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Schools Closed Monday, May 2, in Observance of Eid al-Fitr

City School District of New Rochelle schools will be closed on Monday, May 2, 2022 in observance of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. Please note that earlier calendars listed Tuesday, May 3, 2022 as the date of the holiday’s observance by the school district. Schools will now be open on May 3, and school district offices will be open on Monday, May 2, 2022. Details: https://conta.cc/3K1D2lY

Isaac E. Young Middle School Sixth-Graders Best in NY State in Stock Market Game Competition

For the third time, Isaac E. Young Middle School students captured top honors in the New York State Stock Market Game, in what was their most impressive showing to date.

The Stock Market Game, run by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) Foundation, empowers students with basic financial-literacy skills. The project is part of a national program educating 600,000 students yearly about investment principles. Teams start with $100,000 in virtual funds to invest, using their own research and resources. After 10 weeks, a winning team is declared based on the group’s net profits vs. the growth of the Standard & Poor’s 500, an index used to monitor economic growth.

Isaac E. Young students’ 2022 achievements:

• Sixth-graders Alexa Alvarez, Valeria Cabrera, Nicholas Capossela, Meeya Davis, and Hans Ivambi won top honors, finishing with a portfolio worth $132,578. Their profits were 35% higher than the S&P 500 in the same time period. The five students called themselves “The Business Crew” and finished in first place in the middle school division that included over 200 teams in Westchester and Rockland Counties. In addition, the team finished seventh out of over 6,500 middle and high school teams, and college teams, competing in New York State (99th percentile.)
• Finishing behind “The Business Crew” in second place among middle schools was the Isaac E. Young Middle School quartet of Lessly Aguilar Hernandez, Mireya Auyon Canely, Marianela Calderon, and Chelsey Cardona Mesa. Their $121,357 portfolio (24% above the S&P 500) placed them in 18th place (99th percentile) among over 6,500 teams from across New York State.
• Isaac E. Young Middle School had five teams in the top 10 in the Westchester and Lower Hudson Valley middle school division. This includes teams in sixth, seventh, and ninth place. The average worth of the top five Isaac Young team portfolios was $116,337 vs. $111,627 for the next five teams, representing two other schools.
• Isaac E. Young Middle School also won titles in 2016 and 2017. The school did not participate from 2018 to 2021.

Each Isaac E. Young Middle School victory over that time was facilitated by math teacher Calvin Heyward. “My students’ ability to grasp and work through concepts is more a testament to their willingness to learn rather anything that I might do. I just tell them never to give up,” he said.

Sixth-graders shared these lessons: 

• Sayra Lopez: “Working together is always a good thing. It does not matter how many people there are on your team. What matters is that you give your best and always try to improve more every day."
• Daniel Flores: “I learned … how to look for stocks and how to be a good investor. I also learned how to identify a bear company (with a negative financial outlook) and a bull company (with a positive outlook).” 
• Nicholas Capossela: "Read about how the company has been doing, and don't just say, Oh, look at this stock, it went up $2 today. Let me buy a couple shares. No, you must read about it and see if the stock is estimated to go up or down."

Photo: Nicholas Capossela at left; Hans Ivambi at right. Standing, left to right: Valeria Cabrera, Alexa Alvarez, and Meeya Davis.

Information for Voters:

School Budget Vote and Board of Education Election May 17

The Annual School Election and Budget Vote of the City School District of New Rochelle and the Annual Library Election and Budget Vote of the New Rochelle Public Library will be held Tuesday, May 17, 2022, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Voters will:

• Elect two New Rochelle Board of Education members who will serve five-year terms beginning July 1, 2022.
• Vote on whether to adopt the 2022-2023 school district budget approved by the New Rochelle Board of Education. View budget information here: English | Spanish. The Public Hearing on the budget is Wednesday, May 4 at 7 p.m. at New Rochelle High School’s Whitney Young Auditorium. Learn more at nred.org/page/budget-copy.
• Vote on a capital bond proposition for Hurricane Ida repairs and restoration. Information is within the budget presentations linked above in English and Spanish.
• Elect one member of the New Rochelle Public Library Board of Trustees to serve a five-year term beginning July 1, 2022.
• Vote on whether to adopt the 2022-2023 New Rochelle Public Library Budget.

Polling Places

The City School District of New Rochelle is divided into School Election Districts (SED) in which voting will take place. GED stands for General Election Districts. To determine where you vote, visit https://vip.ntsteamed.com/

SED 1: Barnard School, 129 Barnard Road, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Gymnasium (G.E.D.: 11, 12, 13, 16, 38, 70)

SED 2: Columbus School, 275 Washington Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Gymnasium (G.E.D.: 50, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 74, 75)

SED 3: Davis School, 80 Iselin Drive, New Rochelle, NY 10804, Gymnasium (Gymnasium entrance off Iselin Drive) (G.E.D.: 30, 32, 39, 40, 43, 46, 47)

SED 4: Jefferson School, 131 Weyman Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10805, Gymnasium (Emmett Terrace Entrance) (G.E.D.: 18, 22, 23, 24, 71, 73)

SED 5: Central Administration (Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center), 95 Lincoln Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Dining Hall (G.E.D.: 10, 15, 49, 53, 60, 64, 66, 78)

SED 6: New Rochelle High School, 265 Clove Road, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Auditorium Lobby (Clove Road Entrance) (G.E.D.: 14, 34, 36, 37, 41, 45, 48, 61, 68)

SED 7: Trinity School, 180 Pelham Road, New Rochelle, NY 10805, Gymnasium (G.E.D.: 1, 5, 6, 9, 28)

SED 8: Albert Leonard Middle School, 25 Gerada Lane, New Rochelle, NY 10804, Auditorium Lobby (G.E.D.: 31, 35, 44)

SED 9: Webster School, 95 Glenmore Drive, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Gymnasium (G.E.D.: 7, 57, 58, 59, 63, 72)

SED 10: Isaac E. Young Middle School, 270 Centre Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10805, Gymnasium (G.E.D.: 19, 25, 26, 29)

SED 11: New Rochelle Fire Station #1, 45 Harrison Street, New Rochelle, NY 10801, (G.E.D.: 2, 3, 4, 8, 65, 69)

SED 12: Ward School, 311 Broadfield Road, New Rochelle, NY 10804, Cafeteria (Rear Entrance) (G.E.D.: 27, 33, 42, 67)

SED 13: 570 Fifth Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Community Room (G.E.D.: 21)

Absentee Ballot Application

To download an Absentee Ballot application, please click below as appropriate, and scroll down to pages 2 and 3 to review the directions: English | Spanish

An Absentee Ballot application only may be used for school district elections by qualified voters who reside in a school district that provides for personal registration of voters. If the application requests the absentee ballot be mailed, the application must be received by the district clerk not later than seven days before the election for which the absentee ballot is sought. Otherwise, the application may be personally delivered to the district clerk not later than the day before the election. Applications may not be submitted more than 30 days prior to the election. If you are qualified for absentee voting and issued an absentee ballot, the ballot itself must be received by the school district clerk by 5 p.m. on the day of the election in order to be canvassed.

Superintendent Launches Video Series, “What Matters Most”

Superintendent Jonathan Raymond has launched the first in a series of videos to provide timely updates on City School District of New Rochelle innovations, activities, and issues of importance. The series, “What Matters Most,” includes interviews with faculty, staff members, community members, and students making a difference. 

The videos, recorded at a studio at Trinity Elementary School, are posted to the school district’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/NewRochelleSchools, and its YouTube channel, youtube.com/c/CSDNRYouTube. View the most recent video, an interview with Director of Health and Physical Education Tilsa Gonzalez about the 60/60 fitness program, at this link: https://youtu.be/uZFtK-fhQkg.

Gwen Cinquemani knows she beat the odds.

Now the 17-year-old New Rochelle High School junior wants others who might be dealing with a life-threatening illness, as she did, to know they can have a second chance. She is speaking up so folks understand how they can help.

In August 2018, Cinquemani was diagnosed with a rare pre-cancerous blood disorder known as MDS. It is a syndrome that can lead to leukemia. She went from being a healthy, active 13-year-old cheerleader to someone whose life was on the line.

“"I was always doing something. The diagnosis took my freedom away,” Cinquemani said.

She needed a bone marrow transplant. She’s a triplet, but both her brothers were tested and they weren’t a match.

Cinquemani certainly was not alone. There’s only a 25% chance that patients who need a transplant will have a sibling who is a fully matched donor. That meant they had to turn to a potential-donor registry.

“A bone marrow transplant is a long and serious process; there’s always going to be a few bumps in the road and possibilities for it not working. But thankfully, everything for the most part went well with mine,” said Cinquemani.

She was fortunate that three months after being diagnosed, she had the transplant. The donor: Haven Davis, a high school teacher from Minneapolis who had just joined the “Be the Match” donor registry and turned out to be the right match for a teenage girl in New Rochelle, some 1,200 miles away.

Cinquemani was finally able to meet and thank Davis at a recent “Be the Match” gala.

“My family and I are not surprised that she’s a teacher; she’s such an amazing person. She has such a great personality and attitude that she’s probably an amazing teacher,” said Cinquemani.

“I’m basically back to being a healthy, normal teenager and after being isolated for so long, getting back into school and my social life are now starting to go back to normal,” said Cinquemani, who would like in the future to work in the medical field, maybe as a nurse or a nurse practitioner.

Tiffany Cinquemani said she and her daughter are thankful and hope that more people join the registry so matches can be found. “Mixed ethnic backgrounds have the hardest time finding a match, and because New Rochelle is so rich in diversity I think there could be a lot of great people out there who can get swabbed and save someone’s life.” To find out more, visit bethematch.org.

View news stories about Gwen Cinquemani:

WCBS-TV: https://cbsn.ws/3MxFmD5

WABC-TV: https://7ny.tv/3vmv5E0

Photo: Gwen Cinquemani at center; brothers Jack and Luke at left; Haven Davis and her husband Sam at right.

Join Zoom Meeting May 3

to Learn How Tutor.com Propels Student Success

Learn how Tutor.com can advance students’ academic success by tuning in to a special community Zoom session at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3. The Zoom meeting is open to the public.

Join the Zoom at this link: https://zoom.us/j/96916637401.

Tutor.com is available for free to all City School District of New Rochelle students and has proven to be an essential tool for students in all school district schools. At the community meeting, we will outline Tutor.com’s numerous benefits and academic support services, and provide information for both new users and those already familiar with the service.

The program will be available in English and Spanish and will be hosted by Executive Principal John Barnes. Edward Castro, City School District of New Rochelle Director of Family and Community Engagement and Kara Hall, Senior Director of Customer Success for Tutor.com, will do presentations at the meeting.

Math and Science are the most common subjects for which help is requested. Students have been tutored in a variety of subjects, including Spanish and French, Advanced Placement U.S. History, Poetry, Statistics, and many more. New Rochelle students also receive help with studying and life skills, such as taking notes and managing time.

During sessions, students connect with live, one-to-one tutors in English or Spanish, and can receive assistance in:

• Homework
• Extra-credit projects
• Critiques of written reports before submission in class
• Practice tests to gauge mastery on subjects or prep for standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT or Advanced Placement exams
• If a student is absent but well enough to do schoolwork, and doesn’t have access to a teacher, Tutor.com can help
• Tutors can guide students regarding best practices for studying or how to best understand and tackle an assignment

Students can access Tutor.com 24/7 by signing into their school district devices, accessing the school district’s launchpad, and clicking the Tutor.com icon. Students using a non-district-provided device must sign into Launchpad (https://launchpad.classlink.com/nredlearn) first, then click the Tutor.com icon.

Students and parents love having the support of Tutor.com. Here is some of the feedback received:

• “This is a parent’s best friend. This is the most amazing thing the district has offered and allows everyone the same opportunity and access to help, which gives every student an opportunity to thrive no matter their socio-economic status. I'm so grateful as a parent; this has been an answer to my prayers. It's a fortune to pay tutors, and now, she has one right at home right at her fingertips. THANK YOU!!!!” – Parent
• “I think this service really helps a lot of students who may be struggling and offers a great way for students to get help if they aren't able to go to extra help after school.” – Algebra student
• “This tutor recommended things I never thought of… These tips, I believe, are going to help tremendously! Thank you, Tutor.com!” – Student seeking studying tips

For more information, email Executive Principal John Barnes at [email protected].

Calendar for Next School Year Now Available

When does school start in September? When are the vacations and holidays? Start your planning now with this newly approved City School District of New Rochelle calendar for the 2022-2023 school year.

Click on the image for a full view.

The City School District of New Rochelle needs a great name for a great summer learning education program. Students in second through eighth grades have made some superb suggestions.

There were 158 responses to the Name Our K-8 Summer Learning Program Contest. Students will be asked to vote on these submissions:

•  Learn It, Live It!
•  Super Learners
•  Summer Stars
•  Dreamcatchers
•  Time to Shine!

A link to a survey will be shared with students in grades kindergarten through eight to cast their votes, and results will be announced next week.

The school district’s summer learning is built around student interest as well as student learning needs. By blending academic support with enrichment and fun, our students will be engaged, attend more consistently, and receive added academic, social, and emotional benefits.

More information will be provided throughout the next couple of weeks, including our new name! Watch for opportunities to sign up.

Looking for the next Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Matisse, or Romare Bearden? Look no further than Columbus Elementary School!

An Art Club for second-graders inspired students to learn about the artists’ styles and create their own masterpieces, which were displayed during an art show for Columbus families. But the artistic creativity was only part of the lesson. Students used math skills to measure the matting for the art pieces. They determined the layout of the paintings on the walls to frame how they wanted them to look for families, and teamed up to determine activities for the show. In addition, students wrote about each artist, with some even preferring to create poetry in tribute.

“I loved making this possible for my students,” said teacher Antoinette Koehler. “It allowed them to shine, instilled confidence and created lasting memories. That's what opportunities in the arts do for children.”

Health Care Innovation? High School Students Have the Solutions

Budding entrepreneurs? Yes, that’s an apt description for New Rochelle High School students who represented the school in the African American Men of Westchester (AAMW) Business Skills Olympics.

Alexander Ciriaco, Abigail Demosthene, Chelsea Demosthene, Jasmine Gonzales, Fatima Gonzalez, Mazal Mills, Wuilson Rosales Perez, and Adrianna Smith, who are juniors and seniors, competed with rival schools by presenting a case study solution focused on digital transformation. Their plan integrated and digitized operations in health care. 

The students crafted a solution intended to hit specific “key performance indicators” such as saving money, saving time, and increasing customer satisfaction. Their solution: Create a centralized interactive kiosk system to streamline communication between medical offices and pharmacies. This innovative approach would reduce payroll expenses, quickly share medical information with other firms and provide consumers with more privacy protection. The interactive kiosks would operate 24/7 and offer patients multiple prescription options so they can choose an option that best fits their budget.  

The solutions-driven exercise mirrors the ever-evolving state of health care, which in recent years has seen care advance through technology.

High School Twins Explore the Promise of Public Service

The world of public service opened up recently to two New Rochelle High School students, thanks to a program from the League of Women Voters of Westchester County and the American Association of University Women Westchester.

“Running & Winning,” a program for young women in high school, was attended by twins Samira and Fairuz Saleh. They were recommended by their Advanced Placement Government & Politics teacher, Tim Kuklis.

Running & Winning gives female high school students in Westchester County the opportunity to explore public service as a career. Working in small groups, attendees met with local female elected officials to learn about their experiences seeking and holding public office. Participants took on roles of a candidate, campaign manager, etc., to produce a campaign slogan and poster, and deliver a meaningful campaign speech on a chosen issue.

The Salehs offered this statement: “Walking into this experience, we were a bit intimidated. Little did we know that we’d be exposed to a wide network of influential women, and an empowering group of students like ourselves from all parts of Westchester, and of diverse backgrounds. We got into small groups, where we created our own political campaign. There was a list of three issues, one of which was to build and staff a mental health center. We even created a slogan for our campaign: “Mental is FundaMENTAL” and “Listening for Change.” Additionally, we advocated for easier access to mental health resources in disadvantaged communities. 

“We are so glad that we said yes to this opportunity. The possibilities were endless! Most importantly, we realized that we don’t have to sacrifice our values and passions to better serve the community, and if anything, our passions can become fuel to better our community."

Photo, from left: New Rochelle Council Member Martha Lopez, Fairuz Saleh, Samira Saleh, and New Rochelle Council Member Yadira Ramos-Herbert.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Workshops for Columbus Parents

Columbus Elementary School is proud to host three nights of family oriented, bilingual workshops on STEM – science, technology, engineering and math. These in-person workshops, for Columbus parents, are from the FLORES (Family Learning and Outreach for Research and Education in STEM) Project, created by Mercy College.

The workshops will empower parents to bring science into their child’s daily lives. They will expose parents and children to engineering, teach about sound, and provide instruction in coding by programming a robotic mouse. FLORES is a great way to promote community, questioning and wondering for both children and parents.

The workshops will take place on the evenings of May 5, 12, and 19. Mercy College Master STEM Teacher Fellow Anny Vanegas, WIPRO Fellow Maia Starcevic, first-grade teacher Deanna Lasco, and English as a New Language (ENL) teacher Elva Franco will lead the workshops. WIPRO is a private firm that created a grant to promote science education. The support of Director Of Instructional Support Tiara Reyes-Vega, Principal Michael Galland, Interim Assistant Principal Francis Cruz, Dr. Meghan Marrero and Dr. Amanda Gunning of Mercy College), the Mercy Fellows at Trinity, and the Columbus PTA is appreciated.

Photo, from left: Elva Franco, Anny Vanegas, Deanna Lasco, and Maia Starcevic.

Columbus Students Celebrate Earth Day by Creating Recycled Toy Museum

A group of third-graders at Columbus Elementary School honored this year’s Earth Day by using materials in their homes to create toys -- and exhibits for a Recycled Toy Museum.

During spring recess, students and their families created toys for display. While not a permanent fixture, the Recycled Toy Museum was set up in the school’s auditorium on April 22. Classes throughout the school visited and asked questions about the projects.

The inspiration for the Recycled Toy Museum came from the book “Galimoto,” by Karen Lynn Williams, which tells the story of a young African boy who made a toy vehicle called a galimoto out of wire. Through this project, students learned about sustainability while developing skills in engineering and creativity. The goal of the Recycled Toy Museum was to inspire students to repurpose items that might otherwise be thrown out, which is a good practice to bolster Earth Day’s message of “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” throughout the year.

Vaccine Clinic Tomorrow at Ward Elementary;

$100 Gift Card After Second Doses for Ages 5-11

Don’t miss the City School District of New Rochelle’s next COVID Vaccination Clinic, Friday, April 29 at William B. Ward Elementary School’s cafeteria. The clinic, from 3-6:30 p.m., includes a special incentive from the Westchester County Department of Health: Students 5-11 years old who receive their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the clinic will receive a $100 gift card from the county. To register, click on the flyer, then click on the appropriate link in the flyer.

The students in New Rochelle High School’s Science Research Program explore a dazzling range of topics under the mentorship of experts from some of the top institutions of learning and exploration. Students’ projects are regularly featured in this Newsletter.

Student: Dylan Sadow

Mentor: Dr. Kathlene Tracy, Ph.D; Leah Wachtel, M.A.; and Stefanie Joseph, MPH (Addiction Institute of Mount Sinai)

There are many treatment options for those battling addiction, including therapy, sobriety meetings and rehabilitation. There even are virtual addiction-treatment programs, through which people can tackle their addiction from the comfort of their own home. But how effective are these types of treatment? Dylan Sadow pondered this question for her Science Research Program project.    

With the help of her mentors, Sadow, a junior, analyzed raw data from a past study of virtual addiction-treatment programs. She used information known as Fisher’s exact tests and Pearson’s correlations, both of which compare the relationship between two variables.

“I received the raw data from a study conducted by lead researcher (named) Nunes in 2012,” said Sadow. “In this past research, a virtual treatment called the Therapeutic Education System was analyzed. This treatment was composed of different virtual modules.”

Sadow hypothesized that the more modules a person completes, the more likely he or she is to reduce their drug usage. She sought to determine if there were a correlation between completed modules and negative urine toxicology screenings.

“In Nunes’ study, there were two types of virtual modules: core and optional,” said Sadow. “I found that more core modules were not correlated with less drug use, but more optional modules were. Then, when I analyzed total modules (core and optional) vs. drug use, I found that an increase in modules, in general, led to decreased drug use, which supports my hypothesis.”

Sadow’s Science Research Program experience developed skills she plans to use in college and beyond. 

“Science Research has taught me to become a more critical thinker, create eye-catching presentations, conduct data analysis and unravel complex texts,” Sadow said. “Further, the responsibilities of creating formal emails and reporting to a researcher have been invaluable learning experiences.”

Sadow plans a career in medicine, though she’s open to other options as well. Either way, she knows the Science Research Program will help her achieve goals.  

“Even if I veer on another path,” she said, “I have no doubt that my time in Science Research will help me with whatever I decide to do.”

Effort Raises Awareness About Drugs, Alcohol, and Mental Health

New Rochelle High School students took part in an awareness day on April 20 presented by the SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and CODA (Co-Occuring Disorders Awareness) clubs to help students understand the dangers of making poor decisions involving drugs and alcohol, and mental health.

Stephanie Marquesano, whose son died of an accidental overdose at age 19, made presentations to six classes, and awareness activities were held throughout the day. SADD and CODA members handed out vaping, drug and alcohol informational materials, awareness bracelets, buttons and stickers. They also made mocktails to help build awareness that fun options exist without alcohol. 

Pina Palmisano, the longtime Student Assistance Counselor, said many kids have been isolated and stuck at home as a result of COVID, adding to levels of stress, anxiety and depression. “Some kids may have turned to using drugs or alcohol. What we do is try and understand, to provide more positive choices so they don’t result in doing something like that when their mental health is impaired.”

SADD and CODA meet once a week after school. A mandatory assembly for seniors will be held on May 26 prior to the prom.

For additional photos, visit https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nJmmk2brrAd3fgwOWQPVuscAZby4VWNM

Poetry Out Loud Returns May 16

Poetry Out Loud, a celebration of original poetry created by selected students in grades three through six, will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 16, at New Rochelle High School’s Whitney Young Auditorium.

The free program, presented by the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence, will be emceed by New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson. Elementary school principals will be on hand to share in the fun. Family, friends and community members are invited.

The New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence supports our school system and its extraordinary, diverse student body through advancing equity, excellence and inspiring all public-school students. Learn more at https://nredfund.org.

Special Olympians Transition from Basketball to New Activities

The New Rochelle High School Huguenot Pioneers’ Special Olympics basketball team has reached the end of its season. New Rochelle edged out a win against Woodlands 22-18, but lost a nail-biter to Tuckahoe 16-14.

Huguenot athletes excelled:

• Maggie Towers, with eight points, and Christopher Conte, with six, led the scoring and also exhibited admirable sportsmanship.
• Luis Tellez's four points and strong rebounding also were crucial to the team’s play.

Also important to the team: The fans’ substantial support! Athletes enjoyed the cheering from the numerous fans who came out to show their support. During the game, the athletes kept a watchful eye on the crowd and anticipated their cheers. The camaraderie and sportsmanship were felt inside of the gym as the athletes competed in both a skills competition and in regulation play.

But basketball doesn’t mean the end of activities for these Huguenots. Now, the athletes transition to track and field, and will be joined by middle-schoolers. Events include the annual league dinner/dance on May 24 at Ossining High School. The end-of-the-year track and field competition and Senior Day take place June 11 at 9 a.m. on New Rochelle High School’s track. Come on out and show your support!  

High School Debaters Star at East Coast Event

New Rochelle High School’s Junior State of America chapter traveled to the national organization’s Spring State Convention in Washington, D.C., recently – and came home with four awards from participating in debates!

For each debate, those who participated voted on the “Best Speaker.” Three of the winners, Andy Nunez, Carme Sanz-Munoz, and Obinna Njoku, were main speakers in their debates and were selected as the Best Speaker of the debate by their peers. Nobuto Igarashi was a subsequent speaker in his debate and, despite not being the main speaker, was still recognized as a Best Speaker. The four were among 11 students on the trip, and they also toured some of Washington’s national monuments during their visit.

Junior State of America was created in 1934 by and for young people interested in what happens around them – from politics, to how government works, and contributing to their community. Students build leadership skills, learn civil debate, and strengthen their engagement through volunteering and activism. The conference was attended by students from the entire east coast, including the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast regions. 

Congratulations to our New Rochelle High representatives, and their advisor, social studies teacher Heather Manley, for excelling!

Math Innovation: Creativity by the Numbers!

Math Night at Ward Adds Up to Fun

Family Fun Math Night filled William B. Ward Elementary School April 20 with students from kindergarten through fifth grade, their families, and over 40 teachers eager to blend important lessons with excitement.

Thirty-six math stations were set up throughout the Cafeteria and Gymnasium for students to engage with teachers, friends, and their families. An Estimation Jar contest, Attendance Graph, Dreambox station, Parent and English as a Second Language Resources, and a Bull’s-eye Game demonstration by Jorge Moore from Tutoring Solutions added more excitement. The event also featured music, prizes, and food from Deanna’s Pizzeria and SolBol. 

Students’ math passports were stamped at each station to mark their participation. Completed passports were traded for a raffle ticket to win a grand prize awarded to two students per grade. The grade prizes were baskets filled with math games, books, and manipulatives. 

“The amount of families who attended, smiles on students' faces, and seeing kids having so much fun working on math problems and games were truly priceless,” said Math Coach Nicole Conlisk. “It honestly felt like the first normal event in years. Everyone was happy: happy to be out, happy to see friends, happy to be in the school, and so happy doing math! The energy was amazing!”

“I think Math Night was really fun,” said fifth-grader Hayden Turnbull. “I enjoyed playing all the games. I got to see all my friends.”

First-graders Isabella Senerchia and Zayne Pjetrovic said, “Math Night was nice because there were math games … and there was also pizza!” They also liked Math Night because “Mrs. Jones and other teachers were there. There were a lot of fun games!”

Trinity’s Saturday Math Academy

Ramps Up Family Enjoyment

In math, finding the solution is often the goal. At Trinity Elementary School, an innovative solution brought students, teachers, and families together to create positive experiences with math.

Trinity’s Saturday Math Academy is a parent-engagement and extended-learning program that mainly focuses on introducing math games to young learners and their families. The games come from the math curriculum, and both parents and children practice problem-solving and fluency skills in their native language.

“Providing a positive math experience for our youngest mathletes was ultimately the goal of this program,” said Trinity’s math coach, Johanna Vasquez, who is spearheading this program for the second straight year. “Saturday mornings allow for kids to see their parents invested in their learning, while also allowing for some family math fun. It was great to see families learning together.” 

The workshop starts with a “Which One Doesn’t Belong?” activity to promote math discussion, followed by two to three rounds of a math game. The workshop concludes with a closing activity.

Trinity families engaged in five math workshops through Zoom during April. Students in kindergarten, first, and second grade played math games with their parents alongside them. Each child brought home a math kit that included record sheets, instructions, and manipulatives. Teacher assistants Maria Torres and Jenny DiZenzo joined families on Zoom and provided a 50-minute parent engagement workshop, in English and Spanish. Parents and students are encouraged to continue enjoying math together moving forward.

“The students' happiness brightened the screen!” Torres said. “They were so proud of their moms, dads and siblings playing the games that they enjoyed.”

And parents also embraced the opportunity to see math as a fun family activity. “Thank you for introducing us to the joy of math,” was one parent’s feedback.

New Outdoor Tables at High School Add Options for Students

New outdoor tables on the New Rochelle High School campus already are receiving frequent use – and students are loving the new options.

Tables outside the House 2 Bridge Promenade are used by students during lunch periods, and one area is designated for adults. Tables outside the lower cafeteria also are used during lunch, and are open to all. They’re not being used for classes at this time, but the space can be available for teachers if requested.

The addition of the tables was made with two goals in mind: transform empty spaces into student-friendly spaces and have a place to host student events in the near future. The improvements are also aesthetically pleasing. A WiFi hotspot is also under consideration so students can work outside during lunch. 

Check out these new areas – designed with students first and foremost in mind.

Think Ahead to Summer – and an Array of Programs! Click to Learn More

High School Track Teams Have Strong Showings at Regional Classic

The New Rochelle High School boys and girls track teams both finished in fourth place (boys out of 27 teams from New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire and girls out of 24 teams) at the Niskayuna Warrior Track and Field Classic last weekend.

The following athletes scored in their respective events (the top eight places scored):

Boys

100M Dash: Jabari Clarke, 2nd Place (11.24)

200M Dash: Isaiah Lewis, 5th Place (23.76)

400M Dash: Kaique Braga, 1st (52.19)

3000M Steeplechase: Esteban Delgado, 4th Place (11: 58.72)

4 x 100 Relay Team of Sean Santiago, Jabari Clarke, George Aine, and Kaique Braga, 2nd Place (44.44)

4 x 400 Relay Team of Sean Santiago, Anderson Krasner, Isaiah Lewis, and Kaique Braga took 4th Place with a season-best time of 3:36.46

4 x 800 Relay Team of Victor Garcia-Gallet, Anderson Krasner, Max Pitocchi, and Isaac Maiese took 6th Place in a time of 9:06.13

Long Jump: Jabari Clarke, 4th Place (21' 10")

Shot Put: Giovanni Wellington, 7th Place (41' 3 1/2")

Girls

100M Dash: Jaylee Hewitt, 7th Place (13.69)

200M Dash: Kaela Godfrey, 2nd Place (27.0); Aniya Jones: 6th Place (28.17)

800M: Kaitlyn Casas, 5th Place (2:30.37)

3000M: Rosie Palmer, 8th Place (11:05.46)

100M Hurdles: Malaya Lathan, 2nd Place (16.76)

400M Hurdles: Alivia Smith, 7th Place (1:14.3); Malaya Lathan: 8th Place (1: 15.01)

4 x 100 Relay Team of Eko Dodd-Brown, Jaylee Hewitt, Kylie Griffith, and Valentina Wallin took 1st Place with a time of 51.28

High Jump: Nia Perry, 8th Place (4' 6")

Pole Vault: Nyah Rosado, 7th Place (6' 6")

Shot Put: Shakiera Stupart, 5th Place (30' 8 1/4"); Genesis Bratcher: 8th Place (29')

4 x 400 Relay, 2nd Place (4:17.01)

4 x 800 Relay, 4th Place (10:17.12)

Athletic schedules can be found on Schedule Galaxy: schedulegalaxy.com/schools/692

Athletes in Action!

Here are some photos from this week in Huguenot sports, taken by Superintendent Jonathan Raymond during his travels around the school district!