school districts have hired off duty police for school security and she is working with the Governor to get money for security for those schools.

About the state university system she vowed, “We will invest in SUNY and CUNY schools and increase the TAP awards.”

About dissent on college campuses, she said, “We have to do more at colleges to make sure students don’t feel afraid. We need to come up with effective solutions and better policies.

She discussed new legislation to increase the list of crimes that can be termed hate crimes.

She expressed concern about brazen retail theft and a feeling of lawlessness. They have proposed to make it a crime to assault a retail worker and to make it legal to aggregate the amount of items stolen to add up to $1,000 to go from petty to grand larceny. Last there is a proposal to offer a tax break for small businesses that have increases in costs due to security.

She expressed support for the passage of the ERA amendment and also proposed the creation of a senior cabinet officer for flood management, or a “flood czar,” to go to on the state level to address flooding.

County Executive George Latimer surprised the group by stopping in as well. He’s been working hard as an advocate for Westchester County while also campaigning to represent Congressional District 16 in Congress. The primary is on June 25, 2024.

The meeting offered a bird’s eye view on what’s going on in Scarsdale, the county and the state from some hardworking representatives.

Also elected to lead the Scarsdale Forum are the following:

1st VP/President-Elect: Jill Spielberg
2nd VP: Alexandra Vargo
Treasurer: Elaine Weir
Secretary: Jeanne-Marie Castiello

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 10 May 2024

Created: 10 May 2024

Last Updated: 14 May 2024

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You go to meet a friend for lunch and when you arrive at the table she doesn’t look up from her phone. What to do? Clear your throat? Stare at her? Take out your own phone? In a world where norms for personal interactions have been all but forgotten, what is the place for having good manners? Does etiquette matter and if so, how do we teach it to our children and model the right behavior ourselves?

Certified etiquette consultant Michele Oricoli is an expert in the matter of manners. We asked her to introduce herself and discuss why manners do matter – for people of all ages – and below is some information you’ll want to keep in mind.

What is your background and how did you become interested in etiquette?

My parents consistently taught and modeled the rules of etiquette and good manners for me and my six siblings. They set expectations for how we were to treat one another and those outside our home. In addition, we were taught table manners, etiquette in public places, phone etiquette, and living with an attitude of gratitude. We were never expected to be perfect (often, we were far from it), but we were given a foundation that served as a compass for conduct that was reliable and fair to all.

After college, I realized that not everyone was afforded the same opportunity, and lack of manners could thwart professional and personal success. I knew it didn’t have to be this way. When raising my children, I followed my parents’ lead. It became especially important to me to instill kindness, respect, consideration, empathy, honesty, responsibility, and gratitude along with the rules and guidelines of etiquette.

After working on Wall Street, I obtained a Masters in Counseling, and then I decided that it was important to share with others the benefits of learning about manners and etiquette, so I became a Certified Etiquette Consultant. I was trained by The Protocol School of Washington and The Emily Post Institute. I created the Up programs to expand beyond traditional manners and etiquette programs. They take into account my background and experience to nurture confidence and social graces in children through adults. I’m doing what I love.

Why is etiquette so important today? Do you think that there is a general lack of awareness about the importance of good manners?

Etiquette and good manners are more important than ever. Beyond mere politeness, manners reflect a deeper understanding and respect for others and an awareness of social norms and expectations. It’s interesting because I recently read an article published by King’s College London titled “Parenting Priorities: International Attitudes towards Raising Children.” The article collects data from one of the largest social surveys in the world, the World Values Survey (WVS). The report is based on the data for each country collected by the WVS between 2017-2022.

It found that “overall, adults in the U.S. are least likely to say that kids having good manners is an especially important quality — just 52% of them said so in 2017. That makes the U.S. the country least likely, of the 24 countries surveyed in recent years, to believe good manners are crucial for kids. This is a significant drop from 1990, when 76% of U.S. adults said it was a very important quality for children to possess.” (CNBC.com, Sept 18, 2023)
This should make us all pause. What good can come from a world where manners are not valued?

Good manners are essential for every interaction we face, whether at home, school, work, or community. Manners are not something pulled out for special occasions. They are a mindset. There’s no way around it. When you operate within the framework of a manners mindset, you feel good about yourself, and others feel at ease. You tend to have more favorable interactions. I think some equate kindness with weakness, obedience, or being a push-over. Nothing could be further from the truth. Manners are not old-fashioned, pretentious, or stodgy. They are practical, helpful, and necessary for a modern society to thrive. I believe manners and social graces are an asset and, quite possibly, your greatest strength.

What are some of the earliest lessons parents should teach young children?

Early on, I encourage parents to teach children polite words consistently: “Please, thank you, you’re welcome, may I, excuse me, and I’m sorry.” It’s crucial for parents to model these and then genuinely praise children for using them appropriately. As children grow, teaching them table manners and dining do’s and don’ts such as “small bites” and “no talking with food in your mouth” helps to create a good foundation. Don’t expect perfection; it’s about progress and nurturing children who develop skills that become habits.

For teens - what are some of the most important skills that you stress?

The teen years are a tender age with so much going on physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. I think we need to extend grace to teens. Giving them skills to bolster their self-esteem is important. Learning how to make a good first impression is a good place to start because it gives them a sense of control. Standing up when meeting someone, making eye contact, smiling, offering a firm handshake, and speaking in a confident, friendly voice. This is usually enough to break the ice, and their confidence is bolstered each time they practice. In addition, they make the connection that these first impressions are important when meeting coaches, employers, friends’ parents, and more. Teens become aware that people who are pleasant to be around tend to have more favorable experiences and interactions.

For table manners, what are the most common mistakes people make?

The number one challenge is holding silverware correctly. I often see fists around forks and cutting with the handle of the fork in the air. The second challenge is not knowing how to navigate a place setting. The best thing about manners and etiquette is that they are based on logic and reason. The rules of dining etiquette are easy to remember once you understand the “why.”

Provide an example of a situation where having good manners made a big difference, changed an outcome or saved the day?

There are too many to mention, but a recent example involved a mom reporting back that her son, a recent college grad, was approached by his CEO after a small group dinner. The CEO said to him, “You have such nice manners.” He reviewed the evening and wondered if it was that he stood up to greet his co-worker from out of town or was it that he offered the bread basket to others before serving himself, or maybe it was because he remained calm when the server splashed a martini on him. He may never know the moment he caught his CEO’s attention, but it made him realize that your manners matter in every situation. You never know who is watching and noticing these subtleties. They are quiet but speak volumes about you and leave a lasting impression long after you’ve left the room.

I have also witnessed numerous situations that could have escalated into contentious situations only to be changed by good manners. A simple act of offering graciousness and civility instead of an impulsive, defensive reaction can make all the difference.

In addition to taking one of your classes, how do you recommend that readers brush up on their manners and etiquette? Sources? Where can people find you - and what do you offer?

I provide private, individual, and small group classes in clients’ homes, public and private clubs, government agencies, non-profits, and schools. I consult with high school students to prep for college interviews and internship opportunities and often meet up with them again to prepare for job interviews. I enjoy sharing a meal with students to practice dining etiquette and the art of conversation. I’m excited to begin offering programs to support parents in teaching their children manners throughout Westchester County, NY, and Fairfield County, CT. See morethanmanners to learn more.