One Pill Can Kill
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- Written by: Wendy MacMillan
- Hits: 3364
Fentanyl has drastically changed the drug landscape and according to local DEA agents, is easily accessible here in Westchester County.
Two recent incidents have highlighted just how dangerous fentanyl can be. On January 17, 2023 County Executive George Latimer and County Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler recognized five New Rochelle school nurses who saved a student’s life after the student nearly overdosed from vaping a substance suspected to be laced with fentanyl. They quickly administered Naloxone and saved the student from an opioid overdose.
On January 12, 2023 at detention officer in Yonkers who was working at police headquarters came into contact with an article of prisoner clothing and was suspected to be exposed to fentanyl. She was also administered Naloxone (Narcan) and transported to a trauma center.
On January 18th SAY (Scarsdale Action for Youth, formerly known as DATF) hosted an eye opening presentation with Agent Polieno from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) outlining the risks of fentanyl is and why parents should stay informed.
According to Polieno, fentanyl is a deadly synthetic drug that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine and, for the average person, only 2 milligrams (less than a tip of a pencil) is considered a lethal dose. In a frightening statistic, the DEA website states that “of the fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills analyzed in 2022, six out of ten now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl” and this is apparently a sharp increase from the numbers found in 2021. Unfortunately, as Polieno pointed out, the fentanyl crisis is just getting worse and incidents keep rising. In fact, the DEA website also states that “The drug overdose crisis is a clear and present public safety, public health, and national security threat,” and has issued their first public safety alert in years.
So what should parents be aware of? According to Polieno and the DEA:
-Of the 107,000 drug overdose deaths over the past year, 67% involved synthetic opioids primarily fentanyl.
-The record quantities of fentanyl that the DEA seized in 2021 are enough to kill every American. Though Fentanyl is mostly coming in over our borders from Mexican drug cartels, the drug has been seized in every state including right here in Westchester.
-Most fentanyl is disguised as legitimate medications (like Oxycotin, Adderall, and Xanax) and are made into counterfeit pills. It is extremely difficult to tell the counterfeit pills from the real thing. More recently, fentanyl has been found in marijuana products including in vape pens and “gummies”.
-Fake RX pills are easily accessible and are often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms; available to anyone with a smartphone. Polieno explained that these counterfeit pills are sold “on the street” but they haven’t found any fake RX pills at legitimate pharmacies.
-Drug dealers have created their own “languages” often using emojis to represent drugs. The DEA recommends monitoring your children’s phones for suspicious text messages, checking their social media, and cash app posts.
-Fentanyl use can cause confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, changes in pupil size, cold and clammy skin, coma, and respiratory failure leading to death. Using Narcan, “a potentially lifesaving medication” can help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose in minutes. Scarsdale High School has Narcan safely stocked in multiple places throughout the school including the nurse’s office. Since most overdoses happen in the home, some suggest all families keep Narcan rescue kits on hand. If Narcan is administered when fentanyl is not present, it will NOT hurt the victim.
The DEA website offers these helpful suggestions for parents and caregivers:
— Encourage open and honest communication
— Explain what fentanyl is and why it is so dangerous
— Stress not to take any pills that were not prescribed to you from a doctor
— No pill purchased on social media is safe
— Make sure they know fentanyl has been found in most illegal drugs
— Create an “exit plan” to help your child know what to do if they’re pressured to take a pill or use drugs
— For more tips on how to talk to your child about drugs, read Chapter 4 of Growing Up Drug Free: A Parent’s Guide to Substance Use Prevention
www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com/publications
For more information please see: https://www.dea.gov/onepill. Scarsdale Advocates for Youth (formerly known as DATF) will also be hosting many more programs to help support youth and parents in our community. For more information and a list of upcoming events please click here: https://www.scarsdaledatf.org/
School Board Reviews Proposed Acoustic Improvements to the High School Auditorium
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- Written by: Ann Klein
- Hits: 2251
Will the sound of musical notes soon ring in the high school or will the proposed auditorium renovation and acoustic improvements fall flat? That is the question that the school board sought to answer at their meeting on Monday night January 9, 2023. Kenneth Schupner of BBS architects and Arthur van der Harten of Acoustic Distinctions presented a model of the proposed renovations to the room. See the models and charts here.
The two answered some tough questions on whether or not the acoustics would improve enough to warrant the almost $5mm price tag. Van der Harten ultimately concluded that the proposed interventions would provide an adequate improvement in sound quality in the auditorium. Schupner noted that the room was designed as an addition to the original building, specifically as an auditorium. It was last renovated in the late 1970s.
Board members questioned Schupner and van der Harten. Board President Amber Yusuf asked for clarification of some of the more obscure terminology that was being used to describe the acoustic improvements to the room, which Mr. van der Harten clarified. He also explained that he has two Masters degrees, one in architecture and one in acoustics.
Board member Robert Klein, who is himself a licensed architect, had many questions for both van der Harten and Schupner. He said that the interventions seemed to be split between improving the sound for musical performances versus improving the sound for speakers (i.e. when the room is used for music, the curtains would be open, while when used for speakers the curtains would be closed). He questioned how these seemingly conflicting conditions could be reconciled since it is likely that at a high school there would be many musical theater performances.
Mr. van der Harten affirmed that both music and speech quality would be improved. Schupner added that there would be updgrades to the audio system as well. Mr. Klein said that for the proposed cost of $4.734 million he would expect a confident improvement.
About the costs, Klein noted that the proposal has twenty-four line items and for over half of these allowances rather than estimates were provided. He questioned the cost, “since this is an existing room, not a new build, making the cost over $700 a square foot, for a room that is keeping a lot of its original structures.” Schupner replied that this is a specialty project, more like building a cafeteria than renovating a typical room, and that the materials are expensive. Klein continued to question the costs as so much of the room staying the same.
Board member James Dugan disagreed with Klein’s questions, pointing out that BBS has worked for the district overseeing the $64M bond campaign and renovation of the Greenacres School. Dugan expressed surprise that Mr. Klein did not think these costs had already been discussed before getting to this point in the process. Assistant Superintendent Stuart Mattey admitted that the scope of the project has grown considerably from what was first proposed, which was merely an aesthetic improvement to the room, and said the district relies on the architects and engineers for their recommendations. Klein affirmed that while he had some “sticker shock” at seeing the numbers, if the district felt the proposed budget numbers were okay, he was okay with it too.
Vice President Ron Schulhof questioned whether these costs reflected the use of high end acoustic products. The vendors said that possibly cheaper alternatives could be found.
Dr. Patrick said that the administration would recommend funding the project through the budget. Schulhof proposed moving forward with the project, saying he’d like to use the transfer of capital from the remaining funds from the 2018 bond and include the project in the budget conversation. All members agreed that the project should be added to the proposed 2023-24 budget and considered in overall budget discussions.
You can find a link to the proposed model here:
And a link to the preliminary project cost estimate here:
Looking Back: The Top Articles of 2022
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 2204
What were the most read articles of 2022 on Scarsdale10583? We took a look back to see which articles received the highest number of clicks and the exercise took us down memory lane, highlighting the unusual events that occurred this past year.
On January 24, 2022 the Board of Education and the community were surprised by an announcement from Scarsdale Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Hagerman that he would be leaving the district in June just months after he had negotiated for a new five year contract. The next day, The Latin School in Chicago announced that Dr. Hagerman had accepted the position of Head of School.
Then, at the end of March, the Scarsdale Board of Education called a special meeting in which they revealed 
that the school district had failed to pay the correct amount of payroll taxes in 2020 and 2021, resulting in penalties and interest totaling $1,722,473. And just a few days later, on April 4, the Board of Education delivered even more upsetting news. The IRS had issued a $1.3 mm tax lien against the district.
Did Dr. Hagerman know about the tax error when he resigned? We may never know.
As the spring wore on, the story continued to unfold. On April 25, The Board hired an attorney to conduct an investigation of the payroll tax issue and then on May 6, 2022, Dr. Hagerman resigning for a second time in May, saying “the IRS issue has become a major distraction.”
Another article that garnered high interest from readers was the news published on 6-22, that the Board of Education voted to sanction the School District Treasurer and the Assistant Superintendent for Business for the payroll tax problem.
Other than the school district woes, police and crime news were among the most popular articles with readers. In fact, the most read articles of the year reported that a young man was arrested for possession of semi-automatic weapons in Greenacres, another about three young men found passed out in a car due to overdoses and another involving a high school senior who jumped the curb and drove his car into a Fox Meadow Road home.
Other popular articles involved schools and students including the photo gallery from the 2022 Prom, photos of the senior class Halloween breakfast, coverage of the Scarsdale High School Graduation, a piece about the elimination of Colonial Day Fairs at the elementary schools and another debating the merits of the AT vs. AP program.
Still more pieces popular with readers involved restaurants. Readers were intrigued to learn last March that a steak house would open in 
place of Zachys, but we’re still waiting to eat there. News that the Metro Diner on Scarsdale Avenue would close also received big clicks.
Readers were passionate about consultants plans to reimagine Scarsdale Village, opinionated about renovation plans for the Scarsdale Pool Complex, happy to see that Saks Off Fifth was opening in Eastchester and drawn by the debate over an evangelist’s visit to the Scarsdale Library.
Without a doubt, it was a very interesting year for a Village filled with interesting people.
Keep on reading and send your news to [email protected] in 2023.
Thank you!
Superintendent Provides Calendar Options for 2023-24 To Include Additional Observances
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- Written by: Wendy MacMillan
- Hits: 3466
Preceding a discussion about adding holidays to the school calendar, Dr. Patrick affirmed that he recognizes the call from the community and the importance of adding holidays such as Diwali, Lunar New Year and Eid to the Scarsdale School calendar. He hoped that by putting the topic on the evening’s agenda, it would foster dialogue, create transparency of the planning process, help the community to better understand the pushes and pulls that are considered, and offer space for community input before the final version of next year’s calendar is submitted. Since the calendar is usually not finalized until later in the year, there will be time to study each calendar option and provide feedback on the District’s calendar web page or in person at upcoming BOE meetings.
Dr. Patrick then outlined the factors that influence the calendar including:
-State laws, requirements, and minimums
-180 days; 900 (grades K-6) and 990 hours (grades 7-12)
-Certain holidays under the general construction law
-Timing of assessments (3-8 tests; Regents exams, AP exams)
-Collective bargaining agreements (such as with our STA and custodians)
-Tradition, past practice, and values
In addition, Dr. Patrick discussed the factors that make for a “good” school calendar but explained that may differ from stakeholder to stakeholder. Some considerations include:
-Maximize instructional continuity
-Minimize the disruption of instructional time
-Meet federal, state, and local requirements
-Reflect Board policy, including equity, inclusivity and diversity (#0105)
-Honor collective bargaining agreements
-Be responsive to student/family interests, needs, concerns
Next Dr. Patrick discussed sample possible calendars for 2023-24 including an option for a “traditional” calendar that mirrors past practices and options adding new observances. Because some holidays next year fall on weekends, most of the “traditional” calendar for the 2023-24 school year could remain the same even with adding new observances.
Looking further ahead to future years, Dr. Patrick explained that more tradeoffs would need to be considered. While these decisions have not yet been made, some tradeoffs might include having a shortened break (in December, February or April), starting the school year earlier, holding a student day on Election Day, observing only one day of Rosh Hashanah, or scheduling fewer than 185 days, just to name a few.
He then provided five possible 2023-24 calendar scenarios and a link to provide feedback on these calendars that can be found on the Scarsdale District Website here. Among the scenarios are staring school on August 31, September 5 or September 7, and shortening December break to allow for days off for Passover.
Take a look at the possible calendars here:
In a comment via Zoom Lauren Grossberg, Scarsdale PTC President, read a statement prepared by the PTC Council voicing their support for the inclusion of these holidays. In the statement, the PTC council echoed what many other advocates have said, “We are fortunate to live in a diverse community with people of all different backgrounds, who celebrate many different holidays, festivals and cultural events. The PT Council thinks it is of the utmost importance for all community members to feel included and for our students, of all backgrounds, to have an equitable experience. That equity would be vastly improved by adding the proposed holidays; Diwali, Lunar New Year, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, to our district calendar for days off of school.” Read the full statement here:
Also on the subject of the school calendar, two parents called into the meeting via Zoom to ask for fewer half days. Chelsea Wang and Dianna Cohen expressed the hardship of having so many half days on the district calendar. Ms. Cohen said that “peer districts” have a median number of 6 half days while K-2 students here in Scarsdale have a total of 13 half days this year. Both parents found this disruptive for both children and parents alike and asked if the schedule could change to minimize disruption or reduce the number of half days for the youngest learners.
Cohen is circulating a petition to reduce the elementary school half days and/or make them adjacent to weekends or other holidays breaks. You can see it here.
Letter from Bob Harrison: Make a Gift to the Summer Youth Tennis League
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 2295
This letter was submitted by Bob Harrison:
Now before year end is the final opportunity for Scarsdale residents to make their gift to the non-profit Scarsdale Summer Youth Tennis League for the Middle School Comfort Station and to help the REC Department with the just announced need to restore the paint bubbles on the court surface for safe play by our youth tennis leagues and adults. The estimated cost is $50,000+.
We have received gifts from over 50 Scarsdale families for the Comfort Station.
We plan a bronze plaque at the site with the name of Gold Donors of $1,000 and Silver Donors of $500 and Bronze Donors of $250.
Please send checks to the "Scarsdale Summer Youth Tennis League" at 65 Fox Meadow Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583. List the names for the plaque as per line per gift : example: Jane and Bill Smith or separate line for youth children and tennis players: George, Sam, Alice and Mary Jones.
For families who have already contributed please confirm the words for your listing by email to Bob Harrison at [email protected] or call at 914 646-4054 cell.
Bob Harrison, Director
Scarsdale Summer Youth Tennis League
65 Fox Meadow Road
