Students at Dobbs Ferry High School were busy all week last week decorating and celebrating spirit week, culminating in a series of homecoming victories from all of our varsity teams. Finally, Friday marked the 19th anniversary of Mac Day.

DFHS students wore their red white and blue on Monday, pajamas on Tuesday, pink for cancer awareness on Wednesday, and Dobbs Ferry blues and whites on Thursday. On Mac Day, students wore class-coordinated colors and competed for points in a series of activities throughout the day.

Flag football, talent shows, spike ball tournaments, musical performances, and therapy dogs were the order of the day. An impromptu rock concert featuring a band of staff members called “Athletic Option,” the DFHS cheer team, and the high school’s mascot was just the start.

For more information about Mac Day and what Coach Mac meant to this school and community, check out this write-up by DFHS principal John Falino. Thanks to everyone who helped make this Spirit Week one for the record books!

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The past of both Dobbs Ferry Schools and the buildings that our students, staff, and faculty use every day is long and storied. Generations of students have passed through these halls, seeing the very fabric of the world bend and change with the passage of time. All the while, that river town school building - now our high school - was still there. As every student and teacher knows, the building isn’t just a historical relic collecting dust, it’s a living, breathing structure that continues to serve the very same purpose that it was first built for almost 100 years ago.

It is the charge of the Dobbs Ferry UFSD Facilities Department to maintain our school buildings and grounds. This means ensuring the safety, security, and functionality of our facilities, but Director of Facilities Denis Brazil says that that isn’t the only responsibility he has pertaining to Dobbs Ferry UFSD’s buildings.

Denis Brazil

“I'm happy with a lot of the work that we've managed to get done here for students and staff since I started here in Dobbs Ferry. We installed two accessibility ramps at Springhurst, updated the hot water heater at the high school, installed the special education playground, and more.”

With such a rich and long history, the Facilities Department recognizes the importance of maintaining the historical identity of the buildings. It’s a consideration that Brazil takes very seriously during every project.

“This building has a great, classic identity to it. When we're working on the high school, we never want to do anything that's going to take away from the original aesthetic. I'm mindful of that whenever we're deciding on what equipment and products to use for a project. When we overhauled our door security, we integrated new security features into the old doors. We also refurbished them so that they look more like they did when they were new. Small things sometimes make a big difference too, like when we replaced the lights in the clock tower. It didn't take much to do, but it's very visible and looks great after the sun goes down.”

Board of Education Appreciation

This month, the Dobbs Ferry UFSD took time to recognize the critical contributions made by our Board of Education members. Superintendent Ken Slentz spoke on behalf of everyone at Dobbs Ferry Schools when he shared his appreciation for the work of the BOE.

“The seven members of the Dobbs Ferry Board of Education serve our students, families, faculty and staff, and administrators remarkably well in their thoughtful formulation of district policy that includes the development of the increasingly complicated annual budget. Our board members go above and beyond their typical duties as you will frequently see them at school events throughout the year. Of the many things I appreciate about our board, their natural curiosity in learning about learning leads the way for me. This, in turn, informs the work of the administrative team, the development of policy, and how the board sets and monitors goals throughout the year.”

Month after month, they devote their evenings to board and committee meetings. Their dedication to our staff and students is evident in every deliberation and policy decision made. Thank you to Brooke Bass, Penny Sullivan-Nunes, Jean Lucasey, Shannon Stringer, Darren Wood, Pavithra Nagarajan, and Rebecca Hershberg for all that you do to support Dobbs Ferry Schools!

Blue Shirt Day

Last week the faculty, staff, and students at Dobbs Ferry Middle School and Springhurst Elementary celebrated Blue Shirt Day, taking a stand against bullying and raising awareness by wearing blue. Students engaged in classroom activities that reinforced kindness, friendship, and bullying prevention all week.

Dobbs Ferry School District

505 Broadway

Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

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