CARRIER PRESORTP U B L I C S C H O O L S O F T H E T A R R Y T O W N SSpring 2014

Dear Members of the Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Community,

I want to begin my letter by expressing my gratitude, on behalf of the entire Board of Education, for your strong support of the Capital Projects Bond. After community meetings, discussions at Board meetings, give and take on social media, and traditional newsletters, it became clear that there was a growing desire to maintain and improve our facilities and fields. The voters came out to say yes. For that, we say: thank you!

There is so much going on in the district.

After successful and exciting Fall and Winter seasons, Spring sports have begun. Come out and enjoy watching our student-athletes compete.

Recently more than 130 students volunteered to read the book Wonder. We aimed our “big read” at 4th–7th graders. Dozens attended evening book chats facilitated by enthusiastic high school students at the Warner Library.

Our spectacular Spring musicals—Bye Bye Birdie and the Phantom Toll Booth— drew excited crowds of families and friends. There is nothing quite so joyful as the sound of children singing their hearts out.

"Memoir Night," hosted by Kendal on Hudson, featured young scholars from Washington Irving School presenting to enthusiastic residents and family members on topics of historical interest. The students dressed in period costumes and displayed their knowledge in "first person" chats and detailed graphics.

More than 350 high school students from throughout the region gathered at Sleepy Hollow HS to display and explain their extremely serious science projects to the judges and others in attendance at the annual Regional Science & Engineering Fair. Our very own Elizabeth Sobolik qualified for the INTEL international Science and Engineering Fair for her work on cell biology. Javiera Morales qualified to present a research paper on environmental sciences in Houston next month. Several other SHHS students won awards as well.

A group of our teachers and administrators are reading Habits of Mind, by Art Costa and Bena Kallick. We are delighted that in partnership with our regional Teachers’ Center, Bena Kallick is working directly with our faculty. We are hopeful that we will incorporate some of the habits into our work with students next year.

The Board members and Dr. Clouet are reading Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner of Harvard. The book serves as an important point of reference for our discussions on how to best serve our 21st Century students.

The New NY Bridge team has been working with our HS and MS teachers and students. A major high tech presentation is scheduled for next month. We are confident our students will be inspired.

I am sure you share my relief that Winter has turned into Spring. Now we can enjoy our beautiful community by getting outside. We hope to see you at our plays, concerts, athletic events, and the many other opportunities to see our young people shine!

As always, thank you for your support of our students.

Mimi Godwin President, Tarrytown Board of Education

A Message from the Board President

Any resident interested in registering to vote can do so between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, on any day that school is in session, in the District Clerk’s Office, through May 15, five days before the vote.Evening registration will take place on Tuesday, May 13, one week before the vote date, between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the Board Room of the Administration Building, 200 North Broadway, Sleepy Hollow.

To be eligible to vote, a person must be:• 18 years of age or older• A U.S. citizen• A resident of the school district for 30 days or longer,

immediately preceding the electionAnyone voting by absentee ballot must request an application by contacting the District Clerk at 332-6241. If the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, the completed application must be received by the District Clerk no later than 4 p.m. on May 13. If the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voters, the completed application must be received by the District Clerk no later than 4 p.m. on May 19.

IMPORTANT ANNUAL BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION INFORMATION

The School District Board elections and budget vote will take place on

Tuesday, May 20, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Eligible residents of Tarrytown can vote at Washington Irving School, and eligible residents of Sleepy Hollow can vote at

the Winfield Morse School.

SPECIAL OLYMPICSSpecial Olympics to be Held at

Sleepy Hollow High School AgainThe Hudson Valley Special Olympics will be held for the second year in a row at Sleepy Hollow High School on May 17. The regional track and field event will be held from 8 am to 3:30 p.m. at SHHS, where hundreds of competitors from throughout the Hudson Valley region will converge on the SHHS fields.

Last year, when the Special Olympics returned to Sleepy Hollow, more than 500 Special Olympics athletes participated in the Spring Games. Athletes can advance from the Spring Games to the Summer Games in June, and then on to national and international competitions.

The games are free to attend. Opening ceremonies start at 10 a.m., with competitions beginning at 11:15 and running until 3:30 p.m. on the high school main athletic field.

Organizers are looking for volunteers who can act as “buddies” to the athletes, or work on set-up teams, clean-up teams, and more.

To learn more about how you can sign up, visit the volunteers site at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4DAAA82BAAFA7-spring., or email organizers at shhsSpringGames@gmail.com or call 914-332-6201.

2 PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE TARRYTOWNS

Sleepy Hollow High School Seniors Accepted to Wide Range of Colleges and Universities

Congratulations to the Sleepy Hollow High School Class of 2014, whose members so far have been accepted to a wide range of colleges and universities representing all parts of the country:

Adelphi UniversityBinghamton UniversityBorough of Manhattan

Community College of the CUNY

Boston UniversityBronx Community College of the

CUNYBryant UniversityBuffalo State College of SUNYCazenovia CollegeClark UniversityCoastal Carolina UniversityCollege of CharlestonCollege of New RochelleCollege of Staten IslandConcordia College - BronxvilleConnecticut CollegeDrexel UniversityDutchess Community CollegeEckerd CollegeElmira CollegeFairfield UniversityFlorida State UniversityFordham UniversityHofstra UniversityHostos Community College of the

CUNYIndiana University at Bloomington

Iona CollegeIthaca CollegeJohnson & Wales University

(Providence)Lasell CollegeLehigh UniversityLehman College of the CUNYLesley UniversityLong Island University Post

CampusManhattan CollegeManhattanville CollegeMarist CollegeMercy CollegeMichigan State UniversityMiddlebury CollegeMolloy CollegeMount Saint Mary CollegeMount Saint Mary's UniversityNew England CollegeNew York UniversityNortheastern UniversityNorthwood University, FloridaOrange County Community

CollegePace University, New York CityPace University, Pleasantville

CampusPennsylvania State University,

University Park

Purchase College State University of New York

Purdue UniversityRoanoke CollegeRochester Institute of TechnologyRutgers, The State University of

New Jersey at New BrunswickSacred Heart UniversitySavannah College of Art and

DesignSiena CollegeSt. John's University - Queens

CampusState University of New York -

PlattsburghState University of New York at

AlbanyState University of New York at

New PaltzStony Brook UniversitySUNY College at BrockportSUNY College at CobleskillSUNY College at CortlandSUNY College at GeneseoSUNY College at Old WestburySUNY College at OneontaSUNY College at PotsdamSUNY DelhiSUNY Fredonia

SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome

SUNY Morrisville State CollegeSUNY OswegoSusquehanna UniversitySyracuse UniversityTemple UniversityThe College of New JerseyThe College of Saint RoseThe College of WestchesterThe University of ScrantonTulane UniversityUniversity of Colorado at BoulderUniversity of ConnecticutUniversity of DelawareUniversity of FloridaUniversity of HartfordUniversity of Massachusetts,

AmherstUniversity of Michigan

(Literature, Science, & the Art)University of New HavenUniversity of Rhode IslandUniversity of RochesterUniversity of VermontWake Forest UniversityWestchester Community CollegeWorcester Polytechnic InstituteYale University

Sleepy Hollow Middle School Robotics Team Places 6th in Regional TournamentSleepy Hollow High School Science Department played host to the FIRST Lego League robotics competition on Saturday. Feb. 1, and the Middle School’s Headless Horse-Bots Robotics Team went home victorious, placing 6th overall.

The Headless Horse-Bots team of students took home the trophy for "Robot Executive Design Summary," an award for most comprehensive robot design as well as the ability to describe robot engineering concepts.

"Our team has fun, can compete on par with local teams, and they represent the high level of academic performance the Sleepy Hollow community expects from its students," said team coach Michael Garguilo.

The team presented an invention, "Power Line Protector," a prototype of a sensor that can detect when a tree branch that has fallen on an electrical line. The team hopes the idea will attract the attention of electric companies and eventually be put to use.

Team sponsor Philips Research NA supported the Sleepy Hollow group of young engineers, which was made up of eight students in grades 6-8.

Middle school students from around Westchester and the Lower Hudson region competed in the Lego League competition. Sleepy Hollow Science Department Chair Jason Choi and many teachers and students came out to support the event and work as volunteers and judges.

The FIRST Lego League competition features teams of middle school students charged with using Lego components to build small robots that can successfully complete missions. Teams also present their research, robot design, and overall experience to judges. Although the event is a competition, its ultimate purpose is to get young students excited about science and technology, and teach them valuable employment and life skills.

Lego Robotics: Problem-solvers thinking deeply.

3BRIDGES

Sleepy Hollow High School Science Research Program Yields Award WinnersWhile many of her friends and classmates might have been soaking up the sun last summer, Sleepy Hollow High School junior Elizabeth Sobolik donned a lab coat most days and headed to her internship at a pharmaceuticals company, where she tracked the growth and development of neurons.

Senior Liliana Calix has spent the past two years devising a way to “harvest” rainwater using a system of recycled water bottles, bamboo and metal roofing materials, so that, in countries like Honduras, where her father grew up, precious water can be stored and used for washing clothes and in other ways.

Javiera Morales spent a month of the 2013 summer studying “invasive plants” at the Teatown Environmental Science Academy, a field-based environmental science program for high school students at the Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining.

They are just three of a growing number of SHHS juniors and seniors who have enrolled in Sleepy Hollow’s rigorous Science Research Program, taught by veteran teacher Janet Longo-Abinanti. The program provides an opportunity for students to pursue independent scientific research, with many spending several months working in a lab or science facility with science or technology mentors.

This time of year, when a growing number of science research competitions are held, Ms. Longo-Abinanti’s classroom becomes a nexus of frenzied activity, with students conducting online research and assembling large tri-panel

presentations of their findings on a variety of scientific topics.

Thirteen of her students were among 370 from 30 high schools who competed on March 15 by presenting their science research projects at the 14th annual Regeneron-Westchester Science and Engineering Fair. They showcased their multi-year projects and were judged by

local experts in the fields of life science, physical science, environmental studies, psychology and engineering.

Elizabeth, a junior, took home a first-place award in cell and molecular biology from the Westchester event and has qualified for the prestigious Intel International Science

and Engineering Fair, which will be held in Los Angeles in May.

The title of her project? “Generating iPSC’s from human adipocyte tissue for differentiation into nociceptive neurons.”

So what attracts students to the Science Research class?

“I’d like to be a civil engineer, or maybe work someday for Engineers Without Borders,” said Liliana, who graduates in June. “This class has inspired me to move on in areas that really interest me – environmental science and engineering.”

At the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair, Liliana walked away with three awards for her rainwater project – the American Meteorological Award, the RICOH Sustainability Award, and the Stockholm Junior Water Prize.

“I signed up for the class because I think I’ve always been a curious person, when it comes to science,” said Elizabeth. Although she’s worked in a pharmaceuticals lab, she’s setting her sights on working in a hospital setting someday.

“I loved working in the lab, but my personal preference is to work with people and make a difference in their lives.”

Javiera, also a junior, hopes that her research regarding the harmful effects that invasive plants can have on the economy and the environment will eventually lead to a career in the environmental sciences.

She’s well on her way, having won the Environmental Perspiration Award at the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair and qualifying to present her findings at the International Energy Environment Engineering Fair in Houston, Texas, in April.

Other Sleepy Hollow Science Research winners were:

• Heather Brown, who earned a 4th place award in cell biology and a Society for In Vitro Biology Award

• Luke Colley, who earned a 4th place award in environmental science

• Emily Carter for the American Psychological Association award for outstanding behavioral research

• Kimberly Martinez and Sonya Smith, who won the Fisher Scientific Award for outstanding projects in the field of behavioral sciences

• Tim Frankstone, who took home the Mianus River Ecology Award

Sleepy Hollow High School Named a Breakthrough School by the MetLife Foundation and NASSPCongratulations to Sleepy Hollow High School, which was named one of nine Metlife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools for exhibiting strong academic success in the face of mounting challenges.

The school was officially recognized at NASSP’s Ignite 2014 Conference in Dallas, TX, in February, when Principal Carol Conklin-Spillane received the award.

The Breakthrough Schools program showcases middle level and high schools that are high achieving or have dramatically improved student achievement while serving large numbers of students who live in poverty.

“NASSP applauds these schools for understanding the need to prioritize personalization in the classroom and working to meet the specific needs of each and every student,” said NASSP Executive Director JoAnn Bartoletti. “The principals of these schools show us all that hardships do not have to mean low achievement, but that with the right leadership, sufficient time and a clear focus, urban, rural and suburban schools can make great strides in academic achievement and overall school success.

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4 PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE TARRYTOWNS

Sleepy Hollow Music Students Get Sixth Round of Master Classes from Professionals

Friends of Music Concerts’ “Partnership in Education” program recently underwrote a one-day residency by the Amphion String Quartet, a young professional ensemble, to work with music students at the Sleepy Hollow High School and Middle School. The day started with a performance and lecture and was followed by master classes for string ensembles.

Integral to the workshops is an effort to impress upon the students the importance of becoming completely absorbed in the music, to listen to one another and to communicate through the music. “It’s amazing to hear the difference in technical execution with just one half hour of exposure to

young professionals who regard educational outreach as an important part of their mission,” said Friends of Music education chair Rosella Ranno.

This was the third time that the Amphion Quartet had been in residency at Sleepy Hollow High School and Middle School.

“The group’s performance for orchestra students was inspiring,” said strings and orchestral teacher Brittney Trenczer. “Throughout the master classes, students were very responsive to constructive critiques from the Amphion members, each of whom was knowledgeable and personable.”

“It was a great experience for us and we feel that having a chance to return and play for the students will help us keep their interest alive,” said Amphion cellist Mihai Marica. “We hope that even if they don't become musicians, they will be some of the most passionate supporters of our art.”

After a performance by the Amphion for all orchestral students, five master classes were held for high school students: select quartet, chamber orchestra, advanced trio/quartet, elite quintet and honors trio. Two master classes for middle-school students were also held -- chamber ensemble and advanced quartet. Classes were from four to 12 players.

The Amphion musicians “believe they have a responsibility to teach, and want to create lovers of music even if they don’t pursue musical careers,” said Ranno. Attendance at classical music concerts is diminishing, she noted, and “the musicians feel that their interaction can help students become not only better musicians but also skilled listeners and supporters of classical music.”

Concertgoers will have a chance to hear the Amphion String Quartet this spring, when they will participate in Friends of Music Concerts’ “Schubertiade” on April 26 at Sleepy Hollow High School at 8 pm.

Partnerships in Education, which began in 1996, has featured the Amphion, Linden, Afiara, Enzo and Carducci string quartets. In addition to Tarrytown and Ossining, workshops have been held in New Rochelle, Briarcliff Manor, Pleasantville, Mamaroneck and Bronxville.

Friends of Music Concerts, Inc. is a non-profit organization that showcases a wide range of musicians who demonstrate the diversity and fine quality of chamber music today. Now celebrating its 60th season, the organization offers the public six concerts a year.

Tickets for concerts are $30 for adults and free for Tarrytown students. Order forms may be downloaded from www.friendsofmusicconcerts.org and mailed with a check to Friends of Music Concerts, P.O. Box 675, Millwood, NY 10546. Sleepy Hollow High School is located at 210 North Broadway (Route 9), in Sleepy Hollow. Parking is free.

More information about Friends of Music Concerts, including its 2014–15 concert series, can be found at www.friendsofmusicconcerts.org. Information about ticket availability may be obtained by calling 914-861-5080.

Continuing to celebrate its 60th season, Friends of Music will present a roster of chamber groups and soloists in the beautiful and acoustically excellent Kusel Auditorium at Sleepy Hollow High School beginning April 12.

Friend of Music, founded in 1953 by a group of friends in Croton, has evolved into an all-volunteer organization that has been bringing the best in chamber music to Westchester County audiences for 60 years.

Violinist Paul Huang, the 22-year-old recipient of Friends of Music’s fourth Performance Award made to a winner of Young Concert Artists’ International Auditions, will perform on Saturday, April 12, with piano collaborator Jessica Osborne. Huang made his recital debuts last season at Merkin Concert Hall in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and will play works by Vivaldi, Respighi, Stravinsky, Glazunov, Shostakovich, and Szymanowski. You can learn more about Huang by visiting his website at www.paulhuangviolin.com

Schubertiade, an evening-long celebration of the varied works of Franz Schubert on Saturday, April 26, will include the composer’s immortal Trout Piano Quintet, as well as works for solo piano, violin and piano, and songs. Artists will include the Amphion String Quartet, bassist Paul Kowert, pianist Michael Brown, and baritone Mischa Bonvier.

The St. Lawrence String Quartet, the renowned chamber group, will close the season on Saturday, May 10, with a program of Haydn, Bartok and Beethoven. Ensemble-in-residence at Stanford University, the group continues to build its reputation for imaginative and spontaneous music making. You can learn more about the quartet at their website, www.slsq.com.

Tickets for individual concerts are $30 for adults and free for Tarrytown students. Order forms may be downloaded from www.friendsofmusicconcerts.org and then mailed with a check to Friends of Music Concerts, P.O. Box 675, Millwood, NY 10546. Sleepy Hollow High School is located at 210 North Broadway (Route 9), in Sleepy Hollow. Parking is free.

For more information about Friends of Music, including its 2014–15 concert series, go to www.friendsofmusicconcerts.org.

Friends of Music Season at SHHS Begins April 12

Members of the Amphion String Quartet (standing l-r), cellist Mihai Marica, violinists Katie Hyun and David Southorn, and violist Andy Lin, provided musical training to members of the Sleepy Hollow High School Advanced Quartet (seated l-r), violinists Dong Kyu Kim and Benjamin Povman, violist Sara Friedman and cellist Lydia Lee, in a recent Partnership in Education program sponsored by the Friends of Music, Inc.

5BRIDGES

Foundation for the Public Schools of Tarrytown Awards 2014 Grants

Finding ‘Wonder’ in a Book: Tarrytown’s ‘Community Read’

The Foundation for the Public Schools of Tarrytown has awarded 16 Creativity Grants to District staff for the 2014 year, providing more than $20,000 to finance a variety of projects and needs submitted by the District’s staff.

The Foundation, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, also held a March 29th Anniversary Celebration at Sleepy Hollow Country Club March 29 that reached its maximum capacity by mid-March. The celebration is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser of the school year, and funding raised at the event will provide programming and new technology for the 2014-15 school year.

Foundation Director Shelly Colley noted that the grants were awarded after the Foundation Board and Creativity Grants subcommittee screened 30 grant proposals that were received, totaling $66,000 in requests.

The grants awarded were:

• Stronger Than a Bully, John Paulding• Cumbia for Kids, John Paulding• Technology for the Challenge Program,

Washington Irving• Cardboard Engineering Project,

Washington Irving• Increasing Food Allergy Awareness,

Winfield L. Morse• Flip Classroom, Sleepy Hollow Middle

and High Schools• Clearwater Sail, Sleepy Hollow Middle

School• Creating and Illustrating Eric Carle Books

Using Technology, Sleepy Hollow High School

• Keeping It Real in the Neighborhood, Sleepy Hollow High School

• SMART Response XE, Sleepy Hollow High School

• Tumbling and Gymnastics mats, Washington Irving

• Smart Document Cameras, Washington Irving and Winfield L. Morse

• Using Document Cameras, Sleepy Hollow High School

• Enhancing Math, Sleepy Hollow High School

• Middle School College Tours, Sleepy Hollow Middle School

• Teaching Science and Technology, Sleepy Hollow High School.

• $8,000 to supplement costs of the annual Washington, DC, trip for eighth-grade students.

For more information, to make a donation, or to volunteer, contact the Foundation at 366-8457 or via email at Foundation@tufsd.org.

Special needs, bullying, and tolerance were among the topics on the table in March, when the Tarrytown Schools community gathered together to discuss Wonder, a remarkable story that more than 140 Tarrytown students of all ages read, digested and discussed as part of a new Community Read initiative.

"Wonder," by RJ Palacio, is the story of August "Auggie" Pullman, a 10-year-old boy born with a severe facial deformity who enters a mainstream school for the first time as a fifth-grader, after having been home-schooled. Beecher Prep, his new school, is a place that breeds both tolerant, understanding friends and intolerant bullies. The fictional book is geared toward middle school-aged students.

At two reading discussion groups held at the Warner Public Library and facilitated by Sleepy Hollow High School students, the conversations centered largely on Julian Albans, the school bully who does his best to make Auggie feel like an outcast.

"Bullies often bully because they feel bad about themselves," said Colleah Evans, a sixth-grader who was part of a discussion group led by SHHS seniors Katie Palacios and Luisanna Villa.

Sadly, the students noted, Julian is a product of what he learns and hears at home. That becomes clear in the book when his mother writes a letter to the school principal that exposes her own biases and ignorance when she describes Auggie as "special needs."

"He doesn't have special needs," said Esperanza Martinez, a seventh-grader who participated in the book discussion, shaking her head.

Other characters in “Wonder” embrace Auggie, including Summer, the first student to befriend him, and Jack, a conflicted character who ultimately redeems himself by remaining friends with Auggie even when he is bullied himself.

Community Reads are done in communities around the country, said Colleen Carroll, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, who previously worked in a district that conducted a similar event. “It’s very exciting,” she said.

Once Superintendent of Schools Christopher Clouet recommended Wonder, the District got teachers on board and SHHS students to help facilitate book discussions with younger students.

“The idea of a Community Read is to get groups across different ages and backgrounds to come together over a book,” said Dr. Carroll. “Once everyone reads the book, they get together to discuss the main themes and what about the book is pertinent to them.”

In Tarrytown, 140 students at every level – high school, middle school, and elementary schools – participated. Local religious institutions also embraced the Community Read and clergy spoke about its message at weekend services.

Then, the two book discussions were held in March at the Warner Public Library, led by high school students who were trained by teachers on how to lead the discussions.

What is the message in Wonder?

“Acceptance and kindness,” said Dr. Carroll. “Our kids are recognizing the power in this book and have really supported it. I have been in the lunch rooms and have seen so many students walking around with the book tucked under their arms.”

“It’s an opportunity for students across all grade levels to discuss a topic that’s important to everyone.”

6 PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE TARRYTOWNS

SHADE: A Place for Friendships and Tolerance On Wildey Street , you often can hear laughter and animated conversations coming from the lower level of the Neighborhood House of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, where a special judgment-free zone has been established for high school

students with special needs and their non-disabled friends.

In its 6th year of operation, SHADE, the Sleepy Hollow Academy for Disability Education, now has a new home of its own. Seven days a week, disabled students and regular education students hang out at the SHADE program, Keeping It Real in the Neighborhood, learning important life lessons from one another.

A downstairs rented space in The Neighborhood House, has been outfitted as if it were a real studio apartment, with a working kitchen and appliances, living area, bedroom area, and dining room table. A flat-screen TV, equipped with Wii video games, is a popular attraction. But so is a bookshelf filled to the brim with board games.

In the "Neighborhood" program, regular education students from Sleepy Hollow High School work with students with disabilities after school, gaining job skills, a knowledge of developmental disabilities and techniques in working with disabled individuals. They also earn a stipend and a certificate of completion after 18 weeks working in the program.

Each year, 12 interns are chosen, said Kim Kaczmarek, the Sleepy Hollow special education

teacher who runs SHADE with Mindy Cohen, Director of Special Needs Programs at Jewish Community Center on the Hudson.

This year, more than 50 applicants showed up for interviews, she said. The interns who are chosen all go through three weeks of training before the program starts. Many of the interns will also be working at the Special Olympics Spring Games East, which will be held for the second year in a row at Sleepy Hollow High School on May 17.

The actual gathering place came about in the fall, thanks to grant funding from the Westchester Community Foundation, and the Butler Foundation. That funding allows the program to pay its interns and to rent the space, which also includes an office for program administrators and two bathrooms.

Almost every item of furniture and appliance in the space was donated, said Kaczmarek, and the construction work inside became a community project, thanks to the time and work donated by local trades people, including an electrician and a plumber.

During the school day, particularly when the weather is good, Kaczmarek uses the space as a satellite classroom for her special education students. After school, programming is provided in the apartment seven days a week.

On Mondays, students visit the space as a drop-in center for doing homework and just hanging out. On Tuesdays, SHADE meets and interns work with special education students. On Wednesdays, a men’s group is held for special needs students,

run by teaching assistant Charles Fardales.

On Thursdays, Cohen runs a girls’ group for middle school students, and on Fridays, the space becomes a drop-in center again. On Saturdays, JCC on the Hudson runs a “Rest and Relaxation” program for special needs high school students and recent graduates. And on Sundays, JCC on the Hudson runs “Sunday in the Neighborhood,” a recreation and life skills program for the students.

“The kids love it,” said Kaczmarek, “and the parents love it, too.”

Integral to the program’s success is the bonding that takes place between the interns and the special education students they’ve befriended.

“It’s about respect and understanding,” said Molly Leavey, a senior, captain of the SHHS cheerleading squad, and a member of SHADE. “It’s an amazing program that combines all different kinds of people together.”

Jordalin Rodriguez, a junior who works as a program intern, said that SHADE helped her to learn tolerance for others, and more importantly, to pass that knowledge along.

continued on page 8

Nearly all the stages of Tarrytown’s schools have been buzzing with activity this winter and spring, with critically acclaimed performances of “The Little Mermaid,” “The Phantom Tollbooth” and “Bye Bye Birdie,” just to name a few of the shows in which our students performed.

The Sleepy Hollow High School spring musical, "Bye Bye Birdie," the 1960s story of a rock and roll idol and his visit to Sweet Apple, Ohio, took to the SHHS stage on March 21 and 22. The production was directed by Julie Colangelo with help from pit orchestra director Brittney

Trenczer, technical director Zach Dore, vocal coach Gail Persad and light and sound designer David

DiLeo.

The talented cast included Henry Titcomb, Paloma Gratereaux, Tomas Correa, Marianna Pizzol, Franky Pace-Nunez, Zoe Kaplan, Justin Atkinson, Griffin Gebler, Athena Hantzaridis, Annie Warren, Julia Rennert, Claire

Royston, Sara Friedman, Ellen Glover, Sonya Smith, Ellie Johnson, Georgia Vachon, Colin Atkinson, Heather Colley, Sofia Hantzaridis,

Alex Basescu, Madi Bernstein, Mina Fassa, Sophie Mancini, Gabrielle Friedman, James Carney, Peter Moriarty, Clare Johnson, Nadia Fassa, Marie Komorowski, Kelly Rachlin, Arianna Friedman, Ryan Many, Christiana Nisco, Eileen Quinonez, and Sophia Sharmat.

Student musicians who performed in the “Bye Bye Birdie” orchestra were Benjy Povman, Devin McManus, Lydia Lee, Michael Clevenger, Katherine Thayer, Glenn Carney, Daniel Mares, Sere Politano, Conor Hanlon, Tom Sobolik, Dan Moriarty, and Leah Scarpati.

All the World’s a Stage!

continued on page 7

7BRIDGES

Three SHHS Students Named National Merit Scholarship FinalistsSleepy Hollow High School is proud to announce Katherine Clayton, Mackenzie Hodgson, and Lily Sands have been named finalists in the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Competition. The selection of some 8,000 Merit Scholarship winners from the group of more than 15,000 finalists is now in progress. This spring, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation will begin mailing scholarship offers to all recipients.

The Big Top Returns to Washington Irving!Westchester Circus Arts worked with all Washington Irving third- through fifth-grade students during a week at the end of January, to prepare students for the school’s Circus Family Fun Night, held on Friday, Jan. 31.

Proud fifth-graders performed circus stunts including tight-rope walking, juggling, unicycling,

stilt-walking and more feats of bravery during the Family Fun Night event, and all students were treated to popcorn, cotton candy, and were entertained by roving circus performers.

The highlight of Family Fun Night was a high energy, 25-minute show by Westchester Circus Arts Teen Company, followed by a 60-minute interactive, free-flowing Circus Skills Workshop for anyone who wanted to participate.

Morse School Holds Scholastic Book FairThe Winfield Morse EPTA held its annual Scholastic Book Fair for students from

March 3-7, and students picked out hundreds of books from the wide selection. Each morning during Book Fair week, students were also able to enjoy breakfast with family members and friends while they picked out books.

Paulding Students Celebrate Chinese New YearStudents at John Paulding School celebrated the Chinese New Year in many different ways in February. They learned Chinese traditions, read books related to the New Year, marched in a Dragon Parade and learned how to say Happy New Year in a number of languages, including Mandarin “Xin Nian Kuai Lu” and Cantonese “Gung Hay Fat Choy”. A number of classes also cooked dumplings and made graphs of what dipping sauces they liked best.

Washington Irving Holds 4th and 5th Grade Science Challenge FairThe fourth and fifth grade students from Challenge classes participated in Washington Irving’s annual science fair in February. After working on learning the scientific method, each student selected a topic from the New York State science curriculum, designed and carried out an experiment on a chosen topic, and presented findings to classmates, teachers and parents. Topics included electricity, the water cycle, magnets, simple machines and plate tectonics. Projects included the impact of fertilizer on plant growth, light bulb strength on a solar-powered toy, centripetal force on tornado formation, the probability on what a child will look like, and the impact of different exercises on the human heart rate.

Washington Irving Holds Shakespeare NightWashington Irving students studied Shakespeare over the winter, and the knowledge they accumulated was on display at the school’s annual Shakespeare Night. Students learned about the Elizabethan Age, Shakespeare himself, the Renaissance time period in Italy, and the play, “Julius Caesar”. Under the direction of teacher Elizabeth Hickey, the students presented projects on set design, costume design, historical research, and acted out scenes from the play.

SHHS Spreads the Word to End the WordCongratulations to Sleepy Hollow High School students, many of whom signed a pledge on March 5 to end the derogatory use of the "r" word to describe individuals with cognitive

challenges. Many students who signed the pledge also signed up to volunteer at the region's Special Olympics, which will take place at SHHS in May.

Teachers Association Pays It ForwardThe Teachers’ Association of the Tarrytown participated in the annual NYSUT Food Drive in January and February, collecting hundreds of pounds of food donations from shoppers by stationing themselves at local grocery stores. This year, all food and goods were donated to The Community Food Pantry of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown.

SLEEPY HOLLOW SHORTS

All the World’s a Stage! continued from page 6

In early March, the Washington Irving School staged "The Phantom Tollbooth," a play based on the best-selling book by Norton Juster and directed by Peter Royston on behalf of the Tarrytown Y Theatre. Assistant Director was

David Neilsen, associate directors were Ethan Jacobson and Tim Royston, and the producer was Barbara Turk. Congratulations to the WI cast!

And in January, Sleepy Hollow Middle School staged its musical, “The Little Mermaid,” featuring dozens of young actors and singers in the production, which was directed by Peter Royston.

The theme of this year’s shows at SHMS is “Under the Sea,” so “The Little Mermaid” will be followed in May by the premiere of “Dolphin Island,” a play that was adapted by Mr. Royston from the novel by science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke.

8 PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE TARRYTOWN BRIDGES

Non-ProfitUS Postage

PAIDPermit #91005

White Plains, NY 10605

CARRIER PRESORT

POSTAL CUSTOMERTarrytown/Sleepy Hollow, NY

10591

UFSD of the Tarrytowns200 North BroadwaySleepy Hollow, NY 10591www.tufsd.orgSchool News-Cable Channel 77

Board of EducationMimi Godwin, PresidentVincent Nadile, Vice PresidentCarol Banino, TrusteeCraig Laub, TrusteeJennifer Liddy-Green, TrusteeB. Joseph Lillis, TrusteeKatharine M. Swibold, Trustee

Superintendent of SchoolsDr. Christopher Clouet(914) 631-9404

Evelyn McCormack, Editor Maria Ilardi, Art Director

The Public Schools of the Tarrytowns do not discriminate on the basis of sex, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, citizenship, age or disability or any other protected classification in its employment, admissions practices, vocational opportunities or access to and treatment in programs or activities, in accordance with Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Inquiries concerning application of these regulations may be made to the Assistant Superintendent of the UFSD of the Tarrytowns, 200 North Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. 10591.

Sleepy Hollow High School Named a Breakthrough School by the MetLife Foundation and NASSP continued from page 3

Sleepy Hollow was the only New York high school recognized. Other 2014 MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools were:

• Alice Ott Middle School, Portland, OR, James Johnston, principal• Hastings Middle School, Hastings, NE, David Essink, principal• John Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, Pasadena, CA, Mark Anderson, principal• Troy Howard Middle School, Belfast, ME, Kimberly Buckheit, principal• Garner Magnet High School, Garner, NC, Drew Cook, principal• Maplewood Richmond Heights High School, St. Louis, MO, Kevin Grawer, principal• Oberlin High School, Oberlin, OH, William Baylis II, principal• William Smith High School, Aurora, CO, David Roll, principal

Schools were chosen based on their documented success in implementing strategies aligned with the three core areas of NASSP’s Breaking Ranks Framework, including collaborative leadership, personalization, and curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

The Breakthrough Schools must have shown continuous growth on state assessments during at least the last three years and made progress toward reducing the achievement gap. Sleepy Hollow was visited by NASSP and meetings were held with Mrs. Conklin-Spillane, teachers, students and community leaders.

The Breakthrough Schools each receive a $5,000 grant and the principals will have the opportunity to participate in events throughout the year to share their experiences and successes with other school leaders around the nation.

For more information on the Breakthrough Schools program and this year’s winners, visit http://www.principals.org/breakthrough.

SHADE: A Place for Friendships and Tolerance continued from page 6

“Because we work here, we’re able to see that disabled kids are just like anyone else,” she said. “We can change other people’s ideas and misconceptions about kids with disabilities. Because of this program, we all know each other in school.”

The interns said they spend their time during the afternoon sessions helping their special education “buddies” with communications, social skills, life skills that include cooking, baking cleaning and personal hygiene, and just having fun.

“Last year, nobody wanted this program to end,” said Jacob Wallen, a SHADE member who has been best friends with Molly since fourth grade.

The two are planning to attend prom together in June, and both compete in the Pioneer League special education teams run at Sleepy Hollow High School. The Pioneer League competes in basketball, soccer, track and field, floor hockey and volleyball.

“What I like most about SHADE,” said Molly, “is that you don’t have to be good at anything to join. There is no judgment here. You just show up and have fun.”