Bedford Central School District
Dr. Manno's E-Brief, March 2019, Edition #11
Superintendent's Scoop
2018 - 2019, Edition #11, March 2019
Inspiring and Challenging Our Students
Cultivating curiosity and passion for learning.
Providing challenging educational opportunities.
All students achieving their full potential.
A Message from the Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools
Dear BCSD Families and Residents,
This is the time of year we work to finalize the budget for the next school year. The Board of Education will continue to discuss the budget at the next regularly scheduled meeting on April 3rd before they adopt a final budget on April 17th. Please see our website to review budget development information. Once the budget is finalized, budget presentations will be conducted throughout the District to provide information to our community members.
The 2019-20 BCSD School Calendar has been finalized and can be found on our website under "Calendars."
Also, this month BCSD's 2018-19 Demographic Study was presented to the Board of Education by Demographer, Dr. Paul Seversky. The District will work in the coming year with a consulting firm to assist the District and school community stakeholders in making decisions for BCSD related to the demographic study data and alternatives for school configurations, given our declining enrollment.
Included in this newsletter is information about various student and staff achievements, and upcoming District events.
Thank you for your continued support of BCSD.
Sincerely,
Colette Dow, President
Michelle Brooks, Vice President
Michael Bauscher
Bill Canavan
Pam Harney
Edward Reder
Beth Staropoli
Dr. Christopher M. Manno, Superintendent of Schools
Working a Problem
- Communicate with the teacher (faculty or staff) member directly about the matter and give that person a chance to resolve the matter.
- Communicate with the Coordinator (if applicable, e.g. FLMS or FLHS curricular or instructional matters, K-12 classroom special education matters, Art, Music, Physical Education classroom matters) about the matter and give that person a chance to resolve the matter.
- Communicate with the building administrator (principal or assistant principal as appropriate) and give the building administration a chance to resolve the matter.
- Communicate with the appropriate Central Office administrator and give that person a chance to work with parties to resolve the matter.
- If unable to resolve the matter successfully, place the concern in writing to the Superintendent's Office.
- If still unable to resolve the matter, and it is appropriate, place the concern in writing to the Board of Education.
1. How do I contact a teacher?
Here is the BCSD Staff Directory.
2. Who are the Coordinators and how do I contact them?
- K-12 Visual Arts - Ms. Heather Kranz
- K-12 Music - Mr. Peter Griffin
- K-12 Health and Physical Education - Mr. Joe Klausz
- Special Education Coordinators - K-5, 6-8, 9-12
- 6-12 Math - Ms. Samantha Hirsch
- 6-12 Science - Mr. Paul Frisch
- 6-12 English Language Arts - Mr. Paul Cullagh
- 6-12 Social Studies and Business - Ms. Jenny Olson
- 6-12 Guidance - Mr. Steve Marcisz
3. How do I reach my building administrators?
Building administrators are identified on each school website; click "Select a School" in the red bar. They can also be found in the BCSD Directory.
4. Which Central Office Administrator do I contact and how?
- Issues related to curriculum, instruction, assessment - Dr. Joel Adelberg, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
- Issues related to student support, e.g. guidance, residency, social-emotional support, discipline - Dr. Ed Escobar, Director of Pupil Personnel Services
- Issues related to Special Education - Ms. Deborah Dormady, Director of Special Education
- Issues related to ESOL - Ms. Adrienne Viscardi, Director of ESOL Programs
- Issues related to Athletics - Mr. Chris Coughlin, Director of Athletics
- Issues related to District and School Technology - Mr. David Gee, Director of Technology
- Transportation Concerns - Mr. Mark Connolly, Supervisor of Transportation
Parents and community members, Fox Lane juniors and seniors need your help!
Do you have experience interviewing applicants, either for the college you attended or for your employer? We need seasoned interviewers who can help Fox Lane students practice interviewing techniques and improve their communication skills!
The Foundation for Bedford Central Schools is offering two practice interview sessions this spring at Fox Lane:
- Mock Interview Event for College on Wednesday, April 17 from 3pm-7pm at the Fox Lane Guidance Department for juniors only.
- Mock Interview Event for Jobs/Internships on Wednesday, May 15 from 3pm-7pm at the Fox Lane Guidance Department for juniors and seniors.
The commitment is minimal — sign up to conduct one or (ideally) two 45-minute sessions (30 minutes for the interview, 15 minutes for feedback) at the time of your choice between 3pm and 7pm. For more information and to sign up, send an email to kristinanweise@gmail.com with your contact info and availability! All materials and light refreshments will be provided.
To learn more about the Foundation for Bedford Central Schools, visit us at www.foundationbcs.org.
Register for the Elementary BikeRun by Friday, March 29th at 5 pm!
LAST CHANCE to register for the BCSD BikeRun!
Registration will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 29-- visit here to register.
BikeRun is the only district health and wellness event that unites all five elementary schools, and in a fun, kid friendly format. Here are some more details:
- Who? All BCSD elementary school students K - 5 are eligible to participate
- What? Bike laps and Run laps, divided by grade and skill level
- Where? Fox Lane High School Campus
- When? Sunday, May 19, 8 a.m.
- Why? It's fun! It's healthy! And there's lots to do other than Bike and Run!
BikeRun will once again offer food and refreshments, exciting activities hosted by Gold Sponsor Camp Kiwi, and bicycle safety checks by Silver Sponsor Bicycle World of Mount Kisco! Many other sponsor activities will be available for families to enjoy, as well as a fabulous raffles, including one for a new bike!
- How much does it cost? The registration fee of $12 per child includes a t-shirt to wear the day of the event, customized bib with your child's name or nickname (you choose online!), helmet number, bike number, a fun goodie bag with gifts from our sponsors and a race medal.
- Why do I registration online? We collect all of your child's information online, including t-shirt size and race experience, as well as collect registration fees and allow you to pre-purchase your raffle tickets (we'll bring them to the event for you with your name pre-printed on each ticket).
- Can I volunteer at this year's BikeRun? You sure can! We're always looking for volunteers leading up to the BikeRun and at the event. Please select a volunteering opportunity in the registration form, and thanks in advance!
Questions? Email the BikeRun Team.
We received such positive feedback on this piece, we are running it again for anyone who missed it last month...
The dangers of substance use and abuse
Dear Parents,
As you know, in my capacity as Superintendent of Schools, I have written many times over the years regarding various issues facing our school district. Today, I wish to do something quite different.
It may surprise some of you that I am a parent of four children, ranging in ages from 13 to 22. I am no stranger to the challenges which accompany being a parent in today’s climate. Parenting is certainly not easy, and as a parent myself, I am respectful of the many decisions which parents must make daily regarding the welfare of their children. Today, I write to you less as a Superintendent, and more as a parent concerning the health and safety of our BCSD children, in the same way as I am concerned for the health and safety of my own children.
As many of you may know, in January our school district hosted a Summit on Drug and Alcohol Use among our Youth. Nearly 100 concerned guests attended. The guest list included our elected officials, our medical and mental health professionals, representatives from law enforcement, fire, and EMS, clinicians, counselors, substance abuse prevention and intervention experts, our teachers and administrators, and a number of our parents.
After over two hours of presentations, discussion, listening, and reflection, we became profoundly aware of three things:
1. We learned this is not just a BCSD problem. This is occurring in communities across Westchester County, New York State, and our Nation.
2. Our school district, like many of the surrounding districts, has a problem with regard to our students’ use of alcohol, nicotine, vaping paraphernalia and accompanying substances, marijuana, and other drugs. Data reported directly from our students confirms this.
- We learned that drug and alcohol use by our students has led to serious health and legal consequences.
- We heard the stories of Ms. Ally Kernan, a recovering opioid addict, now a substance abuse prevention and intervention professional; and, from Mr. Jeff Veach, who lost his son to an opioid overdose at age 17. Mr. Veach's son, Justin, upon his first use of heroin, did not wake up.
- We learned that in both cases, and in countless others, marijuana and alcohol abuse are gateways to serious substance abuse problems, including opioid abuse. This is particularly problematic when substance use begins at a younger age, such as middle school.
The current state of this problem is unsafe and unhealthy for our children.
So where do we go from here?
First, I am asking parents to join me in becoming more informed about this issue. I ask you to start with the following short articles, which will take very little time to read:
- Addiction starts early and easily: The story of Allie Kernan: https://www.fairfieldcitizenonline.com/news/article/Chat-with-Allison-Kernan-11240543.php
- Marijuana: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-facts-parents-need-to-know/letter-to-parents
- Alcohol: https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/adolescentflyer/adolflyer.htm
- Vaping: https://drugfree.org/parent-blog/the-teen-vaping-trend-what-parents-need-to-know/
Second, I am asking parents who have hosted or are considering hosting a party at which alcohol and drugs, including marijuana, are available to minors to please reconsider this choice. I am asking parents who are allowing their adolescents to attend such parties to please reconsider this choice. The consequences of doing so can be severe:
- Of late, police have been called to a number of parties and arrests have been made.
- Westchester County has a Social Host Law. This law “establishes fines for knowingly allowing a party, gathering, or event where minors are present and alcoholic beverages are consumed by one or more minors.” This means that the parent can be liable for “allowing” the party even if they do not provide the alcohol. The consequence is a violation of law for the first and second offense and a misdemeanor for the third and subsequent offenses. The punishment ranges from fines of $250 – $1,000 and the possibility of imprisonment up to one year. (Source)
- This article expands on the consequences of providing alcohol to minors.
Third and finally, help keep your children healthy and safe. I am asking parents to talk to your children about this article and the physical and psychological dangers of drug and alcohol use and abuse. Just as our student-athletes sign a pledge to remain drug and alcohol-free, all parents may consider asking their children to sign a family pledge to remain drug and alcohol-free.
Accordingly, if you are aware of a situation affecting a student or students with regard to alcohol or substance abuse, there are a number of ways to help that student.
- You may call BCSD's Student Assistance Counselors: FLMS, Tamara Tribble at 914-241-6026, or ttribble0823@bcsdny.org; FLHS, Angela Alvarado at 914-241-6050, or aalvarado0823@bcsddny.org.
- You can file an Anonymous Alert, which will be picked up by the student’s principal and me.
- All residents are encouraged to report suspected house parties with alcohol or other substance to this tipline: 1-866-UNDER21. You just might save a life. This hotline is jointly sponsored by the NYS Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, The NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), and the NYS Police.
- You may contact your principal, assistant principal, guidance counselor, clinician, a trusted teacher, or our Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Dr. Ed Escobar at 914-241-6022 or eescobar3312@bcsdny.org.
- You may call me directly. I can be reached at (914) 241-6011 or cmanno4173@bcsdny.org.
My staff and I will discreetly involve the right people to provide our youth with the intervention, protection, and support that they need.
Thank you for considering this article. I look forward to continuing this dialogue and your feedback on this issue.
In service, as both your Superintendent and as a concerned parent,
Dr. Christopher Manno,
Superintendent of Schools
Student and Faculty Achievements
I-FEST2, GENIUS Olympiad, and the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair!
I-FEST2
Senior Science Research student, Madeleine Sleeman will be traveling to Tunisia for the International Festival of Engineering in Tunisia, Sciences and Technology (I-FEST2) March 20-23, 2019. She will be presenting her research via PowerPoint. Congratulations and good luck!
International GENIUS (Global ENvironmental Issues and US) Olympiad
On Monday, March 18th, the international GENIUS Olympiad announced its finalists. Of the 10 Fox Lane Science Research students who entered by paper, 6 were selected as finalists:
- Min Young Lee (also won through WESEF and will receive an all-expenses paid trip)
- Olivia Alvarez
- Benjamin Bassett
- Cerina Karr
- Marie Kazibwe
- Madeleine Sleeman
These students will travel to Oswego, NY in June to present their research via poster among over 700 projects from 70 countries and 34 U.S. states. Congratulations and good luck!
The Regeneron Westchester Science and Engineering Fair
On Saturday, March 16th, fifteen 2nd and 3rd year FLHS Science Research students presented their research at the 19th Annual Regeneron Westchester Science and Engineering Fair (WESEF) at Sleepy Hollow High School. Students presented their multi-year science research projects amongst more than 650 students from 41 Westchester and Putnam county high schools.
Congratulations to all Fox Lane Science Research students who presented:
Olivia Alvarez, Makenzie Boylan, Caitlin Brown, Samantha Feingold, Theodore Grossberndt, Charlotte Heisenberg, Natasha Heisenberg, Marie Kazibwe, Min Young Lee, Sara Parmet, Isabella Pansini, Kyla Simkhai, Madeleine Sleeman, Prema Tareque, Daniel Zapata
With special recognition of our award winners:
- Theodore Grossberndt - Mu Alpha Theta Award (certificate)
- Natasha Heisenberg - NOAA Taking the Pulse of the Planet Award (certificate)
- Prema Tareque - Society for In Vitro Biology Award (certificate)
- Sara Parmet - Mianus River Gorge Ecology Award ($25)
- Marie Kazibwe – Excellence in Medical Research Award ($25)
- Kyla Simkhai - Office of Naval Research Award ($50)
- Makenzie Boylan - Teatown Young Conservationist Award ($50)
- Daniel Zapata - Community Impact Award ($100)
- Madeleine Sleeman - 3rd Place in Cellular and Molecular Biology ($75)
- Min Young Lee - 3rd Place in Neuroscience ($75)
- Isabella Pansini - 2nd Place in Cellular and Molecular Biology ($100)
- Min Young Lee – GENIUS Olympiad finalist (all-expenses-paid trip to international GENIUS Olympiad)
2019 New York State Science Olympiad Tournament Summary!
Fox Lane High School finished 31st at the 2019 New York State Science Olympiad Tournament. Over 650 teams compete regionally to qualify for the state tournament. The best 56 schools from throughout New York State are then selected to compete at Le Moyne College.
Fifteen students from Fox Lane High School worked together to compete in 26 different STEM-related events.
- Cerina Karr became the first to represent Fox Lane at the State tournament for 4 consecutive years.
- Kenny Poor and Alejandra Perea Rojas earned a medal for placing 8th in Thermodynamics.
- Christian Baccay, Stefanie Guiliano, Cerina Karr, Bea Pence, Alejandra Perea Rojas, Kaitlyn Ramlakhan, and Diane Zhang are seniors.
- Ben Bassett, Abby Bayuk, Sasha Boguraev, Val Donchev, Alex Gagliardi, Joe Purcell, and Jeremy Tetenman are all underclassmen.
WPES' Dorothy Venditto Receives Recognition as Innovative Teacher by Regional Group
Useful Information and Links
Report suspected house parties with alcohol or other substance to this tipline: 1-866-UNDER21.
Consistent High-Quality Communications
To acknowledge emails from parents, guardians, or students
within 24 hours, and respond within 48 hours.
Local Live - Enjoy Fox Lane Sporting Events Anytime, Anywhere!
Emergency Closings, Delays, or Early Dismissals
Families and staff members will get notified via phone, email, and text using our School Messenger system. Please make sure your school has up-to-date contact information .
The District also posts delay, early dismissal, or closing information on the District Website, BCSDTV, and uses WHUD, News 12, NBC-TV, CBS-TV, FOX 5, and ABC-TV to broadcast school closings, late arrivals, and early dismissals.
On days when inclement weather is predicted, the decision to close school could be made the evening prior. If not, the decision-making process begins at 3:30 a.m. and includes research on weather conditions, assessment of site conditions for our schools, consultation with the highway departments of our towns, and a conference call with regional superintendents of schools. A decision will be made by approximately 5 a.m. and the communication process will be initiated.
Some important information:
- A "Delay" means a 2-hour delay for students and staff. Students report to their bus stops or arrive at school 2 hours after normal time.
- When a "Delay" is called, please continue to be alert for communications, as a "Delay" can become a "School Closing."
- For "Early Dismissals," the earliest dismissal bus runs for the high school/middle school begin at 10:20 a.m. Elementary students are dismissed at 11:30 a.m.
If schools are closed, facilities are not available for after-school or evening activities by internal or external organizations; therefore, all after-school activities and meetings are cancelled, with the exception of after-care occurring in schools.
For "Early Dismissals," staff members are dismissed after students have left a campus.
If schools are closed or there is an early dismissal on a Friday, please check the District website for the status of weekend activities.