On Our Radar

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 03 May 2021; Created: 03 May 2021; Last Updated: 03 May 2021; Hits: 2218

Here are three letters in support of Irin Israel for School Board – one concerning cheerleading, another about trust and a third from a colleague who worked with Irin on events for Historic Hudson Valley.

This year our Scarsdale High School Cheerleaders practiced hard all season, with hopes of competing for the Section 1 Championship in March. They’re really good. They could’ve won.

But an organization called the American Academy of Pediatrics advised against it.

Now before you get confused, this is the American Academy of Pediatrics we’re talking about, not the American Pediatric Association – a common mistake – or the American Pediatric Society or the American Board of Pediatrics. This is the one based out of Itasca, Illinois.

The AAP justified their advice based on: “The theoretical risk that the mask may get caught on objects and become a choking hazard.”

They did not weigh in on other theoretical risks such as a rip in the time/space continuum sucking our athletes into a wormhole, but perhaps they will address that over the summer.

Despite the hypothetical dangers of evil medical equipment and multidimensional anomalies, the NYSPHSAA decided to hold the cheerleading competition anyway. And 27 out of the 30 eligible cheerleading squads participated. But not our girls.

Why? Because the Board of Education voted against it, unanimously. The stated reason was not safety - that would be absurd – it was “liability”. Or possibly COVID. It depends on whom you ask.

The Board could have taken a stand for our kids. The other towns did. Instead, they chose to outsource the leadership and common sense which we elected them for to whichever alphabet soup agency declares itself most hysterical.

This was a travesty. But worse than that, it was a pattern. When given a choice between a hard decision standing up for our kids or an easier decision not to, the board has consistently chosen the latter.

That’s why I’m voting for Irin Israel for school board.

For those of you who don’t know Irin, he is, I believe, the individual most responsible for getting our kids back in the classroom. He saw Scarsdale lagging behind neighboring towns in in-person learning, and the harm it caused our kids. He simply refused to accept it.

He spent hundreds of hours researching laws, regulations and science. He advocated tirelessly and spoke up courageously. He even designed effective and creative ways to safely get our kids back in the classroom by improving upon the prevailing models.

Irin is a natural problem-solver, a dedicated advocate, and a great negotiator whose arguments are rooted in the best data. He is also a particularly nice guy. I met him recently.

We have an abundance of bright, competent, well-meaning people on the board already, and four more running. We are stocked up on those virtues. But we are sorely lacking others. Maya Angelou once said, “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently.”

Irin Israel has the courage to always stand up for our kids. We need Irin’s voice in that room. His voice is our voice. And he is not afraid to use it.

Frank Murtha
Jefferson Road

I am the parent of a SMS student and a Fox Meadow Elementary student. I am thrilled that our Scarsdale schools have returned for full time, in person learning. However, I firmly believe that damage has been done to our community by the lack of transparency and the seeming unwillingness of our school administration to lead. For these reasons, I strongly support Irin Israel as he runs for the Scarsdale Board of Education.

Like all districts, we faced unique and unprecedented challenges during the pandemic. Simply put, our district did not rise to the occasion. Our Board of Ed, which is there to provide oversight, didn’t do enough to ensure transparency of process to the community at large or hold the administration accountable for their misrepresentations. There was little creativity, out of the box thinking, or urgency to get the students back in school. There was obfuscation, refusal to answer questions, and uncorrected misrepresentations made to the community regarding the reopening process. We often heard through rumors about changes to reopening plans, before we heard if from the top.

The community responded to this by searching for clarity, answers, vision, and yes…. fracturing.

Facebook groups were formed, petitions circulated, and people from all corners of town were coming out of the woodwork with ideas, questions, suggestions, and successful implementations seen being used in other districts. It was a great mass sharing of the struggle we were all in, the struggle to get our children back into their classrooms, as safely as possible. And in the often noisy discourse that took place, one voice cut through it all with a clear, resolute mission; fact based analysis and the determination to keep the pressure up for the good of our children. That voice was Irin Israel’s.

You don’t have to take my word for it, see facebook and read it for yourself. Irin invested an incredible amount of time, energy, knowledge and good old fashioned “can do” attitude to illustrate (quite literally) for the district how ALL of our elementary students could have fit in the buildings and maintained the social distance required at the start of the school year. He provided the district with this study in the fall. They chose to, basically, ignore it. Yet, it was clear he was right all along when the district DID INDEED get all the elementary students back into the buildings, in March.

Irin spent incalculable hours doing research on health and safety guidelines, learning what other districts were doing, speaking directly to agencies such as the Department of Health, and having an open dialogue with all those who had questions for him. He was always civil and clear in discussions with other parents and community members. There were intense discussions and debates, yet Irin never wavered in his core principle. He pressed the district to openly share the metrics, facts, data, and decision making processes they were using to arrive at the decisions they arrived at. He took a lot of heat, weathered a lot of criticism, but he never wavered.

And so we find ourselves with a School Board election coming up, in a year where we need to rebuild not only our student’s education, but also the trust between the community and the administration. As far as I can see, the only way to get there is with full accountability. We need fresh eyes, fresh drive, and fresh ideas. We need someone on the board who has sat where so many of us have been sitting... at the kitchen table with our struggling children. Sitting there, wondering if the rumors we heard in the neighborhood are true. I believe Irin Israel is the person to hold our district accountable and be a voice for all of us who want clarity and excellence to be the hallmark of our Scarsdale schools for many years to come.

Sincerely,
Colby Mulvey
Olmsted Road

To the Editor,
I applaud Irin Israel for stepping forward and running for Scarsdale School Board, a position so important to the continuing proper education of our children.

I met Irin Israel three years ago during our managerial and planning positions on local Westchester events the Great Jack O Lantern Blaze and the Horseman’s Hollow, events attended by 200,000 adults and children. These events are vital to both the sustainability of Historic Hudson Valley, as well as the communities they support. Although they can be seen as fun family Halloween events, they are rooted in historical locations, and are used to garner interest and support in both history and community. jackolantern

I realized Irin’s dedication, and communication skills right away. Although he was new to the group, you would have thought he was a veteran of these specific events. If the weather, or attitudes of people around him changed suddenly, he remained himself, always unruffled. An active listener, compassionate, and a guide through the storm however trivial it may seem to another individual. He was able to resolve issues, while continuing to motivate his team, with the end goal in mind.

Having Irin with us brought a new perspective to an event which had been running for over 10 years. Although one would have thought it was a well-oiled machine by then, but Irin engaged management with both staff and vendors to enable it to run smoother.

In today’s world, it is important to have some who is level-headed, and not afraid to go against the grain and ask questions. Even though sometimes Irin did not agree with the way the establishment was directing him, he would seek to change their direction with new information, and work to a consensus. Always maintaining civility without arrogance or fears of being looked down upon then allowed him to earn the respect of senior members quite quickly.

Wouldn’t you want someone like that on your team?

Ted Sherman
Ossining, NY

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 29 April 2021; Created: 29 April 2021; Last Updated: 29 April 2021; Hits: 2158

Iri Israel The following letters in support of Irin Israel for Scarsdale School Board were received this week:

This past fall, I was part of a group of community medical professionals who were willing to volunteer our time and expertise to consult with the Scarsdale School District on a medical advisory committee.

The purpose of such a committee would have been to assist with additional medical and healthcare guidance so that the Administration and Board would have the most current information on the pandemic from professionals who studied the most up to date research and were working on the front lines. Knowledge is critical to all decision-making and impacts decisions by the Board of Education, the district administration, teachers students and parents, especially during an unprecedented medical crisis when conflicting opinions are publicized in the media daily.

The medical advisory committee would have allowed for the administration to focus on day-to-day decisions, that would have streamlined policies. The difficulties posed by the current pandemic are expected to be long-lasting and the risk of additive epidemics (e.g. drug use, depression) is real. And there was no downside to a committee.

However, the Administration and Board rejected the idea of a medical advisory committee. In fact, at that time Scarsdale Board of Education Policy 2230 specifically mentioned additional medical personnel positions that were lying vacant. At the following Board meeting, the Board voted to change Policy 2230 and eliminate those medical positions entirely. This was in the midst of the greatest school health crisis in our lifetime.

These actions are but a small example of an Administration and Board that refuses legitimate and wise community insight and shuns community input. Turning down the expertise that such a group was volunteering to provide was a most unwise decision.

Conversely, Irin Israel, who is currently running for the Board of Education, worked with medical professionals and community organizers and put together a broad based coalition which helped formulate a petition to get the elementary school children back to school full time. He was and is a supporter of openness and transparency in decision making through dissemination of information and community involvement. In these unprecedented times we need people like Mr. Israel who are open to new ideas and have the ability to bring together diverse elements of the community in a broad-based coalition to achieve results. He can steer the board in a new direction and help bring about change which will benefit the children of this community and the community at large.

Thank you
Bakhtiar Ishtiaq, MD
63 Stratton Road

Dear Editor:
I'm writing in support of Irin Israel's candidacy for the Scarsdale Board of Education. How do I know that Irin would be a valuable member of the Board and a tireless advocate for students' best interests? Because he's proven it already. When our administration used space constraints as a reason to keep our kids out of in-person school during the pandemic, Irin took it upon himself to investigate the truth of this assertion. Using his own resources, he went to tremendous lengths to obtain the architectural renderings and layouts for each school. He then calculated the square footage of the classrooms, proving that, in fact, the kids COULD safely fit inside - even at 6 feet. Irin brought this evidence before the Board in a manner that was respectful and compelling. Irin was persistent and steadfast throughout a multi-month campaign to persuade the administration to change its position, which ultimately it did.

Irin has demonstrated that he is an effective leader who is willing to take a stand when it matters most. His professional background lends itself perfectly to this position, and on a personal level, he's just as qualified. I know Irin to be a hands-on parent who is uniquely attuned to the needs of his kids and committed to making sure they're always happy, safe, and engaged. Scarsdale would be lucky to have Irin looking after our kids as well.

Respectfully,
Marissa Gurdian
8 Boulder Brook Road
786-554-3347

To Whom it May Concern:
Over the last year, we were faced with an unprecedented crisis that demanded superior leadership for success. Not everything was in our control but the best leaders in schools around the country were decisive and focused on facts. They were willing to pivot, push limits, seek creative solutions, maximize use of resources, and plan strategically. This pandemic will not last forever, but those leadership skills will always be essential. The Scarsdale community needs Board of Education members who are straightforward and honest, and who will seek input and information to act on behalf of our community and our children.

Irin Israel is that man.

I met Irin this past year. I know his name is familiar to many of you, but what you may not know is that he methodically sought information about each elementary school in Scarsdale and carefully mapped out each room. It is because of Irin that parents were made aware in the fall that all elementary students could safely fit into our schools, even with more restrictive six-foot guidelines in place. He has been a steadfast advocate for students and parents, tirelessly determining the facts to make the best decision for all of our children.

Irin has shown his dedication to the families of Scarsdale through his efforts and advocacy over the past year. On a volunteer basis, he created multi-page reports for the Board of Education and the community. He discussed and analyzed school-related issues, investigated them when necessary, and communicated his findings and recommendations in order to disseminate data and initiate conversation. He attended nearly every board meeting, spoke up in more than half of them, and has been receptive to questions or concerns related to his findings. He looked for solutions even when they were not immediately apparent – and he usually found them. Ask yourself: what have the other candidates done over this last year?

Moving beyond the pandemic, Irin will truly engage and discuss issues of concern with the community, and will explain decisions as needed. He will build a bridge for parents to participate in the BoE, and his collaborative mindset will help the BoE move toward a more transparent process that will benefit us all.

Vote for change. Vote for innovation. Vote for transparency.

Vote for Irin.

Kimberly Greene-Liebowitz
Walworth Avenue

I’m excited to support independent candidate, Irin Israel, for the Scarsdale Board of Education. I believe he is fully devoted to making the needs of our students and families his letter top priority. As school boards are accountable for how schools and students perform, representation from parents who have children in school is paramount.

I began communicating with Irin late last summer when I became involved in the school restart conversation. I certainly understood the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19 and agreed with the nearly worldwide closure of schools in March through June. However, by late summer of 2020, with scientific data showing relative safety in schools and an urging to return children to in-person education, the district’s inert response was highly disheartening. While most board meetings became devoted to justifying obstacles to increasing in-person school, I appreciated community members, like Irin, who offered solutions.

Irin openly and publicly expressed that his children were suffering from not attending regular in-person school. I appreciated his honesty as I witnessed my own children struggle with hybrid learning that included fewer than 10 hours of on-campus instruction per week. Many friends and relatives in other regions had children safely enrolled in full-time school since mid-August. We also watched other local districts successfully devise innovative approaches to teach in-person.

As the debate continued, I was inspired by the manner in which Irin studied the spoken and written words of the superintendent and cabinet. He critically analyzed the information presented and asked meaningful questions to unravel the true barriers to in-person learning. He tirelessly researched state guidelines and space allocations in an effort to work along the current board and administration. When his questions failed to yield answers, he spent a remarkable amount of time and energy trying to find them. From obtaining information via the FOIL act, to demonstrating that our buildings had adequate space for all elementary students, he seemingly never gave up. He also generated and disseminated intricate materials to elucidate his points and educate the community. Irin not only brought the issues to light, but he brought the solutions as well. He maintained his composure and professionalism while openly inviting those with differing opinions to debate. Irin was never disparaging or disrespectful to any member of the community.

We desperately require leaders who aren’t afraid of the politics of disagreement, those who curiously ask hard questions without fear of reprisal. We do not require another deliverer of platitudes. Instead, it is essential to elect a board member who is willing to forego their own comfort and use their voice to focus on the well-being of our students.

So much has been said about the “stakeholders” in this school restart process. Irin Israel unequivocally recognizes that the students and their needs, by far, have the dominant stake in our school system.

Theresa Ciliberti Musto
Dell Road

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 19 April 2021; Created: 19 April 2021; Last Updated: 19 April 2021; Hits: 3615

Iri Israel My name is Irin Israel and I am running for the Scarsdale Board of Education as an independent candidate. I believe that I have shown the ability, diligence, energy and time to contribute as a Board member and to help guide policy decisions for our children, faculty, staff and community.

I have been outspoken this year at Board meetings, in the media, on Facebook, in person, and through emails in an effort to ensure all safe options be openly, fully, and swiftly examined for our children. My efforts came about due to my witnessing firsthand the educational, social and emotional struggles of my children in the new learning environment, the lack of transparency from the Administration, and the refusal of the Board to adequately answer questions from the community or to put forward plans and metrics for changes to safely increase learning hours. In all my writings and speeches, I simply pushed for full transparency, reasoning and facts.

While this year has been one of many challenges, the Board needs to take a stronger interpretation of its role to provide oversight and review of the Administration. They need to swiftly correct public and private misstatements by the Administration, and to hold them accountable for misinformation or unanswered questions. Transparency has not improved after being the main concern of the fall survey, and worse, the current Board voted to curtail Public Comment during our District’s biggest crisis in decades. This needs to be reversed immediately. The Board of Education makes the best decisions when they have all the facts. I believe in researching, questioning, asking opinions and thinking outside-the-box. I am open-minded and all my previous work experiences have involved working as a team toward consensus.

For a school district to improve, parents must be recognized and provided a larger forum for input. And the Board must directly address the concerns of the community, must question and must speak up, or they cannot properly set policy, provide oversight, and accurately evaluate the Administration. I believe that the Board has lost its way and it has come time for a change to redirect the Scarsdale District back toward its mission. This past year, the Board’s opaque decisions and lack of communication caused division in the community which needs to be mended.

Next year will be a crucial year for our schools. Things we previously ignored and processes we took for granted will be reassessed. Old methods and ideas will be looked at in a new way. I want to be part of the team that rebuilds our schools. I want to help with policy on assessing the effects of this past year, getting the children to where they need to be educationally and socially, and evaluating what new practices worked and what didn’t.

I have worked on planning, logistics, budgeting, operations, construction, marketing, and hiring hundreds of people as well as dealing with local government, contractors, and vendors in my various roles including creator, developer, and owner of the House of Sports as well as planning and managing numerous films and live events, such as Historic Hudson Valley’s Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze and Horseman’s Hollow. At the House of Sports, I personally created and managed the tots program, which at its peak had several hundred children participating each week in dozens of classes, and I was in charge of the physical facility itself. My Masters in Industrial/Organizational Psychology focused on motivation, learning and leadership. And those who know me, know that I am extremely active in my children’s lives and the community.

Please contact me with any questions you have about my campaign, beliefs or experience. If I am elected to the Board, I plan to personally ask your questions, demand answers and address your concerns about the challenges that lie ahead. That is the role of a Board Member.

Let me be your voice.

Thank you.
Irin Israel
Stratton Road
www.facebook.com/Irin4BOE

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 11 April 2021; Created: 11 April 2021; Last Updated: 11 April 2021; Hits: 2610

letter Below find letters from Carl Finger, Max Rolison and John Spiro in support of Alison Singer for School Board:

To the Editor:

Alison Singer’s qualifications for the Board of Education remain unequalled and even unchallenged in recent memory and she is uniquely qualified to serve a second term. As most of your readers know, Alison served two terms as Chair of Scarsdale CHILD, served on the SBNC, is Founder and President of the Autism Science Foundation, was appointed by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to the Federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, and serves on the New York State Immunization Advisory Council (highly relevant presently). She has business experience and an MBA from Harvard, and just last year received an honorary doctoral degree from Emory, but just as importantly graduated two children from Scarsdale.

While I imagine that much of the experience above is known to the community, it occurs to me that her extraordinary performance on the Board is something less visible and more difficult to gauge for those not paying close attention. In that regard Alison truly deserves recognition and, with that in mind, the support of the community for a second term for a variety of reasons. Alison is keenly aware of the impact of all policy and administrative decisions on all students but always demonstrates a particular concern for those students with special needs or disabilities. Her ability to view decisions from that perspective benefits the Board, Administration, and all students. Alison works extremely hard to try to enhance communications with the community including responding to emails and has advocated for increasing the social media presence of the School District and the Board, including taking steps to address questions and concerns directly on various platforms.

Alison reaches out to administrators, faculty, teachers, and other staff to build the relationships necessary to successfully implement Board policies. Alison not only recognizes the partnerships necessary to reach our goals, but takes action in a way that demonstrates her commitment to the team effort required for success. She understands that the success of the Scarsdale District is an enterprise constructed upon many years of faithful relations among the Board, parents, administration, teachers, community, and students. But more than appreciating that, she seeks at every turn to enhance and build upon the foundation laid by prior Boards.

Alison’s voice can be found in everything accomplished by the Board the past several years, including the strategic plan, multiculturalism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, STEM, technology and other accomplishments. Her fingerprints appear on every Board policy that has been modified or adopted to improve the educational experience in Scarsdale, on every union contract that has been negotiated, and on every budget that has been adopted. There is no effort that the Board has successfully undertaken that Alison has not positively influenced.

Alison has my vote of confidence and my vote on election day. I hope she will have yours as well.

Carl L. Finger

(The author is a member of the Scarsdale Board of Education but this letter is the author’s individual views and not the opinion of or on behalf of the Board of Education).

To Whom It May Concern / Dear Editor,

As graduate of Scarsdale High School, I am writing to strongly endorse Alison Singer for a second term on the Scarsdale Board of Education. I fervently believe that she will foster a school environment that will prioritize every individual students’ well-being and maximize opportunities for learning and achievement.

I first met Alison almost 16 years ago, when I began volunteering with children with special needs at the JCC of Mid-Westchester. What could have been a short-term volunteer gig became my lifelong passion. Alison advocated for me and mentored me throughout my high school career, helping me procure an internship at the Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai and helping me secure a sponsorship to attend the annual Yale Child Study Center’s Annual Autism Conference. Additionally, Alison served as my Senior Options advisor and through this program I had the opportunity to work with her at the Autism Science Foundation. At SHS, I received the Science Achievement Award and numerous state awards for community service – none of which would have occurred without the excellent guidance and mentorship I received from Alison Singer.

It was Alison who first encouraged me to apply to Yale University in 2011 and wrote a recommendation letter on my behalf. During my years at Yale, I worked in an autism research lab at the Yale Child Study Center that Alison introduced me to. When I decided to apply to medical school it was Alison who again wrote on my behalf, and, in the spring of 2017, I was admitted to the Yale School of Medicine.

Alison is and always has been a strong advocate for students. I have had the tremendous fortune of benefitting from Alison’s mentorship and I am confident that I would not be where I am today without her consistent support and encouragement. My story is one of many, as Alison has touched the lives of many Scarsdale High School students, sponsoring several students’ senior options projects and serving as a mentor to dozens of students over the years. She is compassionate, intelligent, and a good listener who is attentive and caring; these qualities are unique and so valuable in a mentor. It would be a loss to future generations in Scarsdale to not have Alison serve on the Board of Education where she is able to create opportunities for all students to reach their potential.

Best,
Max J. Rolison
SHS Class of 2011

Re-elect Alison Singer to the School Board

I write to offer my unqualified support for Alison Singer, who is currently vice president of the School Board, and who is running for her second term as an independent because the school board nominating committee (SBNC) did not nominate her for a second term.

To be clear, I write this as someone who has deep respect for Scarsdale’s non-partisan system. Several years ago, I served on the SBNC for 3 years, and then for an additional year as chair. In my experience, SBNC members took their jobs extremely seriously- and worked hard to find highly qualified candidates who were open minded, had track records suggesting they would work well in a group setting, and who were willing to volunteer a lot of their time to work in the best interests of the schools. Gauging the likelihood that a candidate would serve two full terms was another key component, as it was widely recognized that it took time for new board members to get up to speed- and continuity was deemed critical.

Alison was chosen through that process for her first term, so it’s quite curious that the SBNC did not re-nominate her.

While only SBNC members who were in the room for the deliberations will ever know the real reason for failing to re-nominate Alison, I suspect it had something to do with wanting to send a signal to the board that the community was frustrated with some of the decisions made by the board during the recent school year.

I find this logic suspect and the decision seems quite reckless.

Suspect, because this year of COVID presented truly unprecedented challenges for all school systems. There were highly vocal and passionate proponents on all sides of the debate about how best to manage the schools during this public health emergency. Well-meaning experts disagreed, and decisions had to be made (and are still being made) against the background of deep uncertainty.

Reckless, because without having Alison on the board, there will be a critical lack of seniority at a time that is still highly fluid and complex. There is no real substitute for real world experience, and Alison clearly has that. Importantly, it also sends the wrong signal to future candidates thinking of running for this important position and will make it harder to recruit qualified volunteers.

Lastly, I have known Alison for a long time and can speak directly to her intelligence, work ethic, and her judgement. I am a neuroscientist at a foundation with a similar mission to the foundation that Alison founded. From interacting with her professionally for close to 15 years, I can say without hesitation that she is extremely smart, measured, and collegial. Our daughters are also the same age, so I’ve had the pleasure of knowing her as a fellow parent as well.

I encourage you to join me in voting for Alison on May 18th.

John Spiro
Former SBNC Chair
Tompkins Road

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 05 April 2021; Created: 05 April 2021; Last Updated: 08 April 2021; Hits: 2107

letter to the editor To the Editor,
As a former Board of Education member, I seriously question the SBNC’s logic in refusing to renominate Alison Singer, the current Board Vice-President, to a second term. It seems more like an ill-conceived vendetta against school district administration.

Yes, this past year has been unprecedented in the history of the school district. The district continues to face a national health emergency. It is trying to manage the effective and efficient delivery of education services to all of our children while maintaining the health of faculty, staff and families--a herculean task hampered by inconsistent guidance from NYS DOH and NYSED. During my Board tenure we moved the district from AP to AT courses in the High School, and rebuilt a major section of the Quaker Ridge elementary school. Those efforts, which created a public uproar, were child’s play compared to the monumental tasks and decisions the current Board and administration continue to address.

The SBNC has stated that it wants to “bring different backgrounds and experiences to serve our community.” How does removing Alison, the mother of a special needs child and a nationally acknowledged leader in the autism community, accomplish that? Who better understands the Scarsdale special education community and the needs of children with learning differences? A large number of Scarsdale students, who are not classified, receive resource room services and psychological support. Alison has consistently advocated for them in Board discussions of hybrid education, virtual learning and mental health to ensure that their needs are equitably met. Who will keep their interests in the forefront of the discussion and not as an afterthought? While claiming diversity, the SBNC is denying special education students and children with learning differences a seat at the table. I do not call that “serving different constituents.”

This is not the time to remove one of our most experienced Board members. We need someone who is already prepared to step into the Board presidency. I will be voting for Alison. I urge you to do so as well.

Sincerely,

Marc Carter
Former Member Scarsdale Board of Education
Marc Carter
101 Catherine Road
Scarsdale, NY 10583
(914-472-9215)
[email protected]

I strongly endorse Alison Singer for a second term on the Scarsdale School Board. During my service as a Village Trustee, Alison was my "Board Buddy". The goal of this informal program is to improve communications and coordination between the Village and School Boards. Alison is deeply committed to community engagement and was always eager to listen to input from peers and community members. She is consistently well-prepared and is a conscientious leader who sought collaboration on a wide range of issues, from the Freightway project, to the two-installment tax payment plan, to the Butler Field light project. When the Covid-19 crisis first began and school closed, Alison came to our board meeting to update the community. She consistently asks the right questions and sets high standards. She is passionate and dedicated in her commitment to all Scarsdale students. She is the mother of a special needs student and always makes sure people with disabilities are well-represented in village matters. During her service on the board over the past three years she has gained a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge in school and village matters that will serve our community well as we continue to tackle challenging issues. I urge you to vote for Alison so that Scarsdale can benefit from her continued leadership.

Rochelle Waldman
Spier Road

To the Editor:

As former Vice Chair of the Scarsdale School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC), I know the committee is charged with evaluating candidates based solely on their qualifications. In 2018, the SBNC vetted and measured the qualifications of Alison Singer and determined that she was the best person for the open seat on the Scarsdale Board of Education. She has now had three years of school board experience and is its current Vice President. But, now she is unqualified?

Is the role of this committee to weigh the qualifications of the candidates or to punish school trustees when members of the SBNC disagree with a policy issue?

SBNC decisions don't always reflect what the citizenry desires. Three years ago when Pam Fuehrer, currently Board President, was similarly not re-nominated by the SBNC, she was re-elected in a landslide when she ran against the chosen SBNC candidate. The voters placed a greater weight on the candidate's overall experience and qualifications than the SBNC had in choosing to nominate a different and relatively inexperienced candidate. The voters recognized the SBNC's politically driven mistake.

I'm hoping for a similar outcome for the highly qualified Alison Singer. The SBNC has once again made an error in failing to re-nominate a current Board officer. Singer brings much needed experience to the Board. Her command of the issues and effectiveness as a leader will continue to serve our students well. Let's make sure the SBNC gets another message that they are to make decisions based on qualifications, not politics.

Sincerely,
Erin Foster
Former SNBC Vice Chair
43 Walworth Avenue