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Published: 20 June 2013

Created: 20 June 2013

Last Updated: 20 June 2013

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Two veteran members of the Scarsdale School Board, who together lead the board as president or vice president for the past six years, will complete their service this month. Due to the budget defeat and the announcement of the superintendent's retirement, public recognition of Elizabeth Guggenheimer and Jill Spieler was put off until the 11th hour on the night before the second budget vote. However, their years of service and steadfast support of the schools were recognized by individuals, community groups and fellow Board members who saluted the duo with kind words, flowers and gifts.

Speaking for the League of Women Voters, President Susie Rush first thanked Spieler, saying, "your active involvement in the community and intimate knowledge of diverse constituencies before you joined the school board has been an invaluable asset." It was likely not, however, your good fortune to be the first to lead the board to adopt a budget in the face of a newly imposed state mandated tax cap, an external control that has impelled us into uncharted territory. Yet you did not allow the conversation to remain focused solely on the budget. During your tenure, the district continued to enhance curriculum, such as through introducing Mandarin at the High School, and implemented forward thinking initiatives such as the launch of the Center for Innovation, the Global Learning Alliance and the pilot of the cloud application, the Google Application for Educators. You also shepherded the district through the implementation of a new state mandated teacher evaluation system as well as the search for a new high school principal."

"You have been unfailing in your commitment to work collaboratively with your fellow board members and to be a thoughtful listener, particularly apparent amid impassioned outcry over relaxing elementary class size. Your consensus building skills together with your ability to put people at ease through humility and a sense of humor have made you an approachable and effective leader....
Whatever issue has come before the Board, Jill, you never lost focus of what was most important - the students – and what is in their best interests."

Turning to Guggenheimer Rush said, "Liz, neither Superstorm Sandy that wreaked havoc on our lives and closed schools for a week, nor the public disclosure involving a well-liked HS dean, in the beginning of your tenure as president could come close to the tempest surrounding the budget that began building late winter and reached full force this spring. Yet throughout the extended and demanding budget process, you conducted meetings with patience, grace and even a smile. You consistently strived to adhere to the process and to ensure that the public understood the process. Your desire to listen and to communicate is genuine, and when either fell short, you admitted it. You were dedicated to engaging the public before the budget vote and after the budget was defeated, you quickly provided for listening sessions, which you viewed as opportunities for the board and the administration to learn. And despite the budget defeat, your faith in the community and in its commitment to the excellence of our schools was unshaken. Without panic but with professionalism and determination, you rolled up your sleeves to develop a second budget that reflected greater fiscal restraint yet preserved the excellence of our schools.

Your tenure, however, should not be remembered solely in connection with the budget defeat. Under your leadership, the seeds of a master plan to address the building needs of the future have been sown. We also have seen the promise of a vision for the district's technology program and the Center for Innovation, and the board's steadfast dedication to a world class education.

Liz, we applaud you for your courage to take on the big ideas as well as the most difficult challenges. You have shown us that you truly are a product of the Scarsdale school system: you are a person of integrity, maturity and generous spirit. As the district's mission states, a measure of the district's success is the degree to which our youth fulfill their potential for the common good, non sibi -- not for themselves alone. By that measure, with you we have succeeded."

David Irwin, President of the Scarsdale Forum thanked Guggenheimer and Spieler for "dedicated and outstanding service," saying they "never lost focus on the maintenance of the Scarsdale schools." He called Jill a "great communicator," and said Liz "led the board patiently, welcomed comments, making changes to address concerns raised by the public." He concluded by saying, "Jill and Liz, you have been strong supporters of Dr. McGill and the administration to maintain our strong school system."

PT Council President Gayle Hutcher thanked "the board for their work on behalf of the schools," and thanked both Liz and Jill for six years of service." She said, "We are fortunate to keep our schools moving along so well," and credited them with keeping "the dialogue going after the budget defeat."

Art Rublin, who heads the Coalition for Scarsdale Schools spoke at length about the two departing members. Here are excerpts from his comments:

"A product of Scarsdale schools herself, Ms. Guggenheimer has given the Scarsdale School District community hundreds and hundreds – or is it thousands and thousands – of volunteer hours ... even sending welcome Superstorm Sandy updates to the community, probably by candlelight, when she herself was out of power, or meetings until midnight."

He credited her for her "sense of duty," "eagerness to listen," and "leading with Non Sibi as a guiding principle." After the defeat of the budget she "issued a very gracious community-reaffirming statement, and "immediately convened meetings with the community that were not originally on the calendar. She listened with patience, and by example successfully encouraged each of her colleagues to do the same."

About Jill Spieler, Rublin said, "It is abundantly clear that Ms. Spieler, who has not had children in Scarsdale schools for some time, cares very deeply about the Scarsdale schools." He said she mastered the details, staying on top of all that is happening in the schools, kept the big picture in mind, lead in the spirit of "non sibi" and put a priority on engaging with the community.

He then presented each with flowers and a Scarsdale cap.

Former school board member Jackie Irwin spoke "on her own free will," and thanked Guggenheimer and Spieler for their service. Prior to their time on the Board of Ed she said they had "separate but distinguished volunteer roles in the community and as a result of their leadership positions and involvement they were particularly attuned to the dynamics of community sentiment." She also said, they both have "day jobs, or day careers, which bring an interesting aspect to their careers on the Board of Education."

Board colleague Mary Beth Gose presented them both with certificates from the Westchester Putnam Schoool Board Association and Sunil Subbakrishna thanked them both for their service, saying "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans. Scarsdale has always relied on intelligent people like yourselves and we would all like to thank you again."

Then it was time for final words from Guggenheimer and Spieler.

Here are Spieler's reflections on her six years: "First I would like to acknowledge my current Board members for their individual contributions of continual questioning, thoughtful study, respectful listening, and the vast amount of time it takes to be a Board of Education Trustee. Although we were not always able to come to consensus on every issue, it wasn't because of a failure to communicate, but rather our passion for every topic we had to tackle.

It is only as a collective whole that we as a Board have the authority to make a decision on behalf of the District. This is a responsibility that I know this Board has taken very seriously. We are a collective entity, and the Board must take responsibility for the first budget it adopted. There was no one individual to blame for it's inability to pass. And although we did not garner the public's support in the first budget vote, I am greatly encouraged, as we have moved forward.

Last week we heard from many past Board members. And I want to thank them all for coming and reminding me of the exemplary educational initiatives that this district has continually achieved. They reminded me of the collective accomplishments that have been achieved as Board members worked collaboratively with Administration, specifically with Superintendent McGill over the past 15 years.

Liz and I joined the Board just after a year of very heated discussion regarding the District moving from an AP to an AT structure. Over the course of the next three years class curriculum was carefully reviewed and restructured. The Board made sure we had timely feedback as the implementation progressed. In addition the Board set up a joint committee that included administration, faculty and parents so all constituents could have input in the discussions as this very important initiative rolled out.

Shortly after I joined the board the administration did an evaluation of our elementary math program. This involved an in depth review of several different syllabuses. The final decision was to move forward with Singapore Math. That fall Lynn Shain joined the District as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, and made an extremely smooth rollout across all elementary school grades without a hitch. She also made sure that there was a smooth transition as students moved up into the Middle School the following year.

I focus on these two examples because I want to remind us all what positive achievements we can collectively accomplished when we all work together. Of course there are many more examples, such as the implementation of FLES, Mandarin, ongoing work in sustainability, balance literacy, and global learning to name just a few.

I remember sitting in this room with Administration and Board members during my first term, discussing how education was still being delivered in silos. And we discussed what it meant to be critical and creative thinkers. The Tri-State Consortium reviewed our District, and we received wonderful feedback from our peer Districts on how to move forward. We collaborated with Teachers college and reached out to other educational communities so that we could learn and develop our own programs, which would meet what our District viewed as important goals and assessments.

We have seen critical and creative initiatives grow from a concept to being implemented at every grade level in multiple disciplines. And I know the evolution of Scarsdale Education for Tomorrow will continue to develop.

Technology has grown by leaps and bounds, and I know Jerry Crisci and his cohort of staff continue to do an incredible job of keeping up with the demands.

Even though we have recently been frustrated by how little we have been able to invest in our facilities, a few years ago the District embarked in an aggressive Energy Performance Plan that has proven successful, with the district already seeing returns on our investments. I am encouraged by conversations that the District will engage in discussions related to long term facility planning.

We have also witnessed an increased number of directives from the State and Federal Government, impacting the way we deliver and assess our educational programs, and at a great cost to the way we have to do business. I personally am very proud of being actively involved in trying to influence and change these mandates. However, this is something that will need continual monitoring and I hope my colleagues and community members stay vigilant in this arena.

There is so much more than the few topics I have mentioned, but I have already taken so much of your time. Six years is a long time but only a very short piece of this continually evolving District. I am honored to have played a small part in its growth, and it has been a privilege to work not only with Dr. McGill, but all the Administrators and staff I have come in contact with. We have been fortunate to have the leadership of Dr. McGill over the past 15 years so that we were able to achieve so much, and I know he will be instrumental in moving the District forward next year.

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge Mrs. Guggenheimer for her leadership this year, and her continuous contributions over the course of her tenure. It has not been easy in the face of so much adversity. She has persevered and brought us through the storm.

I know this District takes pride in the importance of the development of the whole child. And we are all proud of our motto of non-sibi. I believe we all need to stand tall and take stock of how we choose to move forward in our public discourse. This has always been a community that has faced controversial issues directly, but yet maintained respect for one another. Nothing is ever all good, or all bad. But certainly together we can continue in our quest to make it better."

Liz Guggenheimer took the mike to say, "Jill and I started together. We quickly became colleagues and good friends. I have always looked to you for guidance and problem solving."

"I think the Scarsdale Schools are successful because of the mission, the people, the facilities, the finances and the relationships. Though we have spent the last few months focused on finances, the other four factors are integral to what we do."

"Several people spoke who have all been inspiration to me .... Susie Rush, David Irwin, Art Rublin, Gail Hutcher and our Board. I want to thank them and this community. It is a large learning community who cares about education, ethics and setting standards for education. It has been an interesting year, and I've learned to expect the unexpected.