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Greeley Grads Implore Businesses: Commit to Employ People on the Autism Spectrum

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Tracy and Luke, following their (ASTEP’s) featured presentation at LinkedIn’s InDay
Tracy and Luke, following their (ASTEP’s) featured presentation at LinkedIn’s InDay

By Tracy Powell-Rudy (née Wolff)

When I graduated from Horace Greeley High School in 1980, the national incidence rate for autism was 1 in 10,000. When my son started at Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua in the 1990s, it had risen to 1 in 2,500. By the time my daughter was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (AS)+ early in the new millennium, the autism incidence rate was 1 in 150.

Today the incidence rate is 1 in 68. And today, I serve as Director of Corporate Engagement for the Asperger Syndrome Training & Employment Partnership (ASTEP).

On the surface, the statistics alone can be daunting. However, with early intervention, many children with an autism diagnosis are going on to graduate from high school, and over one-third of those high school graduates are going on to some form of post-secondary education including college*. That’s the good news. The not-so-good news: of the one-third who do attend college, 75-85% are unemployed or underemployed after graduation, compared with the 28% unemployment rate for all college graduates**.

In many ways, individuals with Asperger’s or similar autism spectrum profiles are ideal employees. They often have a solid work ethic, strongly adhere to rules and are direct and very honest. On the other hand, they can also be very literal, speak with a professorial tone and can have a hard time making eye contact. As a result, and despite the aforementioned strengths–and I speak from prior experience as principal of a retained executive search firm –AS individuals are often screened out during the initial interview process.

Greeley Grad (’80) Meets
Greeley Grad (’09)

Last fall, I met and began working with a local young man who was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at age nine in 2000 and who, like me, also graduated from Greeley. His name is Luke Davis***.

After spending time with Luke, I was hard-pressed to understand why the unemployment rate for individuals with Asperger’s is so high. Luke, along with many other young adults who have worked closely with ASTEP, is able to navigate the complexities of a college campus and the rigors of a college curriculum at higher institutions of learning such as Rutgers, RIT, Oberlin, Brandeis, Skidmore, Columbia, and the CUNY and SUNY systems. Indeed, many colleges and universities now provide strong support programs and services for individuals with Asperger’s. Likewise, forward-thinking companies, especially those that see the benefits of creating diverse and inclusive work environments, are working towards doing the same.

“The Best Kind of Support System”

Though Luke spoke later than most children his age, today he speaks with thoughtful clarity and unique insight. Likewise, though he acknowledges that networking is not his strongest suit, Luke credits his elementary school with offering the “best kind of support system, the best kind of environment” in which to grow. He further credits his parents with making sure his education was centered on the fact that he just processed things differently than his peers did.

Luke graduated from SUNY Purchase in May of 2014 with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and has since worked in various video production internship positions. He currently works in the Document Management department at the United States Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, where he preps case files to be digitally archived. While the position appeals to Luke as an active visual worker, and requires an acute attention to detail that most do not possess, it nonetheless quickly becomes clear to anyone lucky enough to chat with Luke that the work is not commensurate with his experience and skill set. Almost hesitantly, Luke acknowledges this. The situation reveals a few remarkable takeaways: the first is Luke’s positive yet unyieldingly honest approach. The second is a clear illustration of the underemployment issue.

ASTEP Steps In

Founded by Marcia Scheiner in 2010, ASTEP is a 501(c)3 organization providing consulting services in the form of assessment, sensitivity awareness and accommodation training, on-boarding, mentoring and recruitment to Fortune 1000 employers interested in hiring and retaining this untapped workforce. ASTEP’s mission is to improve the quality of life of individuals with Asperger Syndrome and similar autism profiles by working with employers to create inclusive work environments that lead to suitable and sustainable employment opportunities.

Making the Connection Between Employers and Recent Graduates

During the fall of 2014, Luke attended ASTEP’s Corporate Lecture Series in New York City. “Our Corporate Lecture Series provides the opportunity for a two-way interaction between employers and individuals with Asperger’s,” said Marcia Scheiner, ASTEP’s President. To date, ASTEP has held successful events in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, including companies such as NBCUniversal, PwC, Oracle, Cisco, LinkedIn, EY, Quirky, Barclays, Turner Sports and Northwestern Mutual.

Each two-hour event is broken down into three sections: company presentations, interactive exercises and a networking session for attendees and company representatives. To prepare student-attendees for the job search process, the program focuses on improving networking skills, refining personal career goals, understanding corporate culture and developing a personal brand as a job candidate. Companies participating in the event learn about integrating individuals with Asperger Syndrome or similar autism profiles into the workplace and the special capabilities these potential employees possess. Since its inception in 2011, over 80 students have completed ASTEP’s corporate lecture series program, and several of our client-companies have or are starting to create internships, temporary/permanent positions and mentoring programs to support the hiring of these individuals and others as a result of their work with us.

Back at their mutual alma mater, Tracy and Luke show their HGHS spirit.
Back at their mutual alma mater, Tracy and Luke show their HGHS spirit.

“Dreaming Up What Else Is Out There”

To Luke, the best thing about working with ASTEP was being able to see how various corporations function, and to see how willing they are to work with people who have disabilities. It gave him a different perspective and allowed him to understand just what kinds of possibilities are available to him –as he put it, “dreaming what else is out there.”

If he had to communicate just one thing, what would it be? Surprisingly (or not surprisingly), his response was directed at the parents of young adults with Asperger Syndrome and similar autism profiles: “Tell your children that this so-called disability does not have to hinder or inhibit them. Tell them that there are resources out there, and they do not have to fear being judged.”

I’d like to echo Luke’s sentiment and, as a parent, add a final note: if I had to communicate just one thing, I’d tell the parents that they can help drive this change. Changed attitudes lead to changed behaviors. Many of ASTEP’s relationships with employers have been facilitated by parents who are executives in Fortune 1000 companies eager to champion inclusivity around Asperger’s and similar autism profiles.

As we complete our fifth series and the holiday season approaches, all of us at ASTEP would like to extend our warmest “thanksgivings” to the many companies, parents, young adults and our countless other champions, and invite you to reach out to us to explore how to engage this untapped pool of capable and talented young adults.

+ “Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger’s syndrome, Asperger disorder (AD) or simply Asperger’s, is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.” Wikipedia

* Roux, AM, Shattuck, PT, Cooper, BP, Anderson, KA, et al. (2013). “Postsecondary employment experiences among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder” – Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(9), 931.

** BLS Monthly Labor Review, 2013

*** We respect and support Luke’s request to use an alias for his last name so that he retains control over if, when and how he discloses his diagnosis to a prospective employer.

For more information about how your company can work with ASTEP, contact Tracy Powell-Rudy at tpowell-rudy@asperger-employment.org.

Tracy Powell-Rudy (HGHS ’80) currently serves as ASTEP’s Director of Corporate Engagement. Prior to joining ASTEP, Tracy spent six years in executive search as Principal with a premier retained global search firm. Earlier, Tracy worked in technology and telecommunications leading MCI’s Northeast Division IT organization. Tracy graduated Summa Cum Laude from Manhattanville College, and has an MS in Telecommunications Management with honors from NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering. She has also served locally as both producer and board member for The Armonk Players community theater and on the CCSD’s Special Education Parent Committee. 

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A Local Rabbi’s Journey for Justice

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jj torah
Rabbi Jaffe with NAACP President Cornell Brooks

By Matt Smith

They say in order to fully understand someone–and their cause–you should walk a mile in their shoes. In an effort to reconnect with the roots of Reformed Judaism, understand socioeconomic issues, celebrate Jewish history, and strengthen relationships with congregates outside the local community, Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe of Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester did just that…and then some.

On Thursday, August 27, Rabbi Jaffe took part in the Journey for Justice, an 860-mile (in total) march from Selma, Alabama to Washington, DC, in commemoration of the March in Selma and the Voting Rights Act’s 50th anniversary this year.

Organized and led by the NAACP, in association with the Religious Action Center–“the very first political advocacy group by the Reform Movement in Washington, DC,” noted the Rabbi–the march aimed to promote awareness for a variety of social issues and unite people of different faiths, religions and backgrounds under a common agenda. Members of the Reform Jewish Movement were asked to sign up and march for the cause. One of 200 Reformed Rabbis from all over North America, who marched in support of social justice and education reform, among others, Rabbi Jaffe joined the group in Columbia, South Carolina, and marched for a day.

“The experience was wonderful,” the Rabbi said of the event. “I met people from the NAACP I would have never encountered [otherwise], and heard about what they’ve been doing, and shared our stories as well. It’s a wonderful bonding experience for two communities that seldom come into contact with one another.”

Among the highlights of his day was walking with Cornell Brooks, current President of the NAACP. “It was wonderful watching Mr. Brooks literally walk the talk along with the many volunteers,” the Rabbi continued. “He even carried the Torah…all the while taking time to speak with the volunteers.”

Rabbi Jaffe also noted that the march was significant because it solidified for him the idea that, in certain areas of the country (and of course, the world at large) people still hold great prejudice against others–especially chilling to encounter considering the inherent purpose of the march. “You see the best and worst of people in these times,” he stated. He recalls one instance where “as we were walking, there was a service station where [shopkeepers] went inside and then ran up Confederate Flags. There was [also] a motorcycle that buzzed by us a couple times and was definitely keeping tabs on us.”

However, he was also touched to see others’ outpouring of generosity and kindness during later rest stops throughout the journey. Specifically in the “one-gas-station town” of Bethune, “one of the shopkeepers saw that we were coming and ran inside and quickly cooked hot dogs and put out salad and provided lunch, ‘cause she wanted to do something to support the marchers. That selflessness was quite amazing and inspiring to see.”

But the exposure to the different people and other areas within the country are just two of many reasons behind the Rabbi’s decision to embark on this journey. At its heart, as he reinforced, the event the march is acknowledging is “a very strong part of the history of reformed Judaism.”

And, in fact, it’s also a strong of part of the history of Temple Beth El: Rabbi Murray Saltzman, one of Beth El’s Rabbis during the 1960s, participated in many protests throughout the Civil Rights Movement, alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. and was even one of the rabbis jailed for his participation in the St. Augustine Movement. With this centralized connection to the Chappaqua community, coupled with the history of the Jewish community and the general call for rabbis’ involvement, “I jumped at [the chance to join],” exclaimed the Rabbi. “It seemed like an amazing opportunity.”

Not only does it seem like it was indeed an amazing opportunity, but the day’s events seem to have struck a chord for Rabbi Jaffe. He expressed interest in finding ways to continue supporting the issues protested during the march on a more local scale, as a way to get the community more involved. (Specifically, he mentioned working with the Antioch Baptist Church in Bedford Hills, NY, with which Temple Beth El maintains a close relationship).

America’s Journey for Justice took place between August 1 and September 16, where it ended at the nation’s Capitol. For more information on
Temple Beth El, please visit
www.bethelnw.org.

Matt Smith, a proud graduate of Skidmore College, is a regular contributor to The Inside Press.

Chappaqua Cares to Raise Funds for Empty Bowls Westchester

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Bowl Painting Party Photos provided courtesy of Mindy Kombert of the NWAG
Bowl Painting Party Photos provided courtesy of Mindy Kombert of the NWAG

By Jessica Reinmann

Chappaqua Cares is hosting “Empty Bowls Westchester,” its first Fundraising Event, on Sunday, November 15, at The Whippoorwill Club in Armonk.

Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger. The basic premise is simple: the community works together to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The Empty Bowls movement has taken off in many cities around the country and the world.

The money raised at Empty Bowls Westchester will be donated to the Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry, The Community Center of Northern Westchester and other food pantries around Northern Westchester. The Chappaqua Artists Guild is helping to paint and glaze 150 bowls. Chappaqua Cares has been hosting painting parties at local venues including Quaker Hill Tavern, Sherry B, Lange’s Little Store, and the Chappaqua Library to encourage community members to get involved in and excited about the event. Additionally, Chappauqa Cares is hoping that others in the community, both artists and families, will make their own bowls to donate.

There will also be a “Celebrity Bowls” silent auction where event attendees can bid on bowls signed and/or painted by celebrities in the sports, music, movie, television and political world.  There will even be some very special bowls painted by some very recognizable “local celebrities”.

Event tickets are $125 and can be purchased through the Chappaqua Cares website at www.chappaquacares.org. To sponsor the event or donate a “Celebrity Bowl,” please contact me at reinmann31@gmail.com.

Fall into Fashion this Season: Stylish in Town Offerings Abound

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Nicole’s Look: From Squires-Nally & Millie long sleeve, Fillmore rain coat, Christopher Blue stretch cords, and Frye motorcycle boots. Chrisu scarf and all jewelry from House of 29. Tom Ford sunglasses from Eye Gallery. Hair by Salon 228 and makeup by Victoria Hair from Cathy’s Hair Room
Nicole’s Look: From Squires-Nally & Millie long sleeve, Fillmore rain coat, Christopher Blue stretch cords, and Frye motorcycle boots. Chrisu scarf and all jewelry from House of 29. Tom Ford sunglasses from Eye Gallery.
Hair by Salon 228 and makeup by Victoria Hair from Cathy’s Hair Room
Trent’s Squires Look: Arc’teryx vest, Vineyard Vines button down, Tommy Bahama cords, and Ugg Boots
Trent’s Squires Look: Arc’teryx vest, Vineyard Vines button down, Tommy Bahama cords, and Ugg Boots

By Lauren Levin

Fall is an amazing season. The fashion is especially fun:  structured blazers, thick boots, and boyfriend jeans.  It’s a beautiful one in Chappaqua–and the busiest! School starts! Work gets crazy; you may have been working the entire summer but the Tuesday after Labor Day is always a bit more hectic?  You may well find yourself/entire family completely booked in September/October/November:  driving kids to soccer practice/playdates/birthday parties/Dunkin Donuts (they seem to all get hungry), and picking up a blueberry pie at the Farmer’s Market (it’s just that good!). If you’re feeling ambitious, you make a stop at Community Day, this year on September 26th, so your two-year-old can hit that bouncy castle.

Bottom line: You are always running short on time; also, you just moved here; all you own are your “city” clothes (you know the ones you wore before you had kids?). Maybe you have too many work clothes? Or you’ve been meaning to buy a new wardrobe, but who has time to drive to and from the mall (and who wants to pay for parking anyway)?

Here’s our solution…check out our stores in town! You’ll save time.  You’ll receive impeccable service. And you might even find something to wear that’s a trade up from that old uniform.  Take a moment to check out what this town has to offer this fall season–I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Touted as the store for the entire family, Squires Family Clothing and Footwear has great brands and an amazing selection year round.

You can find a Patagonia fleece for chilly summer nights and it’s the go to store for busy, casual, days. In Nicole’s case, she’s got three kids (ages 3 to 10); she’s constantly on the move. Comfort and function is essential. Grey stretch pants, an Army green rain coat with hidden hood, and motorcycle boots serve her well. She popped on a few accessories to enhance her look. For the weekend, Trent swapped his track pants and sneakers for grey corduroys, comfortable walking boots, and, the Arc’teryx vest, a best seller at Squires. Trent bought it unprompted right after the photo shoot–enough said!

Cheryl’s House of 29 Look (left to right): Chrisu scarf, Madeworn Rock vintage tee, all jewelry by Kismet, Mavi jeans
Cheryl’s House of 29 Look (left to right): Chrisu scarf, Madeworn Rock vintage tee, all jewelry by Kismet, Mavi jeans
Alex’s Family Britches Look with a Jocelyn rab- bit infinity scarf. Hair and makeup by Victoria Hair from Cathy’s Hair Room.
Alex’s Family Britches Look with a Jocelyn rab- bit infinity scarf. Hair and makeup by Victoria Hair from Cathy’s Hair Room.

A new addition to the hamlet, House of 29 showcases up and coming designers, looks from day to evening.  Sarah, the owner, grew up in Chappaqua. Her goal: Find you an entire outfit to suit your lifestyle. With a structured blazer over a vintage Billy Joel tee (does anyone not like Billy Joel?), and boyfriend skinny jeans, Cheryl looks casual but sharp. Discovering a good pair of jeans is like discovering Shangri-La. These Mavi ones fit her like a dream. Utilizing the scarf as a head band, Cheryl’s crystal blue eyes just popped. To complete the look, she added delicate pieces of jewelry.

 

Cheryl’s House of 29 Look: Veda blazer and Carolina Bucci bracelets. Hair and makeup by Victoria Hair from Cathy’s Hair Room.
Cheryl’s House of 29 Look: Veda blazer and Carolina Bucci bracelets. Hair and makeup by Victoria Hair from Cathy’s Hair Room.
Alex’s Look (L-R): Reed Krakoff Bag from Couture Dossier; Marika rings and Legi Emerald Earrings from ICD Contemporary Jewelry; Allude cashmere sweater and Repeat leather leggings from Family Britches. Trent’s Family Britches Look (L-R): Top coat, button down, and cashmere sweater by Zegna, Martin Ding- man belt, Incotex pants, and Allen Edmonds shoes.
Alex’s Look (L-R): Reed Krakoff Bag from Couture Dossier; Marika rings and Legi Emerald Earrings from ICD Contemporary Jewelry; Allude cashmere sweater and Repeat leather leggings from Family Britches. Trent’s Family Britches Look (L-R): Top coat, button down, and cashmere sweater by Zegna, Martin Ding- man belt, Incotex pants, and Allen Edmonds shoes.

Perhaps Friday night you’ll meet your spouse at Le Jardin du roi, our always popular and reliable French Bistro. For Trent, he’s hopping off the train wearing a reversible Zegna overcoat–wool on one side, waterproof on the other, cashmere sweater over a button down, and blue slacks–pow! Family Britches assembled this entire look together because this is what they do best. They artfully curate wardrobes for their clientele. Plus they will accommodate your schedule by meeting you at your home or office, delivering to your house, and providing alterations free of charge on purchased merchandise. For the women’s look, Alex is wearing slim leather pants, a cashmere sweater, and rabbit infinity scarf. If you look good in black stretchy pants, logic says that you’ll look even better in leather, black, stretchy pants. Colorful bling from ICD Contemporary Jewelry and a handbag from Couture Dossier elevate her look.

Trent’s Family Britches look. Hair done by Salon 228
Trent’s Family Britches look. Hair done by Salon 228

With this breadth of merchandise, you’ll find something that suits your lifestyle right here in Chappaqua.  Fall is such a great time in this town.  Enjoy it. And enjoy looking good.

Lauren Levin is a former Buyer and full-time mom. She serves on the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce and loves to shop local.

Dr. Lyn McKay Shares her Love for Reading

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Lyn reading

By Dawn Greenberg

It’s both a comfort and a joy that Dr. Lyn McKay, despite the unrelenting demands of her job as the Superintendent of the Chappaqua Central School District, remains an avid book lover–and even finds time to read, both for professional development
and pleasure.

In fact, Dr. McKay has a Ph.D. in Reading in addition to her Supervision and Administration Cognate. Growing up in New Jersey, reading was always an important part of her family life from her earliest years. Early favorites included the Nancy Drew and Clara Barton, Nurse, series.

She notes that her family read the newspaper twice daily–the early morning delivery of the main paper and the evening independent paper. She was also an avid reader of comics, including Little Lulu.

“As I got older, I became a Dickens fan and then when my children were young and I was studying children’s literature at Columbia, I would read children’s classics to my own children. We loved Make Way for Ducklings, all the Angus books, and Play with Me.” Lyn’s favorite book was everybody’s favorite: The Secret Garden. “I periodically pick it up and read it even now. I just think it’s the best.”

Dr. McKay has three children and eight grandchildren with whom she happily shares her love of reading. She has two favorites she reads with the grandchildren who range from one and a half to 16-years-old.

For the little ones, Hurricane by David Weisner is one that is read very often. For those who are elementary and middle, they read A Christmas Carol together during the holidays when Dr. McKay sets up her Christmas Carol village.

To my delight, Dr. McKay and I had a chance to chat about her own as well as the District’s philosophy as it pertains to reading and her impression of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival. Here’s our conversation:

DG: Thinking about reading in our schools, I think obviously our teachers do a fabulous job with it. And in letting the kids drive what interests them I think that’s so important. What do you think our strengths are and what is your overarching philosophy?

Dr. McKay: My overarching philosophy is that students need to read a lot and have a lot of choice in selecting books.  We want children of all ages to love reading.

DG: Everyday?

Dr. McKay: Everyday.

DG: Even in the summer?

Dr. McKay: Especially in the summer.Students should be reading what they enjoy and talking to their parents and friends about their favorite books. During the school year, as well, students should be reading during and after school each day. In our elementary school reading workshop, for example, teachers provide time for silent reading and small group book discussions. They also ensure that students select books that are on their instructional and independent levels. In other words, students are reading books that are neither too difficult nor too easy, which allows them to continually master reading skills. Teachers teach students how to select books that are on their reading levels so students do not struggle unnecessarily.

DG: Absolutely, I mean it’s hard to keep my third-grader from Harry Potter and he is not there yet.

Dr. McKay: Choice is important, too. We provide a variety of genres in our classroom libraries. We want to ensure that children are reading nonfiction as well as fiction. My own 12-year-old granddaughter loves biography. She is not in one of Chappaqua’s schools, but she probably has read more biographies at her age than I have.

DG: I love biographies. I am very much a non-fictional person.

Dr. McKay: The reader’s and writer’s workshops are critically important to us because they include vast classroom libraries that provide students with a variety of choices and ranges of reading levels to choose from. We now have more classroom libraries and choice reading at our middle schools and even at our high school than we did even five years ago.

DG: So you don’t say, “You have to read…,” you say, “You can choose to read…?”

IMG_6299
Parents and friends provided an authentic audience for students in English 9/10 classes at Greeley. Students showcased a favorite piece of writing repre- senting many genres including literary essays, persuasive pieces, definition essays, personal narratives, reader-response pieces, and poetry. Guests also were asked to give the author feedback by writing a few comments on a notecard.

IMG_6296 Dr. McKay: I would say both. Students should read daily and have some choice about what they read. Frequently, students select from a large variety of texts. At times, teachers require particular books and support students as they read them. At other times
students choose from teacher-selected genre. In addition, students should have opportunities each day to read for pleasure. One question you asked was about how we provide for the student who struggles and the student who is an avid reader. It is through the reader’s workshop structure, which allows teachers to easily differentiate and ensure students are reading at the appropriate levels.

DG:  Right, which I think is a strength in our District.

Dr. McKay: I see it as a strength.

DG: And what would you think is a recipe for success for infecting your kids with a love of reading. If they are reluctant, what can we all do to combat that?

Dr. McKay: My answer is, “Read aloud to your children and enjoy talking with them about their favorite books.”  There is lots of research indicating that reading aloud to students makes a significant difference in their comprehension and infuses a love of reading. As parents, we often think of reading aloud as what we should do with two-year-olds or four-year-olds or five-year olds, but reading aloud to older students is important as well.

I remember when my husband was reading aloud Les Miserables. He read the entire book aloud to our middle school daughter and she loved it.  Children get so much more from read aloud than learning the content of a book. It increases language development, motivation, and curiosity. At the same time, parents and children can build strong relationships through read aloud.

DG: Emotional ties to the reader?

Dr. McKay: Yes. Parents sometimes think, especially with preschoolers, that it’s best to work on phonics and focus on letters and the sounds of the letters, but reading to young children is actually more important and having conversations about reading is important too. I am not talking about asking children questions about a plot, but rather having discussions about what a child predicts will happen next in a story or about what a child is curious about, for those kinds of discussions build critical thinking along with the love of reading.

One evening in June, I was in the iLab at the high school. One of our teachers, Jacqueline Abair, was having a reading and writing celebration with her ninth and tenth grade English classes. She had students write their favorite literary quotes on the walls and display their written works on posterboards.

There were parents and administrators there, and what was very exciting was the way she turned the iLab into an environment that celebrated reading and writing. The students who introduced the work stood up and read poems and then said to the audience, “Now I want you to listen to the poem a second time so you can feel it and know what it’s about.” It was a beautiful event.

Dr. McKay: It was a celebration of reading and writing in an incredible environment with a real audience. It was really so exciting!

DG: What do you think about our little book festival that we’ve started? I noticed you there with your granddaughter this year.

Dr. McKay: What really impressed me was the volume of books, the number of authors, the number of students who were just enthralled with the books…and the llamas. For my granddaughter, I don’t know what she liked more, the many books or the llamas, and I really mean that!

Dr. McKay: She loves reading and animals.

DG: Perfect.

Dr. McKay: So if there is a llama and books, you will have a very happy girl.

DG: Any favorite authors you enjoyed meeting?

Dr. McKay: We didn’t have a favorite; we just walked from one to the next to the next. We had a great time.

DG: It’s amazing, right? Each one was better than the last.

Dr. McKay: I agree. It was a terrific community and family affair. The book festival was a true celebration of literacy. What a lovely event!

DG: Thank you. We think we have even more authors this year and we are trying to bring in diversity, different ages and different genres, and it has been exciting to see some of the authors who have reached out to us– Nina Crews, David Ezra Stein.

Dr. McKay: Really?!

DG: Then you get in the position of having to turn people away or giving them half days but it is a good problem to have.

Dr. McKay: You truly have to be excited about that!

DG: Very excited. I would do it two days if we could but logistically it’s impossible.

DG: So I have to ask: What were your beach reads this summer?

Dr. McKay: Of course I am always reading professional books, which I very much enjoy. Right now, David Rock’s Your Brain at Work is very exciting to me. I like neuroscience. I also enjoyed Just Mercy, which is written by Bryan Stevenson–he is the executive director of Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. It’s a true story of justice and redemption.

Dr. McKay: I also was with many of my grandchildren so I read a lot of children’s books with them.

DG: I really enjoyed talking to you and please be sure to put October 3rd on your calendar for the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.

Dr. McKay: I will. It is a celebration I will be sure to attend. Thank you.

Guest Editor Dawn Greenberg is the founder and director of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, founder of Chappaqua Cares, and executive director of the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce. She lives with her husband Paul and son Ben in Chappaqua.

Lyn McKayMore about our School District Leader
Dr. Lyn McKay is Superintendent of the Chappaqua Central School District. She was Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction and then Deputy Superintendent for Chappaqua Schools for eight years prior. Before that she worked in Pinellas County Florida as a Reading and Language Arts Supervisor and Director of Teaching and Learning, K-12, where she established a writing demonstration school and led research, development, and implementation of curriculum and instruction, K-12. Since coming to New York, Dr. McKay has been the president of the Putnam-Northern Westchester BOCES Curriculum Council, a consultant to neighboring districts on leadership practices, an executive coach, and currently co-facilitates the Tri-State Consortium’s Steering Committee. She has chaired and presented at numerous educational institutes throughout the country. Her publications include Flexible Grouping for Literacy in the Elementary Grades, Teachers on the Cutting Edge, and Extended Wait-time and its Effect on Listening Comprehension.

Dr. McKay received her master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University and her Ph.D. from the University of South Florida, where she became an adjunct professor.