VoyagesAward Winning Publication of the Valhalla Union Free School District

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Dear Parents and Community Members,My first year at Valhalla has passed quickly and I greatly appreciate everyone'ssupport. From the first day I arrived here parents, community members, facultyand staff have helped me to feel welcomed and to understand the tremendouscommitment our school and community have for our children. Thank you for pro-viding me with such a warm and genuine welcome.

This year, I have watched the success of our students in the areas of the academ-ics, arts and athletics and I have seen them firsthand act with kindness and car-ing for others. As we all interact with our children, we need to focus on encour-aging them and helping them to continue to grow and succeed. The challenges

ahead may be enormous, but our students are up to it.

Our students want to do the right thing...we need to stand with them.

Our students want to find better ways of doing things...we need to empower them.

Our students want to achieve things of which they can be proud... we need to motivate them.

Based on thoughts from author and speaker John Maxwell.

I hope you have a happy and healthy summer.

Dr. Brenda Myers, Superintendent of Schools

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New Director of PupilPersonnel and StudentServices NamedJohn F. Salatte, an experienced special educa-tion teacher and school district administratorwith a keen interest in inclusive education,has been named Director of Pupil Personneland Student Services for the Valhalla SchoolDistrict. He replaces Monica Baron, who leftthat position in February.

Mr. Salatte, who currently serves as Director ofPupil Personnel and Special Services forSkaneateles Central Schools in Skaneateles, N.Y.,joins the Valhalla School District on July 11.

When the position in Valhalla opened up, Mr.Salatte said he began researching the Valhalla com-munity and school district. One of the requirementsof the application process was to submit a writingsample about strengthening the district’s inclusive

educationprocess.

“I thought thatthis must be ofparamount inter-est to the districtand that’s wheremy passions lie,”Mr. Salatte said.

After meetingwith the inter-view committeeand the district’sBoard of

Education, Mr. Salatte was further convinced of theimportance of inclusive education to the district.“This is something I’m deeply interested in and thatis a great match for me,” he said. “That’s the reasonwhy, along with all of the wonderful people I metthrough the interview process, I chose to accept theposition in Valhalla.”

Going to Great Lengths for aGood Cause..........................2-3

Moving Up! ..............................4

Voyages and Victories..........6-8

Class of 2011 Looks to theFuture ......................................5

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New Director of Pupil Personnel and...

First Order of BusinessMr. Salatte said that his first order of businesswill be to conduct listening sessions with par-ents and faculty. District Superintendent Dr.Brenda Myers, he said, has conducted spe-cial education focus groups, which will bethe starting point for “aggregating all of ourideas and developing a collective visionregarding students with disabilities.”

Although the focus of his work will be spe-cial education, Mr. Salatte pointed out thatas Director of Pupil Personnel and StudentServices he is equally interested in everyValhalla student. “I feel that all students aregeneral education students, and that somehave special needs.”

His role, he said, will involve offering hisexpertise and knowledge in the develop-ment of special education programs, pro-viding staff development opportunities, andmaking sure that the district is in compli-ance with local and state regulations. He’llalso chair special education meetings and,most important, help parents to understandthe special education process.

While he is starting to sense differences inthe way administration operates in theupstate and downstate regions, Mr. Salattesaid that “people are people and kids arekids no matter where they are. School dis-tricts are struggling with a lot of the sameissues. I know there will be differences innuance and structure, but I want to focuson what’s similar.”

A Dedicated Career PathMr. Salatte has a long career in specialeducation. He received his bachelor’sdegree in special education from SyracuseUniversity in 1987 and his master’s degreein education from SUNY Oswego in 1992.He also earned a Certificate of AdvancedStudy in Educational Administration fromSUNY Oswego in 2006.

From 1987 to 2006, he was a special

education teacher for the BaldwinsvilleSchool District at both the elementary andmiddle school level. Mr. Salatte moved intoadministration as a Special EducationSummer School Principal at the Ray MiddleSchool in Baldswinville in 2005 and wasnamed Director of Pupil Personnel andSpecial Services for Skaneateles CentralSchools in Skaneateles, N.Y., in 2007,where he is currently employed.

Mr. Salatte discovered his passion for spe-cial education unexpectedly via an indirectroute, but one which he feels was destinedfor him. As an undergraduate studyingmusic at the University of South Florida inTampa, he earned extra money playingpiano for a professor who was developinga music therapy practice for people withemotional issues. That experience triggereda deep interest in people who have emo-tional disturbances.

After deciding that he no longer wanted tobe a professional pianist, Mr. Salatte trans-ferred to Syracuse University, where he hadthe opportunity to work with people heconsidered to be visionaries in the field ofspecial education. “I lucked out and got agreat student teaching placement,” he said.“I fell in love with the profession and havestayed with it ever since.”

New York State of MindMr. Salatte, who will be living in Ossiningwith his sister and her family until hedecides where to settle in Westchester, isno stranger to the county and New YorkCity. Many family members live in thearea, and because of his frequent visitshere over the years, Mr. Salatte has beenable to take weekend assignments as aNew York City tour guide for Nova Tours,doing from 10 to 20 tours each year. “Myfamily is all downstate, so I’m here any-way,” he said. “Doing the tours ended upbeing a great way to see them and dosomething that I love to do as well.”

On his off time, Mr. Salatte enjoys travel-ing, reading historical fiction and studyingNew York City history.

Going to Great Lengthsfor a Good CauseIt was sheer madness in the KensicoSchool library on June 13 as 26 smil-ing, giggling, sweet-faced little girlswith big hearts had hair cuts that willhelp to change someone’s life.

The girls were donating up to 10 inches ofhair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths to turn intowigs for cancer patients. Creating a real-hair wig takes up to four months, and eachwig requires about six ponytails to make.The wigs are given to cancer patients forfree through the American Cancer Society.

Six stylists from Lorese Salon & Spa inYorktown Heights and Salon Delian inTuckahoe clipped, styled and blow driedthe girls’ hair, while parents, friendsand teachers watched the makeoverstake place.

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Fan Us on Facebook, Watch Us on YouTubeThe Valhalla Union Free School District can now be found on Facebook at

http://www.facebook.com/valhallaschools,on Twitter at http://twitter.com/valhallaschools, andon YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/valhallaschools.

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Fifth graders Bella Ruane and TonantzinSanchez had never had their hair cutbefore. They sat side by side as twostylists snipped 10 inches from their long,thick locks.

Holding up her hair, Bella said she was“shocked,” but happy that she’d been ableto donate her hair to a good cause.

Tonantzin had seen a television programfeaturing Locks of Love, an organizationthat provides hairpieces for financially dis-advantaged children who are sufferingfrom long-term medical hair loss. She saidshe wanted to donate her hair to Panteneand get a new look for the summer at thesame time.

“It’s an honor to cut the girls’ hair,” saidLorese owner Kathy Farese, who snippedBella’s hair. Lorese stylists volunteer monthlyat Northern Westchester Hospital givingcancer patients a makeover and free wigsthrough the American Cancer Society’s“Look Good, Feel Better” program.

This is the second time a hair donationevent has been held at the Kensico School.

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Going to Great Lengths for a Good...

Claudia Floryshak, testing coordinator atKS, hosted one two years ago in honor ofher mother, who had died from cancer.

Only eight girls donated then, but theresponse this time has been “overwhelm-ing,” she said, with 26 students from KSand VMHS and seven adults donating.

Classic bobs and shoulder-length layereddo’s were the hot styles of the day. Sisters

Kyra and Jamie Pfeifer had donated theirhair to Locks of Love once before and werethrilled with their new bobs, which included

bangs for Kyra. “I was shaking,” Kyrasaid. “I haven’t done this in a while. Butmy hair turned out really good.”

It was also the second hair donation forfourth grader Julianne Pisacane, who hadeight inches taken off. “It’s a good causeand I’ll donate again,” she said. Thirdgrader Mary Henry also lost eight inchesand knows that her hair will “help a kidwho’s getting better from cancer.”

Fifth grader Cassia Klaus said she likeshaving short hair and gave up 10 inchesfor the cause. “I feel like it’s going to helpsome girls and make them feel like theyhave beautiful hair again,” she said.

Many of the girls, like fourth graderStefania Rinaldi, donated their hair in sup-port of their friend and classmate ClaudiaHart, who recently lost her mother,Bernadette, to cancer. “She was my GirlScout troop leader and she was very closeto me,” said fourth grader Lexi Agins.“Even without her hair, she was the sameperson.”

The event also was meaningful for LindaCarpentieri, media specialist at the KensicoSchool. She and her sister Debbie Fiorino,who owns Salon Delian, lost their sisterAnnie to colon cancer. “The girls reallyunderstand how important this is,” Ms.Carpentieri said. “I’m so proud of them.”

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Moving Up!June is always a special time of yearbecause it marks a great milestone forstudents as they move on to a new schooland up to the next stage of their academic and personaldevelopment. Here’s a pictorial view of Moving Up cere-monies at Virginia Road Elementary School, Kensico Schooland Valhalla Middle School. Congratulations, students!

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Class of 2011Looks to the FutureValhalla High School graduates wore their maroon and whitecaps and gowns proudly as they walked across the auditoriumstage to receive their diplomas, taking their first steps intoadult life and anticipating a future in which they will begin todefine themselves by their own terms. The Class of 2011 giftedthe school with new American flags for each classroom and bidfarewell to a caretaker many had grown up with – retiring nurse Patricia Martin.

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Voyages and Victories

VMS Essayist Competes inAmerican Legion ContestIn May, Andrew Tripaldi’s sixth gradesocial studies students participated in anessay contest hosted by the AmericanLegion. This year’s theme was “Why theConstitution is Important to Me.”American Legion veterans hosted anawards ceremony at Legion Hall in Mt.Kisco on June 4 for the 30 WestchesterCounty students in grades 6-12 who sub-mitted an essay. The first place winnerwas invited to read his essay, and allparticipants were awarded a $50 sav-ings bond. Casey Sullivan, a participat-ing essay writer from VMS, poses abovewith an American Legion veteran.

Born to Be Wild!Vrrrrooooom! Valhalla Superintendent Dr.Brenda Myers made a guest appearanceat the KensicoSchool’s springconcert in May,surprising every-one as sheroared into thegym on her pur-ple motorcyclewith the band fit-tingly playing“Born to BeWild.”

were eager to show off the toothpickbridges they built for the completion of theirgeometry unit. The goal of the project wasto discover the strongest weight-bearinggeometric shape – the triangle, as it turnsout – which is widely used in bridge con-struction. The students were asked to makea load-bearing bridge structure spanning atleast 15 centimeters and using no morethan 750 toothpicks and standard whiteschool glue. The students proved the trian-gle is the strongest geometric shapebecause the two winning bridges – thosecalculated to be able to withstand a mini-mum of 35 pounds of weight – incorporat-ed the use of triangles in their structure. Thestudents had a month to complete theirbridge as a take-home project, with most

bridges taking about eight hours to build.Each bridge was built in stages, with sup-ports, road surfaces and finishing touch-es. “It was truly an amazing testament toour students’ capacity for geometry, andeven physics, as we stopped weight test-ing at 35 pounds, considered a win,”

Geometry Lessons Learned fromToothpick BridgesPaul Singh’s fourth grade math students

Mr. Singh said. “The two bridges thatmade it that far didn’t even show signsof flexing.”

Fabulous Field Day Funat KS and VRESA day out in the sunshine, picnicking andplaying games was just what the doctorordered for Kensico School students, whohad their annual field day on June 15.The students rotated by grade through12 different game stations on the VMHStrack and field that allowed them tocompete -- and get a little wet at thesame time!

Water activities like blindfolded squirtwith water guns and squirt bottles and asponge relay kept everyone cool in thewarm sun. And the students showed theirmuscle and competitive spirit in games oftug-of-war, home run derby, capture theflag, the running long jump and a kick-ball tournament. The students rechargedwith a picnic lunch spread out on towelsand blankets on the lawn.

VRES students in K-2 had their own specialday for Fun in the Sun the week of June

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Voyages and Victories13, with field day games, picnic lunchesand plenty of ice pops to keep cool.

Field day is a welcome release from theclassroom for the students as summerapproaches, said Scott Dooley, KensicoSchool's physical education teacher. “Thestudents have been doing a lot of testing

and need a break. It’s the one day whenthe kids can come to school and not sit ina classroom.”

Student Writing, Artwork atVRES Literacy FairA child can make an incredible amountof progress in a short time. From a kinder-gartener’s first unsteady letters comes afirst and second grader’s ability to con-struct words and sentences and to writeimaginative stories on their own.

whole familywas invited tosee a widerange of thecreative writingand artwork ofthe school's K-2students.The studentsused literatureand art to learnabout NativeAmericans, the

It’s a journey that Valhalla’s littlest ones atVRES had a chance to show off May 24-26 at the school’s annual Literacy Fair. The

life of frogs and farm animals, butterfliesand dinosaurs, plants and the ocean.They wrote letters to the Tooth Fairy andspecial friends, wrote stories about theirfamilies and families around the world,and came up with their own EarthDay Pledge.And there were all kinds of fun pieces ofstudent artwork to see, among them theBobble Heads --- people and animalsmade from plastic water bottles, pipecleaners and cloth used for clothing,handmade books, totem poles and lotsof colorful posters, portraits and crayondrawings.“This is a great curriculum festival thatshows off every grade level focus,” saidteacher Elysia Borrelli. “There’s a joyousfeeling at the literacy fair; it’s a great timefor students to see their teachers in an infor-mal setting with their parents and siblings.”

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Held Spellbound by VMSSpring MusicalTwenty-two students in grades 6-8 starredin the VMS spring musical “The 25thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee,”directed by Frank Ingrasciotta. The show,which ran May 13-14, is about a groupof misfit spellers at a spelling bee whoare all vying for a championship.

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Valhalla Union Free School District316 Columbus AvenueValhalla, NY 10595

Board of EducationWilliam Rosenberg, President

LaVerne Clark, Vice President

Valentina Belvedere

Joseph Garbus

Alan Higgs

Brian Macken

William McGuinn

Superintendent of SchoolsDr. Brenda Myers

School Business OfficialChristina Howe

Newsletter EditorSuzanne Davis

Contributing PhotographerSusan Rossi

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDWhite Plains, NYPermit No.9501

This district does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, maritalstatus, gender, age or disability in its educational programs and employment practices.

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VMHS Concerts:Spring is in the AirFour different ensembles from everygrade in VHS performed for their fami-lies, friends and the staff of Valhalla atthe annual spring concert on the eveningof May 31. At the end of the perform-ances, some graduating seniors wererecognized with awards for their musical

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successes. They included Conrad Bove,Danielle Gerbosi, Robert Ierace, BenjaminYeung, Nick Athanasatos, Dennis Hart andDeborah Paul. The Valhalla Middle Schoolheld its spring concert on May 23, withperformances by the VMS Concert Band,Symphonic Band, the Vocal Ensemble,Orchestra, Chorus and Jazz Band.

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