The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

education

A Fresh Take on Learning in a Time of COVID

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Outdoor Classroom at Robert E. Bell Middle School
Outdoor Classroom at Robert E. Bell Middle School

 

 

 

 

In 2017, Robert E. Bell Middle School’s Student Leadership Council Advisors, Justin Olive and Meredith Green, challenged students to apply for a Chappaqua School Foundation (CSF) grant that would have a meaningful impact on the entire student body. They rose to that challenge with a proposal to transform the courtyard space, which had undergone a recent renovation, into a functional learning environment. The grant noted that forming “an alternative classroom environment centered on outdoor collaboration would be a refreshing change of pace” and would also help parents’, students’ and teachers’ concerns regarding “the isolating nature of devices.” The outdoor classroom was installed at the start of the 2020 school year and the goals that prompted its creation are timelier than ever due to the widely-felt impact of COVID-19.

Today, Olive is in a new role as staff developer & K-12 science coordinator and is looking at the space with fresh eyes. “This year, it’s even harder to create an environment where students have the freedom to move around and collaborate. This space will provide us with that opportunity,” he said. Outfitted with a variety of equipment including whiteboards, yoga mats, and crazy creek chairs, the courtyard now appeals to both form and function. As Green says, “These days, we are constantly reimagining what school looks like and having opportunities for outdoor learning experiences are invaluable. Kids are enjoying using it during lunch time and we foresee it becoming a useful space for us in the middle of this pandemic.”

As teachers and administrators forge a new path to learning, they are leveraging every resource available in new and inventive ways. Strategic partnerships between the schools, community and foundations such as CSF have never been more impactful.

– courtesy of the Chappaqua School Foundation

The Harlem Wizards are Coming to Town!

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Chappaqua’s favorite day of hoops and alley oops is back on Sunday, January 26that 1:30 pm. Come watch the beloved teachers of the Chappaqua Challengers as they take on the Harlem Wizards! This annual highly anticipated event, hosted by the Chappaqua School Foundation, is the definition of local family fun. Not only an opportunity to support your schools, it’s guaranteed laughs as the tables are turned and the kids cheer on their teachers.

Make this event even more memorable by purchasing the coveted Benchwarmer or Courtside Plus VIP seats! Both include premier seating, a meet & greet with the Wizards, a souvenir lanyard, team poster and discount on team jerseys.  The newly introduced Benchwarmer seats, however, is the only way to watch the action straight from the Wizards bench and includes a half-court photo opp.

Don’t miss out on the fun and purchase tickets today.

Courtesy of the Chappaqua School Foundation

The Chappaqua Central School District: A Community for Learning

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The Chappaqua Central School District is a nationally renowned suburban school system characterized by highly motivated students, well-educated and forward-thinking staff, and an actively involved parent community. The District offers a rigorous, interdisciplinary academic program and remains committed to providing an excellent education for all students in a supportive environment.

In order to continue Chappaqua’s record of success, the District has embarked on a Strategic Coherence Planning process. This extensive review will assist in aligning and focusing the systems that define Chappaqua’s schools with the reliable acquisition of the identified vital student skills and attributes believed to be the most critical to success beyond Greeley. Social-emotional learning and curriculum alignment will continue to be high priorities moving forward.

As 2016 Capital Bond projects are completed, students are thriving in the new spaces as they grapple with solving challenging real-life problems using the Chappaqua Design Process and critical thinking skills through a collaborative approach. Each elementary school has a Global Learning Center and MakerSpace, each middle school has a STEAM Center, and the high school has an iLab, MakerSpace, STEAM Center, Global Learning Center, Multi-Media Studio, two Instructional Centers, and a Visual Arts Lab. All of these student-centered learning environments support small and large group instruction, independent study, and team collaboration. Students can roll up their sleeves and actively participate in problem-based learning, divergent thinking, and knowledge creation. As a result, students perform well on the Regents exams, SATs and other measures of academic achievement. All six schools consistently rank among the top schools in the county, state, and the nation.

In addition, strong partnerships with Google, Microsoft, and Apple have enabled staff to leverage technology in new ways to provide feedback, personalize instruction, and monitor student progress. The goal is to graduate students who are thoughtful, creative, curious, proactive, imaginative, inventive, and can formulate hypotheses, effectively communicate their ideas, interact well with others, and are personally reflective. These are the students who will be ready for college and the work world.

While the District fully embraces its long history of offering a strong curriculum for core subjects as well as a wide range of Advanced Placement and elective courses that challenge and empower students, extra-curricular activities and athletics also play a key role. They provide students with many positive experiences that help them to become well-rounded individuals. Whether it’s pursuing their passions, discovering hidden talents, meeting people they might not otherwise encounter, or stepping outside of their comfort zones as they pursue something new and completely different, students receive a complete and comprehensive K-12 educational experience.

For more information, please visit ccsd.ws or call 914-238-7200.

Schools

Douglas G. Grafflin Elementary School (K-4, 441 students)
650 King St. • 238-7204 • dg.ccsd.ws

Roaring Brook Elementary School (K-4, 395 students)
530 Quaker Rd. • 238-7205• rb.ccsd.ws

Westorchard Elementary School (K-4, 409 students)
25 Granite Rd. • 238-7206 • wo.ccsd.ws

The three elementary schools foster a love of learning in a nurturing environment that promotes mutual respect and encourages social responsibility. The emphasis is on higher-level thinking skills with the development of essential skills to provide a strong foundation for students to become life-long learners.

The schools are organized in heterogeneous classes with comprehensive support services and technology integrated into the curriculum. The instrumental music program (lessons and group instruction) begins in fourth grade, with students selecting from a variety of string, woodwind, and brass instruments to play as they embark on their exploration of band or orchestra participation.

Elementary teachers nourish students’ emotional lives and guide their social development, instilling in them an appreciation of self-worth, of individual difference, and of global interdependence. They help students learn how to manage freedom and to act ethically so that each may become a responsible, contributing member of a global society, and are supported in their work by a variety of special area teachers as well as teaching specialists. While responsible for covering the District’s challenging curriculum, teachers are encouraged to use their individual talents and interests for the benefit of their students. The end result is a caring and nurturing child-focused environment with student projects and artwork covering just about every inch of the hallways.

Robert E. Bell Middle School (5-8, 623 students)
50 Senter St. • 238-7202 • bs.ccsd.ws

Seven Bridges Middle School(5-8, 584 students)
222 Seven Bridges Rd. • 238-7203 • sb.ccsd.ws

Each school recognizes that young adolescents have unique developmental needs on cognitive, social, emotional and physical levels. The middle school program addresses these needs and builds upon the attributes and unique skills and abilities of every student while providing them with a strong academic foundation.

The middle schools also embrace a team-teaching philosophy, with staff meeting daily to discuss student needs, curricular and instructional issues, and to communicate with parents and support personnel. Students apply creativity and are committed to learning and growth. They are good writers and speakers who express themselves well in many media, and are open-minded and at ease collaborating and cooperating with others. They study core subjects and take courses in technology, computers, art, music, physical education, health and family and consumer science. Foreign language instruction begins in the 5th grade when students have the option of taking Latin, French, or Spanish.

In addition to exploring mini-courses designed to promote critical thinking and analytical skills, there are extensive after-school programs, which include modified sports and clubs and organizations that address other interests of young adolescents.

Horace Greeley High School (9-12, 1,266 students)
70 Roaring Brook Rd. • 238-7201 • hg.ccsd.ws

Greeley students are self-motivated and highly engaged as they are taught to think critically and collaborate to solve problems in all courses. In addition to core subjects (most students take English, social studies, math, science, and foreign language classes through their senior year), students are committed to the fine and performing arts and have an opportunity to take any number of the dozens of electives offered–including shared online courses, a science research course, independent study, and the senior experience internship program. Over two-thirds of the student body participate in more than 85 clubs and organizations, publish two student newspapers, and compete on over 70 sports teams.

 

Courtesy of the Chappaqua Central School District

New Castle Holocaust Memorial Dedication: Wednesday, November 6th

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Planting daffodils: Alexandra Rosenberg (left) and Stacey Saiontz, co-chairs of the recently established New Castle Holocaust & Human Rights Committee.

Residents of the New Castle community will gather on Wednesday, November 6, at 6pm, to dedicate the New Castle Holocaust Memorial located by the Gazebo in the town of Chappaqua near 200 South Greeley Avenue. The opening of the Memorial will coincide with and commemorate Kristallnacht. The project is the fruit of the efforts initiated by New Castle residents Alexandra Rosenberg & Stacey Saiontz, the recently appointed chairs of the New Castle Holocaust & Human Rights Committee.

The New Castle Holocaust Memorial will serve as a place where individuals and families can come together to learn, to remember and to reflect on lessons from the Holocaust.

Last week 750 daffodil bulbs were planted at the memorial as part of the Daffodil Project, a worldwide project to commemorate the lives of the children lost during the Holocaust. The goal is to plant 1.5 million flowers across the world – one daffodil for every child killed. https://www.daffodilproject.net. As the daffodils begin to blossom in the spring the community will hold an annual event that coincides with Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day commemorating the six million Jews and other victims who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

The dedication of the New Castle Holocaust Memorial follows the creation of the New Castle Holocaust & Human Rights Committee and the Horace Greeley High School Club E.N.O.U.G.H. – Educate Now On Understanding Genocide and Hate.  The New Castle Holocaust & Human Rights Committee will work to educate our children and create community awareness about the Holocaust, other genocides and human rights violations.  The mission of E.N.O.U.G.H. is to empower students to stand up to hate and to develop a community of tolerance through education and the understanding of people’s differences.

Alexandra Rosenberg commented, “I proposed the idea for the New Castle Holocaust Memorial, the New Castle Holocaust & Human Rights Committee and the student run organization E.N.O.U.G.H. as a way to combat the significant rise in hate that is permeating our world, our children’s world and more specifically our schools.  The New Castle Holocaust Memorial will serve as a tangible reminder of the impact that each human being can have in creating positive change. Together, the residents of New Castle and the students of Horace Greeley will work to make sure that the horrors of the past never happen again.”

Stacey Saiontz commented “As Elie Wiesel stated, ‘the opposite of love is not hate. It is indifference.’ I am so happy that New Castle is taking action. The creation of the Memorial, the Committee and E.N.O.U.G.H. will serve as a platform to educate the community and future generations about the lessons of the Holocaust. The Holocaust did not start with the gas chambers and killing, it started with indifference to hate. We need to teach people to stand up to hate wherever it may fester. Never Again.”

New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein stated “This is one of the most meaningful projects that I’ve worked on over the last six years. It’s crucial that we remember the lessons of history and provide future generations with the tools to combat hate and bigotry. The idea for these projects started in the heart of New Castle resident, Alexandra Rosenberg, who along with fellow resident, Stacey Saiontz, have led these incredibly important initiatives. I want to thank them for their efforts.”

The materials for the memorial as well as the landscaping, were generously donated by Manzer Landscape Design & Development.

 

News Courtesy of the Town of New Castle

Spiral Giving Teaches Local Children About Philanthropy

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What makes a philanthropist? Google the word and a bevy of images of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Oprah Winfrey pop-up making us believe that a philanthropist is well known and extremely rich and that to earn the label of philanthropist one must make a huge financial impact to society. Two Chappaqua women, Sue Fuirst and Julie Gerstein, set out to show how even small donations can have a big impact on our community, and while doing so dispel the idea that only the super rich can be philanthropists.

In 2015, Fuirst and Gerstein introduced Spiral Giving as an extracurricular program to the Greeley and Byram Hills high school communities. Their program teaches the fundamentals of philanthropy through a specially designed curriculum that focuses on the value of local impact.  “We discuss the needs of our neighbors and donate money to local charities through a grant-awarding process that the students themselves administer,” tells Gerstein. Spiral Giving participants learn to embrace the many needs in and around our community and realize that they have the power to make a meaningful, measurable impact. While doing so, they gain an understanding of the nonprofit and philanthropic landscape of Westchester County.

Fuirst and Gerstein feel that service projects and volunteerism help to teach charity and benevolence, but often worry that these are seen as one-off events–something that is checked off as done, not something that one does. Spiral Giving was formed to help teens identify the social issues that matter to them and to provide them with the tools necessary to make a difference in this increasing backdrop of need.

Girls (L to R): Sami Miller, Chloe Greenstein and Natalie Bass

Leadership Opportunities for Participants

Spiral Giving also provides communication and leadership opportunities and encourages stewardship around giving back. Orestes Rellos, a senior at Horace Greely High School, is a third-year participant and Peer Leader at Spiral Giving. Rellos comments, “Spiral Giving is all about personal growth and leadership development, while learning about the needs of various segments of our community and doing the greatest good by giving back. Giving back takes on even greater meaning and personal application as we, the students, contribute the money that funds Spiral Giving grants. We request, review, and approve grant applications. Spiral Giving is about us, students learning, understanding and then helping our community.”

Over the past four years Spiral Giving has awarded 22 micro-grants to Westchester-based charities and nonprofit agencies. The students recently awarded a grant to Lifting Up Westchester, a nonprofit that assists those struggling to overcome the challenges of poverty, homelessness, and hunger, and provides support that leads to greater self-sufficiency. Anahaita Kotval, Executive Director of Lifting Up Westchester commented, “I love that Spiral Giving engages its student members to critically think about what funding an issue really means and that they are empowering young people to help those in need.” Learning about the various agencies’ budgets has exposed the students to something that was previously unfamiliar.

Bailey Todtfeld, another Peer Leader, says, “Spiral Giving is unique in that it shows us the business side of nonprofits, a side that teenagers rarely see. Learning about nonprofits as a business has taught me the importance of responsible usage of funds and the challenge of sustainability within organizations.”

Inspiring the Next Generation of Philanthropists

At the heart of Spiral Giving is the issue of how parents and educators can work together to inspire the next generation to become engaged in issues surrounding them. Spiral Giving wants the next generation to become invested in their future and to feel empathy for their neighbors.  Fuirst believes, “This is often a challenge in communities such as ours, where basic needs are small and personal wants are big.  Places where the discrepancy of wealth between towns is often large and affluence can lead to misplaced values.”

Spiral Giving illustrates how individuals can become a philanthropist.  By giving teens the power to make an impact at this formative time in their lives, Spiral Giving has the ability to alter the perception of high school students and show how each person has the potential to change a life, strengthen a community, and make an impact on the world.

Spiral Giving’s grants are funded by Spiral Giving 501c3 through student fundraising, collective giving and private donations. Please visit www.spiralgiving.org to donate or learn more.