New Castle News

Excitement Building for the Chappaqua Summer Sidewalk Sale, July 22-25

July 8, 2020 by Megan Klein

‘Shop Local Shop Safe’ Campaign Theme Launching too in Time for the Chappaqua Summer Sidewalk Sale

For me, the song “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” is synonymous to the holidays and Ellen’s 12 Days of Giveaways. Well, it’s not December, it’s July and we’re not on the Ellen Show, we’re in Chappaqua. But, it’s still the most wonderful time of the year because the annual Chappaqua Summer Sidewalk Sale is back and better than ever!

After four months of quarantining and social distancing, many people have yet to enter back into the retail therapy aspect of their lives due to the discomfort that comes with entering stores. Well, no need to fear. From Wednesday July 22nd through Saturday July 25th, townies and shoppers from afar can come and browse from over 25 Chappaqua merchants with discounts up to 75%. Masks will be required, hand sanitizer stations will be available widely and Greeley Avenue will have additional pedestrian walkway with police delineators bordering the parking spots. The New Castle Police Department will be present to enforce all of the above; in short, everyone has been working together to ensure the safety and health of all.

Many of the stores have implemented a virtual shopping experience by participating in Zoom Around Town or creating text and Facetime services. But more than anything, our merchants are truly eager to see some familiar faces, get that customer interaction that they’ve been missing out on and clear out their spring and summer inventory that hasn’t moved due to the pandemic.

Tara Mikolay, owner of Desires by Mikolay said, “The sad reality is that this pandemic is going to force approximately 40% of small businesses to eventually close because of it…”

“The world might be feeling heavy right now,” Mikolay added, “but I think the shop local movement and shop small business movement is huge and people especially in this community really, really care about it. It’s a great time to come out, even to shop for Christmas gifts, because you’ll really be helping out small businesses who need that turnover.”

While thinking about Christmas is a fast-forward, distracting but fun thought, one of Town Councilwoman Lauren Levin’s favorite things about the sale is the season it’s in.

“What’s great about the timing of the sale is that summer is still not over, and in fact a lot of the products that they sell can easily go through the end of September (pool floats, beach boards, etc.) I just really enjoy that aspect of it because that’s what’s so fun. That’s the ultimate goal, to bring more fun back into the community after months of devastating news and challenging events.”

The other part of the ultimate goal? To make our town safe enough so that people will want to come shop. The campaign Shop Local Shop Safe is being kicked off with the sale, focusing on getting people to come to our town to shop and support our merchants while doing so in a way that follows health and safety guidelines. Another main aspect that wants to be implemented is simply being social.

“The challenge with this pandemic is we are not connecting as human beings and I think humans are just naturally social people and it’s really unfortunate that we haven’t been able to do that. With this, I get to see people and get an item like a really cute handbag that is 70% off!” Levin said.

As a 20 year-old college student who has been at home since March, I have definitely been missing out on that social aspect that comes hand in hand with going to school. I can only imagine that parents, like Levin, are itching to get out and see some lovely new faces – besides their children, of course.

And, guilty as charged, I have never actually been to the sidewalk sale. I am sure that there are many who join me in the guilty party, and Levin even touched upon the fact there are people who live in this town who had never “stepped foot” in some of our stores prior to Zoom Around Town. So, this sidewalk sale is the perfect opportunity for all of us to get out there, shop and support our local businesses.

Be on the lookout for signs advertising the sale in the coming weeks, as well as maps in town signaling where to park during the sale. You can also get regular town information by signing up for the town e-newsletter!

Like Mikolay said, “…it’s a great time to maybe treat yourself to a little retail therapy!”

Potential Coronavirus Exposure is Being Investigated Following Greeley’s Drive-In Graduation Ceremony

June 27, 2020 by Inside Press

State, County, Town and School Officials Issue Official Responses and Guidelines as Town Residents and Merchants Grapple with Concerns Over Revelations and a New Quarantine Order Directed at Graduation Attendees.

Despite Horace Greeley High School’s plan for a socially distanced approach to graduation, some people broke protocol, and today Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed the State Department of Health to investigate possible coronavirus exposures at the graduation ceremony and at related events which followed. According to a release from the Governor’s office, potential COVID-19 exposure may have occurred “after an individual who had recently traveled to Florida and attended the ceremony subsequently began showing symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, four more individuals who attended the ceremony and had contact with the first positive case have also tested positive.” Please read to the end for public statements issued by both The Chappaqua Central School District and the Town of New Castle in response to the news and to Governor Cuomo’s order.

POIGNANT REMARKS AT A DRIVE-IN CEREMONY

Editor’s Note: What follows is a story that was being prepared to run as basic coverage of the graduation ceremony prior to the above breaking news. It is a look back at an event that included heartfelt addresses to and from members of the Class of 2020…

Inside Press Photo: Horace Greeley High School Class of 2020 Drive in Ceremony

On Saturday, June 20, seniors and their families gathered together in the Chappaqua Train Station parking lot to celebrate drive-in movie style. There were two screens and a stage set up as cars rolled in filled with seniors in decorated caps and gowns.

The graduation began at 8 p.m.when Horace Greeley Assistant Principal Lauralyn Stewart welcomed families and acknowledged the different setting of this year’s graduation.

President of the Chappaqua Board of Education and parent of a Horace Greeley senior, Jane Shepardson, said that if graduation was taking place at the high school under the tent, she would be handing each of the students their diploma and greeting them with a hug as she has known many of them since they were in preschool since her daughter is their age.

“The graduation speech I wrote in June was certainly not the one I would have written several months ago. I had no idea I would be giving a speech in a train station parking lot during a global pandemic and would end up on a Jumbotron,” said Shepardson.“I obviously wanted to talk about something universal to all the seniors, but felt like I couldn’t avoid acknowledging that I had a daughter graduating with the Class of 2020, so my goal was to briefly mention it in a humorous way and then move on to what was relevant to all of them.”

Horace Greeley High School Principal Andrew Corsilia spoke about the silver lining of the time spent at home this spring- quality time with family.

Corsilia said this kind or amount of time together is rare and that some families may have even had college aged children back home eating at their dinner tables.

“As I looked out at the sea of cars, I found myself feeling proud of this class, what they have endured, and what they have accomplished,” said Corsilia. “After months of isolation from the school, I was relieved and pleased that we could provide them the celebration and recognition they deserved. It was an unforgettable finale to an unforgettable year.”

The valedictorians gave a speech together. Each allotted 45 seconds, the 13 valedictorians felt it would be symbolic for each of them to discuss a grade, kindergarten through twelfth. The students shared a lesson they took from that age or a moment that stood out to them.

Following the speeches, each student’s name was read as a photo of them appeared on the screens. Families honked and cheered for every senior and the environment was lively.

Once all the students’ names were read, Stewart announced she had two special surprises.

The first one was that former First Lady and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President of the United States Bill Clinton recorded a congratulatory message for the Horace Greeley High School class of 2020.

Hillary Clinton said that they understood that the graduating class’ senior year may have looked a little different but those changes do not diminish the accomplishments of the senior class in any way.

“All your hard work, and the work of your families that got you, the things you accomplished, the friendships and memories you’ve made at Horace Greeley, you’ll treasure that for the rest of your lives,” said Hillary Clinton.

Then came the second surprise, a fireworks display. Families poked their heads out of their cars to enjoy the colorful, bright display that celebrated the seniors.

“The surprising thing to me was how personal it felt, even though everyone was in their cars. I think we were all so happy to be in the same place together after being apart for so long, that it actually seemed even more personal than a typical graduation at Greeley. From what I have heard from the seniors and their families, everyone felt the same – that it was poignant and extra-special,” said Shepardson.

THE AFTER EFFECTS

According to the New Castle Police Department, an individual recently traveled to Florida before attending the ceremony at the train station. She showed symptoms after June 20 and tested positive. Since then, four more people who came in contact with the individual who traveled to Florida also tested positive. The student also attended a field night, a large gathering on multiple fields, on June 20 that some seniors and juniors also attended.

According to Gov. Cuomo, anyone who attended the graduation, field night or other graduation events must quarantine until July 5.

“We need to stay vigilant. We’re prepared to do the aggressive testing and contact tracing required to slow and ultimately control any potential clusters of new cases like the one in Westchester County,” said Gov. Cuomo.

The Governor also issued a new executive order that makes New York employees who voluntarily travel to high-risk states after June 25 ineligible for COVID-19 paid sick leave.

“New Yorkers have controlled the spread of this unprecedented virus by being smart and disciplined, and our progress to date is illustrated by the current low numbers of new cases and hospitalizations,” Governor Cuomo said. “But as we are seeing in other states who reopened quickly, the pandemic is far from over and we need stay vigilant. We’re prepared to do the aggressive testing and contact tracing required to slow and ultimately control any potential clusters of new cases like the one in Westchester County. If we are going to maintain the progress we’ve seen, we need everyone to take personal responsibility – that’s why I’m issuing an executive order that says any New York employee who voluntarily travels to a high-risk state will not be eligible for the COVID protections we created under paid sick leave.”

A letter to the community this afternoon from School Superintendent Christine Ackerman confirmed that the school has been notified by the New York State Department of Health and Governor Cuomo’s office that at least five individuals who attended our Greeley graduation ceremony have tested positive for COVID-19. “I would like to assure the entire community that we are working closely with local and state officials to support their efforts to prevent further spread of Covid-19 in our area. The safety of our students and our entire school community continues to be our most important priority. The Greeley graduation was a carefully planned event that strictly followed Governor Cuomo’s Executive Orders and all NYS Department of Health Guidelines. The District repeatedly provided clear guidance and protocols for families that complied with all applicable health and safety orders and guidelines. Unfortunately, at the event, and despite police presence, numerous individuals failed to follow our protocols. In addition, we later learned that one attendee, who had recently traveled to Florida, later tested positive for COVID-19.”

Ackerman concluded that she strongly encourages members of the Chappaqua school community “to remain vigilant. Continue wearing a mask when you are in public, wash your hands frequently, and practice social distancing. The CCSD Administration will continue to follow all medical and public health guidance for our school community, and we ask that all residents do the same.”

In a Nixel alert from the New Castle Police Department, there was a reminder about testing: “As part of our public health outreach, the State and County DOH encourage testing for anybody who attended the graduation ceremony or the Field Night event and may have come in contact with an infected individual. For information about testing, please contact your local healthcare provider, or visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-testing.

The same evening, the Town of New Castle released to the community the following series of answers to questions received relating to the new cases and the Governor’s order:

Q: The NYS Department of Health (“NYSDOH”) issued an Order mandating self-quarantine through July 5th. To whom does this apply?

A: The State advised that “Individuals who attended the graduation ceremony, Field Night event, or events associated with graduation, which continued into June 21, should extend their quarantine period until July 5th.” Although not mandated by NYSDOH, if after June 21st, you were at parties or other events without social distancing or wearing a mask, you should consider self-quarantining as well.

Q: If I social distanced or wore a mask at the above events, must I still self-quarantine?

A: Yes, NYSDOH is requiring anyone in attendance to self-quarantine irrespective of whether or not you followed proper protocols.

Q: Why is the NYSDOH mandating self-quarantine for those who followed the rules? Doesn’t it seem excessive?

A: To best ensure the spread of COVID-19 is minimized, a blanket self-quarantine provides a more efficient way to identify those who may have been exposed and manage the potential spread. If you remain at home and limit those you interact with, it shrinks the “contact tree” that contract tracers must pursue.

Q: How long will the self-quarantine last?

A: You must self-quarantine until July 5th.

Q: If my test for COVID-19 is negative, do I still have to self-quarantine until July 5th?

A: Yes, even if you test negative for COVID-19 you must remain in quarantine. Not only can you later test positive, but according to the Westchester County Department of Health, you should test no sooner than five days of exposure or upon presenting symptoms.

Q: How will I know if I have come into contact with a COVID-19 positive person?

A: You will receive a call from a contact tracer. It is imperative that if you see such a call on your caller ID you pick up your phone.

Q: How will I know if the call is from a Contact Tracer?

A: If you get a call from “NYS Contact Tracing” (518-387-9993), PLEASE answer the phone. Answering the phone will keep your loved ones and community safe.

A contact tracer will:

 NEVER ask for your Social Security number
 NEVER ask for any private financial information
 NEVER ask for credit card information
NEVER send you a link without proper authentication procedures

Q: Where can I get more information about contact tracing?

A: Visit the NYSDOH website at NYSDOH Contact Tracing and the WCDOH website at WCDOH Contact Tracing.

Q: As an owner of a small business and an attendee of the HGHS graduation, does my staff also need to quarantine? Similarly, if I was with someone who attended the events, but I was not at the event, must I self-quarantine?

A: The NYSDOH Order only directs those who attended the graduation, Field Night and related graduation events to self-quarantine. It does not extend beyond that until if and when a positive result is received. As such, an individual with a second-degree interaction and who was not at the event need not self-quarantine. However, if the attendee later tests positive, those he or she was in direct contact with would have to self-quarantine. If you have questions or concerns, please call the New York State Department of Health hotline at (888) 364-3065.

Q: Will the Town share the names of those who tested positive for COVID-19?

A: No, WCDOH maintains the list and the names of these individuals is protected by HIPAA and not shared with the public.

Q: For those not under self-quarantine, what should we do to protect ourselves?

The NYSDOH and WCDOH both recommend social distancing no closer than six feet and wearing masks. These best practices have not changed and remain in effect. Further, it is recommended that anybody who attended the graduation ceremony or the Field Night event and may have come in contact with an infected individual get tested. For information about testing, please contact your local healthcare provider, or visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-testing.

Q: Will the New Castle Police Department enforce quarantine?

A: The NCPD does not have a list of those in attendance at these events nor will the NCPD be proactively checking to confirm adherence to the self-quarantine. Simply, you know if you were there and so do your neighbors and friends. Do not be “that person”. To file a report of an individual failing to adhere to the quarantine pursuant to the travel advisory, one should call 1-833-789-0470 or visit https://mylicense.custhelp.com/app/ask . Individuals may also contact their local department of health. The NCPD can only report violations they observe first-hand, but they can be of assistance and respond when needed. If they observe a violation they can also act.

Q: But for social media, would residents and the Town have known about the COVID-19 infections associated with HGHS graduation?

A: Yes, the Town is regularly in touch with the County Department of Health. Contract tracers are deployed once a person tests positive so that those potentially infected are advised and can take the proper steps to address their exposure.

Q: Will there be a “lockdown” or will the County or State implement similar measure as to what occurred in New Rochelle?

A: No, facilities, parks, businesses, and restaurants remain open. There is no containment zone. Fortunately, contact tracing is far more advanced and efficient. Simply, New Castle is not subject to the same restrictions.

Per Town Supervisor Ivy Pool and Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland and the board et al: “Please remain vigilant and adhere to best practices. Again, we will continue communicating with both the County and State to identify and address issues as they arise, questions we may have, and changes in policy should they occur. Your safety is always our priority. We have been in this together for a long time and we will see each other through.”

Anti-Racist Action Emphasized at New Castle Rally for Change and for Standing Up Against Racial Injustice

June 15, 2020 by Lauren Rosh

Member of New Castle Against Racism, Urka Swinney

Chappaqua, NY— Over 100 people attended “A Rally for Change-Stand Up Against Racial Injustice” on June 13 to demonstrate their commitment to making a change going forward. Horace Greeley High School alumni and members of the New Castle Against Racism group, Urka Swinney and Lara Fuhrer, organized the event working with other groups to make the rally possible.

“New Castle Against Racism is a group of Greeley students and alumni that just wanted to come together and make a change. So, we paired with Up2Us and some other small Facebook groups to put on this rally for change so we could make progress in the community,” said Swinney.

In addition to Up2Us, the group worked with the New Castle town board and with the Town of New Castle Holocaust and Human Rights Committee.

As of Friday morning, the day before the rally, the group had two speakers confirmed but dedicated energy and resources to securing others to ensure the rally would be a success. By Friday evening, the group had 15 speakers* lined up. (See the full list of speakers at the end of this article.)

“I am proud to have been one of many involved in organizing A Rally For Change. The entire process was inspiring and encouraging to see how many individuals were dedicated to making this happen,” said Fuhrer.

Co-administer of Chappaqua Anti-Racism Dialogue Group: Reconciling Privilege, Juliette Harrison

Another Facebook group New Castle Against Racism paired up with is one that is co-administered by Horace Greeley High School alumna, Juliette Harrison.

“I think people in town need to start focusing on practicing anti-racist action which is one of the reasons I created the Facebook group the dialogue for anti racism where hopefully we can have zoom conversations to get that face to face interaction where the conversation is humanized a bit,” said Harrison.

Community members eager to both learn and to support black voices filled the rally.

New Castle Town Councilman Jason Lichtenthal said he attended the rally to continue to learn and to translate that education into action.

“It’s important for me to be an ally for those who struggle to have a voice and to make sure that as a white cisgender heterosexual male that it is my job to listen and then go and act. I find that incredibly important,” said Lichtenthal.

Greeley senior Jacob Miller also attended the rally to continue to learning how to become a stronger ally.

Horace Greeley High School senior Jacob Miller

“I really wanted to come today because I think Chappaqua, along with the rest of the country, still has a long way to go in terms of overcoming its racist tendencies and I think just by uniting and listening to people in the community and hearing their stories, I will be better able to understand what I can do to be a better and more supportive ally,” said Miller.

Fuhrer also understands the importance of listening to become a stronger ally.

“It is important for our BIPOC community members to see and hear that they are not alone, anymore at least, and that we want to amplify their voices and for our White community members, like myself, to hear their stories and learn to become better allies. This is a movement that our community is dedicated to for the long haul,” said Fuhrer.

After the space began to fill with people wearing masks, holding signs and socially distancing, Swinney gave an introductory speech emphasizing the importance of committing to making changes going forward.

Then, a list of names was read. These names belong to black people who lost their lives to racial violence such as Eric Garner, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and D.J. Henry.

Henry was a college student at Pace University when he was shot by police in Thornwood, New York in October of 2010. His name was on posters at the rally on Saturday and shouted when the timing was appropriate as his death took place nearby.

After the reading, the crowd observed a moment of silence before the speakers addressed them.

People from different backgrounds ranging from current students in the Chappaqua Central School District to local clergy and to the current New York State attorney general shared their insights and encouraged the crowd to continue to take action and make a difference. The sole person of color on the Chappaqua School Board, Victoria Tipp, gave an impassioned account of her own background, and stated powerfully at the outset: “We know systemic racism is a death sentence for black people and people of color. We are here to reject the myth of ‘the other’, to affirm our common humanity, and demand bold changes in our institutions.”

Victoria Tipp, CCSD board member and president of the Westchester Putnam School Boards Association

New York Attorney General Tish James summoned loud applause from the community members in attendance when she used part of her time to discuss how to learn, how to grow and how to make change come from this experience.

New York State Attorney General Tish James

“I see this really as a teaching moment that we need to be reminded of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King-that power is the strength required to bring about political, social and economic change,” said James. “And that power at its best is love, implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is love correcting everything and everybody who stands in our way for a more perfect union.”

The momentum continued to build as Emily Nobel, a Horace Greeley senior, shared a statement she read at the interfaith vigil held on June 7.

“I don’t want the only place I ever feel completely safe to be my own bedroom, the minute I step outside my door, my pigmentation will determine how I am treated and it’s overwhelming,” said Nobel. “I don’t always want to be reminded that my skin color, something I had no choice over, something that I was born into, could be the same reason that I am perceived as a threat, that I am the one who is dangerous when all I ever did was live. That’s all we want to do. We want to live.”

Nobel expressed that she was nervous to speak among the voices of impactful leaders as a high school graduate but is learning what it means to be powerful.

“I’m a small part of a movement that’s been going on before I was born. It’s almost comforting to know I’m only a very small part of this movement, because that means that there’s many people working to make this movement provide long lasting change. I feel that the only thing I really know is how I feel. Trying to describe how I feel to people, so they can understand just a glimpse of what it’s like to be me, has been most effective in making my own impact,” said Nobel.

New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins spoke about the 1999 Bruce Springsteen song, “American Skin (41 Shots)” written about the police shooting death of Amadou Diallo, a black man killed in the vestibule of his apartment in the Bronx by four New York City police officers. The officers fired a total of 41 shots hence the name of the Springsteen song.

“Bruce’s haunting refrain was ‘it ain’t no secret, no secret my friend, you can get killed just for living in your American skin.’ That was in 1999 and I for that brief moment thought that there were people other than people of color who understood what was happening to communities of color, I thought surely the working class hero that people admire and love would be able to break through that barrier but it didn’t happen,” said Stewart-Cousins.

Fuhrer received notes after the rally about how appreciated and inspiring the event was. One note in particular stood out to her.

“One of the Town Board members shared that her 11-year-old son told her after that he “felt a new understanding after hearing the speeches” and this deeper understanding is exactly why a rally like yesterday’s is important. It forces us to acknowledge our bubble of Chappaqua and challenges us to begin deconstructing our privilege and become accomplices in the movement,” said Fuhrer.

New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins

Westchester Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins

16th District Legislator Christopher Johnson

New Castle Town Supervisor Ivy Pool quoted Senator Kamala Harris stating, “This is not a moment. This is a movement.” With Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland (left) and Town Council member Jason Lichtenthal

*SPEAKERS

Alyssa Ashley, recorded statement – Horace Greeley High School class of 2014

Eric Berkeley– Horace Greeley High School class of 2014

Adam Cisse, recorded statement – Horace Greeley High School class of 2017

Monique Dorsey – Community business owner: Double Dees Catering and Wrappers Delight located in Mt. Kisco

Vedat Gashi– County Legislator and Muslim immigrant, statement read by Rrita Osmani– a Chappaqua resident, recent Cornell graduate and former campaign staffer.

Teddy Graves, recorded statement – Horace Greeley High School class of 2013

Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe – Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, Chappaqua, New York

Tish James – Attorney General of New York

Ken Jenkins – Westchester Deputy County Executive

Christopher Johnson -Westchester County Legislator of the 16th district, Yonkers

Ivy Pool and Jeremy Saland– New Castle Town Supervisor and Deputy Supervisor Pool is starting a Council on Race and Equity to create an action plan for our community.

Zabeen Mirza – Interfaith Council & Community Outreach Ambassador, Upper Westchester Muslim Society, New Castle Resident, Chappaqua Mom

Emily Nobel – Horace Greeley High School class of 2020

Andrea Stewart-Cousins – New York State Senate Majority Leader

Urka Swinney – Horace Greeley High School class of 2015

Rene Syler, recorded statement – Community member and American broadcast television journalist

Victoria Tipp– Member of the Chappaqua Central School District Board of Education, president of the Westchester Putnam School Boards Association representing 54 school boards in the two counties, on the steering committee of the Lower Hudson Education Coalition advocating for the 77 school districts in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Dutchess Counties.

Photo Credits: Photos of Urka Swinney, Juliette Harrison, Jacob Miller and Jason Lichtenthal by Lauren Rosh. Additional Photos by Grace Bennett

Celebrating Greeley’s Senior Class in Style: A Car Parade Filled with Community Love

June 14, 2020 by Lauren Rosh

Horace Greeley High School Seniors (L-R) Charlotte Templeton, Emma Rosh, Georgia Goldstein

On Friday, June 12, families, residents and visitors to the town of Chappaqua gathered together to show their love and support for Horace Greeley High School’s 2020 graduating class through an early evening car parade.

While the line of cars made its way down Route 117 and King Street and Greeley Avenue, parents and guardians sat behind the wheel as their seniors stuck their heads out the window or through sunroofs to either wave back at all the well wishers or to simply absorb all of the excitement around them.

Caryn Shapiro, parent of Horace Greeley senior Lily Shapiro, said, “the car parade was a silver lining that came out of this pandemic. It was such an amazing event that brought the whole community together to celebrate our seniors who have lost the fun traditions that make the spring of senior year so special.”

According to Horace Greeley PTA Vice Chair Suzanne Lodge, the Chappaqua PTA worked together with the Chappaqua Central School District and in cooperation with the Town of New Castle and its police department to organize the parade in order to replace the traditional celebrations this year’s graduating class is missing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This led to the senior class car parade.

“We had seen other districts do the same thing but we also wanted to follow New York State guidelines, so I spoke to the New Castle Police Department and they were super supportive,” said Lodge.

Teachers at Horace Greeley High School waving and cheering for the senior class

Lodge managed the event and worked closely with community members, teachers, parents, seniors and the police department to ensure the car parade was well organized and successful.

Seniors and their families slowly began to roll into the Chappaqua train station parking lot around 5 p.m. Students painted the exteriors of the cars to celebrate their accomplishments.

Senior Charlotte Templeton said the car parade was “a great time and fun way to see classmates while celebrating being a senior.”

As more people filed into the parking spots, the noise level and energy built. Once the police officers leading the parade motioned for everyone to head back into their cars, the honking began.

The parade route started at the train station, weaved through town and ended at Horace Greeley High School. Throughout town, members of the community lined the streets with noise-makers, signs and cameras.

Cheers and shouts from community members combined with cars honking created a symphony that brought smiles to seniors’ faces.

When the seniors pulled into the high school, teachers greeted them by honking their horns right back at them and cheering loudly.

Lodge said the PTA advertised the parade in the town superintendent’s note of the week and in the elementary and middle school newsletters this week. The note encouraged community members to come out and cheer for the seniors while wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines.

Community members in town showing their support for the senior class

Senior Lily Shapiro, daughter of Caryn Shapiro, said, “it was so fun to watch the whole town come together for the first time in a while, socially distanced of course, to celebrate the seniors.”

Lisa Kassin, parent of a Horace Greeley junior and college freshman, lined the parade route with her family to cheer on the seniors.

“My family had so much fun watching on Route 117 and cheering for the entire class of 2020. Seeing the smiles on the seniors’ faces while they stood through the sunroofs of their decked out cars was the best part of the parade,” said Kassin.

Before the parade Lodge said, “we are so excited to finally be celebrating these kids, they’ve worked so hard for so long and we were feeling a little disappointed they would not be having their usual accolades but I think Mother Nature agreed that they need a celebration because today is going to be a beautiful day.”

Although “Honk for Seniors” is traditionally held on the first and last days of school at Horace Greeley, this car parade may become a new way of holding the event and celebrating the seniors in the future.

“I think ‘honk for seniors’ may have been more special than ever before, and I think this would be an awesome tradition to have each year,” said Lily Shapiro.

Impact of Racism Hits Home as a School District Self Examines and Commits to Change and Growth

June 6, 2020 by Grace Bennett

Chappaqua, NY— Growth. The banner sign outside the administration building for the Chappaqua Central School District could not be more symbolic. For we are all learning. No community is immune or free of the ravages of systemic racism that is being addressed in unprecedented protests in cities and towns around the nation following the death of George Floyd while in police custody-aggravated by the delay in bringing murder charges against the Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s for his actions in Floyd’s death.

That includes the community of New Castle, where last night, the Inside Press learned, a group of Chappaqua students and parents, especially those who have been directly impacted, are holding the Chappaqua school district and school board accountable for experiences they say indicate a tolerance for systemic racism within the school district.

Currently, a Tik Tok video circulating in social media depicts a group of Greeley teens offensively using the N-word. According to parents calling out the incident and by those discussing it in social media, there was a weak/inadequate disciplinary response–a brief suspension. A new source points out, however, that the video was withheld from the school district for an unspecified period impacting the disciplinary action. But the problem is more ‘systemic’ too, according to these same discussions.

An on the record open letter received last night by one former Greeley student to the Inside Press was within hours retracted by a legal team for this student who reversed course and asked that it not be published. The student offered, however, that it can provide insight of pain and trauma experienced by students of color inside the school district.

The Chappaqua School board, in the meantime, this morning responded to a collective voicing of “grief and outrage” with the following statement promising to bring about change:

Dear Chappaqua Central School District Community,

As our nation confronts the continuing scourge of racism and oppression faced by African Americans and people of color, and as we continue to witness horrific and brutal events around our country and racist incidents in our own community, we know that we must commit to change.

We are appalled and devastated by racially divisive incidents in our schools and our society as a whole. We know that our staff, students, parents, alumni, and community feel the same. From the many letters which were sent to us today by our students and alumni, we are bearing witness to an outpouring of grief and outrage, and the recounting of personal experiences of racism in our school community. We thank you for reaching out to us and want you to know that the actions you have taken will make you a part of the solution.

We are resolute in our commitment to address and support social justice education in our schools. Here are some examples of what we are doing to help bring about change:

The District will continue to work with Facing History & Ourselves so that our curriculum can better address and examine racism, anti-semitism, and prejudice at pivotal moments in history, and so that we may help students connect choices made in the past to those they will confront in their own lives.
Our faculty will engage in professional development to help facilitate important conversations with our students that address racism and enable all of us to meaningfully process the events unfolding in our country and our community.
We have made a commitment toward addressing diversity in our staff, and have made progress in doing so, through our involvement in the Regional Diversity Recruitment Fair.
The District has created an Equity P.R.I.D.E. (Promoting Racial Inclusivity, Diversity & Equity) Fellowship. This is a team of K-12 educators who will focus on understanding bias and how it impacts our work as educators as we strive to promote equitable, diverse and inclusive learning spaces where all learners, both adult and student, can feel seen, heard, valued and respected. The Equity PRIDE Fellowship will analyze feedback sent to the Board of Education and our District Administration as a part of their work. They will present recommendations to the Board of Education on how we can enhance our social justice instruction District-wide.
We continue to support student-led initiatives including the Black Student Union and ENOUGH at Greeley, and the Diversity Clubs at both middle schools. These student clubs are focused on promoting equity, inclusivity and diversity in our schools and the larger community.
The Board of Education has recently accepted a substantial grant from the Chappaqua School Foundation, which will enable us to further diversify our elementary classroom libraries.

We acknowledge that we can, and must, do more as we work and interact with our students, especially students of color, to listen to and understand their experiences with incidents of racism in Chappaqua schools. We will continue to review our curriculum to ensure that we are educating our students and school community about systemic racism which continues to perpetuate discrimination and oppression in the nation and within our own school community.

We are committed to doing better and will work to do so by maintaining and promoting an anti-racist stance. Please continue to provide feedback. Please continue to report incidents. We will listen, we will share information with our community, and we will hold ourselves accountable in helping our district bring about change.

Sincerely,

The Chappaqua Central School District Board of Education

Jane Kimmel Shepardson, President
Holly McCall, Vice President
Hilary Grasso, Member
Warren Messner, Member
Victoria Tipp, Member