Summer 2016 Vol. 64 No. 4

Published by the Board of Education, Pleasantville Union Free School District, Pleasantville NY

Dear Community Members,No sooner has the 2015-2016 school year come to an end than we turn our attention to 2016-2017. This summer, we expect to complete the District-wide Technology Project that will provide our students and staff with cutting edge tools to enhance their learning en-vironment and upgrade our security systems. The project

is financed by the community bond passed in 2014 and by the District’s share of New York State’s Smart School Bond. When students and staff return in September, they can expect high-speed internet and WiFi access throughout all three buildings necessary to support the continuing implementa-tion of Pleasantville Schools 2026, the District’s five-year strategic plan.

Also over the summer, my administrators and I will work on Year Three of the strategic plan, building on the successes of Years One and Two. In 2015-2016, we expanded many of our Year One initiatives, including a K-12 Art Show at the Mt. Pleasant Public Library; the addition of WAM (writing, activity, and math) time for grades 3 and 4; the installation of a 3D printer to enhance the Middle School Maker Space and 8th grade STEM curriculum; offered Thinking Outside the Box, an inquiry-based activity, to 2nd graders; added a Science Olympiad extracurricular activity and a Computer Principles elective at PHS; and more. Others, such as the 1st grade Marine Life curricu-lum and our alternative high school (Pleasantville Academy) continue.

Our Year Two initiatives included, in part, a

SuperintendentMary Fox-Alter

3rd and 4th grade Wellness Day; block scheduling for 7th and 8th grade English, Social Studies, and Science classes along with separate lunch periods for grades 5 and 8; a 3-year Humanities Research elective at PHS; a contract with the Lower Hudson Regional Information Center for Technology Man-agement Services (Director of Technology, planning and oversight of our Technology Project); addition of a school assistance counselor at PHS courtesy of a Drug Free Coalition Grant awarded to Pleasant-ville STRONG; investigation of Active Learning Spaces and Bring Your Own Device/Technology by the Technology Committee, comprised of staff members from all three buildings and community volunteers; and a Dance Workshop for 3rd and 5th graders. We also experimented with a combination of early dismissals for students and extended days for staff to provide professional development. For more information, I invite you to watch the Board Goals 2015-2016 Update given at the June 7, 2016 Board of Education meeting on pctv76.org. That presentation, as well as the Pleasantville Schools 2026 document, also can be found on the District website under the Board of Education tab.

Before I close, I would like to ask that you con-tinue to adhere to the usage rules for our fields and track: no pets, skateboards, rollerblades, scooters, bicycles, strollers, chairs, metal spikes, golfing, or sunflower seeds. Your cooperation will help us obtain their full life-expectancy and ensure that we meet the conditions of their warranties.

Thank you for your support of our children’s education. Sincerely,Mary Fox-AlterSuperintendent of Schools

Adelphi UniversityAlfred University Allegheny CollegeAmerican University (3/1)Amherst College (2/1)Arcadia University

Bard College (7) Barnard CollegeBecker CollegeBentley UniversityBerkeley College NYCBerklee College of MusicBoston College (2)Boston University (2)Bryant University (2/1)Bryn Mawr College (2/1)Bucknell University (4/3)

California State University, Los Angeles Northridge San DiegoCastleton UniversityCatholic University of America

(3/1)Champlain College (4/4)Christopher Newport UniversityCity University of New York: Baruch College (2) Brooklyn College Hunter College (2) John Jay College of Criminal

Justice Queens CollegeClemson UniversityClovis Community College CenterCoastal Carolina University

(3/1)Colgate University (2)College of the Holy Cross College of Mount Saint Vincent

(2/1)Columbia UniversityConcordia CollegeConnecticut College (2)Cornell UniversityCurry College (2/1)

Davidson CollegeDickinson College (2) Drew University Drexel University (3/1)Duquesne University (2/1)

East Carolina UniversityEast Stroudsburg University of

Pennsylvania (2/2)Eastman School of Music of the

University of RochesterElon University (2)Emerson College (2)

Fairfield University (9/1)Fairleigh Dickingson UniversityFashion Institute of TechnologyFelician University

Florida State University (2/2)Fordham University (6/1)Franklin and Marshall (5/2)Franklin Pierce University

Gannon UniversityGeorge Mason University Gettysburg College (2)Gonzaga UniversityGoucher College (2/1)

Hamilton College (3/1) Hartwick College (3)Harvard UniversityHaverford College (2/1)High Point University (2)Hobart and William Smith

Colleges (3)Hofstra University (3)

Indiana University at BloomingtonIndiana University of PennsylvaniaInternational Yacht Restoration

SchoolIona College (11/1)Ithaca College (8)

James Madison University (4)Johnson & Wales University (2/1)Johnson State CollegeJuniata College

Keene State College (4)Keuka College

La Salle University (3)Lafayette College (3/1)Landmark CollegeLe Moyne CollegeLehigh UniversityLesley UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLoyola University Maryland (6/1)Lycoming CollegeLynn University

Manhattan College (12/2)Manhattan School of MusicManhattanville College (6/1)Marist College (3/2)Marquette University (2/1)Maryland Institute College of ArtMassachusetts College of Art

and DesignMcGill UniversityMercy CollegeMiami University, Oxford (2)Middlebury CollegeMonmouth UniversityMount Saint Mary College (5)

New England Conservatory of Music

New York University (3/1)Northeastern University (5/1)

Oberlin College (2/2)Oberlin Conservatory of Music

Pace University (5)Pennsylvania State University,

all campuses (9/1) World CampusPlymouth State University Polk State CollegeProvidence College (3/1)

Quinnipiac University (11)

Rennsselaer Polytechnic Institute (5/1)

Rhodes CollegeRoanoke CollegeRochester Institute of Technology (2)Roger Williams University (4)Rose-Hulman Institute of

TechnologyRowan UniversityRutgers University

Sacred Heart University (9/3)Saint Joseph’s University (3/1)Saint Michael’s CollegeSalisbury University (3/1)Salve Regina University (4)San Diego State UniversitySarah Lawrence College (2/2)Savannah College of Art and

Design, Atlanta School of the Art Institute of

ChicagoSchool of Visual ArtsSiena College (7/1)Skidmore College (3)Southern New Hampshire

UniversitySpringfield College St. John’s University, Queens (2)St. Lawrence University St. Thomas Aquinas College (2/1)State University of New York at: Albany (17/7) Binghamton (21/4) Buffalo (14/4) Stony Brook (5)SUNY College at: Brockport Buffalo (5) Cobleskill Cortland (10/1) Delhi (2) Farmingdale (2) Geneseo (14/4) Morrisville (2) New Paltz (7/1) Oneonta (7) Oswego (8) Plattsburgh (5) Potsdam (5/1) Purchase (4/1)SUNY Community College: Westchester (11/9)Stevens Institute of TechnologyStonehill CollegeSuffolk University (2)

Class of 2016 — College Acceptances and Destinations

Susquehanna UniversitySyracuse University

Temple University (3)The Citadel, the Military College

of South CarolinaThe College of WestchesterThe Ohio State University (4/1)Tufts University (2/1) Tulane University

Union CollegeUniversity of Alabama (3/1)University of Arizona (2)University of Central FloridaUniversity of Colorado, BoulderUniversity of Connecticut (8/2)University of DaytonUniversity of Delaware (5/1)University of Florida (3)University of Georgia University of GroningenUniversity of Hartford (2)University of KentuckyUniversity of Maine (4/1)University of Mary WashingtonUniversity of Maryland, College Park University of Massachusetts,

Amherst (9) Dartmouth LowellUniversity of Miami (2/1)University of New Hampshire (6)University of New Haven (2)University of Notre DameUniversity of Pittsburgh (5/1)University of RedlandsUniversity of Rhode Island

(11/3)University of Rochester (2)University of Scranton (2)University of South Carolina (6)University of South Florida,

TampaUniversity of St. AndrewsUniversity of Tampa (2/1)University of the ArtsUniversity of Vermont (16/1)Ursinus CollegeUtica College

Villanova University (5/1)

Wake Forest UniversityWalsh UniversityWashington CollegeWesleyan University (2/1) West Virginia University Western Connecticut State

University (3) Western New England University Westfield State UniversityWorcester Polytechnic Institute

(2/1)

Yale University

Bold type indicates the schools the Class of 2016 will attend in the fall, as of June 22, 2016. Those with numbers in parentheses accepted more than one student (e.g. 3/1 means that three were accepted and one will attend). This list of 227 colleges and universities includes 197 that are rated most/highly competitive (70), very competitive (59), and competitive (68), based on Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges.

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Presented at the PHS Senior Awards Assembly on May 26, 2016.

2016 Westchester Science and Engineering Award: Omeed Ansari Philip Garbarini Benjamin Marshak James McCarthy Sabrina Mittelstadt

Athletes of the Year Award: Jack Drillock Remi Manna

B e d f o r d R o a d S c h o o l P TA Scholarship — for service to the students and teachers at BRS: Bailey Coburn

Benjamin Sze Mathematics Award — for two students, one male and one female, who have excelled in mathematics: James Bathon Sophie Dora Tulchin

Benjamin Sze Science Award — for two students, one male and one

Class of 2016 — Awards and Scholarships

female, who have excelled in science: James Bathon Sophie Dora Tulchin

Community Scholarships — The Community Scholarship Fund award-ed 22 scholarships totaling approxi-mately $45,000 this academic year, including these special awards that are managed by the committee: Football Award: Michael Hammond Robert and Margaret Willey His-

tory Award: Elena Phethean Rotary Award for Community

Service: James Bathon Rebecca Lord Wagner Family VIP Award:

Jon Carlo Angiolillo

Civil Service Employees Associa-tion Award — for outstanding lead-ership and service: Chloe Violette

Debbie Perino Scholarship — for female athletes who exemplify talent and dedication on the field and in the classroom: Katelyn Kwiat Samantha Sicignano

Emerald Society Award: Elena Phethean

FLACS Scholarship for Outstand-ing Academic Achievement in World Languages: Chloe Violette

Foodchester Farmers’ Market Award — for a student who exempli-fies, through his or her actions, the value and mission of the market: Kimberly Chia

Garden Club Scholarship — for community service: Sabrina Mittelstadt

Glass Onion Art Award — for a se-nior who plans to pursue art in college: Emily Harter

Helen Heed English Award — for skill and creativity in English: Katherine Bartz

Holy Innocents Parish Service Award — for services to the com-munity: Matthew Guastella

Hudson Valley Blood Center Award — for an ECHO member whose hard work and service resulted in success-ful community blood drives: James Bathon

Italian American Society Award: Chloe Violette

John E. Morgan Memorial Award — for musicianship, character, leader-ship, service, and scholarship: Nicholas VanDette

Leonard Shon Scholarship — estab-lished by the Pleasantville Volunteer Fire Department and friends to honor Mr. Shon’s life and service; given to

Valedictorian Sophie Dora Tulchin and salutatorian Lau-ra Chapman are, as one would expect, members of several honor societies; National Merit Scholarship winners; Advanced Placement Scholars; and more. Both were Presidential Scholar candidates, with Laura attaining semifinalist status. In addition to academics, both excel in the arts. Sophie Dora was twice nominated for a Metro as a Fea-tured Dancer, in South Pacific

(Liat) and in Carousel (Louise Bigelow), and won for Liat. Laura established a club that painted murals in the Children’s Story Room at the Mt. Pleasant Public Library and in the PHS math wing. Sophie Dora plans to major in the social sciences and continue dancing at Wesleyan, while Laura will pursue an engineering degree at Harvard.

Salutatorian Laura Chapman and Valedictorian Sophie Dora Tulchin

Class of 2016 — Awards and Scholarships

a senior who exemplifies Mr. Shon’s commitment to the community and desire to help others: James Bathon

National Merit Scholarship —Winners: Laura Chapman Sophie Dora TulchinLetters of Commendation: James Bathon Lorenzo Castoldi Kimberly Chia Michelle DeSa Charlotte Hill Alyssa Kerper Aidan Lewis Sophie Loring Sophia Maldonado Tobias Mitchell Elena Phethean Karina Roye Samantha Sicignano Rithvik Subramanya David ZweibaumNational Hispanic Scholars: Michelle DeSa Sophia Maldonado

National Young Arts Foundation Award — in recognition of America’s most talented 15-18 year-olds in the visual, literary, and performing arts: James McCarthy

Nita N. Lowey Award — for out-standing and invaluable service to the community: Julia Mulry

NYSTEA Excellence in Theatre Award: Katherine Bartz Abigail Iaconis Sabrina Mittelstadt Joshua Wallen

Pauline “Mickie” Eschweiler STAR Scholarship — given by the P.E.O. Sisterhood, an international philan-thropic and educational organization that promotes increased educational opportunities for women, based on excellence in leadership, extracur-ricular activities, community service, academics, and potential for future success: Sophia Maldonado

President’s Award for Academic Achievement —presented by the President of the Pleasantville Board of Education to the students who placed in the top 10% of the Class of 2016

Seated: Emily Harter, Charlotte Hill, Laura Chapman, Sophie Dora Tulchin, Halle Sarner, Elena Phethean. Standing: Kimberly Chia, Natalie Dell, Patrick McPhee, Jack Finnegan, Alyssa Kerper, Sophia Maldonado, Janna McPartland. Not pictured: James Bathon, Sophie Loring.

PHS Friends of STEM Leadership Award — for consistent involvement in and support of STEM-related learn-ing opportunities: Rithvik Subramanya

PHS Social Studies Award — for a senior who exhibits the qualities of inquiry, appreciation of diversity, involvement in the local community, and awareness of the global com-munity: Janna McPartland

P.I.A. Service Award — for outstand-ing completion of student ambassador commitments: Elizabeth Gellman Michael Hammond Katelynn Kwiat Janna McPartland Gregory Santora Annie Stockel Sophie Dora Tulchin

Principal & Assistant Principal Leadership Awards — recognizes students who go above and beyond in serving the school community to make it a better place: Omeed Ansari Jeffrey Barile Jordan Barnett Landy Cognatello Grace Criscuolo Mark Damboragian Sarah Giglio Amanta Hajrizi Abigail Iaconis Tyler Ossowski Karina Roye Samantha Sicignano Annie Stockel Nicholas VanDette Joshua Wallen

Rhode Island School of Design Award — for an outstanding artist who will pursue a program in the fine arts: Sophie Loring

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Class of 2016 — Awards and ScholarshipsTina Gambino Memorial Award — for a caring, loving teammate: Nicole DiFabio

Tommy Conaty Award — for a college-bound member of the PHS Varsity Baseball team who is involved in school and community activities: Drew Marino

Victor A. Ridder Scholarship — awarded by the Westchester-Putnam College Conferences based on partici-pation in community service, leader-ship skills, and academic performance: Chloe Violette

VIP Award — for outstanding com-munity service to the VIP Recreation Program for special needs children: Jon Carlo Angiolillo Rebecca Lord Hayden McBride

Visions Award — for organizing and promoting events in collaboration with the Pleasantville Recreation Department and Chamber of Com-merce that improve and enrich the whole community: James Bathon Rebecca Lord

Presented at Commencement on June 24, 2016

Barbara C. Zimmer Memorial Scholarship — for a senior who in-tends to study music in college and has contributed time and talent to the betterment of the High School and the community: Charlotte Hill

Community Scholarship Fund Truslow Hyde Scholarship: Kimberly Chia

Dr. Renato M. Vellutino Scholar-ship — for a senior who has signifi-cantly enhanced the cultural life of the High School and Village communities and plans to pursue a career in some aspect of the performing arts: Katherine Bartz

Friends of Visual Arts (F.O.V.A.) Scholarship — for two seniors who have excelled in the visual arts and significantly enhanced the cultural life of PHS by virtue of their character, service, and leadership: Laura Chapman Emily Harter

Golden Quill Award — for outstand-ing scholarship in English literature and writing: Laura Chapman

John Aerakis Memorial Scholar-ship — for two seniors who exhibited positive school spirit throughout their high school experience: Lianna Gagliardi Danylo Yanovskiy

Joseph W. & Suzanne S. Moran Scholarship — for a senior who has maintained high academic standards and shown exemplary character in school and in the community: Samantha Sicignano

Leadership and Spirit Award — for an educator who has provided distinguished educational leadership: Gregg Fonde

PHS Rosebury Scholarship — to encourage students who continued to improve scholastically to pursue higher education: Landy Cognatello Olivia Nemec

Ryan Quinlan Luis Quintanilla Nicholas VanDette

Pleasantville Alumni Association Scholarship — for outstanding ser-vice to both Pleasantville High School and the Pleasantville community: Alyssa Rufino

Pleasantville Police Benevolent Association Award — for a cheer-ful, positive attitude and outstanding public spirit: James Bathon Rebecca Lord

Richard F. Modica Memorial Schol-arship — for contributing to all areas of the performing arts program and demonstrating good character and leadership: James McCarthy

Ruth & Walter Goodman Scholar-ship — for scholarship in English Language Arts and overall school citizenship: Katherine Bartz

Tina Gambino REFLECTIONS Memorial Scholarship — for two seniors who earned the respect of peers and mentors, achieved to their academic potential, and participated in athletic, co-curricular, and com-munity service programs: Jon Carlo Angiolillo James Bathon

2016 Class SurveyNumber of Graduating Seniors .................................................... 138Attending Post-Secondary Schools ............................................. 133Enlisting in Military Service .............................................................. 1World of Work .................................................................................. 2Other / Gap Year ............................................................................. 2National Merit Scholarship Winners ................................................. 2National Merit Scholarship Letters of Commendation .................... 15National Merit Hispanic Scholars ..................................................... 2Total Scholarships Awarded ............................................. $6,128,466

School News

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Thirteen Metro Nominations, Three Winners for Carousel

The PHS production of Carousel received Metro Award nominations in 13 categories and won in three (in bold type): Overall Production; Actor in a Leading Role: James McCarthy (Billy Bigelow); Featured Ensemble Member: Milton Esliker (The Starkeeper); Dance Performance, Female: Sophie Dora Tulchin (Louise Bigelow); Duet: Elena Phethean (Carrie Pipperidge) & Sonya McGaffey (Julie Jordan); Chorus; Direction: Kathleen Donovan-Warren; Musical Direction: Thomas Heintzelman; Choreography: Annie Doss; Costume Design: Amy Franks; Scenic Design: James Britt, Bill Brown and Gregory Nemec; Student Critic: Katie Bartz; Technical Merit (nominated by teachers): student directors Halle Sarner and Samantha Sicignano and stage manager Mark Damboragian. Forty-eight schools from Rockland, Westchester, Putnam, and Bergen counties participated in this year’s Metro Awards, the high school equivalent of Broadway’s Tony Awards. (photo: Photo Works)

Miles Johnson, Daniel Igielski, Andrei Captan, and Iman Behbehani were inducted into the National Speech and Debate Honor Society at the Speech and Debate Team’s end-of-year celebration in May.

Sophomore Sophie Rapley (center) was selected to attend the HOBY Leadership Seminar at Adelphi University. Founded in 1958 by ac-tor Hugh O’Brian, its mission is “to inspire and develop our global com-munity of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation.” (photo: Rapley Family)

V i o l e t F e a r o n ’s Le t t e r t o Ann Frank, t h e f i r s t place Lev-el 3 (grades 9-12) win-ner in the state por-

tion of the Letters About Lit-erature contest, was chosen as a National Honorable Mention. The letter is one of nine that will be posted on the Library of Congress website: a winner and two honorable mentions for each level (grades 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12). (photo: NYS Writers Hall of Fame Ceremony)

11th Grade Writing Contest winners, front: Ni-cole Osinoff (“Tziporah”), Violet Fearon (“The Rosenbergs”), Mary Kate Crowe (“Mad Mary”), Dylan Bronkema (“Haiku Web of Lies”); back: contest co-sponsor/author Joe Wallace, Visions of Pleasantville winner Kai Zhang (“Living in the U.S.”), runner-up Liz Faulkner (“Roof”), English teacher Leigh Meyer; not pictured: Sabrina Ipyam (“A Series of Bitter Haikus”). The contest, which is co-sponsored by The Village Bookstore, is now in its sixth year.

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School News

Row 1: juniors James Grom & Ana Malfa (s,m) and seniors Sophie Dora Tulchin & James Bathon (s, m). Row 2: sophomores Rohan Chandy (m), Olivia Wislocki (m,s), Benjamin Trombetta (s). Row 3: freshmen Mark Indriolo (m), Anisha Chandy (m), Daniel Igielski (s), Catherine Kauber (s).

Benjamin Sze ScholarshipsThe Benjamin Sze Scholarships are awarded an-nually to one male and one female student in each grade who have excelled in math (m) or science (s). Awards are $275 for freshmen, $375 for sopho-mores, and $475 for juniors; seniors receive $1,625 for math and $2,125 for science. The scholarships are funded by Mrs. Lydia Sze in honor of her late husband, a member of the PHS Class of 1944.

Olympics of the Visual Arts

Over 35 districts from across the state participated in the 34th annual Olympics of the Visual Arts, spon-sored by the NYS Art Teachers Association. Students work singly, in pairs, or in teams on long-term and short-term “problems” in eight different categories: drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, fashion design, illustration, and photography. Winners are selected from each grade level group (K-6, 6-8, 9-12) in every category.

OVA winners, front, K-6 Group: Megan McGarry, Abby McAllister & Ariana Carrero (1st place, Painting), Emma Selesnick (2nd place, Graphic Design); back, 6-8 Group: Amber Nanaj & Isabella Pepdjonovic (not pictured: Arielle Wilson; 1st place, Graphic Design), Oksanna Aikens & Ryan Burton (3rd place, Illustration), art teacher Emily Weiss.

The PHS student newspaper, The Pleasantville Post, received second place honors from the American Scholastic Press Association. Kneeling: Callie Sul-livan, Kaylei Raefski, Amanda Santos; standing: Patrick Doherty, Thomas Fisher, James Anderson, Sean Cotter-Lem, Ashlin Leen, Isabelle Graj, Tyler Ossowski, Melissa Jacobs, Emma Murphy, Kath-ryn Nicolai. (photo: Journalism teacher Daria Anuszkiewicz)

School News

Spring Varsity AwardsThese Pleasantville students were recognized for their performances on interscholastic varsity teams during the 2016 spring season.

Varsity Baseball. All Section: Drew Marino. All Sec-tion Honorable Mention: Christopher Satriale. All League: Jon Carlo Angiolillo, Drew Marino, Chris-topher Satriale, Javuan Smith. Conference III League A Pitcher of the Year: Drew Marino. 2016 Diamond Nine Team: Christopher Satriale

Varsity Golf. All Section: Aidan McDermott. All League: Landy Cognatello, Aidan McDermott.

Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse. All American: Jack Drillock. All Section: Lucas Cohen, Jack Drillock, Declan Mc-

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Dermott, Brian Reda. All Section Honorable Mention: Mike Hammond. All League: Lucas Cohen, Cullen Dell, Jack Drillock, Greg Driscoll, Mike Hammond, Jack Howe, Declan McDermott, Brian Reda. All League Honorable Mention: Brendan Casey, Ryan Drillock, Charlie McPhee.

Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse – NYS Scholar/Athlete Team* Academic All American: Karina Roye.

Golden Dozen: Karina Roye. All Section: Nicole DiFabio. All League: Nicole DiFabio, Riley Kennedy, Sydney Levine, Karina Roye, Lauren Schmidt. All League Honorable Mention: Kathryn Finnegan, Alyssa Rufino.

Boys’ LAX Repeats as Section & Regional Champions

Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse won its second consecutive Section I and Regional championships. Pictured, row 1: Declan McDermott, Brian Reda; row 2: Tommy Browne, Jack Finnegan, Greg Driscoll, Nolan McAndrew, Hayden McBride; row 3: Lucas Cohen, Jack Drillock, Logan Schneeweis, Tanner Bates, Mike Hammond, Lee Greenwald, Jack Howe; row 4: Cullen Dell, Milton Esliker, Will McFadden, Ryan Drillock, Tim Driscoll, Charlie McPhee, Coach Chris Kear, Assistant Coach Bob Kear; row 5: Brendan Casey, Doug Crocitto, Ian Esliker, Brian Halloran, Dan Sanchez, Ben Marshak. (photo: PHS Yearbook)

Karina Roye

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School News

NYS Champs in 4x800

Dylan Bronkema, Eric Hughes, JC Yahia, Drew Dorflinger, Coach Alex Bean

Varsity Softball – NYS Scholar/Athlete Team* All Section: Samantha Sicignano. All Section Honor-able Mention: Kathleen Passabet. All League: Isa-belle Godino, Kristen Guttridge, Katelynn Kwiat, Kathleen Passabet, Samantha Sicignano. All League Honorable Mention: Briana Tucci.

Boys’ Varsity Tennis. All League: Rohan Chandy, Sean Durrang. All League Honorable Mention: Kevin Largey.

Boys’ Varsity Track. All Section: Dylan Bronkema(4x800), Drew Dorflinger (1600, 3200, 4x800), Eric Hughes (4x800), JC Yahia (4x800). All League: Jeff Barile (Javelin), Dylan Bronkema (4x800), Daniel Bucci (4x800), Mark Damboragian (4x400), Drew Dorflinger (3200, 4x400), Eric Hughes (400, 4x400), James McCarthy (Shot Put), Sam Raffalli (4x800), JC Yahia (1600, 4x400), Phil Yahia (4x800). All League Honorable Mention: James Anderson (Javelin), Sam Anderson (4x100), Jeff Barile (Discus), Drew Dorflinger (1600), Eric Hughes (200), Tyler Ossowski (4x100), Phil Rountry (4x100, Long Jump), JC Yahia (800). State Champions: Dylan Bronkema, Drew Dorflinger, Eric Hughes, JCYahia (4x800).

Girls’ Varsity Track. All League: Danaiya Sim-monds (200). All League Honorable Mention: Isa-belle Graj (100m Hurdles), Alden Iaconis (4x100), Kayla Proctor (4x100), Sophie Rapley (4x100), Danaiya Simmonds (4x100), Mary Beth Whalen (800, 1500).

* NYS Scholar/Athlete teams have a 90% or better average.

Some Strategic Plan Initiatives

Thinking Outside the Box — Second graders brainstorm to solve problems, like constructing a “boat” of aluminum foil that will hold 25 pennies without sinking.

PHS’s first Humanities Research Night — Seated: Husnaat Malik, Gabriel Healy, Sydney Shulman-Arno, Jack Geier, Kamelle Ruano; standing: teacher Daria Anuszkiewicz, Violet Fearon, Mary Kate Crowe, Jack Cooper, Thomas Carty, keynote speaker Wendy Fried

Walls That Speak — Middle School students assist PHS art teacher Greg Nemec, who created a mural incorporating students’ ideas about how to make the world a better place.

School News — A Sampling of Recent Events

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Main Street Math — Kindergartners learned about money at “the bank,” one of five stops/ math activities on Main Street.

Mathletics — A morning of hands-on activities related to the 3rd grade math curriculum, one on geometric shapes.

Left, Eastern Hemisphere Day: 6th graders enjoy an Olympics activity in Greece; Right, Western Hemisphere Day: 5th graders display their Carnival masks in Brazil

Revolutionary Day: 4th grade “soldiers” create a barricade of sticks, one of ten hands-on activities.

Poster board presentations at the annual PHS Science Research Symposium

Above: 7th Grade Career Day — students learned about a variety of careers from parent and community volunteers.

Right: PHS Upstanders Day, an annual event that promotes tolerance and understanding and encourages students to be upstanders, not bystanders.

District News — Fund for Learning Grants

The Fund for Learning awarded nine Excellence in Education grants—totaling $16,619—that foster innovation and enrichment in our schools. These grants will fund the following educational programs, which are not covered by state and federal funding or tax revenues.

•A Memory: An Intergen-erational Treasure: training and materials for 8th grade ELA unit in which students work with lo-cal senior citizens on memoirs; submitted by Melissa Brown and Tracy O’Sullivan.

•A Whole New World withMusic Technology: Eno board, projector, and speakers to augment and expand Middle School gen-eral music, orchestra, and chorus curricula; submitted by Hillary Johnson and Mary Ann Meade.

•An ima t i on and D i g i t a lStorytelling: expand and enhance set-up stations for PHS Animation and Storytelling art electives; submitted by Greg Nemec.

•CricutExploreAirMachine: Cricut Air Machine, starter kit, and 1-year subscription to enhance 5th grade student projects and Scrapbooking Homebase classes; submitted by Ashley Kaufman and Erica Plouffe.

•FitnessGramSoftware: train-ing software to help Middle School students track their fitness levels and goals; submitted by Dawn DiMassimo and Robert Jordon.

•HotDotMath: Hot Dot cards, pens, and multi-digit computation dry erase boards to enhance and enrich the 4th grade Common Core math curriculum manipula-tives; submitted by Tara Goldstein,

Jackie Hagey, Joanne Koutsaris, Valerie Reich, Valerie Wiebke, and Leah Wisotsky.

•OpportunitiesinOutdoorEdu-cation: Outdoor Education activi-ties such as geocaching, team trax walkers, toobeez, create-a-beam, and object retrieval for Middle School students to use during lunch/recess; submitted by Dorian Nuccio and Vivian Ossowski.

•Science Magnetic Mania: magnets of various sizes for new hands-on, inquiry-based magnetism unit in 4th grade science; submitted by Chrissie Moses.

•SmallStepstoHealthyEatingPatterns: equipment (spiralizer, dehydrator) for new 7th grade Home Skills food lab where stu-dents will prepare and sample veg-etables they grow in the school’s edible garden; submitted by Me-lissa Brown and Lois Shillito.

Grant recipients, row 1: Chrissie Moses, Valerie Reich, Tara Goldstein, Valerie Wiebke, Leah Wisotsky; row 2: Ashley Kaufman, Melissa Brown, Lois Shillito, Mary Ann Meade, Hillary Johnson; row 3: Dorian Nuccio, Vivian Ossowski, Erica Plouffe, Dawn DiMassimo, Greg Nemec

PHS Alumni Plaza The PHS Alumni Plaza brick-purchasing program is an ongoing fundraiser for the Pleasantville Fund for Learning. For $100 per brick, the name of the PHS graduate and year of graduation are etched on a premium-quality red brick for placement in PHS Alumni Plaza. Bricks also can be purchased for District retirees. Brick donors and honorees are invited to the annual brick-laying ceremony at Alumni Plaza on Homecoming Weekend.

Visit www.pffl.org to purchase a brick for a PHS graduate or retired District employee.

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The Board of EducationPresidentShane McGaffey (409-3487)pleasantboard6@gmail.comVice PresidentAngela Vella (769-5729)pleasantboardav@gmail.comMembersLarry Boes (773-1882)pleasantboardlb@gmail.comLouis Conte (773-1532)pleasantboard7@gmail.comEmily Rubin Persons (747-0136)pleasantboardep@gmail.comSuperintendent of Schools Mary Fox-AlterDistrict Websitewww.pleasantvilleschools.comBoard Meetings and School Closings: 741-1460Editor / PhotographerJulie Schwartz

Board of EducationPleasantville Union Free School District60 Romer AvenuePleasantville, New York 10570

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDWHITE PLAINS, NYPERMIT NO. 7046

UpcomingBoard Meetings

Meetings will take place in the Pleasantville High School Library Media Center and begin at 7:30 p.m.

Board meeting dates are listed on the District website (Board of Education > Board of Education Meeting Schedule) and are announced on 741-1460.

Tuesday, July 12 Tuesday, August 9 Tuesday, August 30 Tuesday, September 13 Tuesday, September 27

District CalendarThe 2016-2017 District Calendar will be mailed to households with children in grades K–12 in August. Others can request a calendar by contacting bdofed@pville.k12.ny.us or BOE Calendar Request, 60 Romer Avenue, Pleasantville NY 10570. The calendar also will be posted on the District’s website by early August.

The first day of school for stu-dents is Wednesday, September 7.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS in 2016-2017• October 3 & 4: Rosh Hashanah• October 10: Columbus Day• October 11: Superintendent’s

Conference Day• October 12: Yom Kippur• November 8: Superintendent’s

Conference Day• November 11: Veterans Day• November 23: 1:30 p.m. Dismissal • November 24 & 25: Thanksgiving• December 26–30: Holiday Recess• January 2: Holiday Recess• January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day• February 20–24: Winter Recess• April 10–14: Spring Recess• May 29: Memorial Day

Budget Vote & Board Election ResultsTotal # Votes Cast....................735

Budget Vote ....... 562 Yes / 170 No

Board Election (to fill 1 seat)Shane McGaffey .....................609

Three Celebrations of Student Art

BRS Art Show, held at BRS Above: PHS Art Show, held at the Jacob Burns Film Center

Left: MS Art Show, held at the Mt. Pleasant Public Library (photo: Emily Weiss)