Back to School Guide For Fall 2024

Though it may feel like the best of summer is to come, fall is just around the corner and it’s time to consider programming for both you and your children. Fortunately Scarsdale has a wealth of options available for enrichment in music, dance, sports, history, literature, pre-schools and even cooking classes. See below for options for the entire family to learn, grow and discover new passions.

Music

Hoff Barthelson: Discover the Magic of Music at Hoff-Barthelson! As the new school year approaches, it's the perfect time to explore enriching extracurriculars that ignite creativity and passion. Hoff-Barthelson Music School stands out as a beacon of exceptional music education, offering a vibrant and supportive environment for students of all ages.

At Hoff-Barthelson, the journey of learning music goes beyond private lessons. The school is renowned for its wide array of musical programs, ensuring every student can find their niche and thrive. Whether your child dreams of performing at Birdland, Broadway, or Carnegie Hall, Hoff-Barthelson provides the tools and opportunities to turn those dreams into reality.

Students can immerse themselves in youth orchestras, chamber music, musicianship and music technology classes, choral groups, and jazz ensembles, each designed to foster musical growth and personal development. Hoff-Barthelson's commitment to nurturing a love for music is reflected in its warm, welcoming atmosphere that emphasizes exceptional education and community involvement.

Embrace the new school year with the joy of music and explore all that Hoff-Barthelson Music School has to offer. It's not just about learning an instrument—it's about becoming part of a musical family that celebrates every step of the journey.

Hoff-Barthelson welcomes need-based financial aid applications for students of all ages and levels of advancement. To register for fall visit www.hbms.org, e-mail hb@hbms.org, or call 914-723-1169. Hoff-Barthelson Music School is located at 25 School Lane in Scarsdale.

Photo credit and caption: Registration for Fall lessons, classes, and ensembles is now open at Hoff-Barthelson Music School. Photo by Mark Jessamy

St. James the Less Children's Choristers Program

Newly launched this year, Choristers at St. James is our choir program for children from pre-K through high school. Choristers learn to sing, read music, learn the fundamentals of music, teamwork, and more. They contribute to the worship life of St. James regularly as part of the great Anglican musical tradition. From Sundays, to feast days, to the Christmas Pageant, St. James Choristers have lots of opportunities for music-making in the life at St. James. Contact Director of Music, Victoria Shields at music@stjamesscarsdale.org for more information or click here.

Dance

Steffi Nossen: Since our 1937 founding by dance legend Steffi Nossen, we continue to offer quality, developmentally appropriate dance instruction and performance opportunities for toddlers -adults. Whether you or your child are pre-professional, recreational, or adaptive students our dance educators invite you to share their love of dance. The school’s dance menu includes Modern Dance, Ballet, Tap, Contemporary Jazz, and Creative Movement, and Parent & Toddler. Try our new Afrobeats - a high energy, fun class that traces the roots of hip-hop back to African Dance. Our supportive dance community and educationally sound, sequential curriculum foster technical and artistic growth through exploration and nurture creativity. We emphasize technique and proper body alignment while focusing on a culturally responsive curriculum. Students have a complete performance experience, from the creation of choreography to costuming and staging.

For more information, check out our website: www.steffinossen.org or contact us at 914-328-1900 or info@steffinossen.org

Theatre

The Play Group Theatre is a fun-filled, non-competitive theatre program providing training at the highest level while fostering friendships and building skills that last a lifetime. Choose from PGT’s award-winning MainStage program, presenting a broad range of plays and musicals for all ages; TheatreLab, offering multi-discipline theatre classes for ages 7-16; Design/Tech, exploring Technical Theatre and Design; Improv and Sketch Comedy, collaborating in a comedy troupe; Community Cabaret, sharing the love of music; Little Theatre, for ages 4-6, and more – all in PGT’s vibrant, state-of-the-art performing arts complex. Camp PGT also offers fifteen theatre programs filled with summer fun. Join Westchester's theater for children and teens all year long! The Play Group Theatre prepares kids for every stage of life while giving them the tools they need to succeed on stage today. Visit playgroup.org for more info and to Get IN on the ACT! or contact PGT at 914-946-4433 and info@playgroup.org

Cooking School

Fiddleheads Cooking Studio: Enjoy a flavorful adventure with Fiddleheads Cooking Studio, whose mission is to create a fun and educational environment that promotes food exploration and teaches children where food comes from using seasonal ingredients.

In these hands-on cooking classes, children will gain the confidence they need in the kitchen by:

Learning new skills: Collaborating to create dishes as they take turns measuring and mixing ingredients and learning safe kitchen practices.

Discovering new ingredients: Using their senses to touch, smell and taste all ingredients.

Expanding their knowledge: Learning about the farm-to-table experience and engaging in an interactive discussion about where food comes from.

Enhancing their creativity: Enjoying fun projects, games or garden activities aligned with the recipes.

Enjoying the final product: Joining together as a community to share their thoughts and feelings about different flavors and textures as they enjoy their dishes.

Classes are conducted for children of all ages at various locations throughout Westchester and Connecticut.

For more information and to register visit: https://www.fiddleheadscookingstudio.com/, call 646-853-6046 or email: hello@fiddleheadscookingstudio.com.

Sports

House of Sports is the region’s largest indoor sports facility located in Ardsley, NY. Our 120,000 square foot complex focuses on Learn to Play for athletes 2 to 8 years old as well as older athletes in various sports. With our combination of state-of-the-art facilities and world-class coaching, House of Sports has something to offer for everyone.

This Fall the House of Sports will offer Learn to Play Soccer classes that focus on skill development for 2 to 8 years. Learn to Play Soccer offers beginner and intermediate soccer clinics and classes in a fun and positive environment. Our on-field curriculums focus on developing and progressing new skills with the goal of molding young soccer players that will go on to be successful at all levels – recreation, travel, club or otherwise.

Our program is based on learning, playing and having fun. Each week of a session will highlight a different skillset of the sport. Whether it’s passing, shooting or game concepts, our goal each semester is for players to leave having at least the basic understanding of all aspects of soccer concepts and strategies

To register or to learn more about our fall offerings, please visit houseofsportsny.com or give us a call at 914-479-5419. House of Sports is located at 1 Elm Street, Ardsley

Westchester Skating Academy is the region’s premiere skating facility located in Elmsford, NY. At WSA, your child can learn to skate, sharpen their hockey skills, throw a themed birthday party, or spin their way to a new figure skating move.

Our Metro Hockey League is a competitive, fun youth hockey program that includes clinics, games, practices, a team jersey, and more. League divisions include Mites (2016-18), Squirt (2014-15, Peewee (2012-13), and Bantam/JV (2008-11). Evaluations being September 5th.

WSA also offers Learn to Skate and Learn to Play Hockey classes throughout the entire year. We follow the Learn to Skate USA program created by U.S. Figure Skating. All levels are welcome, from the first steps on the ice to mastering advanced techniques. The next session of Learn to Skate and Learn to Play Hockey classes begin September 4th.

WSA also offers holiday camps throughout the year with the first offerings kicking off October 3rd. Our Camp Chillin, Figure Skating and Hockey Camps are fully supervised and offer both on and off ice training to develop skaters individual skills. Both full day and half day camps are available.

To register or learn more about our fall offerings, please visit skatewsa.com or call 914-347-8232. Westchester Skating Academy is located at 91 Fairview Park Drive, Elmsford.

Maroon and White

Maroon and White is the parent volunteer booster association that supports athletics, physical education, student health and promotes school spirit. Raider Pride Weeks, Raider of the Week, end-of-season team dinners, Media Days, and an end-of-year awards ceremony are just some of the ways we celebrate our student-athletes. Our fundraising helps purchase necessary equipment for the high school athletic teams and physical education programs not covered by the current year school budget. Most recently, we donated a video scoreboard for the gym, a scorers box, wind screens, lamp post flags and a commemorative plaque celebrating our State Championship teams, weights for the Fitness Center, and new team banners for the gym. In the past we led the fundraising efforts for permanent lights at Butler Track and Field and aided in the construction of the SHS Fitness Center plus lots more!

Maroon and White membership dues help make all this happen. We hope you will become a member and support Scarsdale athletics. Go Raiders! maroonandwhite.org.

Pre-Schools

Scarsdale Synagogue Nursery School

Mazel Tots® at Scarsdale Synagogue provides a warm and stimulating environment, which encourages children's curiosity and helps them to grow socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually. Our warm nurturing staff will guide the children through a curriculum filled with a variety of child-centered and developmentally appropriate activities that are safe, fun and friendly. The children's spiritual growth will be enriched by the study of Jewish holidays, traditions and family values. We also offer a group of special activities such as sports and games, music, creative movement, sign language, nature, yoga, karate, science, art atelier, dance and more! We have two beautiful playgrounds and gardens, plus a fully equipped indoor play space featuring ride-on toys, gym equipment, giant blocks and stepping stones just to name a few! Our Early Childhood Program serves children from 18 months through those Kindergarten-bound! For more information please contact Jody Glassman, Early Childhood Program Director at 914-723-3001 or mazeltots@sstte.org. You can also visit our website. Scarsdale Synagogue is located at 2 Ogden Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583. 914.725.5175.

Westchester Reform Temple Early Childhood Center

At Westchester Reform Temple’s Early Childhood Center (ECC), we strive to create an environment that fosters social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth, as well as, creativity and confidence. Our warm, nurturing teachers provide children with the tools they need to communicate with each other and with the world around them. At the ECC, children learn about Jewish holidays, traditions and lifelong values which help them to become confident members of our community. We emphasize STEAM concepts through hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math investigations which encourage young learners to achieve developmental goals. Through inquiry and play-based instruction, we provide students with an opportunity to learn language arts, math and handwriting readiness skills that prepare them for kindergarten and beyond. We facilitate learning through small groups and foster relationships between our children and their teachers, specialists and the WRT clergy. Lunch and extended days are available for older children. For toddlers between the ages of one and two, we offer parent/caregiver participation “Temple Tot” classes for socialization and fun facilitated by our ECC Social Worker and a variety of other expert early childhood consultants. End of the year Mini Session and Summer Play Place camp offered.

For further information regarding school registration, please contact ECC Director Rebecca.Roseman@wrtemple.org or call us at 914 723-5493. Click here to visit our website.

Adult Programming

St. James the Less Episcopal Church's 175th Anniversary Celebration

Come be part of our journey, celebrating 175 years in Scarsdale! Take part in concerts, lectures, historic services, tours, and more, with special guests such as the descendants of the Popham Family and other notables in our history. For the complete schedule, visit our website: stjamesscarsdale.org. All welcome!

Scarsdale Adult School

Scarsdale Adult School (SAS), an award-winning source of affordable quality adult education for 85 years and counting, promises stimulating new classes, renewal of fan favorites, and a special community event that is not-to-be-missed. Mark Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at 7pm on your calendar for an evening with the nation’s most famous weatherman Al Roker and his daughter Courtney Roker Laga they discuss their new family cookbook. Rejoice in and relate to the Roker family rituals while thumbing through the Roker family recipe box. Registration is already open for Recipes to Live By: An Evening with Al Roker and Courtney Roker Laga (Course 12819) and will fill on a first-come/first-served basis.

SAS’s fabulous fall semester is packed with even more special events as well as walking tours, lectures, and discussion classes in a wide array of disciplines. SAS will host Middlebury Professor of Philosophy Lorraine Besser (The Art of the Interesting) and breakout novelist Shelby Van Pelt (Remarkably Bright Creatures), both in September over Zoom.

The schedule includes virtual visits from three non-fiction writers whose books concern the role of physical fitness in the women’s movement and popular culture. In that series, SAS welcomes Vicki Valosik (Swimming Pretty), Danielle Friedman (Let’s Get Physical), and Ava Purkiss (Fit Citizens). Complementing the speaker series is an interdisciplinary literature, film, art, and history course available in-person or online regarding the same topic.

Walking tours venture to historic neighborhoods, museums, and galleries in New York City and the tri-state region. This semester includes guided tours at the Brooklyn Museum, the Morgan Library, Grey Art Gallery, and regular excursions to the Met and art galleries throughout New York City. Culinary trips venture to Arthur Avenue, Astoria, Chinatown, Bushwick, and Industry City. Historic architectural tours take in the beauty of Central Park, Chelsea, the financial district, Greenwich Village, Riverside Drive, and the Upper and Lower East Sides.

Among the many topics debuting this term is a course on France’s influence on American architecture, art, food, and fashion. Harlem Renaissance and Beyond, an art appreciation course inspired by the Met’s exceedingly popular exhibition, The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism also appears in the catalog. New music appreciation courses this fall focus on Joni Mitchell and the music of the 1950s.

Literature and film discussion classes cover the classics to contemporary selections across the centuries, from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice to Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre to Percival Everett’s latest bestseller James. A film discussion group will focus on the movies showing this year at the Jacob Burns Film Center, beginning with The Remains of the Day.

Hear about notable cases on the Supreme Court's docket for the upcoming 2024-25 term; analyze the American presidency; better understand the International Monetary Fund; and prepare for construction with a step-by-step guide to house renovating. Hone your skills in our world language classes (Spanish, French, Italian, German, and ESL) and refine your storytelling abilities in writing workshops.

Performing arts lessons in piano, string instruments, bells, and voice begin in September with acting and improv starting in October. Arts & crafts offerings include a variety of drawing, painting, knitting, basket weaving, digital photography and other media. Fun continues with fitness classes for those seeking to get in shape or stay in shape, as well as games instruction in bridge, canasta, and mah jongg.

Registration is open 24/7 to all adults regardless of residency. In-person classes are housed in Scarsdale and neighboring venues; online classes are held over Zoom and most are recorded and made available to watch on demand, eliminating any scheduling constraints.

Visit the Scarsdale Adult School to register, to subscribe at no cost to the weekly newsletter, to page through the interactive flipbook or to search the catalog. Call (914) 723-2325 with questions.

Scarsdale Public Library

Photo credit jamesshanks.comThis back to school season all Scarsdale residents are encouraged to sign up for a library card! There are no fines, no late fees, and digital materials are available 24/7. Library cards provide access, connection, independence, and responsibility, and parents can sign up their children (of all ages) either in-person or online through the library website. Study rooms are available and students can reserve them ahead of time using their Scarsdale library card through the library’s website or app. On Tuesday, September 24, there will be a Library Card Sign Up Month Celebration, where you can meet a 9-ft character from the Transformers and explore library offerings and services. During the school year, teens can join the Teen Advisory Board to earn service hours and share their interests and talents with their community. For those who are not yet in school, the Scarsdale Public Library offers a 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program to encourage literacy from birth and up.

Library Links
https://www.scarsdalelibrary.org/discover/get-a-card
https://www.scarsdalelibrary.org/event/reserve-lib-card-mon-event-89836
https://www.scarsdalelibrary.org/1000-books-kindergarten