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Written by Alissa Baum and Myra Saul

Published: 07 May 2025

Created: 07 May 2025

Last Updated: 07 May 2025

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On a beautiful, sunny afternoon on May 3 in Chase Park, Scarsdale residents and elected officials gathered to speak out at a rally against the Trump administration’s multiple and varied actions which pose a threat to our democracy and American principles of expertise, public health, education, and prosperity. The rally was organized by the Scarsdale Democratic Town Committee, Indivisible Scarsdale, and community members.

With a crowd of about 200 people, attendees waved American flags and raised homemade signs with messages such as “Hate Has No Home Here,” “Hands off Our Rights,” “Science Saves Lives,” and “Stop Fascism.” The event attracted concerned neighbors from Eastchester, Greenwich, Mount Pleasant, and New Rochelle, in addition to those from the local Scarsdale community.

Tim Foley, a Scarsdale resident running this year to represent Scarsdale, a portion of White Plains and West Harrison in the County Legislature, was the master of ceremonies and began the rally by asserting that what is at stake in the current crisis are not Democratic or Republican values, but American values. He also rejected the idea that public officials should only speak about kitchen table issues and not emphasize issues related to democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law. Foley, asserting that, “It was clear to our founders and our forebears that our government, with its checks and balances and its commitment to the rule not by a king but by the people is how we produce economic prosperity and the American dream,” received cheers from the crowd.

Speakers included our own Assemblywoman Amy Paulin who explained the effect of Medicaid cuts on affluent communities, like Scarsdale. Among other things, these cuts will put financial pressure on hospitals, such as Sloan Kettering, Columbia Presbyterian, and White Plains, which could lead to a decrease in care.

Other speakers, all Scarsdale residents, included: 1) Dara Kass, physician and former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Director, who spoke of the effects of NIH cuts to critical research into disease, emergency response to public health crises, and threats to jobs and the local economy; 2) Jeannie Rosenthal, a Scarsdale High School alumna, Harvard graduate, and founder of the nonprofit Let’s Get Ready, who spoke of the impact of President Trump’s attacks on higher education and academic freedom; and 3) David Zhang, a global macro economist, local realtor and naturalized citizen, who spoke of the importance of valuing the immigrant community and recognizing its rightful place in American society.

Scarsdale High School Seniors Jessica Katz and Arya Goyal made impassioned speeches about scientific research and immigration, respectively, which drew the loudest applause of the day and gave the attendees all hope that the next generation will fulfill our nation’s promise.
Congressman George Latimer and State Senator Shelley Mayer also addressed the crowd.

Here is a link to some video footage: 

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 13 May 2025

Created: 13 May 2025

Last Updated: 14 May 2025

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There’s no better way to find out what’s going on in Scarsdale than by attending the annual Greenacres Town Hall meeting. This year’s panel discussion with Scarsdale leaders was held on Thursday night May 8, 2025 at the newly renovated Greenacres Elementary School.

Residents gathered to meet Scarsdale’s leaders and to find out everything they wanted to know about the Village, the schools, public safety and parks and recreation from distinguished line-up of paid employees and resident volunteers who lead the Village.

At the table were panelists:

Mayor Justin Arest, Village Trustee and liaison David Goldschmidt, Village Manager Alex Marshall, Superintendent of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, Brian Gray, Superintendent of Public Works Jeff Coleman, Fire Chief Chris Mytych, SPD Patrol Station Commander Eric LoGiudice, Matt Chesler SVAC, School Superintendent Drew Patrick, Ass’t Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Edgar McIntosh, Incoming Principal Greenacres School Trish Iasiello and Board of Education Vice President Jim Dugan.

Each gave a brief update on what’s happening in their areas.

Mayor Justin Arest reported on an impressive list of improvements to the Village’s aging infrastructure while being fiscally prudent. Some of these plans including field and playground upgrades, the renovation of the Scarsdale Pool Complex, technology and sustainability improvements and an EV charging project in the Village Center and Village Hall which will hopefully be fully paid for by the County and Con Ed. Further work is planned on the sewers, water system and sidewalk improvements.

Village Manager Alex Marshall focused on traffic safety and discussed the survey results for a proposal to convert Sage Terrace between Putnam and Brewster Roads to a one way street. They heard from 79 respondents; 62% support the conversion to one way, 27% oppose it and 11% were unsure or needed additional information. The traffic safety committee will discuss it further along with other safety measures including sidewalks and parking restrictions.

Jeff Coleman from the Public Works Department reported that it was a big year for the water department who completed the first tranche of watermain work on Crossway and replaced water mains. The project was completed on time and on budget. Impacted roads will be paved this spring. Of the 140 vehicles used by the Village, 10% are now electric. The Sanitation Station will be getting an electric dump truck next month.

Brian Gray: Superintendent of Parks, Recreation and Conservation reported that as a result of the field study a turf field will be installed at Winston Field, new pickleball and tennis courts will be installed at Crossway, additional parking will be built at Crossway and there will be new restrooms on both sides of Mamaroneck Road. The schedule calls for a traffic and an engineering study in 2026-26 with construction to be done in 2026/27. Also in the works are new playgrounds at Willow and Aspen Parks.

Newly elected Village Trustee and liaison to the Greenacres Neighborhood Association David Goldschmidt said he is excited A new drainage pipe at a subdivided property on Lincoln/Carthage Road sends water onto Lincoln Road.to be on the board and in Greenacres. In terms of priorities he said, “We have an aging infrastructure that needs to be replaced in a fiscally responsible way … we need to be thoughtful and efficient.” He said that his neighborhood has seen a lot of redevelopment and that neighbors reviewed plans for a recent subdivision for seven months due to concerns about stormwater and sewers. He would like to see neighborhoods grow without harming neighbors.

Eric LoGiudice SPD Patrol Station Commander said that the force currently has 23 patrol officers, 9 patrol sergeant, 2 administrative sergeants and 4 detectives split into three divisions: Patrol, Investigations and Support. About safety in Greenacres he said the most traffic complaints concern Brewster Road between Fenimore and Sage Terrace where there are concerns about speeding and unsafe driving. They are using cobra radar to collect information on speed, direction and traffic volume and officers will be there to enforce speeding and to educate pedestrians on where to walk.

Fire Chief Christopher Mytych told residents that nine career members are on duty at all times. He said that Village fire hydrants are being tested and so far, with 50% tested, some issues have been identified as some are 100 years old.

Matt Chesler from Scarsdale Village Ambulance Corps said that SVAC answers 2,000 calls each year in Scarsdale and the north end of New Rochelle. They also make home visits as part of the community paramedic program and visit recently discharged patients from White Plains Hospital to decrease the rate of re-admissions. The Corps is staffed by paid employees and volunteers and operate on a $1.5 mm budget that is funded through revenue recovery and donations from the community. They do not receive funds from the Village.

School Superintendent Drew Patrick discussed the 2025-26 proposed school budget which will be voted on Tuesday May 20, 2025 from 7 am to 9 pm at Scarsdale Middle School. The budget includes a 1.77% tax increase, which would mean a $415/year increase for the owner of a median priced home of $1.32 mm.

The budget maintains class sizes at a maximum of 22 students for grades K-3 and 24 students in grades 4-5. It continues the house system at Scarsdale Middle School and provides for diverse courses of study and the ability to match every course request at Scarsdale High School.

Board of Education Vice President Jim Dugan explained that formulating this year’s school budget was the result of a lot of careful thought and deliberation, with a desire to grow and keep schools strong. A joint field study done in collaboration with the Village showed the need for an additional turf practice field at the high school which can be used by dozens of athletes in all weather and all seasons. This is funded in the 2025-26 school budget and will enhance the ability of our student athletes to participate and prepare for their sports. There are also plans to renovate some elementary school playgrounds this coming year.

Possibly in response to concerns about the Reveal Math program, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Instruction and Assessment Edgar McIntosh addressed concerns about changes to the district curriculum and explained how new programs are adopted.

Here are the steps that are followed:

-Extensive research
-Collaboration with large number of Scarsdale educators, a coordinator and administrators are involved; this is not done in a vacuum
-A large support network is employed to try different programs. For instance, the last program they piloted for math involved 41 educators who piloted 5 programs.
-Support also comes from having the time to do these pilots and prioritizing their time to focus energy on changes
-Patience: Any change will take patience, reflection, refinement; a change in curriculum is not something that will be fully formed as soon as it is rolled out.

Finally, the meeting was an opportunity to introduce Trish Iasiello, the incoming Principal of Greenacres School. Iasiello has been the Assistant Principal of Fox Meadow School for the last six years and spent twenty years teaching grades one through four at Quaker Ridge. She is looking forward to building relationships with the children and faculty of Greenacres and believes, all children should feel seen, valued and heard. She is excited and thrilled to be a part of Greenacres.

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 26 April 2025

Created: 26 April 2025

Last Updated: 26 April 2025

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(This letter was sent by Cynthia and Marc Samwick, Co-Chairs of the Scarsdale Bowl Dinner)

To the Scarsdale Community,

It was a joy and an honor to celebrate the 2025 Scarsdale Bowl Dinner with so many of you — a night that truly captured the very best of our village.

As Chairs of this year’s Scarsdale Bowl Dinner, we had the privilege of honoring two outstanding recipients: Andrew Sereysky, the recipient of the prestigious Scarsdale Bowl Award, and the Scarsdale Adult School, which received the Spotlight Award for its extraordinary commitment to lifelong learning.

Andrew has been a constant source of support and inspiration within our community, offering his time, energy, and care in ways both large and small. His dedication has made Scarsdale a better place for all of us, and it was a true honor to recognize him with the Scarsdale Bowl. As a neighbor, friend, and leader, Andrew embodies the spirit of service that defines Scarsdale.

The Scarsdale Adult School, led by Executive Director Jill Serling, has been enriching our community for nearly 90 years. It was wonderful to celebrate this organization’s deep and lasting impact — everyone in our community benefits from the lifelong learning opportunities it fosters. Jill’s leadership has helped grow the Adult School into a true pillar of our community, and we are grateful for the joy, connection, and knowledge it continues to bring to Scarsdale.

The evening was a true celebration of Scarsdale, and that spirit was made possible by the extraordinary team behind the scenes — our Bowl Committee. Their hard work, creativity, and tireless efforts made the night a resounding success, blending elegance with the warmth and heart that make Scarsdale so special.

2025 Scarsdale Bowl Committee:

Penny Bauersfeld

Amy Cooper

Randi Culang

Isabel Finegold

Elise Flagg

Lori Kaplan

Tracy Lazarus

Daniela Retelny

Toby Milstein Schulman

Alli Seiden

Stephanie Stern

Ryan Spicer

Claudia Uribe-Galeano

Julie Zhu

Each member of the Bowl Committee brought their unique talents to ensure the evening was a reflection of Scarsdale at its very best — a vibrant, caring, and dedicated community. We could not be more grateful to them for their commitment and enthusiasm.

We also extend our deepest thanks to Anne Lyons, President of the Scarsdale Foundation, for her leadership and dedication to our village. The Scarsdale Foundation, under Anne’s thoughtful stewardship, does incredible work to support students, nonprofits, and community initiatives throughout Scarsdale. Anne’s passion and commitment were crucial in making the Bowl Dinner, and so many other vital efforts, possible. We are deeply appreciative of all that she and the Foundation do to strengthen and uplift our community.

As we shared that evening, we are a village in a park — but more importantly, we are a village of people who show up, care for one another, and make this place extraordinary. Thank you for being part of that spirit and for helping make Scarsdale such a remarkable place to live, work, and raise a family.

With heartfelt gratitude,
Cynthia and Marc Samwick
Chairs, 2025 Scarsdale Bowl Dinner