24 Teachers Granted Tenure
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- Written by Wendy MacMillan
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What better way to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week than by granting tenure to our district’s eligible faculty members? At a special Tenure Meeting held by the Board of Education on Monday May 6th, the BOE recognized the hard work and dedication of twenty-four teachers when they approved the Superintendent’s recommendation to confer tenure for these individuals.
Superintendent Dr. Drew Patrick began the special celebratory meeting by expressing his heartfelt appreciation for all of Scarsdale’s teachers saying that, “It is our teachers that make our schools such special places to learn and grow,” and recognized that they, “work day in and day out to reach our full mission with the whole child in mind.” He went on to celebrate the twenty-four candidates for tenure by acknowledging their hard work during the rigorous tenure process.
Meghan Troy, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, echoed Dr. Patrick’s appreciation of the teacher’s efforts and went on to describe the rigors of the tenure process saying:
“Our appraisal system during the probationary period relies on a wide variety of inputs to inform a decision to recommend tenure, including:
At least four formal classroom observations (school visits for administrators) annually, which include a discussion, reflection, written report, and rating, conducted by supervisors (i.e., department chair) and administrators (i.e., principal, assistant principal).
An observation by an Assistant Superintendent and/or Director, annually.
Numerous informal drop-in observations by supervisors and administrators.
Formal and informal mentoring.
A portfolio of materials documenting professional practice, with written commentary.
A year-end conference, written appraisal, assessment of progress, and rating, annually.
A parent survey, as well as ongoing feedback from members of the community.
An administrative review panel attended by District administrators, building administrators, supervisors, and Board of Education members, annually.
It is our expectation that the rigors of the tenure process are commensurate with the importance of the achievement.”
Troy then enthusiastically recommended the candidates for tenure in their designated areas and invited principals from each school to introduce and honor each of the following candidates:
The joyful event came to a close after the Board of Education unanimously approved the recommendation of the Superintendent and the packed room (filled with supporters, teachers, and their families) erupted into gleeful cheers and a standing ovation.
American Basswood Tree Planted in Colonial Acres Park for Arbor Day
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Scarsdale is known as “A Village in a Park,” largely due to the wide array of varieties of tress that populate our tree canopy. This year, for the 41st year in a row, Scarsdale was named a “Tree City” by the National Arbor Day Foundation. To celebrate the designation, the Village planted an American Basswood tree in Colonial Acres Park to replace another tree that was engulfed by invasive vines and had to be removed.
On Friday after April 26, officials from the state, county and village along with resident volunteers gathered in this lovely park for the official planting of the tree. There was representation from the Village Manager’s office, the Recreation Department and the Department of Public Works in recognition of their roles in maintaining Scarsdale’s tree canopy.
Alexandra Marshall and Brian Gray
On hand was the Mayor, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Senator Shelley Mayer and County Executive George Latimer along with Trustee Karen Brews and volunteers from the Friends of Scarsdale Parks and Vinecutters who have been battling the aggressive vines that are smothering village trees.
Mayer Arest thanked the volunteers for their efforts to preserve the environment including the county’s first food scrapping program that has become a model for other communities across the state.
Madelaine Eppenstein from the Friends of Scarsdale Parks noted the importance of preserving the village’s tree canopy.
Acting Village Manager Alexander Marshall thanked the Vinecutters for their efforts to stem the growth of the vines that are strangling many Village trees.
Standing in the bucolic park State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin said, “how lucky we all are to live in this community.”
County Executive George Latimer complimented Scarsdale for its leadership in conservation and environmental initiatives.
Mayor Arest read a portion of the proclamation below – and everyone lifted a shovel to plant the new tree.
Arbor Day Proclamation
Mayor Justin Arest and County Executive George Latimer-Whereas, in 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees and the practice has evolved into Arbor Day, which was first observed with the planting of more than one million trees in Nebraska, and is now observed throughout the nation and world; and
-Whereas, trees are a prized and cherished resource that reduce the erosion of precious topsoil by wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, purify the air, produce oxygen, and provide habitat for wildlife; and
-Whereas, trees are a renewable resource providing us paper for our many uses, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and countless other products that improve our quality of life; and
-Whereas, trees in our Village add to property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, beautify our community, and wherever planted, are a source of elation and renewal; and
-Whereas, the Village of Scarsdale has been recognized as a Tree City USA community by the National Arbor Day Foundation for 41 consecutive years, for its conscientious, well-managed forestry program, which the Village is committed to maintaining; and
-Now, Therefore, I, Justin Arest, Mayor of the Village of Scarsdale, do hereby proclaim Friday, April 26, 2024, as Arbor Day in the Village of Scarsdale, and urge all residents to celebrate and support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands; and be it further
Proclaimed, that all residents are urged to plant and care for trees to enhance their quality of life and promote the well-being of ours and future generations.
A Tree Tour of Old Scarsdale
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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More than 50 adults and children assembled on Autenrieth Road near Scarsdale Village on Saturday April 6 for a late afternoon tree tour, led by certified arboriculturalist Cynthia Roberts.
The walk featured some majestic trees that shade the neighborhood, including a 300 year-old black oak tree, a white pine, a towering tulip and a sycamore tree. At each stop she discussed the properties and benefits provided by these trees, including shade, cooling, stormwater absorption, transpiration, photosynthesis and the habitat they provide for insects and birds.
She shared pine needles, pine cones, acorns, thorny leaves and seed pods and explained their function for both the tree and the environment.
She demonstrated how the tree’s root system extends two to three times beyond the drip line of the tree, forming an underground system for pulling water up from the ground.
The youngest members of the tour were well versed in why the tree canopy is an essential piece of our landscape.
The tour was inspired by a threat to one of Scarsdale’s most treasured trees, posed by a developer who wishes to build a garage that will damage the roots of the approximately 300 year-old oak at 21 Autenreith Road. Roberts is fighting to enforce and strengthen the Village tree code and to make tree health a factor in the approval process for renovation plans by the Board of Architectural Review and the Planning Board.
The following letter was sent to Scarsdale10583 by Michael Otten on April 7, 2024:
As part of the Village Trustees review of zoning, I encourage serious consideration of tree regulations and enforcement. Having fines for un-approved tree removal is not sufficient when one recognizes that a tree can be killed or debilitated by destroying the ecosystem around it. I hope our village government will consider what staff, Board(s), committees and regulations need to be in place to protect the many elderly residents of Scarsdale, by which I mean our older trees, not just the humans who benefit from their beauty, oxygen, residences for wildlife and ability to absorb storm water.
Let's keep Scarsdale's Village in a Park in front of us as an over-arching principle for going forward.
Best, Michael Otten
Stonehouse Road
A Joyous Celebration for Jane Veron and Maroon and White
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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The Scarsdale Bowl, celebrating volunteerism for over 80 years, shone like new at a smart, lively and contemporary celebration at Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club on Thursday night April 11, 2024.
The evening had a fun and celebratory vibe. Guests were greeted by waiters serving two specially curated Scarsdale cocktails, “Manhattans” called “Scarsdale Meets Manhattan,” and a non-alcoholic drink called, “The Raider Rooter.” They sipped drinks, mingled and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres while celebrants posed for photos in front of the maroon and white Scarsdale Bowl banner.
The evening’s honoree, former Mayor and volunteer extraordinaire Jane Veron is the perfect exemplar of a Bowl winner. She has done it all and continues to work for the betterment of the community, from service in Village government and the downtown retail environment to small businesses around the country. She has touched the lives of so many in town that she was the natural choice for this year’s nominee.
Selected to receive the Spotlight Award, booster organization Maroon and White was honored for their work to create school spirit and to enhance the experience of student athletes in Scarsdale.
The Scarsdale Bowl Committee, led by Chairman Erika Rublin did an excellent job of programming an evening that was upbeat and entertaining while giving proper due to the honorees. Rublin noted that the event was a celebration of everyone who works to make Scarsdale better, saying, “As much as the Bowl dinner is about honoring a particular volunteer, it is also about celebrating and honoring all the community volunteers who work so hard to make Scarsdale the special place it is. The Bowl dinner is the one time in the year that ALL of Scarsdale comes together.” She recognized local officials, former Bowl winners, members of the Scarsdale Foundation and the Bowl committee all in the room to toast a Scarsdale tradition.
The SHS a cappella group For Good Measure set the tone with a harmonious medley of songs.
Replacing long tributes from family members and friends was a well-produced video with kudos for Veron. Former Bowl winner Evelyn Stock said, “Jane deserves three Bowls instead of one …. We should establish a Scarsdale holiday for the day Jane Veron moved to town.”
Suzanne Seiden, who heads the Scarsdale Foundation reminded the room of the mission of the group behind the Scarsdale Bowl. The Foundation, now in its 101st year, raises funds to help Scarsdale college students in need to meet tuition and living expenses. She underlined the importance of the aid saying, “Some are skeptical about the need in Scarsdale – but its real. Sudden illness, death and divorce can upset the best laid plans.” She explained that last year the Scarsdale Foundation gave $200,000 to 40 worthy students who used the funds to get an education and realize their dreams.
Rublin introduced Michale Sokol, a young man who grew up in Scarsdale and benefited from the support of the foundation, earning a B.A. and two Masters’ Degrees. He now works in health care and has three children of his own. He said, “I am deeply indebted to the support of the Scarsdale Foundation.”
Turning to the Spotlight Award for Maroon and White, Erika Rublin said, “In choosing this amazing organization, the Bowl Committee noted how much Maroon and White has contributed to the spirit and community of Scarsdale. From fundraising to supplement our athletes with projects such as lights at Butler Field or a score board at Supply Field, to team dinners and parades, Maroon and White has added so much to the student athlete experience at Scarsdale High School. And Maroon and White drives Raider Pride! It is on the athletic fields, with our entire community cheering on our Raiders, where we all feel connected to one another and our student athletes feel appreciated and valued.”
Photographer Andi Schreiber captured the special moments and generously donated her services as a raffle prize for the event. See more at Andi Schreiber Photography.
Accepting the award for Maroon and White, Amy Frank and Moira Crouch thanked the Bowl Committee, noting that this was the first award in the organization’s history. She said, “We are the school spirit committee, we encourage Raider Pride and work hard to honor our athlete’s accomplishments.”
Standing with Rublin, Jane Veron came to the podium to accept the silver bowl. Holding the bold aloft, the two were thrilled and so was the audience.
In her remarks, Veron said, “None of us achieve in isolation,” and thanked her husband and family for their love and support.”
She remembered her early years in Scarsdale saying, “We moved here for the schools, the parks, and the pool but later learned the real treasure is the community.”
She recounted her earliest volunteer activities when she organized with other parents to advocated for a new playground at Willow Park. They resuscitated the Fox Meadow Neighborhood Association, planted the garden on the triangle on Church Lane and she was off and running.
Along the way she assembled a lengthy resume of volunteer service: President of the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale, Chair of the Scarsdale Neighborhood Association of Presidents, Secretary of the Scarsdale Foundation; Chair, Scarsdale Bowl Committee; Chair, Scarsdale Planning Board, a Village Trustees for four years and was eventually Mayor of Scarsdale.
In her speech she noted some of the highlights including founding the Scarsdale Business Alliance and “bringing back the holiday spirit with the “Light the Dale” event during the holidays. During her term in Village government she worked to renovate and expand the library, designed a new logo for the Village and put in Wi-fi around the high school.
She did all this while serving as the CEO and co-founder of The Acceleration Project (TAP), a nonprofit organization creating a more equitable and inclusive economy providing advisory services to under-resourced small business owners across the country.
Veron said, “My eldest daughter gave me a map of Scarsdale in 1910. When I look at it I think of all the places where this group has left its mark. I imagine a pinpoint of light for all the spots you made a little better…. when I think of this groups impact, Scarsdale is bathed in light.”
It was beautiful imagery of the light Veron shined, shining back on her.
Scarsdale Bowl Committee Members (in attendance)
Leah Dembitzer
Isabel Finegold
Carl Finger
Tim Foley
Ronny Hersch
Sharon Higgins
Lori Rothman Kaplan
Susan Ross
Ryan Spicer
Scarsdale Bowl Committee Fundraising Team
Randi Culang
Angela Manson
Cynthia Samwick
Stephanie Stern
Xue Su
Scarsdale Foundation
Tom Giordano, Treasurer
Marc Greenwald
Seema Jaggi
Elyse Klayman
Jon Leslie
Jennifer Love, Secretary
Anne Lyons, Vice President
BK Munguia
Tracy Tang
Past Bowl Recipients in Attendance
Evelyn Stock
Carol Stix
Jill Spieler
BK Munguia
Jon Mark
Michelle Lichtenberg
Kathy Steves
Carl Pforzheimer
Terry Singer
Janice Starr
Photos by Andi Schreiber: See more at Andi Schreiber Photography.
Performance Based Assessments Allow Students to Learn While Demonstrating Proficiency
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- Written by Wendy MacMillan
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When we think back to our days in high school, I’m sure we can all remember cramming the night before a big exam surrounded by flashcards and hi-lighters…but how much of the crammed information do you actually remember? And did the multiple choice tests you took feel meaningful or applicable to the real world? In his Education Report at the BOE meeting on Monday, March 25th, Assistant Superintendent Edgar McIntosh outlined the district’s work to create more opportunities for Performance Based Assessments which offer students a more purposeful and material way to test one’s knowledge. Since many missed the late night report, we reached out to Dr. McIntosh who shared a summary of his presentation notes describing the importance of Performance Based Assessments and how they are used in classrooms.
Here is the presentation (Slides 12 - 32) and what he said:
“Performance Based Assessments (PBAs) are important tools used to evaluate the essential skills and dispositions that are difficult to measure in a standard testing format.
Performance-based assessments require students to demonstrate the ability to appropriately apply their skills and knowledge, demonstrate or model their proficiency, and work from clear and transparent assessment criteria, with opportunities for students to reflect on their performance and learn from it.
This type of assessment demonstrates a depth of understanding of what is learned and the developing skills of the learner. One of the most celebrated parts of PBAs is that learning can occur during the actual assessment.
Since Scarsdale has been working on the development, design, and pilot of PBAs for several years many of them are already integrated into the assessments practice across disciplines and levels, some core to certain courses, and some of them represent a movement from past assessments. NY State has also begun expanding its science tests to include PBA elements in their yearly assessments.”
(During the presentation, he highlighted PBAs in writing and weather science at the elementary level, engineering and public communication at the middle level, and design and world languages at the high school)
McIntosh explained: “As we think about this important assessment work, we think it’s important that we are always checking back and measuring what is important---that we are checking for depth over the speed of coverage- and flexible understanding over rote memory.
The Next Generation Standards do a good job of articulating this, and the value of developing the knowledge, skills, and practices that will lead our students to becoming critical thinkers.
For example, when considering students' mathematical understanding, we know that developing fluency and conceptual understanding is more important than rote memorization and overreliance on an algorithm.
This was illustrated beautifully in a fifth-grade classroom recently when students were practicing the division by fractions. Some students were familiar with the trick “Keep, Change, Flip”-meaning, keep the number, change division to multiplication, and flip the numerator with the denominator. By doing this, the class easily divided 6 divided by ⅓ and came up with 18. The question then becomes, why does it work? Some predicted that dividing by a fraction would result in a smaller number. At this point, the teacher invited students to model why the answer 18 was correct. She provided number lines, strips of paper, and time for them to describe, disagree, and demonstrate why 18 was correct and why the trick worked. Interestingly, it wasn't the speediest of mathematicians who came up with the clearest model.
And like PBAs, so much is about asking the right questions, and allowing the space, resources, and time for students to demonstrate and defend their thinking and learning.
This leads me to another important point. We must be using the pedagogy, resources, and tools that will get us to the outcomes we want for students.
For example, we have specifically chosen science materials and progressions from Smithsonian and Science 21 because they are aligned with the practices reflected in the Next Generation Science Standards and include experiential opportunities for students.
Also, we chose Reveal Math because it was one of the products that prioritized the important mathematical practices in Next Generation Standards in Math.
For those who have seen past educational reports dedicated to curricular changes, the rationale for this change was outlined, including a description of a rigorous and collaborative process to choose this research-based math resource.
We celebrate the increase reported in student discourse in math while recognizing that every change requires teachers, administrators, and coordinators to develop together and continue to use professional opportunities and structures, like program improvement days to adapt curriculum responsively and professional workshops to refine our instructional practices.
I look forward to sharing meaningful metrics, reflecting the values we’ve described in an upcoming education report.
Teaching to the test is not a bad thing if the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and practices we value are embedded in the daily learning opportunities and the assessment. In other words, high-quality pedagogy and curriculum are our best test prep for high-quality assessments.
I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that our colleagues- the educators in the arts, physical education, performance, and music have been engaging in performance assessments all along. Application, demonstration, criteria for success, and reflection.
And that we have courses that center creation, demonstration, and research, rely on PBAs- and nurture the dispositions and skills our students will thrive with. A rich collection developed over time, with a robust representation of STEM courses.
-Digital Logic
-Electrical Engineering
-Computer Science 922 (Application Based)
-AT Linear Algebra
-Science Research
-Entrepreneurship
-Public Speaking
-Design Build
-Robotics
-Expressive Communication
Beyond these courses, we look to continue to expand PBAs across the grades and disciplines. We know they measure critical thinking, problem-solving, and power skills, and encourage iterative, and active learning. They are particularly useful in subjects where practical skills, collaboration, and creativity are paramount.
A quick look at the profile of the graduate- and you’ll see many of the outcomes we desire for our students are brought about by instruction and curriculum that value it--and assessments that measure it."
See here for the Education Report.
