PT Council Offers Thanks to the Board, the Administration and Teachers
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The following remarks were made by PT Council President Megan Simon at the Board of Education meeting on June 21, 2022
On behalf of PT Council, I extend a sincere thank you to all the retirees who were recognized earlier this evening. They are what make Scarsdale Schools the special place we treasure. We appreciate all the talent, time and energy they have given to the Scarsdale schools, and wish them well in this next chapter. Our children have all benefited from your commitment and we can’t thank you enough for all you have done for the children of Scarsdale. I would like to give a special thanks to David Wixted, who has served as the President of the teacher’s union for many. Your commitment to your colleagues was evident in all that you did over the years, while ensuring that the success of Scarsdale students was always at the heart of every issue. The Scarsdale schools are stronger because of your many years of leadership. Jerry and Rachel, your experience and guidance will be greatly missed but we know that you leave us poised for continued success and are always just a phone call away! Thank you for your innovation and talent throughout the years that has enabled Scarsdale to remain on the cutting edge of education.
And to mark the final board meeting of the school year, I also wish to thank Board President Karen Ceske, Vice President Amber Yusuf, who also served her second year as board liaison to the PTC, all members of the Board of Education, Drew Patrick, and the entire cabinet for your dedicated service and commitment to our children’s education. The PTC looks forward to continued collaboration with you all next year.
This Board, working with the administration, has continued to face extraordinary challenges this year. As I wrote this, I realized how more often than not over the last three school years we end the year feeling as if the challenges were greater than the years prior, and this year is no exception. We acknowledge the tremendous and almost impossible job you had this year, and thank you for leading us through these difficult times. You have been faced with the continued challenges the pandemic has put upon education, the resignation of our Superintendent and the subsequent work needed to begin the process to find a new leader for this district, as well as an extraordinarily difficult situation and negotiation with the IRS. This was in addition to the normal governance of our school district. These issues were ones the Board had no idea they would be faced with coming into the school year, and solutions were often not readily apparent. You all devoted enormous amounts of time, energy and care to working with the administration to arrive at the best possible outcomes. We know this hasn’t been easy. But we also know that you’ve always done what you believed was best for the District.
I have the honor tonight of also recognizing the two outgoing members of the Board of Education, Karen Ceske and Carl Finger, as they complete their board service.
Karen and Carl - We salute your willingness to contribute your time and expertise to our District over the past three years. I often think it is forgotten that being a member of the Board of Education is a volunteer position, and you all take this on in addition to the obligations of your own professions, families and lives. We also recognize that the time we see you in Board meetings is just a fraction of the hours you have devoted to this District. And we know you have worked so hard because you care. You care about our children’s education, about our schools being the best they can possibly be, and about the future of the community. Both of you have worked to guarantee that Scarsdale schools maintain their standard of excellence and continue to grow and innovate towards an even brighter future.
Karen, thank you for your three years of service on the Board, during the last of which you led as President. Your quiet confidence and direct nature has instilled a real sense of trust in your guidance of this Board through many difficult issues. From the start, we knew you were committed to ensuring that all our students’ needs and concerns were met and addressed. You took your role seriously, respectfully challenging the administration and fully understanding management. You often come to the Board table open to ideas, with a willingness to listen to and learn from others, allowing you to be flexible in your decision-making. Your persistence and confidence were present when needed, but always with an obvious sense of respect for your colleagues and the community. Thank you for keeping our children as the focus and ensuring that our school district maintains a strong level of excellence. We appreciate your service and will miss your voice.
Carl, thank you for your three years of service on the Board. Your experience and confidence have been a great asset to the Board. Even this past year, when Board meetings often went late into the night, your consistently calm demeanor helped the Board navigate through difficult situations. Your appreciation of the other Board members suggestions was noted, and you worked to adjust your opinion based on the input of your fellow Board members and community perspectives. Your thorough consideration of issues helped the Board ensure the big picture and long
term impact were always considered. You were never afraid to ask questions and challenge both the administration and your fellow Board members in order to ensure a better outcome for our children. Thank you for your dedication to our children and all you have given to our District.
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you for giving so selflessly of your time and working so hard to make sure our schools are the best place to learn and for the overall betterment of our community. I wish you all a much deserved restful summer, and a productive successful school year next year.
How to Select the Right Blinds for Your Bathroom
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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This is sponsored content from Wallauer Paint and Design:
Does your bathroom have a window in it? Have you thought about window treatments? If you are lucky to have this bonus of natural light? Yes, even bathroom windows can be dressed up. Let’s discuss your options.
What to consider when picking a bathroom window treatment.
When you think of a bathroom window, you immediately think about privacy. Depending on where in your hope your bathroom is located, privacy may not be an issue. Let your window treatment be a focal point or match the rest of your bathroom’s decor.
How much natural light do you get?
If you get a good amount of natural light, installing blinds or plantation shutters are options that allow for privacy and room darkening. White offers a sleek, clean look,, or you can choose natural wood for warmer decor. Roman shades are another great alternative to controlling the amount of light that enters your bathroom. If you are happy letting a decent amount of light shine in but still want to dress up your window, a valance offers great design along the top, leaving the rest of the window open. You can also combine a valance with shutters. Did you know your shades and curtains can becustom designed to match your wallpaper? Our interior design experts are happy to assist you with designing your bathroom.
Consider the humidity of a bathroom.
Does your bathroom have good ventilation? If your bathroom traps in humidity easily, consider faux wood shutters or blinds. Unlike natural wood, faux shutters will not expand and contract with changing temperatures. Wallauer offers a variety of blinds from Hunter Douglas. Sticking to lighter-weight fabrics is a good idea because they do not hold in moisture, dry fast,, and are easy to clean. Heavy drapery holds in moisture which can lead to mildew build-up.
How large are your windows?
Does your window take up the wall? Or do you have a smaller window that sits higher above your sink or bathtub? If smaller, a valence does not cover your window allowing light to shine in. Roller shades can be installed a little higher than the window, offering the option for full or partial coverage. If you have a larger window and need privacy consider a hanging your curtain rod in the middle of your window so your curtains drape down offering privacy below, and sunlight above. Larger windows where privacy is not an issue can be dressed up with long, elegant drapes on either side of the frame.
With so many options, it can be hard to choose! That’s why Wallauer is here for all your bathroom design needs. Shop one of our 15 stores in and around Westchester County, New York.
Raiders Lose State Semi-Final 13-9 to Northport
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- Written by: Margot Diamond
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Graduating Seniors Julian Glantz, Graydon Diamond and Matt Reyman After a relentless battle against the talented Northport team, Scarsdale lost 13-9 in the New York State semi-finals in Albany on June 8, 2022. Although the loss is hard to take, the team became the most decorated team in Scarsdale High School history.
In the opening first quarter of the game Northport netted 4 goals before Scarsdale could get in 1. This gave them the leg up that ended up winning the game. Senior Graydon Diamond made 2 goals and 2 assists. Matt Reyman, Ryan Ornstein, Nate Seslowe, Anders Burrows, Rhett Needlman, Asher Krohn and Will Delguercio all made 1 goal. Colby Baldwin came up 16/24 wins on the draw. Baldwin faced one of the toughest faceoff men he's played this season, causing that attackmen to work harder for possession.
As the season comes to a final stop, Coach James Synoweiz said “This is a team that this program and school will never forget”. The team also says goodbye to their seniors: Julian Glantz, Graydon Diamond and Matt Reyman. They will be greatly missed and have demonstrated selflessness and resilience on and off the field.
The Boys Varsity 2022 Lacrosse Team
A Celebration for Scarsdale Athletes
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SHS Senior AthletesThe annual Maroon and White picnic celebrating spring athletes and seniors turned into a celebratory year end party on the lawn at Scarsdale High School. Warm weather brought out students, parents, coaches and administrators for the first post COVID gathering. There were photo opps, a barbeque, Maroon and White merchandise for sale and even an impromptu frisbee game. Spring Picnic Co-Chairs Beth Schettino and Anita Carroll estimated that 500 people turned out to enjoy this return to normalcy after so many tumultuous years of interruptions, cancellations and disappointments. They thanked the Wooden Spoon in New Rochelle for turning out hundreds of hamburgers, hotdogs and all the fixings on the hottest day of the year and a team a sixth grade girls who provided lemonade.
Spring Picnic Co-Chairs Beth Schettino and Anita Carroll
Athletes from each team gathered for photos and provided brief recaps on their seasons.
The highlight of the Girls Varsity Lacrosse Team’s season was the pink senior game and there was lots more fun including a rope course with the boys baseball team and fun Friday practices where the team split and played competitively against each other. The team bonded, got to know each other and ended the season with 6 wins and 10 losses.
This year was the first for the Girls Flag Football team who competed in a league with nine teams and finished the year on top! Their record was 6-1-1 and they played in the section finals.
Lindsay Smith was the only senior on the Girls Varsity Softball team at the picnic, though there were three on the team. They made it to the sectionals and have great hopes for the future of this young team. Likewise, Jackie Lu was the only senior from the Girls Golf Team at the event.
Lindsay Smith representing the Girls Softball team.
The Boys Varsity Baseball team that included 8 seniors, was the first to use the new baseball diamond. According to teammates, they are a “group that played for each other, not just with each other.” The team travelled to Cooperstown together and had a lot of fun. They finished the season 5-5. Zakir Amin and Koby Kraus were All-league honorable mention and Ryan Cahaly was all section, all league.
The Boys Varsity Tennis team had a great year, winning their league with a record of 9-2 and progressing to section finals. Jason Gans and Adin Lamport qualified to play doubles in the state tournament but were stopped in their tracks due to COVID.
Senior Tennis Players: Jason Shuler, Zachary Sanders, Aditya Menon and Kenny Xu
Boys Golfers also did well – placing third in section 1.
The boys track and field team had a notable season with seniors Mark Gibney, Ethan Rifkin and Jacob Zik setting personal records.
Jackie Lu will play golf at Williams College
The Girls Track and Field team were not all at the picnic or at the awards ceremony because a few were at the Warwick Fast Times meet. Senior Lizzie Hurshman, winner of an Iron Man award and headed to run at Lafayette College, was just recovering from COVID but ran in the meet to fill in for teammate Natalyn Kapner, also an Iron Man who injured her foot at the prom. The team missed the qualifying time by just 3 seconds and raced back to Scarsdale for the awards ceremony but unfortunately missed it.
Photos by Elliot Zhang and Joanne Wallenstein.
Boys Baseball: Zakir Amin, Eli Greenwald, Koby Krausz, Ryan Cahaly
Boys Lacrosse Section 1 champions will play against Kingston on Wednesday, June 1, at 6:30 p.m. at Mamaroneck.
Girls Track and Field
The Boys Frisbee Team appeared to be enjoying the event and the chance to toss the frisbee around.
Golfers: Jack Spitalny, Ryan Gerson and Matt Silver
Flag Football: Started the team and won the section: Olivia Pierro, Audrey Gendel and Emily Shawn
The Frisbee team appeared to be having the most fun of all.
Track and Field Seniors: Ethan Rifkin, Patrick Kantor, Hunter Koch, Mitchel Peran, Spencer Kriso, Jacob Zik, Rafael Tassari, Mark Gibney
The Girls Lacrosse Team
Julie Duigan, Hillary Ziffer, Mary Brennan and Sherry Matusz at the door. 
Christine Bensche, Tara Ulrich and Tara Greco with Maroon and White swag.
Sylvia Coffey, Claire Carroll and Brooke OGrady sold lemonade.
Letter: The Scarsdale Pool Needs to be Repaired
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- Written by: Myra Saul
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This letter to the editor was writte by Myra Saul of Lincoln Road:
The pool complex serves many purposes. It is a bucolic oasis where everyone--babies to seniors--can socialize and partake in recreational activities at their own pace. Without the pool, it is clear that our town day camp would suffer. How about the swim team and diving teams, swim lessons and jobs for Scarsdale teens?
The pool needs repairs. It is simple as that. Years of deferred maintenance have left us in the situation where these repairs are substantial and have a big price tag. The only equitable and appropriate way to pay for such repairs is with a bond.
The pool is perhaps one of the only egalitarian recreational assets in the Village. Young and old, serious swimmers or just those who want to take a dip on a hot day, all benefit from the pool. You do not have to be a tennis player, ball-player, or even an athlete to love the pool!
Over fifty years ago, community members saw the need for a place for all Scarsdalians to enjoy the summer. It truly would be a shame to see such a wonderful, important community asset wither. This is a positive decision in the interest of all Scarsdale residents now and in the future.
Show our elected officials that you support the pool complex and want it to remain a community gem! Please respond to the written survey if one should be sent to your household or fill out the online survey on the Village website.
Myra Saul, Lincoln Road
