TOWER The Masters School
49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522
VOLUME 77, NUMBER 5
Editorial Tower reflects on the value of press freedom in scholastic journalism. We appreciate our right to cover the entire community without prior review or restraint from administrators, and we look forward to enjoying that freedom for decades to come.
MARCH 8, 2021
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Security protocols change after trespassing comment on any specifics. According to Head of Security Victor Seguinot, the decision to keep building entrancFeatures Lead Editor es unlocked was made by the operations team and upper administration, not security directly. An unknown individual trespassed onto The administration’s initial plan was to keep Masters’ campus on Wednesday afternoon, the doors propped open in order to avoid as entering two buildings and stealing a laptop little contact with the handle and other surfaces from a middle school classroom and a hat from as possible, but as the weather grew colder, Sean office. Head of School Laura Danforth noti- guinot said that trying to keep doors fully open fied parents and faculty of the incident and the proved ineffective and inefficient. So, the doors subsequent changes in security protocol in re- were closed, but remained unlocked. sponse to the breach in an email sent on ThursSeguinot said that although he believes day, Feb. 25. preventing community spread of COVID-19 In the email, Danforth said, “[The trespass- should be the school’s number one priority, er’s] successful entry into two of our buildings the absence of key card surveillance had comis a reminder to all of plicated his team’s us that we can never responsibilities. become complacent “It was a little Adhering to COVID-19 safety proto- difficult because by in adhering to and strengthening our cols should never interfere with campus having the ability policies designed to to track scanned safety and security. protect the safety of key cards, we could our community.” always see who was - Victor Seguinot, Director of Security Danforth’s stategoing in and out of ment referred to the buildings. We had school’s decision to leave doors unlocked–– to begin being more proactive to make sure that one of the security protocols which had been kids were showing their Covid screening, and relaxed in order to prevent the spread of that there were familiar faces coming through COVID-19. the door,” he said. On Feb. 26, Masters reinstated its previous Seguinot said that at the start of the year, security policies. All entrances to buildings will handling Covid at school was new to everybody, be locked, and a school ID will be required in and the school had no choice but to find differorder to enter. In addition, the administration ent ways to follow guidelines put in place for asked that all employees and students begin safety. Now, he’s glad the school’s security proto have their school IDs visible, and any visi- tocols are back to the normal pace they should tor must sign in at either the upper or middle have been at. school reception desks. “Adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols Masters’ security team called the Dobbs should never interfere with campus safety and Ferry Police Department about the incident, security. It was unfortunate, but we’re lucky it who told the team that the individual responsi- only took that.” ble has a history of trespassing on school campuses. An official investigation is underway, Continued on tower.mastersny.org although the police department declined to
KIRA RATAN
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PICTURED AT THE RIBBON-CUTTING ceremony for the opening of the Fonseca Center in 2015 are former Director of Institutional Advancement Tim Kane, Jonathan Clay P’19, Head of School Laura Danforth, Diana Davis Spencer ‘56, P’84, former Head of School Maureen Fonseca, board member Lynn Pilzer Sobel ‘71, P’99, ‘05, Chief Financial Officer Ed Biddle, and former Head of the Board of Trustees Tracy Tang Limpe ‘80, P’18. The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation donated $10 million to the construction of the Fonseca Center.
Community responds to $20 million donation for new IEC KATE SIBERY & MITCH FINK Editors-in-Chief Masters recently received a $20 million dollar donation, the largest in the school’s history, from the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation (DDSF) to fund the construction of a new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC). Executive Chairman Diana Davis Spencer ‘56 P’84, and her daughter Chief Executive Officer and President Abby Spencer Moffat ‘84 are both alumnae of the school. Spencer has served on Masters’ Board of Trustees for over 15 years. The Foundation has a decades-long history of giving to the school, including a $10 million donation to the construction of the Fonseca Center, along with sizable donations towards the renovation of the boys’ dorms in 2018, the girls’ dorm in 2019 and the most recent renovation of Masters Hall. Director of Institutional Advancement Seth Marx said, “This gift is the culmination of years and years of work, together with the family, and a number of board leaders and trustees and also the increasing involvement over the years with the family.” The donation has elicited a mixed response from students and alumni; while some praised the Foundation for their generosity, others brought up concerns regarding the prominent conservative organizations the Foundation has supported and served, including the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. Criticism has also cited Moffat’s involvement with several conservative-leaning institutions–– she has served as a Trustee of the Heritage Foundation since 2009, and has held positions on the boards of the Media Research Center and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, among other organizations. On their website, the DDSF asserts that their philanthropy aims to “promote national security, entrepreneurship, self-reliance, free-enterprise, and to enhance the quality of life by supporting the arts, education, global understanding, health advancements, and preservation of the environment.” Several weeks after the gift was announced to the greater community, two alumnae, Carly Matsui ‘18 and Sarah Faber ‘20, authored an open letter to the school petitioning them to refuse the donation, and remove Spencer from the Board of Trustees, among other demands. The demands have since changed, and the petition now requests that the money be “accepted (in part or in its entirety), but without the strings attached that it must go to the IEC.” It continued, “Entrepreneurship
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is one of the DDSF’s political areas and there are many other prominent causes, like funding scholarships and giving teachers fair wages during COVID-19.” The open letter was signed by 81 members of the community––a combination of students, alumni and parents. Head of School Laura Danforth and other school administrators have stated that the Foundation has not asked for, nor has it been granted, any control over Masters’ programming through the new facility. Marx did indicate that the space may also be used outside of school hours by students who would not otherwise have access to such educational resources through the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a nonprofit focused on bringing entrepreneurship to kids in low-income communities that the DDSF supports in their philanthropy. Spencer received the Lowell B. Mason Award for Exemplary Board Service from NFTE on March 4 for her 25 years of work with NFTE, especially for her work helping first-generation students attend college. In her acceptance speech, Spencer reminisced about her time teaching entrepreneurship to students at a Washington, D.C. public high school, calling NFTE “a beacon of hope giving students the tools to own their future.” Entrepreneurship is outlined as one of the Foundation’s key areas of philanthropy, which Marx said has also emerged as a one of the school’s focal points for expansion and innovation. “[Diana Davis Spencer] believes that what the world needs most is dynamic problem- solvers,” Marx said. “Even though the nomenclature is trendy and new for design thinking, she’s been talking about design thinking for years.” Danforth echoed Marx’s sentiments, highlighting Spencer’s commitment to empowering students through entrepreneurship. “That’s kind of our future, having kids think creatively, having young people think independently and take charge of their own lives––I think it’s always been an important part of [Spencer’s] philanthropy,” she said. Senior Carly Grizzaffi, the Co-President of both the Girls who Code club and Girls in STEM club and a student in the current innovation and entrepreneurship program, voiced her enthusiasm about the IEC. She said she hoped the new building would provide increased opportunities for members of the community to get involved in innovation and entrepreneurship, especially for girls in the Middle School who may not have had the opportunity to try their hand in IEC programs otherwise. “That’s what I’m most excited for––just to get more young girls involved so soon is really exciting for me.”
Faber, who wrote a section of the open letter detailing what she claimed were the Foundation’s intentions to advance conservatism through education, cited the Foundation’s focus on entrepreneurship as one of her major concerns as she was constructing the letter. She emphasized the apparent intersection of the Foundation’s entrepreneurial interests and political alignment. “I think the fact that the money is supposed to be used specifically for this new entrepreneurship center, and it’s coming from a place that wants to bring more conservative values into entrepreneurship through education is concerning,” she said. Senior John Vogel said he feels the “founding values” of the Foundation, which are defined on the DDSF website as “freedom and individual responsibility,” are concerning. “Ultimately, it comes down to influence and this is where the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation is very clear; their intent to influence extends to all things political, and educational is no exception,” he said. “Their website often mentions that through education, and a focus on entrepreneurship in particular, they hope to instill libertarian values.” Lakeya Graves ‘07 works at King School in Stamford, Conn. as the director of marketing, and also serves as a team leader for the school’s diversity and inclusion professional, growth and development taskforce. She emphasized the need for diversity, equity and inclusion to be a priority when new programming for the IEC is developed. “I would expect that with every program that is newly created we need to make sure that it is inclusive.” In ‘A Better Masters: An Action Plan for an Inclusive Community,’ which the administration released in July following a series of posts on the @ blackattms Instagram account, the school rolled out six action steps to reform its curriculum and pedagogy regarding issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. One of the steps outlined plans for the school to “ensure its curriculum across all disciplines more fully includes voices and works from individuals and groups that have been systematically excluded, including material and content that reflects a greater diversity of thought and experience, provides opportunities for student choice, and tackles essential contemporary questions of social and racial justice.” Graves also emphasized the Foundation’s right to support a range of causes, including conservative ones, and still support the school financially. “Obviously, I may not agree with all the organizations they donate to. But again, if they’re willing to donate this amount of money, and they are alums and families of Masters, I’ll still appreciate the gift and would like to see it used for good.” She continued, “I don’t think we dig around in every single donor’s life like that.”
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ON FEB. 24, A trespasser entered buildings on the Masters campus, taking a laptop and a hat. During Covid, the administration relaxed security measures. Since the trespassing, administration has revised security procedures to keep the campus more safe.
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SENIOR MILES BAKER HOLDS out his student I.D. in front of the security office in Strayer Hall. On March 1, Head of Upper School Peter Newcomb sent an email to the student body reminding them that Masters I.D.’s must be visible at all times while on campus. This is among many security measures that the school has put into place after the trespassing.
Inside this issue: ◄
CAROL QUEIROZ ARGUES THAT remote day flexibility should apply to boarding students, just as it does to day students. Opinion, Page 9
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ANDREW MITCHELL EXPLORES THE ins and outs of the Tech Department, and all the hard work they have done for the school over the past year. Features, Page 10
KWYNNE SCHLOSSMAN ILLUMINATES HOW club soccer has become too competitive and lost what makes it joyful. Sports, Page 12
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Masters admissions creates reform in the wake of Covid Admissions shifts to a “test-blind” policy MITCH FINK Editor-in-Chief
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asters will no longer consider the standardized test scores of applicants due to a new “test-blind” policy, which was put into effect this past fall for all incoming applicants. Masters previously required applicants to submit a score from one of two independent school entrance exams–– either the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) or the Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT). Unlike the increasingly popular “test-optional” approach -- where applicants have the option to choose whether they submit test scores or not -- a test-blind policy means that the school ignores all standardized testing completely, putting the focus on other factors, such as grades, teacher recommendations and interviews. Many schools, both independent and at the college and university level, have opted for a test-blind or test-optional approach because of the pandemic, which has limited access to standardized tests. And while COVID-19 may have informed Masters’ decision to go test-blind, the school has said that the policy is here to stay. A major reason why, according to Director of Enrollment Management Emma Katznelson, is because of the inherent advantage standardized testing gives to wealthier candidates, who can often afford tutoring and extra help for the exams. For those reasons, Katznelson said the school was likely to have adopted a test-bind policy even if COVID-19 didn’t make the impact it did last spring. “For us, it’s always been a little bit problematic, philosophically, to be offering and requiring a test that we know gives kids an unfair advantage,” Katznelson said. She added that when Masters made the decision to go test-blind in the early summer of last year, the school was one of the only independent schools in the region to have adopted that policy, although numerous others, like Fieldston, followed suit shortly thereafter. Masters considered adopting a test-optional policy, but Katznelson said that when some applicants provide a point of assessment that others don’t, it can be difficult to evaluate those candidates against each other fairly. “Let’s say you have two candidates from the same school who on paper, look more-or-less
the same––same GPA, lovely kids involved in lots of things at the school, would be good humans at Masters––and one sends you test scores that they knocked out of the park, and the other doesn’t send you test scores. Though I know my team to be incredible people who care about justice, it is very hard to not assume that other kid didn’t send the scores because they weren’t good, or to say, ‘I wish I knew, because this kid got perfect scores on the ISEE.’”
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For us, it’s always been a little bit problematic, philosophically, to be offering and requiring a test that we know gives kids an unfair advantage.
- Emma Katznelson, Dir. Enrollment Managment Many schools, like RCDS, however, have continued to require admissions testing, even with the pandemic. Suzuki said Rye Country Day recognizes the lack of equity that can come when requiring the ISEE or SSAT, but that his admissions team simply needs the information to accurately evaluate candidates, especially given that due to rules in some public school districts, some applicants are unable to receive letters of recommendation from teachers, and current-year grades are
not always accessible due to public school schedules. Even through the pandemic, Rye Country Day required students applying for a spot in the 2021-2022 school year to submit a test score. The ISEE and SSAT both offered at-home testing, but between technological issues and limited seating at in-person tests, Suzuki admitted that while some applicants struggled to get admissions testing done, candidates were still able to submit scores to the school. Regarding the access issues that required admissions testing raises, Suzuki said that Rye Country Day recognizes the inequities, but struggles to address the issue comprehensively. “That is something that we’ve discussed and we know it’s an issue. We don’t have any solutions.” Felipe Queiroz, who was recently admitted to the Class of 2025 said he was grateful Masters has adopted the test-blind policy. “The test is the most stressful part––I was relieved,” he said. “But I already felt like Masters would accept me not because of my test score, but because of who I am, and what else I bring to the table.”
A strong focus on DEI
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asters’ admission office -along with many other school administrators and faculty -was challenged by students to take meaningful action to make its processes more equitable, especially in regards to racial and ethnic diversity. The students’ vehicle for their criticisms was primarily the @blackattms Instagram account, which serves as a platform for current and former students to share their experiences with racism on campus. In late July, Masters responded with ‘A Better Masters: An Action Plan for an Inclusive Community,’ a multi-pronged plan with the purpose of making the school more equitable. One of the seven sections of the plan was dedicated to admissions, which outlined three action steps the school would take: a direct reference to the school’s “commitment to being an anti-racist and anti-bias school” in all prospective student interviews, an anti-racist and anti-bias statement added to enrollment forms for all enrolling families to sign and new admissions programming for
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prospective families of color. Katznelson said that each of these three steps have been taken by the admissions office. “We want people to know from the jump that this is a school that believes in this, and that we want you to be in this journey with us,” she said. Katznelson, who worked as the Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management at Wildwood School in Los Angeles, Calif. for nearly six years before coming to Masters, said she’s seen a new emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion in the greater admissions community over the past few years. “I feel like before, a lot of admissions professionals talked about issues of multiculturalism or diversity or equity, and I think they did it because it was good marketing for them––they didn’t want to be the school with all white, rich, privileged kids, and they didn’t want to seem like they were an elitist institution,” she said. Now, after the social unrest caused by the murder of George Floyd last May, and especially after critical posts from student-led accounts like @blackattms, she says that has changed. “Kids are awake, and recognizing that there are a lot of problems in the world right now about these issues,” she said. “If schools weren’t paying attention to what was happening around race and class before, they are now.” Katznelson emphasized that when the admissions team reads through applications, her team talks about the racial makeup of a class “in a very candid and transparent way.” If admission officers’ first priority is assembling a class of students academically and socially prepared to join the community, she said the next step is looking at the racial and gender breakdowns of a class. Junior Caleb Jakes, who co-founded Students of Color Empowering Excellence and Mentorship (SCEEM) at Masters, said he felt optimistic about the new admissions policies, but he emphasized the importance of the school sustaining its attention on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. “Let’s hope this continues every year, we can’t fall back when things go back to normal, meaning when these things weren’t talked about as often,” he said. “Will the same procedures be held to the same degree as they are now?”
As colleges go test optional, applicant rates surge
MOLLY GRAND
AS UNIVERSITIES HAVE LIFTED testing as a requirement to apply, colleges have seen applicant numbers rise. Colgate University applications soared by 102.6 percent this year, following their partnership with a scholarship program and a no-loan initiative for families.
SOPHIE GRAND Chief Design Editor
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he release of early admissions decisions for most top universities has forced high school seniors across the country to face an unsettling truth: COVID-19 has dramatically complicated chances of admission into many selective and elite universities. Colleges are experiencing unprecedented surges in application numbers, resulting in record lows in acceptance rates, forcing more qualified applicants than usual to be turned away. Decisions released prior to the Regular Decision notification period – which typically occurs between late March and early April – are usually in the form of two application types: Early Decision and Early Action. Early Decision plans are binding, meaning if accepted, an Early Decision applicant must attend the college. Early Action is non binding, but follows the same expedited timeline as Early Decision. The widespread adoption of a test-optional policy by most colleges has been a major cause of increased applicant pool size. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down SAT and ACT testing sites around the nation, many colleges switched to test-optional policies in order to accommodate many students’ inability to take a test.
For students who performed poorly on standardized exams but obtained highly competitive grades, test-optional policies were advantageous: these students could apply to more prestigious colleges where their lower test score might have otherwise dampened their application. According to a study conducted by Inside Higher Ed, application numbers typically rise by an average of 29 percent at private institutions and 11 percent at public institutions when schools switch to test-optional admissions policies. Removing the testing requirement not only impacted the growth in applications, but played a pivotal role in changing the makeup of the applicant pool. Masters’ Director of College Counseling Adam Gimple spoke to this shift. “By virtue of the fact that testing was no longer a component of the required application, you have candidates who, historically, because of that singular component, did not apply, are now applying as well,” he said. “You have an increase in first generation students who are applying now, because now they don’t have that one obstacle of standardized testing.” olgate University recorded a staggering 102.6 percent increase in applications for the Class of 2025. The University received a total of 17,392 applications this year after moving to a test-optional policy,
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partnering with QuestBridge National College Match – a college scholarship application process that allows gifted low-income seniors to gain admissions and scholarships to selective colleges – and introducing a no-loan initiative for families with an income under $125,000. Colgate admissions officer Olivia Miller noted a rise in the academic quality of applicants this year, compared to previous years. Miller also cited major growth in applications from students of color, students from the Southeast and international students. The coronavirus pandemic has in some ways increased accessibility in applying to college for some. J.D. Ross, the Associate Dean of Admission and Director of Admission Communication at Hamilton College, found that the shift to remote tours and interviews served to standardize the college admissions process. Ross said, “In the past, if you were interested in a college and wanted to show that you were interested in a college, you had to travel there, go on a campus tour or an information session and have a one-on-one interview. Covid is kind of the great equalizer with the fact that now everybody is doing these things online. And so, we are seeing students engaging with us that may not have had that opportunity to before.” This cycle, students are applying to more schools on average -- a considerable element in the major applicant pool growth. This year, on average, Masters seniors applied to 10.2 schools, as compared to 2020’s average of 8.5 schools. Gimple said, “People are applying to more schools, probably because they didn’t visit campuses this past year. They don’t know what they are really looking for so they’re going to diversify and increase the amount of colleges they’re applying to so they can have better options in the spring.” Senior Elizabeth Oakes frantically expanded her college list after Early Decision outcomes began to stream in. “I was originally planning on applying to only five schools. I loved each of them and didn’t apply to any others because I was so sure I wouldn’t be happy anywhere else,” she said. “Once I saw a bunch of my friends and peers getting unfavorable outcomes when decisions started to come out, I added nearly ten more schools to my list.” Around 50 to 55 percent of the current senior class applied Early Decision, a similar number to the last few years. According to Gimple, the percentage of admitted seniors who applied
Early Decision this year falls below the numbers from last years’ seniors. However, if the number of admitted applicants is combined with the deferrals, this year is only slightly lower than the previous year. he sweeping effects of the pandemic have resulted in applications looking less complete and very different this year. Students’ applications might be missing standardized test scores and semester grades, as schools across the country, including Masters, switched to a pass/fail grading system when students began learning remotely. Ross described the impact the lack of second semester grades might have had on their potential admission. “We realize that this is all beyond the control of the students who are applying to colleges,” he said. “A pass/fail grading system does make it a little more difficult to evaluate students, but it just presses us to make the best use out of what we have.” Ross continued, providing insight into how Hamilton has adapted in evaluating applicants without grades. “We also rely quite a bit on counselor and teacher recommendations. These are people that know you really, really well, and can vouch for your academic abilities, your position in the class and your academic trajectory, in spite of the fact that some of that gets lost in pass/fail grading.” Miller echoed the sentiment: adopting a pass/ fail grading system among other changes like clubs and activities being put on hold are not being held against
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applicants in Colgate’s review process. Colleges and universities that have a deep relationship with Masters can also use reference historical data for context in the absence of spring grades. Gimple said, “They know what the curriculum is like here, they know what the relative rigor of our coursework is like. And so, when a student applies, and perhaps doesn’t have test scores, or spring semester grades from junior year, or sophomore year or freshman year, they have a greater context.” Senior Carly Grizzaffi, reflecting on uncertainty and unpredictability of college admissions this year, shared her own worries for the spring. “Normally, when you apply to college, or at least what I’ve been told is, you get into all of your safeties, more than half of your matches and maybe one reach if you’re lucky,” she said. “Now I’m kind of scared I’m not going to get into some of my matches. That’s pretty terrifying to not know.”
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Possibility of spring TEDx event remains uncertain
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ALUMNA JULIETTE CHOLLET ‘20 delivers a TEDx speech on the impact of climate change on her life. She was among nine other students participating in the TEDx program in 2019. Due to Covid complications, 2020’s TEDx event was cancelled; now, the possibility of a 2021 TEDx event hangs in the balance.
SABRINA WOLFSON Opinion Editor
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tanding anxiously on stage, adjusting the microphone with sweaty palms, and waiting for the cue to begin speaking: this is the experience that many students have in the final moments before they begin their TEDx talk.
With its inaugural performance in 2017, Masters’ TEDx (x representing an independently organized TED event) program allows students to develop their public speaking skills while educating others on an important topic of their choice. Upper School history teachers Brendon Barrios and Lisa Berrol are the advisors of the program and select around twelve students annually to deliver presentations. The TEDx application process is lengthy,
involving a formal application submitted in December and an interview that follows shortly after. Just over forty applications were submitted last year alone, a record high for the event. In 2020, the program, which is offered as a co-curricular, welcomed fourteen new speakers that were eager to begin researching and writing their ten-minute speeches. Similar to past years, students wrote, rehearsed and practiced their speeches every Wednesday
night from 4:30 until 6:00 p.m. However, because Masters transferred to remote learning after spring break, students were only able to make it half of the way to their performance date before the event was officially postponed. Barrios said, “Because the pandemic was just beginning, a lot of students’ mental capacities really affected their ability to focus on this and we were really reluctant to make students do this much work without knowing if an actual performance could take place.” Participants largely agreed with this course of action and voted to stop working on their speeches weeks after the spring break. As such, they decided to push any potential performance to the spring of 2021. Junior Clara Kolker, who was slated to speak about the influence that finding information through social media platforms has on cognition, concluded that this was the right decision because of the adjustments that students had to make at the beginning of the pandemic. Kolker said, “I definitely wasn’t happy about stopping, but I think that all things considered, it was really for the best.” Because of the virtual start to the 2020-2021 school year and the difficulty in anticipating the future, Barrios and Berrol have not fully decided on what the future holds for TEDx. However, the yearly TEDx license that the advisors were granted last spring is still usable until April of 2021, so permission for the event has already been granted. Since they do not have to reapply for this license, Barrios and Berrol said they are committed to finding a way for the community to experience the event in the spring, should the students selected last year choose to resume writing and rehearsing their topics of choice. Because there is limited time left in the school year and the cohort of students selected last year have already written about half of their speeches, the advisors are hoping that these students can present their topics. Although this approach of letting students pick up from where they left off last year may ap-
pear as if it would function seamlessly, many of those in the cohort feel that resuming their speech may be more difficult than anticipated. Due to the pandemic and the lessons that many have taken away from their unique experiences, some think pursuing their topic may even be impossible. Senior Zach Battleman had planned to speak about the importance of risk-taking, especially as it relates to academics; but now does not think he will be able to continue with the topic. Battleman said, “In the context of Covid, my previous point of risk-taking could be taken the wrong way because people could just think ‘Why don’t I just go outside without a mask?’ and that was not my message.” Additionally, senior Lily Wike felt that her original speech, about the impact that technology has on the development of teen brains, would need a serious revision in order for students to connect with it. Wike said, “I think that I might have to add how the pandemic has increased our reliance on technology, but without that, I’m worried that my topic might just be irrelevant right now.” Even with this apprehension, it seems promising that the event will take place at some point this spring, as Masters now offers in-person instruction, so the event could be held in the Experimental Theater with a camera crew as planned. Additionally, the size of the event and group of students eligible to give speeches has decreased since three seniors graduated last spring. Barrios said, “We absolutely have not given up on the possibility of a spring performance but we need to make sure that it is a realistic idea to pursue.” As of publication date, it is still not clear to the program’s advisors if they will have enough of last year’s student participants to go ahead with the production plan.
Ramapo election aims to restore equity in education represented the private school community. Since then, the number has shifted to six out of nine. Additional spending cuts included reducing kindergarten to a half day, cutting sports by 50 percent, and freezing purchases on supplies, mateuniors Clara Kolker and Clyde Lederrials and equipment. In five years, budget cuts were man spoke to the Upper School during a estimated to be between $30 and $40 million. recent morning meeting about a special The school district that House Representative election being held for the school board in the East Mondaire Jones (D-NY) graduated from, which Ramapo Central School District (ERCSD). Kolkwas considered one of the best in Rockland, er and Lederman had been phone banking for a dropped to be among the worst-performing in the coalition of Black women running for school board area between 2009 and 2014, with a graduation – calling constituents and raising awareness about rate of 64 percent. the election and its importance – and invited othLederman said, “[The board] acted completely er students to do the same. This election held the inappropriately, they really worked as a white mapower to completely change the futures of nearly jority to defund mostly minority school districts. 9,000 public school students. And they did it in rather unscrupulous and inconThe election, which took place on Feb. 2, was a siderate ways without accounting for the needs pivotal one. Following a lawsuit won by the Spring of the community. Everyone has a right to repreValley National Association for the Advanced of sentation, but their representation exceeded their Colored People (NAACP) and the New York Civil population in the district” Liberties Union (NYCLU) against the district, a History teacher Greg Lesser student-taught federal court ruled that the way school board elecat a middle school in the ERCSD in 2012, three tions were conducted violated the Voting Rights years after the budget cuts began. Even though Act and unfairly disenfranchised voters of color. he only worked there for about ten weeks, Lesser Last summer, Judge recalls frequent converCathy Seibel found that the atsations about the cuts. large voting process violated “I was a little bit the voting rights of Black and I think why the election was important was that it said that there’s a real aware of it going in. Latino public school parents. The woman who was my No matter what, the private strong opposition [to Hasidic control], and that the political system hasn’t been mentor used to be the school community would working and something else is needed. department chair of the always outvote the public Social Studies Depart- Clyde Lederman ‘22 school community. She addment. But because of ed that the voting was inherbudget cuts, it actually ently racially discriminatory. just became the Human“In the district, policies benefiting private Beginning in 2009, the Ramapo school board ities Department, so she was no longer the chair, schools or reducing expenditures on public edu- began making spending cuts to the public schools because they couldn’t afford to have two departcation benefit the white community, and policies to make up for a budget crisis. By 2014, over 450 ment chairs,” he said. benefiting public schools or reducing expendi- teachers had been fired, including all social workLesser added that materials were also limtures on private education benefit the Black and ers and 15 special education teachers, according ited. “Here, I can print whatever I want, there, Latino communities,” she wrote. to a report by New York State Education De- there was a little bit more of a limit in what you Previously, the election was conducted at large, partment (NYSED). Nearly 47 percent of public can print and what resources were available for so all of the residents of the county would vote for school students are considered chronically absent. all the students… I mean, it was nine years ago, all of the board seats. Now the district has been diThese decisions were largely made by people but [students] weren’t coming in with Macs or any vided into nine wards, and residents can only vote who did not themselves stand to suffer from severe computers.” for representatives of their ward, similar to con- budget cuts to the public schools. Rockland CounMeanwhile, millions of dollars went into transgressional districts. Previously, Black and Latino ty, where East Ramapo is located, has one of the portation, and district funding diverted to the yevoters were continually outvoted by the Orthodox largest Jewish populations in the country. In East shivas for special education went up 33 percent. community; with the ward system, voting blocs be- Ramapo, the majority of the 24,000 private school School busing and special education are two of the come less powerful. students attend yeshivas. On the other hand, only ways private schools can receive funding from the Incumbents Ashley Leveille, Sabrina 9,000 students attend the public schools. government. Charles-Pierre, Yehuda Since 2005, the Ramapo school board has In the podcast This American Life, host Ben Weissbeen composed of primarily Orthodox Jewish Calhoun said, “The Hasidic and the ultra-Orthomen, whose families don’t attend the dox live in closed communities. And the private public schools. In 2014, sev- yeshivas they send their children to are all Hasidic en out of nine board kids. So just picture – you’re a Hasidic parent with m e m b e r s a special needs kid – maybe with developmental and emotional issues… you want to get your kid the help they need, you gotta yank them out of the environment where they’re the most comfortable – the only environment they’ve ever known – and send them elsewhere.” Yossi Gestetner, an activist within the Jewish community, said, “The parents just want to make sure that the children go to an environment and in a school, an institution, where the language spoken is the language they understand best, the tradition, the religion, and the culture [they’re familiar with].” The racial and socio-economic makeup of each type of school further complicates the issue. GREGORY VAN BEEK Lesser described the racial makeup of students to DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM AN East Ramapo elementary school is this yeshiva, one of many in the district. A few buildings down, construction for another yeshi- be nearly opposite to Masters, which is a primarily white institution. va has begun, due to the growing population of the Orthodox community.
SOPHIA VAN BEEK News Editor
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mandl, Harry Grossman, Mark Berkowitz, and Ephraim Weissmandl won their elections. In Ward 3, which had no previous incumbent, Sherry McGill, a teacher and parent in the ERCSD, was elected. In Ward 4, Shimon Rose won. In Ward 5, Yossi Weiss won. Leveile, Charles-Pierre, and McGill are all representatives of the public school community, while the remainder are from the Hasidic community, whose children attend yeshivas – private Jewish schools. Lederman believes the election was a victory for the public school community. “The political system hadn’t been working and something else was needed,” he said. The lawsuit and special election was partially in reaction to over a decade of funding cuts to public education in ERCSD, and the redistribution of funds to private religious schools. However, it may be more complicated than that. As Kolker put it, “What could be considered a pretty banal story about allocation of funds, which is already in itself very important because it has tangible effects, there is that undercurrent of cultural tensions and ethnic tensions.”
GREGORY VAN BEEK
AN ORTHODOX MAN RIDES his bicycle through Monsey, a town in Rockland County, N.Y. with an almost entirely Hasidic population. Behind him is one of many yeshivas, private Jewish schools, in East Ramapo. District funding is allocated to the yeshivas for busing and special education.
When Lesser was at East Ramapo, he taught an English-language learners (ELL) class in which half of the students spoke Spanish at home, and half spoke Haitian Creole. The classes he taught were sometimes more than double the size than they are at Masters. 91 percent of ERCSD students are Black or Latino. 68 percent of them qualify for free or reduced price lunches. Poverty is not exclusive to the Black and Latino communities, however. Unlike Masters, and the surrounding Westchester independent schools, the families who attend private yeshivas aren’t necessarily wealthy or well educated. According to Lohud, 24.9 percent of Ramapo’s population is below the poverty line. Kaser, a village in East Ramapo which is almost entirely Hasidic, has a poverty rate of 73 percent. The need in East Ramapo is widespread. Because of the ethnic line between public and private school communities, tensions run high. The majority of board meetings were spent in executive session, meaning no public participation was allowed; when public input was invited during board meetings, it was only at the end of the sessions, often late at night. Some board meetings would mount into yelling matches and public protest, with lawyers not infrequently cursing our attendees. The NYSED report said, “District officials frequently resort to name-calling and attacking others’ motives and integrity when responding to criticism.” According to This American Life, there have been instances of antisemitism in the district, like kids throwing rocks at school buses full of Hasidic yeshiva students. Calhoun, said, “three teenagers drove into Hasidic neighborhoods, shooting at people on the street with a paintball gun. They later told police they’d gone out that night to, quote, ‘shoot Jews.’” Lederman noted that antisemitic incidents and behavior occured due to the breakdown of com-
munity relations. He said, “Within certain communities, there’s some antisemitism because of what’s happened, and they feel kind of powerless, which is not to justify, but rather to contextualize it.” When public school parents raised concerns about their children’s education, and accused board members of purposefully defunding their schools, some district officials responded by saying they were perpetuating harmful antisemitic stereotypes. Lederman noted that there is a difference between real antisemitism – a problem within the community – and some of the accusations board members made towards parents. NYSED recommended diversity training in 2014, writing, “Diversity training will enhance the understanding of the needs of the entire community, protect against civil rights violations, increase the inclusion of different groups, and promote better teamwork.” Members from the public school community had lost faith in their vote years ago, and sometimes didn’t even turn up to the polls because it seemed like a lost cause, according to Lederman. Part of the phonebanking campaign Kolker and Lederman worked on was about informing community members, who had perhaps given up on the voting process, about the new system. Due to the new ward voting system, board members only have to appeal to their area, rather than the overall district. This greater amount of position security might empower them to make more progressive proposals that better serve their constituents. In short, the minority voices on the board can push for policy that is more representative of their ward’s needs. Kolker said, “Because even though there isn’t that substantial voting bloc, or not substantial enough of a voting bloc, there is a voice at the table that previously wasn’t there.”
OpiniOn OP-ED
TOWER/MARCH 8, 2021
TOWER 2020-2021
editors-iN-chieF Kate sibery mitch FiNK
EDITORIAL
Reporting without restraint, but with care and accuracy
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s our staff ref lects on the importance of scholastic journalism in the wake of the JEA’s National Scholastic Journalism Week, we wanted to take this moment to appreciate the press rights our newspaper has enjoyed over the 77 years Tower has served the Masters community. Our appreciation for our ability to exercise these freedoms is only extended by our recognition that in recent years high school publications across the country have been under siege more than ever by administrators forcing prior review and restraint. At numerous private schools, administrators read and approve all materials before publication in student newspapers. That is not the case for Tower. We feel very fortunate to have earned the trust of the administration as an accurate, unbiased student forum for our school community. Press freedom is a fundamental right in the United States. And, while independent school newspapers may not enjoy the same legal rights as public schools, or other institutions of scholastic journalism in the public domain, Tower is proud to maintain our fundamental journalistic freedoms: the freedom to serve
as a student-run forum for the community of the school, the freedom to report accurately–– even if at times critically–– about the school, and the freedom to write without prior review or restraint from the administration. The freedom to write without prior review or restraint, specifically, is a cornerstone of what makes Tower the successful publication it has become. Our staff is proud and grateful that the administration recognizes the danger to press freedom in prior review and restraint - as well as the educational value of allowing student journalists to make tough editorial decisions. It is important that students are able to think critically about all sides of an important school issue and prior review and restraint can eliminate what Freedom Forum Chairman Al Neuharth called “a means to exchange ideas, raise issues, and even promote controversy.” Neuharth, leading an organization that supports free speech and newspapers, said schools are “better for having a vehicle of expression, a means to exchange ideas, to raise issues, and even to promote controversy.” We wholeheartedly agree. We also stand firmly in agreement with the Journalism Edu-
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cators of America, an organization that argues that prior review by administrators “undermines critical thinking, encourages students to dismiss the role of a free press in society and provides no greater likelihood of increased quality of student media.” The school’s mission asks students to learn, to do, to strive, to dare and be powers for good in the world. We are proud that Tower is a place where students can do all of those things. While Tower is a part of The Masters School, we understand and appreciate the firewall that exists between our student-run newspaper and the administration. We have earned the trust that allows us to cover issues in an unbiased manner without the school administration asking to make editorial decisions. This trust is what motivates us as a publication to be the best we can be. We humbly acknowledge, and cherish the fact that that there is always more work to do, and we will continue to strive to grow and improve as a newspaper. As we do so, our journalistic integrity will remain as a top priority for our publication.
chieF desigN editor Sophie Grand News Lead editor M. Brody Leo News desigN editor Sophia Van Beek opiNioN Lead editor tim mathas opiNioN desigN editor SaBrina WoLfSon Features Lead editor Kira rataN Features desigN editor rowaN mcwhiNNie sports Lead editor ethaN schLapp sports desigN editor aNdrew mitcheLL web editor aNd sociaL media maNager KwyNNe schLossmaN web editor KyLa baraNtsevitch art maNager mattiLyN stoNe
Appreciating a gift for all of us TIM MATHAS Lead Opinion Editor
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t is oftentimes so easy to be swept up into the whirlwind of youth-led political movements–I have found myself captivated and engaged as I have seen people my age stand up for issues like climate change, gun violence, racial equality and women’s rights, among many others. So, I felt inspired when I first read the open letter written by alumnae Carly Matsui and Sarah Faber, which spoke out against the school’s recent $20 million donation from the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation. The letter quickly sparked the anti-establishment rebel within me. I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself, and I was determined to see what changes would come as a result of the efforts put forth by former and current students. Still, I chose not to sign the petition because I wanted another day to think about the issue as a whole before I completely attached myself to it. The next day, I woke up and I realized that I had made far too many assumptions and made a judgement much too quickly. Upon reflecting on some of the criticisms put forth by students, I came to understand that the movement to reject this donation was not deserving of the support that the aforementioned progressive causes received. As outlined on their website, the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation advocates for what I believe is a misinterpretation of historical events and an unwarranted glorification of the Founding Fathers. Furthermore, there are ties between the Davis Foundation and several conservative organizations which I think
have had a negative impact on our society. The Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society, for example, played a major role in electing former President Donald Trump, and they have been described as having had a significant influence on staff selections and judicial appointments made under his administration. Overall, I think that their contributions to organizations who supported Trump is flat-out wrong. That being said, just because this foundation supports organizations and efforts that have different political and societal beliefs than me (and many of us at Masters) does not mean that their gift should be rejected–or unappreciated. How many of us have different political views than our parents or grandparents, but willingly accept and appreciate their “gifts” of money, time and love every day? Upon researching the other charities and organizations that are beneficiaries of the Foundation, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were numerous organizations that had nothing to do with their apparent political orientation. According to the organization’s 990 form, the Davis Foundation shells out millions of dollars to medical causes, the environment and various organizations which focus on human and individual rights. Thus, in some cases there does not intuitively appear to be a correlation between the Foundation’s apparent political orientation and where they choose to spend their money. In addition, the $20 million gift to our school is not “dirty money”. The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation is not in any way like the Sackler family, who profited off the millions of opioid addicts in this country. Shelby Cullom Davis, the father of Diana Davis Spencer, worked as a New
photo editor george chaNg accuracy & accouNtabiLity maNager LaNce Leys copy editor aNd advertisiNg maNager CaroL Queiroz producer, tower broadcast News LogaN schiciaNo staFF photographers aNd iLLustrators isaac cass charLie cooper eLLa taNg eLLie yaNg arieLLa uribe dosi weed oLLie petersoN OLLIE PETERSON/TOWER
THE DIANA DAVIS SPENCER Foundation has been a been frequent
benefactor to the Masters School. The Fonseca Center and recently refurbished dorms are in large part the result of gifts from the Davis Foundation. Their recent twenty-million dollar grant will go towards a new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center
York investment banker and served as the head of his own company which specialized in insurance securities. There is no indication that the wealth he accumulated through his ownership of this business is tainted. By all accounts, the Davis Foundation has been a long-time, generous benefactor of this school, supporting our mission and our beliefs. Their most recent gift will provide a path for more women to get involved in STEM and give low-income students the chance to work with computers and technology that they would not otherwise have access to. We would only be hurting ourselves and the hundreds of
other kids who are going to get to work in the new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center by rejecting this gift. Masters can take so many positive and progresive steps as a result of this money. Just this past year, current and former students and faculty asked Ms. Danforth and the administration to make our school more inclusive, more equitable and more diverse. They are now able to accomplish one of the many goals that we tasked them with because they chose to work alongside and respect a family foundation with different political views than most of us. This is exactly the kind of progress we need to see more of in society right now–in fact, it’s a gift.
MASTERS IN PHILANTHROPY
Schwarcz helps Sharing Shelf fight clothing insecurity Hanna ScHiciano
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unior Lily Schwarcz has donated and sorted through hundreds of pounds of clothing for over three years at Sharing Shelf, a clothing bank in Port Chester which aims to combat clothing insecurity in the county. Westchester is considered one of the country’s wealthiest counties, yet a quarter of children that live there are from low-income households that may not be able to purchase clean or sufficient
clothing. In addition, nearly 14% of Westchester children are chronically absent from school and clothing is one critical cause, according to the Sharing Shelf website. Prior to volunteering at Sharing Shelf, Schwarcz would drop-off clothes at Goodwill, but later realized that Sharing Shelf provides clothes directly to those in-need, rather than requiring a fee at a lower cost. “The volunteers are not there when kids come to
pick-up the clothes, just to make them feel comfortable. We want to make it as if they were going shopping at the mall,” she said. While COVID-19 forced Sharing Shelf to close its doors to volunteers from March until August, Schwarcz continued to drop-off clothes at the warehouse. Volunteers who donated clothes during those six months were not able to assist in helping to organize the clothes by gender and size, which slowed down the process since only lead volunteers were allowed inside. When August arrived, the volunteer environment changed dramatically. Masks covered smiles and the number of volunteers permitted dropped from 15 to five. Usually, Schwarcz could spend up to four hours organizing clothes and prepping for “shopping” events, but now the time is limited to an hour in order to sanitize the space. Although there have been challenges, Schwarcz said she still feels motivated to help those in-need because she understands the impact Sharing
Shelf has on its community. “It’s really nice for the kids less fortunate than us to get clothing in a normal environment so that they can ‘feel’ like the other kids, because a lot of kids tend to get bullied for the clothing that they’re wearing if it has holes or outdated,” she said. Schwarcz said that the ability to get clothes that are “in-style” has a serious mental impact on children because they could be judged by fellow classmates for wearing dirty or ripped clothing. The biggest reward for Schwarcz occurs after the children have stopped by the warehouse. “Coming back and seeing that all the clothes are gone, knowing that kids are able to take these clothes home, and feel better about themselves,” is the best feeling for Schwarcz. “And sometimes, they leave notes for the volunteers to say ‘thank you,’” she said. NOTE: If you are interested in learning more about how you can get involved with Sharing Shelf, email: lily.schwarcz@mastersny.org.
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schoLastic press aFFiLiatioNs, Letters aNd editoriaL poLicy Tower is the winner of the Pacemaker Award for Overall Excellence, an award-winning member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), Journalism Education Association (JEA) and Quill and Scroll. We encourage Letters to the Editor, which can be submitted to the following email address: TowerEditors@MastersNY.org. Published approximately five times a year, Tower, the student newspaper of The Masters School, is a public forum, with its Editorial Board making all decisions concerning content. Commentaries and opinion columns are the expressed opinion of the author and not of Tower and its Editorial Board or its advisers. Furthermore, the opinions conveyed are not those of The Masters School, faculty, or staff. Unsigned editorials express views of the majority of the Editorial Board.
TOWER/MARCH 8, 2021
FEATURES AND ARTS
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Features & arts ity you get points and teams are ranked based on the number of vulnerabilities TIM MATHAS they find in six hours.” Opinion Lead Editor Nappo noted how even with a great deal of experience, the competitions ofeniors Zach Battleman, ten present problems that the team has Brandon Zazza and Matt not dealt with in the past. Nappo have together rep“The thing about the competitions is resented Masters in the that you often spend a lot of time lookAmerican Air Force As- ing for stuff that’s not there. That’s why sociation’s Cyber Defense a lot of this is trial and error. We have Competition for the past three years. made a whole list of all the vulnerabilParticipating in two or three official ities that we have found in the past, but events per year, they have dedicated Cyberpatriot is always creating new countless Saturdays to these roughly ones. There’s a lot of investigating that six-hour-long challenges, and have prois going on; rungressively improved ning commands to in state and national see which processThe thing about the rankings. Although es are running on competitions is that these competitions the computer and you often spend a lot of time require students to inspecting that looking for stuff that’s not possess a significant list,” he said. there. That’s why a lot of this understanding of Although the efis trial and error. We have computers, speciffects of COVID-19 made a whole list of all the ically the Windows have rendered vulnerabilities that we have and Linux operatmany clubs and found in the past, but Cying systems, Nappo competitive teams berpatriot is always creating said that the underunable to particlying principle of new ones.” ipate in their rethe competition is spective craft or - Matt Nappo ‘21 relatively straightsport this year, the forward. cybersecurity team “There is a thing has been relativecalled a virtual machine where you ly unaffected due to the fact that their can essentially run a computer inside competitions have always been virtual. a computer. It has different programs “Since everything is virtual nothing installed on it and it’s a whole different has changed in that aspect, but just besystem, and that virtual machine image ing at school with the team and having has a lot of security vulnerabilities in it the ability to help each other out has which are intentionally put there by Cy- changed a lot. We still do our best to berpatriot,” he said. “It is your team’s hop into a breakout room to help each job to find the security holes and patch other but most of the time it’s us going them. Every time you find a vulnerabil- in there, doing what we are doing, and
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asking questions along the way,” Zazza said. In their most recent competition, the senior-triumvirate, who are now joined by juniors Andrew Chang and Sam Felgran, and freshman Teddy Meyer, placed third in New York State, putting them in the 95th percentile, and finishing in the top 10 percent nationally out of the 1578 teams that participated. These are the best results that the team has ever achieved; a remarkable accomplishment given that they had to dedicate a significant amount of time
to teaching the three newcomers on the team this year. Felgran said, “The image was on Zach’s computer but I was on Zoom trying to help him out by doing some research, looking at checklists, and going through all the different things that might give us points. I’m definitely learning a lot from Zach as I go through the whole process with him. He’s teaching me all these settings that I never knew about, different ways to get points, and I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.”
Battleman, Nappo, and Zazza, all of whom joined the cybersecurity team four years ago, have dedicated a great deal of time to ensuring that the team will continue to thrive at Masters and in competitions long after they graduate. Zazza said, “Everybody is kind of learning at their own pace. Seeing as this is our last year as seniors we are trying to pass on our knowledge to the younger generation who will pick up where we left off.”
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Courtesy of Matt Nappo
SENIOR CAPTAINS OF THE cybersecurity team Brandon Zazza, Matt Nappo and Zach Battleman (left to right) stand together for a photo taken in Jan. 2020. The team has seen national success at cybersecurity competitions recently.
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FEATURES & ARTS
FEATURES & ARTS
TOWER/MARCH 8, 2021
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PREPARING FOR THE UNKNOWN Masters Pandemic Finances, Feb-May 2020
DAY TUITION UPPED
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LOGAN SCHICIANO/TOWER
HEAD OF SCHOOL LAURA Danforth (Left) and Chief Financial Officer Ed Biddle (Right) deliberate in Danforth’s office. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. the two, along with leaders of the Board of Trustees and others, made several key decisions, including directing over $1 million towards revamping academic spaces and ventilation systems in preperation for a return to in-person learning.
MASTERS EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS HALTED
NAVIGATING A GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY
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o manual exists for navigating a school through a deadly pandemic, but Masters’ Chief Financial Officer Ed Biddle drew from the next best resource – a comprehensive report analyzing the effects of the 2008-2009 recession on independent schools across the nation. After school shut down unexpectedly last March, Biddle quickly called up the author of the study, Jim Pugh, whose 12 takeaways from the last major economic crisis have guided Masters’ response to the virus since it arrived in New York a year ago. While Biddle said the most difficult part about the early stages of the pan-
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demic was staying calm, he harnessed Pugh’s advice, upholding optimism and a collaborative approach through a period of induced isolation and uncertainty. Biddle said, “The role of a CFO at a school is to help inform the financial decision making by the leadership team and the board. People will look to me to see if we’re going to be okay. I don’t answer, ‘Yes, we’re going to be okay, but–’ I say, ‘We’re going to be okay, and–’” That “and” included a series of crucial steps in the early stages of the pandemic that impacted the school’s ability to adhere to its top fiscal priority – supporting the educational program.
UNFORESEEN CUTS AND EXPENSES
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ased on data from Pugh’s study of independent schools tion systems and technology infrastructure, as well as purchasing during the recession, Biddle said he needed to prepare new furniture and cleaning devices. the school for lower contributions from donors, lower “People on my team were saying, ‘We have to get this stuff enrollment and higher costs. now!’ We couldn’t waste time talking “We had no idea what our expenses about if we were going to do it or not,” were going to look like, but we knew they Biddle said. “A good example would be were going to be higher,” he said. “And the MERV 13 filters for the HVAC [heatwe anticipated that our revenues would ing, ventilation and air conditioning]. If be lower due to lack of fundraising and we had not ordered them in the spring, potentially due to enrollment, because we would not have been able to get them in prior recessions people who are in a because they quickly sold out all over the position to pay for private school have world.” actually not enrolled their kids in private Biddle added that the initiative takschool, but kept them in public school.” en during the early months prepared While the school actually saved subthe school to confidently reopen when stantially on necessities such as food, deemed safe by the school’s health advitransportation, heating and electricity sory team. after campus shut down last March, the “We put measures into place so that - Ed Biddle, Chief Financial Officer goal was always to reopen safely, as soon we would not be limited by our lack of as possible. This required major preparapreparedness. We were able to make a tion and investments. decision that was informed by the Covid Back in the spring, over $1 million from the school’s operating situation in the area, rather than our situation,” he said. budget was directed towards revamping academic spaces for stuBy the end of the 2019-2020 fiscal year (which ended June 30), dents’ return. This effort included transforming spaces like Stray- the cuts and additional expenses essentially balanced out, accorder Gym and Doc Wilson Hall into classrooms, upgrading ventila- ing to Biddle.
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We put measures into place so that we would not be limited by our lack of preparedness. We were able to make a decision that was informed by the Covid situation in the area, rather than our situation.”
he pandemic forced the cancelation of the April 2020 gala, an event that was in the works for over two years and which Biddle estimated could have raised roughly $1 million for the school. Because the gala is not an annual event, the school does not depend on the funds for its operating budget, but rather for new projects and initiatives facilitated by the advancement team. For example, the last gala, held in 2017, focused on supporting Masters’ sustainability initiatives. Nevertheless, the school’s Annual Fund (now called the Masters Fund), was impacted because the school planned to ramp up fundraising efforts as the gala neared, and was therefore a “little bit behind” totals from previous years at that time of the shutdown, according to Biddle. But instead of trying to make up for lost revenue during the spring, the school decided to prioritize students and their families by directing the money raised through the Annual Fund between April and June 2020 to the Student Access Fund. The Student Access Fund was created to provide financial support to families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The funds raised through this initiative ensured that all students could continue their Masters education without interruption, according to a description last spring in The Messenger. Over $550,000 was raised for the Student Access Fund, Associate Director of Institutional Advancement Mary Ryan said, adding that to her knowledge, no families left the school due to affordability in the past year. Ryan said, “The response was incredible, from college freshmen
s national unemployment numbers skyrocketed to record highs, Masters tried to avoid furloughing employees at all costs, Biddle explained. “In New York State, furloughs do not make sense for employees who make less than about $60,000 because you [the employer] end up paying the state back in unemployment for the savings that you got,” he said. Instead, the school decided in the spring to stop contributions to employee pensions for the current fiscal year, saving the school over $1.5 million; Biddle said it was the “fairest move to make” considering the circumstances because it impacts all employees proportionally. A pension is an annual investment into an employee’s retirement fund by their employer. At Masters,
this has historically been 10% of an individual’s salary – for example, if an employee makes $75,000 a year, the school would add $7,500 to the individual’s retirement account. All employee pensions were halted in July, four months after the teaching faculty had signed annual letters of agreement with the school in which the benefit was promised. Math teacher Hank Kim, who is one of the faculty advisory committee co-chairs, recalled his reaction to this news (teachers were notified in early June). “It is a significant loss, but because it is a retirement fund, I don’t really feel it yet,” he said. Kim said he is grateful for the financial team’s updates to faculty throughout the pandemic, but conceded that there is still some confusion amongst teachers. “I know we won’t know exactly where everything goes, but at the same time, people are a little bit con-
cerned about how everything is being allocated,” Kim said. “Sometimes I feel hesitant to approach administrators because they’re working so hard and it’s a very sensitive and tiresome topic.”
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Sometimes we have to proceed with the limited information we have, and trust that the decision will prove to be best, and that it will serve us well over time.” - Ed Biddle, Chief Financial Officer
The National Institute of Pension Administrators (NIPA) indicates strict notice deadlines for a school’s
retirement plan in order for it to be compliant with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Because of the immediacy of the pandemic and the impending deadline, Biddle said the School had very little time in which to make this important decision. “There are some things that you just can’t Harkness within the broad Masters Community. That may sound like a tough message, but in a really time sensitive, intense process, sometimes we have to proceed with the limited information we have, and trust that the decision will prove to be best, and that it will serve us well over time.” However, he said he regrets not providing more context and training to employees who were grappling with the reality that the employer contributions to their retirement plans had been halted early on in the pandemic.
After the Great Recession, Jim Pugh (above), an interim CFO at independent schools, analyzed the effects of the 2008-2009 recession at four independent schools across the nation in a comprehensive report for the National Association of Independent Schools. Pugh’s report concluded with 12 takeaways (below) from the last major economic crisis, which guided Masters’ response to the coronavirus since it arrived in New York a year ago.
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The school’s top priority during the pandemic has been preserving the academic program, regardless of cost.
During the recession, Pugh Masters assembled a finance reports that each school COVID-19 task force that in his study determined timeframes for planning and engaged in conversation before implementation of changes. making decisions for the school.
THE SCHOOL’S ENDOWMENT CURRENTLY stands at $65 million, and it’s net endowment is $35 million, because the school is $29 million in debt and there is an annual draw from the endowment of 4% of a five-year rolling average that is put into the school’s operating budget. This is a significant improvement from 2015, when the endowment was $30 million and the net endowment was negative $2 million. Biddle said contributions to the endowment have not been impacted by the pandemic because it is made up mainly of “major gifts”, not small annual donations.
GALA, MASTERS FUND AND STUDENT ACCESS FUND
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uition has increased this year – $51,500 for day students, a trend that is in step with colleges and universities across the country – Forbes reported in August that 34% of universities indicated that their fall 2020 tuition was the same as it was last year, while tuition was higher than last year at 62% of the schools and lower at only 4%. Biddle explained why. “The costs that are associated with running a college or a university with Covid, or even just operating your school online are the same, if not more than when you have people in person.” He continued, “Colleges and universities are not charging their students boarding costs like dormitory and food service; we’re not doing that either. But the cost of the educational content that students are receiving has not gone down, and the money that was ‘saved’ has had to be reinvested in the program in order to bring the students back this fall.” Boarding families paid the day student tuition rate beginning when school went online, up until recently when boarders returned to the dorms (boarders who have chosen to remain at home continue to pay reduced tuition). This has cost the school approximately $1.5 million in revenue, Biddle said.
Administrators doors are always open for teachers to ask questions, according to FAC Chair Hank Kim.
ISAAC CASS
PARENTS, FACULTY AND OTHER guests gather at the 2017 gala, the most recent one held at Masters. The event raised approximately $800,000 and the theme was centered around sustainability. The event also featured performances from student groups such as Dobbs 16 and the Upper School String Ensemble.
giving $5 to faculty making gifts, to families who gave $20,000. It was really heartening to see.” Biddle is proud of how Ryan and others on the advancement team shifted their efforts after the gala cancelation. “They saw what was happening, and they very quickly pivoted. Rather than feeling bad for us, they rallied the community around raising money for the Student Access Fund, which was very successful. Ryan said that Masters finished the 2019-2020 fiscal year having raised $2,361,582 through the Annual Fund and Student Access Fund combined – just $98,418 shy of the school’s $2,460,000 Annual Fund goal.
Biddle presents to Masters faculty annually during Opening Days and updates faculty on important topics throughout the year.
Masters uses a five-year model. The annual endowment draw is 5% of a five-year rolling average.
The school hired more faculty to support the return to in-person learning in October.
Masters’ employee pensions were halted this year, affecting each employee proportionately to their annual salary.
The school begain and completed the Masters Hall library renovations during the pandemic.
Pugh told Tower, “COVID-19 has resulted in fundamental changes Biddle said he ensured con- The school prioritized families in independent schools, some of fidence by communicating through the Student Access which are going to stick around and executing the neccesary Fund, which raised over steps to support the program. after the pandemic.” $550,000.
DEBATING A STIMULUS LOAN
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s a non-for-profit, the school did apply for a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), but ultimately decided against accepting it. The PPP is a $953 billion program established in 2020 by the federal government and designed to aid businesses in keeping their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis. In the early months of the pandemic, the criteria as to who was eligible for a PPP loan was unclear and the process was disorganized. The first pot of stimulus ran out in just 13 days, and while the PPP was designed for businesses with 500 employees or less, large corporations and organizations like Shake Shack and the Los Angeles Lakers received checks (they later returned the money). Several New York City independent schools also received aid through the PPP. Poly Prep Country Day School, Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School and Packer Collegiate all got loans between $5 and $10 mil-
STAY TUNED: The next segment of this article – Masters pandemic spending from June-Sept. 2020 will be featured in the next issue of Tower.
lion. Biddle explained what informed Masters’ decision not to accept the loan. “It was a difficult decision. It was not a slam dunk. But it was our understanding that the program was really designed for organizations that could not maintain their current payroll.” He added, “There was a limited amount of money. It just did not feel right to accept this funding when mom and pop restaurants that could not be open at all could not access the program.” While there was strong media backlash against independent schools that did accept loans, Biddle defended them. “I feel bad for them, because quite frankly, there was very little guidance available at the time,” he said. “I’m aware of schools that would really have had to lay off a significant number of employees if they didn’t get their PPP loan.”
Article by TBN Producer Logan Schiciano Design by Logan Schiciano, Chief Design Editor Sophie Grand, and Web & Social Media Manager Kwynne Schlossman
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FEATURES & ARTS
FEATURES & ARTS
TOWER/MARCH 8, 2021
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PREPARING FOR THE UNKNOWN Masters Pandemic Finances, Feb-May 2020
DAY TUITION UPPED
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LOGAN SCHICIANO/TOWER
HEAD OF SCHOOL LAURA Danforth (Left) and Chief Financial Officer Ed Biddle (Right) deliberate in Danforth’s office. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. the two, along with leaders of the Board of Trustees and others, made several key decisions, including directing over $1 million towards revamping academic spaces and ventilation systems in preperation for a return to in-person learning.
MASTERS EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS HALTED
NAVIGATING A GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY
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o manual exists for navigating a school through a deadly pandemic, but Masters’ Chief Financial Officer Ed Biddle drew from the next best resource – a comprehensive report analyzing the effects of the 2008-2009 recession on independent schools across the nation. After school shut down unexpectedly last March, Biddle quickly called up the author of the study, Jim Pugh, whose 12 takeaways from the last major economic crisis have guided Masters’ response to the virus since it arrived in New York a year ago. While Biddle said the most difficult part about the early stages of the pan-
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demic was staying calm, he harnessed Pugh’s advice, upholding optimism and a collaborative approach through a period of induced isolation and uncertainty. Biddle said, “The role of a CFO at a school is to help inform the financial decision making by the leadership team and the board. People will look to me to see if we’re going to be okay. I don’t answer, ‘Yes, we’re going to be okay, but–’ I say, ‘We’re going to be okay, and–’” That “and” included a series of crucial steps in the early stages of the pandemic that impacted the school’s ability to adhere to its top fiscal priority – supporting the educational program.
UNFORESEEN CUTS AND EXPENSES
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ased on data from Pugh’s study of independent schools tion systems and technology infrastructure, as well as purchasing during the recession, Biddle said he needed to prepare new furniture and cleaning devices. the school for lower contributions from donors, lower “People on my team were saying, ‘We have to get this stuff enrollment and higher costs. now!’ We couldn’t waste time talking “We had no idea what our expenses about if we were going to do it or not,” were going to look like, but we knew they Biddle said. “A good example would be were going to be higher,” he said. “And the MERV 13 filters for the HVAC [heatwe anticipated that our revenues would ing, ventilation and air conditioning]. If be lower due to lack of fundraising and we had not ordered them in the spring, potentially due to enrollment, because we would not have been able to get them in prior recessions people who are in a because they quickly sold out all over the position to pay for private school have world.” actually not enrolled their kids in private Biddle added that the initiative takschool, but kept them in public school.” en during the early months prepared While the school actually saved subthe school to confidently reopen when stantially on necessities such as food, deemed safe by the school’s health advitransportation, heating and electricity sory team. after campus shut down last March, the “We put measures into place so that - Ed Biddle, Chief Financial Officer goal was always to reopen safely, as soon we would not be limited by our lack of as possible. This required major preparapreparedness. We were able to make a tion and investments. decision that was informed by the Covid Back in the spring, over $1 million from the school’s operating situation in the area, rather than our situation,” he said. budget was directed towards revamping academic spaces for stuBy the end of the 2019-2020 fiscal year (which ended June 30), dents’ return. This effort included transforming spaces like Stray- the cuts and additional expenses essentially balanced out, accorder Gym and Doc Wilson Hall into classrooms, upgrading ventila- ing to Biddle.
“
We put measures into place so that we would not be limited by our lack of preparedness. We were able to make a decision that was informed by the Covid situation in the area, rather than our situation.”
he pandemic forced the cancelation of the April 2020 gala, an event that was in the works for over two years and which Biddle estimated could have raised roughly $1 million for the school. Because the gala is not an annual event, the school does not depend on the funds for its operating budget, but rather for new projects and initiatives facilitated by the advancement team. For example, the last gala, held in 2017, focused on supporting Masters’ sustainability initiatives. Nevertheless, the school’s Annual Fund (now called the Masters Fund), was impacted because the school planned to ramp up fundraising efforts as the gala neared, and was therefore a “little bit behind” totals from previous years at that time of the shutdown, according to Biddle. But instead of trying to make up for lost revenue during the spring, the school decided to prioritize students and their families by directing the money raised through the Annual Fund between April and June 2020 to the Student Access Fund. The Student Access Fund was created to provide financial support to families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The funds raised through this initiative ensured that all students could continue their Masters education without interruption, according to a description last spring in The Messenger. Over $550,000 was raised for the Student Access Fund, Associate Director of Institutional Advancement Mary Ryan said, adding that to her knowledge, no families left the school due to affordability in the past year. Ryan said, “The response was incredible, from college freshmen
s national unemployment numbers skyrocketed to record highs, Masters tried to avoid furloughing employees at all costs, Biddle explained. “In New York State, furloughs do not make sense for employees who make less than about $60,000 because you [the employer] end up paying the state back in unemployment for the savings that you got,” he said. Instead, the school decided in the spring to stop contributions to employee pensions for the current fiscal year, saving the school over $1.5 million; Biddle said it was the “fairest move to make” considering the circumstances because it impacts all employees proportionally. A pension is an annual investment into an employee’s retirement fund by their employer. At Masters,
this has historically been 10% of an individual’s salary – for example, if an employee makes $75,000 a year, the school would add $7,500 to the individual’s retirement account. All employee pensions were halted in July, four months after the teaching faculty had signed annual letters of agreement with the school in which the benefit was promised. Math teacher Hank Kim, who is one of the faculty advisory committee co-chairs, recalled his reaction to this news (teachers were notified in early June). “It is a significant loss, but because it is a retirement fund, I don’t really feel it yet,” he said. Kim said he is grateful for the financial team’s updates to faculty throughout the pandemic, but conceded that there is still some confusion amongst teachers. “I know we won’t know exactly where everything goes, but at the same time, people are a little bit con-
cerned about how everything is being allocated,” Kim said. “Sometimes I feel hesitant to approach administrators because they’re working so hard and it’s a very sensitive and tiresome topic.”
“
Sometimes we have to proceed with the limited information we have, and trust that the decision will prove to be best, and that it will serve us well over time.” - Ed Biddle, Chief Financial Officer
The National Institute of Pension Administrators (NIPA) indicates strict notice deadlines for a school’s
retirement plan in order for it to be compliant with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Because of the immediacy of the pandemic and the impending deadline, Biddle said the School had very little time in which to make this important decision. “There are some things that you just can’t Harkness within the broad Masters Community. That may sound like a tough message, but in a really time sensitive, intense process, sometimes we have to proceed with the limited information we have, and trust that the decision will prove to be best, and that it will serve us well over time.” However, he said he regrets not providing more context and training to employees who were grappling with the reality that the employer contributions to their retirement plans had been halted early on in the pandemic.
After the Great Recession, Jim Pugh (above), an interim CFO at independent schools, analyzed the effects of the 2008-2009 recession at four independent schools across the nation in a comprehensive report for the National Association of Independent Schools. Pugh’s report concluded with 12 takeaways (below) from the last major economic crisis, which guided Masters’ response to the coronavirus since it arrived in New York a year ago.
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The school’s top priority during the pandemic has been preserving the academic program, regardless of cost.
During the recession, Pugh Masters assembled a finance reports that each school COVID-19 task force that in his study determined timeframes for planning and engaged in conversation before implementation of changes. making decisions for the school.
THE SCHOOL’S ENDOWMENT CURRENTLY stands at $65 million, and it’s net endowment is $35 million, because the school is $29 million in debt and there is an annual draw from the endowment of 4% of a five-year rolling average that is put into the school’s operating budget. This is a significant improvement from 2015, when the endowment was $30 million and the net endowment was negative $2 million. Biddle said contributions to the endowment have not been impacted by the pandemic because it is made up mainly of “major gifts”, not small annual donations.
GALA, MASTERS FUND AND STUDENT ACCESS FUND
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uition has increased this year – $51,500 for day students, a trend that is in step with colleges and universities across the country – Forbes reported in August that 34% of universities indicated that their fall 2020 tuition was the same as it was last year, while tuition was higher than last year at 62% of the schools and lower at only 4%. Biddle explained why. “The costs that are associated with running a college or a university with Covid, or even just operating your school online are the same, if not more than when you have people in person.” He continued, “Colleges and universities are not charging their students boarding costs like dormitory and food service; we’re not doing that either. But the cost of the educational content that students are receiving has not gone down, and the money that was ‘saved’ has had to be reinvested in the program in order to bring the students back this fall.” Boarding families paid the day student tuition rate beginning when school went online, up until recently when boarders returned to the dorms (boarders who have chosen to remain at home continue to pay reduced tuition). This has cost the school approximately $1.5 million in revenue, Biddle said.
Administrators doors are always open for teachers to ask questions, according to FAC Chair Hank Kim.
ISAAC CASS
PARENTS, FACULTY AND OTHER guests gather at the 2017 gala, the most recent one held at Masters. The event raised approximately $800,000 and the theme was centered around sustainability. The event also featured performances from student groups such as Dobbs 16 and the Upper School String Ensemble.
giving $5 to faculty making gifts, to families who gave $20,000. It was really heartening to see.” Biddle is proud of how Ryan and others on the advancement team shifted their efforts after the gala cancelation. “They saw what was happening, and they very quickly pivoted. Rather than feeling bad for us, they rallied the community around raising money for the Student Access Fund, which was very successful. Ryan said that Masters finished the 2019-2020 fiscal year having raised $2,361,582 through the Annual Fund and Student Access Fund combined – just $98,418 shy of the school’s $2,460,000 Annual Fund goal.
Biddle presents to Masters faculty annually during Opening Days and updates faculty on important topics throughout the year.
Masters uses a five-year model. The annual endowment draw is 5% of a five-year rolling average.
The school hired more faculty to support the return to in-person learning in October.
Masters’ employee pensions were halted this year, affecting each employee proportionately to their annual salary.
The school begain and completed the Masters Hall library renovations during the pandemic.
Pugh told Tower, “COVID-19 has resulted in fundamental changes Biddle said he ensured con- The school prioritized families in independent schools, some of fidence by communicating through the Student Access which are going to stick around and executing the neccesary Fund, which raised over steps to support the program. after the pandemic.” $550,000.
DEBATING A STIMULUS LOAN
A
s a non-for-profit, the school did apply for a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), but ultimately decided against accepting it. The PPP is a $953 billion program established in 2020 by the federal government and designed to aid businesses in keeping their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis. In the early months of the pandemic, the criteria as to who was eligible for a PPP loan was unclear and the process was disorganized. The first pot of stimulus ran out in just 13 days, and while the PPP was designed for businesses with 500 employees or less, large corporations and organizations like Shake Shack and the Los Angeles Lakers received checks (they later returned the money). Several New York City independent schools also received aid through the PPP. Poly Prep Country Day School, Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School and Packer Collegiate all got loans between $5 and $10 mil-
STAY TUNED: The next segment of this article – Masters pandemic spending from June-Sept. 2020 will be featured in the next issue of Tower.
lion. Biddle explained what informed Masters’ decision not to accept the loan. “It was a difficult decision. It was not a slam dunk. But it was our understanding that the program was really designed for organizations that could not maintain their current payroll.” He added, “There was a limited amount of money. It just did not feel right to accept this funding when mom and pop restaurants that could not be open at all could not access the program.” While there was strong media backlash against independent schools that did accept loans, Biddle defended them. “I feel bad for them, because quite frankly, there was very little guidance available at the time,” he said. “I’m aware of schools that would really have had to lay off a significant number of employees if they didn’t get their PPP loan.”
Article by TBN Producer Logan Schiciano Design by Logan Schiciano, Chief Design Editor Sophie Grand, and Web & Social Media Manager Kwynne Schlossman
8
FEATURES AND ARTS
TOWER/MARCH 8, 2021
MOVIES AND MUSIC: MEDIA REVIEWS Rose Island: the only rule is that there are no rules VIKTORIIA SOKOLENKO Contributing Writer
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n Rose Island, an anarchist engineer builds an island state with only one rule: there are no rules. In the spring of 1968, the news spread across the world: a free, independent island had been built outside of Italy’s territorial waters. It had a post office, language, citizens, and most importantly –– no rules. The thought of a place where you can do whatever you want attracted hundreds of young visitors and the attention of Italian authorities, ultimately leading to a conflict between Giorgio Rosa, the engineer who built the island, and the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs, who viewed the island as a threat. In 2020, this story became a premise for an Italian film, Rose Island, directed by Sydney Sibilia. It was released on Netflix on Dec. 9, 2020, and is almost two hours long. The film artfully balances slow-moving parts and touching emotional scenes. It offers fasci-
nating insight into the island’s composition and shows the island construction’s technical side beside the drama surrounding it. The viewer comes to know how Giorgio Rosa, alongside other engineers, managed to build the platform in the middle of the open sea and what shortcomings this platform had. Yet, if you are looking for a film that captures the atmosphere of 1968 Italy, Rose Island is probably not for you. It references several events of that time and a few songs from the 1960s play, but that’s all it can offer. The uniqueness of the characters is one of the strongest and, at the same time, one of the weakest aspects of the film. Giorgio Rosa, an extraordinary dreamer from a family who wants him to become normal, is accompanied by an engineer who got fed up with working for his father, a pregnant bartender, a castaway, and a German promoter who lost his citizenship. However, this is almost all that the viewer learns about these characters during the whole film. Even the motivation of the main character, “the prince of anarchists,” for becoming an anarchist could have been covered more. The same applies to other things in this film: themes, use of setting, plot. Each had great potential, but could have been
done much stronger. For example, it is not clear in the film what makes this independent, free island different from Italy or any other country and, thus, why it is worth fighting for. The only aspect of the “no rules” policy that the characters seem to use is an exemption from taxes. Although Rose Island issues passports, has a government, and a few permanent citizens, it seems to be little more than a bar with the ambition to become a shelter for people worldwide. The idea of a “place with no rules” is refreshing as it has not been explored much in cinematography yet. If a land has no laws, can it be called a state? If it is a free state with no rules, should activity that is illegal in other countries be allowed there? The film touches upon these topics very abruptly. The island existed for only 55 days, so it makes sense that the creators did not have time to care about those questions, especially since they had much more crucial problems to worry about. Overall, the film achieves its goal: to tell the viewer the island’s story from its creation to destruction and show the struggle between the Italian government and Giorgio Rosa. It is a good fit for those who want to see an original uplifting story based on real events.
KWYNNE SCHLOSSMAN/TOWER
THE 2020 FILM “ROSE Island,” streaming on Netflix, recounts the true story of Giorgio Rosa and the tiny nation, called the Republic of Rose Island, he founded in 1968 off the coast of Italy.
Taylor Swift releases two surprise albums as “sister records” AURORA HORN Contributing Writer
JANA BEAMER/FLICKR
TAYLOR SWIFT ON HER 2013 RED tour. Swift released two surprise albums in 2020, “Folklore” and “Evermore” have been very popular, both with Swift fans and ‘skeptics.’ Now, Swift has released nine full studio albums since 2006.
Taylor Swift’s two surprise albums that she released in 2020, Folklore and Evermore, are loved by fans and critics alike. Variety News called Evermore Swift’s “second great album of 2020”. The first of these albums, Folklore, was released in July. In stark contrast to its predecessor, Lover, the Folklore album has a more folksy atmosphere to it as the name would suggest. Cardigan, August and Betty, the second, eighth and twelfth tracks on the album, respectively, are all different chapters of the same story, a romance between highschoolers Betty and James. Cardigan is from Betty’s perspective, 20-30 years later; August is about a summer fling James had; and Betty is James’ apology to Betty. The parallels between the three songs create a feeling of unity and connection. For example, the lyric “She pulled up like a figment of my worst intentions/ She said,
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‘James, get in, let’s drive.’” from Betty is a callback to the lyric, “Remember when I pulled up and said ‘Get in the car’” from August. My personal favorite track on the album is Invisible String, about Swift’s relationship with her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, and all the little things that tied them together before they even met. The poetic lyrics combined with Swift’s soulful voice and the peaceful music is calming to me. “Isn’t it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?” gets me every time. Folklore was nominated for numerous Grammys, including Album of the Year, Song Of The Year for Cardigan, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Solo Performance for Cardigan and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance of Exile, which featured Bon Iver. All of these were definitely deserved. Five months after Folklore’s initial release, Swift released Evermore, its sister album. As expected of sister albums, Evermore and Folklore have a very similar vibe; that folksy feeling transports you to the middle of the woods on a moonlit evening. My favorite lyric from Evermore is, “My
mind turns your life into folklore,” from the third track, Gold Rush. The lyric refers to how when you like someone, you romanticize every aspect of them, making them seem almost mythical. I love her choice of the word “folklore,” too, as it’s a callback to Swift’s last album. Every single song on Evermore, to use unprofessional language, slaps. That being said, one song that’s always stood out to me would have to be Marjorie, the thirteenth track. Marjorie is about Marjorie Finlay, Swift’s maternal grandmother, and even features backing vocals from Finlay. The song’s so emotionally charged, and I can tell just how much Swift misses her grandmother. Folklore is a masterpiece, as is its sister. The lyrics, the sound, the production, the everything. Each song has its own story, but the individual stories work together to create a cohesive piece with a unified feel. I couldn’t be more grateful that artists are still doing their artist thing, even in times when almost nothing else is constant. My heart goes out to Swift and all those who helped her create the albums.
TOWER/MARCH 8, 2021
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OP-ED
Burden of race Remote flexibility should apply conversations can’t be to boarders CAROL QUEIROZ Copy Editor and Advertising Manager
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have days where I feel as though my school work is slowly becoming too much to handle. I have days where I can’t stop fearing for my older relatives and my family as the COVID-19 death toll rises. There were even days as I returned to campus where I was scared of being surrounded by so many people again due to Covid. But as a day student, I have had a crutch that I have had the option to lean on: the ability to take a remote day. I, along with the day student population at Masters, can work with the attendance coordination team to acquire remote days if my family decides it is necessary or issues such as health problems arise. However, as the boarding students returned to the campus dorms, it has been made clear that this flexibility to go into school or to stay remote is exclusively for day students. Boarding students are required to be in-person for classes and may not choose to take a remote learning day, a policy which is, simply, not fair. On Saturday Feb. 6, campus dorms were re-opened for the first time in nearly a year with self-selected boarding students from all grade levels returning. Upon arrival with one negative COVID-19 test, a quarantine was immediately put in place while second test results were pending. For many boarders, the expectation was to return to in-person classes the following week. However, five days later, on Thursday, Feb. 11, negative test results came back, and students returned to in-person classes that Friday. Many asked to have one more day of remote learning from their dorms, as they felt unprepared to face the in-person learning environment, but were denied the requests and informed that participating in classes virtually is no longer an option. This, for numerous boarding students, was when the reality of the school’s remote day policy sunk in.
Senior Ayla Gonzalez-Koehne, one of the returning to boarding was to be able for 33 borders to return back to campus, recalls them to attend school in-person. The rethe effect the news left on her dormmates. quirement is to be in-person. That being “It caused a mass hysteria in the dorms. said, if anyone is struggling with mental/ On Friday morning, it was like we were physical health issues, they can report to all having a shared anxiety attack.” the health center and be supported there.” As the school becomes more flexible for It is true that many borders returned day students with the remote learning pol- to campus to finally go back to in-person icy, the same flexibility should be recip- classes, however for some, there is more rocated for boarders alike. After so long depth in the reasoning for returning to away from campus, returning to school campus. Gonzalez-Koehne describes amidst a pandemic, constantly surround- boarding at Masters as “an escape” for ed by people, is overwhelming. There- many from financially insecure or othfore, virtual learning days pose a number er anxiety-inducing situations at home, of benefits, including helping to adapt and said it was an “inconsiderate point of and ease into a new learning environment, view,” to assume all boarding students only reducing emotional and mental pres- returned to be physically going to school. sure and less stress about school overall. Now more than ever, looking after the However, Director of Residential Life mental health of students is imperative Dena Torino voiced a different side on the as uncertainty and fear seems to lurk matter, stating that one of the main reasons around every corner. And while there the administration worked to open the are other mental health support sysdorms was so students can have the ben- tems available on campus, occasional efits of being in-person with their peers remote days can support every student and teachers, and therefore, boarding when they want to attend class, but need students on campus should be going into a break from the fast-paced school day. in-person classes at every opportunity. Torino said she does not foresee the policy “To move onto a school campus to sit to allow boarders to be remote changing, and in your dorm and go to school remotely Carnevale stated this policy is set in stone. is simply not why we opened the dorms.” Torino said, “You’re here to go to school in-person. The boarding students signed up to be boarders, we want students to feel as at home as they can, but this is not the same as being at home, and there are inherent differences.” Dean of Students Jeff Carnevale reflected the same thoughts. ARIELLA URIBE “It’s important to SENIOR SOPHIE NEALE ATTENDS an online class on note that for day stu- March 3, a day of required remote classes for the Upper dents, being remote is School. While day students are allowed to attend classa family decision. For es remotely any day of the year, boarding students are boarders, the goal of forced to attend school in-person.
We must pop Masters’ liberal bubble LOGAN SCHICIANO Producer, TBN
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t this point, it’s almost cliche. Masters is a “liberal bubble.” It’s a term that’s thrown around so casually in conversation it’s almost lost its meaning. But have you ever wondered why we call it a liberal bubble, not a liberal wall, or a liberal cage? Because it’s meant to be popped. It shouldn’t be too difficult. But at Masters, we’re not even trying. This community says they care about all voices and promote diversity of thought, but too often we don’t do that when it comes to political thought. People in this community aren’t listening and they’re creating a toxic environment that makes it hard for those with dissenting viewpoints to speak their mind. Something needs to change. In January, one of my teachers told my class that, had there not been a deadly insurrection on Capitol Hill the day before, “we” would have been able to celebrate the election of two Democratic senators from Georgia. If I had happened to be a Republican devastated by the Georgia election results, I would not have felt comfortable challenging my teacher’s assumption after they already established the collective viewpoint that “we” all supported Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. A student in another one of my classes claimed that all Trump supporters are unkind, uneducated and not good people. This statement leaves the impression that this person can’t possibly care about one of their classmates, whose dad, the person she loves the most in her life, is a Trump supporter. This student openly shared this about her father, and also made it clear that she herself is not a Trump supporter - yet she was still labeled “privileged” by classmates for backing her family member. But let’s step back. There’s another privilege that students at Masters need to recognize. Regardless of whether you pay full tuition, or have a full scholarship, Masters students are receiving one of the best high school educations in the nation. Students here have a forum to discuss the complexities of topics such as race, gender and religion, but we are too often blind to a large portion of Americans whose situations do not provide them the capacity to prioritize these issues. Take the farmer in rural Nebraska who supports Trump’s trade policies because she feels they will help her make a larger profit and ultimately afford to pay her rent. Or the mom and pop business owners in Vermont who favor Trump because he pushed a faster Covid reopening which allowed them to keep their business afloat. These people, and so many others are fighting for survival, and
for them, choosing who to vote for is simple: whoever they believe will support them the most financially. Students making broad allegations about Trump supporters imply that they do not care about understanding these voices – the unique and varied voices of the 75 million individuals who supported the former president in the last election. I tried to amplify the voices of conservative-thinking Masters students in interview panels leading up to the election. But time and time again, these individuals declined my interviews. Every time, the reason was the same: “I’m sorry, I just don’t feel comfortable.” Do you ever wonder why we’re so divided? Yes, a lot of it is because of the former president – his rhetoric, policies and embrace of lies and conspiracies. But some of the blame should go on us. We’re settling for political division because we refuse to take the time to hear and consider the other side. Masters is a liberal bubble. But the world is not. And while political intolerance may fly at a school where it is not only enabled, but defended, it will not be received in the same fashion in other walks of life. Masters needs to do a better job preparing students for this reality, and preparing its teachers to properly address moments of political tension in classrooms. The school should utilize faculty professional development to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion training with regard to
political thought and opinion. If the school intends to continue encouraging teachers to facilitate political conversations (as was done leading up to the 2020 Presidential election and following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots), then there needs to be a concerted effort by faculty to own their biases and unpack provocative comments that may be uninformed or hurtful to other community members. If you read newspapers, follow the lead of the seniors in Political Science this year who are reading both the more liberal New York Times and the more conservative Wall Street Journal. Those who watch the evening news should consider bouncing back and forth between feuding networks like CNN and Fox News. Listen to what each anchor says. Observe the stories they cover, how they frame their narratives, and the guests they bring on. You won’t agree with it all, but at least you’ve taken the time to consider it. Just as the school dedicates time to social justice issues on MLK Day, and religion and spirituality during Matters of Spirit, there should be a concerted effort to educate the community on the political system and a wide-ranging spectrum of views. The school should hold workshops or welcome guests who can speak to the issues of political intolerance and guide the community towards healing and a broader understanding of the complexity of the issues facing us today.
DOSI WEED/TOWER
placed on Black people LANCE LEYS Accountability & Accuracy Manager TBN Associate Producer
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ver the past few months, I’ve been using Discord servers for an additional dose of social interaction besides texting my friends and chatting with my family. Most of these servers are fandom spaces, dedicated to various forms of entertainment. It’s usually nice to spend some time on them, making friends out of strangers and rambling on with some inane nonsense. But inevitably, I get into an argument with someone where I am forced to explain the actions of every member of my race. This most recently happened a few weeks ago, but it’s clear as day in my mind. In a server of about 30 people that I had been in for a month at that point, I offhandedly mentioned that I was Black. A few people responded with surprise, which made me cringe at their assumption of whiteness, but it was otherwise unnoteworthy. A minute later, however, someone made a snarky comment about the Black Lives Matter movement, which wasn’t even close to what the conversation had turned to. From there, we got into an argument on the topic. It wasn’t particularly nasty; I only had to clear up some of their own confusion regarding the totality and lack of inclusion that they feel is inherent to the phrase, “Black Lives Matter.” Still, it wasn’t a pleasant experience, since I was dragged into an argument I didn’t want to have. I know that I could choose not to engage with the people who have these kinds of reactions, either by ignoring their bait or openly rejecting it, but that would likely only breed resentment. While I wish that Black people weren’t expected to educate
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other people on the basis of their race, it would be foolhardy of me to refuse that role. If I were to just shut them down entirely, it would only lead to a lack of satisfaction in the other party, which itself leaves room for vile thoughts to grow; in the most extreme scenarios, they might believe that me turning them down means every Black person they try to talk to will also decline them, and therefore any attempts to get a point of view outside their own bubble is useless. Even in milder situations, refusing to engage with them only pushes the responsibility into someone else’s hands. It wouldn’t be an act of true rebellion, only lethargy. For those who often find themselves educating others even through discomfort, I ask that you keep up the good work––but make sure not to overstretch yourself. There is a difference between explaining why you don’t feel comfortable answering a question and simply declining any efforts to answer them, and properly exercising the former is more productive than the latter. Also, learn to avoid arguments from a place of bad faith; with people who intend not to listen, but instead who intend to fight and cause a ruckus. Those kinds of debates only serve to build stress, and there’s enough of that these days. For those who have questions about the lives and perspectives of other people, don’t view this as my saying you shouldn’t want them answered. It’s perfectly reasonable to do so; I am not the most worldly person, so whenever I come across someone who has an experience unique from my own, I often want to find out more about it. But you should also recognize that someone sharing something about themselves is not always an open invitation for questions about it.
You should recognize that someone sharing something about themselves is not an open invitation for questions about it.
INSIDE THE HERRICK ROOM
Looking ahead: new ideas for new proposals Russell Wohl
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his month in Executive Committee, the Academic Transparency Proposal passed and will now go on to Academic Committee, composed of department heads and administrators, to be finalized. While no other proposal was brought to the table this month, there were multiple ideas raised for future bills. First is co-curriculars: before the pandemic, all ninth and tenth grade students were required to attend four days of activities while upperclassmen were required to attend three. Modifying the current system we have has been in the question for many years, such as possibly changing the requirements or allowing for the addition of certain co-curriculars such as independent study, activities not associated with Masters, or more community service options. I believe a change to co-curriculars, in the way we see and do them, is long overdue, and I would love to see a fresh proposal with exciting new ideas to change the system for the better. Next is about the boarding community. For day students, there is always
the option to go to school remotely (assuming one is normally in person). This could be for a multiplicity of reasons, from COVID to mental health to just sleeping in. However, for on-campus boarding students, there does not exist this choice. A future proposal could possibly extend that choice to boarders and allow them to attend classes from their dorm rooms during a normal school day. I personally think this a great idea — borders should be granted the same flexibility as day students. Lastly is another COVID-related idea: should seniors be allowed to go off campus? In a normal year, the answer would be “yes,” but this privilege (along with many others) has been stripped due to the pandemic. Though as a senior myself I am biased, I believe that this privilege should be restored. Throughout this school year, many seniors, including myself, have felt disappointed and robbed of our last year of high school, and it is affecting our morale. Hopefully these ideas will manifest themselves in new proposals very soon.
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FEATURES AND ARTS
TOWER/MARCH 8, 2021
George Chang launches political speech platform Colleen Roche echoed Israel’s statement sus have the opportunity to see the issue over a month old, Chang already has exten- adamant about increasing overall usage. At about creating a climate for open discus- from a different perspective. sive plans detailing the future of his proj- the moment, though the website has not ETHAN SCHLAPP sions. Although Roche herself is not a web“One of the things that we teach in the ect, including the installation of a feature had any posts since the first couple weeks site user, she spoke to the general impor- History and Religion Department is to al- that would allow users to post anonymously following its launch, the platform boasts Sports Lead Editor tance of allowing all viewpoints to be heard ways look at your sources and always seek in the near future. about 30 members and receives about 20 in political conversations. out multiple sources on any given event,” “It would just reinforce the idea of the visits per day. However, Chang wants to Like teenagers around the world this past “I think it’s important for both the she said. “So don’t just read things that you website, what the webup those numsummer, junior George Chang was just anoth- speaker and the listener. It’s important for agree with, but check out sources of infor- site is founded upon: to bers, especially er bored high-schooler stuck inside his room the speaker because everyone should feel mation that may be different for you.” attack the idea, not the through Instain Taichung City, Taiwan. As the coronavirus free to express their opinion on political Just as Roche attempts to remain neu- person,” he said. In othgram. continued to cause global mayhem and culti- topics–that’s the essence of democracy,” tral when teaching her class, Chang wants er words, an anonymous “I just want vate an increasingly divisive political atmo- she said. “Second, I think it’s important to act as a nonpartisan moderator for all feature would focus the to keep expandsphere, Chang decided it for the listeners to hear topics discussed on his website. These attention away from the ing and [I] hope was time for a change; he opposing views as well, topics include material ranging from the person who stated their to reach a bigger wanted to do something because if you only ever COVID-19 pandemic to climate change opinion and instead audience, beproductive in a time of hear people who agree to gun control. Once signed up, users can more on the beliefs exyond the Masters Perhaps the hate unproductiveness, and in with you all the time, choose which of these subtopics to speak pressed. community.” He comes from misunder- then you don’t have any about before posting their own statement doing so, bring people of Chang noted that added, “I hope different viewpoints toor a reply to someone else’s thoughts. though he is currently that Masters is a standing–you don’t really new ideas.” -Colleen Roche, History gether. This is the story In the classroom, Though Chang relies on the community unable to implement the community that know why people support of SpeakSquare. Roche said she remains to follow the values of his website, he also anonymous feature due would embrace Teacher their views.” Having noticed a committed to allowing understands that not all users may respect to technological issues, this project and rise in political interstudents of all opinions those values of peaceful debate. In the he does hope to institute be the starting - George Chang ‘22 est amongst teenagers to share their viewpoints event of hate speech or abusive comments it in the near future. He crowd in a way.” due to the recent U.S. and tries to refrain from and replies, Chang has set up his system to also stated that as the owner of the website, To start, Chang created an Instagram acpresidential election, inserting her own opin- censor certain words so that they appear as he would continue to have the name and count for his website, and one of Chang’s Chang believed now to be the perfect time ions into discussions. She added that she asterisks. Also, though users of the website email of participants in case a user posted a friends has helped promote his platform on to finish and unveil his project. And so on will often play devil’s advocate in discus- are not able to see the personal information hateful or verbally explicit messages. their personal Instagram account. Jan. 30, after collaborating with others sions so that those with differing view- of other participants, Chang as the owner On top of the anonymous From the feedback he has received, before choosing to fly solo with this proj- points on a topic feel encouraged to speak possesses the name and email of each f e a t u r e , Chang is Chang plans to make even more additions ect, Chang’s vision finally became a reality up and those who adhere user in case a user posts offento his developing website, such as broadwith the launch of SpeakSquare, a platform to the general consensive comments or replies. ening the range of discussion topics, crededicated to rethinking political debate as Although the webating a community agreement and terms of solely a free exchange of ideas. To Chang, site is only a little service for users, and possibly constructing political debate can often become heated, a space where users and Chang himself can causing conversation to move away from post articles they have read. policy and instead shift toward hostility Though balancing school work has and spewing insults. SpeakSquare aims to made it difficult for Chang to put all of his eliminate that personal conflict from polittime into SpeakSquare, he remains dediical discourse. cated to the platform. In the future, Chang “It’s really hard to [have] peaceful politenvisions his platform as a company, with ical discussions, even among families. And a handful of people helping him moderate I found that a little troubling because I feel and run the website as it expands. Despite like it’s something that we can discuss. Perthe fact that many of his goals lie in the fuhaps the hate comes from misunderstandture, he doesn’t want his message to lose ing––you don’t really know why people its present importance. He remains comsupport their views,” he said. “So, I wanted mitted to fostering a culture where all voicto create this website to create more underes can be heard and where people can chalstanding and to have people explain their lenge the idea and not the person. From the ideas and have people willing to listen to moment you first visit the website, Chang others.” makes that aim clear. Junior Ryan Israel also spoke about the Chang said, “There’s a quote I put on importance of having open––and peacethe very first welcoming page: ‘I don’t like ful––political discussions. that man. I must get to know him better.’ “If you don’t [listen to other opinions], It’s by Abraham Lincoln.” then it’s just an echo chamber,” Israel ELLA TANG/TOWER said. “And that’s not a good thing.” IsraDISCLAIMER: George Chang is a el has posted and replied several times on JUNIOR GEORGE CHANG HAS created a public political platform online in hopes of starting bipartisan conversations member of the 2020-21 Tower staff. that he said seem to be few and far between nowadays. The website has only been up and running for about a month, but SpeakSquare. has already received several posts and discussion from members of the Masters community and elsewhere. Upper School Political Science teacher
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Don’t just read things that you agree with, but check out sources of information that may be different for you.”
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A year into the pandemic, tech department soldiers on ANDREW MITCHELL Sports Editor
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e became a call center overnight. We pivoted from supporting 1000 users to supporting over 4000, globally and in a matter of hours,” Director of Technology Bhavin Patel said. With the transition from in-person to online learning in March of last year, the entire Masters community became completely reliant on screens. Screens that can glitch out. Screens that require various softwares and programs downloaded onto them. Screens that often prove frustratingly problematic, especially for those who aren’t the most “tech savvy”. Within a matter of weeks, the technology department became tasked with navigating all of these issues. Issues that have not slowed down in almost a year. Patel said, “It doesn’t really stop. We’re kind of on call all the time. Obviously for sanity purposes, we say we try not to help anyone out after 5 p.m., just because we also need that break.” From parents to students to teachers, the technology department has become responsible for helping all of these individuals navigate online learning and the technological obstacles that come with it. Junior Daniela Batista went to the technology department to fix a problem stemming from the wear and tear that online school had on her computer. “[The technician] brought out this bag of wires and a screwdriver and took apart my computer. He started plugging and connecting wires. It was insane. He kind of just kind of rebuilt my laptop. It was crazy,” Batista said. “He was super patient and super helpful,” Batista continued. “He really cared about fixing my issue and made sure that it was resolved as quickly as possible; despite all of the other things he had to do, I felt like his priority.” English teacher Lisa Green echoed the same sentiment. “When I have an issue with tech during class, I send an email to Help Desk, and within seconds someone appears at my door and deals with it, which is really, really amazing. I’m sure that there are a lot
of schools out there where students and teachers feel like they’re on their own. We’re so lucky that we have this kind of support,” Green said. Beyond the student and teacher assistance, the technology department was initially tasked with figuring out the logistics of hybrid learning. Patel explained that many schools have combatted hybrid learning by introducing an overwhelming amount of technology. “I believe that technology should be used to enhance the classroom teaching and learning experience. When it starts to take away from that experience, you have to reevaluate the tools that you are using, and question why you are using those specific tools. It is a matter of using the right tool for the job,” Patel said. Patel explained that by introducing all of these new technologies, schools are exposing teachers and their classrooms to many “points of failure.” When there is a lot of technology that a teacher needs to adapt to and use, there is a greater risk of error. “In theory this technology is great, but then you need someone to operate it all. What happens when one of those things needs to be rebooted? What happens when one of the microphones isn’t working? Now you’re turning the teacher right into a tech support troubleshooter,” Patel said. “Points of failure” has been a term that has guided Masters’ technological approach to hybrid learning this year. The aim has been to use devices in the classroom that teachers can use without extensive training, while cultivating a similar classroom environment to previous years, because once the classroom technology is no longer functional, the technology is taking away from the educational experience, Patel explained. “Classroom support, in-person or virtual, is and will remain our number one priority above anything else that the Technology Department does. If a class is being interrupted due to a technical issue, our response is to drop everything and resolve it, unless the data center is on fire,” Patel said. However, hands-on classroom fixes are nt always conceivable during the school day with students in the classrooms. Many members of the technology department have been working close to seven day
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They’ve rarely had a day off. Along with most of the Operations team, the Technology Department has been here on campus, in person, basically every day since June.” - Bhavin Patel, Director of Technology
weeks just to make the classroom environment functional. Patel applauded the efforts of the rest
of the department: “They’ve rarely had a day off. Along with most of the Operations team, the Technology Department has
been here on campus, in person basically every day since June.” Patel reflected upon how the technology department has evolved over the last few years. Eight years ago, the department consisted of just Patel and Director of Operations Daniel Pereira; now, the department has nearly tripled in size. Patel explained that had Masters been faced with the pandemic years earlier, the technology department could never have imagined tackling the job at hand. Even now, Patel jokingly said, “We could use ten people, but five will have to do for now.”
LOGAN SCHICIANO/TOWER
HELPDESK TECHNICIAN NEIL O’SULLIVAN tackles a technological problem in the Tower lab. Masters’ tech department has had to deal with a lot more work, both in-person and remote, since the pandemic began and classes shifted online. In addition to Patel and O-Sullivan, Alex Harper, Ryan Levin and Anthony Keaveney make up the rest of the IT crew.
TOWER/MARCH 8, 2021
SPORTS
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Behind-the-scenes: communication on athletic regulations public school athletics. Masters has been instructed by the state and leagues Contributing Writer to take the guidance that NYSPHSAA is providing and use it as a basis for athasters, along with many letic protocols at the school. Masters other academic institu- receives weekly updates from local AD tions, has had to adapt its associations along with press releases athletic programs signifi- and updates that NYSPHSAA publishes. cantly as the pandemic has continued. Masters’ Head Athletic Trainer Kalya Guidelines for what can be deemed safe Medina said, “It’s the same thing with have been passed down from New York athletics that have gone on throughout State to individual schools. The state has the pandemic. New information comes determined the protocols and the schools up regularly: things change and things have had to shape their programs in line shift.” with the requirements. Due to the large number of schools in The communication regarding regulations New York State, the information given begins with conversations between The New by the state is typically general, rather York Public High than school-speSchool Association cific. This has (NYSPHSA) and often left the ingovernor Andrew terpretation of Cuomo’s health the guidelines to It’s the same thing with advisory team. In the schools themathletics that have gone on these talks, difselves, which can ferent sports are be a challenging throughout the pandemic. New determined to be process. information comes upregularly: high, medium and “The initial part low risk. In turn, was just trying things change and things shift. to figure out and these conversations are reported consolidate all the down to the local information to - Kayla Medina, Head Athletic Athletic Directors find what best fit Trainer of leagues that what we were able Masters is in, who to do as a school,” then inform the Medina said. schools about what is or is not allowed. As information and guidelines are Masters’ Athletic Director Logan Con- gathered, decisions are made internaldon said, “The reality is the state has dic- ly. “We take the information we get and tated a lot of what we can and cannot do.” then go to our health advisory team A major source of the regulations for and present what we can and cannot do individual sports come from NYSPH- [from the state’s guidance], and we get SA’s frequent press releases. NYSPHSA their take on it,” Condon said. He conis New York’s governing body for most tinued, “In the fall, the state gave the
NOAH KASSELL-YUNG
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Crossword
KWYNNE SCHLOSSMAN/TOWER
STEPHON MARBURY II PREPARES for a three-point shot during boys’ varsity basketball practice. Students play with masks on to ensure their saftey and others. Toward the end of the season, the team was able to scrimage in keeping with proper regulations. guidance to be able to play interscholastic [games]. In one example, the state gave the school permission to play without masks if the athlete was struggling to breathe and participate with them on. Since Masters’ COVID-19 community agreement prohibits any lack of mask-wearing on campus, Condon declined the permission. On Jan. 22, Cuomo announced that individual districts in New York State could determine if high-risk sports were allowed as of Feb. 1. The state granted individual districts the ability to determine if competitive sports were allowed. The districts passed that ability down to individual schools to make the decisions for themselves. “The state wanted to give more control to the schools to have the ability to adapt to
what other schools are doing,” Condon said. “I am very grateful for our leagues and fellow ADs for being very transparent and being a group of individuals who are sharing any information we get.” Contrary to Masters, public and Catholic schools have varied in their regulations, as many are running fullsquad practices and some others are holding competitive games with other schools. Looking towards the spring, the state’ shift in guidelines this winter has allowed there to be discussions regarding spring sports taking place. “[The state’s] recent clarification on high-risk sports has opened up the door, but we are still waiting for sport-specific guidance,” Condon said.
Created by Andrew Mitchell ACROSS
1. Trail mix alias 5. Clean with a 27-down 10. Holey shoe 14. ____ 51 (mysterious Nevada location) 15. Partner of “effect” 16. Nevada gambling hotspot 17. Grim look 18. British bums 19. Consumes 20. *Get hit by Cupid’s arrow, literally 22. Brewing vessel 24. Where a clothing label may itch 25. Word alternative 26. Doles out 29. “Well, while we are here...” literally 33. Name of 18 French kings 34. Quick guest appearance 35. “Yikes!” 36. One of the 10 leapers, in carol 37. Moved like goo 38. As one is closed, another is opened 39. Home for jaguars, bengals, and broncos 40. Zodiac sign represented by a ram 41. Rodeo rope 42. *How a couple may walk, literally 44. Shiny fabric for a gown 45. Big name in elevators 46. Trumpet muffler
Need help with the crossword? Scan the QR code below to find a printable puzzle, answer key and theme explanation.
those changes that [the state] was wanting to have in place,” Medina said. With this new guidance, Masters started to make adjustments to what the protocols were for the winter sports. For basketball, the practices changed from individual workouts to being allowed to share basketballs and have a degree of contact involved. Although schools are allowed to individually determine what they believe is safe, Masters remains in contact with other independent schools in the area such as The Hackley School, Rye Country Day School, Riverdale Country School, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Horace Mann School and other independent schools in Connecticut. “We are fully in alignment with [these] independent schools. We are constantly in contact within our leagues to discuss
47. Non-fertile 50. *Consider, literally 54. Neon sign in a movie theater 55. Church cries 57. Wild hog 58. Fitzgerald of jazz 59. Go _____ (disobey the status quo) 60. Pear-shaped string instrument 61. They may be overpriced at a concert 62. Cause of an uprising? 63. Marked the spot?
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1. Impudent behavior 2. Cookies n’ cream cookie 3. Anemone home 4. Constantly checking over one’s shoulder, maybe 5. Dandruff locales 6. Serve, as a Thanksgiving turkey 7. Deceiving ploy 8. Take advantage of 9. Bequeathed 10. Fold in origami 11. Harvest 12. “I’m ____ you!” 13. 25 cents, for a gumball 21. Important muscles for rowers, for short 23. Sound rebound
25. Notable part of a Jerusalem skyline 26. God, in the Quran 27. Fluffy shower sponge 28. “Addams Family” butler (or the way he walks) 29. Demolished 30. Knot for a 41-across 31. Animal who’s plural and singular are the same 32. Zac of “High School Musical” 34. Trademarks 37. Standard 38. Worthy of being courted 40. First chip in the pot 41. Like a belated birthday wish 43. Major arteries 44. Smaller part 46. ( – ) 47. Vegetable that may stain one’s hands red 48. Wheel connector 49. Tick off 50. Jumbo 51. Butter and flour mixture used in sauce 52. ____ the Great (literary child detective) 53. Scott of “Scott v. Stanford” (court case) 56. Eldest of “The Three Stooges” Want to submit a crossword to Tower? Contact andrew.mitchell@mastersny.org
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TOWER/DEC. 18, 2020
SPORTS
SportS
Competitive soccer: playing for the gain, not the love of the game is a part of the culture. Known as “o país do futebol” (“the country of soccer”), the KWYNNE SCHLOSSMAN passion for the sport is evident throughout the country, while in the United States the Web and Social motives for playing are intertwined with the Media Manager country’s obsession with success. I saw an obvious shift in the culture of started playing soccer when I was soccer once I started playing for a club four. From the time I first kicked team rather than my local neighborhood a ball, I fell in love with the sport team. Club soccer threatens to strangle all and its culture––it was my outlet. the joy out of the game; the staff is instructMy love for the sport was further ed to teach us to make the club better, not cultivated while playing on my town recre- to improve our technical skills or bond with ational team. Our group worked as a unit our team. This established from the getand we built the team go that the priority environment around of the team was to I saw an obvious shift in the culture do well individua collective love for soccer and through of soccer once I started playing for a club ally, not to build the connection we a healthy team dyteam rather than my local neighborhood held with our coach. namic, which is esI centered my life team.” sential to succeedaround soccer; it ing in the sport. - Kwynne Schlossman ‘22 influenced every In contrast, one decision I made and of my first experikept my goal in sight of one day playing at ences when playing on the Masters’ girls’ the next level––either in college or profes- soccer team was to build team dynamics sionally. through bonding exercises. In my club When I learned to play soccer, I was team, the bonding was left in the hands of playing for my team, not for myself. The players and was limited by our strict coach. culture of soccer is built around working The difference between these two teams’ as a member of a team. However, too of- success and work ethic was apparent, as ten these days, the team-oriented culture my highschool team communicated and of soccer in the United States has become worked together on the field, while a majorlost, as the sport has moved towards com- ity of the players on my club team fall into petition between individuals–even those on the category of being “ball-hogs” -- a term the same team–for opportunities outside of used to describe a player who purposely the game. Pressure from society to succeed does not pass the ball to their teammates, as an individual, whether in terms of col- hurting their team’s success by taking away lege placement or landing scholarships, has the team’s collaboration. removed the collaborative aspect from the My club soccer coach sat my team down sport that is built upon collaboration itself. this past weekend and asked us “why do Perhaps this is a particularly American you play?” The responses were discouragphenomenon. The competitiveness of col- ing, yet not surprising, as I found out that I lege culture and the hamster wheel of get- am one of only five players on my 22-playting into a good college, so you can get a er team who plays soccer because I love it. good job, so you can “be successful” trick- Most of my teammates are playing for their les down and affects every element of teen- own gain, not for the love of the sport or the age life in America, including youth soc- pride of being part of a team. cer. In other countries, it is easier to find The game of soccer I grew up loving people connecting to soccer because of feels threatened by this as the anti-team their love for the game and the community. dynamic continues to grow. Whilst my Such can be seen in Brazil, as Brazil soccer teammates and I compete onwards to see
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who will achieve our shared ultimate goal of playing in college, we grow farther apart because of the barrier between us and the gut feeling that we are all competing for the same thing––to play at the next level. The emphasis on individual competition doesn’t inspire a love of soccer for the
sake of the game. It emphasizes a cutthroat, competitive, ends-justify-the-means mentality––which is simply harmful to the sport. The dedication and spirit which I have for soccer is what inspires me and motivates me to continue to push myself to
compete––but just as important are the relationships I have formed. There must be a change in the culture of soccer, a return to the love of the sport purely for the love of it and a way to re-establish and inspire players to rediscover their love for the essence of the game.
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ELLIE YANG/TOWER
ALTHOUGH SOCCER IS A sport built on collaboration between teammates, individual incentives tend to take priority in a team setting. Schlossman believes players tend to become distracted by outside motives rather than play the game for enjoyment. At Masters, Schlossman finds that unlike her club team, her fellow teammates play for the fun in the game.
Club soccer tackles the challenges of COVID-19 ROWAN MCWHINNIE Features Editor
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t is common for athletes of all ages to join private sports clubs to help improve and advance their skills. However, there have been some complications to the 2020-2021 season. Private soccer clubs are organizations intended to further develop individual player’s as well as team’s skills so they can compete at the highest level.
With COVID-19 still maintaining a firm grip on day-to-day life, soccer clubs have managed to create a fun and impactful learning experience, even with the strict guidelines which have resulted from the pandemic. When the pandemic hit the United States in March, many clubs moved online and turned to platforms like Zoom and Google Meet to communicate and move forward with their work. Eastern Football Club (FC) is one of many that shifted from their usual outside practices to an online setting. Some coaches have taken advantage of this transition, creating a workspace that focuses on tactics, position work and team formation and position. Coach of the Eastern Girls 2004-2005 (the birth years of the age group of the players) teams and history teacher Brendon Barrios said, “We decided that we would continue to try to have the teams do some virtual classroom learning––things that we didn’t have the opportunity to do during the season.” Sophomore Lauren Marlowe and player on the Eastern Girls 2004 team said, “Since there was no outside communication (due to the lockdown) we were just stuck in our house, so having the hour to interact and work out was really fun.”
Though sometimes hav- ing too much of a good thing can be boring. New York State’s lockdown began during the start of March, which was when soccer clubs within the facility started training online. However, once it was lifted in early August, sports clubs were able to meet in person again and the safety measures were put in place to keep everyone covid-free.
Each player was required to wear a mask at all times, and boxes were drawn onto the field six feet apart, so that each athlete could practice in a socially-distanced manner, and temperature checks were done before a player could enter the field. Within the boxes coaches lead the players in footwork drills, fitness work, and tactical lessons. “It was better because we were outside and got to see people even though you were in these 10 by 10 boxes, but it got boring overtime. I wouldn’t want to do it again,” commented Marlowe. As time went on, and the strong fear of COVID-19 slowly went away, soccer clubs began letting their players take off their masks during practice, depending on the location; this only happened if the field (the players practiced on) approved Peter McWhinnie of players taking their masks off, if it was THE EASTERN FOOTBALL CLUB 2004 girls team defends a shot an indoor field masks were required. Howagainst SUSA Football Club in a game in Nov. 2020. The game, which ever, some parents and players made the was played as part of the SUNY Purchase Tournament, ended in a decision to not go to indoor practices even 1-1 draw. with the facial masks required. Marlowe said, “Even though we are and looking to get recruited by coaches. season. Because of this, colleges granted wearing masks, it’s a much tighter space, Identification Camps, also known as an extra year of eligibility for seniors, reand we are all much closer.” She contin- ID Camps, are sessions hosted either gardless of whether or not they had a 2020 ued, “I mean it sucks that I can’t go and by college coaches at their University or season. This means that there are going to play with my team because I love my team, by soccer organizations at a well known be less spots available for the upcoming but I want to be safe and keep my family field where college coaches are able to players and a harder time being recruited. safe.” attend and watch This puts Class of 21’ at a disadvanThough teams the players. Many tage. Most high school seniors athletes were able to play in highschool soc- are deciding to take a gap year to focus I mean it sucks that I can’t go person, regulations cer players attend on their skills and have a better chance to and play with my team because I love were still immense. these sessions to get on a good college team. Senior Franny Official matches and show the coaches Mann has dealt with the consequences first my team, but I want to be safe and tournaments were how they play/ hand. “A gap year would give me a year to keep my family safe.” initially cancelled their skill set and improve my skills and compete for a spot and teams were not hopefully stand in a little less competitive pool next year,” - Lauren Marlowe ‘23 allowed to travel or out and get re- Mann said. compete across state cruited or noticed Though COVID-19 continues to aflines. Competing by top colleges. fect society, soccer clubs have started competitively was out of the question. For many, Senior year is a time to reflect up games and tournaments again. Which This made acquiring game footage - video on the past three years spent at school and gives young athletes the opportunity to footage of the player during games to show a chance to do everything one last time. get back to work and continue on their college coaches their skills - nearly impos- Due to COVID-19 shutting down the soccer careers. sible and put a huge strain on high school fall sports seasons, many senior college juniors and seniors applying to college athletes were ripped away from their final
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