NEWS
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TOWER/MARCH 3, 2023
International guests to arrive in Dobbs Ferry MAYA PHILLIPS Lead Opinion Editor
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his spring Masters will welcome four students from Japan and 13 students from Senegal as part of a cultural exchange program. Dean of Global Studies, Robert Fish, and Upper School Modern & Classical Languages Teacher, Abdoulaye Ngom, will lead this program. The students from Japan will arrive on Sunday, March 26, and depart on Saturday, April 8. Shortly after the Japanese students leave, the students from Senegal will join the Masters' community starting on Thursday, April 13, and departing on April 30. Both of these programs are long-standing Masters programs that were, unfortunately, suspended in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The goal of the program is to expand the Harkness table,” Fish said. He continued, “ We are inviting people who are not usually part of this institution, and who are not from here to join our discussion and join our friendships and community for a few weeks. I, and many others in this institution, fundamentally believe that one of the great-
est things about Masters is that we learn from everyone else who is in the community.” He went on to say, “ When we add new voices to the community who are coming here, with very different experiences and perspectives than people who were here already, that enriches all of us.” “It will be really exciting! My advisor is Mr. Ngom so I've learned about Senegal and how French and Francophone culture is involved in Senegal for my entire high school career,” French Club Co-Chair Stella Simonds said. “It will be really interesting meeting more people from there.” Each international student will live with a Masters host family. While here,they will attend some classes. Additionally, Fish will create an individualized class for the group based on their learning priorities. This will include developing their English skills. They will also have the opportunity to specifically learn about the United States and New York through cultural immersion. “That will be customized. I have created a general plan that will be finalized after the students arrive. We will do things like exploring parts of Dobbs Ferry… We will visit the local stores and small businesses. This will give the students a chance to talk to people that own those stores and shop in those stores. Some days we will go off and visit different sites
in the New York area,” Fish said The Japanese group will visit Bronx Collaborative High School, where they will participate in activities and get to know students from another school. “We are trying to arrange for the students from Senegal to visit a different school as well so that they can see two different environments,” Fish said This program is a partnership between Jiyu Gakuen in Tokyo, Japan, and Cours St. Marie de Hann school in Senegal, Fish explained. It is the third time that students from Cours St. Marie de Hann are visiting Masters. “When we visit Senegal this summer, members of the Cours St. Marie de Hann will host our students. Most of the students coming here will be hosting Masters students when they go to Senegal. It's also a great opportunity for our kids to get to know them before they go and really create a deeper relationship and experience,” Fish said. Fish has developed a longstanding relationship with Jiyu Gakuen. He first visited Jiyu Gakuen over 15 years ago. “When we visit Japan, which we will do relatively soon, we will visit students from Jiyu Gakuen and stay on their campus,” Fish said “I would like them to create a humanized, individualized element to our community's understanding of their country… There can be a tendency when you don't actually
know people from a country to think of the country in broad generalities,” Fish said. He continued, “When you actually get to meet and talk to somebody or a group of people that humanizes the country, it makes the country real. I think that has real long-term impacts on the way the students here approach thinking
about the world. I hope it creates some curiosity about other places in the world, whether it's Senegal or Japan, or just by meeting people from somewhere else.” Everyone from the Masters community will benefit from the exchange students. “As an international school, we already are exposed to international
cultures unlike other American high schoolers. Meeting international students will give us a chance to learn about their experience and ask them questions. People can make great connections,” Simonds said .
ABDOULAYE NGOM/TOWER
MASTERS STUDENTS WILL BE given the opportunity to spend two weeks this summer with a host family from our sister school in Dakar, Senegal. While there, they will immerse themselves in Senegalese culture and visit important historical sites in the country.
As tuition rises, questions emerge NEENA ATKINS Contributing Writer
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s the 2023-2024 school year approaches, Masters parents and students alike have received news
that the cost of education is rising once again. In a recent announcement, the school revealed an increase in the current $53,500 day-student tuition by approximately 7%. While this may surprise some, several reasons exist behind the decision to raise tuition, including sustaining our campus, hiring quality personnel, and fulfilling Masters’ mission. Andrew Schneider, the Asso-
ciate Head for Finance and Operations, explained that the choice to heighten fees was made to guarantee that Masters can continue furnishing a quality education and fulfill the institution’s mission. Schneider said, “As we [Masters]strive to ensure our employees are paid fair, competitive wages and are offered impactful healthcare and retirement benefits,
ALYSSA WANG/TOWER
INCOMING MASTERS TUITION RISES in the 2023-2024 school year, beginning this September, are set to see the cost of attending school here rise by 7%. This incoming rise is concerning to some students, while the administration says the raises are natural with the tight budget of maintaining a school. They point to strong faculty salaries and benefits as a reason.
we tend to have annual tuition in- she found the reasons supplied in creases that outpace inflation.” He the email substantial and commentnoted that benefits and salaries for ed, “[The email] is an invitation to teachers and staff account for approx- ask questions.” As a parent, Nalle imately 66% of the school’s expens- mentioned that she understands es, and tuition fees generate approx- that for her children to continue imately 82% of the school’s income. receiving a great education and In Schneider’s view, it is es- for the Masters campus to funcsential for the school’s income tion, the tuition price has to rise. to align with its expenses. “Our people are the most important part of what makes Masters special, As we [Masters]strive to and our expense structure ensure our employees are paid reflects that,” he added. fair, competitive wages and are The Head of School, Laura Danforth also emoffered impactful healthcare and phasized the importance of retirement benefits, we tend to prioritizing a joyful workhave annual tuition increases that ing environment for faculoutpace inflation.” ty and staff at Masters. She described that one of the motivating aspects of the tuition rise was this priority. “We want it to be a place where faculty and staff love - Andrew Schneider to come,” she said. “If someone is coming to work every day and doesn’t love being here, that’s not a good thing.” “It’s not a fun increase to pay, but In an email to parents, Dan- I understand why,” she remarked. forth provided an explanation for Ninth grade class president, the tuition hike stating, “This Alex Pinnock said that since the cost year’s tuition increase accounts for to attend Masters has increased, rising expenses amid inflationary “You’re gonna have to be making pressures on our operating costs.” sure each day is completely worth While this email was concise, it.” He knows that parents have sacBrooke Nalle, the president of the rificed a lot to send their students Masters Parents Association, said to Masters, and that every day will
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have to be “a lot more impactful.” “The school needs to be financially healthy to operate, so a certain amount of tuition dollars are required to keep things running smoothly,” Schneider outlined. According to him, it costs around $41 million to run Masters each year, of which $7 million is set aside for the school’s financial aid program. While the tuition increase is necessary for Masters to succeed, Schneider assures that the school’s funding for student aid will not be negatively affected. Schneider highlighted how the diversity of viewpoints that financial-aid students bring to the classroom is crucial to Masters’ special and meaningful learning environment. He stated, “Masters would not be Masters without an array of unique perspectives around the Harkness table that inspire deep and meaningful learning.” Finally, Schneider acknowledged how students who receive monetary funding are common in the Masters community and that the school is dedicated to granting aid for students with demonstrated financial need. In accordance with this, he said, “A sincere and rigorous commitment to providing needbased financial assistance is one of several important tools the school has to achieve its mission of ‘gathering as a community of diverse individuals.”
Sparks fly as a result of Ohio derailment LYDIA ETTINGER Social Media Manager
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n February 3rd one of America’s worst ecological disasters ensued as a result of the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous chemicals. Out of the 38 carts on the train, 11 were carrying such materials that set off a massive chemical fire, prompting Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to order an emergency evacuation for East Palestine, Ohio residents and Pennsylvania residents living in proximity of the disaster. “I was most worried about local people and people in the proximity of the actual accident because from what I’ve heard a lot of the chemicals in the carts being pulled leaked into local streams and local
water sources,” said Co-President of EFFECT, Bobby Callagy’24. East Palestine authorities agreed to allow Norfolk Southern to burn the chemicals flowing from the carts to avoid exacerbating damage by leaving the situation uncontrolled. The New York Times reported that five of the carts were transporting vinyl chloride, a colorless gas incorporated to manufacture plastic products, that can cause headaches, dizziness, and drowsiness from short term exposure, and a rare form of liver cancer after extended exposure. In addition butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ethers were released into East Palestine’s water sources, air, and soil as a result of the initial fire and the burning of such chemicals. As a result of this release, 43,000 fish have died across 7.5 miles of stream, reported News 5 Cleveland. Norfolk Southern is being held responsible for decontaminating the area and is being sued by many residents for a situation
that “was 100 percent preventable,” according to Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board Jennifer L. Homendy in a Washington D.C conference . WFMJ reported that Norfolk Southern has deracinated 4,800 cubic yards of soil and collected 1.7 million gallons of liquid for disposal. In response to the disaster as a whole, legislation sponsored by representatives Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania and Ro Khanna of California was introduced to congress on March 7th. The Bill proposes to broaden the definition of “high hazard” cargo, so companies transporting hazardous materials can be subjected to federal regulations to avoid any further damage. In regards to Norfolk Southern, the materials train carts were not considered by Transportation Department standards ‘high hazard”which prevented federal regulation. Callagy hopes for change. He said, “they should focus on sustainability efforts and try to enforce policy to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again.”
JENNY XU/TOWER
THE TRAIN DERAILMENT IN East Palestine, Ohio resulted in a large emittance of fumes from the railcars and their cargo. Local residents of the working class town in the Midwest have complained of slow action from many levels of government, from municipal to federal. Former President Donald Trump recently visited East Palestine after the explosion, and President Joe Biden has also announced plans to visit, along with Secretary of Transport Pete Buttigieg.