The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Cover Stories

Chappaqua School Foundation: A Focus on Innovation

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CSF members gathering in front of the new Sustainability Research Center at Horace Greeley High School. First row (l-r): Julie Balber, Shauna Levy, Tara Brandoff, Jillian Bynum, Megan Gulotta, Michele Wolfberg, Dayna Beicke, Anuja Joshi, Lois O’Neill, Solveig McShea, Joanna Coogan, Sheri Hametz. Second row (l-r): Jennifer Belew, Todd Herrell, Eugene Song  PHOTO By Donna Mueller

Home to bucolic grounds, a small-town vibe and a nationally recognized school district, Chappaqua is renowned for its strong sense of community. Embedded within the fabric of that community is the Chappaqua School Foundation (CSF), a nonprofit organization with the mission of funding innovative, educational projects that fall outside the scope of Chappaqua Central School District’s (CCSD) budget. Over the past two years, CSF’s work has never been more relevant, as the organization evolves and pivots to support the district’s goal of prioritizing students’ needs. 

Mission Control

Since its inception in 1993, CSF has raised over $4 million, funding over 350 educational grants and innovative projects. Its Board of Directors is comprised of 22 parent volunteers, representing each of Chappaqua’s six schools with diverse backgrounds and skill-sets.

Solveig McShea, President of CSF, took on the role in a time marked by change and uncertainty. Her mission was simple despite an environment that’s been anything but. She explains, “Our mission to fund innovation in our schools has held fast and helped us to navigate the shifting landscape. We also increased our focus on engaging our rapidly growing community through a host of new initiatives. We want to involve people in the excitement of what we are doing. Our work, after all, impacts each of our children.” 

Granting Innovations

CSF works alongside CCSD, teachers, parents, and students to identify significant strategic initiatives that are innovative and meaningful. CSF funds those initiatives with two types of grants; Instagrants, and Traditional Grants. Instagrants are smaller grants under $2,500 that undergo a condensed approval process; ideal for projects that teachers wish to implement during the same school year. Traditional Grants are awarded through a multi-step process for programs that tie into the curriculum and take longer to develop. 

The grants process is a true partnership between CSF and CCSD. Todd Herrell, Vice President, Grants elaborates, “We have a strong, collaborative relationship with our District to identify grants that spur educational enhancements and innovations in each of our schools. In recent years, CSF has funded projects including Studio 7B, a fully functional professional grade digital television studio, clip-on microphones to enhance teachers’ ability to overcome audio challenges during the pandemic and, a particularly exciting endeavor, the Sustainability Research Center (SRC) at Greeley that’s currently in construction.” 

Christine Ackerman, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools, Chappaqua Central School District is also enthusiastic about the grant, saying, “Our sustainability research center will allow our students to explore and understand how to conserve natural resources in a cutting-edge facility. We are thrilled to provide this space for our students through our partnership with the CSF, PTA and the Robert and Ardis James Foundation.”

This isn’t CSF’s first forward-thinking grant. In 2018, CSF partnered with the District on the 1:1 Digital Learning Initiative, the largest single grant ever awarded at that time. This grant provided every 3rd and 4th grade student with their own school iPad. The full scope of this grant was truly demonstrated in 2020, as Herrell points out, when “these resources became instrumental in helping to facilitate the quick transition to remote learning at the onset of the pandemic.”  

Putting the “Fun” In Fundraiser

Fundraising efforts are at the crux of CSF’s ability to support the District. Two years ago, however, fundraising events screeched to a halt, forcing CSF to rewrite its playbook. Lois O’Neill, Executive Vice President & Vice President, Fundraising met the challenge head-on with a slew of ingenuitive fundraisers. She says, “The pandemic both changed and expanded our fundraising platform, and frankly broke down some walls, allowing us to build creative new ways to interact with our community. We launched a line of Chappaqua apparel, debuted what are now annual events–the CSF Food Truck Night and our At Home Series–and began offering Holiday Rainbow Cookie Jars. We love that these fundraisers enable people to give at any level whether it’s through a Walter’s hotdog, a Chappaqua hat or giving at the Benefit Committee level.”   

After a two-years hiatus, CSF is excited for the highly anticipated return of its largest fundraiser, the annual Spring Benefit. O’Neill has big plans for the Benefit’s revival on Friday, April 29th. “We want CSF to be a catalyst for the return to fun; we want to deliver on that as a thank you to our community for their deep generosity,” she explains, adding, “This year, the Benefit will feature a “Tacos & Tequila” theme with music and dancing. Our silent auction features a curated selection of exciting gifts, travel, and food items, and is now an online, one-week event culminating on the evening of the Benefit.”

New Beginnings

As McShea reflects upon the previous year, she says, “Though it’s been a challenging time, it’s also been deeply rewarding. I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished, from funding projects like diversity libraries in the elementary schools to programs exploring the impact of discrimination and human rights violations to repurposing a commons space at Greeley for social/emotional well-being. We are exploring how CSF can support the whole student with a robust classroom experience, so that they are prepared to lead and thrive in the outside world.” McShea acknowledges that much work remains to be done and that priorities are constantly in-flux, but in uncertain times, the CCSD community can be assured that CSF will be a stable source of support.

Spring Hiking At Easy to Reach and Popular Westchester County Park Locales

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Photo by Elena Wolfe for Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture

Looking for a fun new hike for this Spring? Look no further. We put together a short list of diverse trails to blaze as the weather turns warmer. After all, Spring in New York is that perfect sweet spot when it’s not too cold and not too hot. In other words, it’s the perfect time of year to put down those phones and go to the park!

WARD POUND RIDGE RESERVATION

This stunning park clocks in at over 4,300 total acres, and is located in Pound Ridge, NY. According to a spokesman for Westchester County Parks, Linda Lovallo, “The Reservation is a mecca for hikers from nearby, as well as communities throughout Westchester, as well as Connecticut, New York City and even Long Island.” Because of the sheer size of the park, hikers have many choices for planning their routes. There are more moderate routes like the Pound Ridge Marsh Loop, a 2.6 mile loop, and there are far more challenging paths more experienced hikers can traverse on their own. Camping is offered at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation as well.

For programming, the reservation has much to offer. A particularly interesting program is called, “Gallery In the Park,” where artists exhibit their work in the beautiful surroundings of the reservation. There are two shows scheduled this spring. The first is, “For Mother Nature,” a multi-artist mixed-medium show that will celebrate Mother Nature, and will coincide with the weekend after Earth Day. There will be an opening reception scheduled for Saturday, April 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be refreshments and live acoustic music. “For Mother Nature” will run through Sunday, June 5. The second show is by renowned wildlife photographer, Dona Tracy. The show will open Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12, from 1 to 4 p.m., and will feature live music on Saturday and a live Birds of Prey demonstration on Sunday. The show will run through August 14. 

STONE BARNS

While perhaps a bit of an unconventional choice for a hike, unconventional isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While many trails are flooded with hikers when the nicer weather comes around, the 80-acres Stone Barns (located in Pocantico Hills) has to offer will be all yours (and getting up close to the animals who live there is just a bonus).

Blue Hill is the famous restaurant that Stone Barns serves, but the grounds aren’t just limited to their customers. A parking pass is available for $10 on the weekends (parking is free on weekdays) so that everyone can enjoy its beauty. “In the Stone Barns Center fields, you will see our hard-working teams making the transition from winter cover to spring abundance. The fields are coming alive with new growth of diversified vegetables, grains, herbs and flowers,” said Stone Barns crop director Jason Grauer. 

You don’t have to just stay with the fields, either. Stone Barns offers guided tours of their facilities for $25 an adult, and $10 a kid over 5. “When visiting the Stone Barns Center Greenhouse this spring, one can see the propagation space, a warm nursery environment with tens of thousands of plants started from seed and plant tissue culture,” said Grauer. With Stone Barns, it’s not just a hike, it’s an entire agricultural experience.

The programs can get a little bit pricey, but they are top notch. They range from the relatively modest and children-friendly tour mentioned above, to a $75 tour led by a Stone Barns farmer and a Blue Hill chef, to a $95 sheep shearing demonstration. Stone Barns also features an upscale cafeteria that is open from Thursday to Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. The perfect place to end a hike!

CROTON POINT PARK

At 508 acres, it’s right in the middle of Pound Ridge and Stone Barns. Like Pound Ridge, Croton Point has many exciting amenities when you plan your visit. “This park offers year-round events and activities and has facilities for camping, hiking and swimming. Patrons come from Connecticut, all five boroughs of New York City, upstate New York, all parts of Westchester County, and from as far as Alaska and The Netherlands,” said Lovallo. You can go for a serious camping trip, or you can go for a quick three-minute walk or run. 

During the summer months, the park is an attraction for swimmers. In the spring, the beautiful river-side park may just be the perfect place for hikes and visits of all types. In addition to camping and swimming, Croton Point Park offers other compelling programming as well. “The Croton Point Nature Center houses exhibits on local flora and fauna including Hudson River specimens, local and Native American history and hands-on activities,” said Lovallo. The park is on land that belonged to Native Americans, and the director of the center tries to reflect that.

Another fun feature of Croton Point Park is the miniature air field that Croton Point Field becomes when members of the Miniature Aircraft Association of Westchester gather. You won’t notice them on your hike, but you’ll pass right by them when on your way to park. 

The 3.7 mile Croton Point Park trail is perfect for hikers of every skill level. It features a river view and, like all entries on this list, exemplifies the lush, beautiful greenery that the Hudson Valley is known for. At the end of the trail, you can even walk right up to the cliff overlooking the water (that is very safely protected with barricades). This trail is not to be missed in the spring. Bring the kids, bring the dog, bring the whole family!

Supporting NEIGHBORS LINK Two Moms Describe the Impact of Volunteering on their Families

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Co-Chairs Ali and Kathy on the Neighbors Link Fall 2021 Virtual Fundraiser     Photo by Wendy Reingold

Kathy Rothschild:

My family and I have lived in Chappaqua since 1996. Over the years, as a stay-at-home parent, I have volunteered for many organizations. None have been more meaningful to me than Neighbors Link.

The Neighbors Link mission is to strengthen the whole community through the healthy integration of immigrants. Neighbors Link was formed in 2001 by community members who believed that our community is stronger, safer, and more vibrant when we recognize the value and humanity of every resident. I have been volunteering for Neighbors Link in one capacity or another since its doors opened in 2001. 

Currently, I serve as Co-Chair, along with Ali Tejtel, of the Friends of Neighbors Link. The Friends support Neighbors Link through fundraising, advocacy work, and community outreach.

I learned the importance of giving back to the community from my mother. She volunteered as the Director of Blood Services for the New Canaan Red Cross. I have crystal clear memories of her making phone calls at night to schedule and confirm blood donation appointments, and I spent countless Saturdays at local bloodmobiles, watching her in action as she supervised the events. Because of my mother’s example, I started donating blood at age 16 and I still donate today.

Volunteering for over 20 years at Neighbors Link has allowed me to set the same consistent example of giving back to the community for my own children. When I started volunteering at Neighbors Link, my two children were in pre-school and elementary school; now they are “grown and flown.” When I look at the choices they started making in high school and continue to make today, my heart swells.

In high school, my eldest twice swam across the Hudson River to raise money for cancer research; was president of a high school club that raised money for charity; and helped with administrative projects in the Neighbors Link back office. She now devotes more hours than she cares to tally volunteering on the national level for her college sorority–on top of having a demanding career, a (wonderful!) marriage and a baby on the way.

My youngest chose to make a very serious volunteer commitment in high school: He served as a volunteer firefighter for the Chappaqua Fire Department, joining at age 16 and maintaining that commitment throughout college. He continues his first responder focus today by working for the Department of Homeland Security.

My mother would be proud.

Ali Tejtel:

I blush and feel a tinge of excitement when asked how I met my husband. We have an untraditional story that makes it hard to finish with the usual, “What about you?” Our story is serendipitous and sweet, but also perfectly sets the foundation for our relationship and the family we’ve created. We met while volunteering at an animal rehabilitation sanctuary in Namibia, both planning to return to New York afterwards. This experience shaped our relationship in its early stages, as we spent most weekends in Manhattan volunteering, and currently sets an example for our three young children.

Since moving to Westchester, we have found a volunteering home at Neighbors Link. My husband teaches ESL, and I currently co-chair the Friends of Neighbors Link. Our children understand the socio-economic diversity in our community and are always eager to learn more about the clients my husband has met in his lessons, and help me in various efforts as a Friend. We love to find creative ways to include our children in our volunteering, fostering an altruistic attitude that makes these activities fun and meaningful.

A pennant hanging in our family’s mudroom reminds us to “Be Kind” every time we leave the house. Whether the kids can read the words or not, I know they practice this mantra daily, believe in giving more than they take, and always greeting their literal and figurative neighbors with a smile and helping hand. 

While COVID flipped our lives upside down, we also found a rich silver lining in the opportunities it presented for us to help others. My work as a Friend led to organizing a bi-weekly diaper drive for younger families. My children would gleefully tumble into the backseat of our car with a list of diaper recipients, eager to wave to each family who came to receive their package. They now understand the difference between wants and needs, and this experience leaves them humbled and grateful. 

It warms my heart to know how proud our children are to help their community.

Chappaqua’s Alison Leighton Creates a Community for Expectant Moms

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ALISON LEIGHTON

Alison Leighton’s move to Chappaqua wasn’t all that different from many other newcomers to this bucolic town. She was looking for a great school district, beautiful surroundings and a place to put down roots for her expanding family. Her Sutton Place South apartment was getting crowded and her husband Matthew who is partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP needed a reasonable commute to his office a block away from Grand Central. 

The family moved here in July 2021 and she was eager to meet new moms and other young families. While she lived in the city, she had started a Social Parents group for new parents in her neighborhood in 2019. Armed with a background in marketing with positions at Citibank and American Express, Leighton loved organizing in-person events for new parents such as brunch meetups and a Babies and Brew playgroup but with her move north of I-287 in the middle of a pandemic, she knew the format of her group would have to change. 

“When I moved to Westchester (with a baby due this April), I wanted to revitalize the Social Parent brand, so she started hosting a free weekly Zoom group for expecting women called Pregnant Mama. “This was my passion but also the group was also created because meeting people with the COVID barrier was hard,” she admits. 

When Leighton’s first son Paul was born in the city at NYU Hospital there was a weekly support group for new moms. “It was my favorite time of the week,” she reminisces. “I made close mom friends and I wanted to create and build that community here.” The group helped serve as a resource for her and provided helpful information to let her know what to expect down the pipeline. Other moms provided tips such as traveling with a baby. 

“Going to a website to research something about your baby is very different than talking to a mom. It can give you validation. Maybe your baby is having a four month sleep regression and you wonder if it is just your baby–that real time connection plus building friendships is invaluable.” 

Her Pregnant Mama group in Westchester has helped forge friendships while providing expert advice. Examples of experts who have given webinars to the group include Armonk-based perinatal and child therapist Sloan Post and Liza Montanino, a pediatric sleep consultant and founder of Rock-a-Bye Baby Sleep. Other speakers have included a financial advisor and a prenatal masseuse. The group meets weekly Thursday night at 8:15 pm via Zoom as of press time. 

With COVID winding down and a new baby on the way, Leighton has no plans of slowing down though. “I plan to lean into it [Social Parent] more.” She plans on holding in-person events for the toddler set so that her children can meet other toddlers and babies and hopes to host in-person events for new moms and dads this summer. 

When she isn’t moving full steam ahead with Social Parent or working on her freelance marketing and writing career, Leighton and her family are enjoying the outdoors here hiking or spending time at area playgrounds. “The whole town is like a big nature preserve and I love the trees in my backyard,” she gushes.

For more information about her group or to partner with her on events, email SocialParentNY@gmail.com. She also provides parenting ideas and inspiration on her Instagram handle @SocialParent_Westchester.

“We all Connect Together.” Briarcliff Manor Mom Stacey Winnick on the Beauty of Volunteering and Supporting Community

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Living sustainably and helping those in need means being able to live a better quality of life. This is what drives Stacey Winnick to keep doing good in her community and beyond. With a 30+ year career in the vintage clothing and antique industry, Stacey teaches her clients how to “Turn Your Clutter into Cash” while at the same time, showing them that reducing, donating, and selling items can be truly liberating. 

Our dream team. Nance Dickinson, Stacey Winnick, Merri Satran, Amy Diaz, Elaina Hon

A native of Edgemont, Stacey has called Briarcliff Manor home for the past 18 years. She lives here with her husband and two sons–one in college and the other a high school Junior. Living iand volunteering in Briarcliff Manor really gives Stacey a strong sense of community. 

“You go into town and everybody you see knows your name. I patronize almost every business in town and people will say, ‘Hi Stacey, how’s your son? Let me get your order.’ It’s really just a wonderful town and it’s small enough that you can really make a huge difference.” 

Stacey is very passionate about helping others in the community and beyond, as well as making connections. Living in a small town like Briarcliff Manor allows her to meet different groups of people she never may never have met otherwise. 

“People message me all the time, ‘I just got a house here and feel so lucky. Can you tell me about the town?’ I get to tell people about different services in town and connect them. You can connect with others if you want, you have to make the effort to connect and get yourself out of your comfort zone.”

Volunteering and making connections with and for others is of the utmost importance to Stacey. She mobilizes a 15-person team of volunteers whom she calls her Briarcliff Volunteer Dream Team and uses social media to connect with others, tell people what’s going on and how they can help. “I’m working, taking care of kids and house and I’m busy, but I know that my group of volunteers is making a difference. The volunteers are taking the time because we all connect together, it unites a lot of people.” As she says, she makes it easy for people to get involved. They can see what events are going on and join in helping where they can. “Everyone has their own interests, but you have to make the time to do something.”

We asked the community and we got lots of dresses and boy’s shirts donated. We partnered with Sarang7 dry cleaners and they cleaned 65 dresses for free. All the children were extremely happy with their new outfits !

Stacey has been volunteering with the Ossining Children’s Center (OCC) for 15 years and utilizes social media to get the word out on the families’ needs. “You have to think of all the channels to promote the drives on. The pandemic happened and we said, families need food.” People lined up at the OCC for meals and groceries and then it was expanded to include items like bikes, appliances, clothing and more. “We just couldn’t stop. A woman with a family to support called me. She was out of a job, and we had food for them the next day. It just sparked something in me.” The OCC receives food donations from various organizations including a weekly donation from Trader Joe’s in Larchmont and a monthly donation from the Upper Westchester Muslim Society in Pleasantville as well as various farm stands. It is very competitive to get food donations everywhere. 

Our volunteer Nancy Beard personally put together 80 Christmas bags filled with Christmas toys and candy. She worked with the kids on Zoom to create a Christmas bag!! It was roaring success. There is always something going on with our volunteer dream team.

In addition to the OCC, Stacey is also the Co-Chair of Briarcliff Sustainability. People contact her when they need to get rid of things and she connects the items to those in need. They host a ‘Stash the Trash’ event each April where the community comes out to bag trash throughout Briarcliff Manor. “You can’t imagine the things they find. You never know what’s going to pop up and we’re able to do it all through the volunteers.” And it’s never too early to start volunteering and teaching kids to do so. “My son started volunteering at 8 years old, he’s grown up with that. Both my sons’ hearts are with helping people; it’s the little things that make a huge difference.” 

Ben Jelinek, Briarcliff Manor HS Senior has dedicated two years of intense volunteering. He never said no. He started collecting donations, anything he could pick up from any where in the county. He once picked up an entire room full of baby equipment. He helps sort food or plays soccer kids. Ben can do anything. He has a heart of gold.

Through her main business as well as her Facebook group, Chappaqua Moms Sales, which she co-founded in 2013, Stacey helps people let go of their items as well as connect those items to others. She explains that condition counts, and you need to do your research on items to know what you’re selling. She’s fascinated with what people will buy but also stresses that people are throwing too much stuff away, which is not sustainable. There’s always a need for donations on other channels such as Buy Nothing sites. “My mom helped so many people, it really motivated me. People say, ‘how can you do this much?’ and I say, how can’t you? I feel like I’m a good organizer and motivator towards a common goal.” 

Stacey truly cares about the well-being of her community and believes that providing the resources and tools to help everyone around you can help us all live better, more sustainable lives.

For more information visit staceywinnick.com