Ed News Online 
News and Information from the
Elmsford Union Free School District
Fall 2016



Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca talks to teachers and staff during the Aug. 31 Superintendent's 
 Conference Day.
SUPERINTENDENT ENCOURAGES TEACHERS TO TAKE RISKS AS THEY EXPAND STUDENTS' HORIZONS

Take risks. Be creative. Don't be afraid to fail. Always keep growing and moving forward.  Those were the challenges Superintendent Joseph Ricca gave teachers on Aug. 31 as they prepared to begin a new school year.
 
"It's easy to stay in our comfort zone. It's hard to take that step outside. I am giving you permission to step outside," he said at the start of Superintendent's Conference Day at Alexander Hamilton High School.
 
"You can try new things. You can innovate in your classrooms. You can do what you think is going to be best for our kids. We're going to work with you. We're going to support you."
 
Dr. Ricca asked faculty members to "think about some things that you might be able to switch up" and encouraged them to try new activities. He suggested they take some lessons outside the classroom, collaborate with other faculty members and let children work with students in different classes and grade levels.
 
Teachers should find out what really excites their students and figure out how to bring that into the classroom. He joked that anyone who found a way to incorporate the Pokemon GO game into the curriculum would be a district hero.
 
"Teaching is not the filling of a bucket, it's the lighting of a fire," the superintendent said after playing a short video about teaching and preparing motivated students in a rapidly changing world.
 
Dr. Ricca emphasized that the teaching methods of the past are not what today's students need to thrive in the future. Technology and jobs are continuously changing. "What we have to remember is that we need to give our students the skills so that whatever the jobs are, whatever the opportunities are, they're going to be able to get there and be successful."
 
Dr. Ricca also stressed the importance of building relationships and trust with students and families. "We need to have that strong connection with the home and keep our learning moving forward," he said.
 
In
School Board President Dennis Rambaran pictured with Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca at the Superintendent's Conference Day.
introducing Board of Education President Dennis Rambaran, Dr. Ricca said the school board has been "extremely supportive" of teachers and understands that they are "the people who are making the magic happen, each and every day with our kids." Mr. Rambaran gave examples of teachers at all three schools who were responsible for some of that magic last year.
 

The superintendent congratulated 10 staff members who reached service milestones. He praised five employees for their perfect attendance records, singled out the district's three "Teachers of the Year," and welcomed 15 new teachers and staff members.


AHHS Principal Marc Baiocco gives new staff a tour of the building.
EMPLOYEE ACADEMY WELCOMES NEW STAFF TO DISTRICT

The district hosted an Employee Academy Aug. 22 for new staff who were hired over the summer. The orientation, which was held in the Alexander Hamilton High School library, included a tour of the schools and an introduction to the Elmsford School District culture and practices. The district welcomed the following new employees: Alisa Barkan , .5 special education teacher at the Alice E. Grady Elementary School; Katie Chan-Chee, .5 choral teacher at Alexander Hamilton High School; Jessica Chiocchi, office assistant, Financial Support, Business Office; Milena Din, leave replacement, Instructional Services; Nicole Golder, .5 ESL teacher, Carl L. Dixson Primary School; Elange Luctana, cleaner, Business Office; Marisol Miranda, teacher aide, Dixson School; Herbert Olivera, teacher aide, Grady School; Maria Isabel Ramirez, teacher aide, Grady School; Severino Sangro, building sub, AHHS; Edwin Siguenza, cleaner, Business Office and Jan Vancreaynest, .5 physics teacher, AHHS.



The Grady Elementary School Playground
DISTRICT BEGINS FIRST PHASE OF RENOVATIONS

The first phase of a $9.6 million renovation plan that was approved by voters last October has begun on all three district schools.
 
At Alexander Hamilton Jr./Sr. High School, selected areas of the building's roof were replaced. At the Alice E. Grady Elementary School, the replacement of a select unit of ventilators is ongoing, and a new playground was installed.
 
At the Carl L. Dixson Primary School, all unit ventilators were replaced within both the main building and in the annex. Floors in the main office and in all the classrooms were replaced over the summer as well.
 
The district is using $1 million from its capital reserve fund for the renovations. The balance of the project costs to complete the approved renovations will be supported by bond proceeds, which will be borrowed next spring or summer.
 
The second phase of the project has been submitted to the State Education Department for approval. It includes work to all three school buildings.
 
"We anticipate the work to begin next summer," said Assistant Superintendent of Business Gladys Baxter. "We are excited about the improvements to the district facilities."


Inky Johnson speaks to students in the high school auditorium.
FORMER UT PLAYER URGES STUDENTS TO "WIN AT LIFE"
Former football player shares his inspirational story

A tackle that was intended to stop a wide receiver streaking downfield in a Tennessee Volunteers versus Air Force Academy football game turned into a near death situation for Inquoris "Inky" Johnson in 2006.
 
The 29-year-old Atlanta, Ga., native who grew up in a house with his grandmother and 13 other family members, suffered permanent nerve damage to his right arm and a broken artery in his chest as a result of the injury.
 
Students from all grades at Elmsford's Alexander Hamilton Jr./Sr. High School crowded into the auditorium Sept. 13 to hear his amazing story and to learn from this passionate motivational speaker, whose dream of being drafted to the NFL was dashed as a result.
 
At the time, Johnson was a mere eight games from making that NFL draft a reality. Life-saving surgery and a trip to the Mayo Clinic to repair his severed arm held some promise, but in the end, Johnson realized he would never play football again and had to give up a dream he had been chasing since he was 7 years old.
 
For most people, such news would have been devastating, For Johnson, however, it was a matter of directing his life toward another path, choosing instead to mentor kids in underprivileged neighborhoods like the one he was raised in and to become a beacon for youth dealing with adversity.
 
"I was raised to fight for what I believe in," said Johnson, the father of two children. That conviction and a strong faith helped during his long road to recovery and got him thinking about ways he could help others.
 
Standing close to his attentive audience of both students and staff, his artificial hand showing below his sleeve, Johnson recalled his rise from poverty and violence and the determination that has helped him overcome adversity and succeed in life.  
Johnson stops to take a picture with students after his inspirational talk.
 
He recalled that night after night he would train on the streets of Atlanta with his older cousin, running between light poles until his mother finished her shift at a local Wendy's. A football coach noticed his talent and tenacity and signed him up for organized sports. He later won a full scholarship to the University of Tennessee.
 
"I didn't get what I thought I was going to get out of life," said Johnson, referring to the unfortunate circumstances he found himself in. "But sometimes life takes a different route and in order to survive, you've got to figure things out."
 
"You know why people quit?" he asked the students. "They don't have pride in what they do. You know why people stop? They're selfish and it's just about them. Well, you need a bigger purpose to keep doing what you're doing.
 
"If every decision and choice you make is just about you, you're going to hit something that's a lot tougher than you and it's going to make you quit because you don't have the driving force to do what you do."
 
Rather than feeling sorry for themselves by life's setbacks, Johnson, who holds both a bachelor's and a master's degree from UT, told the students they must constantly adapt to change to reach their goals. To become the best versions of themselves, he told them to be committed to their success.
 
"Commitment is one of the most important things we can possess as human beings," he told them.    
 
Don't expect success to come quickly or easy, he added.
 
"It's going to take everything you've got, which means it might take three years from now."
 
Other ingredients for a successful life, he said, include integrity, perseverance and structure.
 
"Every single day of your life, you have a chance. Never forget that."


STUDENTS AND STAFF WEAR ORANGE FOR HUNGER ACTION MONTH

Students and staff at all three schools wore orange Wednesday, Sept. 14, to support Hunger Action Month, a month-long national movement to help raise awareness of hunger.
 
Throughout the day, teachers engaged students in various activities to highlight the cause. After school, teachers and other staff, including Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca, helped distribute food to local residents availing of the Mobile Food Bank of Westchester.  
 



Fathers help their children sign their name on a specially created certificate for "Dads Bring Your Child to 
 School" Day.
DISTRICT CELEBRATES "DADS TAKE YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL DAY"

Over 200 significant male role models renewed a commitment to their children's education when they participated in the school district's "Dads Bring Your Child to School" day Sept. 20.
 
Over 100 dads turned out at the Alice E. Grady Elementary School and 109 caregivers attended the event at the Carl L. Dixson Primary School.
 
"The level of participation was tremendous," said Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca, referring to the second year that the district has participated in the national initiative.
 
The district also joins other schools across the state to encourage men to be more active in their children's education.
 
The event, which is held in the district each September, gives local dads and significant male caregivers the chance to bring their kids to school and to participate in a special activity.  
 
This year, Dixson dads were treated to a photo shoot while at Grady, a special breakfast was provided.
 
When the children at Dixson entered the school, they were asked to sign their names on a special certificate honoring their caregivers. The certificate would later be handed back to the children with the special photo attached.
 
In New York State, the program is sponsored by the Fatherhood Initiative of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
 
"Special thanks to all of the EUFSD dads and significant male role models for participating in the "Dads Bring Your Child to School" initiative," said Dr. Ricca.
 
"You may think it's just a little thing. But it's not. Your presence and participation makes a huge positive difference and we appreciate all of your time."


Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca talks to parents and others in the Grady Library.
SUPERINTENDENT HOSTS FIRST "COFFEE & CONVERSATION" OF SCHOOL YEAR

Sitting in the Alice E. Grady Elementary School library, Elmsford Union Free School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca opened up the first of three informal community-centered conversations that he plans to host with parents and other members of the community throughout the school year.
 
The superintendent's "Coffee & Conversation" initiative is a way for him and the school district to take the pulse of the community as it relates to district-level school issues and other concerns.
 
It is also an excellent venue to collaborate in the district's on-going effort to continuously improve, said Dr. Ricca.
 
Kicking off the hour long meeting, Dr. Ricca asked participants for their opinions on the purpose of an education. Some felt it should not only be about learning, but also about being innovative, instilling curiosity in students, character building and preparing them for society.
 
"We cannot understate the importance that your influence has on your child's success. You're their first teachers, really providing the core around which all formal education develops," he said.
 
Speaking to the changing economy and by extension the way students are being prepared for the job market, Dr. Ricca suggested that today's education needs to focus on specific skills that are applicable to the 21st century.
 
"In most cases, the days of being able to graduate from high school and go straight to a profession are behind us," he said.
 
"The jobs of our parents are falling away, and while innovation makes things easier for us in so many ways, the paradigm of what is expected of students as they transition into the job market is also changing," he added.
 
Referring to student success, Dr. Ricca wondered what that might mean for the district's children.  One parent said success meant having a happy child, one who tried no matter what, who put forth his or her best effort and who persevered.
 
"I think as a society we have created an expectation for perfection within our schools, and as a result many of our kids are afraid of failure. This must change" said Dr. Ricca.
 
"Authentic education should be about extending yourself, trying new things, taking academic risks and not being afraid to fail."
 
Other topics discussed at the get-together included the possibility of extending the district's language program to the elementary level, ongoing legislative advocacy efforts to push for funding reform, as well as the desire for change to the high-stakes nature of state standardized testing and teacher evaluations.
 
Dr. Ricca invited the community to visit the district website to see sample letters that could be helpful when communicating with local legislators as well as to become involved, if they wished, in advocacy efforts throughout the state.
 
The next "Coffee and Conversation" meeting will be held Wednesday, Jan. 11.

Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca pictured with Elmsford Mayor Robert Williams and Fr. Robert Norris.
DISTRICT CELEBRATES FOUR-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ANTI-BULLYING COLLABORATION

The Elmsford Board of Education, combined with village trustees and Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, renewed a joint commitment to anti-bullying Oct. 5 during a special board meeting held in the district's Alice E. Grady Elementary School gym.
  
Mayor Robert Williams applauded the initiative, saying the reason for its success has been due to the strong partnership that exists between all three entities and the efforts that have been made to highlight the negative effects of bullying.
 
According to National Center for Disease Control statistics, bullying is widespread throughout the nation, affecting 20 percent of the country's high school students.
 
"The fact that we are talking about bullying is a giant leap forward," said Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca, referring to research that shows that persistent bullying can create psychological trauma well into adulthood.
 
Dr. Ricca added that the richness of the Elmsford community means that everyone can celebrate the "beauty of our differences." Students, however, must understand that this type of behavior is dangerous, he said, but that additional education is the key, not punishment.
 
"I am proud of what everyone is doing in our buildings," Dr. Ricca noted.
 
"While this meeting tonight is a public expression of our intentions, this work is going on day in, day out throughout our district."
 
The original anti-bullying poster that was created four years ago by the village and the school district was on display during the meeting as was another poster declaring Elmsford's commitment to America's PreparAthon!
 
That initiative is a nationwide, community-based campaign to increase awareness and preparedness among the community regarding hazards such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, wildfires and winter storms.
 
Dr. Ricca urged those present to sign up for the district's Connect Ed alert system so that they can receive emergency notifications via phone call, text message or emails.


Members of the newly qualified CERT team pictured with school and village board members as well as Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca, far left. Also pictured is CERT Coordinator Barbara Eannazzo, second from right in middle row.
ELMSFORD TEENS QUALIFY TO BECOME FIRST CERT TEAM IN REGION

In a joint board meeting held Oct. 5, the Elmsford Union Free School District and the Village of Elmsford honored 15 high school students who earlier in the summer had successfully completed training to become Westchester County's first Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
 
The students, with the support of Mayor Robert Williams and the Village Trustees and under the direction of CERT Coordinators Barbara Eannazzo and Olivia Simpson, spent several weeks learning life-saving and disaster-response skills.
 
The students who participated in this comprehensive training volunteered for the initiative.
 
"We are all proud of them, these students are truly leaders and we know that in the face of emergency, they are well prepared to assist within their community," said Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca, while watching the students receive certificates for successfully completing the program.
 
The CERT concept was first developed and implemented by the Los Angeles City Fire Department in 1985 as a way to prepare citizens to meet their immediate needs in the case of an earthquake or other disaster.
 
Later the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognized the value of such a program and has since provided training to communities in 28 states and in Puerto Rico.


Physical education teacher Drew Watson greets students in the Grady hallway as they participate in the Sept. 30 Fitness Friday theme, "Get Moving."
TURNING FITNESS INTO FUN

While some kids thrive on the competitiveness associated with school sports, there's something to be said for the kind of fitness initiative that physical education teacher Drew Watson has been running at the Alice E. Grady Elementary School each month for the past 10 years.
 
Known to all throughout the school district as "Fitness Friday," Mr. Watson has the unique ability to instill the value of physical exercise through a series of basic exercises that students perform to pop music and at the same time teach them about respecting each other and following the rules.
 
"The Fitness Friday program at Grady, which is open to students in second through sixth grade, has really taken on a life of its own, and the kids and staff get really excited about it," said Mr. Watson, referring to the various themes he introduces each month to promote school spirit and to get students enthusiastic about exercise.
 
He said there's always a "good buzz" around the building just before each fitness session, with students and staff getting in on the fun and responding to the familiar Fitness Friday chant, "two clap, two clap" that Mr. Watson has worked into the program.
 
Mr. Watson said it is a privilege for students to participate in the activity.
 
"You earn the right to be here," he told the large group of students sitting down on the Grady gym floor during the first Fitness Friday session of the school year Sept. 30. 

"If you listen, follow the rules and do your homework, you will earn the right," added Mr. Watson, who has been known to get into costume on occasion for the fun event.
 
The next fitness activity at Grady will be "Grady Fitness Thursday" on Oct. 27.


Parents and their children, along with Principal Jeffrey Olender, teachers and staff, pose for a photo at the end of the "Dads & Mums" activity Oct. 7.
DIXSON'S "DADS AND MUMS" A FUN EVENT

Several dads turned out for a special event at the Carl L. Dixson Primary School Oct. 7 called "Dads & Mums (and Moms too)."
 
Geared toward the morning and afternoon pre-kindergarten classes, the activity was designed to encourage fathers to continue to engage in the educational process. 

During the event, fathers and mothers helped their little ones plant a variety of mums of different colors in the school's garden, which is located near the recently renovated playground.
 
Getting down on their knees, moms and dads helped their children dig holes in the soil, then gently took the potted flowers and transplanted them into the ground. Labeled sticks with each child's first name were placed in different areas of the garden to signify where they had planted.  
 
Three stations were set up close to the planting area, each one devoted to a specific learning activity. At one table, children wrote their names, helped by a parent. At another table, they colored flower petals that were eventually placed around their faces.
 
A photograph was also taken of each child with his or her parent.

"This was a very nice initiative that combined literacy and science," said Principal Jeffrey Olender. Pre-K teacher Keri Cilento added, "It was also a good lesson in how different each of us really is and what makes us special, just like the colors, shapes and sizes of the flowers that we planted."


One curious third-grader examines his newly acquired dictionary. 
ELMSFORD ROTARY DONATES DICTIONARIES TO GRADY'S THIRD-GRADERS

Being active readers, good writers and curious thinkers in a digital world is becoming increasingly difficult, some might say.
 
The Elmsford Rotary Club is hoping to ignite some of those characteristics in students as it continued its annual dictionary donation to third-graders at the Grady Elementary School, providing them with 85 dictionaries in a special presentation Oct. 17.
 
The goal of the program is to increase literacy and help students become good writers, readers and resourceful learners by providing them with their own personal dictionary.
 
Prior to giving out the dictionaries, Rotary President Syed Alirahi presented Grady Principal Douglas Doller with a special award in recognition of his efforts to ignite curiosity in the school's student body.
 
The rotary is continually working to improve relationships with its local community partnerships, including school districts, Mr. Alirahi told the group of students and teachers gathered in the school's cafeteria.
 
"Dictionary Day is always an exciting day for our leaders," said Principal Doller. "We really appreciate and value the relationship we have with the Elmsford Rotary and their commitment to promoting literacy in our schools."