Summer 2012SpotlightCommitment to Excellence

A n e w s l e t t e r f o r r e s i d e n t s o f t h e G r e e n b u r g h C e n t r a l 7 S c h o o l D i s t r i c t

A Word from the Board of EducationDear District Residents:On behalf of the Board of Education, I want to thank you for your strong support of the fiscal 2012school budget. As you probably know by now, you passed our budget by a margin of 737 to452, and that overwhelming margin confirms the confidence that you have in the board and in theadministration.

I also want to personally thank you for re-electing me to a fourth term by such an overwhelming margin.The community’s endorsement of me is all the more humbling because of the crowded field. To thecandidates who ran unsuccessfully, I urge you to stay involved in our schools. Your fresh ideas andenergy are a welcome addition to the governance process. Cora Carey and Chuck Bronz, two incum-bent board members, were not re-elected. Please join me in thanking them for their years of service tothe District. Also, please welcome new members Sonja Brown and Eric Bitterman. I am confident thatthey will be making immediate and solid contributions.

There were several highlights during this academic year, but chief among them was our selection ofRonald O. Ross as superintendent, replacing Ronald Smalls. Mr. Ross, who was the principal of theWoodlands High School, was selected from more than 30 candidates. The board is confident inMr. Ross’ ability to lead the District into the second decade of the 21st century, and we share hisvision of making Greenburgh Central School District No. 7 into the best school in the United States.I would also like to thank Mr. Ross for stepping in and serving as interim superintendent while weconducted the search.

Mr. Will Washington will replace Mr. Ross as principal of Woodlands High School. He was previouslythe assistant principal for 13 years, so he is very familiar with the building and its personnel. Promotingfrom within is a management strategy that the board likes to use, as long as the candidate is qualified,and we feel that Mr. Washington more than meets the criteria.

The other significant change is the departure of Mr. Michael Chambless as principal of WoodlandsMiddle School. Mr. Chambless gave the district 18 quality years and will be missed. Among hisnotable achievements was guiding the middle school through the International Baccalaureate process.A search for a replacement is already under way, and we expect to have a successor in place by thestart of the 2012 – 2013 school year.

In closing, please encourage your children to read over the summer. Studies show that students lose asmuch as two-thirds of the knowledge they learned during the school year when they fail to exercisetheir brains over the summer. It is your responsibility to ensure that your child stays intellectually stimulat-ed during the summer. A reading list can be found on www.greenburgh7.com. If you do not haveaccess to the Internet or cannot get the books for your child, please call your principal or superintend-ent, in that order. We are committed to helping our students succeed, but you as parents have totake the first step. Have a happy and safe summer, and see you in September.

Terry WilliamsPresident

Dear Parents andCommunity Members:As you may already know, Iwas named Superintendent ofSchools in the spring. It is aprivilege to serve in thiscapacity as we move forwardtogether to bring excellence ineducation to our schools andmake GC7 one of the pre-miere districts in the county,the state and the nation. We will work hard toachieve that goal.On behalf of the administration, teachers, staff and theBoard of Education, I thank you for your support ofour schools and our children by overwhelmingly pass-ing the budget. Thank you also for braving the weath-er back on May 15 to exercise your right to vote andto have your voice heard on behalf of the students.Going forward, we are not losing sight of our vision,which is to continue to mold GC7 schools into anenvironment where we have a professional learningcommunity that includes all the services that supportprofessional development, significant and fruitfulteacher-student interaction, and community involvementand support. This is how we achieve excellence.In May, we offered math lectures to our students andthe community, another example of how we movetoward excellence. Harvard alums Dr. Jonathan Farleyand Dr. Edward Frenkel shared their journey and theirknowledge, inspiring our students to set high goalsand to work hard to meet them.One of the most pressing and immediate concerns weface is that two of our schools – Woodlands MiddleSchool and Richard J. Bailey - appear on the state’sSINI list (Schools In Need of Improvement). Our task isto work to get them removed from that list as quicklyas possible and move to excellence.We also will work together finding ways to meet otherchallenges facing us, particularly in terms of the newAPPR mandates that include teacher and principalevaluations. During the summer and throughout theyear, we will continue this collaboration. It is importantto remember that the countries whose educationalresults we covet do not subscribe to standardized test-ing and teacher evaluations as we do. We claim wewant to emulate these schools, but these nations donot use these methods, so it really makes little sense.We know how to have an effective school, and nowwe need the will to stand up to the politicians whoare seemingly intent on destroying what has beenaccomplished. It is a difficult struggle, and it is goingto take people on all sides of the issue to cometogether and speak as intelligent adults. Political lead-ership in the past has been lacking. On the school dis-trict level, I will provide that leadership, but I cannotdo it alone. Yet I eagerly accept the challenge to cre-ate a culture of achievement and excellence inGreenburgh Central 7.Sincerely,

Ronald O. RossSuperintendent of Schools

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2012 CollegeAcceptancesAdelphi UniversityAlfred UniversityAmerican UniversityApex Technical SchoolArcadia UniversityArt Institute of BostonArt Institute of PhiladelphiaBerkeley CollegeBoston UniversityBrandeis UniversityChamplain CollegeClark Atlanta UniversityCollege of New RochelleCollege of WestchesterColumbia College of ChicagoConcordia CollegeThe Cooper UnionCornell UniversityCulinary Institute of AmericaCUNY - Baruch College

City College of New YorkHunter CollegeLehman CollegeMacaulay Honors CollegeNYC College of TechnologyYork College

Dartmouth CollegeDeSales UniversityDowling CollegeDrew UniversityDrexel UniversityDuke UniversityD’Youville CollegeEastern Connecticut State UniversityEmbry Riddle Aeronautical UniversityEmerson CollegeFairleigh Dickinson UniversityFashion Institute of TechnologyFive Towns CollegeFlorida Institute of TechnologyFlorida International UniversityFlorida Southern CollegeGeorgia TechGreensborough CollegeFranklin Pierce UniversityFranklin & Marshall CollegeHampton UniversityHartt School of MusicHarvard UniversityHofstra UniversityHoward UniversityIona CollegeJohnson & Wales UniversityLaSalle UniversityLehman CollegeLe Moyne CollegeL.I.M. CollegeL.I.U. – Brooklyn CampusL.I.U. – CW PostLincoln Tech InstituteLincoln UniversityMaine College of ArtManhattan CollegeManhattanville CollegeMaryland Institute College of ArtMarymount CollegeMercy CollegeMonroe College

Morehouse CollegeMorgan State UniversityNew England CollegeThe New School for Jazz &

Contemporary MusicNew York Institute of TechnologyNew York UniversityNichols CollegeNorth Carolina A & T State UniversityNortheastern UniversityNyack CollegePace UniversityParsons School for DesignPenn State University – AbingtonPenn State University – Park CampusPepperdine UniversityPhiladelphia School of ArtsPost UniversityPurdue UniversityQuinnipiac UniversityRhode Island School of DesignRider UniversityRochester Institute of TechnologyRutgers UniversitySacred Heart UniversitySavannah College of Art & DesignSchool of the Visual ArtsSeminole State CollegeSiena CollegeSkidmore CollegeSouthern Connecticut State UniversitySt. John’s UniversitySt. Thomas Aquinas CollegeSuffolk UniversitySyracuse UniversityTufts UniversitySUNY - Albany

BinghamtonBuffaloCantonClinton Community CollegeCortlandDelhiEnvironmental Science & ForestryInstitute of TechnologyMorrisvilleNew PaltzOneontaOswegoPurchaseStony BrookStony Brook Honors CollegeSullivan Community College

University of-BuffaloConnecticutDelawareHartfordMaryland – College ParkOklahomaRhode Island

University of the SciencesUtica CollegeWells CollegeWesley CollegeWesleyan UniversityWestchester Community CollegeWestern Connecticut State UniversityWood Tobe-Coburn CollegeArmed Forces:

US Air ForceUS Marines

Congratulations to our 2012 Scholars!When totaled, our 2012 grads were granted scholarships thatamount to approximately $1 million over a four-year period.

American University $30,000Arcadia University $40,000 ($10,000/year)Art Institute of Boston $52,000/yearCUNY-Macaulay Honors College Full Tuition $7,500 grant to study abroad;book scholarship $1,500/yearEmerson College Deans Scholarship $14,000Franklin Pierce University $75,600 ($18,900/year)Iona College $11,250Iona College $18,000 ($4,500/year)Jandon Scholarship $10,000Johnson & Wales $26,000 ($6,500/year)Manhattanville College $17,000/yearNew England College $12,000Northeastern University $30,000NYIT $60,000 ($15,000/year)Pace University Incentive Award $15,000/yearPace University Trustee Recognition Award $12,000/yearPost University Presidential Scholarship $8,000/yearRochester Institute of Technology $32,000Sacred Heart University $24,000 ($6,000/year)Savannah College of Art & Design $32,000 ($8,000/year)St. Johns University $10,000

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WoodlandsHigh School2012GraduatesEncy AlcinErvens AlcinBryon AlemonAnchelle AllenMichelle AlvarezRichard AlvarezFrancys AmarisDaniel AparicioJacqueline ApodollaJade AponteSteven Arteaga

Ashlee AustinTiana AustinJanelle BerridgeJessica BlairPrecious BlakeEugene Boakye-

FirempongFredric BowersJuan Carlos BravosNicole BrooksAmber BrownMalik BrowneLiana BryantBrendan BurkeShane BurkeKrenare CelajNoemi ChaChaAaron ChamberlainJasmine Cherry

Billy ChiaDeion ClarkJames ColeDonniecia CorkeDevin DahlMalcolm DowneyLeslie-Ann DwarkaRa’quan EndersKimberly EscalanteEmiler FleurimondJaquan FurseJames Gibbs, IIIKareem GloverKelyn GramajoKevin GramajoKenfort GuillaumeTeshim HallSakai HardyJennifer Hernandez

Winston Heslop, Jr.Kahron HillShehzad HirjiSaheed HoodOrane JacobsMaria JenkinsDeshawn JohnsonNeila JosephNickenford JosephKata KozmaJacqueline LeakTiberius LoftonYannick LongoliusLaura LugoJustina MarkJennifer MartinMyles MasseyNeidy MazariegosRomel McGee

Dalia Worcman McGillMaguel MedirectMaxwell MegaMariela MerchanRommel MorochoDeborah MosleyAngel OcampoDemi-Marie PaezChristopher ParkerZachariah ParkerCatalina PatinoJoel PederiganAndrew QuantTajmah RileyNadia RiveroSarah RobertsonAndre RobinsonKashique RobinsonEduardo Rodriguez

Terrence RogersCatherine SalasLorraine SanchezAshley SheaJohn SlayLiza SukraVictoria ThorpeChristian ToralEstefany ToribioGregory TorresMelissa TrabucoDigna VeleAriam VilladaSamuel Washington, IIISteven Waters-SpadyBrian WeinerShaina WeirReece WilliamsJanae Young

Service Above SelfEach month the Hartsdale Rotaryrecognizes a student for serviceabove self. This recognition is basedon community involvement andleadership. Congratulations to eachRotary Student of the Month for the2011-12 school year:

Millie Bennett Grade 6 October

Chelsea Isaac Grade 8 November

Nicholas Liveris Grade 5 December

Rachel Blair Grade 8 January

Shashwat Patet Grade 4 February

Thomas Creegan Grade 8 March

Jonathon White Grade 6 April

Josue Rodriguez Grade 8 May

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Woodlands High SchoolIt’s been a successful year,and I am very pleased withthe progress we have made,academically and in so manyother ways. The students inour school are bright, opti-mistic and caring members of

the school and community. They love learn-ing, and the Woodlands culture supportsthat enthusiasm. The community has shown itvalidates the direction we are moving byoverwhelmingly passing the budget and sup-porting Board members who champion edu-cation. It was a victory for the children, whoare the very future of our community.I am also pleased by the caliber and qualityof the colleges that are accepting our stu-dents. We decided right here that we couldmake this happen, and we have done it.Each of the three years I have been here,the college acceptance list has gotten better.We have students who have been acceptedto the Cooper Union, Dartmouth, Cornell,Tufts and the University of Pennsylvania, andthat is just naming a few. Equally as impres-sive, the scholarships, grants and awardsthey have been offered total approximately$1,000,000. We are proud of all our stu-dents as they move into the halls of theseoutstanding universities and colleges.As we enter the next school year, I amhappy to turn this seat over to WillWashington, who we already know verywell. I am confident he will do as well asprincipal as he did as assistant principal.Although we are constrained by the newAPPR, I am sure Mr. Washington will seebeyond that and create a good learningexperience for our students. There willundoubtedly be changes, and I am sure ourschool will be better for it. Change alwayscomes with new leadership, but after monthsof interviews, we are confident we havemade the right choice and that Mr.Washington will continue to polish Wood-lands until it is the gem it is meant to be.I look forward to a great school year in2012-2013 as Superintendent ofGreenburgh Central 7 Schools.

Ronald O. Ross

Woodlands Middle SchoolWhat an exciting school yearthis has been! WoodlandsMiddle School has createdSkype partnerships withauthors, school districts andmuseum libraries. KatherineTovar, seventh grade English

teacher, connected with author Shari Maurer,which resulted in more student writing and avisit by Ms. Maurer. The author recorded a tel-evised session with the class, and now workswith the group via Skype to help them devel-op voice in their writing. Some of our studentshave submitted their writings to the Got TeenFiction blog, created by other local authorsand received Honorable Mention awards fortheir writings. Charles Fritz, seventh gradesocial studies teacher, was invited toWashington, D.C. by the Society of theCincinnati whose purpose is to preserve theknowledge and documents of the AmericanRevolution. We now have access to theirarchives of primary sources and documentsthat have the signatures of President GeorgeWashington and other founders of the UnitedStates. Students were able to talk to theoriginators of this organization, writeDocument Based Questions and view amedal worn by George Washington duringa Skyping session.In an effort to continually improve class per-formance and academic achievement, we’veadopted the Wilson Reading Program System,a multisensory program that is widely usedacross the country and has noted remarkablesuccess. This research-based intervention is areading technique that focuses on supportingstudents with reading and spelling issues.Christine Metrinko and other teachers wereable to attend the 14th Annual WilsonReading Conference in Providence, R.I. The Continued on page 5

From theDesks of thePrincipals

Conference afforded them the opportunity tocollaborate with others to share innovativeand practical suggestions to enhance theinstruction of Wilson students.We also hosted an all-day InternationalBaccalaureate informational session for sev-eral teachers and their principal fromRochester, who were accompanied by twodoctoral candidates from ColumbiaUniversity. Our student ambassadors assistedin the visit.Lastly, we congratulate the 67 Honor Rollrecipients for their hard work and academicachievements at a school celebration break-fast. They are the future leaders of the 21stcentury. These students maintained averagesof 85% and above in all subjects for threeconsecutive marking periods. They havekept focus on what is important and theresults are evident.I hope everyone has a wonderful summervacation!

Michael D. Chambless

Richard J. Bailey SchoolOur school is an environmentwhere great things are alwayshappening, and the communi-ty is a big part of the action.Recently, RJB was selected tobe part of an ABC Newspromo shoot that features our

school and students in the background. Sowhen you’re watching TV in the fall, keepan eye out for it. Our students really madeus proud with their exemplary behavior dur-ing filming. The event was arranged throughSuperintendent Ross and the Town ofGreenburgh. We thank everyone whohelped make it possible.On the academic front, the teachers havebeen preparing for the full implementation ofthe Common Core Learning Standards(CCLS). The standards define what studentsmust know and be able to do at eachgrade level. The shift to CCLS increases therigor with students expected to performat higher skill levels in all content areas.With greater demands placed on teachersand students, professional development

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is a big part of the planning.Throughout the year, our teachers have beenlearning and training for the changes in cur-riculum, including working closely with amath consultant brought in by the District.During the summer, teachers are writing thecurriculum units aligned with the CommonCore. In September, we will also beequipped with a new updated math pro-gram, science program, and technologyprogram that provides formative assessmentsand data for better analysis of studentperformance.As we work to encourage student leadershipand confidence, we invite students to sharetheir ideas and proposals with the principal.This year two great initiatives grew fromstudent-generated proposals. The school’syearlong fund-raiser for the AmericanCancer Society’s Relay for Life is one exam-ple (See Did You Know). With the Dignityfor All Students Act (NYS Anti-Bullying Law)effective July 1, the timing was perfect forthe students’ next idea. Students surveyedthe whole school and researched ways tohelp everyone feel safe and happy atschool. They created a school-wide assem-bly where students chose music that support-ed the idea that “everyone is beautiful.”They wrote skits, made a video and sharedinformation in a PowerPoint presentation.In appreciation of our students’ ideas andcreativity, the “Bailey is Bully Free” themewill continue as part of our school culture.In May, we also welcomed the incomingfourth graders during an orientation. Just likeall fifth and sixth graders, every new fourthgrader got a little toy vehicle (cars, trains,trucks), that I hope will inspire them throughthe summer to realize life is a journey,whether overseas, or just in their neighbor-hoods. I ask all Bailey students to write intheir journals or to write letters for me so thatin September we can share them.On that note, I wish you all a happy sum-mer, and see you in September!

Marguerite Clarkson

Highview SchoolSummer is here, and we are sohappy with the accomplish-ments of the past year. Mayand June are always busymonths, and this year was nodifferent. One of my favoriteactivities during this period is

reading the hundreds of books that our chil-dren write and produce for our Bare Booksproject, which started some 10 years ago asa grant and was so successful that it wasincorporated into the curriculum. The school-wide project starts with a bare (empty) book,and then the fun begins as a book is born! Inlate winter, every student in the schoolreceives a new blank book and over the nexteight to 10 weeks, they work through thewhole publishing process. Every class decideson a topic, which can be dinosaurs, animals,poetry, or just about anything else, and thestudents write about the topic in whatever waysparks their interest. There’s a lot that goes intothe process, from brainstorming for ideas, writ-ing drafts, revising through peer editing, map-ping the book and drawing the illustrations. Itis impressive, and I am really proud as I readand comment on each and every book. Thisyear, there were 255. We celebrate thebooks at our annual Author’s Night, held thethird week of May. The evening, second onlyto Back to School Night in attendance, is agreat event attended by family, teachers andstudents, who read and autograph the books.Congratulations once again to all my authors!Trips are another highlight for us, usually as

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From the Desks of the Principals

the culminating events of our IB units. Tripsare an extension of the classroom lesson,and reinforce everything learned, while pro-viding the children with memories and bond-ing opportunities. It is a special experienceto travel on a bus with classmates, and wecan all remember the excitement of that.For third graders, Ellis Island served as theculmination of the IB unit on immigration.They spent a full day on this trip with an itin-erary that included a scavenger hunt andtime for them to search the wall for familynames – a great experience made more funbecause the students are with friends, and itis one that they may not otherwise have.They also visited the Bronx Zoo as part ofthe science program, which reinforced theirfirst-hand studies of butterflies and differentanimals and habitats. A visit to HartsdaleVillage as a walking tour rounded out theyear as they learned from shop managersfirst-hand about “earning a living,” anotherIB unit. Second graders visited Hilltop Farmin Yorktown to see farm animals close upand learn all about how a farm works.Besides being a great lesson, it was lotsof fun.We look forward to a great summer andseeing you all again in September!

Gary Mastrangelo

Lee F. Jackson SchoolThe school year has beenwonderful, and each year itgets better and better as webuild on our IB authorizationand see our children growinginto citizens of the world. Ourschool reflects all the learning

that takes place and the cafetorium, whichnow has two beautiful giant murals, is avivid example. Our first graders spent manyhappy hours turning the blank walls intothis colorful magical garden.The project, which we coordinated andplanned with Arts Director Miriam Bernabei,began in the spring with walls that werefreshly painted by the school custodian.Then local artist Candace Winter sketchedthe garden on the white walls. In their class-

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Author's Night at Highview is always wellattended.

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From the Desks of the Principals

rooms, the first graders worked with Ms.Winter during art classes to create differentpieces of colorful scenery inspired by the art-work of Eric Carle, author of many popularbooks, including “The Very HungryCaterpillar.” In May, the children’s muralcomponents were pasted onto the walls,transforming two previously plain panels intoan inspiring garden that is alive with color! Iam so proud of their work! This project sup-ports the IB unit, “It Lives!” which teachesthat living things have certain properties. Thechildren’s reading and science classes alsosupported this theme, so it was reinforcedin many ways.I also want to congratulate our PTA onreceiving the 2011-2012 MembershipAward. For three years LFJ has received thisaward, earning recognition in all fivecategories:• Early Bird Award• Founders Day Award• 100% Teachers Membership Award• President's Community Involvement

Award• Focus on Fathers Award

I thank our PTA for all the work they do, andI happily report that our membership in thePTA has increased again this year. Ourenrollment has also gone up, so I can onlysay that September promises to be a greatstart to another exciting year! Until then,enjoy the summer!

Patricia Simone

Early Childhood ProgramIt has been a great year hereat ECP with our parents beingso involved and our childrenlearning, thriving and excited tomove up to their next school.We celebrate their accomplish-ments every step of the way,

and at year’s end, when we measure theirheight, which serves as part of our scienceunits – we are as excited as they are whenthey realize how much they have grown inone year, both physically and academically.We kicked off spring with more than 20 fami-lies participating in our annual math extrava-ganza, Family Math Night. The hands-on,interactive program helped children learnbasic math concepts and helped parentsdevelop strategies to build their child’s mathunderstanding. We used three classrooms,each with stations that focused on one topic:patterning; math poems and songs; andcounting and sorting objects. It was a funprogram that tied into the state learningstandards.

In April, the PTA’s Art and Dessert Night was acultural feast with the children providing theart and the families the dessert. The home-made pound cake, cannolis and cupcakes

Students at LFJ smile for the camera in front ofnew mural.

Growing vegetables at ECP is fun!

Best Wishes to RetireesValerie BarbaroSocial Studies Teacher, WHS – 24 yearsRocco CisternaMotor Equipment Operator, WHS – 39 yearsCathy DukeForeign Language Teacher, WHS – 16 yearsCheryl FerraraSchool Social Worker, LFJ/HV – 31 yearsDavid KarpellElementary Teacher, RJB – 20 years

John MacLeanEnglish Teacher, WHS – 26 yearsShelly PackerHealth Teacher, WHS – 18 yearsDavid ProppElementary Teacher, RJB – 16 yearsEarnest RichCustodial Worker, WHS – 28 yearsAnnie WrightTeaching Assistant, HV – 5 yearsOur condolences go to the family of Ms. Wright whopassed away this spring.

were amazing, and the unexpected treatfor the families was the location. The eventwas celebrated at the Lee F. Jackson Schoolcafeteria, which made it a great opportunityfor the students and families to get familiarwith their next school and meet their newprincipal, Ms. Simone. The tables that linedthe cafeteria featured our students’ drawingsand art inspired by the theme “SpringBeginnings.” I thank all the parents who par-ticipated and LFJ for kindly hosting our event.This will help make the children more com-fortable when they get there in September.Speaking of spring beginnings, we plantedvegetables this year, and our youngsterslearned and saw how things grow (whilethey grow a little each day) by monitoringthe progress of the corn, tomatoes and othervegetables they planted months ago. It wasfun to see how excited they were aboutthis project.Our academics are strong, and I am proudof the work the teachers have done thisyear, especially in regards to the newCommon Core Learning Standards. As partof our professional development plan, ourteachers met twice a month during commonprep periods (and sometimes after school) torefine our curriculum based on the changes– also called shifts – that have replacedthe previous standards. It was a painstakingtask that involved much work on everyone’spart, but now we have our new benchmarksand benchmark indicators clearly defined,and our curriculum is aligned to thecontent areas and the CCLS. We can feelcomfortable as we look to September thatwe are ready for the CCLS. See you then!

Dawn Male

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If You Think You Have a ConcussionStudents should immediately see a doctor if theythink they may have a concussion.A concussion is generally accepted to be ANYtrauma to the head/neck that results in braininjury.• 90% of patients show symptoms within 24

hours of the initial injury;• Some patients develop symptoms two-three

days after the initial injury;• Some symptoms may include: dizziness,

headache, confusion, nausea and sensitivityto light.

Students should immediately see a doctor if theythink they may have a concussion.

New Concussion Legislation for Student-Athletes HelpsKeeps Them Safe

Last year, Gov. AndrewCuomo signed the youth-concussion legislation intolaw for New York State.The new mandate, alsoknown as the “Concussion

Management and Awareness Act,” is meantto safeguard student-athletes who sustain headinjuries, and the District is in the process ofputting the protocols in place.Parents should be aware ofthe new protocol in order toassist their children in gettingthe proper medical clearancesto resume play.Rosemary Kamholz, theDistrict’s Nurse Coordinator,has been following the newlegislation and expects all tobe in order by September.“Sports should be as safe aspossible for our student-athletes, so we must be pre-pared to assess and monitorconcussions and other brain injuries,” shesaid. “We also want to alert the parents, sothey will be aware of the process if they geta call from the nurse.”Planning began in the spring with meetings toget everyone’s feedback. They were attendedby Director of Pupil Personnel Services BruceGottlieb, Dr. Eric Small (the District physician),Athletic Director Matt Smith and the otherschool nurses, including those at SacredHeart, Maria Regina and Solomon Schechterschools.Dr. Small stressed that there needs to be acontinuous communication model between theschool nurse, athletic director and himselfregarding decisions that involve a student’s

return to physical activity. Mrs. Kamholz fullysupports the communication initiatives, as wellas the legislation.“The three most likely sports for this injury arefootball, soccer and lacrosse, but we need tobe vigilant in supporting all the student-athleteswho get hurt,” she said. “These athletes canbe very serious, and too often after an injurythey will say they are fine – just so that they

won’t have to sit out agame, but we know howdangerous that is.”To make sure that studentsare ready to get back in thegame, the District is usingnew software, ImPACT(Immediate Post-ConcussionAssessment and CognitiveTesting). It is the most widelyused and scientifically vali-dated computerized concus-sion evaluation system avail-able, providing computer-ized neurocognitive assess-

ment tools and services that are used by med-ical doctors, psychologists, athletic trainers,and other licensed healthcare professionals.The software assists them in determining anathlete's ability to return to play after sufferinga concussion.With the software, all student-athletes will betested before the sports seasons begin toobtain a baseline and then again, if theyshould sustain a head injury. “It will certainlyhelp us in assessing their well-being,” saidMrs. Kamholz.According to Dr. Small, the following stepsshould be instituted for any student who hassuffered a head trauma or concussion.

• Report to nurse’s office;• Mental status checked;• Heart rate, blood pressure and eye move-

ments checked;• Parents notified;• If there is unresponsiveness or seizure

activity, an ambulance should be called;• For determining clearance to return to

physical activity and afterschool sports, thestudent needs to be evaluated by a familyphysician, pediatrician or school physician;

• If a student is involved in afterschool sports,all clearances are ultimately determined bya physician;

• If the athlete participates in contact sports(football, basketball, soccer), then noncon-tact activities must be started first.

Mrs. Kamholz said it is important to note thatthe medical clearance should be specific.For example, a note from the emergency roomdoctor that states the student can return tosports following a two-week period is notsufficient. It is mandatory that a physician seesthe student after the two-week period toconfirm that he/she is ready to play. “This isfor the health and well-being of the student,”said Mrs. Kamholz.

Spotlight

Tenure RecipientsNew York State mandates that teachers and administrators who completea probationary period (usually of three years) receive tenure.The 2012 tenure recipients are:Jennifer DelConte Director of Special EducationDouglass Denniston Music Teacher, RJBPeter Farah Elementary Education Teacher, RJB

Natasha Freeman-Mack English Teacher, WMSCatherine Hughes Teaching Assistant, RJBMichael McCoy Physical Education Teacher, LFJPatrick Papaccio Physical Education Teacher, WMSMargaret Patchen Business Education Teacher, WHSCarlos Rodriguez Health Teacher, WMSPatricia Simone Principal, LFJDaniel Young Teaching Assistant, WMS

Rosemary Kamholz, our NurseCoordinator

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Did You Know?�

Global Gala CelebratesDiversityThe auditorium of Woodlands High Schoolwas recently transformed into a UnitedNations during the “Global Gala,” whichcelebrated the rich cultural diversity of ourDistrict. The event on May 4, featured aparade of flags of the more than 30 nation-alities that are represented within the school

district followed by multicultural performancesof music and dance, as well as a variety ofpresentations from every school. The eventwas organized by the PTA Council with helpfrom the District’s Director of Arts MiriamBernabei.Sweet Prize for WHS SeniorWoodlands senior Jaquaan Furse won sec-ond prize in the NFTE Fairchester 2012Westchester County Business PlanCompetition for a business plan that wouldcreate custom-made chocolate sculptures.Jaquaan’s plan was one of three top winnersselected from among 27 student plans pre-sented to the panel of judges at the regionalfinals on May 31 at Westchester CommunityCollege. Leading up to the competition, near-ly 600 students from 10 area high schoolshad participated in the competition. All stu-dents were taught by teachers certified bythe Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship(NFTE) and have worked with the programthroughout the school year. Jaquaan’s plancalled for the creation of Chocolate Art, tar-geted to the elite art crowd in Manhattan.Jaquaan, who plans to attend the StateUniversity of New York at Oswego this fall,received a $750 cash prize for his efforts.Among those competing were WHS seniorsJennifer Cananga and Michelle Espinozawho, along with Jaquaan, won top honorsand $200 each in the local Woodlandscompetition. Michelle and Jennifer are part-ners in “Adventure Cakes,” a bakery product

that is infused with international flavors andcultures. NFTE is a global non-profit organiza-tion that encourages high academic achieve-ment through creative learning and competi-tive opportunities.WMS Students Read ToKindergartnersTwenty Woodlands Middle School eighth-grade students authored their own children’sbooks and then visited kindergartners at theLee F. Jackson School to read the books to theyoungsters. The middle school students wrotethe books in their educational technologyclass with teacher Jodi Manne, and eachstudent took a turn reading to the kindergart-ners on June 7. Children’s books are oneof the fastest-growing sectors of the publishingindustry.Skits Help HV Students withReading ComprehensionHighview School Principal Gary Mastrangeloand some second-grade teachers launcheda reading assignment in a special way – byperforming a skit with hints about the nextbook on the reading list. Second gradersguessed that their book would be TomieDePaola’s “26 Fairmount Avenue” from cluesperformed during the skit that featured aPowerPoint presentation as a background.Actor Frank Ingrasciotta from ArtsWestchesteralso visited their music and library classes tohelp the children perform parts of the book,which deals with the author’s early life. Thebook deals with moving to a new house andhaving a hurricane hit. Mr. Mastrangelo gavethe students a preview by reading the firstchapter; the script for the skit was written byteacher Valerie Galdau. Teacher LoriD'Andrea created the PowerPoint, and Mr.Ingrasciotta worked with librarian MyraAtkinson and music teacher Peter Roberts.Dessert Has InternationalFlavor at Lee F. JacksonLFJ celebrated its rich cultural diversity duringits annual International Dessert night withdesserts and dancing. More than 200 peoplegathered in the school playground on May10 to enjoy the delicious desserts served up Continued on page 9

by Woodlands High School Key Club stu-dent members and other volunteers. Amongthe offerings were arroz con leche, rugelach,empanadas and Ukrainian cream puffs. Thekindergartners and first graders celebratedwith dances and songs from Russia, Mexico

and Africa, and even a song, “My OwnTwo Hands,” in sign language. The perform-ances were led by music director ChristineLutz. Then guests took part in a traditionalAmerican Square Dance led by Pat Cannonand accompanied by Kenny Kosek on thefiddle. The event also featured a ScholasticBook Sale, sponsored by the Jackson PTA.WHS Music Teacher Honoredat Jacob BurnsThe Jacob Burns Film Center honored WHSmusic teacher Iantheia Calhoun, whoappeared there with her all-star Jazz Elite BigBand on June 3. She was chosen thanks toKathy Bonomi, the coordinator of the eventat JBFC, who first saw her conduct during theSleepy Hollow Jazz Festival in 2008, whenWoodland’s Jazz Ensemble won first place,and she thought their performance was awe-some. Jazz Elite was joined by famed trom-bonist Wycliffe Gordon and threeGreenburgh students: Kareem Glover (leadtrumpet) who has received a full tuition schol-arship to Purchase College, Malik Browne(trombone) who will be attending PurdueUniversity, and Liza Sukra (flutist/vocalist) whowill be going to Duke University. The eveningwas part of Jacob Burns Film Center's fifthannual Jazz Sessions series, which was dedi-cated to women jazz musicians.Seventh Graders Donate Hand-made Items to Animal ShelterWoodlands Middle School seventh gradersbrought handmade toys to the dogs, cats

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Spotlight

and other ani-mals at the PetsAlive No KillAnimal RescueCenter inElmsford on June1. Studentslearned basichand-sewingtechniques intheir Home and

Career Skills class and applied the skills tomaking pet toys out of recycled clothing.Students learned about the center and moreabout what they could do to help within theircommunity. Several students hope to volun-teer with their families and to donate more ofthe many needed items and time.

New Track at RJB Opens withOlympic TorchesTwo torches used to inaugurate the 1984Olympic Games in Los Angeles were used toopen a new $10,000 track at Richard J.Bailey, which culminated the school’s year-long fundraiser for the American CancerSociety’s Relay for Life. Runners from theWoodlands High School track team carriedthe torches on the new running track after abrief ceremony and ribbon-cutting on June15. The torches were last carried by 1956Olympian Rafer Johnson to open the LosAngeles Olympics. Dannon Yogurt fundedthe track with a health and fitness grant total-ing $20,000. The rest of the grant was uti-lized to build a climbing wall in the schooland to purchase a new refrigeration unit. TheRelay for Life event culminated a yearlongeffort by the school’s students to raise moneyto fight cancer. A total of $300 was raisedby the youngsters who held Pajama Days,Crazy Hat Days and other events to raisemoney. Students Nahomy Perez and MillieBennett initiated the fundraiser that wasorganized by the Student Government underthe direction of student Jonathan White andthe supervision of teacher Claire Cronin.

Award-Winning Life MagazinePhotographer Exhibits at WHSRenowned magazine photographer JohnShearer, a Woodlands High School gradu-

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Did You Know?

ate, opened a monthlong exhibition of hisphotography documenting some of theDistrict’s rich history on June 15 as part of thecelebration of the WISE Program. The eventincluded a dedication of a sign that indicateswhere the program was founded and contin-ues to flourish. An alumnus of the WoodlandsClass of ’66, Shearer became the secondAfrican-American staff photographer for LIFEmagazine in 1968, subsequently providingmajor documentation of both the MuhammadAli vs. Joe Frazier “Fight of the Century,” andthe Attica Prison riot. One of his most iconicphotographs is of the funeral of John F.Kennedy, showing his family with his youngson, John, Jr. saluting. The photograph, forLook magazine, is internationally known.Shearer was one of the first mentors of theWISE program that was started here.RJB Students PlayInternational SportsThe annual sixth-grade IB Exhibition projectfocusing on countries of the world culminatedon June 5 with the students playinginternational games and dancing outdoors aspart of the Exhibition Celebration. The studentsrotated through nine stations that included

ping pong (China), gateball (Japan), football(U.S.), cricket (Jamaica), soccer (Mexico),salsa (Colombia), step dancing (Ireland),yoga (India) and bocce (Italy). During thecourse of the project, students worked insmall groups with mentors doing research,learning about their country’s geography, his-tory, current events, economy, tourism, reli-gion, government, arts and sports. The daybefore the celebration they presented “whatmattered most to them” from their research totheir classmates and to fourth and fifth gradeclasses. During the International ExhibitionCelebration, coordinated by Bailey's IBCoordinator Karen Pisacano with the help ofDirector of Arts Miriam Bernabei, studentscelebrated the different nations throughdance and sports.“The Falcon” Goes DigitalWoodlands High School student newspaper,“The Falcon,” recently premiered its digitaledition on www.greenburgh7.com. It isamong the first digital student newspapers inthis area. Editor-in-Chief Shane Burke, a2012 grad, liked the new format that is eas-ier to update. The digital “Falcon” wasShane’s WISE project, which combined jour-nalism and technology. He worked closelywith the District’s Educational TechnologyTeam to create the newspaper using school-newspapersonline.com as the platform.“Students are excited about this,” said KianaWashington, the advisor on the project.“They can add pictures as well as films on-line, and that’s something they could not doin the print edition.”

2011-12 DonationsThe District appreciates all the donations received from the community. Theybenefit our students in many ways. Here, we thank the following individu-als, groups and organizations for all they have shared with us:Friends of the Greenburgh Library donated $1,000 for 10 teachers to purchase books at theGreenburgh Library Book Sale for use in their respective classrooms.Target, as part of its “2011 Take Charge of Education Program,” donated $72.69 for use byLee F. Jackson School and $83.85 for use by Highview School.Best Buy donated various school supplies (i.e. crayons, markers, notebooks, folders, etc.).Simon & Schuster, Inc. donated 6,366 books for use by Lee F. Jackson, Highview and Richard J.Bailey schools as well as Woodlands Middle School.Harrow’s donated a holiday tree for use by Highview School.Barnes & Noble donated 4 spinning book racks, 12 waterfall book shelves and 6 step stools foruse by Highview School.

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So now the dance/recording artist, whosemusic is in rotation on MTV, tours the countryvisiting colleges and high schools to get hisanti-bullying message across, while motivatingyoung people to change their lives andbelieve in themselves.The performance by the Jim Linehan DanceTroupe was the culmination of a guidancedepartment program, the Bullying Academy. Itwas implemented through the middle schooltechnology classes as a collaboration betweenWMS technology teacher Jodi Manne andWMS guidance counselor Deborah Paruolo.Through both the performance and Jim’s talkabout his own personal journey at the show’send, his message is loud and clear, and basedon the students’ reaction, the kids love him.“I’ve been there,” he said to the audience ofmiddle school students. “You are not alone.Now I am focused on what I like aboutmyself, not what I don’t like,” he said.“What I hated about myself then – the factthat I was unique and had my own talents – iswhat I love about myself now as an adult,” hesaid. “I relish the fact that I am unlike anyoneelse, and I believe it’s that exact quality, beingmy own person, that has led to the greatestsuccesses in my life.”A national program designed to help studentsrecognize the dangers associated with bully-ing and cyberbullying, the Bullying Academyis a web-based interactive program that focus-es on grades 4-8. It was created to help stu-dents and educators recognize the dangers ofbullying, including cyberbullying.

Dance Troupe Has Cool Moves and Big MessageJim Linehan remembers what it was like to be in middle school. It wasn’t easy.“I didn’t go along with the crowd,” said the dancer whose troupe performed atWoodlands in May. “I went to school, but stopped reaching out. I didn’t fit in.I’ve been there.”

“Our primary emphasis is to inform students ofpreventative measures related to bullying aswell as to develop effective communicationstrategies,” said Ms. Paruolo who coordinated

the Linehan dance performance with DistrictArts Director Miriam Bernabei.“The program generates data, which can becompared by class, school or district in aneffort to monitor effectiveness of bullying pre-vention education,” said Ms. Paruolo. “JimLinehan’s presentation is an effective way tocommunicate the anti-bullying message to stu-dents,” she said. “His act inspires and rein-forces everything learned during the BullyingAcademy.”Through his jazz/funk/hip hop and contem-porary dance performance, Jim conveys howimportant music is to him and how it helpedhim. “Music can be powerful. When I was inschool, if people didn’t understand me, Icould listen to artists who did. Now I give110% to what you see here.”He empowers students through his understand-ing, and he encourages them. “My career isvery important; I made it happen. I recommitmyself to my life every day.”Visit www.BullyingAcademy.org to learn more.

WMS Principal Michael Chambless with ArtsDirector Miriam Bernabei, members of the JimLinehan Dance Troupe and Guidance CounselorDeborah Paruolo.

Cool moves by troupe grab audience.

Fritz’ nomination, submitted by aparent in the District, stated that hehas “taken teaching to anotherlevel, going above and beyondthe call of duty.” It specificallyreferred to a student whose schoollife Mr. Fritz helped turn around.By working closely with the stu-dent, the teacher was able to helphim turn failing grades into animpressive 95% in the subject.He did this through hard work,encouragement and building thestudent’s confidence. Now thestudent loves school.

“Mr. Fritz has been a positive and wonderfulmodel for our kids, teaching them not to giveup and showing them that although they arepresently failing, they can do better with hardwork, discipline and a teacher who is willingto go the extra mile to see that this is accom-plished,” said the nomination.

In addition to the award, Mr. Fritz recently won

Extra Mile Recipient Gets A+ for Helping StudentsCharles Fritz, a social studies teacher at Woodlands Middle School, was namedthis spring's recipient of the Greenburgh Central 7 Extra Mile Award for goingabove and beyond his normal responsibilities to help his students.

a Teacher’s Fellowship through the Society ofCincinnati, which will publish his lesson planson their website and will fund a week-longteaching seminar in Washington D.C.

The Extra Mile award is presented by Super-intendent Ronald Ross and the Board ofEducation. It was created to recognize individ-uals who go the “extra mile” for the studentsof the District and for excellence in education.

Ronald Ross, Charles Fritz and Terry Williams

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Congratulations also go to six of our varsityteams that made it to sectionals: football, boyssoccer, volleyball and track and field, withbaseball and softball returning to sectionalplay after a few years of being absent. Theboys basketball team are co-leagueChampions, and the indoor boys track teamare league Champions. The football teammade it to the semi-finals, one win away fromthe championship, and two football playerswere selected to the All NY State team. Intrack, 3 student-athletes ranked top in thestate, Jonathan Albert ranked 9th in the

100m dash and 16th in the 200m dash;Keturah Smalls ranked 8th in the 400m hur-dles and 15th in the 100m hurdles; whileCrystal Hopkins ranked 15th in the Shot Put.We also have a lot of scholar-athletes. Theboys tennis team was awarded the NYSPH-SAA Scholar team award for maintaining acumulative team grade point average over92.5. Finally, three students were honoredwith Dapper McDonald Scholarships: NicoleBrooks received the $1,000 scholarship whileJustina Mark and Reece Williams eachreceived $500.

Looking ahead, we wish our seniors the bestas they leave the comforts of Woodlands HS.We especially wish good health and luck tothose who are moving on to play at the nextlevel. Some of these student-athletes are:

Steven Arteaga – playing soccer forFranklin Pearce

Nicole Brooks – playing basketball for Tufts

Reece Williams – playing basketball forUniversity at Albany

Malcolm Downey – playing football forAlfred University

Fred Bowers – playing basketball forMonroe College

James Cole – playing football forMonroe College.

To all, best wishes for a happy andhealthy summer!

Sports Roundup By Athletic Director Matt SmithAs expected, this has been another great year! Our high school student-athletenumbers keep increasing, and there is much to be proud of at Woodlands. Tostart, our boys varsity basketball team won the Dennis T. Hurlie SportsmanshipAward, which encourages fair play and sportsmanship. The award is verymeaningful because the basketball officials determine which team shouldreceive this award.

From left to right: Matt Smith, Reece Williams,Nicole Brooks and Cathy McDonald (daughter ofthe late Dapper McDonald)

A Word from the Falcons NestNearly 300 athletes, parents and community memberswere on hand for the Woodlands Middle/High annualSchool Sports Dinner/Athletic Awards Night on June 7.This is the fourth year in a row that the Falcons Nest

Booster Club has been a co-sponsor of this event. Booster Club memberstransformed the gym into a glittering banquet hall, and the awards presen-tation lasted late into the evening. Two students, Justina Mark and BrianWeiner, were awarded the FNBC’s Female/Male Senior Varsity Student-Athlete of the Year. This award goes to the senior who participates in atleast two sports and has the highest grade point average for the year.

We had many students playing on 24 different varsity teams during the2011-2012 school year: 329 to be exact. Six of those teams – baseball,football, boys soccer, softball, volleyball and track – made it to sectionals,as Athletic Director Matt Smith notes in the Roundup.

The Booster Club takes scholarship seriously. This year, the club gave eachathlete in attendance with a GPA or 85 or above for the first three (3) quar-ters of this school year a drawstring bag proclaiming their achievement.

Any athlete meeting this criteria who did not receive his/her drawstringbag should email their report card to wmhsfnbc@gmail.com and a draw-string bag will be provided to them at the next FNBC meeting.Mr. Smith expects a lot from our scholar-athletes. “This has been a wonder-fully successful athletic year for us,” he said. “Next year’s teams look prom-ising since there are an enormous amount of underclassmen returning. Butlet’s be clear, it will only be a successful athletic year if our student-athletesare successful in the classroom.”While the FNBC celebrates these well-deserved rewards, we also cele-brate every single student-athlete for their effort and teamwork. And we sup-port and salute the middle school modified athletes who will be the varsityplayers in years to come.Current FNBC President Dave Jackson believes that the Booster Club canachieve so much more. “The ever-increasing success of the FNBC eachyear is only limited by the number of parents, students, alumni, and otherswho actively participate,” he said. “Reach out to the FNBC by sending anemail to wmhsfnbc@gmail.com or like Falcons Nest Booster Club onFacebook, and let us know how you can help while providing us with ameans of keeping you informed.”

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PAIDWhite Plains, NYPermit No. 3111

SpotlightGreenburgh Central 7 School Dstrict475 West Hartsdale AvenueHartsdale, N.Y. 10530(914) 761-6000

Board of EducationTerry Williams, PresidentLloyd Newland, Vice PresidentCharles BronzDeborah CampbellCora L. CareyClaudia GlaserDavid Warner

Superintendent of SchoolsRonald O. Ross

Alumni Stories:Focus on Steve Smith

In 1979 when he graduatedfrom Woodlands HighSchool, Steve Smith washeaded to Marist College ona basketball scholarship,which was not a surprise toanyone. The high school

basketball star had been a member of theWestchester All County Basketball team andrenowned in the area for his athleticism. He wenton to make his mark at Marist, too, where hewas the first Marist College athlete to have hisjersey retired. Although he graduated in 1983,he still holds the record as the school’s all-timeleading scorer.

Now, at 50, Steve is the father of teenage twinsand lives in the Chicago area where he worksfor Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois as VicePresident of On-Premise Spirits. Although hiscareer may seem like a non sequitur from hiscollege major – Communications Arts – he seesit as a natural progression, and he has done verywell with it. “I always enjoyed being in front ofpeople,” he said.

“After college, I thought I would take it to radioor television.” Soon he realized that the path tomedia stardom was not only long and difficult,but that it would take him to small, remote places,at least to start.

So his attention shifted, and he found himself insales, an area that is an extremely good fit forhim, and one in which he has been quite suc-cessful. He looks back at Woodlands fondly andsees that the characteristics he developed therehelped him in several important ways. Not onlydid Woodlands prepare him for college academ-ically, but the sports ethics he developed therehelped mold him into the successful businessmanhe is today.

While at Woodlands, he took his academicsseriously, creating the solid foundation that isrequired for college. From an academic stand-point, Woodlands prepared him very well forcollege, and the transition was easy. “I went tocollege knowing how to study, do research, tobe disciplined. I knew how to get my homeworkdone and be prepared for tests. I hit the groundrunning.”

His participation on the basketball team alsohelped him focus his attention. “It all startedthere,” he said. Both at Woodlands and Marist,playing sports did not leave him much free time.“You are either playing or practicing, traveling or

studying,” he said. “You really have to focus.”

As part of the team, he learned how to respectauthority, take direction and be a team player.“You have to work as a unit to get things done,and the truth is, this is very much the same in cor-porate America,” said Steve. “So it is no surprisethat I see many athletes go into sales. They havedeveloped all the right characteristics. Sports arevery valuable.”He also credits Woodlands for helping him in“the real world” in terms of diversity. Beingaround a lot of different people was an asset.“It helped me in college and life,” he said. “I amglad I grew up in that environment where every-one was respected.”Steve tries to get back home often to visit hisparents, Edward and Doris, who still live in theDistrict.He has been with Southern Wines & Spirits, thelargest wine and spirits distributor in the U.S.,since 2002, although he started in sales soonafter college and moved around until he foundhis niche. As Chicago-land area VP, Steve man-ages a team of 80 people that generate millionsof dollars in annual sales. His team is responsiblefor calling on accounts across the Chicago area,consisting primarily of restaurants, hotels andnight clubs. “Anywhere you might go to have adrink on the premises,” he explains. He loves it.“It’s challenging, but enjoyable,” he said. There isa lot of pressure because salespeople have quo-tas and goals to attain, but there are a lot ofperks, too. One of those is travel. Steve has trav-eled all over the world from the Napa Valley

wine country of California to Italy, Sweden,France, Ireland and even Fiji. Since the companymanages Fiji water, he was there to visit theplant.He is totally engaged in his field and said theindustry is growing and offers many opportunities.It has also become more tech-savvy with time. Headvises that students stay focused on their schoolwork and go to college.

“My field is exciting; we’re involved in manyvenues from concerts, sports and resorts tocasinos and restaurants. I can be out every nightwith some promotion, but the most important thingto remember is moderation,” he stated.

A final bit of advice he gives to students:

“The education is there; you have to go get it!Don’t wait for it to fall into your lap because thatwon’t happen. Be aggressive, go to college. Inthis industry, like so many others, you need acollege degree. We cannot hire someone withoutthat degree. So go for it!”

Seeking Success StoriesAre you a graduate? Do you still live in thearea, or does someone in your family?Have you made strides in your career? Ifyou feel you have a success story to tell,please let us know. We would be pleasedto include it as part of a regular feature inthis newsletter. To share your story, simplycontact Ivy Kraus, District Clerk, at914-761-6000, ext. 3114, orikraus@greenburgh7.net.