Feb 2024
Principal's Message
Dear Members of the SHS Community:
I am pleased to present this update for the second quarter of the school year. So many of our community’s resources are dedicated to providing our students with an exemplary education, and that includes subjects that go far beyond the usual curriculum. This month, two of our partner organizations provided important and impactful experiences for our students that addressed facets of adolescence and adulthood.
First, with the leadership of our Youth Outreach Workers, Elizabeth Coritt and Natalie Ramos, faculty members provided workshops to our eleventh-grade students on the importance of healthy relationships. These sessions helped students identify the key aspects of healthy romantic, familial, and platonic relationships, and they also highlighted red flags of unhealthy relationships of all kinds. As our students learn how to assess their current relationships and prepare to meet so many new people in the different settings they will encounter, these skills will be even more valuable as time goes on. This program is just one of the ways that the Youth Services Project of Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Services supports our students and families.
Just this past Monday, through the support of Scarsdale Action for Youth, speaker Stephen Hill shared his life journey with our ninth- and tenth-grade students. Stephen’s story was compelling, and his delivery maximized the impact of his message that anyone can fall into substance use, misuse, and abuse in different contexts and mindsets. The social pressures and messages around substance use can be difficult to navigate, and Stephen’s message was powerful in its clarity, authenticity, and humanity. Scarsdale Action for Youth also hosted Stephen and his father at a program for parents that evening, the culmination of many months of work behind the scenes and only one of the many projects they have on their docket.
Preparing our students for the challenges of life beyond the classroom requires the types of community partnerships exemplified by these programs and their organizers, SFCS, the SAFE Coalition and SAY. We are grateful for these coalitions and for the community’s continued support of our students in so many dimensions of their lives.
Below, please find reports from the various departments of their second-quarter activities. Best wishes for an enjoyable winter recess next week.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Bonamo
Principal
Alternative School
The A-School has wrapped up our January Internship. Although, when the internship program was first formed students only had A-School classes, our students found fruitful opportunities even with their tight schedules. Our students worked in all types of fields. We had several students in local governments, for example Westchester County’s George Latimer and Amy Paulin took on interns. Some of the other industries include: art, finance & marketing, fitness & sports, medicine, interior design, retail, journalism and of course education. Thank you to all of our community members that worked with an A-school intern this past month, we could not have done it without you!
February is recruitment month for the Alternative School. We will be in freshman English classrooms on Tuesday 2/6/24, where A-Schoolers will be presenting how our program works to the freshmen. Our Prospective Parent Meeting, where parents can learn more about the A-School, will be on Monday 2/12 at 7pm in the Little Theater.
Art
Earlier this semester, the Hot Glass, Metal, & Jewelry II class went on a field trip to M&S Schmalberg Custom Fabric Flowers in NYC. Students are studying how to make jewelry from recycled tee shirts and fabric. M&S Schmalberg has been a family-owned business since 1916 and is one of the few fabric flower businesses still operating in NYC. We had a tour of the facility, learning the handmade process still being made with vintage tools. Students saw employees’ starch and stretch fabric, hand-cut stacks of fabric on large die-cutting machines that used heat to form the flower petals. The fabric was passed on to small groups of employees for construction. The construction process was done by hand sewing and gluing, with decorative beading added for details. The most recent batch of flowers we saw under construction was for a Disney production on Broadway. During the tour led by Adam Brand, the owner’s son, we were excited to hear about all the famous people they had made flowers for, such as Sex and the City stars, Vogue magazine, many famous bridal designers, and their most recent, a gown covered in flowers for Lizzo. Students then had the opportunity to make several fabric flowers using the same techniques they had seen during the tour. It was a valuable experience for students to see this industry and to take what they learned back into the classroom.
Counseling
The Counseling Department recently concluded our Conversations with the Deans Webinar for parents of tenth grade students. Having previously held those for parents of ninth and eleventh grade students, we continue to believe that our transition to the webinar format for this program has allowed for greater engagement, more flexibility, and the ability for those unable to attend to have access to each week’s recording. In these sessions, Deans are able to provide their perspective on the many facets of our students' high school experience, whether it is course selection, the postsecondary process, or our overarching goal of supporting their overall social and emotional health.
At the conclusion of each three part program, we provide parents with a survey that allows us to reflect on our practice, what went well, and aspects that could use improvement. Indeed, past feedback encouraged us to include a webinar in June for parents of juniors to provide perspective about their students’ experience in the ensuing months, and again in September for parents of seniors to provide some important reminders regarding the college application process. As counselors, we always value and prefer in-person experiences, and the vast majority of our programs are held in that format. Still, there are times that a webinar session is appropriate, and we are always happy to deliver information and counsel in a manner that matches the many preferences and needs of our parent population.
English
\In the English Department, second quarter was a time of meaningful conversations about wonderful literature both classic and contemporary. Many ninth-grade students studied the Hero’s Journey, applying Joseph Campbell’s monomyth to stories ranging from The Odyssey to The Catcher in the Rye. In Dr. Kroll’s class, students compared how the Journey unfolds in Gilgamesh vs. a Disney or Pixar film of their choice. Mr. Zeliger’s ninth-grade classes also used popular films to map out the Journey as a pre-cursor to reading The Odyssey. Students sought to identify Campell’s template in films such as Moana, The Wizard of Oz, and The Lord of the Rings. Working in groups, they designed posters to depict how the steps of the Journey appear in their film. Understanding how the Journey persists across centuries helps students understand that human aspirations and struggles are similar no matter where or when someone lives.
Meanwhile, in American Studies classes, juniors studied how the real-world issues they learned about in History class have been reflected through the prism of literature. Cathy Comerford’s students read Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” in conjunction with learning about The Progressive Movement. Jennifer Rosenzweig’s students read The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” followed by a screening of Ava DuVernay’s documentary 13th, in order to reflect on America’s legacy of racial inequity. Stephen Mounkhall’s class read The House on Mango Street and “The Yellow Wallpaper” as they studied the history of women’s rights in America.
Health and Physical Education
The Health Education Department has offered an updated version of our Nutrition elective, which is open to all juniors and seniors who are interested in a closer look at up-to-date information in the field of nutrition. Students spent the semester with Ms. Levenberg, who is not only a health teacher but also a licensed Registered Dietician. During the second quarter, the students developed a new project called “This vs. That”. The goal of this project was to analyze those foods found to be popular among high school students that may not be nutritionally sound and then reimagine those foods in a healthier version. Each group started by researching the history of their selected food, the nutritional content and then reimagining it within the goal of keeping its quality and attraction. Simple changes with ingredients helped students achieve their nutritional goals they may set for themselves either now or in the future. Each group then presented to the class the original version along with the newer version to see if they met the goal of keeping the quality but improving the nutritional content. Students reimagined foods such as pancakes, chicken nuggets, candy bars, donuts, and french fries just to name a few.
During the second quarter, our PE students had the opportunity to take part in the Alvin Ailey Arts in Education modern dance program. Some of our 9th & 10th grade PE classes and the 11th & 12th grade Dance & Movement elective class worked with three American Dance Theater professionals. We welcomed back dance artists Wayne Williams and Theara Ward as well as percussionist Joe Barnes to work with our students on the Revelations curriculum. Revelations is Alvin Ailey’s most famous dance piece, and our time was spent on the opening section “I've Been Buked” and “Wade in the Water,” both depicting the pain, sorrow, and joys of the early African American experience in the rural southwest as remembered by choreographer Alvin Ailey. We are fortunate to have so many of our students exposed to such a rich historical, artistic, and timeless work. The culmination of their learning was a performance of their choreography for an audience of their peers.
Library
With the winter doldrums upon us, the Library remains a warm and active place for students and faculty. Our latest Taylor Swift inspired display, “In My Reading Era” features winter-themed books. After conducting our first contest of the year, “Guess How Many M&Ms are in the Jar”, we are gearing up for our next Valentine-themed contest. Students are excited about these fun distractions, and some even employed mathematical formulas to win the M&Ms.
Our more academic endeavors have included classes in creative writing, ancient civilizations, and public policy, to name a few. To support the tremendous amount of research conducted by students and teachers, we have resubscribed to Ancestry.com and have introduced a new subscription resource: Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. This Cornell University database provides 35,000 studies with approximately 25,000 datasets from public opinion surveys dating back to the 1930s.
Mathematics
Students in Ms. Ying’s 424 class took on a special assignment, to research applications of abstract mathematical concepts (such as groups and fields) in the real world. They found that group theories were widely used in physics, chemistry, computer science and cryptography. Students presented their findings in class and everyone was amazed to learn that even the Rubik's Cube and the key signatures in music theory involved group theories.
Math 423 students discovered a way to prove that the triangle interior angle sum is 180 degrees using scissors and origami. See attached pictures.
In Linear Algebra, we will soon be working on the Graph Theory project. New this year is the Game of Sprouts that we added to the project. Here's how to play:
The game begins with n distinct vertices placed at random on a page. A move consists of drawing an edge from one vertex to itself or to another vertex, and placing a new vertex somewhere on the edge. Only two rules must be observed:
(1) The edge cannot cross itself, a previously drawn edge, or pass through a vertex.
(2) No vertex can have more than three edges emanating from it.
Players take turns. The winner is the last player able to draw an edge.
At the end of the game, students will answer these questions:
(1) Describe the winning strategy. Does going first determine a win or a loss?
(2) Is there a relationship between the number of vertices, edges, and faces? If so, what is the equation that relates them?
Students in CS912 and CS913 classes had an opportunity to hear from a guest speaker on "how money works". Concepts such as the "The Rule of 72", compound interest, revolving vs. fixed debt, and investment options were explored. Special emphasis was placed on starting investments as early as possible, preferably at birth. See pictures attached.
As usual, the Math Team is busy as ever! We lost in the quarterfinals of the annual Math Madness competition, to American Heritage School in Broward, FL. After two rounds of the NYS Math League, we are ranked first in the county and 6th in the state overall. Seniors Patrick Chen and Frederick Li are among 11 students in the state with a perfect score through the two rounds.
Music and Performing Arts
Congratulations to the SHS Drama Club on their participation in the Roger Rees Awards. Adjudicators were impressed with Matilda and will be advancing Nico Segal ‘25 (Agatha Trunchbull) and Carlie Kauffman ‘25 (Mrs. Wormwood) to the next round of competition in May. Additionally, the SHSDC student-directed one-acts was a hit! Jessica Rechtschaffen and Sam Kofman directed Cheaters, and Jack Finegold and Oryna Bludova directed Return of the Script.
Congratulations to the Theater Tech classes who have designed and built Matilda, and Student-Directed plays, Cheaters and Return of the Script. We have been hard at work outfitting our department for the summer 2024 auditorium renovation including the overhaul of our Scene Shop, Prop Hallway, and Costume Store. In the next few months, we will be designing, building, painting, lighting, and costuming the Spring play, Badger, and the Senior Class play, Legally Blonde Jr.!
The choir celebrated the holidays by performing their winter concert music to the SHS students during the special assembly before the December break. Members of the Concert Choir traveled to NYC in December to see a Broadway musical and in our travels, did some impromptu caroling at Rockefeller Center!
Congratulations to Evan Lee (Cello, SHS ‘25) for receiving a 2024 YoungArts award. Evan joins some of the most accomplished young visual, literary, and performing artists from across the country heralding the next generation of artists to watch. Winners are selected through a highly competitive application reviewed by panels of esteemed, discipline- specific artists in a rigorous adjudication process.
Psychology and Social Work
The clinicians of the Psychology & Social Work Department are consistently engaging with colleagues to learn about our students and their specific needs. We have developed the Scarsdale Cares Form, a tool utilized by Deans and other school based professionals to identify students who may be in need of additional support. In fact, referrals can be made by any concerned parties, including teachers, administrators, staff, parents, friends, or the students’ themselves. Through regular meetings with the PSW clinicians and Youth Outreach workers, the Scarsdale Cares Form is reviewed and a determination is made regarding how to best follow up on a specific student.
PSW staff also meet regularly as a department. These allow us to outline programming and best practices, while monthly meetings with our school administrators provide the opportunity to discuss the latest trends we are seeing with students. The entire school support team (Deans, Psychologists, Social Worker, Youth Outreach Worker, Nurses, and administrators) meet on a quarterly basis to maintain ongoing communication and awareness of all that is being done on our students’ behalf. All these meetings often generate ideas for future programming or support, or highlight trends and areas that may need additional focus.
Through STI courses, presentations at faculty meetings, engagements with faculty, and ongoing departmental collaboration, the professionals of the PSW Department recognize that to be successful, we must rely on our partners in the broader school community to provide us with ongoing support and feedback, and look forward to our continued work together.
Science
Each year, winter brings the excitement of competitions and conferences within the department. The Science Olympiad club organizes teams to participate in a number of these opportunities. Students are assigned to small groups to prepare for specific events in the different academic areas of science and building challenges. This time of year our dedicated competitors can be found practicing in the High School hallways late into the afternoons. Recently, our students competed at the Sixth Annual Science Olympiad Invitational Tournament. The event was hosted on Carnegie Mellon’s Pittsburgh campus, where students completed all 23 of the official 2024 “Division C” events.
The Science Olympiad experience includes rigorous hands-on competitive tasks and challenging exams that help to prepare students for competitions at the regional, state, and national levels. Students were immersed in an environment that tested their ability to work effectively in teams to think critically, innovate, collaborate and integrate STEM principles to effectively design an approach to address real-world challenges. Our students successfully competed among roughly two dozen schools. A particular highlight was the Flight event, where our group designed a free flight, rubber-powered aircraft that was able to achieve a time aloft of over one minute! The Science Olympiad club benefits from the enthusiastic support and coaching of teachers from the chemistry group. They have dedicated countless hours outside of school preparing students for high-level competition and attending events. Students and teachers will soon be off to Regionals, which is the entry path to the Science Olympiad State Tournament.
Social Studies
In the second quarter, many ninth graders developed video projects that integrated skills in visual and written argumentation. For example, in the classrooms of Kami Wright, Kendra Claussen and Carlos Bedoya, students researched classical empires. Working in collaborative groups, with the support of Meredith Dutra, they created videos similar to National Geographic documentaries, exploring the rise, maintenance of power, and fall of their empires, while weaving in core themes of unity, order and stability. Students developed scripts that included research citations. They created slideshows for their videos, developing their visual literacy skills as they thought about which images would be most effective for their scripts. They recorded audio voice-overs, and then debated how to integrate appropriate music to enhance the effectiveness of their projects. In discussions after completing the videos, students analyzed whether the benefits of imperial rule outweighed the costs. This project is a foundation for skills students will continue to develop, both in second-semester ninth grade assessments and in the tenth grade research paper.
Our twelfth-grade Public Policy students also engaged in exciting hands-on learning. In Carine Thompson’s City 2.0 course, students engaged in a design-thinking project, retrofitting sites in Scarsdale and Westchester to encourage healthy, active living and promote community. Teachers Bob Draper and Ben Sawyer contributed as “guest judges” for this authentic assessment. In Peace-ing It Together, Heather Waters’ students explored policies to address food insecurity in Westchester and New York. Many students volunteered at a local soup kitchen, participating in real-world learning that builds empathy and understanding.
Special Education
Teachers in the Learning Resource Center have participated in a variety of workshops to stay current on emerging trends and learn about new tactics for assisting our students. We attended workshops on college transition planning and language processing disorders. Members of the department gave a presentation on accessibility and artificial intelligence at a technology conference organized by BOCES, along with representatives from our instructional technology department. They talked about the advantages and disadvantages of adopting artificial intelligence and emphasized the benefits of assistive technology for kids. As lifelong learners, we are constantly searching for fresh approaches to improve our teaching, assist our students, and stay abreast of the most recent developments in education.
Coming down the pike in March is our College Night for Students with Learning Differences, a program we co-sponsor with the Counseling Department. The workshop will be back in person and we hope you can join us as we hear from college admissions officers, special services representatives and a Scarsdale parent who has successfully navigated the process. More information will be forthcoming shortly.
We are also getting ready to begin our annual review season. Meetings begin in late February and continue into the spring. Be on the lookout for details from your child’s LRC teacher.
STEAM
It’s been quite the year for innovation in the Design Lab as we start to see student innovation and impact come to life in STEAM courses.
In our Introductory Human-Centered Design class, students designed and manufactured over ten customizable footrests for students in Ms. Mueller’s and Ms. Carozza’s elementary school classes. These adjustable footrests serve students whose feet can’t touch the ground yet, allowing them to sit with proper posture and increase their focus and engagement in class. Ms. Mueller and Ms. Carozza were gifted these sets of custom footrests, and they can be found in use across classrooms today!
In Dr. Kumaresan’s Principles of Electrical Engineering course, students applied their knowledge of circuitry and programming to create impactful prototypes. Students created products ranging from self-watering plant devices to adaptive devices for students with visual impairment.
In AT Entrepreneurship, students were hard at work narrowing their ventures and creating working prototypes in the last few weeks. Starting with over 50 potential projects, students chose the top thirteen most impactful products and services that they want to create. These included projects like Safe Strider, an innovative walking stick for people who are blind that allows them to sense their environment well before they reach objects in their way and UpCrate, an educational subscription service that provides do-it-yourself projects for children using upcycled material. In the coming months, students will be releasing their first prototypes into the world and receiving feedback- if you get a chance to see them in action, let us know your thoughts!
School Government
SHS’s School Government had an exciting second quarter. School Government officers worked to prepare for the annual High School Community Dinner. With diverse food options and live music, the event was a big success! Over 250 Scarsdale residents attended, and Government raised nearly $10,000. The proceeds of this event were donated to Giving Tree Global’s food pantry in Rye, Bread of Life. Student officers then worked to hold a successful Spirit Week and Winter Pep Rally. The Spirit Week featured fun and new theme days like Wild West Wednesday and Ugly Sweater Day. The lively week culminated with Friday’s Pep Rally, which showcased varsity sports teams, a diverse group of clubs, and spirited student emcees. School Government has also been working on expanding the extracurricular opportunities for students at SHS. We received a record number of new club applications, reviewed them all, and added new clubs like The Social Justice Club and The Stagecraft Club.
World Language
Students are deepening their cultural literacy and broadening their language skills as we approach the end of the first semester. Spanish level 2 students created original piñatas to learn about and celebrate the Mexican tradition of making piñatas. The AT Spanish students enjoyed their field trip to the Spanish Repertory Theater in New York City. When sharing feedback, students shared some important lessons from their experience studying the play: “The play demonstrates the consequences of suppressing individuality and freedom” and another shared, “I think I realized that a parent's responsibility is to help their child grow, not shape their child through oppressive methods.”
The AT French students have been discussing secularism in France, and will soon be starting the memoir Le cœur à rire et à pleurer by Maryse Condé.
Our youngest Latin students have been exploring ancient Britain during its occupation by the Romans. Others have been learning about Pompeii, both before and after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Our upper level Latin students have begun their study and analysis of the Aeneid by Vergil, an epic poem about the mythical founding of Roman civilization.
Mandarin students completed a successful field trip to ChinaTown in NYC to practice their vocabulary and speaking skills in a real life context.
The World Language clubs have been busy as well! The French club hosted its annual Bûche De Noël contest with very lucky faculty judges who were invited to rate the most delicious, most attractive and most authentic samples. The Spanish club co-sponsored along with the Junior class government an incredibly successful toy drive, collecting over 250 toys that were donated to Centro Hispano for their Three Kings Celebration. The Latin club hosted a party celebrating the Roman winter festival of Saturnalia, in which they created clay figurines, played mythology based charades and learned about the many traditions of Saturnalia that are present in our own winter holidays. The Chinese Culture Club hosted its widely popular annual Lunar New Celebration, ushering in the Year of the Dragon!