Inside Yorktown CSD
Yorktown Schools Community Newsletter | March 2024
Welcome to Our Newsletter
Welcome to the March 2024 edition of “Inside Yorktown CSD.” This newsletter will take you inside our schools by sharing photos, stories, announcements, upcoming events, and more — all with the goal of creating a more connected school community.
Dates to Remember
March 27 – YCSD Bandapalooza
March 29-April 5 – Schools Closed for Spring Recess
April 8 – Board of Education Meeting
April 11 – MESMS International Night
April 15 – Board of Education Meeting
April 20 – Crompond PTA KJK Play Performances
April 22 – Superintendent's Conference Day (No Students)
April 23-25 – Brookside PTA Book Fair
April 23 – YHS Tri-M Coffee House
April 23 – Fourth Quarter Begins
April 24 – Brookside ESTEAM Night
April 25 – YHS National Honor Society Induction
April 29 – Board of Education Meeting
Athletic schedules can be found here.
Transportation Deadline Reminders
All 2024-25 private school request forms must be completed and submitted no later than April 1, 2024: Click Here
Save the Date – Understanding the Developing Adolescent Brain
On Thursday, May 23, Dr. Steven Dewey will present “Understanding the Adolescent Brain.” A research professor at the NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Dewey will explore the science of understanding the neurological response of the adolescent brain to cellphones, video games, medications, vaping, drugs, and alcohol. This presentation empowers parents with the knowledge and confidence to guide their children through their adolescent and teen years.
This program is open to all K-12 parents/guardians. High school and middle school students may attend with a parent.
The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the Yorktown High School Auditorium.
Save the Date – BOCES Career & Technical Education Regional Union Information Event
Learn about the trades and enjoy food, music, and entertainment at a Career & Technical Education Regional Union Information Event hosted by Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES. The event will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, at the Main Tech Center, 200 BOCES Drive, Yorktown Heights.
Explore a wide range of careers represented by union partners, including boilermakers, bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, insulators, iron workers, laborers, plumbers, painters, roofers, steamfitters, and more!
Announcements
Solar Eclipse Information
Please see the following update from Dr. Hattar regarding the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8: Solar Eclipse Information
Pre-K Registration
Pre-K registration is now open. Registration information for our Pre-K program can be found here. Please know that although we are opening registration, the program is contingent on state funding.
Employment Opportunities
Board of Education
Unless noted otherwise, all Board of Education meetings will be held in the middle school cafeteria. You can find agendas and upcoming meeting dates by visiting the following link: BOE Agendas
Please know that all meetings will be uploaded to our YouTube channel the day following the meeting.
Budget Information
As we begin the beautiful season of spring, we remain hard at work developing the school district budget for the 2024-25 school year. As you have come to know, when preparing our school district budget, we always strive to balance the needs of our students with a profound sensitivity to taxpayers.
If you have not been able to attend any of the presentations at our Board of Education meetings, please know that our meetings are recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel the following day. Additionally, all budget-related materials can be found on our budget website.
Important budget dates are below:
February 12, 2024 – Budget Presentation: Budget Overview & Tax Cap, State Aid, and Debt Service & Reserves
March 4, 2024 – Budget Presentation: General Support, Facilities, Benefits, and Transportation
March 18, 2024 – Budget Presentation: Athletics and Co-Curricular
March 18, 2024 – Budget Presentation: Instruction, General Ed, Special Ed, and Technology
March 25, 2024 – Presentation of Superintendent’s Budget
April 15, 2024 – Budget Adoption
April 22, 2024 – Deadline for Filing Petitions for Trustee Candidacy
May 13, 2024 – Public Budget Hearing
May 16, 2024 – Deadline for Voter Registration
May 21, 2024 – Budget and Trustee Vote at French Hill School, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
Latest News and Headlines
Sophomore Goalie Earns Top Spot in Lacrosse Rankings
Congratulations to sophomore Hunter Mezzatesta, who was recently ranked by Lacrosse Magazine as the top goalie and third overall player in the ENTIRE NATION for the Class of 2026!
As a freshman, Hunter earned All-Section honors and helped the Huskers claim their first section title in six years. He has also been rated as a five-star goalie by the National Lacrosse Federation.
Mohansic Has Fun with Wonka-Themed ‘One School One Book’ Event
Willy Wonka came to town on March 1 to help Mohansic launch its “One School One Book” campaign!
Over several weeks, each classroom read Roald Dahl’s classic tale, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and enjoyed many more fun activities.
iGrant Supports Imagineering Program at MESMS
Many MESMS students are learning to become Imagineers, as they immerse themselves in a Disney-inspired project supported by the Yorktown Central School District's Innovation Grants program.
Ms. Tolli, a sixth-grade teacher with a passion for Disney, is challenging her classes to design immersive and informative theme park rides that blend conservation, engineering, and storytelling. From storyboarding to designing 3D models, the project seamlessly integrates ESTEAM principles while fostering collaboration and critical thinking. Ms. Tolli's own journey, inspired by her experiences as a Walt Disney World Cast Member, adds a personal touch to the project.
For the 2023-24 school year, the Yorktown Central School District has embraced the theme, “Listen for the Story,” which encourages educators to better understand their students, their motivations, and their needs. In support of this theme, the District launched an Innovation Grants program, with several iGrants being awarded monthly. The application process encourages teachers to share their own stories and link them to their curriculum goals.
Crompond Fifth Graders Showcase Black History Museum
Great job by Crompond fifth graders who created exceptional displays for their Black History Museum!
Covering a range of influential figures from inventors and activists to athletes and artists, students in Mrs. Reid’s, Mr. Longobardi’s, and Mrs. Golisano’s classes utilized technology to enhance their projects. On March 8, proud parents visited Crompond to tour the many displays.
Brookside Raises Money for Wolf Conservation Center
That’s a wrap on Brookside’s “One School One Book” campaign!
Not only did all K-3 students go on an adventure to the Mexican desert with the “Secret Explorers,” they learned all about wolves and even raised money for the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem!
Sean Seary, an educator and volunteer coordinator with the Wolf Conservation Center, thanked the students for their $600 donation, which was raised through the sale of custom-made magnets and stickers. Sean said the money can be used in many ways — such as improving the wolves’ enclosures or purchasing food. The center receives no government funding and relies solely on donations.
Brookside also “adopted” one of the center’s Mexican gray wolves, Trumpet. The students watched Trumpet through a live webcam on the center’s website.
Thank you to the Literacy Committee and everyone who made “One School One Book” such an unforgettable learning experience!
Mohansic Second Graders Celebrate Non-Fiction Writing
Mohansic second graders recently wrapped up their non-fiction unit, diving into the fascinating world of animal habitats. They conducted research and crafted stories to share their newfound knowledge.
Throughout the week, parents and family members joined us in the classrooms, where students proudly read their stories out loud.
Brookside Grade 1 Concerts
What great concerts on March 20 from Brookside’s first graders, who reminded us why it’s important to care for our “Big Beautiful Planet!”
Please see the links below for photos and videos:
Flag Football Debuts at Yorktown High School
Spring sports are back at Yorktown High School, and we're making history with our first-ever girls' flag football team!
YHS Drama Club Performs ‘Beauty and the Beast’
During the March 8-9 weekend, the Yorktown High School Drama Club put on three exceptional performances of their spring musical, “Beauty and the Beast.”
Science Olympiad Team Competes at States
Congratulations to our YHS Science Olympiad team, which came in first place at last month's Lower Hudson Valley Regional Championship. They punched their ticket to States, which were held in Syracuse on March 16 and 17.
The team came in 26th out of 60 teams, with several students taking home medals.
- Silver for Saarth Desai and Aryan Shenoy (Geologic Mapping)
- 7th for Siddarth Nair and Charlie Zhong (Robot Tour)
- 7th for Arjun Manu and Jack Flaherty (Wind Power)
Crompond Students Compete in Basketball Limbo
Forget hangtime. At Crompond, basketball means getting low!
Every year, at the end of Crompond's basketball unit, students compete in a schoolwide limbo contest. The challenge? Maintain a dribble while getting as close to the floor as possible. Two finalists per grade recently faced off for the school's top spot, with the winner taking a trophy back to their classroom for the rest of the year.
YHS Junior Donates Sports Equipment
YHS junior Luca Masillo recently led a collection of sports equipment and donated the items to multiple youth sports leagues in the South Bronx. Great job, Luca!
MESMS Students Decode Genetics with iGrant
Exciting news from the March 18 Board of Education meeting!
MESMS eighth-graders wowed everyone with an incredible learning experience made possible through an Innovation Grant.
Ms. Servedio, their science teacher, took them on a thrilling ride into the world of genetics using gel electrophoresis. Their mission? "Hunting the Inheritance of Huntington's Disease," where they explored the mysteries of this genetic condition.
The students researched and analyzed a family's genetic history to predict the likelihood of the disease passing to the next generation. Using pedigree charts, they mapped out how the disease traveled through generations. Then, they used gel electrophoresis to analyze DNA samples from family members and predict their genotypes.
Their discoveries were nothing short of mind-blowing! Based on their findings, they predicted that one of the children would develop Huntington's Disease in their mid-20s.
The students expressed excitement about the hands-on learning experience and thanked the board for providing the opportunity through the Innovation Grant program established this year. They spoke passionately about how this project ignited their interest in science, making them feel like real scientists on a thrilling adventure.
Crompond Fifth Graders Showcase Fair Trade Projects
Kudos to 5th graders in Ms. Daly and Ms. Sassano's class on their fantastic ESTEAM projects! The students researched Fair Trade products and, using Makey Makey, created interactive projects to showcase to their families.
YHS Science Research Students Win Awards at WESEF
Congratulations to our talented YHS Science Research students who recently presented at the Regeneron Westchester Science & Engineering Fair (WESEF)! We are incredibly proud to announce the achievements of our students in various categories.
Mohansic Kindergarten Concerts
Mohansic kindergartners took us to a world of pure imagination on March 26 with two incredible concerts! Please see the links below for photos and videos from the musical tribute to “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
Winter Sports Honors
Congratulations to all of our student-athletes on earning well-deserved honors for the Winter Sports season!
You can visit the District's Communications website to keep up with the latest news and to read archived stories.
Stay Connected
You can read more District highlights by visiting our website and social media pages, which are updated regularly with stories, photos, and announcements.
Yorktown Central School District
Website: www.yorktown.org
Location: 2725 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights, NY, USA
Phone: 914-243-8000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YorktownCSD/
Twitter: @YorktownCSD