Scarsdale Inquirer Back to School 2014 by The Scarsdale Inquirer

Back to School A SPECIAL SECTION OF

The Scarsdale Inquirer AUGUST 22, 2014

Back to School A SPECIAL SECTION OF

The Scarsdale Inquirer AUGUST 22, 2014

A special section of

The Scarsdale Inquirer P.O. Box 418, Scarsdale, NY 10583 914-725-2500 www.scarsdalenews.com PUBLISHER Deborah G. White SECTION EDITOR Todd Sliss ART DIRECTOR Ann Marie Rezen ADVERTISING DESIGN Katherine Potter ADVERTISING SALES Thomas O’Halloran, Barbara Yeaker, Marilyn Petrosa and Francesca Lynch ©2014 S.I. COMMUNICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IS FORBIDDEN WITHOUT THE PUBLISHER’S WRITTEN PERMISSION.

INSIDE BACK TO SCHOOL

PAGE 2A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Feature Stories

CCLS, ELA, SAT, ACT... Tests, tests, tests!

4A 8A

Passing the Stress Test

41A

Unmotivated student… or something more?

10A Navigating uncharted internet miscues 23A Fashion: Prints, quality, contemporary & classic

School Reports 14A Scarsdale Super:

Pondering ‘community’ during transition to Scarsdale

8A 10A

23A 44A

18A

Scarsdale Board of Ed Promising future under new superintendent Hagerman

27A

Edgemont: Community continues ‘growing forward’

Scarsdale School News ............................................16A-21A SCHOOLS NOTES ..................................................................27A-31A ENRICHMENT.........................................................................32-33A Early Learning ......................................................... 36A-38A Educational Services .............................................. 38A-40A PERFORMING ARTS .............................................................41A-46A

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 3A

CCLS, ELA, SAT, ACT... Tests, tests, tests!

By LAURIE SULLIVAN

ith the school year about to begin, and those supplies, backpacks, clothes and sneakers bought, parents and kids start to think about the coming year and what’s ahead. What teachers will they have? What will their schedules be? And parents in particular are eager to know about the standardized tests their children will be required to take. To help navigate the path for parents we’ve detailed state assessments that the New York State Board of Education requires of students by grade level. And it’s not all that easy. State assessments, also referred to as the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) or just the Common Core tests, are given to students in grades three through eight in schools throughout the state. These standardized tests are given in three subject areas — English Language Arts (known as the ELAs), mathematics and science — and do not require any outside tutoring or test prep time beyond the time teachers spend in the classroom prepping for tests. Teachers are required by the New York State Education Department to prepare students for the tests, but in high achieving districts like Scarsdale, Edgemont, Bedford, Kato-

þ A parent’s guide to NY state testing

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6A

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PAGE 4A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Passing the

Stress Test Managing stress is a major hurdle for some students

By TODD SLISS

nfortunately it doesn’t take long for everything that was gained over the short summer in terms of relaxation and rejuvenation to come to a halt with the start of another long and stressful school year. That’s just the nature of the beast when it comes to getting back into full school days, homework, studying, tests and various after-school activities. In a world where being overly scheduled to the point that young people’s lives are overscheduled, stress can have many negative impacts on students of all ages. Ironically we want and expect kids to perform their best when they aren’t given the tools to cope with the constant go, go, go society. Dorrie Bernstein, who is in private practice as a psychologist, psychotherapist and educational therapist working with children, many of whom have learning and emotional problems, started out as a

teacher and was a school psychologist and learning specialist, so she’s seen a world that went from neighborhood free play to scheduled playdates, a competitive college application process to a cut-throat one. Bernstein acknowledges that “we’re in a competitive world.” Bernstein noted that there are “lots of anxious kids out there” in a “more anxiety-provoking world.” “That’s why all of us — parents, educators, teachers, anybody working with kids — we want to help create a more relaxed time, giving kids space to create and relax,” she said. Bernstein pointed to the film “Race to Nowhere,” which she called a “real attempt to get everyone to take a step back — schools, parents, everyone.” Taking that step back is often not a reality, so dealing with the situation at hand is that reality. “Yes, there are times when kids are overscheduled and that can be problematic because there are loads of opportunities out there and we want our children to learn lots of different things and be well-rounded individuals,” Bernstein said. “If they play a

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team sport, if they have religious instruction, if they have music lessons, if they have arts-related lessons or a play, those are all things that take up time after school and if every single day is scheduled, then it can be very hard for kids because young kids need to have time for free, creative play.” That varies by the age of the child. Little ones literally need play time. “Play is young kids’ work,” Bernstein said. “They need time for creative outlet to discover what they can build or do on their own. For very young children some of what they need to de-stress is to leave their structured activity, a school activity, a school day and some people say ‘veg out’ and put them in front of television and that’s one way. It’s not terrible. It’s one way, but not the only way. There are lots of creative things that kids do on their own when they explore and learn about the world. Kids need down time and it’s hard. It’s hard when they’re being scheduled and you can’t argue with things like being a great athlete and playing tennis and soccer and going to religious instruction.”

While a television show can serve to unwind, it should be over at least an hour before bedtime. The light from the screen tells the body that it’s not time for sleep. Giving kids an hour of screen-free time before bed will help to get that full, good night of sleep. “Reading to a kid or having a kid listen to a book on tape or relaxing in bed listening to music or something that’s not visual with a light is good,” Bernstein said. “When they are relaxing in front of screens it can be problematic.” The possibility of the Common Core, in its second year being fully rolled out, contributing to stress for kids has yet to be seen, Bernstein said. “What’s being imposed on school districts and what’s being filtered down to kids is intensifying the curriculum that exists now,” Bernstein said. “I don’t know if it will translate into more homework since it’s fairly new, the Common Core.” Bernstein noted that the balance needs CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

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| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 5A

of homework depending on the courses they are taking.” to be there after school between activities, THE BEST MUSIC For many, the activities that take up so homework and free time. And don’t forget much of their time serve as stress relievINSTRUCTION IN dinner, which Bernstein called “decomers after the school day. Some students find pressing time together.” WESTCHESTER they are more on task when they are busier “We know we can all produce more in at different points of the school year. That’s daylight hours, so if we have playdates, the good anxiety or pressure about making which are very important as well, and free Private Lessons sure to get everything done properly. Other play time and then we also have homePerforming Ensembles things that can factor into stress relief are We are expanding work and we want to get it done in daylight Early Childhood and diet, building in some breaks and hours, by the time we’re in December we a good our already popular Suzuki Programs getting a good night of sleep, which seems don’t have very many of those,” Dance she said. programming Latin Jazz Programs “That’s also pressure. That’s pressure for to be the biggest challenge for teens. Musical Theatre “We all need some level of not stress, but all ages with families who want to sit down andfor have Productions anxiety,” Bernstein said. “We have anxiety family dinner, which in some families is additional studio and get revved up about things because still valued as an important time for kids to sort of relax and share with their parents, we need that. We need to know not to go and kids to share about their day. Family toward the dog that’s baring its teeth at us. dinner can’t happen for a lot of families There is a good level of being anxious. We because they are running to one lesson or need to get up for a game, that little bit of anxiety that we have. Or for a big test. A litanother or a tournament.” The teens have the toughest situation tle bit of anxiety is a good thing. It’s when it since not only do they have a lot going on, goes over the top is when we can’t manage but the homework demands are at times it, when we don’t have coping strategies the JCC of Mid-Westchester and it’s not at good. It’s an awareness of the unreasonable. “A lot of the kids I see are athletes, so stress, or really more about being anxious they go directly from school to practice about something. A little is good because and then they’re completely booked until it gets us up to a level of performance that’s they get home and then they collapse be- healthy.” Parents have their hands full monitoring cause they’re exhausted,” Bernstein said. “It’s very hard. Parents of teenagers walk yet another aspect of their children’s lives, a fine line. It’s important to know what’s a big one being that 8-10 hours of sleep, 216 Central Park Avenue going on, but kids have to become respon- which Bernstein called “a tall order.” White Plains, NY 10606 “Sleep deprivation can create difficul- We are expanding sible for getting the work done and by the (914) 761-3900 time junior year comes, it’s very difficult ties healthwise, stresswise,” Bernstein said. our already popular CULTURAL ARTS EDUCATION FITNESS scarsdalemusic.org for them to have a whole load of free or “We want to make sure they get sleep and Dance programming • Art Nursery School including • Sports & Fitness Center We are that they do manage to schedule down discretionary time if they are on a team or ex pa nding info@musiced.org g in andare • Danceso that they for all ages with • Pool weekly swim and re eIfxpthey involved W in ea aplay. doing aftertime even on the weekends ou r alr additional studio• Swim Lessons eady popular ular • friends Theatre popgymnastics, adydifficult school things because by early can drop have outlets with and for crelrevery Da our ait’s g in • Bendheim Performing off/late extended • Swim Teamsnce programming m gram the time they’re in junior year there’spick a lotup,ative things.” Dance pro Arts Center day • Gymnastics for all ages with h enrichment and more… wit for all ages additional studio • Jewish Culture and Learning • Youth Soccer studio additional Special Education, • Baseball Clinic Pre-School and • Karate After-School/Weekend • Basketball League We are expanding We are expanding at• the JCC of Mid-Westchester Enrichment programs e are expanding Pilates our already popular W our already popular • Zumba r la pu po y ad re al Dance programming r ou Dance programming • Yoga g in m m ra og for all ages with r Dance pr for all ages with • Personal Training estcheste CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

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PAGE 6A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Preparing for SATs and ACTs

of 2,400. According to Pomilla, as of March 2016 a new SAT will be introduced which will revert back to two parts and scoring will be a maximum of 1,600 points. When asked if TestTakers offer preparation for the ACTs, Pomilla said they were “just getting into it.” Some colleges will accept the ACTs in place of the SATs. They are often submitted by foreign students who plan to study here. The ACT consists of four multiple choice tests with a battery of questions in English, math, reading and science. The ACT plus writing includes the four multiple choice tests plus a writing test. These tests show subject matter mastery and are supposed to be indicators for future success in college. So what do students learn in the TestTaker’s course? For Pomilla, he said that there’s been lots of press on “how you teach kids there are gimmicks, [but] you have to improve their skills.” The TestTaker course helps students in critical reading, reviewing math concepts and in writing in particular. Students are taught the rules of grammar and usage and how to construct an essay. “We work with a lot of kids in high achieving schools in Westchester,” he

rank Pomilla, president of TestTakers, founded his SAT prep company fresh out of Princeton University back in 1983. He began with only eight students and since that time the business has come a long way from its “modest beginning,” Pomilla said. Since that time, TestTakers has prepared a “couple of thousand students” for the SATs. With a total of 11 locations, three in partnership with schools, TestTakers has become a household name, with locations at Scarsdale Synagogue Tremont Temple and in Greenwich at the Central Middle School. Pomilla said the “optimal time” to take the course is the summer or fall of junior year. Before then is “too early.” He also wouldn’t recommend starting later than the fall of senior year, “because it’s their last shot.” As far as prepping for the PSATs, TestTakers doesn’t run “a specific program unless a kid is in the top 1/2 of 1 percent of the class” and is interested is winning a national merit scholarship: “If kids start [then] it has an effect of boosting their scores.” The SATs are broken down into three parts that include critical reading, math and writing for a total possible score

TESTS, TESTS, TESTS! CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3A

nah-Lewisboro and the Rivertowns, students already receive an education that is considered to be above the Common Core standards, where precious classroom time could be better spent. Preparation varies by school and district. These unfunded mandates are ultimately paid for with shrinking school budget dollars and higher property taxes for residents. The concept of local control of schools and “teaching to test” have not gone over well locally and other locales with educators and parents alike. In fact, back in 2001, in a well-orchestrated and highly publicized event, Scarsdale’s eighth-grade parents boycotted the state science assessment test, the first year it was given. A staggering 67 percent

of parents refused to send their children to school for the test. The boycott set off a firestorm in the media — and with the NYS Board of Regents in Albany. Stories appeared not just in The Scarsdale Inquirer, but nationally in print and on radio and television. The following year, Scarsdale parents decided to not boycott again, for fear of reprisals by then-NYS Board of Regents chancellor Richard Mills against the district, the students and then-Scarsdale schools superintendent Dr. Michael McGill, who had supported the boycott. In an article in The Scarsdale Inquirer dated June 7, 2013, it was reported that the Scarsdale Middle School PTA emailed middle school parents urging them to learn more about a “grassroots coalition STOP Albany in an effort to lobby for unfunded mandate relief and for more local control of education and taxes.” In the meantime, standardized tests

said. “There is a strong inverse relationship in incoming scores. A lower scoring student will improve the most. [However] kids from top achieving schools improve more than you would expect. These schools have trained them well to learn and tend to outperform more than you expect. The problem with kids from these schools is teaching something they don’t know, but they’re able to do so.” According to Pomilla, the SAT board says there is a “practice effect” by taking the SATs more than once, with an improvement of 35 points without taking a course. For the last academic year, students who had taken the TestTakers course improved 234 points from a real test the students had taken before the test without the course. “This is not an easy test, let’s be clear,” Pomilla emphasized. Asked if students have anxiety about the test, he replied “somewhat,” but explained that the course “has a very relaxed tone and I think it relieves a lot of anxiety for the kids.” When questioned about colleges dropping the SATs as a requirement for applying, Pomilla said there are “some in those ranks, but I think it’s the same.” From his perspective, college admissions officers like the SAT (officially called the

across the grade levels continue to be mandated by the NYS Education Department, whose philosophy is that state tests are considered “part of a student’s core educational program … and makes sure kids are on track to graduate high school,” according to the NYS Education Department’s website, a website it should be noted that is not an easy one to navigate. So what’s ahead for your child this year? Here’s a snapshot of what to expect:

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minutes of prep time at the beginning of each session for handing out materials and reading directions” in the elementary and intermediate level schedule. “Although we haven’t received the particulars regarding specific times for each test, they are released mid- to late fall on the Office of State Assessment website.” The following testing times listed for each session represents those given for the 2013-14 school year. Regardless of whether or not testing times remain the same, all standardized tests are given in the spring. • English Language Arts (the ELAs) start in grade three and test a student’s listening and reading ability with multiple choice, and short and longer answers. Grades three and four are tested over a three-day period, with 70 minutes to complete the test each day.

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State tests by the numbers

The following information was gleaned from the New York State Education Department’s website and Honore Adams, test scoring coordinator for the Scarsdale school district, via email. According to Adams, the New York State assessments are not given before third grade. She noted that “the testing times listed do not include approximately 10

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SAT Reasoning Test) because “it forces you to reason with the facts you learned in school and it gives them a ‘common yardstick.’” Pomilla said that if admissions officers don’t know the school, it measures the strength of a student beyond grades. TestTakers groups students in small classes of 10-12, according to ability with separate classes for each subject. The full price of the course is $2,195, with discounts available for early enrollment. The TestTakers course includes 32 classroom hours, with classes run on weekends in Scarsdale and Greenwich, and up to 18 hours of additional instruction which are called “spotlight sessions,” for a total of 50 hours of classroom time. The course includes four practice tests. Missed classes may be made up during the week. Asked if kids ever repeat the course, Pomilla said “yes,” but at a “greatly reduced price … but to be clear we show them everything they need.” Pomilla said, “Having been in business 30 years now, I’ve recently been getting the kids of original students,” including eight who took the TestTaker course last year. — Laurie Sullivan

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Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Grades 5-8 were allotted 90 minutes of testing time for each of the three days. Tests are broken down as follows: Day 1, Book 1: multiple choice; Day 2, Book 2: multiple choice, short and extended response; Day 3, Book 3: short and extended response. • The math Common Core test for grades 3-8 was also given over a three-day period. This is how it breaks down: grade 3 was allotted 60 minutes of testing for days one and two, while day three was 70 minutes. For grade four, students were given 60 minutes for the first two days, and 90 minutes for the final day. Grades 5-8 were given 80 minutes to complete the test on days one and two, 90 minutes for day three. Students who finished their tests before the given time was up may review their answers. For the math assessments, schools provide students with a ruler in grades 3-8. Protractors are supplied to students in grades 4-8. In grades 3-5, students may not use calculators. In grade six, a four-function calculator with a square root key or a scientific calculator is provided. For grades seven and eight, a scientific calculator is used for the second and third days only. • Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans have the full time their plan specifies and the use of whatever devices they are permitted for all grade levels and subject matter. • Grades four and eight take the state science exam, which breaks down to science performance and a written science test. It should be noted that on testing days

students may not bring any communications devices of any kind (cell phones, pagers, PDAs, etc.) to school as dictated by the New York State Education Department. Your student has been prepared for and taken the test — now what? Parents do receive a copy of their child’s scores, which indicate their overall state percentile rank, which compares their child’s performance to the rest of the students who took the same subject area test the year they took it. The higher the percentile, the better a child fared in comparison to the rest of the state. Although the results don’t have any impact on their grades, that doesn’t stop some students from worrying about taking them. Student performance was originally slated to impact 20 percent of teacher evaluations, but teachers have been given a reprieve for 2014 and 2015, thanks to pressure from the teachers’ unions. In an article on education.com from Nov. 14, 2013, it stated that federal funding is tied into test scores to determine how much autonomy a school has. Critics of No Child Left Behind, which the Common Core tests are an outgrowth of, feel it puts “immense pressure on school officials, teachers, students and parents.” That pressure to succeed creates a “poor environment for learning and an environment of fear rather than discovery.” In an article in the New York Post last June, state education commissioner John King noted, “… despite the firestorm of criticism, only one percent of teachers were rated ineffective last year.”

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PAGE 8A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Unmotivated student… or something more? By ANTHONY R. MANCINI

otivating a student to do schoolwork can be a tough job for a parent, especially with life’s distractions in the way. Sometimes, however, motivation issues go beyond a simple desire to be doing or thinking about something else other than homework. Andrew Clark, a math tutor with clients in the Rivertowns and Scarsdale, put it this way: “One of many reasons for a student to become indifferent or disengaged is a lack of understanding. Who wants to master material that doesn’t make any sense?” he said. “By asking the student to explain things to you or by watching him work through a problem, you may find a basic difficulty.” There is always the possibility if a student is consistently resisting their assignments, it might be an indicator of a larger problem due to an overall difficulty in learning. “Resistance is usually a byproduct,” said Courtney Tricarichi, the center manager at Lindamood-Bell Learning Center in Scarsdale. “It’s not just because they don’t want to do their homework, there’s usually something that’s prohibiting or inhibiting their ability to do work independently and identifying what that underlying cause is, is always going to be

the first step in trying to resolve it.” Lindamood-Bell is an institution devoted to one-on-one tutoring of people of all ages who have some sort of processingbased learning disability, even adults past school age. The definition of a processing-based disability, also known as a pro-

cessing weakness, is complex. It does not mean a diagnosis such as attention deficit disorder, which is dealt with in a different manner. Lindamood-Bell does work with students with ADD and other disorders, however, usually the student is accompanied with a learning weakness as well.

Instead, a processing weakness means that someone is able to comprehend information at a slower pace compared to others. “There’s nothing wrong with this student. It’s just a slower processing ability. They’re just doing it at a rate that’s not what’s expected of them and therefore can’t perform at their grade level,” Tricarichi said. “Our goal is to speed up their processing, come in here, do it intensively and we’ll get you to a point where you can take in and retain information at a faster pace then you were.” Lindamood-Bell tests students to find out if they do indeed have some sort of a learning difficulty. This might be difficult to detect outwardly. Parents might find that a younger child with a processing weakness is reading slowly or not getting a grasp on the material. They might find that an older student just flat out hates reading and homework altogether because of a failure to understand what they have been assigned. These learning disabilities might mean that a third-grader only has a grasp of first-grade material or that a 10th-grader only understands sixth-grade subject matter. “These students, they often don’t get discovered until things become very challenging and sometimes that happens in the later years of high school, someCONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

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times that happens in college. Sometimes they never get a diagnosis,” Tricarichi said. “For those students who are that much older and if they’re not able to process grade appropriate material, they’re not going to want to do the work.” The center director said that it is uncertain why these learning disabilities develop in children, but that they always remain a problem. “For students that have processing weaknesses, it stays with you for life. It doesn’t go away. We can’t fix it,” she said. “However, after intervention, you’re in a significantly better spot than you were when you first came.” Lindamood-Bell offers programs in reading, comprehension and mathematics to students and one-on-one remediation for students of up to five days a week for those in most need of help. Tricarichi compares remediation to learning an instrument. “If you practice the violin one time a week for one year, it will not be as good as if you’re practicing the violin every single day. You’ll be a different type of student,” she said. “That’s what we say to students: If you’re significantly behind, you need daily intervention in order to get to where you need to be, otherwise time continues to progress and your grade level and your requirements and expectations also progress, so if you don’t nip it sooner, you know it’s just going to continue to get worse.” The center director said that students with processing difficulties on a compre-

"Students with comprehension problems might not be noticed or might be misdiagnosed with a disorder like ADD for not paying attention in class." — Courtney Tricarichi, Lindamood-Bell Learning Center

hensive level might find it hard to grasp meanings of language. “If the sentence was ‘The cat ran up the tree, jumped onto the roof and took a nap,’ and I say what was that about, they’d say, ‘Oh, there was a tree, a cat and a roof,’” she said. If a student has a reading comprehension problem such as this, it would only become magnified as they progress throughout grades and expectations begin to increase. “Now, we’re saying in first grade read a few sentences, understand that. Second grade: read a whole paragraph. Third grade: We start to read chapter books. So all of that increases,” Tricarichi said. “For students that have developmental delays or processing weaknesses, they’re not able to catch onto that information at the same rate as everybody else, so maybe by the time second grade hits, they’re only still able to process, you know, a few sentences. They can’t do a whole paragraph yet.”

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From an early age, children are told to read, but they are not told why they should be reading: to be able to comprehend information. Tricarichi said that the concept of reading to comprehend meaning is not apparent to many children with learning disabilities. “The students who can’t read usually get extremely frustrated because they’re constantly told that they need to read and they constantly experience failure and they get upset and they make a decision consciously not to do this assignment,” she sa id. “It’s also easier to identify these students because when you’re sitting in a classroom and you’re a teacher, the students who can’t read are obvious. The student who can’t comprehend, it’s easily put into a different category.” Tricarichi said that for an educator it might not be obvious that a student does not comprehend information, especially if they are able to read. She said those students with comprehension problems might not be noticed or might be misdiagnosed with a disorder like ADD for not paying attention in class due to their difficulty. “Guess why they’re not paying attention. They have no idea what you are talking about,” she said. “It’s kind of like sitting in a room where other people are speaking a different language. Are you going to pay attention for so long? No, not for the purpose of gaining meaning.” The center director said that Lindamood-Bell helps teach children by helping them come to a conclusion on their own instead of simply identifying

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 9A

their mistakes. “We work with students that have a hard time and it is in our nature to have this empathy and understanding of these students,” Tricarichi said. “We never, ever tell them that what they’ve done is wrong or that they’re incorrect. We leave them to discover the true answer and the true meaning of things.” Tricarichi said in one example, an instructor might write down “FIP” on an index card to give to a younger child with a reading disability. She said a struggling child might read it as “FAP.” Instead of telling the child that they were incorrect, the instructor would give the child some positive encouragement and ask what the second letter in FAP would be. When the child says “A,” then the instructor would show the same index card to the child again, who might correctly identify the letters as FIP. “You identify the error. You make the change on your own. You correct yourself,” she said. The center director said that in one instance, she had a student read a passage about a boy who had an earache and saw a doctor. The doctor sprayed water into the boy’s ear and two spiders were flushed out, one living and one dead. She said in this case, the student gave a summary of the story saying that a boy went to the doctor, had his ear flushed out and that one spider came out. Tricarichi said that she did not correct the student, but reread the passage, allowing the student to come to the conclusion CONTINUED ON PAGE 12A

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PAGE 10A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Tips for navigating uncharted internet miscues

By TODD SLISS

ife was tough enough when everyone in your hometown knew that thing you did, that embarrassing fact. Now when you make your mistake it could be in an online police blotter or it could simply be something you wrote or posted online, or something someone posted about you. Either way, it’s out there for the whole world to see, and it’s not easy to take it back. The onus to prevent such mishaps is on parents. Like every new generation, today’s parents are dealing with uncharted territory as they themselves did not grow up with such electronic tools and temptations. They have to get young people who are being raised with social media outlets to understand that their actions may have consequences now and down the line. Kids don’t always heed parents’ warnings about speeding, drinking, drugs, fighting, sex — anything really. So why is this different? Perhaps it’s not, but parents can’t ignore the crucial issue. “When it comes to talking with your children it’s really developing the relationship with your children early on,” said Dr. Jacques Jospitre Jr., a founding partner at SohoMD.com and owner of BrainMatriX Inc. “It’s understanding what is important to your child. With any message, you want to know how to frame this information in a way the person understands. It’s less about saying you’re going to enforce this and

about hard and fast rules because kids tend to break those. “You need to put it in a way that the child truly understands the impact. When you get to know someone, how you phrase and use content to put the message across is different and really unique to the person. That’s why investing time in connecting with your children and understanding what’s really important to them helps you get that messaging across.” Breaking the situation down age-appropriately is important,

just like telling little ones not to talk to strangers — you start from that first time they are exposed. “For younger children you tell them they shouldn’t be interacting with people the same way they wouldn’t interact with strangers in public,” Jospitre said. “You teach them what the Internet is, what it’s capable of, what’s going on.” Another key is being involved with the kids on social media. “The same way if a child is playing with a toy on the ground, you’d want to sit down with the child on the ground and play that game at

that level,” Jospitre said. “You want to do the same thing on the Internet with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Get your own account and connect with your child and be present the same way that you would be in the real world.” Jospitre’s favorite reference for parents and schools is the American Academy of Pediatrics’ safetynet.aap.org website, which gives parents the tools they need to teach responsible electronic interaction. “The education part helps the child understand that things you’re doing here really sit in the cyberspace forever,” Jospitre said. “It’s very hard to make it disappear once it’s out there — making your child aware ahead of time that it’s really permanent and that everything they put out there they should assume that everyone can see it. Before they put anything out there, how would they feel to know everyone is going to read it?” As many times as high school coaches have told their athletes to stay off Facebook and Twitter before a big contest or rivalry game, those coaches have been ignored and wars of words ignite and escalate to the point that a threat — whether serious or not — is made. That’s a no-no in a world where threats are taken more seriously than ever. Games have been cancelled, players suspended, etc. Last winter adult fans from Mount Vernon and student fans from Mahopac got CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE

into a shouting match during a heated boys’ basketball playoff game at the Westchester County Center. Later on, some of the kids took to social media and wrote things they may or may not have meant about their counterparts, and there was big trouble for those kids and the entire town of Mahopac was painted by some as a racist community. The heat of the moment, that moment of losing oneself, that lapse of good judgment… these are all costly. Chances are even before it’s deleted someone has taken a screen shot of it — this goes for celebrities and regular people, too — and even when you think it’s deleted it might still be there in some form even though you can’t see it. “It’s a controversial issue in terms of people’s rights to control content that they created or is about them,” Jospitre said. “Right now it’s very difficult. The water is still not clear. How much control should we have over that content? It’s really difficult to control that once it’s out there to bring it back in. “The best thing is prevention to help your child have that awareness to not put himself in a situation where they are trying to delete information. That’s very difficult.” So you’ve paid your debt for your transgression in 2014. Imagine now it’s six or eight years later, you’re no longer a youngster and it’s time to get a job. Now your potential employer is searching your name. “When you are out there you represent your employer, so when people know you work at such and such company, every-

thing you do is a reflection in some degree on that employer and they care about that image because it affects their brand,” Jospitre said. “I think that’s a standard course of action for people to search for you and see what’s out there. “When you are applying for jobs you should Google yourself and look what’s out there because that will be affecting people’s decisions on you. When you see things that are inaccurate or don’t need to be there or are irrelevant or that you feel shouldn’t be there, by proactively looking at it, you can go in and try to make an effort to have it removed from the search engines.” (Good luck with this.) And keep in mind there are many search engines that could yield different results. A bullying situation is a different type of behavior than an, “Oops, I shouldn’t have done that.” That’s more of an ongoing issue. “You can have your child be the victim of social media — they’re being bullied, teased, embarrassed — so you being present helps to catch that early on and be able to do something about that,” Jospitre said. “A lot of attention is focused on the victim’s side, but there’s also the aggressor’s side. You also want to be present to know if your child is the bully, the person being mean or unfair to other people.” Jospitre also warns parents to watch out for an addiction to social media. “Just like any other substance or anything in a person’s life, with addiction what you’re really looking for is the use of the social media somehow impacting negaCONTINUED ON PAGE 12A

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– Back to School

UNMOTIVATED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9A

herself that there were two spiders instead of one. She also asked to find out if the student correlated that the boy visited the doctor because he had an earache, which the student did not mention. “When I asked her summary, she missed a detail, so I’m questioning her picture to see if she actually imaged whether or not the boy went to the doctor because he had an earache or if that was a detail that she missed,” Tricarichi said. “If they say, ‘I’m not sure why,’ that was a detail that was missed and we know that the level that we’re working at is appropriate because they’re not automatically imaging all of the information.” Tricarichi said an older student was asked to understand a passage about a Native American technique of burning the circumference of a tree trunk, hacking away at the ashes with a stone hatchet, burning the tree again and repeating until the tree is cut down. The director said the student’s summary recap did not give the full picture of the technique and that it took a reread of the passage. “She couldn’t image the information because she couldn’t express it in a sequenced way,” Tricarichi said. “Sometimes they can redirect their image and say OK, this doesn’t make sense.” The director said that these techniques are designed to instill a sense of confidence in students who were previously unable to grasp language concepts.

“Something that I wasn’t able to do now feels a bit easier and that type of self-awareness and self-discovery is what helped them gain their confidence back,” Tricarichi said. “You can’t tell someone to be confident. There’s a reason why they’re not and they have to understand for themselves why and how to rebuild their confidence.” Math tutor Clark said, “The student was probably not conscious of it and therefore never asked anyone about it, but it has been making his work a mystification to him. You may need to spend time clarifying a basic principle or providing essential background which the curriculum assumes was mastered long ago, but which, at least in this case, wasn’t. The student will then taste the two rewards of study which are most highly motivating:

insight and competence.” Tricarichi said that parents who are concerned that their child might have a learning disability could visit LindamoodBell for a free information session to find out if the institution is appropriate for the child. She said in the vast majority of cases Lindamood-Bell could help a student in some way. She said Lindamood-Bell is not appropriate for those students who might have a simple resistance toward completing their work, such as students who are having difficulty with a particular teacher or problem at home or with friends. Tricarichi said if there is a learning disability-based concern and a parent is not seeking the help of Lindamood-Bell, then the parent should at least learn as much as he or she can about any potential problem to work to resolve it. “Do your research,” she said. “You have to be educated because there’s so many different things going on out there and you have to be an advocate for your child. Nobody else is going to do it. The school has many students to look over and if there is something actually going on with your kid and you don’t know what it is, you have to be educated on what’s out there.” She said every student has the potential to make progress: “There’s never not a solution. I think it’s sad to think that other educators can’t help and can’t find ways to help these students because there’s always something to help. There’s always something to make things easier.”

INTERNET MISCUES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11A

tively on your child’s life,” he said. “Are they not getting their schoolwork done or missing out on other responsibilities, are they disengaging from people in the real world to spend time with social media?” Among the things Jospitre recommends is having the computer in a “public” space at home where privacy is not exactly guaranteed and hours of access should be limited. “It’s getting a feel for the role of social media in the child’s life which helps you prevent a lot of abuses of the technology,” he said. There is a lot to think about when it comes to online behaviors, and once kids get their own mobile devices it becomes that much harder to monitor. “Social media is fun, it’s great,” Jospitre said. “We don’t know if it’s just a fad. How will it evolve over the years? It’s not clear. It’s important to get kids away from social media, to turn it off, to engage with people, to having rules like not using devices at the dinner table, having breaks on vacation from social media. It’s just good to incorporate other aspects of life and find ways of engaging the world that actually involved engaging with the world. “When you’re deep into correspondence with the virtual world, you’re really not paying attention to the physical world that’s around you. It’s good for their balance and perspective to live their actual lives, not just in these virtual spaces.”

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Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

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Adolescence is a time full of contradictions for both parents and kids. Both being a teenager and parenting one are notoriously difficult, and living in a digital world now further complicates these roles. Doors slam, texts are hidden, phones are password protected and screens are minimized when an adult enters the room. Teens have always valued privacy, but the world of Instagram, group texts and Snapchat can be risky and unchartered territory for many parents. Teen friendship means having 500 followers rather than six to 10 friends. Social skill development now involves deciphering the meaning behind an ALL CAPITAL TEXT MESSAGE, understanding when it’s appropriate to post a picture and which emoji to use. According to NetSmartz.org, teens ages 12-17 send and receive an average of 1,500 text messages a month; 75 percent of teens in that age range have cell phones and 73 percent have profiles on social networking sites. Some teens feel that obtaining an iPhone is a rite of passage when entering middle school. In the digital world, parents struggle to find the balance between snooping and su-

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pervising. Experts agree that kids need “supervised privacy” and assistance learning how to be mindful in a world of distractions. Parents play a critical role in helping teens understand appropriate Internet use. Parents are encouraged to establish expectations for use, and set times to unplug. Frequent checking of social media sites can interfere with concentration and cause anxiety. Discussions about life online are just a few of the topics that youth outreach workers at Scarsdale § Edgemont Family Counseling Service regularly discuss with teens and parents across the community. Whether your child is in middle school or high school, ongoing conversations about appropriate social media is essential. Youth outreach workers serve as a professional, supportive resource to students growing up in a virtual world. Through SFCS parent support groups, youth outreach workers offer guidance to members on balancing privacy and monitoring technology. Conversations with students support the idea of being thoughtful prior to posting and reminding teens that the Internet is anything but private. If you would like to join the conversation about teens, privacy and the digital world, or would like to be a part of regular conversations about adolescent development, contact Scarsdale § Edgemont Family Counseling at 723-3281. Our door is always open. Justine Carino, LMHC, is a youth outreach worker at the middle school level, and Emily Vallario, LCSW, is director of community services for Scarsdale § Edgemont Family Counseling Service.

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| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 13A

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PAGE 14A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Scarsdale Schools Report Pondering ‘community’ during transition to Scarsdale By DR. THOMAS HAGERMAN Scarsdale Schools Superintendent

s a high school English teacher, I loved to teach short stories, and among my favorite authors to illustrate this genre was Gabriel Garcia Marquez. One story that always resonated with my students was the “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World.” The plot is simple: the body of a dead man washes up in a small village by the ocean. At first, the corpse seems unremarkable, but as the villagers prepare his body for a funeral, they realize that he is taller, stronger and more handsome than any man they have ever seen. They are so captivated, they give him a name, Esteban, and imagine the extraordinary life he must have had. They speculate that if he lived in their desolate village, he would have certainly transformed it into something resourceful and beautiful. And, in the end, to honor Esteban, the villagers decided to do just that. The transformation is, of course, ironic. The villagers were unable to create this vision for themselves, but they could through the eyes of a deceased stranger. Although I had not thought of this story

in years, as I was reflecting on my own transition into Scarsdale (thankfully, under very different circumstances than Esteban!), I was reminded how others hold expectations for us during times of transition, how attributes and characteristics are often ascribed often without a direct causal link, and how the power of influence is ever present, even when it may not be obvious. And, as I thought more about this, questions began to emerge. Specifically, what does community mean? How does one elegantly transition into a community, especially in a leadership role? And, how does a community build capacity to flourish and thrive in both the short- and long-term? It turns out that the word “community” is derived from the Latin word communis, or things held in common. At its core, it refers to a social unit that embraces common values. Historically, there has been a sense that community had a geographical or proximal relationship, encompassing those in one’s immediate vicinity. In today’s global society and, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, community can now extend well beyond local boundaries to national or even international spheres. So, where does that leave us? Does that mean that each of our schools is a com-

munity? Is Scarsdale one, as a collection of schools? Is our community New York, or even North America? With such a broad scope, it makes some sense to narrow our focus. Within the burgeoning discipline of urban sociology, research has moved away from structure and setting to a focus on the experience of a community. And I have found that reactions to common experiences within high achieving school districts are indeed complex. Jeremy Bentham once said, “It is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without understanding what is the interest of the individual.” The very definition of community seems to hinge on shared values, but individual interests can certainly complicate that formula as the needs or desires of students, teachers, parents and community members are not always the same, and sometimes even in direct contrast to one another. In many cases, school communities evolve organically through subtle negotiations in relationships and situations. At other times, it is necessary to be more deliberate, to set a course of action to achieve specific aims. Finding the right balance is, in equal parts, desirable and challenging. It has always been my philosophical belief that the role of effective school

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leaders is to understand the individual needs of the entire school community and to create a nexus around commonalities while problem-solving those areas that are in conflict. As part of my transition into the district, I created a formal Entry Plan. This document provides a road map for engaging with members of the full school community, as well as, a mechanism for better understanding areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Naturally, this work is predicated on listening intently and learning the personalities, stories and traditions that have shaped this remarkable place to date. This work is currently under way as I have become a student of all things Scarsdale. It must be said that I have been and continue to be impressed with the candor and passion that comes through in each and every conversation. Not surprisingly, at some juncture in most of my conversations, there is an inevitable turn, and I am asked to share my “vision” for Scarsdale and, sometimes, even more pointedly, what changes I am considering. These are important questions, ones that I welcome and which allow me to reiterate my beliefs around CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

shared leadership and decision-making. As I mentioned earlier, my first priority is to get acclimated to the Scarsdale community through relationship-building and listening tours. Beyond that, it will take some time to fully understand the priorities of students, teachers, parents and community members. It would be extremely premature for me to speculate on needed changes without a much deeper dig into the collective psyche of the Scarsdale community and a much better understanding of a host of procedures and processes already in place. This will come, but it will take time. In the short term, I can assert that as a progressive educator for many years, I share a strong commitment to the holistic development of each student, including academics, health and wellness, socialemotional learning and civic responsibility. I also intend to spend the next many weeks and months working alongside our outstanding faculty and staff, parents and volunteers, and board of education in a collaborative fashion while focusing conversations on teaching and learning. In understanding the expectations for quality and excellence in Scarsdale, I will also continue to support stellar programs and services while acknowledging and abiding by our responsibility to be careful stewards of the community’s dollars and other resources. And, finally, I have been intrigued and delighted by the momentum in this district in the areas of innovation, design-thinking, technology,

and 21st century learning. As we prepare our students for future learning and life, I will encourage exploration and growth in each of these areas. It is important to note that this work is not mine alone, nor can it occur in isolation. Returning to our notion of building community with common purpose and direction, it is essential for each of us to recognize our respective role in supporting our students and schools. This can take many forms, including being an informed member of the larger community by reading publications, emails and postings; sharing your thoughts and opinions through attendance at board of education and other meetings, surveys, correspondence and voting; and supporting our students directly through active parenting, attendance at school events and volunteering. Each of us plays a key role in not only maintaining the Scarsdale tradition of excellence, but in coalescing the full community around our most important asset: our children and youth. To come full circle, Esteban was a victim of fate, one who unwittingly transformed a community by being in the proverbial right place at the right time. Unlike Marquez’s “hero,” I chose Scarsdale very deliberately, not as a transformative agent per se, but instead, to be a part of the metamorphosis in a district that continues to challenge and reinvent itself and to strive continually toward higher pinnacles of achievement and success. I look forward to the year ahead and to becoming fully integrated into this very unique and special community.

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 15A

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PAGE 16A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

THINK

STEP students excel thanks to community support

Scarsdale’s Student Transfer Education Plan (STEP) is thrilled to have supported two students for the 2013-14 school year. STEP is an independent community program that allows promising students of color to attend Scarsdale High School for their junior and senior years. It can be a life-changing opportunity for qualified students, who benefit from access to Scarsdale High School’s strong college preparatory program and extensive extracurricular activities, as well as the cultural and recreational resources of the New York metropolitan area. While in Scarsdale, each visiting student lives with a host family and is encouraged to become an integral part of the Scarsdale community. The two-year program exposes the transfer students to a challenging Upper School Open House environment and helps prepare them to Wed., Oct. 22 at 6:30 pm take positions of leadership and responsibility in a multicultural society. K–12 Open House TWIN LAKES FARM Robert Lee of Memphis, Tenn., has Sat., Nov. 8 at 9:00 am blossomed during his busy junior year at Early Childhood Open Houses SHS. He has excelled in the high school’s Fri., Nov. 14 & academically challenging environment, Fri., Jan. 23 at 1:30 pm always pushing himself to qualify for higher level coursework. This summer he took pre-calculus at a community college in his hometown in order to move up to calculuslargest duringand his most seniordiverse year at SHS. 1177 King Street, CT is Westchester’s TwinGreenwich, Lakes Farm Lee has been enthusiastically www.cshgreenwich.org equestrian center, offering both boarding and a robust ridinginvolved Tel: 203-532-3534 academy. The riding academy in starts age 6 at with fiveatclubs theprivate high lessons school and rebefore moving up to groups; adults daily andservice take advantage ceivedride volunteer awards for his

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Scarsdale STEP students Dare Olaifa and Robert Lee.

work with the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Club, Habitat for Humanity and Global Camps for Africa clubs. He is also an officer for these last two clubs. In addition, Lee has gotten in shape, losing close to 30 percent of his body weight this past school year, has learned to swim and bike, and exercises regularly. He looks forward to returning to his second home with the Berkes and to his final year of high school this fall. Dare Olaifa finished a challenging and inspiring two years at SHS. He was a three-season athlete on the football and track and field teams and also played the euphonium in the school band. He served as senior class house representa-

of the 8pm adults-only classes. For the more serious equestrian Twin Lakes TWIN Farm offers Drill Teams, Interscholastic Teams, LAKES FARM Horseshowing and Summer Leasing while also offering yearround boarding. Camp is coeducational and runs 8:30am to 4:30pm all summer and includes riding, camp activities and the very popular camp horseshow.

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Set on two campuses each has its own indoor arena, 55 stalls each, lighted outdoor arenas, paddocks with hay feeders, heated tack rooms and wash stalls. The North Barn is home to the Riding Academy, Drill Team and Therapeutic Riding Program while also hosting the interscholastic (IEA) shows and schooling Twin Lakes Farm is Farm Westchester’s largest most win Lakes istheWestchester’s largest and shows. The South Barn houses boarders andand show teamdiverse whilemost diverse equestrian center, offering both equestrian center, offering both and a robust riding boarding andeach a robust riding academy. The riding academy starts at age 6 with private leshosting nine USEF shows year.boarding academy.sons The riding academy starts at age 6 with private lessons before moving up to groups; adults ride daily and take advantage of the 8pm adults-only before moving up to groups; adults ride daily and take advantage Whether it's children's lessons, adults lessons, riding teams, classes. For the moreclasses. serious equestrian Twin Lakes Farm offers Drill Teams, Interscholastic Teams, of the 8pm adults-only For the more serious equestrian showing competitively orSummer recreational riding there is something for Horseshowing and Leasing while also offering Twin Lakes Farm offers Drill Teams, Interscholastic Teams, year-round boarding. Camp is coeducational everyone at 8:30am Twin Lakes Farm which is why we areincludes "Where riding, camp activities and the very popular and runs to 4:30pm all while summer Horseshowing and Summer Leasing also and offering yearWestchester Learns To Ride!"® round Camp is coeducational and runs 8:30am to campboarding. horseshow. 4:30pm and includes riding, camp activities and the 55 stalls each, lighted outdoor arenas, padSet all onsummer two campuses each has its own indoor arena, very popular docks withcamp hayhorseshow. feeders, heated tack rooms and wash stalls. The North Barn is home to the Riding

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Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 17A

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tive. Olaifa also participated in many community service activities such as Hurricane Sandy cleanup and fundraising, delivering books to a mental health clinic in Yonkers from a book drive and mentoring boys at Hawthorne Cedar Knowles Residential Treatment Facility, for which he received an SHS Volunteer Service Award. Olaifa also worked part time at the Mid-Westchester JCC in their Super Sports program. Olaifa will be attending Villanova University this fall, and will be spending part of the summer at Villanova’s summer program to help students transition into college life. Just as these students benefit from Scarsdale’s educational opportunities and support for their college aspirations, our community benefits from the exchanges with these enthusiastic and hard-working individuals. STEP is a unique, nonprofit program supported solely by local donations that are used for student-related expenses. As we approach the 50th anniversary of the program, STEP encourages continued support. STEP is always looking for families to host promising young students and/or by contributing generously so that STEP can invest in the future of capable students participating in the program. The STEP Board of Directors gladly accepts and appreciates any and all donations. Potential donors or host families interested in learning more or making a contribution should contact STEP at P.O. Box 278 or by visiting www.scarsdalestep.org.

PT Council provides programming, support

he Scarsdale Parent Teacher Council (PT Council), the joint organization for the seven PTAs, is looking forward to the new school year and its annual events. Each year PT Council holds three community meetings which feature programs on parenting, education and topical issues: Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.; and Thursday, April 23, 2015, at 9:15 a.m. All dates are on the Scarsdale Community Calendar, which the PT Council coordinates and publishes each summer with the financial support of sponsors Platinum Drive Realty, Scarsdale Security Systems and Houlihan Laurence Real Estate. The PT Council will work with new superintendent Dr. Thomas Hagerman, the board of education, school personnel and community liaisons to sponsor speaker programs that promise to be valuable sources of information for the community. The council hopes to specifically work with Scarsdale High School administration and the Scarsdale Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol for its November program. In January, the council intends to secure a speaker via Children Having Individual Learning Differences (CHILD). Look for the Young Writers’ Workshop on Saturday, March 21, 2015. This year

marks the event’s 20th anniversary. The workshop is one of PT Council’s most eagerly anticipated and highly respected programs. The event is a celebration of writing that features workshops led by talented professionals. The chairs are already busily planning to make this year’s event the most exciting ever. It will be held at the middle school from 9 a.m. to noon and is open to third-, fourth- and fifth-graders. The annual Sports Swap will be held Saturday, March 28, 2015. Gently used sports equipment, bicycles, musical instruments, formal wear and computer and video games donations are all appreciated. Drop them off at the Heathcote School gym Friday night, March 27, and then come back and shop the next morning from 10 a.m. to noon. All proceeds from the sale of these items will be donated to the PT Council to help support projects and programming for the community. In addition to these annual events, the PT Council provides support to schools by coordinating districtwide activities and facilitating the sharing of information and ideas among PTA leaders. The PT Council promotes discussion of educational issues and common concerns in the district. The legislation committee examines issues on a county- and statewide level and the safety committee will continue to work with village and school

leadership to address the Code of Conduct, traffic and other safety concerns. PT Council leaders will be closely involved with the bond vote and budget process, assisting in communicating all aspects of these two critical district concerns throughout the year. Council committee volunteers also support PTA initiatives and programs ranging from community service and sustainability, to after-school clubs and multicultural programming. Finally, the PT Council will continue its involvement in the Joint PTC/STA committee on districtwide communication, with the hope of providing parents a reference that clarifies communication pathways and supports constructive conversations between parents and teachers. The 2014-15 PT Council executive committee includes four officers — president Pamela Fuehrer, vice president Karen Ceske, secretary Felicia Fisher and treasurer Seema Jaggi — as well as the PTA presidents — Amy Cooper, Scarsdale High School; Tracy McCarthy, Scarsdale Middle School; Mariane Liebowitz and Michelle Bates, Edgewood; Margot Milberg, Fox Meadow; Isabel Finegold, Greenacres; Karen Palaniappan, Heathcote; and Nancy Schwartz, Quaker Ridge. Visit http://www.scarsdaleschools. k12.ny.us/page/392 or email scarsdaleptcouncil@gmail.com.

Temple Israel Center Shorashim Religious School

What’s new at TIC’s Religious School other than our name, Shorashim (Roots)? Plenty! • Now offering a two day a week experiential program • Optional third day focused solely on Hebrew language skills • Full time community educators serving as our teachers, youth advisors and Shabbat leaders.

For more information or to register your K-6th grade child in Shorashim or your 7-12th grade teen in our high school program, Havurat Torah, please contact Laurie Rovner at 914-948-2800, ext 123.

Temple Israel Center Shorashim Religious School & Havurat Torah High School 280 Old Mamaroneck Road, White Plains 914-948-2800 x123 Nancy Parkes Director of Congregational Learning and Havurat Torah

Lisa Schwartz Director of Shorashim Religious School

PAGE 18A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Scarsdale Schools Report

Promising future under new superintendent Hagerman By MARY BETH GOSE Scarsdale Schools Board of Education President

s Labor Day approaches, marking the end of summer, we are looking forward with excitement to the fresh start of a new school year. Immediately after we bid farewell to Scarsdale High School’s 2014 graduating seniors, we welcomed Dr. Thomas Hagerman as our new superintendent, following an extensive nationwide search conducted by the school board. Dr. Hagerman has had an extensive background and highly successful career in public education and as a superintendent, having most recently served as the superintendent of schools in Winnetka, Illinois. He brings intelligence, experience, energy and an extraordinary passion for education with the goal of helping each child to reach his or her potential. As a community, Scarsdale values education and our schools. As residents, many of us moved here not only because of the proximity to New York City for work and other enriching activities, but also because we wanted to offer our own children the opportunity to receive the best possible education so that they could have a bright future and, in keeping with the district’s motto of non sibi,

contribute their talents and energies to the world beyond. Because we value education, Scarsdale has a strong, thriving community of parents who support the schools in many ways. Scarsdale also has a strong, diverse community of individuals and families who continue to live here and support the schools, long after their children have graduated. To prepare for our students’ upcoming year of learning, Scarsdale’s teachers, administrators and staff, along with Dr. Hagerman and your school board, have continued working over the summer. Our teachers have met, planned courses and developed rich curricula for our students to nurture their love of learning and knowledge. Principals and administrators have coordinated class schedules and teaching assignments and developed new initiatives for learning. The staff has been working to ensure that the buildings are clean and orderly, and substantive progress has been made toward completion of the following school maintenance projects: • Fox Meadow: Moving and replacing the kindergarten playground fence and upgrading the fire alarm. • Greenacres: Moving the school office closer to the main entrance to improve security and replacing a condensate station. • Heathcote: Replacing a fence and painting the school’s exterior.

• Quaker Ridge: Replacing the oil tank’s concrete pad. • Middle school: Replacing exterior stairs for Cooper House • High school: Renovating science labs and replacing carpeting in eight classrooms. • District-wide: Repairing roofs. In July, Dr. Hagerman and the school board held several public meetings, including two open community meetings, at which we continued to discuss proposed facilities improvement projects for a bond referendum that the board may submit to the voters in November or December of this year. During the meetings, community members actively participated, asked questions and expressed their views. The proposed projects are the recommendations from a facility review by KG&D, the district’s architect, with input from building-level committees and a district-wide facility steering committee which included residents, teachers, school administrators and school board members. The projects under consideration include district-wide technology upgrades, as well as building improvements at the following schools: • Edgewood: Expanding the library and relocating the main office. • Heathcote: Adding a new multipurpose room and small group instructional space.

• Quaker Ridge: Replacing a roof. • Middle school: Adding an orchestra rehearsal room. • High school: Converting part of a gym to a learning commons to address longstanding needs for additional kitchen, food service and student dining areas, as well as additional large group work space; relocating the fitness center; renovating the former fitness center space to become an innovation lab to provide instructional space for two-three classes of students simultaneously; and renovating the existing auto shop to become a design lab/maker space. With a significant existing bond issue scheduled for retirement in 2015, it is anticipated that the additional debt service from the construction financing bond would not increase the budget. The school board will continue discussing these projects during the fall and will continue to seek community input. Additional information about these building improvement projects is available at www.scarsdaleschools.org, under Capital Project Priorities, which is accessible via a link from the homepage. Conceptual drawings of the projects will also be on view at the Scarsdale Public Library and in the school buildings. We hope that you will keep informed and connected to the schools. There are CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 19A

Lifelong learners attend Scarsdale Adult School

many ways to do this: visit the school district’s website, where you can also sign up Scarsdale Adult School is a proven to receive emails from the district; tune source of quality adult education. Nourishin to Cablevision channel 77 or Verizon ing the mind, body, and soul, SAS boasts a channel 27 to view school board meetwide array of humanities courses as well as ings and other school programs; and atcomputer, photography, personal finance, tend school board meetings and other arts and crafts, fitness, card and board community meetings. games, cooking, wine, health/wellness and The seven members of the school board self-improvement classes. represent the community and are responRegistration for the fall semester is alsible for budget and policy development ready underway, with staggered start dates and fiscal oversight. The other members throughout the semester for fun and enof this year’s board are vice president richment all season long. Class locations, Lee Maude, Lew Leone, Chris Morin, days, and times vary by course, but all are Bill Natbony, Suzanne Seiden and Scott housed venues in or convenient to ScarsSilberfein. Please feel free to call any dale. Classes are open to all, regardless of of us, send us an email at BoardofEd@ residency, and courses fill on a first-come/ scarsdaleschools.org or write to us at 2 first-served basis. Brewster Road. The fall semester promises an opporAs we begin the new school year, the tunity to explore the book of Exodus, exschool board is looking forward to colamine Greek and Roman mythology’s laborating with Dr. Hagerman in serving influence on English poetry and discuss the Scarsdale community of students, “The New Yorker” or J.R. Tolkien; better parents, teachers, staff, administrators understand the Met’s opera series, delve and residents. As community represeninto the rivalries between three pairs of tatives, we are also looking forward to classical composers, study music theory, continuing to work with and support the and sample musical treats from Beethoven, teachers, staff and administrators who Mahler, and Messiaen; uncover the history have dedicated their professional careers of jewelry, distinguish all the “isms” of the and passion for educational excellence 20th century art movements and gain into work with our students, and we are sight into NYC museum exhibits featuring committed to developing a very open, Edward Hopper, Henri Matisse, Lee Krasdirect relationship with our teachers. We ner and Norman Lewis, and El Greco; and are at a pivotal point in Scarsdale’s eduimprove your foreign language skills with cational history: supported by a strong French, Italian or Spanish. foundation of excellent education tradiNoteworthy hot topics this term include: tions and practices, we are looking ahead • Radicalism in America with Alfred to a promising future under the leaderRCS_Spring 2014_9.833x6.667_Layout 11:19 AM Page 1 ship and guidance of Dr. Hagerman.1 7/16/14Hunt.

• China from Mao to Now with Marjorie C. Miller. • The History of Rome in three parts with Stefano Sandano, • Movie Matinees: Candidates, Politicians and Other Strange Bedfellows with Marilyn DeRight, • Talking Turkey (Thanksgiving) with Rabbi Blake. In its growing technology department, SAS now offers courses specific to iPads, iPhones, iPods and apps. Expanded instruction will be available on Apple’s new operating system iOS 8, Apple TV, iCloud, Apple’s adaptive/assistive technology features, Siri, iTunes and more. Make the most of social media in your next job search. Photoshop, digital photography and online photo books and storage appeal to those with a passion for cameras. New this semester will be an introduction to the art of the photo essay, documentary photography and a special course on the use of a portable flash. By popular demand, walking tours are also back. Instructors will guide students through a taste of Stone Barns and Frank Lloyd Wright’s utopian community of Usonia near Pleasantville. Personal finance courses cover how to preserve family assets with ever-changing estate tax laws and how to fund long-term health care needs. Learn from the experts how to market and sell your home and keep your home clutter-free. Aspiring performers can be swept up by the joy of singing, participate in a commu-

nity chorus, learn to play guitar or perform scenes from various plays. Become a better writer with a specially tailored class for creative pieces, comedy, children’s books or personal memoirs. Arts and crafts abound with opportunities for collage, drawing, flower arranging, jewelry beading, knitting, painting and stained glass design. Fitness and dance classes run the gamut from A (aerobic fit blast) to Z (zumba). New this semester are 4x4 Fitness (an hour of power) and 20/20/20 (three workouts in one). Body sculpting, walk live and yoga are in the schedule, too. Learn to relax through meditation or reduce your stress through mindful approaches to better living. Gain a parent’s perspective on raising a child with ADHD. Hone your bridge game or take up canasta or mah jongg. Find a great new recipe in a cooking class or give in to your chocolate addiction. Try a class on genealogy or tarot reading. All these classes and many more will be starting before the leaves begin to turn. With both day and evening classes, SAS has something to fit everyone’s schedule. The new fall catalog should have arrived in your mail already and is posted on the adult school website, www.ScarsdaleAdultSchool.org. Extra printed catalogs are available at the Scarsdale Public Library and village hall. Visit the website to sign up for the monthly electronic newsletter or for additional information about the dynamic fall line-up. Call 723-2325 with questions.

Rippowam Cisqua provides students with an exceptional education grounded in academics, the arts, and athletics. The curriculum is specifically designed to engage and inspire each child to reach his or her fullest potential, and develop a lifelong love of learning. The program, highlighted by a better than 6:1 student/faculty ratio, features caring and enthusiastic teachers who encourage the students to think critically and take intellectual risks. RCS graduates leave the School prepared for the best possible secondary school and college opportunities. Join us at our Open Houses: Lower Campus – Grades PreK-4 Saturday, October 25, 9:00 a.m. 325 West Patent Road, Mount Kisco, NY 10549

Extraordinary Students… Exceptional Foundation…

Remarkable Outcomes

Upper Campus – Grades 5-9 Thursday, December 11, 9:30 a.m. 439 Cantitoe Street, Bedford, NY 10506

For more information, please visit www.rcsny.org

Rippowam Cisqua School is a coeducational, independent country day school for students in Grades PreK through Nine.

PAGE 20A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Educational programs for all ages at Scarsdale library

By ELIZABETH BERMEL Director, Scarsdale Public Library

uring the winter, Karen Zielinski, children’s services manager at the library, showed me a photo of a young girl sitting under a table and reading during our very popular monthly Legomania program while her family was creating Lego constructions above her. Karen said it was an adorable photo. It is. But, we saw something more. In a small way it showed the vastness of the services we provide to the community — reading, creating, fun, family activities. Starting from prewalkers and through all the ages to senior citizens we see ourselves as a continuing resource of education. Over the years, with input from the community and various organizations, we have created programs that combine intellectual and cultural activities with educational and development events as well as entertainment and family-oriented programming. We believe we are on the cutting edge in the evolution of libraries in the technological age as we stay current with the latest trends and services while remaining true to our mission as a cultural, intellectual and educational leader in the community. A recent report stated that reading to children from infancy contributes to their intellectual development. At the Scarsdale Public Library, we have several activities for infants and prewalkers, including our weekly Mother Goose sessions for both

Legomania and reading — there’s something for everyone at the Scarsdale Public Library.

prewalkers and walkers. These are language enrichment programs using rhymes, songs and stories to stimulate listening, learning, speaking and reading skills. This continues with monthly music events such as Robert the Guitar Guy and Petite Concerts, where Chi-Chi Bestmann plays the violin and viola and introduces children in a friendly way to classical music. Other programs for caregivers and children, including Parachute Playtime, encourage group participation by preschoolers. We have crafts sessions where children can develop their creative skills or just have fun making things. We organize programs, such as yoga and films,

for children with special needs. Grammar school children can join book clubs or take chess classes. We are winding up our very popular summer reading program for children up to the fourth grade. We encourage participants to visit the library to discuss the books they are reading with the librarians and for the youngest to be read to by the librarians or their siblings. For teenagers, the library stays open late so they can study in groups or individually for mid-term and final exams. In addition, we encourage teens to join our Teen Advisory Board, which develops and organizes programs for their peers. Teens and students

of all ages can use Tutor.com, an online program offering one-to-one help from certified tutors. For adults, the popular Nancy’s Book Group led by Nancy Zachary now has monthly afternoon and evening sessions and this past year we started Not Your Kids Book Club for Adults led by Sheela Char. In addition, our monthly foreign film night has been expanded with a matinee for the convenience of seniors. In addition, there are downloadable books, free museum passes, more than 150 magazines online and other innovations. Libraries were conceived and for many years operated as a depository to make books available to everyone. Today’s library is very different. It is more than a physical structure as cardholders can download books and music from home. We also view ourselves as a community center and with the implementation of our five-year Strategic Plan and plans for expansion we will offer more programs as we move forward. Scarsdale has a highly educated population with one of the nation’s top school systems. It is a challenge for us as a library to be able to enhance the education environment and stimulate the intellectual fervor of our community. We believe our programming and use of technology contributes to this environment. We can accomplish this because we have the support of the community, the village and the Friends of the Scarsdale Library.

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

Scarsdale Forum helps shape schools Since 1904, the Scarsdale Forum has been the “go to” organization in Scarsdale Village, which neighbors join to build friendships and to study and report on the key issues that really matter to Scarsdale residents. The forum is Scarsdale’s very own “think tank” — a local “Brookings Institution” staffed entirely by dedicated community volunteers. The Scarsdale Forum distributes its reports and recommendations to the village and county governments and to the school board and administration. The forum’s work has shaped public opinion and policy, and has improved the village for well over 100 years. Over the past few years, the forum has studied villagewide property revaluation and provided the policy and factual foundation that led the village to implement its first villagewide revaluation in 45 years. Forum committees have issued important reports on teacher compensation, zoning provisions in the village code, neighborhood character, historic preservation, county, village and school budgets, and easily adopted sustainability practices. The reports produced and approved by the forum membership can be found on the forum’s website, www.scarsdaleforum.com, at the link titled Reports. The forum continues its archival project to identify past reports produced by its committees over the years and to place them on the website for the public to

read and enjoy. The 2014-15 year for the forum promises concerted study of village, school and county budgets in the face of ever-rising costs and a still-struggling economy, the village’s proposed historic preservation law, sustainability and whatever other timely and significant issues arise that forum committees choose to research. Elected officials on each level of government — mayor, school board president, county executive and state and federal legislators — have been invited to speak over the course of the year at general membership meetings. The Forum is committed to providing interesting programming at its membership meetings and at its popular Sunday Speaker Series. For a complete schedule of meeting dates and topics, check the home page of the website. General membership and Speaker Series meetings are open to the public and are usually recorded for broadcast on village public access channels on the cable TV systems, or on the forum’s website. The seventh annual membership party will take place this winter on Saturday evening, Feb. 7, 2015 (the snow date is Feb. 8). Beers custom-brewed by former forum president Bruce Wells are just one of the highlights of this fabulous evening.Join the Scarsdale Forum — get involved, make new friends, be informed, express your views, and help shape your village, county and schools.

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 21A

Athletics booster club supports Raiders Maroon and White is Scarsdale High School’s parent athletic association that supports interscholastic athletics and the physical education department. Maroon and White provides funds to purchase equipment for athletic teams and the physical education department not covered by the school budget. A few examples of what Maroon and White has donated over the past few years include: AAI Elite uneven bars for gymnastics; Nevco scoreboard with shot clocks; baseball dugout benches; volleyball skill machine; indoor lacrosse goals with net; wrestling mats; track hurdles (20); softball indoor batting cage; ski team drill; boys’ swim stopwatches; training fins and pace clock; and tred sled. Entering its 47th year this fall, Maroon and White also promotes and honors student participation in sports. This year’s event calendar includes fall awards dinner, Monday, Nov. 10; winter awards ice cream social/desert tasting extravaganza, Tuesday, March 3, 2015; and spring awards picnic, Tuesday, June 2, 2015. On average, over 750 athletes and their parents attend each event. Other activities supported by Maroon and White are Raider Pride Week (Sept. 20-27); the Kari Pizzitola Holiday Basketball Tournament (Dec. 4-5); the Raider of the Week award; and contributions to the following tournaments: volleyball, wres-

tling, cheerleading and ice hockey. Maroon and White also sponsors several athletic scholarships for graduating seniors. These awards and events are made possible by the continued support of our families and community members. Those new to the high school are encouraged to join Maroon and White. Membership contributions may be made in five categories: Honorable Mention ($50), All-League ($75), All-Section ($125), AllState ($175) and Most Valuable Patron ($250 or more). Join online by visiting www.maroonandwhite.org. Maroon and White’s other major fundraiser, the sports journal, is accepting ads for this year’s publication. This journal consists of booster ads from families and businesses, as well as a photo montage of this year’s athletic teams. Parents of incoming freshmen should note that the beginning of the school year would be their only opportunity to submit a family booster ad for the year. Families and businesses may contact Erika McCann at 7252656 for more information or go to www. maroonandwhite.org/mwjournal.htm. Finally, Scarsdale Raiders merchandise, such as blankets, folding chairs, umbrellas, baseball caps, knit hats, apparel and car magnets can be purchased online on the website or can be ordered by contacting Beth and Lorenzo Patrizio at merchandise@maroonandwhite.org.

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PAGE 22A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

ALEX AND ANI MADE IN AMERICA WITH LOVE®

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Lester’s has relocated its full-line store in Westchester from the city of Rye to a new 11,000 square foot state-of-the-art space within Rye Ridge Shopping Center in Rye Brook, one of the area’s premier shopping destinations. “We love our customers, the heart and soul of Lester’s, and believe this is an opportunity to optimize the Lester’s shopping experience,” Lester’s owner and CEO Perry Schorr said. “By relocating to a brand new store that showcases our unique and endless selection of styles and brands while offering the convenience our shoppers seek, we continue to build and deliver on Lester’s signature service that has been the cornerstone of our business for over 65 years.” The new Lester’s will feature two entrances — one that opens up to the contemporary and juniors department featuring a huge selection of clothing, shoes and accessories from ultra-hot brands including Wildfox, J Brand, Chaser, Vintage Havana, Blank NYC, Free People, Parker, Superga, Steve Madden and Alex and Ani. “This side of the store is designed with a high-level of fun, fresh, hip sophistication that bespeaks our brands and with which our Contemporary and Juniors customers identify with,” Schorr said. Further down to the right is the gateway to fashion paradise for little boys and girls up through tweens. High energy and

At Lester’s: On the left, an Autumn Cashmere heart sweater and a Hudson three card trick skinny jean; on the right, an Autumn Cashmere zip back sweater paired with Hudson cool confusion patchwork skinny jeans.

full of fun color and style cues, featured brands include So Nikki, Flowers By Zoe, Butter, Zara Terez, Vintage Havana, Tractr, Les Tout Petits, Rock Candy, Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Steve Madden, Converse, Naturino and so much more. Adding to the offerings for a true fashion-for-the-entire-family experience is toddler and infant wear coming this fall, along with a beautiful and unique selection of baby gifts. Visit www.lesters.com.

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 23A

Back-to-School Fashion

Prints, quality, contemporary & classic By MARy LEGRAND

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24A

COURTESY OF LESTER’S

ven though it’s late August and little Bobby and Suzie are still lounging around the pool and sleeping as late as they like, school is lurking right around the corner. And going back to school may mean, to some kids at least, that they actually have to get dressed in something other than an old T-shirt, shorts and a well-worn pair of flip-flops. But what should fashion-conscious kids (and their parents) be on the lookout for when shopping for back-to-school clothes? We’ve got answers. Denny’s, located on Central Avenue in Scarsdale, offers a full range of boys’ and girls’ clothing fitting infants through teens and beyond. Amanda Cherry, girls’ clothing buyer for Denny’s, said that a lot of fashion looks are based on prints this year. Screened T-shirts will be popular, and a lot will be printed with sayings such as “Can’t Wait for Friday,” “Fancy” and various hashtags (#). Screened prints will make their way to other articles of clothing as well, said Cherry, mentioning “printed harem pants and leggings and big, floral kimonos” as being popular with those in the fashion know. “And whether printed or not, palazzo pants are very big too, as are cuffed sweatpants and distressed skin Denny’s vendors that wow most girls include So Nikki, Ocean Drive and

These cool kids are dressed up from Lester’s in Rye. Left: So Nikki heart tee and short/legging. Middle: Buffalo Nakson stripe hooded zip-up sweatshirt, Inpore short sleeve crew neck tee and Hudson Jagger jeans. Right: denim jacket, zipper bottom legging and printed zipper tee, all from So Nikki.

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PAGE 24A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Back-to-School

Fashion

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23A

Dori Creations, to name a few, and boys like “pretty much anything by Nike, Adidas or Under Armour,” Cherry said. Colors such as royal blue, purple, fuchsia, dark gray, black and charcoal are showing up on clothing racks. Fabrics include pleather, which is lighter and more stretchy — therefore more comfortable, and animal-friendly — than regular leather. Denny’s accessories buyer Jo Licker laughed when talking about the shopping habits of boys versus girls. “Boys pretty much send their mothers in to do the shopping,” she said. “They don’t have the patience to go through everything and try on clothing.” One accessory obsession that boys and girls have in common this season is socks, Licker said, mentioning the Nike Elite brand. “Boys’ socks come in colors that you would think only a girl would wear, but the guys are wearing them too,” she said. “There are a lot of other vendors coming out with their own equivalent, but I don’t think they’re going to be as hot as the Elite brand.” Some boys’ socks show images of NBA or NLB stars, and there’s even a Derek Jeter “retirement series” sock. Cherry said layering is a big part of a girl’s look and often includes the socalled “strappy bras,” which show some of the strap as a fashion accent. By wearing these bras with a relatively low-cut tank top or sleeveless top that’s low under the arms, “you’re not seeing inappropriate things,” she said. “They’re incredibly popular, and now there are even strappy camisoles that are used in layering.” Candy prints are all the rage with girls, Licker and Cherry agreed, and show up on socks, backpacks, pillows, stickers and whatever else someone can think of to print them on. The trend began last year with leggings imprinted with candy and food patterns. Now, Cherry said, “We walk around the gift shows and there even are shoes and sneakers that look like French fries.” Ann Hardy is owner of the Preppy Turtle, located in Bedford Hills. The mother of two children, she first was a customer of the well-regarded consignment shop, then worked there, and now, in the past year, bought the business. “Our mission is to provide quality clothing at a great price — that’s the way we’ve evolved so successfully,” she said. “Our focus is from size 0 to junior, and we also have women’s clothing and a little bit of menswear as well.” There are name brands “across the board,” Hardy said, “from Gap and Gymboree all the way up to Burberry, the North Face, Mini Boden, Splendid and Lilly Pulitzer. You name it.” Hardy and staff carefully go through every piece that comes in to ensure it’s new or like new. “You can feel comfortable knowing whatever you get will be in fabulous shape and at a great price,” she said. Hardy said she doesn’t see too many trends when it comes to younger children’s clothing, “but once you get up to teen-

JIM MACLEAN

JIM MACLEAN PHOTO

JIM MACLEAN

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 25A

N PHOTO

COURTESY OF LESTER’S

JIM MACLEAN PHOTO

This crew is ready for back to school, thanks to Neil’s, with locations in Scarsdale and Mount Kisco. From left, Rebecca styles in a So Nikki top and leggings; Addie a Bittersweet shirt with Zara Terez leggings and an IScream backpack; Jared a Billabong sweatshirt, Joe’s Jeans and a Retro Sport tee; and Finn a Reebok football jersey and Jordan pants.

At Indigo Chic in Hartsdale, Madison tackles shirt by b.b. Dakota, jeans by A.G., jacket by Fillmore, jewelry by Indigo Chic, bag by Hobo and shoes by Ashe.

Alyssa is sporting UJ Circle print palazzo pants and Fate netted Dolman sleeve top

at Yogi’s Paw Unique Clothing Boutique, with locations in Mount Kisco and Mamaroneck. Three of a kind, with some variations, from Lester’s in Rye. Malibu Sugar beanies, cable knit tubes and quilted vests.

At Indigo Chic in Hartsdale, Taylor models Recover t-shirt, pants by j-brand and fur vest by Jack. Jewelry by Indigo Chic and bag by Hobo, shoes by Steve Madden.

Finn sports UnderArmour pants with a North Face jacket and a Nike backpack; Addie a SAM NY jacket So Nikki leggings; Jared a North Face jacket with Adidas tee and pants; Rebecca a SAM NY vest, So Nikki leggings and Pinc sweater. Available at Neil’s in Scarsdale and Mount Kisco

agers you see that styles shift and change pretty frequently. Colorwise, we have lots of pink stuff for the younger girls, and I don’t think that’s ever going to change. There’s more variety when you get to the older age ranges.” The Preppy Turtle is known for its comprehensive selection of dress clothing for boys, girls and teens. “Parents generally don’t want to spend a lot on a navy blue blazer that will be worn relatively infrequently,” Hardy said. “We have dress shirts and dress pants, and we also have girls’ dresses for confirmation, communion, bar and bat mitzvahs.” “As a mother, back to school is pretty important to me as well, both from the personal point of view as well as the standpoint of proprietor of this business,” Hardy said. “I saw the value of this shop when my children were younger and enjoyed shopping here. The variety of customers we have is one of the Preppy Turtle’s best aspects.” Elaine Andriotis is owner of Beginnings in Scarsdale and Beginnings Bleus in Armonk. In addition to junior clothing, the shops carry contemporary clothes, accessories, handbags and fashion jewelry. Labels include Haute Hippie, J Brand, Joie, Boulee, Vince, Theory, Madison Marcus and more, and the shops pride themselves on stocking the latest fashion trends. One trend Andriotis is definitely seeing for fall is the color red. “It’s huge,” she said, citing tones that are bold and not watered down in any way. Like others, Andriotis said layering is the way to make one’s fashion look pop, no matter the age of the person picking out the clothes. CONTINUED ON PAGE 26A

JIM MACLEAN PHOTO

PAGE 26A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

Back-to-School

Fashion

– Back to School

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25A

Cropped tops and jackets are an essential part of everyone’s wardrobe this year, Andriotis said, with screened prints also at the top of the must-have list. As always, jeans are foundation items to any and all wardrobes, Andriotis said. She emphasized that Beginnings and Beginnings Bleus are shops where girls and their mothers will easily find just what they’re looking for. “The variety of customers we have is one of the best, and we’re proud to serve the community in the way that we have,” Andriotis said, noting that she follows fashion trends by visiting the markets in New York City at least once a week, attending trade shows and doing lots of Internet research. Owned by Julie Zegras, Bubble & Tweet in Bedford Village carries boys’ and girls’ clothing for infants all the way through size 14, “so we have pretty much every size covered, some more than others,” Zegras said. “We have women’s clothing as well.” Zegras attends the trade shows as well, where, she said, “You get an idea of what’s available and popular. I tend to stick to more classic silhouettes and styles, and I don’t typically do too much with the trends because I have more conservative, classic customers.”

JIM MACLEAN PHOTO

A Cheryl textured print skater skirt and Flamingo textured 3/4 sleeve crop top with attached necklace have Alyssa all dolled up at Yogi’s Paw Unique Clothing Boutique, with locations in Mount Kisco and Mamaroneck.

Madison, left, rocks shirt by b.b, Dakota, pants by A.G., jacket by b.b. Dakota, boots by Dolce Vita from Indigo Chic in Hartsdale. Meanwhile Taylor styles in S2S America sweater, pants by joe’s jeans, jewelry by Indigo Chic and a jacket by b.b. Dakota.

Those looking for back-to-school outfits at Bubble & Tweet will find “sweaters, T-shirts and jeans, and a lot of girls’ dresses,” Zegras said. “We will have printed dresses and plaids for girls. I do a lot with Autumn Cashmere Kids — cute little sweaters with graphics like a heart and rainbow.” Bubble & Tweet sells younger boys’ clothing only “up to age 8,” Zegras said, “because once they get past that they get into more sporty clothes.” Zegras said her customers “definitely appreciate the quality of clothing we sell. They can get more than one season out of it or pass it along to a younger child.” She emphasized that when mothers bring their daughters into Bubble & Tweet they will not find anything that makes a girl look too grown up for her age. “I have a 9-year-old girl and yes, they want certain things,” Zegras said. “There are a lot of inappropriate clothing items out there, and coming here you will only find items that a mother and her children would agree on. For many people it’s refreshing that I don’t sell anything objectionable.”

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Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 27A

Edgemont Schools Report Edgemont community continues ‘growing forward’ By DR. VICTORIA S. KNIEWEL Edgemont Schools Superintendent

n June 27, all Edgemont teachers convened to review the accomplishments of the last school year and to discuss the goals and next steps for the coming year. Part of the process for gathering information from the faculty was an online survey, which included the question, “What word or phrase describes your vision for Edgemont?” When we analyzed the results using a website called “Wordle,” the single word that was repeated more often than any other among the teachers’ responses was “community.” According to MerriamWebster.com, community is “a unified body of individuals or a group with common characteristics.” In Edgemont, community is even more: it is a way of being. In community is the way we work together, the way we care for each other and the way we consider all members in our decision making and planning. Community members collaborate. They make decisions grounded in inquiry, plan together and set direction. These characteristics of community highlight Edgemont’s successes in the past year and provide the foundation for what is to come in 2014-

Community is the way we work together, the way we care for each other and the way we consider all members in our decision making and planning. 15. Science teachers discussed and revised their grade-by-grade expectations to ensure vertical articulation among the grades. They reviewed student work and student information together and instituted prerequisite courses for AP science courses. K-6 teachers reviewed ELA goals and instructional strategies and elementary teachers met their junior/senior high school counterparts to review student progress in reading and writing to assure a smooth transition. The Technology Support Team worked with a group of stakeholders from around the district to update the school and district websites and Google Apps for Education was introduced to teachers and students to support effective collaboration and communication. In conversations with the PTA, PTSA, facility, finance and security committees, the ETA, Edgemont School Foundation, E Club, community forums and civic associations, we discussed the needs of our facilities and how to best manage their maintenance and enhancement fiscally. These conversations resulted

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in the community approving a $12.8 million bond referendum and the Edgemont School Foundation pledging $500,000 in support. Through a process of collaboration that included administrators, teachers, board of education members and the community, we have arrived at the following three district goals for the 2014-15 school year: • Create a district strategic plan: We will update and articulate our vision for the students of Edgemont through a strategic planning process. Renewing a shared vision will engage the community, can guide the alignment of the students’ experience as they progress through the grades and will drive the creation of focused, strategic goals. • Use student data to inform decisions: In the areas of curriculum and instruction, we look forward to a renewed interest in using student information to inform decisions. Having good information and knowing how to analyze it forms the basis for differentiating instruction for students. We

will build upon our conversations, collaboration and communication to discuss evidence of student progress for every child, in order to make informed decisions for the whole child. We recognize that the information from the state tests represents an incomplete picture of the abilities of individual children and larger groups within the student community. We will work to develop common assessments and to assemble a rich set of qualitative and quantitative data to help us plan instruction that meets the needs of all Edgemont students and exceeds the requirements of the Common Core state standards. • Continue to expand and improve communications: In addition to using the updated website for information, EHS parents can look forward to the opening of the parent portal in our student database to access information and grades in a timely and convenient manner. We used the phrase “growing forward” to capture the idea and purpose of last year’s bond proposition and the community responded at the polls with enthusiastic support for the bond. We look forward to continuing this process of “growing forward” by engaging with the community during the 2014-15 school year to maintain and enhance the quality of the education that our students receive in a fiscally responsible way.

PAGE 28A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

BTS GUIDE N Scouting News Cub Scouts more vibrant than ever in Scarsdale

By ERIC LIVERANCE

hat does it mean to see an Eagle Scout rank achievement listed on a college application or on a résumé for a job? There is universal recognition of demonstrated leadership skills and a commitment to community service above and beyond peers. Integrated into scouting is training in citizenship, First Aid, emergency preparedness, lifesaving, personal fitness, personal management and, of course, camping and hiking. A position in troop leadership is required. The most difficult requirement is to complete a service project that is initiated, planned and led by the scout, usually with help from other troop members. But scouting means a whole lot more. First and foremost in my mind is the camaraderie and friendships you develop. The program starts in first grade and runs through high school, usually with the same group of boys. Cub Scouts covers the elementary school years, grades 1-5. In sixth grade, you start Boy Scouts, where the boys run most everything under adult supervision. Every local and municipal organiza-

tion has an outreach program and the Cub Scout name unlocks the key to these programs. One year, we hooked up with a local aviation group and each boy was able to sit in the co-pilot seat in a little fourseater airplane that went over the Tappan Zee Bridge, all while we got to hear all the control tower chatter with the pilot. As first-graders, my den went to a local radio station to record spots to be played on air. We visited the police and fire stations. When the boys were older, we had a CPR Red Cross demonstration and a First Aid demonstration at the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps inside an ambulance. One den visited a local TV station and recorded weather forecast segments in front of the blue screen. Our pack goes on annual overnights on local battleships or museums. Sleeping under the Blue Whale in the American Museum of Natural History or sleeping on the Battleship Massachusetts in the sailor bunks have been highlights of scouting. Every year our pack does two service events. We help clear trash and vines from sections of the Bronx River Parkway. In December, we have had service projects that include sending supplies to the troops in Iraq, donating items to Ronald McDonald House and supplying items to our sponsoring church’s Midnight Run, distributing food and other items to the homeless. Eric Liverance can be contacted at scarsdalepack440@gmail.com.

Look out tomorrow: here comes today’s Girl Scout

hat rewarding activity will broaden your daughter’s horizons, teach her to be selfreliant, instill a sense of community and provide her with a close-knit group of friends as she becomes a confident and caring young woman? Girl Scouting is a terrific way to help build character. Working as a team on service projects or learning new skills while earning badges helps young girls become capable members of their society. A few years later, as older scouts, they build even more confidence by mentoring the younger girls, teaching them things like how to tie-dye a shirt, make a TV commercial or save an ecosystem. But there’s a better reason your daughter should become a Girl Scout: it’s fun! From tent camping, rock-climbing, kayaking and outdoor cooking to learning about forensic science, video animation, fashion shows and blogging, scouting is chock full of so many activities your daughter will never have a chance to be bored. Where else might she learn how to build a fire, cook her own food, toast marshmallows with her friends, organize relay races, put on a talent show and retire to tents to tell ghost stories all in one night? And best of

all she gets to try her hand at these new adventures with her trusty troop mates, who support each other and form a strong bond over their school years. Some of Scarsdale Edgemont Girl Scouts’ other annual activities include delivering home baked goodies to veterans, a father-daughter square dance, the mitten party ice skating event where they collect mittens and scarves for those less fortunate, mid-winter splash parties at an indoor pool, museum sleepovers, Village Government Day and marching in the Memorial Day Parade. Of course, there can’t be troops without parents who decide to become leaders, so while you are considering Girl Scouts for your daughter, also consider starting a troop of your own. It will be one of the most gratifying experiences of your daughter’s childhood. It’s very easy to start a troop, especially with the help of Scarsdale Edgemont Girl Scouts’ many volunteers. Regardless of whether you become a leader or not, your daughter can join Girl Scouts as a Daisy member when she is 5 or 6. Or she can begin a year or two later as a Brownie, Junior Girl Scout, Cadette or Senior Girl Scout in high school. Scarsdale Edgemont Girl Scouts had a total of 1,029 registered Girl Scouts and parent volunteers last year. Now that school is starting, it’s time to register for Girl Scouts by emailing Karen Elsner at recruitment@segs.info.

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Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

Musical, trips, presentations sponsored by Edgemont PTSA The 2013-14 school year will be remembered as a year of new funding initiatives for the Edgemont Junior Senior High School Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). The PTSA partnered with the school in funding the first-ever junior high school musical. The PTSA also sponsored the new fall trips for the entire seventh and ninth grades. The fall ninth-grade trip replaces the winter ninth-grade camp, which was cut from the budget in 2012. While the ninth-grade camp was described as a bonding experience, the PTSA wanted the seventh grade to benefit from a similar experience and worked with the administration to initiate that trip, too. The PTSA also funded many field trips and other arts initiatives this year. In addition to trips to the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the PTSA sponsored a trip for the juniors to the Brooklyn Academy of Music to see “A Doll’s House,” a field trip for the seniors to “Hamlet” and an eighth-grade trip to the Hudson River Museum. Additionally, the PTSA provided funds for the ninth grade to see “Hamlet” and to offset the costs of the Berklee Jazz Festival. In addition to the arts programs, the PTSA also subsidized three Model United Nations competitions and the fall Senior Fo-

rum trip. The PTSA also supported teacher education programs, technology and art supplies, computer access fees for parents, and lectures for parents and students. This past spring, Jacy Good gave a powerful and informative presentation to parents and students on the dangers of driving distractions from texting and/or talking on cellphones. Good is a survivor of a crash that killed her parents and left her in a coma for two months. Edgemont’s PTSA is looking forward to the 2014-15 school year. It will continue to fund the junior high school musical and seventh- and ninth-grade trips. The PTSA welcomes the following new board members: co-president Ana Cañas, recording secretary Marlene Spector, treasurer Hong Schalkwyk, and vice presidents Nancy Faust, Wendy Black and Tami Hass. Pat Cook will continue as co-president and Andrea Weiss, Deborah Schenfeld, Betsy McCormack and Liz Silverstein will continue as vice presidents. Outgoing board members Nancie Ellis, Beth Stevens, Lisa Cohen, Nancy Stuzin, Kim Brennan and Sindhu Kasturi are thanked for their dedication and years of service. The PTSA also thanks the Edgemont community for its generosity and its continued support.

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 29A

Classes are filling up. Reserve your spot now.

Give Your Child a Great Start at the GHC Early Childhood Center

For children 2 years old as of December 31st, we offer a five day program as well as a three day and two day program. Don't miss the opportunity to secure a spot for your child in one of the most sought after toddler programs around! Welcome to the GHC ECC, where your child will be nurtured, taught and valued by licensed, seasoned, skilled and caring teaching staff. Where the secular and Judaic play-based, hands-on curriculum will respond to your child's natural curiosity of learning and incorporates various learning styles.

Ask us about these special programs and more: • Differentiated instruction for 2s, 3s and 4s conducted by educators • Rabbi and Cantor led school events. • Afternoon enrichment of project-based learning through literacy, art, math, science, music and movement for threes and fours. • Mommy and Me classes offering pre-school preparation.

Contact us with any questions or to arrange a tour Gloria Smith, Director - 914-479-1421 • gloria@g-h-c.org www.g-h-c.org/ECC

GHC Early Childhood Center • 515 Broadway • Dobbs Ferry, NY

The Gunnery, Mr. Gunn’s School, is a coeducational college preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades nine through twelve. We offer small classes, a comprehensive curriculum, a close community, and a range of artistic and athletic offerings in an extraordinary setting. Students are encouraged to prepare for the future by learning in the words of the school motto “Vir bonus semper discipulus est.” - A good man (person) is always a student.

Please RSVP to wrightk@gunnery.org for our Open House on September 27th .

the

Gunnery

Mr. Gunn’s School Established 1850

www. gunnery.org ~ 860-868-7334 ~ admissions@gunnery.org 99 Green Hill Road, Washington, CT 06793

PAGE 30A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

BTS GUIDE N Schools Notebook Scarsdale Foundation awards $105,000 The Scarsdale Foundation is pleased to announce that it has awarded $105,000 in scholarship monies for the 2014-15 academic year. These need-based financial stipends are awarded annually to college students who have graduated from Scarsdale High School or were Scarsdale residents during their high school years. The scholarships are intended to offset some of the college expenses of students who are going into their sophomore, junior and senior years. The foundation continued to experience a strong demand for scholarships this year. In the face of spiraling tuition costs and exacerbated by continued economic uncertainty, paying for college is becoming more and more of a struggle for many Scarsdale families with special circumstances. A significant number of applications come from single parent families, while others are from students whose parents have lost jobs or whose savings for college have been eroded or wiped out by investment losses or devastating health care setbacks. In order to meet the growing need for scholarship assistance in our community, the foundation recently initiated a fundraising campaign, which included specially earmarked donations that were made in conjunction with the Scarsdale Bowl dinner. Yet the foundation knows it must do more. The foundation trustees encourage philanthropic Scarsdale families to make a tax-deductible donation for student scholar-

ships or even a bequest directly to the foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, by contacting Scarsdale Foundation, PO Box 542, or by contacting president Richard Toder at richtoder@gmail.com. Learn more about the foundation at www.scarsdalefoundation.org. Through the collective goodwill and generosity of the entire Scarsdale community, the Scarsdale Foundation can help Scarsdale families in need to provide a meaningful college education for their children.

Scholarship benefits college-bound students For 65 years, the Scarsdale High School PTA Scholarship Fund for College has provided grants to graduating SHS seniors for their freshman year of college. The fund is a source of vital financial assistance for a dozen or more applicants each year. The loss of a job, a divorce or unexpected illness or death may have devastating effects on a family’s ability to pay for a son’s or daughter’s college education. In addition, the financial strains resulting from the ongoing U.S. economic malaise, coupled with increasing costs of college tuition and expenses, as well as the decrease in available government loans and college assistance could make attending college next fall an unattainable goal for some students. The scholarship fund provides grants for freshman year, ranging in amount from $1,000-$7,500, directly to institutions of higher education for those SHS seniors who

demonstrate need and who will receive a Scarsdale diploma and matriculate at a college or university in the fall. The fund is administered under strict rules of confidentiality. The Scarsdale High School deans make grant applications available to all Scarsdale seniors. Applications may also be downloaded online at www.scarsdaleschools. org/shspta. The deadline to apply for a grant is the first week of May 2015. The scholarships are funded solely by donations from the Scarsdale community. Each fall, an appeal is sent to every household, business and educator in Scarsdale. In addition to the community-wide mailing, funds are raised through the sale of Gift of Education cards in honor of graduating seniors or in honor or memory of teachers, administrators or as a holiday gift to teachers. Every dollar raised goes directly toward funding the grants. Last year, the scholarship fund raised approximately $75,000 from contributions by more than 290 residents, businesses, organizations, graduating classes, alumni and educators, as well as generous donations from district PTAs and the class of 2013. As a result, the scholarship fund was able to award 19 grants totaling slightly over $85,000 to graduating seniors toward tuition for their freshman year of college. Without these grants, many of those students might not have been able to attend college this fall. Scarsdale is a community that has consistently demonstrated its commitment to our youth and their education. By contributing to the Scholarship Fund for College, we can attempt to ensure that all students who wish

to pursue higher education have the means to do so. The fund is managed by volunteers from all five Scarsdale neighborhoods. Donations, which are tax-deductible, are accepted throughout the year. They may be mailed to SHS PTA Scholarship Fund for College, P.O. Box 147H, or made online via PayPal at www.scarsdaleschools.org/ Page/2206. Questions may be directed to chairman Monica Rieckhoff at 713-0978 or mrieckhoff@gmail.com.

FMA enhances music, arts programs Friends of Music and the Arts (FMA) is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the music and arts programs in all Scarsdale schools. The organization was founded in 1981 when a group of parents got together to make uniforms for the marching band. FMA’s goals and scope of accomplishments have greatly expanded since then, and the support FMA now provides throughout the elementary schools, the middle school and the high school benefits every single child in the district. This past school year alone, FMA provided close to $7,000 to fund new equipment, enhance existing programs and underwrite awards recognizing the achievements of some of our many talented high school students. Just a few of the ways the funds have been used include an electronic keyboard CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

Children’s Place

Children’s Place Children’s Place An extraordinary environment where children Children’s Place Children’s Place An where develop a environment life long passion for learning An extraordinary extraordinary environment where children children Soundview Prep School: The answer you’ve been searching for. Families choose Soundview Preparatory School because of its rigorous college preparatory curriculum, its strong music and art program, and its uniquely personalized learning community (grades 6-12) that fosters self-confidence and individuality. To speak to our Director of Admissions, call (914) 962-2780. Recent college acceptances include Bard, Brown, Dickinson, Duke, Hartwick, Hobart, Muhlenberg, Oberlin, RISD, Roger Williams, Sarah Lawrence, Ursinus and Williams.

Soundview Preparator y School 370 Underhill Avenue, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 (914) 962-2780 • soundviewprep.org

October Open Houses Sunday, October 5, 1 - 3 pm Thursday, October 16, 9 - 11 am • Sunday, October 26, 1 - 3 pm

develop long passion learning extraordinary where children develop a a life lifeAn long passion for forenvironment learning An extraordinary environment childrenfor learning develop a lifewhere long passion ● extraordinary Creative and curriculum,aligned with the An environment where children develop a lifechallenging long curriculum,aligned passion for learning ● and challenging with the ● Creative Creative and challenging curriculum,aligned with the Common Core Learning Standards, that focuses on develop a life long Standards, passion for learning on Common Core that Common Core Learning Learning Standards, that focuses focuses on ● Creative and challenging curriculum,aligned with the self-esteem, literacy, intellectual and physical self-esteem, literacy, intellectual and self-esteem, literacy, intellectual and physical physical Common Core Learning Standards, that focuses on ● Creative and challenging curriculum,aligned with the development development development self-esteem, literacy, intellectual ● Creative challenging curriculum,aligned with the Commonand Core Learning Standards, that focuses on and physical development Common Core Learning focuses self-esteem, literacy,Standards, intellectualthat and physicalon ● and experienced teaching staff ● Certified and experienced teaching staff ● Certified Certified and experienced teaching staff self-esteem, literacy, intellectual and physical development development ● Certified and experienced teaching staff ● and half day classes for to 5 old ● Full Full andand half and day classes for 3 3 teaching to for 5 years years old Certified staff ●●Full halfexperienced day classes 3 to 5 years old ● Certified and experienced teaching staff for 3 to 5 years old ● Full and half day classes W N W day classes for 3 to 5 years old ● Full and L Ohalf L NO O Land R L Wclasses for 3Wto 5 years old N O E R ● Full half day N N E LL O O

L N NRO EFor ENROL please contact: OW more information,

ForOmore information, please contact: LL N OW ENR NLeitenberger, L L For more information, please O Maria at: For morePrincipal, information, please contact: Principal, at: contact: ENRMaria Leitenberger, For more information, please contact: (914) 597-4055 or Maria Leitenberger, Principal, Leitenberger, at: at: 597-4055 or Principal, ForMaria more(914) information, please contact: Maria Leitenberger, Principal, at: MLeitenberger@colemanschool.org (914) 597-4055 or MLeitenberger@colemanschool.org (914) 597-4055 Maria Leitenberger, Principal, or at: (914) MLeitenberger@colemanschool.org 597-4055 or (914) 597-4055 or MLeitenberger@colemanschool.org MLeitenberger@colemanschool.org MLeitenberger@colemanschool.org

John John A. A. Coleman Coleman School School ● ● 317 317 North North Street Street ● ● White White Plains Plains John A. Coleman School ● 317 North Street ● White Plains John A. A. Coleman School ● 317●North Street ● White Plains John Coleman School 317 North Street ● White Plains John A. Coleman School ● 317 North Street ● White Plains

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

BTS GUIDE N Schools Notebook CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE

for the high school, cameras for art classes, a video monitor to display digital artwork, string and percussion instruments for music for grades k-12, portable light boxes and more. Over the years, FMA has funded visits from guest musicians and artists for special programs in various schools and helped to launch the Clay Club at the high school and the Guitar Club at the middle school. FMA supports the music and art honor societies at the high school and helps fund publication of the Jabberwocky high school literary magazine. The group gives scholarship support to NYSSMA All-State musicians and provides hospitality at many school concerts and arts-related events. Each spring it is FMA’s great pleasure to honor the district’s music and art faculty with a teacher appreciation luncheon. In order to continue its mission, FMA seeks support from all parents who understand the importance of arts education in Scarsdale’s schools. The only source of funding is donations and family memberships, and FMA’s voice is only as strong as its membership numbers. Membership levels start at just $35, but donations of any amount are accepted. Visit www.scarsdalearts.org to learn more and to join online, or you can write a check, payable to FMA, and mail it with your contact information to Friends of Music and the Arts, PO Box 171H. If you have questions or wish to get involved, contact FMA president Kathy Gray at kgrayclapp@aol.com.

Something for everyone at The Center @862 The Center @ 862 is the only teen lounge space in Westchester and is open every day after school from 3-6 p.m. Scarsdale’s teen center has Wi-Fi, games, video gaming, a quiet study space and more. The center is also available for private rentals for parties or fundraisers. If you are a high school student looking for a fun way to make some extra money, The Center @ 862 can hire you as an 862 Event Promoter. The Center @ 862 is available to all Scarsdale school clubs free of charge to hold meetings or fundraisers. It is a great rehearsal space or performance venue for bands, singers, musicians and stand-up comics. The Center@862 is looking forward to a year full of new and different programs: Jail & Bail, pop-up skate park, soap box derby, Mayhem-The Haunt and more! The teen center will also be offering special academy classes throughout the year: Citizens Ambulance Academy, Citizens Firefighter Academy and Citizens Police Academy, where kids are given an up-close, behind-the-scenes look at these amazing jobs. The center can be whatever you want it to be. Make things happen at The Center @ 862. For more information, visit www.scarsdaleteencenter.com or call 722-8358.

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 31A

School of the Holy Child An all-girls, Catholic, independent school for grades 5 through 12

Educating and Empowering

Women of Conscience and Action for over 100 years

Open House: Saturday, September 27 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 2225 Westchester Avenue Rye, NY 10580 | 914.967.5622 | admission@holychildrye.org www.holychildrye.org

Come Catch the Spirit of the Scarsdale Synagogue Family

At the heart of our Synagogue community, we are a diverse and inclusive family of families. We welcome all those who seek to journey with the Jewish People: interfaith and LGBTQ families, all races, those with disabilities, and individuals of all ages. Come meet us:

At our warm and welcoming Shabbat and Holiday Services On the playground of our Mazel Tots® Pre-School In the hallways and classrooms of our innovative Religious School During the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Experience And join us in lifelong learning, and in the sacred work of Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) Stop by to meet our clergy — (above, l. to r.) Rabbi Jeffrey C. Brown, Cantor Chanin Becker and Director of Congregational Learning Rabbi Wendy Pein, take a tour and learn more about why and how we have become one of Westchester’s leading Reform congregations. 2 Ogden Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583 Call or write Executive Director Roberta Aronovitch 914.725.5175 or roberta@sstte.org Visit our website: www.sstte.org

Hinenu – We Are Here, Creating a Covenant Community of Shared Lives and Real Relationships

PAGE 32A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

BTS GUIDE N Enrichment the-hives, and the newly harvested honey is available for purchase. • Check online for upcoming fall special events: Fall Festival (Oct. 12, 11 a.m.3 p.m.); Scarecrows & Pumpkins Parades (Oct. 26, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.); Turkey Scavenger Hunt (Nov. 16, 1:30 p.m.) and Train Show (weekends only: Nov. 29-30, Dec. 6-7, Dec. 13-14).

Nature Center: paradise for young children Back to school is a busy time at the Greenburgh Nature Center (GNC) as visiting preschool/school groups, parents/caregivers with children and the general public are welcome. GNC offers a wide array of educational programs and cl asses, special seasonal events, camp and birthday parties for ages 3 and up. GNC’s goal is to promote an appreciation of nature and the environment. The 33-acre woodland preserve has trails, pond, gardens, nature’s discovery playground and outdoor animal exhibits. The indoor exhibits include a live animal museum with over 100 specimens, exhibit areas focusing on nature and the environment, a greenhouse and a gift shop. By being outdoors, interacting with animals and witnessing nature’s seasonal changes, children learn that they are part of a larger ecological community. The Nature’s Discovery Playground is a unique, nature-themed playground designed to engage children in outdoor exploration and discovery. This recreation area serves children ages 2-12 and provides a variety of play elements which mimic the natural environment. GNC is committed to ensuring that today’s generation enjoys creative play in the outdoors, connecting children to the wonder and awe of nature. The GNC has professional educators who gear each program to the appropriate age. Programs stress hands-on and direct-involvement learning, while teaching

Greenburgh Nature Center’s spring celebration last April.

children important skills such as utilizing measurement tools and developing critical thinking. Weekly preschool programs Weekday Nature Series programs for young children with a parent or caregiver let you enjoy an hour of nature fun together. Except for extreme weather conditions, a portion of each class is spent outdoors. Tuition per six-week session is $50 for GNC members, $90 for nonmembers. Preregistration and prepayment are required. • Wild Encounters Storytime: Nature discovery for youngsters. Enjoy a naturethemed story and discover the wonders of the outdoors while exploring fields, forests or landscaped grounds. Let your imagination run wild. For kids 3-5, Mondays from

1:30-2:30 p.m. Visit www.greenburghnaturecenter.org for current session dates. • Mother Nature’s Storytime: Children enjoy seasonal days at the center with nature-themed stories, outdoor walks, live animals, and/or crafts. For kids 2-4, Wednesdays, 10-11 a.m. See website for dates. Special events at GNC • Harvest Party: Sunday, Sept. 7, at 2 p.m. Costs $4 for members, $8 nonmembers. It’s the season to reap the harvest of GNC’s organic garden and hives. The naturalist prepares a sampling of tasty treats from the garden, and you learn about the fascinating social network of honeybees, beekeeping and how honey is harvested from hives. Honey is extracted by the beekeepers. There is a free tasting of fresh honey-from-

KinderKicKers soccer

AUTISM: Result-Oriented Therapy™ We are expanding our already popular Dance programming for all ages with additional studio

™

Boys and Girls aGes 3 - 6

Give Your Child ™ for the Whole Family Great Programs the Gift of Success at the JCC of Mid-Westchester

My goal is the same as yours... Total Independence Parent Training Included

Current exhibit • Story Walk: The free annual Story Walk runs through Sept. 28. Take a self-guided walk with your child along the woodland trail to enjoy a favorite children’s storybook, “Opossum at Sycamore Road,” by Sally M. Walker. Stop by the Manor House to pick up a California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) bookmark, good for one free CPK kid’s meal, an activity sheet and to enter a raffle to win a $20 CPK gift certificate. Recommended for children ages 8 and under. The mission of the Greenburgh Nature Center is to offer inspiring, hands-on environmental education experiences, to foster an appreciation of nature, and to promote sustainable practices. GNC is located at 99 Dromore Road, off Central Park Avenue, in Scarsdale. Parking is free and handicapped parking is available. The nature center’s grounds are open daily dawn to dusk throughout the year. The center’s indoor exhibits are open daily (except Fridays and a few holidays), from 9:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekends. For more information, visit www.greenburghnaturecenter.org or call 723-3470.

saturdays 9am to 10am september 6, 13, 20 & 27 october 11, 18 & 25

st. Pius x

85 Palmer avenue, scarsdale EDUCATION

Nursery School including weekly swim and gymnastics, early drop off/late pick up, extended day enrichment and more… Special Education, Pre-School and After-School/Weekend Enrichment programs

CULTURAL ARTS • • • •

Art Dance Theatre Bendheim Performing Arts Center • Jewish Culture and Learning

Early Childhood Our school provides a language-intensive, child-centered environment to promote learning • • • • •

17 months - 5 years Half & full day options Weekly swim instruction Afternoon enrichments Early morning drop-

• Gymnastics • Lunch Bunch • Chaperone children to other JCC programs

For more information and to LLC Robert J. Bernstein Educational Services, schedule a tour, contact Julie Dorfman Specialist in Autism Spectrum Disorder 914-472-7095 | dorfmanj@jccmw.org

914.330.3393

FITNESS

(914) 833-2024

• Sports & Fitness Center • Pool • Swim Lessons • Swim Teams • Gymnastics • Youth Soccer • Baseball Clinic • Karate • Basketball League • Pilates • Zumba • Yoga • Personal Training PLUS • Summer Camps • Summer Center WeArts are expanding our alreadyGames popular • JCC Maccabi Dance programming • Triathlon Clinics/Club

One of Westchester’s most respected dance schools opens a 3rd studio this fall! All levels of training offered for preschool through adults. NEW: classes in Modern, Contemporary, Ballet, Tap, Hip-Hop, plus Hip-Hop for boys. Most ballet classes feature live piano accompaniment.

JCC DanCe SChool

for all ages with additional studio

SAT/ACT www.jccmw.org prep courses Great Programs for the Whole Family 914-472-3300, x320 & seminars at the JCC of Mid-Westchester

Jayne Santoro, Dance Director JCC of Mid-Westchester

999 Wilmot Road • Scarsdale, NY 10583 Call today forN.Y. a program 369 Ashford Avenue, Dobbs Ferry, 10522guide or visit www.jccmw.org CULTURAL ARTS EDUCATION FITNESS email: rjb@autismspeech.com • www.autismspeech.com

999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale • 914.472.3300

Nursery School including weekly swim and gymnastics, early drop off/late pick up, extended day enrichment and more… Special Education, Pre-School and After-School/Weekend Enrichment programs

Early Childhood

summitsoccer.net

• • • •

Art Dance Theatre Bendheim Performing Arts Center • Jewish Culture and Learning

• Sports & Fitness Center • Pool • Swim Lessons • Swim Teams • Gymnastics • Youth Soccer • Baseball Clinic • Karate • Basketball League • Pilates • Zumba • Yoga

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 33A

BTS GUIDE N Enrichment JCC offers programs for the whole family JCC of Mid-Westchester will kick off the school year with a communitywide Day of Chesed (Kindness), Service and Remembrance on Sunday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the JCC, 999 Wilmot Road in Scarsdale. JCC Teen Service awards will be presented during the Remembrance Program. New JCC programming includes Joining Creative Conversations with community leaders covering current trends, a new Jews in the News discussion series with authors and distinguished personalities, and screenings of contemporary Israeli and Jewish films. The JCC preschool program offers added benefits: swim instruction, gymnastics instruction, early drop-off/late pick-up, transitional 5s classes, infant/toddler classes, monthly parenting workshops and intergenerational activities. Kid’s Place has afterschool activities and homework help for ages 3-10. School vacation programs are offered in December, February and April. Sports programs for children at the JCC range from karate, soccer, cheer tumbling and gymnastics to super sports, basketball and baseball clinics/classes and tennis. The JCC’s aquatics program offers private or group instruction, lifeguard training and award-winning swim and gymnastics teams. Youths can maintain a healthy lifestyle through supervised teen fitness, teen crossing training and total access (a reduced-rate all-inclusive membership for ages 16-21),

Swim lessons at the JCC of Mid-Westchester.

and classes in pilates, zumba or CycleTeen™. Teenagers 13-16 years old should be on the lookout for the 2015 JCC Maccabi Games tryout schedule in November. Sports and fitness offers discounts on trial memberships: Try the fitness facility, steam room, sauna or whirlpool, massage therapy, upscale private locker rooms and laundry service, personal and partner training, water aerobics, pilates, studio cycling and group fitness classes; or join the masters swim program or triathlon club. Arts at the JCC: the dance school is adding a third dance studio this fall, with new hip-hop for boys, contemporary dance, tap for adults, modern dance for teens and preschool dance classes. Hip-hop fusion, tap, musical theater jazz and ballet/pointe are offered daily for children and teens. Adult dancers can enjoy ballet, zumba fitness, Israeli folk dancing and tap. Art school students of all ages can create ceramics, mixed

media, drawing and painting, life drawing, cartooning and illustration, or try new paper engineering classes. The theater school offers children fun and engaging musical theater instruction and workshop performances. Birthday parties at the JCC: Choose sports, gymnastics, zumba, swimming or customized parties for children with special needs. The JCC’s BBYO youth group provides community service, recreational and social events, and leadership experiences for teens in grades 9-12. Teens may also volunteer with the JCC’s Sunday/Funday Development Disabilities Enrichment Services program or in the art school. The academic center prepares students for PSAT/SAT/ACT tests and regents exams. Watch for the annual Inside the Admissions Office panel, new workshops in stress management, college interview essentials and Which Test is Best for Your Student: SAT or ACT with proctored tests, as well as special-

ized workshops to build student skills. Special needs: Toward Tomorrow preschool provides education and therapies for eligible children with developmental disabilities. Gymnastics, computer time, creative movement and swim complement half-day, full-day and integrated classes. A private (parent pay) afternoon option is available. Developmental Disabilities Enrichment Services provide children 3-18 years with Sunday/Funday, a social skills-based program of sports, art, computer, gymnastics, tai chi, music and theater. SIBConnection serves children who have siblings with developmental disabilities. Families can embrace Jewish holidays with celebrations and activities at the JCC’s communitywide programming. The Israel Connections Club provides programs for Hebrew-speaking families and teaches Hebrew classes, while Westchester Adult Jewish Education (WAJE) and the JCC co-host classes taught by Westchester rabbis and educators for adults. Adult Connections offers weekly programming in politics, art, health and current events. Monthly musical entertainment, films, book group and weekly men’s club feature thoughtful discussion and camaraderie for adults at the JCC. The Jewish Community Center of MidWestchester, a beneficiary of UJA-Federation of New York, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the community by providing cultural, social, educational and recreational/fitness programs, human services and Jewish identity building opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. Visit www.jccmw.org.

New Rochelle Racquet Club WE CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND A BETTER FACILITY!

now oFFering a 2’s Program

We offer an exceptional Tennis experience for ages 3-100 Fall • Winter • Spring • Summer • • • • •

Scarsdale’s premier Preschool & enrichment Program 5 day Preschool for 2, 3 & 4 year olds

Fall

TAUT • !Blitz! Programs Junior Development • Cardio Tennis begin September Tournament Training • Early Bird We offer an exceptional Tennis experience for ages 4th Power Drills Adult Clinics Fall • Winter •• Spring • Summer Seasonal Courts Men’s & Women’s Playing Leagues Summer Camps • Cardio Tennis •• 10 & Under USTA • Power Drills Program(ages 3-10) • Instructional Leagues • Racquetball

WE CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND A BETTER FACILITY! Developmental play-based curriculum in a creative & nurturing environment

•3-100 Experienced teachers • Bright, spacious

modern classrooms

• Junior Development • Seasonal Courts limited l sPaces stil • Summer Camps (ages 10-17) le B a avail All Weather Facility; • Racquetball • Adult Clinics For Fall Indoor, Heated and Air Conditioned. 2014 • Leagues Ample Parking Available

All Weather Facility; Indoor, Heated and Air Conditioned. Ample Parking Available

130 Rhodes Street • New Rochelle 130 Rhodes Street • New 914.636.1003 • www.nrrc.us

Rochelle 914.636.1003 • www.nrrc.us

• Full court gym • Amazing NEW

protected playground • Great weekly specials

Wide range of aFter-school enrichments for Preschool & K-5: Sports, Chess, Cooking, Dance, Art & More

Free Bus

from scarsdal schools e enrichme for nts

early droP-oFF & extended day Programs availaBle

call now for information or a tour 914.472.5409 www.kbls.org

PAGE 34A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

Things Every Parent Should Know Before Choosing a Dance Studio

ince most dance studios seem to have qualified, friendly teachers who are experienced with teaching children, and a big recital at the end of the year, aren’t they all pretty much the same? Does it really matter which school you decide to enroll at? Absolutely. There are five important factors that can make a huge difference in the quality of instruction your child receives. By considering these five basic guidelines, you will be able to choose a dance studio that will give you and your child a satisfying and enjoyable experience.

What type of dance floor is used?

The best way to practice a safe physical activity is by choosing a studio with a professional “floating floor.” A floating floor rests on a system of high-density foam to absorb the shock of jumping. The top layer is a vinyl composite “Marley” floor, which is recognized worldwide as the best surface layer for dancers. A high-density foam base is superior to a sprung floor, which usually consists of a wood structure built on top of the regular floor.Very few studios use these floors due to the expense, but Studio B has professional floating floors in all three spacious dance studios.

What is the size of the class?

If the dance class has a limited number of students in it, each child will receive more personal attention, learn more, and have more fun. With smaller classes, teachers can closely supervise the class, carefully explain the concepts and instructions, and make certain that students are developing good habits and proper technique. At Studio B, we limit all of our classes to a maximum of just fourteen students. Our pre-ballet for ages 2 and 3 is limited to only twelve. With teachers focused on individual student skills, no fundamental concepts are being missed. All of our classes are taught by professional instructors; many classes have assistant teachers.

Studio B

has been chosen as one of the

TOP 5

dance studios in Westchester!

What type of music is used in class?

How much class time is spent on recital dances?

Can I get immediate assistance and customer service?

Many studios employ current popular music that students hear on the radio. Dancing to only “popular” music in class does not give your child exposure to a variety of music experiences. Our philosophy is to select age-appropriate music to engage the child’s creative spirit and to offer a large range of musical genres. Our wide range of music (both vocal and instrumental) encourages dancers to express themselves through the art of dance and to learn how to count music rather than just dance to specific lyrics.

Many studios have classes in which students spend most of the year learning two or more recital dances.This practice consumes most of the child’s class time and they end the year lacking important dance skills, vocabulary and technique. Although we take great pride in our ninety minute creative themed performances, we do not put a great deal of emphasis on learning dance steps for the sole purpose of a recital; nor do we make it mandatory that any child participates in the show. Studio B’s well balanced program combines learning choreography and recital dances while developing strong technique and improving coordination and locomotive skills.

In many studios, the teacher or the studio owner conducts class and does the administration. The class may suffer if the teacher is trying to do two jobs at once, such as using class time for customer service issues. To have a good dance experience, it is important to choose a studio that can assist you with details like costumes or schedules, even when a teacher’s occupied in class. Studio B’s knowledgeable office staff is on hand during all class times so that you can receive immediate attention.

281 White Plains Road Eastchester, NY 10709

914.793.2799

www.studiobdance.org

PRE BALLET & CREATIVE MOVEMENT • BALLET • POINTE • JAZZ • TAP HIP-HOP • CONTEMPORARY • MODERN • ACRO/TUMBLING

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 35A

Why Choose Studio B?

Since 1996, thousands of students have taken dance lessons under the

guidance of our highly talented and nurturing teachers. Our state-of-art facility is a magnificent place where the tiniest ballerinas and the trendiest teen dancers feel at home.

As a parent, you have a choice among several different dance

schools, but all studios are not the same. At Studio B, we constantly upgrade and improve our facilities and curriculum to ensure that we always provide our students and parents with the best experience possible. Here’s Why Studio B Dance Center Is The Right Choice • Internationally acclaimed curriculum taught by professional instructors and choreographers with college or masters degrees and extensive teaching experience

• All studio rooms equipped with floating Marley dance floors • Choice of more than one teacher for each dance program to fit your child's personality and learning style

• Viewing windows that allow you to observe your child's progress without class interruptions • Desk staff available to assist you during all teaching hours, every day • Convenient sibling scheduling that enables parents to bring two or more siblings to dance class at the same time, including Sundays

• Large variety of classes and choice times designed according to students' and parents' requests

• Age appropriate music, costuming, and choreography, in our 90-minute, and hassle-free recitals

We believe that dance is more than just learning steps to a popular song. Our studio teaches teamwork, social skills, and problem solving, to help each child achieve their goals and build self confidence.

Brand new to dance?

VISIT

www.studiobdance.org to learn 5 things you should know before choosing a dance studio.

Attention Boys! Why Boys Should Dance @ Studio B

Convenient co-ed classes for ages 2 and up 7 days a week Develops locomotive and coordination skills that build a strong foundation for sports and other physical activities Many styles to choose from including jazz, hip hop, tap, ballet, contemporary, and acro/tumbling Builds self-confidence and teaches teamwork, discipline, and problem solving Raises test scores and improves focus and behavior in the classroom*

It’s FREE! Brothers dance for free when their sister is enrolled in the fall 2014-15 season** *1996 report from The College Entrance Examination Board

281 White Plains Road Eastchester, NY 10709

914.793.2799 www.studiobdance.org

**Visit our website or call the studio for more information

PAGE 36A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

BTS GUIDE N Early Learning WRT ECC has exciting offerings Westchester Reform Temple Early Childhood Center (WRT ECC) is launching its 29th school year with exciting offerings for the community. “When we started in 1985, our focus was on a parent center and classes for toddlers,” director Susan Tolchin said. “The school has grown tremendously, and there are presently over 150 children enrolled. We are confident children will make friends at our ECC. However, we make it a priority to focus on fostering relationships and building a community for our families within the larger Scarsdale area.” In addition to toddler and preschool classes, the ECC offers programs for families moving into the community. WRT ECC is dedicated to enriching young children’s lives socially, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually and physically. Classes for 2-year-olds are held from 9:15-11:30 a.m., with three-, fouror five-day options. Classes for 3- and 4-year-olds are held from 9 a.m. to noon, five days a week with options for lunch and afternoon electives ending at 2:30 p.m. Afternoon classes for 3- and 4-yearolds include, but are not limited to: science, Count-Me-In Mathematics, Little Picassos Art, Construction Zone Building and cooking. Happy Feet Soccer classes

are offered for all ages throughout the year. Membership to Westchester Reform Temple is included for families whose oldest child is registered and remains in the ECC. For children who are not yet eligible for the 2s program, a weekly Temple Tots class is offered and led by the school social worker, Brenda Stern. Topics of discussion include discipline, sibling rivalry, nutrition and sleep habits. The weekly class provides a safe space for parents to be together and find support while children engage in teacher supervised play. Stern is also available to consult with parents one-on-one and runs a socialization enrichment program for 4-year-olds. The ECC will also continue its popular drop-in playgroup Babies and Bagels on Fridays from 9:15-10:15 a.m. at no cost to parents and caregivers. Babies and Bagels classes are invited to participate in weekly Shabbat celebrations with the school’s director. The school continues its partnership with PJ Library. WRT ECC is licensed by New York State Department of Children and Family Services. All classes are staffed by certified teachers and the school’s social worker is available to consult with parents and staff. The school takes great pride in its excellent teacher to student ratio of 4:1 in the 2s program, 6:1 in the 3s program, and 8:1 in the 4s program.

The ECC has an active parents’ committee which organizes activities, park play dates and fun events, on and off site, that are well attended by parents, grandparents, caregivers and children. Some events include family apple picking, Tot Shabbat, family field day and monthly Dad’s Club, which are all held on weekends at no additional cost. The committee also hosts social events for parents in the evenings, such as cooking classes, mom’s night out and the annual spring cocktail party. Registration for 2015-16 begins in November. For information or a tour of the school, call Tolchin at 723-5493 or email Sue.Tolchin@wrtemple.org. Westchester Reform Temple Early Childhood Center is located at 255 Mamaroneck Road, Scarsdale.

Schechter Westchester finds cure for senioritis High schools have long struggled with the challenge of keeping 12th-grade students engaged throughout the senior year, even after college applications have been completed. The College Board and the National Association for College Admission Counseling even have webpages devoted entirely to providing students with tips for avoiding “senioritis.” Solomon Schechter School of Westchester has designed a 12th-grade program that precludes any possibility of

boredom, complacency or decreased motivation. Schechter Westchester, whose upper school campus is located in Hartsdale, ends classes for seniors in late January and sends the students on an eight-week international travel experience, followed by an individualized capstone project or internship. The Lev V’Nefesh (Hebrew for “heart and soul”) senior trip to Poland and Israel offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to explore their history, learn from outstanding experiential educators and develop lasting connections with their classmates. The itinerary includes a week in Poland, during which the group visits historical landmarks associated with the vibrant Jewish life of preHolocaust Europe, as well as concentration camps, ghettos, Schindler’s factory and other Holocaust-era sites. The tour is emotionally draining, but very powerful, and it cements the students’ connection to the concept of Jewish peoplehood that is developed throughout Schechter Westchester’s curriculum, as well as to one another. From Poland, the students travel to Israel for a seven-week travel/study experience. The vibrant, 4,000-year history of the Jewish people is brought to life, from archeological digs to encounters with modern Israeli political figures. Along the way, students get a taste of campus life CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

Learning the right answers will get your child through school. Learning how to learn will get your child through life! Open House OPEN at 9:30am

HOUSE Open House

at 9:30am atToddler 9:30 am

Every Wednesday weekdays TODDLER every Wednesday

Preschool

PRESCHOOL Every Thursday

Please call to every Thursday Elementary join one of ELEMENTARY Every Tuesday every our Tuesday tours

Please call to join join one of our tours one of our tours.

Hudson Country Montessori School Inspiring curious, curious, creative, creative, and Inspiring and gifted giftedminds. minds.Preschool Toddlersthrough through6th 8thgrade. grade. www.hudsoncountry.org • email: info@hudsoncountry.org 340 Quaker Ridge Road • New Rochelle, NY 10804 • 914-636-6202

RE Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE

by living in a dormitory and having fun with cultural, athletic and recreational activities. Following their return from Israel, students work individually or in small teams on Wise Individualized Senior Experience (WISE), a capstone project or internship that enables them to utilize the cross-curricular skills that they have honed during their time at Schechter Westchester. As part of WISE, students have, for example, started up technology-related businesses, undertaken engineering projects on a variety of scales, learned aviation, treated victims of torture at a clinic in New York, become EMTs and painstakingly restored an old boat that had fallen into disrepair. In many cases, the WISE project has ignited a passion that has inspired students toward career choices. Schechter Westchester’s unique senior year serves as a genuine culminating experience for the school’s k-12 program, and it instills a sense of anticipation that begins for many students as early as kindergarten. The results do not disappoint, as students who have completed the year often write beautiful testimonials about the program’s impact on them. This year, for example, one graduating senior wrote that he felt “a great balance of fun and learning, of light and heavy, and of [being] tourists and citizens. This trip was life-changing, and I am forever indebted.” Another added that “the Lev V’Nefesh trip is by far the most meaningful experience I have ever had.” As a school that values experiential

education and individual identity-formation, Schechter Westchester takes pride in its ability to fulfill this mission by providing students with such a rich senioryear experience — a surefire way to inoculate them against senioritis. Visit www.schechterwestchester.org.

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 37A

SUMMER CLASSES BEGIN JULY 7TH! Summer Registration Is FREE!

FALL CLASSES BEGIN SEPTEMBER 8TH!

Competition Team Auditions In August Come Take Our Week Long Intensive With Guest Teachers and Choreographers

BALLET INTENSIVE IN JULY FOR INTENSE BALLET TRAINING

Building a strong Jewish identity Temple Israel Center’s Shorashim Religious School is a welcoming, warm and nurturing supplemental religious school program for grades k-6, fostering a love for Judaism and encouraging intellectual INQUIRE ABOUT NEW YORK’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS COMPETITION TEAM! curiosity. Temple Israel Center in White Performers Edge dancers are proof of professional instruction! 11 Classes begin September 13th! Performers Edge Dance Academy Grand Opening Monday, August 30th Performers Edge Dance Dance Academy Grand Opening Monday, August 30th Performers Edge Dance Academy Grand Opening Monday, September 3rd Plains now offers a vibrant two-day-aPerformers Edge Academy Grand Opening Monday, September 3rd Led by award-winning director Stefanie Salaman!

during week of August 30th23rd - September 3rd$5 and receive registration feew/this w/thisad ad Register thetheweek of August 30th -A September 3rd and receive off registration fee w/this adfee Register during the week of August - 27th and receive $5 $5 off off registration Registerduring during week ofthe August 23rd -WARD 27th and receive $5 off registration fee w/this ad week program with an optional third day NRegister ATIONAL W C OMPETITIVE TEAM! For more visit our website: Ballet • Tap •info, Preschool Ballet • JazzINNING • www.performersedgedanceacademy.com Modern • Contemporary CLASSES O FFERED IN: of Hebrew enrichment at no additional Ballet s Tap TUMBLING CLASSES WITH s Tap s Preschool s ALLET s •T s Preschool s Jazz s Modern Ballet Ballet Jazz Modern Contemporary Ballet Contemporary •B ALLET •TAP •PRE -S CHOOL B AP •JsAZZ Classes offered in: Hip Hop ••H Gymnastics •Tumble Tots • Hippity Hop •Technique • Lyrical THE AMAZING AND TALENTED IPs-HOP •HIPPITY -HOP •LHop ALSA s s cost. s Gymnastics s Tumble sATIN s Lyrical s Hip s Hippity s •S Hop Tots Hippity Hop Technique Hip Hop Gymnastics Tumble Tots Technique Lyrical •GYMNASTICS /ACRO UMBLEBUGS •LYRICAL •CONTEMPORARY Ballet ••TPre-School Ballet •&Tap •Pointe Musical Theater s• Mommy •Jazz Point• Hip-Hop • Hippity-Hop MR. MANNY! s Theater Children in grades 7-12 continue their Musical &OINTE MeMesAND Musical Theater Mommy &Mommy Me s •P Pointe •MUSICAL THEATER •VOICE •TECHNIQUE MORE... Latin • Salsa • Gymnastics/Acro • Tumblebugs • Lyrical Jewish education in Havurat Torah HeAward Winning Award Winning Contemporary • Musical Voice • Technique • Pointe OPEN •HOUSE OPENTheater HOUSE brew High School on Wednesday eve- Competition Competition Team Team THURSDAY 9/2THURSDAY 9/29/3 and FRIDAY 9/3 4pm-8pm Friday 9/3 4pm-8pm and FRIDAY 4pm-8pm and more.... Callyoutocan seeset howupyou can set up a privateWe will be hosting Call to see how a private nings. Blending the informal with the We will hosting two dance days of FREE dance twobedays of FREE ALL OF to be a member of the East audition to beaudition a member of the East LEVELS classes! Call for moreregarding information classes! Call for more information age regarding age formal, the school’s commitment is toCoast’s prestigious Coast’scompetitive prestigious competitive team. groupsoffered. and classes offered. groups and classes DANCEteam. FROM BEGINNER provide high quality educational experi713.3282 email us:us: 713.3282 or914.713.3282 email us:us:or or email 914.713.3282 or email Multiple Class Discounts info@performersedgedanceacedemy.com Multiple Class Discounts TO ADVANCED info@performersedgedanceacedemy.com info@performersedgedanceacademy.com info@performersedgedanceacademy.com ences in an environment that is condu- Family Discounts FamilyAGE Discounts Available Available TUMBLING CLASS 2 THROUGH ADULT! cive to Jewish practice. Registration Dates: WITH THE FREE Edge Performers Registration Dates: FREE Performers T-shirtsEdge T-shirts September 2nd: 2pm-8pm; to all registrants September 2nd: 2pm-8pm; September 3rd:September 2pm-8pm3rd: 2pm-8pm to all registrants The child is at the center of learning AMAZING AND TALENTED 8th,2pm-7pm 9th & 10th: 2pm-7pm September 7th,September 8th, 9th &7th, 10th: in Shorashim and Havurat Torah and this September 11th: 10am-1pm September 11th: 10am-1pm is reflected in many ways. Temple Israel Classes begin13th! September 13th! Classes begin September Center has transformed traditional classrooms into welcoming, comfortable, enGrayrock Road, NY Scarsdale, NY 4 Grayrock 4Road, Scarsdale, gaging and fun spaces where children 713.3282 713.3282 914.713.3282 914.713.3282 and young people want to be. Educators 4 Grayrock Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583 performersedgedanceacademy.com performersedgedanceacademy.com

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 38A

St. James the Less Nursery School

Crane Road at Church Lane Scarsdale, NY

2, 3, 4 and 5 day programs for 2 year olds 3, 4 and 5 day programs for 3 year olds 5 day program for 4 year olds Tot Time for 12-24 Months with Parent or Caregiver Experienced Staff Music Specialists, Chapel, Art, Science and Nature Language Enrichment Excellent Student - Teacher Ratios 2 Playgrounds

For information call: 914-723-1018 www.stjamesthelessscarsdale.org Serving the Scarsdale Community for over 45 Years

M R

An exciting range of art classes for all ages.

Plus NEW this fall:

exploring science, math, technology and engineering through art (STEAM)!

More info: www.pelhamartcenter.org or call 738-2525 x114.

155 Fifth Ave. Pelham, NY

PAGE 38A | THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

– Back to School

BTS GUIDE N Early Learning CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37A

create content-rich learning experiences with learner strengths in mind, so that Jewish education is accessible to all. The center creates experiences that build a strong Jewish identity and connections with one another, to the community, to Israel and to klal Yisrael (the Jewish people). Feeling comfortable with their Judaism, while gaining a positive Jewish selfidentity, Temple Israel Center’s learners acquire the tools with which they will be able to live and pass on our rich heritage. Call 948-2800 Ext. 123, email rsoffice@ templeisraelcenter.org or visit www.templeisraelcenter.org.

Greenburgh Hebrew Center offers preschool Living in the Rivertowns? Moving to the Rivertowns? Greenburgh Hebrew Center Early Childhood Center in Dobbs Ferry could be the preschool for your family. Selecting an appropriate preschool is an important decision for any parent to make. Your child can benefit from being a member of the GHC ECC family for many reasons: your child will be nurtured, taught and valued by a licensed, seasoned, skilled and caring teaching staff; the teachers follow a secular and Judaic play-based curriculum while engaging in constructivist practices that will

The College Essay

What are ‘they’ looking?

respond to your child’s natural curiosity of learning; and the curriculum follows the standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and benefits from membership to the Jewish Education Project, as well as Project SEED, which is designed to support synagogue-based preschools via a consultant with parents on topics of mutual interest. GHC ECC has entered into a partnership with the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, where the 2s, 3s and 4s will receive differentiated instruction based on the museum’s permanent collection, and the Maritime Aquarium, in Norwalk, Conn., will be bringing their teaching curriculum into the school. Your child will arrive home after singing with their music teacher and their cantor; relaxing from yoga techniques taught by a yoga instructor; enjoying music and movement with sign language instruction; repeating stories enacted by their rabbi, as well as a plethora of other experiential school events. GHC ECC ends the day with afternoon enrichment of project-based learning through literacy, art, math, science, music and movement for 3s and 4s. Mommy and me classes offer preschool preparation while building relationships for both adults and children. Contact director Gloria Smith at 4791421 or gloria@g-h-c.org to schedule a personalized tour.

As rising seniors in the high school class of 2015 prepare to face the annual college application free-for-all, clutching the latest list of “College Essay Dos and Don’ts,” one terrifying question overshadows all: What are “THEY” looking for? “As head of Uniquely U. College Essay Consultants, I can confidently state that I’ve actually figured out the answer,” said Maxene Fabe Mulford, owner of the essay and application service that has been helping high school seniors for the past 17 years. College admissions officers are looking for applicants who don’t care what they are looking for. That is why that list of college essay dos and don’ts all the experts are so fond of touting is essentially worthless. “That said,” continues Mulford, “here are some Uniquely U. college application/essay-writing guidelines.” • DO view your entire application as a narrative in which the personal statement is merely one component. In this way, you can maximize your supplementary essays to reflect your personal aptitudes and learning style, describe your activities to underscore how you’ve matured, even remind

Another year, another size larger... or two perhaps!

teachers of key classroom papers and projects to guarantee that your recommendations glow. • DON’T pay over-much attention to the wording of the essay question itself, especially when you are first getting started. Instead, concentrate on how best to communicate a turning point in your understanding of yourself and an insight that elicited. • By the same token, DON’T count words too early in the process; you will only shut down your creative flow just as you are getting into gear. • DO leave yourself enough time to enjoy the writing process and what you’re about to learn about yourself. Mulford is available for free consultations to see how she can help tell your story. Call 1-866-UUESSAY, email uniquelyu1@gmail.com or visit www.uuessay.com.

A Tradition of Excellence Since 1944

Comprehensive music education for all ages in a warm, familial environment

Come to Affordables to save money and the environment.

affordables

Private Instrumental and Vocal Instruction Four Orchestras • Three Choruses Chamber & Jazz Ensembles Musicianship Classes Performance Opportunities Prestigious Faculty

a quality children’s consignment store

new and gently used children’s clothing

Music Programs for Young Children

(sizes 0-14)

25 School Lane, Scarsdale, NY 10583 www.hms.org • hb@hbms.org • Tel: (914) 723-1169 Joan Behrens Bergman, Executive Director

back to school clothes arriving daily

Ardsley Community Nursery School & Day Care

toys, skates, cleats, books, car seats, high chairs, toddler beds, cribs, swings & strollers too! 10 main street, dobbs ferry • 693-3610 regular hours: mon-sat 10-5, thurs 10-6 pm closed mondays 8/25 & 9/1 Your Favorite Brands:

Justice, Carters, Baby Gap, Quiksilver, Gymboree, Limited Too, Northface and Abercrombie

21 American Legion Drive, Ardsley (914) 693-4932

4 AM and PM classes for children 2-5 4 Open 7:30 AM - 6 PM 4 Enrichment programs in dance, music, art & nature 4 Weekly and hourly rates 4 Diaper friendly 4 Beautiful outdoor play area 4 Local field trips Celebrating more than 50 Years of Fun!

Back to School – FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

| THE SCARSDALE INQUIRER | PAGE 39A

BTS GUIDE N Educational Services

Transition with ease into your 1st semester of college By JANE C. HOFFMAN, M.B.A.

ere are some suggestions to help you with the transition into your first semester in college. Know that while it may feel like an emotional roller coaster, those feelings are understandable and common. • Get to know your academic advisor: You will likely have been assigned a premajor advisor who will serve as your advisor until you later declare your major(s). Introduce yourself as soon as possible. Since this person is a resource to help you with course selection and registration and your overall transition, you should continue to stay in touch during your first year and until you identify an advisor in your major(s). • Take a first year seminar course: First year seminar courses provide a great introduction in a small and supportive environment to the academic demands of college. Intended only for new students, they are taught by faculty members interested in helping students with the transition. Since they are often thematic in content, you will also find classmates who share your interests. • Register for more classes than you

will be able to take: Use those first few weeks to try them out. You may be surprised to learn which ones you will want to continue with. • Don’t overload your schedule with introductory classes: Research shows that students who start their college career in classes they want to take, and not necessarily the ones they have to take, are happier with their choices. Take several prerequisite courses in areas you think you may want to major in. Try to also take classes that sound really interesting! Many students discover new possible majors by choosing courses this way.

WWW.RYEARTSCENTER.ORG COURSES EVENTS MEDIA ARTS MUSIC PERFORMANCES ART EXHIBITS DANCE STEM+ARTS

R E G I S T E R T O D AY !