On Our Radar

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 17 August 2020; Created: 17 August 2020; Last Updated: 17 August 2020; Hits: 3388

hybridmodel Photo Credit: The NotebookAt a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday August 11, the community heard from four members of the Scarsdale Teachers Association. They primarily discussed plans for hybrid learning at the high school. This week, we have the comments below from teachers represenatives for the elementary schools and middle school. Here is what they have to say about the Restart Plan:

Michelle Mangiamele, 2nd Grade Teacher at Edgewood Elementary School

My name is Michelle Mangiamele. This September starts my 15th year at the Scarsdale school district. I am currently a second grade teacher at Edgewood School and an STA officer. I write about the past, present and future of the perception, hope and goals of the elementary teacher.

The Past: Eleanor Roosevelt once said “We learn from living.” We have all learned something from the past five months. Remote learning was challenging for EVERYONE. Teachers were learning how to teach in a way in which they never had before. Parents were learning how to help their children academically. Children were learning how to be students at home. Everyone was anxious. Everyone was learning. Everyone was struggling. We were in a pandemic and we still are.

As we continue to live in this pandemic, we need to remember that we must learn from our past. There was a great deal of rhetoric, and unfortunately, in some cases unfair criticism regarding remote learning during the Spring. We should be looking closely at our current plan to evaluate whether it meets the Scarsdale vision statement. The statement that was agreed upon by the entire community, consisting of administrators, faculty and families. The statement was as follows, and I quote- “The Scarsdale Schools Restart efforts commit to providing an educational environment that is physically and emotionally safe; to establishing and nurturing connections within the full school community; and to fostering meaningful learning opportunities for each student regardless of the structure of schooling which takes place in the future.”

The Present Time: The best efforts of all the stakeholders, working endless hours, resulted in the AB plan. Benefits of this plan included but were not limited to the following:

Everyday contact with teachers would happen through a morning meeting that would include the entire class whether it was in person or zoom.

Twice weekly in person instruction with four uninterrupted hours would give teachers more opportunity to create nurturing connections as well as foster meaningful learning opportunities.

On days spent out of the classroom, children would have opportunities for independent studies, both synchronous and asynchronous, preparing them should the district need to suddenly pivot to remote learning.
When this plan was presented to the community at large, the vocal outcry resulted in the hasty adoption of the AM/PM model prompting the following conclusions:

Allowing two cohorts into the building on the same day poses a greater risk of a viral transmission to both students and teachers. The AM/PM model results in less actual instructional time for students. The AM/PM model does not prepare students for the remote learning experts believe to be inevitable.

Many questioned the Wednesday planning day for teachers in the AB model. This day was so that teachers could concentrate on a variety of eLearning opportunities for students. Its purpose was also to help teachers and students stay aligned with those who would solely be engaged in remote learning. Teachers need the time to plan collaboratively in order to provide meaningful learning experiences either synchronous or asynchronous, and support students for the transitions into and out of distance learning. The opportunity for a few summer planning days is NOT enough to sustain a year of lessons. Teachers do not feel prepared for another year of remote learning. Teachers need the opportunity to collaborate and plan, so they can improve remote learning experiences that students receive.

The pandemic remains unchecked in so many parts of the country that we can predict that we will all be back to remote learning at some point, and we need this time to prepare. In the AM/PM model teachers have 30 minutes of planning time and 60 minutes for lunch. It looks good on paper but teachers must leave their classrooms, possibly the building, during that time so that proper cleaning can take place in order for cohort B to come to school safely. How will this work logistically? Where will teachers prepare lessons and do their work? Where will teachers eat their lunch? The A/B model provided more instruction for students and more common planning time for teachers.

As we look into The Future: Our goal as educators is to provide our students with the best possible education. Moving forward, our hope is that the community continues to recognize us as professionals who possess the expertise and knowledge of how best to support our students’ academic needs. As we begin to prepare for the inevitable, we also hope that the community will strive to remember that remote teaching during a PANDEMIC is a unique situation, filled with its own specific set of challenges for parents and teachers alike. We need to remember THIS IS A PANDEMIC. Yes teachers are filming lessons, teaching lessons over zoom, providing independent practice, but we also need the help from our families to support the child’s educational needs. No elementary school student can teach him or herself. We must remember that no matter what any teacher does from any screen, elementary students need physical human contact to check in for understanding and possibly review a lesson. The elementary teachers of Scarsdale want to work and have a partnership with our families so that the child receives the best education possible. We all know that it takes a village, so let’s begin planning how to work together.

Will Maldarelli, Eighth Grade Teacher at Scarsdale Middle School

My name is Will Maldarelli. I have taught 8th grade social studies at the middle school since 2014 and have worked in the building in other roles and departments since 2007. On behalf of the teachers at Scarsdale Middle School, I have written the following.

In a typical year at this time in August, when I am thinking about my classroom and the start of a new school year, I excitedly plan for the group work, simulations, and collaborative lessons with colleagues that enhance the curriculum for my students. I drive to the Middle School and begin to set up and imagine a room full of students mingling and connecting, both socially and academically. I set up the pods of desks that at times define the space in Fountain 177, and I feel that sense of (at times, admittedly nervous) anticipation for the year that is to come.

When the school year starts and we hit the ground running, my students and I immediately begin establishing the relationships that I value so much and that allow for thoughtful, meaningful, honest work to take place. I drop-in on students (individually and when they are working together) at their desks, providing feedback for them as they work. I welcome casual lunch drop-ins for conversations about my class or life in general. I enjoy before and after school extra help sessions during which I am able to engage with my students in smaller groups and on an individual basis, again, getting to know them more deeply on academic and personal levels.

The developmentally appropriate moments between students that I often encounter in the hallway, the passing micro-interactions and small-talk amongst us that build rapport and comfort, the encouraging smile or a high five...these moments paint a modest glimpse into the middle school experience. And all of us want nothing more than to return to it. Having said all of that, we find ourselves in the midst of an immensely atypical August in what has been a most challenging year in the lives of many people. The anticipation that we teachers usually feel in August has the added stress of genuine concern and fear. I want to make it clear that in a hybrid model, though students will be physically present in school for some time during the week, state guidelines prevent my classroom (and anyone’s classroom for that matter) from even faintly resembling what it was back in February or in the descriptions I detailed earlier.

The unfortunate reality is that anything short of a return to five full days a week following the distribution of a vaccine or treatment inherently means less can be accomplished in our classes. These realities not only sadden me, they fill me with anxiety as I struggle to reimagine all that I know.

Working and speaking with middle school teachers regarding reopening over the past weeks, I can assert that most do not feel comfortable with the way school will look in the fall. That is a hard thing for me to say as their representative but also as a fellow teacher who will have to live in that reality. Unfortunately, this truth also applies to our students and the community - this will not be school as ANY of us know it, and that is a profoundly distressing thing to say. Middle School teachers are concerned - about their ability to teach as effectively as they have done in the past, about their health, about the health of their families, about the health of their students, and about the health of the families of their students.

We see ourselves as part of this community. We understand the needs of middle school students and methods of best practice. We understand concerns about curriculum coverage and depth and breadth of content. We understand the desire for a return to the physical building, both from a professional and deeply personal level. We understand that this community deserves the best education that we can provide and are used to providing.

And so I feel it necessary to say, if SMS opens in a hybrid model, that no one can or should expect a “return to normalcy” in September, as much as we all (and I mean ALL), want there to be. We have used our imagination. We have put in the deep, thoughtful work necessary to iterate and reiterate how Scarsdale Middle School will look in the fall. Despite all of this, we still cannot make it feel normal. This is a function of life during a pandemic.

The hybrid model may seem to solve the challenges that are facing us, particularly when it comes to in-person contact between teachers and students; however, in order to maintain social distancing and other procedures necessary to protect students, teachers, and families at home, no model will allow us to overcome the pervasive problems the pandemic presents to schools. Students will not be able to interact or socialize with each other as they have done in the past.

As teachers, we will continue to reimagine how we will most effectively engage our students in this new reality this Fall and beyond because that is who we are as people and as professionals and because we care deeply about your children. Teachers at the middle school continue to reach out to us as STA Officers, to their department chairs, and to each other throughout the summer, searching for that magic recipe that will allow us to do what we love in the way we are accustomed to doing it. Sadly, no recipe (short of an effective treatment or a vaccine) exists that could make that desire a reality. No model, hybrid or remote, can recreate what we have dedicated our careers to building. No model provides for a return to our most recent memory of stepping foot in the building back in March.

So in a few weeks, when school “reopens” (in whatever form it takes), please know that we are working to do all that we can to not only teach your children but also to make them feel that sense of community that is at the core of the SMS experience. The Middle School may be the “middle child” but (like any child) it is our child and we want it to be all that we know it can be and has been. The unfortunate reality is that a hybrid model cannot accomplish this goal. A final, personal note: I often refer to myself as a “cautious optimist.” I continue to hope that all stakeholders do their very best in this moment as we move forward into September with understanding, humility in the face of an immense challenge, and hope as we work through this crisis and look forward to a time when we can all, together, confidently and safely return to all that a Scarsdale education has to offer.

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 13 August 2020; Created: 13 August 2020; Last Updated: 13 August 2020; Hits: 3199

LikaLevi Photo Credit: Lika LeviWith power to half of Village customers knocked out by Tropical Storm Isaias trustees invited local officials to the August 11 Village Board Meeting to discuss the outage and how it can be addressed with Con Edison.

First up was Sue Tolchin from State Senator Andrew Stewart Cousins’ office who said, “Andrea is outraged and is aggressively seeking information. She is aware you were promised to be restored by August 10 at 3 pm. There are now 15 crews in Scarsdale. I know how hard this has been for everyone. She is not happy, you are not happy and your residents are not happy. They are going to have hearings to pose questions. It has been an awful week. She is as angry and frustrated as we all are.

State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin called in. She said, “This has been a horrible week in addition to what we are going through with COVID. I was out until last night. Scarsdale was hard hit. I have been on the municipal calls. After Sandy and Quinn we thought we had addressed the problem. I have reviewed the Public Service Commission report. Con Ed did what they were supposed to do in that report.”

“We know there will be more storms. We need to think outside the box – we need to think of a major solution – additional staff for Con Ed so were not relying on crews from Florida and Texas. The bigger goal is when we do have these storms we are not adversely impacted for so long. We are going to follow up so that this does not happen again. This must be solved. I will do everything within my power to do that long term.”

County Executive George Latimer was on the call too. He said, “ The County does not have direct control over Con Ed or Altice. The hearings are good. The Governor said he would threaten the franchises of these companies. The County government cleared the BRP. I think Con Ed is just not staffed for these events. They are under staffed. We need a utility reserve entity to call up in crises. That’s what a fire department does with volunteers. We have a structural program that needs to be addressed. Make Con Ed pay a penalty. Make them offer financial rebates and a food rebate. Future hurricanes will yield the same result. There is a fair bit of trying to pass the blame.”

Trustee Justin Arest said,"I want to thank Assemblywoman Paulin, County Executive Latimer, and Ms. Tolchin on behalf of Senate Leader Stewart-Cousins for meeting with us tonight on short notice while hundreds in our community are still without power. In fact, according to the latest numbers I have seen on Con Ed’s website a few minutes ago, over 4% of Scarsdale Customers are still without power. As you have all stated, this is unacceptable. Obviously the focus now is getting everyone’s power restored but we all have to move quickly to figure out how to prevent this in the future. I understand that certain steps are needed in government to affect change but I very much hope and expect that the joint hearing next week in Albany will not be the beginning and the end. Amy has already said it will not be the end and she will be integrally involved which of course is reassuring! But we also know what the issues are. We have vulnerable power lines and are dependent on out of state municipal aid crews when they fail. What would have happened if the entire east coast had been battered by Isaias? Would residents have been without power for months?

Trees are certainly part of the issue. I did not support the last amendment to our local tree code and would welcome a work session to discuss what I see as possible deficiencies. It needs to protect our character as a village in a park but must also give flexibility to homeowners who are genuinely concerned for health and safety. We also need to be honest that our tree code is not the biggest inhibitor to tree removal. It is the cost of the tree removal. Even in instances where a permit fee and replacement tree are required, this is usually only a fraction of the cost to a homeowner to have a large tree removed. I think the Village can help with this and we should discuss this as well at our work session.

But ultimately, we need to look at burying our power lines. It is possible it could cost approximately $80mm to bury just lines in Scarsdale. But my question is, why is anyone talking about us having to do it and pay for it? Why aren’t we demanding that Con Edison do it for us? It would be expensive. Con Ed has about 34,000 miles of overhead electrical lines, at the rough number of $1mm per mile, that could cost $34bn. But, as County Executive Latimer said well, we do not have to bury all of them; we can be strategic. Con Ed is a monopoly and therefore has no competition. Its net income in 2017 was roughly $1.53 Billion, yes, billion with a B. It was was about $1.38 Billion in 2018, and $1.34 Bn in 2019. The State needs to force them to take action. If the State was to mandate that they bury the lines in their service area over the next ten years, it could be done. They should be forced to reinvest into the system to protect us in the future and would likely still be profitable over the time it would take to conduct the work. I think Governor Cuomo has shown extraordinary leadership over the past months. During the past week, he again threatened to revoke the utility’s franchise. That threat is only effective if the utility believes it could happen. Let’s work together, and make them act and, if they do not then let’s do exactly that, let’s ask the Governor to revoke their franchise.

I would welcome any comments you may have on what I have proposed but I would also appreciate to know what we can do as a local government to help. I am just one of 7, but I believe we as a body are committed to ensuring change occurs and welcome a continued partnership in this endeavor. We cannot just allow this to end with a report and promises of the same repairs that have gotten us nowhere."

Trustee Jane Veron agreed. She said, “We are all beyond frustrated – we pleaded, cajoled, to no DonellanRoad Con Ed installed a new transformer to restore power to Donellan Road on August 11. Photo credit: Mary Blumenthal Lane.avail…. I have been on the Village Board for 4 years and it feels like ground hog day… Can we provide an inventory of our weak spots to Con Edison? Let us know how we can help – we want to arm you with what you need to be proactive. Please let us know how we can help – because we want to repair and fix before the next storm.”

Latimer said the Village should analyze where the outages occurred and identify place where wires can go underground. He also said to look at the foliage on the Bronx River Parkway and do a survey. We could do a capital project.

Tolchin said, “Scarsdale had 3,000 outages. You now have about 300 left. NYC was turned on before Westchester. They decided to put their fleet in certain places and Westchester was not a top priority. We are aware of that. We also have been in touch with Altice. They were worse than Con Ed.

Jonathan Lewis said he was without power for a week and that it was unacceptable. He listed all the utilities failures and said “We need to hold them to a higher standard. We need to define what we need. We need a 21st century infrastructure to mitigate extreme weather conditions.”

The Mayor said, Unfortunately we are still deep in the recovery process. I have walked around the neighborhood and seen what you have endured…. I too am outraged. Village staff have performed extremely well. Staff is not able to restore power. We are very fortunate to have such dedicated Village staff. They responded to over 100 calls for service.”

He said, “We have all lost faith and confidence. I promise that the village will continue to press for change. We will not stop our quest for meaningful change.” We will write letters and meet with people. He called on residents to “Participate in this endeavor. Let Co Ed and the Public Service Commission hear from us with a united voice.”

He also spoke of the generosity of Scarsdale residents to their neighbors in this time of need. He said, ”I have seen people sharing homes, meal tables, showers, washing machines and power outlets with their neighbors. The depth of our spirit is exemplary. My pride in calling Scarsdale home continues to grow. We are Scarsdale strong and we will get through this together.”

Village Manager Steve Pappalardo outlined Village preparedness for the storm. He said that the Village has a Con Ed liaison who was helpful in establishing protocols. He noted that Scarsdale did have a restoration crew in town right after the storm. He outlined work by the Department of Public Works in advance of the storm to clean catch basins to alleviate potential flooding. Police and fire were prepared and SCARVAC had ambulances available.

About the storm, Pappalardo reported that it hit the Village Tuesday August 4 from 2-4 pm and caused 3,200 outages, impacting 50% of Scarsdale customers. The Village lost power at Boniface Circle, the DPW Garage and the Scarsdale Pool.

Since traffic lights were out, generators were connected to traffic signals. Village crews cleared roads of trees and branches not encumbered with wires. In fact, the Village did more of the tree removal than Con Ed contractors. He said, 114 tons of yard waste was collected at the recycling center and hauled to the county recycling center. The pool lost power. It reopened on Monday and the Village waived fees for anyone without power to use the pool.

He added that Village staff had taken many phone calls and “allowed people to vent even if we could not help.” He said, “I am sorry for your outage.”

Public Comments

Randy Whitestone said, “It is easy and unsatisfying to be angry at Con Ed but we have to seek long term solutions because these storms are becoming more frequent.
He thanked the Village Board for all the work they have been doing.

Bob Harrison “thanked the staff for their responsiveness.” He discussed the increase in the sale of tennis permits and tennis tournaments he is planning for this month. He said, “Thank you Mayor, you were nice to me.”

Bob Berg called in, saying “We are not moving yet. I am still at 32 Tisdale Road.
I have lived here for 18 years. We have gone through so many storms. The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result.” It seems to me we go through the same storms and we always have power failures. Most of the outages are caused by trees within the Village right of way falling on the power lines.

Berg called on the Village to cut down the trees that are interspersed in the wires. He said, “Go down Heathcote Road. You’ll see massive limbs in the wires. It’s crazy that we don’t do anything. Trees are not as important as people. We can’t have these power outages because of trees.”

He said, “One of my neighbors on Popham Road had a massive tree threatening her house. I looked at it and it was hollow. It was a Village tree. It was seriously diseased and dying. The Village has a legal responsibility to maintain the trees in the right of way. We can go out with tree crews and clear them from the Village right of way. The tree code is a disincentive to cutting trees in front of people’s homes. People should have the right to take them down without suffering penalties.”

Pappalardo addressed Berg’s comments about tree trimming. He said, “We have a dedicated tree crew and a new truck with claws, and dumps. The crew goes out everyday. They work 250 days a year. There is so much tree work that we contract out for additional tree work and spend $50-$70,000 per year for outside crews. We pay more for insurance for tree trimmers that any other position in the Village. We employ an arborist to inspect trees that need attention, hundreds of trees a year. We also plant trees. When we take a tree down we replace it if the resident’s are interested. Some of our residents don’t want a new tree so we respect that. If there are power lines, we don’t plan trees that will grow into those wires. Their maximum height is below those lines. There are positive aspects of our tree inventory as well.”

Later in the meeting Berg disagreed with the Village Manager saying that the Village tree trimming program was insufficient.

Lena Crandall responded to Berg recommending that everyone have their trees examined by an ISA arborist. She called for an inventory of Village trees and a safety rating. She said, “We need the trees in the fight against climate change. We need to protect the ones that are healthy and good and address the ones that pose a hazard to our community.” She said we should work with the most scientific approach.

Jane Veron reported on recent happenings in the retail community and the Scarsdale Business Alliance. She said:

The Sidewalk Sale was a success. The registers were ringing.

Chalk the Dale was a great addition to the Sidewalk Sale. It attracted 100 residents.

The Dine the Dale tent has become the jewel of the Village Center. There is constant utilization. The SBA is considering keeping it up through November.

Wilson and Son Jewelers will take over the stores vacated by Danielle Trissi, Space NK and Sam Lehr. They are renovating the space and plan to open in early 2021.

The new Asian Fusion restaurant Acai will open shortly in the space formerly occupied by Lange’s and they have received their liquor license

Village Clerk Donna Conkling reported that the Village received 47 emails about the loss of power.

Watch the meeting here:

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 30 July 2020; Created: 30 July 2020; Last Updated: 30 July 2020; Hits: 3711

streetviewnews SHS rising senior Jonah Miller has had the opportunity to meet students from around the country and around the world giving him the chance to understand other people's perspectives and experiences. His travels were the inspiration for the creation of a platform where teenagers have a place to voice their views so other teens around the world can learn.

Six months ago, Jonah launched a global newspaper written by teenagers for teenagers called Street View News that is now read in over sixty-six countries and forty-seven states. The newspaper provides teenagers, exclusively, with a voice to share their unique, "on the ground” views with the hope of bridging the cultural divide that unfortunately exists today.

We interviewed Miller about Street View News and asked him to share a surprising post about accusations of racism close to home which you can read below:

Jonah MillerPlease describe Street View News and tell us about how you launched it, why and when.

Over the last several years, I have spent a lot of time with people from all over the world through various summer programs. Meeting people from countries I previously knew very little about has definitely expanded my worldview, strengthening my unique perspective on the world. I now spend hours reading about other countries’ politics and people in addition to talking with my international friends about their lives and geopolitical issues, broadening my perspective far outside of my bubble. Last summer, I asked some of these friends if they wanted to be the preliminary writers for a newspaper I wanted to create, later titled Street View News.

Overwhelmingly and enthusiastically, they agreed to start writing. As the founder and editor-in-chief, I have published over fifty articles online on topics ranging from the need for Gun Control in Alabama (written by a student in Birmingham, Alabama) and White Supremacy in Asia (written by a student in Singapore) to Honduras’s Fight During a Pandemic (written by a student in Tegucigalpa, Honduras). Receiving over 12,500 website views in total from over sixty countries and 47 states, Street View News has become a paper read across the entire world. Building relationships with dozens of my peers, each with distinct perspectives, has changed me as a person, making me culturally aware and knowledgeable. The goal of the paper is different than that of other news outlets: Street View News strives to educate rather than summarize. By providing a platform for students around the world to voice their experiences in the political world, the paper is able to educate the public from a personal, authentic, and on-the-ground perspective. Moreover, teenage voices are often missing from the global discussion of politics, and I knew that teenagers would be more inclined to learning about geopolitical topics if it came from their international peers rather than an adult. The first articles were posted in December 2019, and since then, articles have been published every two weeks on the website.

How do you deal with language issues and make the articles accessible to all?

Whenever a writer from outside the United States is interested in writing an article, I always ask whether they would rather write it in English or their native language, whichever would make it more accessible to their community and desired audience. More often than not, the writer, wherever they might live, chooses to write their article in English. There is, however, a Spanish section of the website in which all of the articles are written in Spanish from writers in Ecuador and Honduras. Moving forward, I would like to expand the website to include other languages.

What have been some of the surprising outcomes of the project?

Honestly, the most surprising outcome of this project is how eager students, some of whom with which I have no connections, are to write for the paper. Through the “contact” page on the website, I receive requests to write from people around the globe every day, which makes me feel as though I accomplished something big. One of my original goals was to bridge the cultural divide between kids from around the world, and while there is still much everyone can do to be more inclusive and open to other cultures, customs, and perspectives, Street View News has reached parts of the world and introduced foreign concepts and ideals I could have only dreamed of when starting this project.

How has the site been impacted by the COVID crisis?

For Street View News, everything is done virtually. I curate the articles over email, send updates over group chats on Instagram, advertise new pieces on various social media accounts, and, of course, publish the articles online. If anything, the COVID crisis has provided material writers often choose to explore. Since every city, state, and country has dealt with COVID-19 differently, writers are able to speak to what their respective government has done to regulate and quash the virus where they live. From individual articles such as “The Silent Revolution: Philippines Social Media During COVID-19” and “Un Grito de Ayuda: Honduras Lucha Durante Una Pandemia” (“A Cry For Help: Honduras’s Fight During a Pandemic”), which is written in Spanish, to the compilation of articles that is “PROJECT: COVID-19,” tracking experiences with COVID-19 across the US, Europe, and Asia, Street View News has published many articles regarding COVID-19, garnering the topic its own sub-section on the website. More Coronavirus-related articles will be published within the next few weeks, as well.

Do you plan to continue it when school starts next year?

Yes! I absolutely plan to continue running Street View News next year and after I graduate. Being the editor-in-chief of a global publication has taught me so much about leadership, organizing, and writing; the paper has truly opened my eyes to the world around me, connected me with new people from around the world, and introduced me to topics I would otherwise not have known much about. Moreover, it’s refreshing and comforting to hear teenage voices talk about their personal experiences.

How can people access it? Do you send out emails as well?

The website can be accessed via its URL, which is www.streeviewnews.com. While at the moment I do not send out emails, both the writers and I advertise heavily on Instagram. Street View News has its own account, @streetview.news (www.instagram.com/streetview.news).

Here is a sample post from Scarsdale’s Dani Paz:

DaniPaz Dani PazSilenced and Dismissed: My Fight Against Racism
by Dani Paz

Living in an affluent New York City suburb with minimal ethnic and socioeconomic diversity, I didn’t really know who I was growing up. As someone born in Brazil to Bolivian parents, it was certainly difficult attending school in a predominately white town, where racism presents itself early.

At a young age, I became ashamed of being Latina. I recall having a friend over who told me she felt uncomfortable when I spoke Spanish to my mother. Soon after, I started to conceal my ethnic features to fit in with my classmates, including even trying to make my lips smaller. Until my freshman year in high school, I did everything in my power to appear American. I even lied about liking Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

After Trump won the 2016 election, I began to embrace my ethnic culture. As one of the only Latinas in my school, I realized it was up to me to champion the Latinx community, otherwise, no one would. When I revealed myself as a proud Latina, however, many of my classmates manifested their true racist and xenophobic colors upon realizing I am not American.

Making sure I always felt unwelcomed and uncomfortable, the few Trump supporters in my seemingly Democratic town called me every slur in the book. The worst part, however, is how alone I constantly felt. Neither my school’s administration nor my friends defended me. I was told by people, whom I thought were my friends, that I needed to learn how to take a joke. The blatant racists at my school received absolutely no consequences, neither socially nor academically. The more I spoke out, the more people turned against me. Someone even threatened to fight me for standing up for myself, and the school, of course, did nothing. Ironically, the school’s role as a bystander is the opposite of what the district heavily promotes in its anti-bullying campaigns.

There are multitudes of options that the school could have taken to not only protect me but also to end the cyclical nature of racism. The easiest option, of course, is simply listening. Learning about racism must start when we are young. If children of color are never too young to experience racism, white kids are never too young to learn about it. The school needs to start hiring more teachers of color, incorporating books with characters of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds into the curriculum, and educating us on history that has not been white-washed by years of prejudice, helping students subconsciously learn that everyone is beautiful, regardless of what they look like. Uncomfortable conversations are more than necessary if we want constructive change. Additionally, the school could easily have given consequences to the racists which I reported time and time again. By not receiving any form of punishment, they are implicitly told that they can say anything, no matter how hurtful and ignorant, without consequences. In cases with racists, consequences should not equate to a call home. Perhaps, mandatory seminars and permanent marks on their records could help the racists learn about the hate they radiate. In addition, schools must create an environment where such behavior is condemned academically and students are alienated socially. Schools often believe they succeed in supporting the “Circle of Friends,” when so much more needs to be done to have it be embedded in the school fabric.

I understand that, as students, it can be difficult to stand up to our peers, especially to those who are considered more “popular”. As we get older, however, I hope we all realize that poor behavior should rule someone out from being “popular,” which is the kind of culture that we need to aspire to. It is critical for friends and classmates to realize that they need to speak up when others encounter racism and xenophobia. If you are silent, you are empowering the bigots and oppressors. Don’t be afraid to defend others and make these individuals feel outcasted and accountable. It is the only way they will stop!

Racist teenagers become racist adults who raise racist kids. We have to stop protecting them and start defending people of color. How? Education, accountability, listening, and support is the only way we can move forward as a society. We have to do better, plain and simple. I really do hope there is change. We so desperately need it. Ultimately, it starts with self-reflection. Let’s see if this particular community - and many others - can progress and truly institute what needs to be done.

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 20 July 2020; Created: 20 July 2020; Last Updated: 23 July 2020; Hits: 3505

OverhillParking Another battle about another parking lot is brewing in town. Earlier this year, Scarsdale Trustees tabled an ambitious proposal to develop the Freightway site to provide parking, residential units and amenities on the west side of the Metro North tracks. The plans were put aside after considerable opposition from residents who feared overcrowding in schools, traffic and the addition of up to 220 apartments to the Village.

That plan was proposed as a public-private partnership to replace the deteriorating garage and breathe life into Scarsdale’s downtown. This time, a private developer, Scarsdale Improvement Corp., is proposing the construction of a three-level parking structure with 135 parking spots on Overhill Road. The developer has applied to merge four lots into one in order to construct the parking lot. In addition, they plan to convert the basement of 30 Popham Road, which adjoins the site, into a 6,000 square foot health club. Unlike Freightway and Christie Place Garages, these spots will be designated for Scarsdale Improvement Corp's private tenants and will not generate parking fees for the Village.

However, the board of the Overhill Neighborhood Association, unanimously opposes the plan and a survey of neighborhood residents revealed that a very strong majority of the neighborhood is against the project. They oppose the project because it will bring more traffic to the area, for safety reasons, because it is not pedestrian friendly, does not meet the requirements outlined in the Village’s Comprehensive Plan, and calls for far more parking spaces than is required by the surrounding retail tenants.

Below is an initial position paper from the board of the Overhill Neighborhood Association.

On Wednesday July 29, the Planning Board will consider an application to:

(i) merge 4 lots into one, and

(ii) a site plan to build a three-tiered 135-space private parking garage on the open lot at 5 Overhill. The guidance found both in the Village Code and in the Comprehensive Plan does not envision such use of that property.

The Board of the Overhill Neighborhood Association is opposed to the approval of the application. We have reviewed the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code, as it pertains to this lot, and we cannot find any justification for such a large parking structure. We are committed to sustaining the residential quality of our neighborhood in terms of long-term vision, safety, traffic tranquility, viewshed, and noise level.

The applicant before the board should be well known because they are the same applicant who came before the Land Use Committee in October 2019, with a broader plan to build a garage and 15 condo units. They now come with one part of that plan, implying that they have reduced their ambitions. However, as acknowledged in the application, the number of vehicles to be housed exceeds the needs of the applicants’ present and projected tenants’ business. The auxiliary parking needs at this site do not justify a garage of the proposed size. We can only conclude that this is but a segment of a larger plan yet to be revealed, providing private parking for other tenants of this developer not adjacent to this site. Therefore, the garage is not merely “auxiliary” to the building(s) for which it should serve.

Importantly, this site received special mention in An Update of the Village Center Component of the Village of Scarsdale Comprehensive Plan (The Plan) as one of three sites of opportunity in the Village Center. The Plan specifies the need to be sensitive to the residential character of the Overhill neighborhood, and its residents in any designs for this site (Page 40).

The Comprehensive Plan states the following about this site:

1) Parking solutions for this site are linked to the development of the Freightway parcel, in particular the opportunity to redesign the parking on the west side of Scarsdale Avenue. Nowhere is the construction of a large parking structure of three levels considered.

2) The Plan also affirms that “any development should adhere to the character of the Village Center, follow green design principles and the resulting height and design should be sensitive to the adjacent residential area on Overhill Road.”
How is a three-tiered parking structure “sensitive” to the adjacent residential neighborhood, including two single family homes across the street, and one single family home adjacent to the garage structure?

3) Another key point advocated in The Plan is the need for pedestrian arcades throughout the Village Center to provide access. It addresses a Village that is Pedestrian friendly. The existing configuration provides an arcade/walkway and outdoor dining at the side of Scarsdale Metro Restaurant and at the side of Moscato.

However, these pedestrian friendly amenities are absent in the application.
Further, if one examines the Village Code as pertains to this district one would find that it states that this district is for retail and service business purposes, and that:

Regarding Development Uses, the code states that principal uses for future development should be for “Retail stores, personal service establishments, restaurants and other places serving food or beverages (except fast-food restaurants), banks, professional offices, medical and dental offices, service stations, public and semipublic uses, real estate offices, travel agencies…”

Regarding parking, the code states that “Avoidance of more than one level of parking located at or above the ground-floor level along the building frontage in any VCR or VCO District”

Finally, we also examined some historical Google Earth satellite images over the last few years (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) during what appeared to be bustling times of the day in our Village Center. The images all showed well-occupied parking areas at Freightway, East Parkway, and Boniface Circle/Spencer Place, however, in all of the images that we reviewed we did not find a single example where the 5 Overhill lot did not have plenty of space available. Several residents in the Overhill Neighborhood confirmed these same observations, that sufficient parking currently exists.

Furthermore, Paul Diamond, the spokesman for the neighborhood association sent the following to Scarsdale10583 on July 19:

In addition to the critical points that are laid out in our initial position letter, we are discovering a number of additional factors that will also will weigh heavily as the Planning Board evaluates this application.

Here are just three examples:

1. Traffic/congestion/safety: we firmly believe that adding more congestion to Overhill Road where two parking areas sit directly across from each other will negatively impact the area both from a residential and shopper experience. It is know that the intersection of Overhill/Chase and Popham continues to be a spot where there are many accidents involving pedestrians and that sadly some have ended in death. Additionally there are two school bus stops --one at HSBC and one at 5-7 Overhill Road where children as young as 4-5 years of age are waiting for their bus, adding to both the safety and congestion concerns.

2. Environmental Impact: We are confident that a full environmental impact study will reveal substantial environmental issues for the Village and for the adjacent residential community.

3. Overbuilding: Finally, you may also find it of interest that the notes from the Village Planner (available on the Village drop box for the meeting) confirm that the developer seeks permission to overbuild: "The parking structure will include 135 spaces, where 69 are required pursuant to 310-70 of Village Code."

You can watch the Planning Board proceedings on Wednesday July 29 at 7 pm on Zoom here: https://zoom.us/j/94711590504

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 15 July 2020; Created: 15 July 2020; Last Updated: 22 June 2021; Hits: 3729

scarsdalepool At long last, the Scarsdale Pool will open this Saturday. Better late than never! Below find a welcome message from Recreation Supervisor Dan Walczewski. A complete list of the pool hours and rules can be found here:

From Dan:

To the best of my knowledge, July 18th will be the latest “opening day” in the 52 year history of the Scarsdale Municipal Pool Complex. In addition to all that goes into opening the pool in a normal year, this year we at the Recreation Department find ourselves concerned with things like social distancing guidelines, facemask policies, and the flow of foot traffic around the facility. Then again, nothing about the last few months has been “normal” for any of us. When you visit the pool this year, it will look a bit different. Some of the new rules will be unfamiliar at first. But even with all the changes to our lives that COVID-19 has brought about, one thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment to the safety of our pool visitors and staff. Although it’s a bit later this year, I’d officially like to welcome everyone to the 2020 pool season.

Dan Walczewski
Recreation Supervisor
Aquatics Director

Here are the essentials about pool attendance:

Permits: You can buy a pool permit on the Village website online or by visiting Village Hall.

Good to know: There will be no reservations required. To ensure that people can maintain a distance of six feet apart, attendance will be limited to 1,390 people at a time, but the Village does not anticipate that there will be a need to turn people away.

Guests: No more than two guests per permit will be permitted at a time.

Health Check: Visitors will be asked to respond to a few questions about their health and submit to a temperature test before entering the complex.

Masks are required when entering, but not when swimming! When supervising small children in the wading pool, adults will be required to wear masks, but not children. When visiting the snack bar, a mask will be required.

Hours: From July 18 to August 16 the hours are:

Monday from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Hours change after August 16 -- learn more here: