Dear Members of the SHS Community:

I am pleased to share with you this report of the second quarter at Scarsdale High School that concluded last month. There are three points I would like to address in my opening comments before the reports from the different departments.

Pilot of suspending testing days

The Assessment Committee has been studying our school-wide grading and testing practices, and as part of their work, we are piloting the suspension of designated testing days at the end of the third quarter. To be clear, there will still be exams and assessments at the end of the quarter, but we will not designate specific days for different subjects. Instead, teachers will discuss with students how to best schedule assessments and due dates, and students can take advantage of the Test and Assessment Rescheduling Policy (TARP), which states that students who have three or more single-day in-class assessments which require preparation outside of the classroom and are scheduled for the same day may speak with their teachers to have one of them rescheduled. All efforts should be made to reschedule the test or assessment which was most recently assigned. Assessments which constitute routine homework checks are not covered under the policy. The Assessment Committee will be administering surveys to students and teachers to determine whether subject-specific testing days are preferable to this method for the future.

Lunch assignments

When we return from break on February 28, we will allow students to use the cafeteria and Learning Commons as they wish, regardless of grade level. With the warmer weather hopefully upon us, we can rely on outdoor spaces to reduce lunchtime density in these areas and will no longer require students to use the auditorium or gymnasium unless inclement weather requires it. As a reminder, guidance for lunch spaces requires six feet of distance between students while eating.

Behavior at athletic events

Recently we had an unfortunate situation where SHS spectators demonstrated poor behavior by coming on to the basketball court after the game and chanting a vulgar jeer at the visiting team before and after the game. As a result, we have limited spectators until Sunday and will send a message about appropriate spectator behavior as we welcome spectators back on Monday and thereafter. I spoke with the principal of the visiting school to apologize on behalf of our school community for the behavior that the visiting team was subjected to. We must remember that especially during athletic events and at all times each of us represents the Scarsdale community, and that visiting teams, families, and spectators are entitled to a respectful and welcoming environment. Sportsmanship requires the celebration of victory with humility and the acceptance of defeat with grace. Regardless of rivalry or past behavior, we must exemplify the best standards of sportsmanship at all times. Attending games is a privilege, not a right, and we will be asking for your support in sharing this message and meeting these expectations.

I am pleased to present below updates from the various departments in the school on what’s been happening during the second quarter.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Bonamo

Principal

The A-School is on their annual January internship. They begin securing these placements in October and they work the entire month of January. We have students working with fellow teachers, like Molly Klein and Carolina Vittori in the SMS, and Jade D’Agostino, Audrey Gendel, Sydney Rothschild, Alessia Schettino, Arianna Wilson and Cayden Yang at Greenacres Elementary School. Abby Fine and Audrey Heidbreder are working on the front lines with the Scarsdale Fire Department and Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corp. In addition, we have students commuting to the city. Micah Arenstein is interning at the Eastern District Federal Courthouse, where Robin Glicker is working with the Youth Chorus of NYC and Ben Flicker is exploring the real estate industry. From retail to finance our students are getting a taste of the world outside of our high school.

On February 8th we will begin our annual recruitment process. Students will be presenting our program to all of our freshman English classes.

Physical Education

Some of our 11th and 12th grade students were the recipients of an (almost) annual Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Residency! Professional dancers Wayne Williams and Theara Ward, along with percussionist Joe Barnes, were with us for four weeks in November and December, bringing their knowledge and expertise of the Lester Horton Dance Technique. Our students learned the fundamentals of the Horton Technique, the foundation for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Our students then proceeded to learn a modified version of three different sections of Revelations. The three sections included I’ve Been Buked, Wade in the Water, and Rocka My Soul. Each class performed their unique version for an audience on the last day of the dance unit which showcased our students' commitment and hard work.

Health Education

Our students have been working on the Health Fair, the culminating activity for Health 10 class. Students create videos to educate their peers on a health-related topic and have access to over forty videos on topics that range from safer sex, mental health, and prescription and non-prescription drug abuse. Students work cooperatively in small groups and each group is responsible to comprehensively research their topic and to make connections to longevity, quality of life, and personal, family & community health care. As students work in their groups, they are also honing their skills in the digital world by critically analyzing health content, making real-world connections, and learning to make informed conclusions. Once students have presented their videos, they answer an essential question focusing on how they can make change(s) to positively influence their own personal lives. While the format is modified due to COVID-19, it maintains the rigor and integrity of the traditional version of the Health Fair.

From public policy research to book talks, we have been busy meeting with classes, promoting use of our vast online subscription databases and book collection. In addition to coming with classes, students are making good use of the library for group and independent study. Beyond our usual functions, we also had the privilege of hosting Anthony Ray Hinton, author of The Sun Does Shine. Wanting to pay a visit to SHS, Hinton came to share his story with, and gratitude for, students and faculty with whom he has made a special connection through the work of our school’s Innocence Club.

All of the great energy in the library is making for an awesome 2021-22 school year.

Relay Game for the Triangle Congruence Proofs (using an invisible baton due to COVID social distancing)

In Ms. Ying’s 423, students are enjoying the relay games they play, as a whole class to complete triangle congruence proofs. One student starts by marking the diagram based on givens; the next couple of students come up with a plan based on the given information and the deduction from the given information; the rest of the students take their turns to contribute to the two-column proof one-by-one. If a student doesn't include all necessary information, the baton drops and the whole class helps make the corrections, picks up the baton and the relay goes on. If a student has a question, he has the right to pause the game. After the class helps clarify the student's question, they can resume the relay game. The whole class was proud of their teamwork when they wrote Q.E.D. at the end of the proof on the board.

Students in 423 participated in a geometry scavenger hunt for the quarter 2 project. They had the choice of going around the school, home, Scarsdale to take photos of images that contain geometric terms from Math 423.

Fractals

Students in Ms. Palekar’s 454 Interdisciplinary class worked with the laser cutter, to create fractals. Ms. Palekar collaborated with Jann Johnsen from the art department, so students could learn about the software and how to turn their visions into beautiful physical models. A fractal is a complex geometric structure generated by the iteration of complex numbers through a quadratic equation having self-similarity. Students explored the Apollonian Gasket, Vicsek Curve/Box Fractal, the Koch Snowflake, among others, and showed calculations about their characteristics at each iteration.

Earth science, at its core, is a model driven course that allows students to study phenomena, which they cannot directly observe. In order to facilitate a deeper understanding of concepts, such as Plate Tectonic theory, teachers have worked to make these macroscopic occurrences more tangible for students by relating easily obtainable samples - such as rocks - to the various topics of study throughout the year. Students collected rock samples from the area surrounding Scarsdale High School, during the first few weeks of school. This elicited a series of questions that became guiding themes for the rest of the year. What is this rock made of? How was it formed? And most importantly, What does this rock tell us about our surrounding area? In doing this, students are engaging in one of the most important scientific skills, which is being able to make inferences and predictions about their observations, which are supported by an evidence-based justification.

This approach also facilitates the incorporation of real-time events into the story of a local area or the overall Earth system. For example, the recent volcanic eruption in Tonga allowed students to make connections between rock composition, plate tectonics, and volcanic activity. Using footage of the eruptions, as well as plotting its location among other past volcanic events, students examined how this additional data point can facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of geology. They were able to relate their prior knowledge of igneous rocks to the Tonga event by investigating how the rock composition influenced the type of eruption that occurred, as well as what rocks are likely to form.

Social Studies teachers provided exciting experiences to brighten up students’ days as the weather turned colder. Patrick Healy and Michelle Britto’s students researched historical rulers from across the globe in the “Emperor Project.” Groups gave presentations about why their leader should be the next ruler of America (see photo). After each presentation, students role-played a “hiring committee” and asked questions to challenge the claims of the presenters, which led to some lively and insightful exchanges.

Ron Widelec’s world history students read the West African saga Sundiata and wrote papers on the culture of the region, with a focus on the concept of the oral tradition, the role of the griot (musical story-teller), and the role of destiny. The unit ended with a visit from an actual West African griot who performed for the class and shared his experiences.

In John Harrison’s AT US History class, students participated in “Abolitionist Speed Dating”. After preliminary research, students role-played their abolitionists as they engaged in two minute “speed dates” with one another, looking for those with similar views on goals, tactics, and more. This assignment was a creative lens for exploring the range of views within the movement.

“Food for Thought” teacher Chris Hughes brought in a number of guests to share their expertise with his seniors, such as Ben Cooper of Wild Harmony Farm. He engaged students in lively discussions about the logistics of running a farm, the economics of local vs. industrial agriculture, and the role of public policy in our food systems.