“Harlem Renaissance”
Unites Community in Celebration
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The New Rochelle Black History Month celebration February 11 was back in person and another tremendous success. The 11th annual event, held in the New Rochelle High School rotunda and Whitney M. Young Auditorium, is produced by the Westchester Alliance of Black School Educators (WABSE) and the New Rochelle Black History Month Committee (NRBHMC) and showcases the talents of City School District of New Rochelle students.
The day began with a spoken word and art show, craft merchants, a swing dance workshop, face painting for kids, the NRHS jazz band, soul food, and authors and book sellers featuring Black-themed products, art, literature, and culture. NRHS’s own DJ Smithy Boy ushered in an evening of performance that included African dance by the NRHS PAVE dancers with choreography by Christina Coleman, the Jefferson Tiger Tones singing Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World, the Albert Leonard Middle School Queen Collective reciting Langston Hughes’s Dream, a powerful dance performance by the Trifecta Steppers (from ALMS, IEYMS, and NRHS), the NRHS Gospel Choir singing You are Near, and swing dancing with PAVE and the Harlem Swing Dance Society.
The NRBHMC honored NRHS alumnus The Honorable Jared Rice, IEYMS students Elijah Carter and Jordan Nelson, ALMS students Tarynn Haley Paul and Kelechi Njoku, and NRHS students Emma Farley and Stephen Phillippeau.
Each year, a group of community partners supports the celebration. This year’s celebration was made possible by the New Rochelle NY Corporation for Local Development, the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence, the Lincoln Park Conservancy, the New Rochelle Council on the Arts, Kingdom Community Consultants and the New Rochelle NAACP.
Westchester County Legislator Terry Clements presented WABSE President Candace Pinn with a proclamation, saying, “Every year, this is a great event, but this is something special – the Harlem Renaissance. These are the shoulders that modern music – even rap – was built upon. Jazz is fundamental to Black music, and we are celebrating that. The music, the poetry, the written word.”
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Locker Project Showcases Black Authors
A collaboration between the students and faculty advisors of the National Art Honor Society and the Social Studies Honor Society to commemorate Black History Month resulted in a striking display on the lockers lining the hallway of House II offices.
In an impressive exhibit, painted lockers give the impression of a row of books, each spine a colorful representation of the work of Black authors from time periods spanning the Civil War, Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Movement, and the modern era.
The project joins multiple other important civil rights artistic pieces that share the hallway.
About 30 students worked on the project, the first collaboration between the Art and Social Studies honor societies and by all accounts, it won’t be the last. “Many teachers have expressed that we should expand the project to the other side of the hallway next to the House II Office,” said Social Studies teacher Jon Beck.
The authors represented include Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, Langston Hughes, Zora Hurston, Countee Cullen, Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Ntozake Shange, Toni Morrison, Bell Hooks, Michelle Alexander, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Margot Lee Shetterly, and Amanda Gorman.
A group of teachers selected the authors and book titles, and then students got to work creating the locker displays, painting the lockers with the book titles and details.
“The Social Studies Honor Society Students came up with the idea of painting the lockers and thus celebrate Black History Month with a more permanent exhibit,” said Mr. Beck, explaining that students felt their posters created for last year’s exhibit featuring outstanding people of color in science, music, sports, and politics was too temporary.
“I hope the lockers encourage students to read the books painted on them or books written by those authors," said senior Emma Farley. “I had heard of most of the books we painted on the lockers but had never read them, and it was interesting finding out what the books were about while talking to other people as I worked on the project.”
Sophomore Eva Aggarwal said that the lockers “really brightened up the school and my day. Instead of using a dull, tan locker every day I get to open a big painted book.”
Mr. Beck hopes the Locker Project will remain on display for several years, with 18 colorful book titles for all to enjoy.
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Check out Coach Adams' Black History Month Video on TikTok
TikTok
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NRHS Robotics Team Competes in Queens | |
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NRHS Students Bring Home Honorable Mentions
from BosMUN XXII
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NRHS junior Micaela Waterston and senior Piper Genkin brought home honorable mentions from BosMUN XXII, a simulation of the United Nations, or Model UN, that Boston University hosts for high school students. A dozen NRHS students debated on committees in a competition to get their resolutions passed.
Participating students appreciated the knowledge of the world that they gained through participation while building confidence.
“It allows us to practice literally changing the world," said Piper Genkin.
Senior Emma Farley said Model UN is important because, “it helps improve our public speaking.”
Senior Diana Cao added, “it teaches us to conduct independent research on international affairs.”
Senior Isabella Balchan said, “it helps students strengthen their critical thinking, teaches the importance of collaboration, and provides the opportunity to practice diplomacy.”
Social Studies teachers Francisco Sandoval and Alexis Velez guided the NRHS delegation. Congratulations to all our delegates!
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Winners of the Honorable Mention
Left to Right: Piper Genkin and Micaela Waterson
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Left to Right: Imaad Uzun, Basil Mathai, Maribel Rumph, Sofia Koffler, Hannah Klupt, Diana Cao, Emma Farley, Isabella Balchan, Piper Genkin, Annie Gombiner, Micaela Waterston, and Dillon Samai
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Amy’s Greenhouse at Barnard Early Childhood Center is the perfect space for hands-on learning projects–and inspiration too.
After reading “Sneezy the Snowman,” a story about a snowman who melts, Kathleen Connolly’s pre-school students brainstormed about what else could melt. They happened to have a stash of soap that was given to their teacher by a parent, one thing led to another, and a service project was born.
“They decided to melt big bars of soap to make into smaller bars to give away,” said Ms. Connolly. “We put the melted soap into heart-shaped and flower molds."
The students plan to make 100 new soaps to mark the 100th day of school on February 13. Their efforts were joined by Deatra Bailey’s second graders who will be infusing it into their studies on phases of matter and taking inventories. “The children will be making cards to send along with the soap to the grandmas and grandpas.”
The soaps will be donated to United Hebrew of New Rochelle and Hope Community Services.
The greenhouse, created in memory of the daughter of former pre-K teacher Geraldine Davie, Amy O’Doherty, who was lost in the World Trade towers, is a special place at Barnard, “It’s a wonderful space to take the children: it's a place of kindness. They respond to the joy, the light, and the fresh air,” said Ms. Connolly. “When they came up with the idea to share the soap, it was a perfect reflection of the kindness that Amy’s Greenhouse was designed to inspire.”
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Elementary School Experience Gives Student Direction
A visit to her elementary school from the American Heart Association resonated so strongly with Manahel Shuja that the New Rochelle High School junior has chosen to pursue cardiac issues as her science research project.
A participant in the three-year Science Research Program, Manahel is currently preparing and practicing her presentation for the upcoming Westchester Science and Engineering Fair (WESEF) competition. “I worked on a data analysis project with my mentor, which looked into the causes of Myocardial Infarctions (MI) or heart attacks in patients 45 years and younger in the Bronx,” she said.
Her line of research was prompted by the fact that the probability of people 45 years and younger experiencing heart attacks has increased in recent years. “This is abnormal because MI are more common in elderly patients due to the major risk factors they may have due to age and/or the weakening of their immune system.”
Manahel found a mentor in Dr. Muhammed Saad, a cardiovascular disease and internal medicine specialist in the BronxCare Hospital Center, who shared his data from 104 patients.
Analyzing their medical and family history and other risk factors, Manahal determined that MI incidences in people under 45 was largely related to their health history and not family history. “The main cause was high body mass index (BMI), smoking, and related health issues, as well as unhealthy lifestyles,” she said.
Manahel plans to take her research a step further next summer, perhaps comparing the incidence of heart attacks in younger people around the world, and determining their risk factors.
“I really like the way science research allows me to really delve into topics I am interested in,” she said of her science research experience. She believes it’s made her a better student all around. “It’s helping me with my confidence; I used to struggle with that and presentations,” she said. “I’m also a much better researcher.”
Although her science research class is demanding, Manahel finds time to participate in a number of school clubs, such as the Science Honor Society, the DECA business club, and writing and running social media for the Huguenot Herald.
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Family Experience Leads to Science Research Project
With two family members suffering from ADHD, high school senior Maya Minnitti knew exactly what she wanted to research when she began her three-year Science Research class.
“Ever since eighth grade I’ve been very interested in ADHD–attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder,” she said. “I can see how it can influence people throughout their daily lives.”
Last summer, Maya interned at the Brain Resource Center (BRC) in Manhattan, which focuses on Neurofeedback Therapy, managing and treating symptoms for neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD. It’s a successful therapy, but expensive and frequently not covered by insurance. “Once I discovered this, I was inspired to conduct a research survey looking at the impact of sociodemographic factors on the availability people have to ADHD resources around the world,” Minnitti said.
She wasn’t able to get raw data from the BRC, so she set up a survey of her own, using the crowdsourcing platform Amazon Mechanical Turk. Maya got results from 600 people all over the world. While she studied factors such as income level and urban/rural differences, availability of insurance quickly surfaced as a major factor affecting people’s access to care. Regional differences became very stark, too, and Maya noticed a similarity in responses with China and the USA.
Maya said she would like to take this research a step further and find ways to fill the gap between access to resources and having no medical support to treat ADHD symptoms. She will get to do that in college, as she plans on studying psychology.
While completing high school, she’s preparing her presentation for the upcoming season of Science Research competitions, which involves poster board displays and a 7-minute presentation to judges.
“I really did enjoy it,” Maya said of her science research experience. “I definitely would do it again. I had such an amazing experience and really had a good time at the BRC. It’s also really prepared me for college in so many ways: Research skills and time management in particular.”
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CSDNR Vocalists Head to County Chorus
Ten New Rochelle students representing some of the top vocal talent in the school district attended the first All-County Chorus rehearsal at Sleepy Hollow High School recently, in preparation for the March 4 concert at White Plains High School where they will perform with students from all over Westchester County.
They are from: George M. Davis, Jr. Elementary School, Melany Soto, and Shane Flanagan; from William B. Ward Elementary School, Abigail Consuegra and Nia Elise Labate; from Albert Leonard Middle School, Nazly Contraras, Crystal Fernandez and Daniel Koffler; and from New Rochelle High School, Lei-Asia Velez, Jalila Mercado and Diego Medina Martinez.
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ALMS Show Biz Kids Wow Audience with Disney Favorites
This winter, Albert Leonard Middle School’s ShowBiz Kidz excitedly returned to the stage with their second annual cabaret, “Remember the Magic: A Celebration of the Disney Songbook.” Students sang songs they have grown up listening to, and audience members sang along, too!
“We like to start each year off with a cabaret since it gives every kid a chance,” said director Jordan Signer. “Whether you have 20 or 120 kids, there is room for everyone in the cabaret. This was the first time in my five years at the school that we had more than 100 students involved with a production.”
The ShowBiz Kidz continues to grow, and members are looking forward to their spring production of Sister Act Jr!
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Davis Rendition of Shrek Jr. Thrilled Audiences | |
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The George M. Davis, Jr. Elementary School PTA sponsored more than 160 students across two productions of the musical Shrek Jr. led by Cast Party directors Anne Conneely and Jordan Singer.
This past week, Davis hosted two sold out auditorium performances, highlighting the energy and talents of students across grades kindergarten to 5. Nearly one thousand guests enjoyed the shows across two nights, as performers entertained with catchy songs, witty dialogue, and lots of smiles!
“Our students have worked so hard, giving up their recess to practice for this production, and we are so proud of all of them,” said Davis PTA President April DiPippo.
Students had been rehearsing since December and were so proud to show off their talents to families, friends, and guests.
One Davis fourth grade performer said about being on stage, “You know how when you cook and other people really like the food? It makes them happy. That’s what I like about performing on stage. People like coming to a show and I want to be a part of that happiness.”
“We know that opportunities to shine at school show up in so many different ways,” said Davis Principal, Anthony Bambrola. “The opportunity to perform on stage is just one more medium that we want for interested students, as it can be a transformative experience and inspires further engagement with the arts.”
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Student Directors Stage Series of Plays | | |
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Students from PAVE II and PAVE III Acting presented “A Night of Directing Projects” earlier this month, in productions that not only involved students performing, but also directing and taking on behind-the-scenes roles.
In all, six 10-minute plays were staged. PAVE II students were actors with PAVE III students taking on all roles of directors and technical aspects - stage management, sound, lighting, props and costumes. Almost 40 students were involved.
It was the first collaboration of PAVE II and III students. “It was very student-centered,” said PAVE III teacher Michelle Shapiro. “I essentially had an advisory role.” PAVE II teacher Scott Harris was also involved, and Theater Manager Abigail Epprecht advised on stage management.
Ms. Shapiro said the students enjoyed working with students from other grades and taking on a production from start to finish. Once PAVE III students had chosen the play they wanted to be involved in and determined their production roles, they held auditions and callbacks for the PAVE II students. A table read-through before the December break made sure everyone knew what they were doing, and were ready to start serious rehearsals each day since coming back to school in January.
June Roe of PAVE III who oversaw the sets and props for all the plays, valued the learning experience. “Although keeping up with the needs of my classmates could get overwhelming at times, seeing the finished product was the greatest reward. This was a one-of-a-kind opportunity that I am so glad to have been a part of,” she said.
Elena Wasserman who directed the play Heads said, “I had so much fun directing my little play, and half the battle was won by my actors being so great and talented. It was so satisfying to see our work on the stage done to such justice.”
PAVE (Performing and Visual Arts in Education) is the premier arts program at New Rochelle High School designed to develop talented students in the arts. Every spring, rising ninth and tenth graders who show promise in one of the four art forms—dance, music, theater, or visual arts—are encouraged to audition. Visual arts submissions are due on February 27 and acting, music and dance auditions will be held on March 2. For more information click here.
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Media Club Starts Up at ALMS
There’s a new club in town: the Albert Leonard Middle School Media Club. The Media Club is an organization of students designed to help inform the students, staff, and community about what is going on in the building. Open to all ALMS students, members will be highlighting a wide range of school activities to entertain and inform, including reporting on student council activities and sports. The club already has a couple of podcasts up on its website, including an interview with reading teacher Gabriella D’Ippolito and a silent movie.
Members will be using a variety of communications tools, including but not limited to, written articles, podcasts, videos, and PSAs. There are currently about 15 members, who are taking on roles such as camera operator, actor, editor, graphic designer, and content creator.
“The Media Club is looking forward to presenting our ideas in new ways as we continue to learn and grow as content creators!" said co-advisor Mark Silviotti.
One of the first school-wide activities the club will be conducting is a logo contest. Check the website for more information.
For more information about the club or if you have something you would like to share, contact club advisors Mr. Hollis and Mr. Silviotti [email protected] or [email protected].
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Air Quality Upgraded with Technology and Monitoring | |
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City School District of New Rochelle (CSDNR) buildings are now monitored for quality and safety through a new bipolar ionization technology that reduces contaminants, pollutants, and odors to purify indoor air, monitors quality 24/7, and protects the health and wellness of students, faculty, and staff working in CSDNR buildings.
“New Rochelle Schools were ahead of the curve on focusing on indoor air quality in schools,” said now-retired Director of Facilities Carl Thurnau. “Even before COVID-19, the school district’s Health and Safety Committee was focused on improving all aspects of environmental health in our schools, including indoor air quality. This will benefit our students for decades to come.”
The CSDNR invested in the innovative technology with funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). The school district retained indoor air quality company AtmosAir, to implement bipolar ionization tubes that reduce mold, bacteria, dust particles, and volatile organic compounds. The technology reduces the spread of infections in schools and removes mold and other allergens from the air, which can reduce incidences of asthma and other respiratory ailments in children.
"There were many indoor air quality options and solutions offered during the pandemic," said Director of Facilities Keith Watkins. "By conducting a month-long pilot, we verified that the technology worked as intended and was sustainable, with lower costs for ongoing maintenance than the traditional filter system. This technology will support our existing robust Cleaning for Health program and allow for continued transparency related to our indoor air quality."
“Clean air in our schools is critical for our students and staff,” said Superintendent Jonathan P. Raymond. “We are the only school district in New York State to implement this technology at this level, making us both a statewide and national standard bearer for indoor air quality testing and monitoring, as evidenced by the improvement that has been measured across multiple variables and documented by a third-party, independent engineer.”
The AtmosAir technology is also used in school districts nationwide, and the technology allows for enhanced transparency because air quality measurement is always available. The bi-polar ionization technology is not to be confused with other ionization technologies, which is an entirely different process.
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IEYMS Monthly Food Pantry Serves Community | |
The food pantry held at Isaac E. Young Middle School on February 8 was a big success. The mobile food pantry, held in partnership with Feeding Westchester, served 107 families representing 429 people and distributed more than 4,500 pounds of food. The next mobile food pantry at IEYMS will be March 8. | |
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Davis Tenured Teachers Announced at BOE Meeting
Three teachers from Davis Elementary School were recognized for achieving tenure at the February 7 Board of Education meeting, which was held at the school. The newly tenured Davis teachers are Maria Perez, Special Education Teaching Assistant; Susie Guerra, Special Education Teacher; and Kelly Neault, Literacy Coach.
"We at Davis are so proud of our tenured teachers and teaching assistants,” said Principal Anthony Bambrola. “They make a difference every day in helping our students develop academically, socially, and emotionally and to reach their fullest potential. Achieving tenure is the recognition they so richly deserve for their professionalism and dedication to student success."
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Guidance Department Appoints College Athletics Specialist
When Christopher Tuck was a New Rochelle High School student in the 1980s, by his own admission he “spent a lot of time in the principal’s and guidance offices. I was a good athlete but not a dedicated student,” he said. “Many good people worked with me and set me on a path to college and that is what I am here to do now.”
Mr. Tuck recently joined the high school’s guidance department to work with students who have aspirations to play collegiate-level athletics.
He’s well prepared for the task. He coached football and basketball at Isaac E. Young MIddle School for two years and at New Rochelle High School for five years. Last year, when he was guiding his football-player son through the college application process, Mr. Tuck realized how much that landscape had changed and how exacting the NCAA process was.
“It’s not enough to be a great athlete. It used to be that college coaches asked for the tape, now they ask for the student’s transcript. College admissions is based on academics now more than ever, which is great and the way it should be,” he said.
His task is to make sure student athletes are well rounded and have what it takes to get into college today. “We produce some great athletes here in New Rochelle and we need to make sure that they have taken all the classes that the NCAA Clearinghouse requires,” he said. “It’s happened before that a talented athlete is unable to go to a big-name college because they don’t have the necessary classes on their transcript.”
Mr. Tuck said it’s never too early to start the process and shortly after taking up his new position in New Rochelle he was reaching out to middle school coaches to identify top athletes. “I plan to meet their parents in the spring and make sure everyone is on the right track,” he said. “Kids have to develop a college mindset early, so they are mentally prepared.”
“Colleges are interested in a student’s career goals, their internships, and community involvement. It’s about the total student. Don’t think that just because you’re great at a sport that it’s enough,” he said.
Mr. Tuck comes to New Rochelle with 23 years’ experience in education, as a teacher, guidance counselor and administrator in New York City schools. With two master’s degrees from Fordham University, he’s coming back to New Rochelle to a position he believes he can really make a difference. “As an assistant principal, I missed being with students,” he said.
“I’ve always wanted to take all of my years of counseling experience built in NYC and bring it back home, here to the New Rochelle School system. As I continue to coach NRHS football and basketball, I can see the needs of students as their school counselor and translate that for coaches. Then you get a more competent player, as that young person grows on the field and in the classroom.
“I am blessed to have this unique opportunity,” he said, thanking Superintendent Jonathan Raymond and the City School District of New Rochelle School Board for making the new position a reality.
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ALMS Boys Basketball is Undefeated for the Season!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
ALMS 49, Edgemont 28
Girls Varsity Basketball
New Rochelle 68, Mt. Vernon 41
New Rochelle 58, Mamaroneck 38
New Rochelle 44, White Plains 53
New Rochelle vs. RC Ketcham
Boys Varsity Basketball
New Rochelle 55, Mt. Vernon 66
New Rochelle 56, Mamaroneck 75
IEYMS Girls Basketball
IEY 22, Mamaroneck 42
Varsity Ice Hockey
New Rochelle 10, ETBE 3
New Rochelle 8, Byram Hills 4
New Rochelle 1, Pawling 5
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Junior Varsity Cheerleading
Congratulations, cheerleaders for placing 3rd in traditional finals at the UCA Championships!!!
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Boys Varsity Swimming
200 free relay: Mike Freeman, Ryan Carsen, Mac Bach and Sam Cave came in the top 8 at sectionals
Sam Cave came in top 10 of the 50 free, one of the most competitive events.
Nathaniel Dower is All- League for performance in 200 Medley relay and 100 meter butterfly.
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Varsity Wrestling Section One Championships
Mariella Koufalis, Matteo Crino, Jonas Torres, Zaeem Jamsheed, Jerson Ochoa, Taylor Rhett, and Deandre Woods qualified.
Four wrestlers placed top 6 in their weight class, all earning section honors:
8th grader Matteo Crino - 6th place at 110 lbs;
Junior Jonas Torres - 4th place at 118 pounds;
Senior Zaeem Jamsheed - 6th place at 126 pounds;
Senior Deandre Woods - 2nd place at 189 lbs.
Deandre Woods qualified for state championships in Albany!
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Summer is Coming, and So Is Free, Full-Day, Fun!
Mark your calendars for Summer Stars Exploration – an exciting opportunity for free and enriching summer experiences for students. Summer Exploration registered students will participate in morning enrichment from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then enjoy afternoon fun with one of our community partner organizations.
The CSDNR is currently seeking community organizations interested in partnering with us to offer a menu of exciting activities for Summer Stars Exploration 2023. We hope to provide our students with opportunities in STEAM, social-emotional learning, mindfulness, sports, arts, coding, career exploration, yoga, drumming, majorette dance, physical fitness, college and career exploration, chess (or other strategy game learning), and other related topics.
The FREE Summer Stars Exploration will serve Elementary and middle school students from July 5 through August 3 and high school students from July 5 through August 17. Summer Stars Exploration will be held at Jefferson Elementary School, Columbus Elementary School, William B. Ward Elementary School, and New Rochelle High School. Transportation for registered students will be provided as per the CSDNR transportation policy. Students will also receive breakfast and lunch.
Summer Stars Exploration has capacity for 800 students at three elementary schools, 150 students at each middle school, and 500 students at the high school. Registration will begin in late March and students will be chosen through a lottery to ensure an equitable opportunity to all students who want to be part of this incredible experience.
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Community Input Sought on Special Ed Survey
The City School District of New Rochelle has contracted with management consulting and operations improvement firm Public Consulting Group (PCG) to conduct a review of the district’s special education programming and services.
The firm is seeking input from parents and guardians of students currently receiving special education services in the school district through a brief electronic survey. This includes parents of students who have IEPs who previously attended a CSDNR school but currently attend an out-of-district school through either an agreement with the school district or parental preference.
The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and will be available through Friday, February 17, 2023.
The survey can be accessed at the following links:
English: https://survey.pcgus.com/s3/CSDNR-Parent
Spanish: https://survey.pcgus.com/s3/CSDNR-Encuesta-Padres
If you have any issues accessing the survey, please contact Matthew Scott at [email protected]. If you have any questions regarding the review, please contact Michele O’Bryan with CSDNR’s Department of Special and Alternative Education at [email protected].
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The City School District of New Rochelle is pleased to distribute this Newsletter during the academic year to highlight news, our students, teachers, staff, programs, innovations, services, and activities. | |
City School District of New Rochelle | nred.org | |
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