SUMMER 2020
From the Heart Mount Pleasant — The Heart of Westchester County
The Mount Pleasant Central School District Newsletter Volume 19 Issue 5
Bond Funded The district makes plans for several possibilities Work Continues
Can Schools Safely Reopen? Will students be in the classroom this fall? That’s the question on everyone’s mind as the summer quickly winds down. It’s the question that district administrators have been working around the clock to answer as they work to interpret the guidance documents issued from the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and State Education Department. As concerns over the community spread of Covid-19 continue to dominate the news, everyone is anxious to know what education will look like this year. Coming up with a plan that ensures the health and safety of the staff and students while providing a stimulating educational environment has been challenging due to the fact that state recommendations are changing on a daily basis. It is difficult to predict what requirements will need to be met over the coming months. The DOH guidelines addressed numerous issues including health and safety, transportation, facilities, nutrition, teaching and learning, digital equity and access, special education and more. While many of the guidelines are ambiguous, they are being used as the framework for the school’s reopening plans. Recognizing the monumental task ahead and the importance of receiving feedback from multiple stakeholders, a reopening committee was established this summer. The committee consists of members of the Board of Education, district administrators, teachers, health, custodial and clerical staff, and parents. Within the committee, subgroups focus on individual areas of concern. The subgroups were tasked with
considering three different learning models: fully in-person, fully remote, and a hybrid of the two where students separate into cohorts and come on a rotating schedule. Each possibility brings unique challenges, especially while also planning for the possibility of deep cuts in state aid funding. If students are allowed to return to the school in the fall, there will certainly be some significant changes. Precautions that will likely be implemented include required daily health checks and screenings for everyone entering the buildings, wearing of masks on busses, in the hallways and wherever social distancing can’t be maintained, physical dividers between students in class, and grab and go lunches that students can eat in the classroom. On July 31, school districts were required to submit three sets of plans to New York State detailing how they would implement a return to school under each learning model. Governor Cuomo is expected to make an announcement regarding whether or not schools will be able to reopen in September no later than August 7. He has indicated that a region must be in Phase 4 of the state reopening plan and have an infection rate below five percent on a rolling fourteen day average in order to allow any in-person learning. Higher rates would trigger a return to virtual learning. Planning for the future in uncertain times is a difficult task. The district is working hard to consider every scenario and create a safe, effective learning environment for all the students and staff in the fall.
Congratulations to the Class of 2020! Full graduation coverage inside.
While much of the world was shut down for the past four and a half months, some activities were allowed to get back to business sooner than others. In New York State, construction was able to resume in Phase 2, so after a several month hiatus, Director of Facilities Eric Strack and his crews working on the bond funded updates quickly picked up where they left off in March. With a September deadline to finish dozens of projects, time was of the essence. Mr. Strack noted, “One of the silver linings of the early school closure is that it allowed us to start summer construction earlier than planned.” That early start not only will allow them to complete all work originally planned in time for the anticipated fall opening, but also has given them the chance to start several projects that weren’t slated until next year. The focus of work this summer has been on Westlake Middle School, the Westlake campus and Hawthorne’s exterior. Following is an overview of some of the work that is in progress. Westlake Middle School Similar to upgrades that were completed last year at Westlake High School, the middle school will benefit from upgrades to ten different bathrooms, new ceilings and floors throughout the building, updated lighting, new electrical panels and improved heating and ventilation. The bulk of the work is being done in common areas such as the hallways, locker rooms and the main office. While individual classroom upgrades on the 1st and 3rd floors are scheduled for next summer, work has already been completed on some of them due to the extra time this summer. Westlake Site Work Outside, work continues on the Westlake Campus. Last year, the continued on page 3
FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
A Reflection on Remote Learning The month of March started out as so many usually do. Students were preparing for midterms, the high school was in final rehearsals for the spring musical, Chicago, and the fourth grade had just wowed parents at their first school concert. But March 10th marked the beginning of the end for school as we knew it. During that week, news of a fast-spreading novel virus took hold and districts around New York State were made aware of the possibility of extended school closures. While everyone believed the shut down would be short-lived, district leaders started to make plans to educate children remotely if necessary. That evening, work began to build the scaffolding of what would ultimately become the Continuity of Learning Plan (COLP). The plan articulated expectations for teachers and students during their time at home and laid out guidelines on how to meet those expectations. The first iteration of the plan focused primarily on getting everyone on a digital platform. Google Classroom has been used widely throughout the district over the past several years and was a natural transition for most. Teachers hosted a homeroom page where students loggedin to find assignments and the schedule for the day. This was most challenging at the elementary level where Google Classroom previously only had limited use, but faculty worked together that first week to get up to speed. As it became clear that long-term closures would become the reality, the COLP was updated to mandate a more
robust virtual schooling model. Faculty were advised to post a real-time or previously recorded lesson each day at the elementary level and at least 2 times per week at the secondary level. Teachers worked in teams across grade level and departments. The updated expectations facilitated increased face time between the faculty and students and allowed teachers to progress with the curriculum. As with any unexpected, monumental change, there were significant challenges to shifting to virtual instruction essentially overnight. Some families struggled with limited internet access or not enough devices for each child. Others found it difficult to help multiple children with school work while trying to keep up with their own jobs. And still others had issues with keeping their children engaged and motivated. With so many moving parts, the district stepped in to help wherever they could. The technology department, under the management of Vineetha Joy, distributed chromebooks to families who needed them. The business office, led by Andrew Lennon, helped coordinate daily bagged breakfasts and lunches for families suffering from food insecurity. Special education teachers worked directly with parents to try to provide much needed services to children who were used to receiving daily intervention. While not every need may have been met, the efforts of staff, teachers, parents and students working together demonstrated a true community effort.
Parents give their input
The district asked parents for their feedback on their experience with remote learning this spring. Here is what they said: Please indicate which school your child attended this past spring.
Once the school year officially ended, parents were invited to fill out a survey to give feedback on their experiences. Overwhelmingly, the data showed that parents prefer to have their students return to the school in the fall. While many applauded the efforts of the district and teachers under the extenuating circumstances, the vast majority felt that remote learning was difficult and unmotivating. Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Administrative Services, Dr. Adam Bronstein, says this is a major indicator of the value of the teaching staff. “There is no replacement for highly qualified and capable faculty,” he reflected. “Teaching doesn’t just include instruction, but also student management. The feedback speaks to the value and benefit of our teachers’ ability to engage students and sustain their interest in learning.” Most survey respondents agreed that if forced to continue distance learning in the fall, live, small-group instruction is the most effective and they would like to see more of that. With nearly 700 responses to the remote learning survey, Dr. Bronstein, Dr. Kotes and the entire reopening committee have significant feedback to guide virtual instruction for the fall should there be need. They plan to use the data to customize learning for students at all levels. While it seems a monumental task, Mount Pleasant is fortunate to have strong administrative teams and faculty who are up for the challenge.
Describe the level of support, communication, and outreach from the school/staff/faculty to you as a parent.
How was your child’s motivation to do school work affected during remote learning?
Excessive
Minimal
Approximately how much time did your child spend each day engaged in remote learning online or working independently?
2
To what extent was there consistency of assignments and expectations for your child?
Totally Inconsistent
Totally Consistent
It is hard to believe that we are halfway through the summer. We have been able to offer our most sincere best wishes to the Westlake Class of 2020, celebrate moving up ceremonies for students around the district and congratulate retiring staff who have served our district and the children of the Mount Pleasant community for so many wonderful years. We have reflected on the many lessons that we have Dr. Kurtis learned during the most challenging times of the Kotes health crisis and now we look to the future. We will Superintendent make every effort to sustain the progress that our of Schools region and state have made while looking for safe and meaningful ways to educate our students. We must also look at much of the other great progress that the Mount Pleasant Central School District continues to make. In 2016, the community passed a major capital improvement bond. The work on this project is ongoing, making many needed improvements to all of our facilities. This summer, major sitework, including repaving, drainage and lighting, are taking place on the Westlake Campus and at Hawthorne, while extensive interior improvements are underway at Westlake Middle School. All of these upgrades will significantly improve access to the buildings and enhance the experiences of students within the classrooms of our schools. On another note, several weeks ago, the district emailed a parent feedback form to households searching for ways to improve the remote learning experience should the district have to make a return to remote or virtual learning. As of the drafting of this newsletter, we have had nearly 700 responses. Please
A Peek Inside Remote Learning
Kerri De Crenza (top) meets with her kindergarten students to discuss the day’s assignment. Anthony Marinaccio (bottom) presents to his 11th grade World History class using interactive slides called Pear Deck. Visit www.mtplcsd.org/remotelearning to take a peek inside the virtual classrooms.
read the accompanying article to learn more about some of the feedback we received. This information was very helpful for us as a school district and has greatly assisted us in the planning process for the new year. The challenges that lie ahead are significant. We will need to be able to be flexible and pivot when the demand arises. There will be a need for compromise and understanding of differing opinions. In the end, we will need to work together to get through all of this. We will always focus on the health and safety of our students, families and staff during every step of the process. To that end, we convened a district-wide reopening committee to help plan for the new school year. I wish to thank all of the Board of Education members, administrators, teachers, custodial and clerical staff, aides and parents who dedicated time to offer guidance and feedback in the process. Their commitment of time and energy is helping us to make well informed decisions for the reopening of school. I urge the community to understand that it is highly likely that our plan will change throughout the year depending on the health conditions in our region. We will be certain to clearly communicate everything to the community every step of the way. I hope that everyone and their families stay safe and healthy. Please enjoy the balance of the summer! My very best-
FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
Making Plans for the Future
Dr. Kurtis Kotes, Superintendent of Schools
Bond Funded Construction (continued)
middle school recess area was moved from behind the school to the side field next to the main entrance. The old playground has now been converted into a parking area for staff, freeing up more spaces for students and visitors in front of the school. A new loading dock, freshly paved driveways and a reconfiguring of the high school parking lot complete the work on the upper campus. Closer to Westlake Drive, the new entryway is being completed and a bioretention area has been installed to collect water run-off to protect the surrounding community. Additionally, the tennis courts will be ready for play in the fall after installation of new fencing and being repaved, sealed and freshly painted. Once the weather is cooler, landscaping will be completed. Hawthorne Site Work There is also plenty of activity going on down at Hawthorne this summer. Come fall, the outside of the school will have a whole new look. Due to a lack of parking for staff and visitors, the center island near the front entrance has been removed and the whole lot will be fitted for proper drainage, repaved and repainted with dozens of new spaces. The Brighton lot is also being reconfigured to better accommodate bus traffic and parking. Finally, all outdoor stairways have been revamped and brought into ADA compliance for safety. The task lists are long and include many upgrades that are long overdue, but with the extra time to complete the work and the relatively good weather we have enjoyed this summer, Mr. Strack is confident that everything will be accomplished on time.
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FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
Moving Forward Together
Colleen ScaglioneNeglia President Board of Education
As another school year comes to an end, we reflect back on an unprecedented spring and appreciate all the effort put forth by our community, district and staff who worked tirelessly to ensure our school year came to a safe conclusion and the students experienced the events that have become an annual right of passage and celebration of their hard work. While the summer heat makes March seem like ages ago, we clearly remember how the sudden and frightening lockdown caused us to miss the social connection created by being with our friends and colleagues in person. During this time our amazing administrators, teachers, nurses and staff went above the call by creating entertaining video montages that offered words of encouragement to our students, shared a glimpse into their personal quarantine routine and made us laugh at their creative antics. As shelter-in-place days turned into weeks and months, our students started feeling disappointed about the ongoing cancelation of year-end events. Thankfully, our incredible police officers, EMT, firefighters and school faculty organized a town wide car parade that allowed the students and families to drive down memory lane and see the teachers that helped lay the foundation for their success. When the High School PTA, Athletic Club and Education Foundation felt disappointed that the seniors’ year was ending this way, they purchased individual graduation signs and proudly displayed them in the center of town. The PTAs also provided signs for the students that were moving
up from Hawthorne, Columbus and Westlake Middle schools. These events demonstrate how important our students are to all of us. Thanks to a caring community, the students and families in our district participated in wonderful, unique events that showcase what can be accomplished when people come together. This summer the district continues to develop plans that will allow us to safely reopen schools when allowed by the Governor. I would like to thank the parents, teachers, staff and administrators who are volunteering their time to work on the reopening committee so that we have a safe plan in place when school resumes. Your input is invaluable and we are grateful for your participation. The end of the school year also comes with tenure appointments and retirements. Congratulations to the teachers that received tenure. We look forward to your continued commitment to our students and district. Thank you to the retiring teachers and staff for their tireless dedication. You will be missed. Our school budget passed with nearly 60% of voters supporting the proposal. I would like to thank the community for participating in the budget and board election vote and congratulate Laura Michalec Olzweski for being re-elected and Sara Beaty for being elected to the Board of Education. Thank you to Tom McCabe for his dedication to this process. The Board wishes you a happy and healthy remainder of summer.
Parent organizations fund thousands in donations, grants, and scholarships
Despite schools closing in March for the remainder of the year, volunteer organizations once again granted funds to supplement the students’ experience. Many of the planned events didn’t take place, however money was donated for technology, learning materials, equipment and scholarships. Below is a sample of some of the items given:
Elementary PTA The Elementary PTA provides thousands for Hawthorne and Columbus. Some of the purchases included: • • • • • • • •
Student planners for 2nd - 5th grade Class Trip/Field Day T-shirts at HES New classroom libraries at HES Red Grammer Social Emotional Learning/Anti-Bullying concert at HES STEM Kits for 1st grade classrooms Colonial Day Fair for 4th grade Moving-Up lawn signs for 2nd and 5th grade Caps/Tassels, Graduation T-shirt and Yearbooks for 5th Grade
Westlake Middle School PTA Westlake Middle School PTA donated funds for :
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• • • •
Student planners Cultural arts presentations 2020 Virtual STEAM Symposium Lawn signs for 8th grade graduates
High School PTA WHS PTA granted thousands to fund things such as: • • • • • • •
Graduation decorations Scholarships for graduating seniors Senior graduation lawn signs 2020 Virtual STEAM Symposium Student assembly on Dangers of Vaping Holiday gift cards and cookies to staff Welocme back breakfasts for staff
Westlake Athletic Club This year the WAC provided over $19,000. The grants covered the cost for items such as: • • • • • •
Mount Pleasant Education Foundation The MPEF awarded more than $25,000 to the schools. Some of the items they funded were: • • • • • •
WMS Reading Department furniture for collaborative learning WMS 7th & 8th Grade History VERB white board system WHS Art, Science & Math 3D printer WHS Art & Science Vernier LabQuest Minis WHS Visual Arts Department sewing machine, tables and organizers Donation of 4 -3D Printers for production of face shields (Covid-19)
Fireworks at homecoming DJ for homecoming, senior days, playoffs and sports awards night Driveway banners Senior signs Donation for laser printer for production of face shields (Covid-19) Scholarships for graduating seniors The Colonial Day Fair
Dayana Servin received the Kyle Empey Memorial Music Scholarship and the Excellence in Instrumental Music award.
Senior Awards Night
Senior Awards Night was a little different this year. Like so many other events, the formal ceremony, traditionally a sit down dinner at the Crown Plaza, was unable to be held in person. That didn’t stop the deserving graduates from being celebrated for their academic, athletic and artistic accomplishments as well as service to the community. The WHS administration got creative and hosted a drive-by ceremony where students in the Class of 2020 came up to the podium one-by-one to receive recognition and thanks from their school and community. Those pictured here are among the many who received scholarships and awards from many generous donors. Visit https://whs.mtplcsd.org/senior_awards_2020 to view the full list of awardees.
Samanatha Castellano received several awards including the Charles Amann scholarship presented to a student pursuing engineering.
Riley Neglia was selected for the Dr. Alfred Lodovico Citizenship Scholarship and several other awards.
FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
Principal Schenker presents Amanda Bradley with the Westlake High School English Honor Society award.
Ciara Summers is presented with a Principal’s Leadership Award and the Valhalla Ambulance Corps scholarship, given to a student pursuing a career in the health field.
The NYS Attorney General Triple C Award was presented to Riley McCabe (and Bailey Rodgers, not pictured). It is for a student who shows courage, character, and commitment.
The Lions Club of Thornwood Service Award and the WHS Math Honor Society award was presented to Paul Gschneidner.
Niko Dominguez received six awards, including the John S. Whearty Recognition Award.
The DiNota family presented Nicholas Martinez with the first Peter DiNota Westlake Football Booster Club Scholarship.
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FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
2020
Class of
The Class of 2020 was able to celebrate their accomplishments at a socially distant graduation ceremony on June 26, 2020. Photo by Tyler Hawkins ‘20
Christopher Alberti F Natalie Anderson G ★ Jacqueline Andrews F ★ Daniel Aurigemma Jason Ausiello G ★ Andre Baltazar Paul Bedus G ★ Julia Behring F ★ Emma Bigley F ★ Alexis Bishkoff F Matthew Bly John Boccardi Lea Bonsignore F ★ Matthew Bonsignore Courtney Bonyai G ★
Kyra Earley
Victoria Borducci F Amanda Bradley F ★ Colleen Bradley F ★ Alex Brower Madeline Bruni Gregory Cafaro Sila Can F Leah Castellano G ★ Samantha Castellano F★ Lucas Castellanos Peter Cavazzini F ★ Gerardo Cicchillo Julia Clark F ★ Juliana Colabatistto G ★ Joseph Cory G ★ Jake Costello F Rebecca Cross F ★ Nicholas Davila Aaron Dearborn G ★ Serena Dell’Orto G ★ Kathryn DeVito G ★ Brendan Di Liberti G ★ Katherine Di Liberti G ★ Kevin Dierssen Charles DiGennaro F
John DiMaio F Niko Dominguez F Kenneth Dronzek F ★ Christopher Drossos Kyra Earley G ★ Arianna Edwards F ★ Daniel El Hamouche F Olivia Eng F ★ Nicholas Euvino Sadie Feighan G ★ Joshua Finkel G Lianna Fiorino Nicole Flynn Timothy Fudale F Jack Gjokaj Nicholas Gorman Kasandra Green F Nicholas Grolli F Paul Gschneidner F ★ Tori Haag Tyler Hawkins Jason Hebert F Patrick Hickey F Kiera Higham F ★ Alexandra Howard G ★
College & University Acceptances
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Adelphi University University of Alabama @ Birmingham The University of Alabama Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Arizona State University The University of Arizona Auburn University Baruch College of the CUNY Baylor University Bennington College Binghamton University Boston University Brandeis University University of Bridgeport Bryant University Bucknell University Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Catholic University of America University of Central Florida Champlain College
Nicole Izzo G ★ Katelyn Jamie F ★ Joshua Joseph Stacie Kinlen G ★ Luke Kramer Samantha La Scala F ★ Nicholas Lapinsky JohnPaul LaSalle F Alexandra Leitch F Caleb Levitt F ★ Jessica Lomurno Lauren Lyden G ★ Michael Mancuso Brianna Margolis Matthew Martin G ★ Alyssa Martinez F Gabriela Martinez G Nicholas Martinez F Kevin Martinez Sanchez G Riley McCabe F Daniel McCormack F ★ Kieran McCormack F Kaitlyn McGuiness G ★ Nicole Micela G ★ Helen Michael
Arianna Muratore F ★ Gabriella Muratore F ★ Nicole Musial F ★ Matthew Mynes G ★ Liam Naughton F ★
Andre Baltazar
Riley Neglia G ★ Eric Nieves, Jr. G Matthew Nieves Hunter Oswald Christoper PaganG Joseph Pennini F Andrea Pereira Julia Perricelli F Giuliana Piazza G ★
The Class of 2020 has been accepted into over 220 colleges, universities, vocational and technical schools. College of Charleston Eastern Connecticut State University Ithaca College City College of New York CUNY Elon University James Madison University Clark University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University John Jay College of Criminal Justice Clemson University Fairfield University Johns Hopkins University Coastal Carolina University Fairleigh Dickinson University Johnson & Wales University Colgate University Florida Atlantic University University of Kansas The College of Saint Rose Florida Institute of Technology Kean University University of Colorado Boulder Florida State University Keene State College Colorado College University of Florida King’s College Columbia University Fordham University La Salle University Concordia College George Washington University Le Moyne College University of Connecticut Georgia Institute of Technology Lehigh Universtiy Cornell University Georgia State University Louisiana State University Curry College University of Georgia Loyola University Maryland Daemen College University of Hartford Lycoming College Dean College Hartwick College Lynn University University of Delaware High Point University Manhattan College DeSales University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Manhattanville College Dominican College Hofstra University Marist College Drexel University Hunter College of the CUNY University of Maryland Duke University Iona College Marywood University Duquesne University Iowa State University UMass, Amherst
Paul Bedus
Kiera Higham
Greg Cafaro gets a high five from Mr. Schenker
Kristin Pierce F ★ Vincent Pisa F Marianna Poole Julia Pope F Jessica Prauda G ★ Renee Preston Joseph Ragusa Roman Raguso F ★ Bailey Rodgers G ★ Emily Salvi G ★ Abraham Snachez Elisabeth Schulze F ★ Beatrice Scoca G ★ Dayana Servin F Frank Shkreli G ★ Pasquale Sinapi Elizabeth Snyder F ★
Emily Specht F ★ Christopher Stivaletti F James Stuetz Ciara Summers F Jake Szeszko F ★ Marissa Tradito G ★ Emma Trainor F ★ Maeve Verna F ★ Edvin Verzivolli G ★ Logan Vigilio F Christopher Villucci G★ Alice Warford F Ella Zadrima F F Summa Cum Laude G Magna Cum Laude F Cum Laude ★ National Honor
Seniors stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. UMass, Lowell Mercy College Merrimack College University of Miami Michigan State University University of Michigan Misericordia University Mitchell College Monmouth University Montclair State University Mount Saint Mary College College of Mount Saint Vincent University of New Hampshire University of New Haven The College of New Jersey New York Institute of Technology New York University University of North Carolina, Wilmington North Carolina State University University of North Dakota Northeastern University Nova Southeastern University Pace University Pennsylvania State University
Valedictorian is just one of many things that Caleb Levitt may be remembered for by the Class of 2020. While his academic record puts him at the top of the class, he is also an accomplished scientist, musician, athlete and Eagle Scout. Caleb, a member of the National, science, math, social studies and Spanish Honor societies, has spent much of his time at Westlake taking part in the rigorous science research program. He logged over 300 hours working with mentors at the NY Botanical Gardens conducting original research in Plant Conservation. His work has won many accolades including the prestigious Acorda Scientific Excellence Award. Outside of his studies, Caleb has nurtured many interests. He is a self-taught musician who played guitar as a member of the WHS Rock Band, an avid rock climber on the varsity team at The Cliffs of Valhalla and was part of the Westlake swim team and cross country team. He has been a Boy Scout since 2014 and earned the highest ranking of Eagle Scout when he completed his project creating an evacuation route from Westlake High School to the neighboring EF Academy. When asked if he had any advice for the underclassmen, Caleb would tell them “to take electives that spark their interest and to not force themselves to do certain things just to look better for colleges.” Good advice from a well-rounded student. Caleb will be heading to Cornell University in the fall to continue his scientific studies.
University of Pittsburgh Plymouth State University PrattMWP Providence College Quinnipiac University Regent’s University London Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of Rhode Island Rochester Institute of Technology University of Rochester Roger Williams University Rutgers University Sacred Heart University Saint Joseph’s University Saint Leo University Saint Michael’s College Salve Regina University San Diego State University University of San Francisco The University of Scranton Seton Hall University Seton Hill University Siena College University of South Carolina University of South Florida
Salutatorian Katelyn Jaime
This year’s Salutatorian, Katelyn Jaime, is one of those students who works quietly behind the scenes, but manages to excel at everything she does. Katelyn, who has been on the Summa Honor roll every semester of high school, has been inducted into the National, science, math, and English Honor Societies and was named to the National Hispanic Recognition Program for scoring in the top 2.5% on the PSAT. That same year she was also designated as an AP Scholar with Distinction having earned an average score of at least 3.5 on all her AP exams. Outside the classroom, Katelyn excelled on the Varsity Cross Country team and the winter and spring track team, where she was a four-year varsity member. She specialized in the hurdles. When she wasn’t studying or at practice, Katelyn spent time working as a math and science tutor and earned money working at Walgreens. However, her favorite way to spend her downtime is by exploring her creative side. She confides “I am super passionate about all kinds of art, especially drawing, painting, embroidery, and knitting.” Hopefully she will get a chance to further explore her passion for art when she heads to Boston next year to study chemical engineering at Northeastern University. While she is excited about her future, she admits that she will miss the tight-knit community at WHS; it’s “what made my high school experience so special.”
Southern New Hampshire University Springfield College St. John’s University St. Lawrence University St. Thomas Aquinas College Stevens Institute of Technology Stockton University Stony Brook University SUNY Albany SUNY Alfred State College SUNY College at Brockport SUNY Buffalo SUNY College at Cobleskill SUNY College at Cortland SUNY Freedonia SUNY College at Geneseo SUNY Maritime College SUNY Morrisville SUNY at New Paltz SUNY College at Oneonta SUNY Oswego SUNY College at Plattsburgh SUNY College Potsdam SUNY Polytechnic Universtiy SUNY at Purchase College
Susquehanna University Syracuse University The University of Tampa Temple University The University of Tennessee Culinary Institute of America The Ohio State University Tompkins Cortland Comm. College Towson University Tufts Universtiy Tulane University Union College University of Vermont Villanova University University of Virginia West Chester University of PA The University of West Florida West Virginia University Westchester Community College Western Connecticut State University Western New England University William Paterson University of NJ Worchester Polytechnic Institute York College of Pennsylvania
FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
Valedictorian Caleb Levitt
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FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
Moving Up Moments
It was the year of the drive-by graduation! While the Covid-19 pandemic has brought many changes and disappointments, one happy tradition that emerged out of the situation is the popularity of car parades. With inperson gatherings prohibited, people were forced to get creative to celebrate special milestones such as birthdays and
graduations. The families of Mount Pleasant went all out to celebrate their students’ accomplishments as they “Moved Up” and graduated. Decorated cars, balloons, music and long rows of excited teachers helped bring smiles to the faces of all the kids who missed out on the traditional year-end activities.
WHS ~12th Grade~
CES ~5th Grade~
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FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
WMS ~8th Grade~
HES ~2nd Grade~
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Award Winner Congratulations to Westlake Science Research junior Aimee Holland who won 3rd Place in “Earth & Space Science” at the Tri-County Science & Technology Fair held virtually this spring. Aimee conducted her original research “Establishing a Baseline Rate of Cosmic Microspherule Deposition” at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Published Authors Congratulations to junior Olivia Cartaño and graduating seniors Colleen Bradley, Nicole Musial and Jake Szeszko, who all had their original research published in peerreviewed scientific journals. Olivia worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Colleen and Nicole worked together at New York Medical College, and Jake worked at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai with their respective mentors. All are members of the rigorous Science Research program led by Lawrence McIntyre, and the seniors plan to continue their education in science at the collegiate level.
The STEAM Symposium Goes Virtual This year’s Westlake STEAM Symposium on Saturday, August 8th will be a virtual one-day event for Westlake Middle and High School students. It will feature a keynote presentation by a team from IBM entitled “Mission Innovation” as well as interactive workshops by leaders in the field. Our goal is to inspire and empower students about opportunities in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) that will fuel their curiosity, inspiration, and wonder. The staff of the Digital Arts Experience (DAE) will lead an engaging array of interactive tech workshops designed for small groups. There is everything from Graphic Design, Digital Photography, Coding, 3D Character Animation and more! In addition, award-winning documentary and lifestyle photographer, Amy Drucker will host a class on iPhone photography and judge a “STEAM in
Thornwood Lions Club Students of the Month
Seniors who exhibit ‘service above self’ are nominated by faculty and staff to be chosen as a Thornwood Lions Club Student of the Month. These students demonstrate a commitment to their school and community through their service to others. All have given countless volunteer hours to local charities and organizations.
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September
October
November
December
Katie DeVito
Caleb Levitt
Julia Behring
Matt Bonsignore
January
February
March
April
Paul Gschneidner
Riley Neglia
Kenneth Dronzek
Bailey Rodgers
RETIREMENTS
FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
Science Research in the News
Everyday Life” photography contest. Participants will have a chance to win a free Digital Arts Experience workshop, a Mercy College STEM Academy workshop scholarship, an Alexa Echo Dot, FujiFilm Instax cameras, gift cards and virtual reality goggles to name a few. This day promises to be full of excitement! More information is available on the Westlake STEAM Symposium website https://sites.google.com/mtplcsd.org/virtual-westlake-steam or by contacting the STEAM Symposium Co-Chairs mknopp@mtplcsd. org or jmatthews@mtplcsd.org
Michael Hood, CES Michael Hood has been turning Mount Pleasant students into musicians for more than 25 years. While the majority of his time has been spent at Columbus Elementary, he taught at Hawthorne early on and has been involved in the theater programs at both the middle and high school for many years. Besides directing countless concerts at the elementary level, some of his favorite memories include introducing his students to the opera via a program in conjunction with the American Ballet Theater and bringing the 5th graders to the NY Philharmonic. He loved sharing his appreciation for music with them. A highlight in his long career has been working with the older students the last few years directing several Westlake Players productions. “Our theater kids and families are so amazing and it was a joy to bring Shakespeare and “Almost Maine” to our district.” Just because he is retiring from teaching doesn’t mean he won’t still be making music. Once life has normalized again he hopes to do a lot of performing, recording, traveling, and, if possible, local theater. He also plans to keep up with running and biking as well and spending lots of time with family and friends. . Suzanne Ketchum, CES Suzanne Ketchum has been an elementary teacher in the Mount Pleasant district for 35 years. She started as a first grade teacher at Hawthorne and over the years has taught dozens of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students. During her three-plus decades in the district, she has worked with eight different principals, six superintendents, and taught approximately 700 students! Her passion for making math and science creative and fun
Ms. Lucille was the heart of Hawthorne. In her nearly 30 years of working for the Mount Pleasant Central School District, she touched the lives of so many children and their families. She began her career in the cafeteria working as a lunch lady. Her colleague and good friend Ellen Igo remembers “She always made cookies for kids’ birthdays and made cupcakes when our chicks would hatch. She said it was a birthday, so the kids needed a treat.” About 17 years ago, she became the greeter at Hawthorne, serving as the first line of defense sitting at the security desk. She took great pride in keeping the building and the children safe. She welcomed the students and staff every day with a warm smile and witty banter and made sure every child got home safely on the correct bus. Hawthorne Principal Anne Stern noted “Her work was impeccable and she was absolutely driven to get it right every single day. She never accepted help for anything she could do on her own.” But even keeping up with the demanding schedule of a busy elementary school never stopped her from taking the time to inquire about each of her colleagues’ families and health. From parents to staff to students, Lucille knew everyone and made them feel special. One coworker summed up everyone’s heartfelt feelings when she said “ “Lucille was a selfless, empathetic, hard-working, funny, and kind soul and the school will never be the same without her!”
for young students led to several new programs in the district over the years. While at HES, she started a Science Discovery Week and introduced a hands-on math curriculum. At CES, she researched and helped implement the newly adopted STEMscopes Science program. The first year the program was piloted in the first and third grade only. It was such a success that the district will be rolling it out across all the elementary grades in the coming years. As the Science Curriculum leader at Columbus, her responsibility included “teaching the teachers” this new curriculum. With so many years of wonderful memories, leaving her Mount Pleasant family is bittersweet. However, she is looking forward to spending time with her husband in their new townhouse in Delaware where they plan to spend plenty of time relaxing at the beach and bird watching. Don’t be surprised if you see her serving as a substitute teacher in the future because she already knows how much she will miss “her” kids. Elizabeth Melito, WHS Liz Melito has been a fixture in Mount Pleasant since 1988 after starting her teaching career upstate. She has taught music in every building and almost every grade, but spent the majority of her time at the high school level. In addition to teaching chorus to dozens of students throughout the day, she was involved in directing and vocal coaching scores of musicals and even directing the pit orchestra for a middle school show. During her 30 year career she has implemented and nurtured many programs and is proud to have grown the chorus from 19 students when she arrived to an average of between 65-80. The program has consistently had an All-State choir member every year. As the director of The Blendors, an advanced singing group, she worked with more than 20 boys and girls preparing them for performances and competitions throughout the state and region. They have earned superior ratings at music festivals at Disney World and Six Flags Great Adventure, as well as performed at various veteran functions and athletic
Debra DeRosario
Westlake was Deb DeRosario’s home away from home. As a student in the 1970’s, Deb was hand-picked out of her senior year as the top typist in her class. After a year at Berkeley Secretarial School, she was hired in the main office at WHS, beginning her more than 40 year career in the district! She soon moved to guidance, where she served as the gatekeeper of the department. She was remembered by countless colleagues and dozens of former students as kind hearted, extremely helpful, and always ready with a welcoming smile. Deb was meticulous, organized, creative, and crafty. These skills served her well during the college application process every fall which required her to organize, stamp and address hundreds of envelopes containing the applications of hopeful, anxious students. Once the process went digital, she adjusted quickly and learned a whole new system which she then taught to every new person who came through the office. Good friend Tania Greco, who worked with Deb for more than 20 years, said “She has seen so much and we learned so much from her! She was such an asset to us. She was the backbone of our guidance department, in the front line, and did so much for us behind the scenes.” Deb will be sorely missed by all those whose lives she touched. A celebration of her life is scheduled for August 10th at Westlake High School at 12:00pm, a fitting location to honor a woman who gave so much of her life to the school.
FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
IN MEMORIAM
Lucille Catalano
events. Four years ago she started the High School rock band called Metamorphic. While she is looking forward to giving private lessons in her retirement, she says she will miss hearing the joyous sounds of a student choir. She is grateful for the many fond memories of her wonderful colleagues and especially for the wonderfully talented students that she had the privilege of making music with over the years. Barbara Barry Schultz, CES Barbara Barry Schultz has been teaching music to students in Mount Pleasant for 36 years. Growing up just north of Buffalo where the band programs were a huge part of the school communities, she played in the high school marching and concert bands, and also in college and community wind ensembles and symphonic bands. When she saw the job listing in the New York Times, she was excited to bring her passion to the Mount Pleasant community. When she first arrived, the music program had very few students participating in the band program. She worked at Columbus, WMS and WHS teaching general music and giving instrumental lessons. She was able to nurture the program over the years and now the fourth grade band program alone has over 100 students! She has so many fond memories of her experience that it’s hard to pick a few favorites. “I heard thousands of students make their first sounds on an instrument, helped thousands of students play their instruments in their very first concerts, and introduced many students to their first orchestral concerts. There has been a career full of firsts, and I continue to focus on those happy memories!” Now that she is retiring, she hopes to spend more time with her three grown children who live in California, Washington State and Chicago. While she waits until she can start traveling again, she plans to spend plenty of time practicing her flute!
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FROM THE HEART • Summer 2020
Mount Pleasant Central School District West Lake Drive, Thornwood, NY 10594
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Board of Education Colleen Scaglione Neglia, President Michael Horan, Vice President Sara Beaty Vincent Graci Michael Griffin Laura Michalec Olszewski Chris Pinchiaroli
Non-Profit Organization US Postage Paid White Plains, NY Permit No. 9415
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Superintendent Dr. Kurtis Kotes Correspondence Phone: 769-5500 • Fax 769-3733 Web: www.mtplcsd.org Email submissions awalsh@mtplcsd.org
Wildcat Athletics News 40 Years in the Making: Wildcats Secure a Spot at the County Center For the first time in more than 40 years, the Varsity boys basketball team earned a trip to the County Center Championships after they won a thrilling 49-47 Class B quarterfinal over neighboring rival Pleasantville. Most of the athletes’ parents weren’t even in high school the last time the team made a semifinal appearance back in 1978. The win put their season record at 16-6, the best since 1991. Head Coach Chad Charney called the accomplishment a “program changer” for the team. Going into the game as the No. 5 seed, they were pitted against the No. 1 seed, Hastings, a team that hadn’t made it that far since 2011. Despite the anticipation, the game almost didn’t have a chance to happen. After arriving at the County Center, the Hastings team was quickly loaded back on their bus when Hastings announced all of its schools would close “out of an abundance of caution” due to the parent of a student having possibly been exposed to coronavirus. After lengthy discussions, it was decided to play the game as planned. Westlake started strong with all-section junior Carter Falkenberg scoring a game-high 26 points and six rebounds, but Hastings managed to gain a significant lead in the fourth quarter. Senior Matt Martin scored 9 of his 11 points in the last three minutes of the game, giving
The Varsity Boys Basketball team, led by coach Chad Charney, played in the Section One, Class B semi-finals at the Westchester County Center. It was their first appearance in more than 40 years. the Wildcats a chance at a comeback. Then Hamad Azhar hit a pair of free throws to make it 54-52 with 9.7 seconds to go. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough time to clinch the win, but their amazing season will definitely be one for the history books.
A Socially Distant Sports Awards Ceremony
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Donna Pirro, Director of Phys. Ed, Health and Athletics calls out award winners with the help of Michelle Kopicki and Coach John Castellano.
In a year where no event has been typical, the year end celebration for varsity athletes was no exception. The annual Varsity Sports Awards ceremony took place in the Westlake parking lot with athletes and parents looking on from their cars. As each athlete individually came to the front steps of the high school they had a moment to enjoy the cheers, honks and accolades they have worked so hard for. Every coach had the opportunity to choose an athlete from their team for one of four awards: Scholar-Athlete, Superior Sportsmanship, Most Improved and Outstanding Performer. For spring athletes, who didn’t have the opportunity to compete in their last season, there was a Wildcat Award and Coach’s Award. For a full list of winners, go to https://whs.mtplcsd.org/varsity_sports_ awards_2020.