Art Students Donate Colorful Planters to the Village of Scarsdale
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Seven talented high school artists unveiled their work in the outdoor dining tent in Scarsdale Village on Wednesday May 19. The student, are all enrolled in the advanced topics 2D studio art class at Scarsdale high school, taught by Janna Johnson.
The students painted colorful planters to beautify downtown Scarsdale and the dining tent. Amay Nadasdi explained, "This is Scarsdale’s second public art collaboration in Scarsdale Village between SHS, the Scarsdale Business Alliance, and the Scarsdale Village Arts Advisory Council. As you know, our first collaborative project, pre-Covid was the Wing the Dale mural on DeCicco’s wall, facing Starbucks."
"The idea of collaborating after a long year of isolating, sounds so nice, doesn’t it? To me, collaborative public art is the best kind of art in that it's not just the work product that brings people together to enjoy and appreciate, but the process brings us together as well. And this process could not have happened without the help of so many. I want thank the SBA for sponsoring this project. As part of the Dine the Dale initiative the SBA was seeking a way to beautify their tent, and this project was the perfect fit. Thanks SBA and all the merchants and donors for making this possible... Flowers for the planters are being donated by the Scarsdale Flower Boutique on Harwood Court."
Also on hand to introduce and thank the young artists and everyone involved was Mayor Jane Veron.
Take a look at the photos of the planters and artists and make a trip to the dining tent to see them in person.
The names of the student artists included:
Jimena Aguilar (Decades)
Mia de la Fuente-Akersveen (Pop)
Courtney Guastafeste
Haley Hockemeyer (Seasons)
Kristina Karabanova (Chess)
Emily Messerle (Birds)
Sarah Wong (Frogs Concert)
Maria Asnis and Barbara Carlton Support Israel for School Board
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Here are letters from Maria Asnis and Barbara Carlton in support of Irin Israel for Scarsdale Board of Education
To the Editor:
I am voting for Irin Israel for Board of Education on May 18.
I am a parent with my oldest daughter in Kindergarten. My husband I moved to Scarsdale when was 4 weeks old. We chose this community, in large part, for the stellar reputation of the schools. She is now in school for the full day with her truly amazing teacher and has made friends with children in her class. She is happy and flourishing.
But as many of you parents out there know and lest we all forget, the year didn’t start this way.
Like me, many of you, flocked to the Zoom Board of Education meetings, staying up late to speak and to try to get answers to our questions – Why weren’t the children in school for more hours? What objective measures were being used to get more of our children in school safely?
These questions and many more were not directly answered.
Like me, many of you, sent emails to the Board and the administration. As a physician, mine were focused on advocating an objective Medical Advisory Panel and questioning the validity of the particular COVID-19 testing the Administration and Board had chosen for the district. The advisory panel was rebuffed and the board, in response, chose to eliminate a clause in the bylaws calling for medical officer positions. I also had questions about COVID-19 testing and the consent forms proposed and I did not get response.
Like me, some of you spoke at the Board meetings. I was one of the lucky community members that spoke at the very meeting where the Board voted to limit public comment – leaving many to wait until late into the night to be heard.
The Board this year has consistently failed to provide me, as a parent, with transparency and accountability. It is clear to me that a different voice on the Board is needed. A voice I can trust.
Irin Israel, spoke up for parents and our children consistently and courageously throughout this year. He has committed to being transparent and accountable to the community if he is elected.
I am a parent with a child in our schools. I will vote for him and let him be our voice.
Maria Asnis
To the Editor:
I am voting for Irin Israel, and I don’t even know him! Why? Because as a parent following most of the Board of Education meetings, I started to hear his passion, time and time again, speaking up with prepared speeches about the reopening of our schools. Whether or not I agreed with everything he presented doesn’t matter. Why? Because I am looking for a candidate that I know is questioning and evaluating our options then taking those ideas and being actively engaged in our school administration and board meetings either from speaking up or sending e-mails.
Hearing Irin over the fall and winter months, that’s what I have gathered and learned about him. I feel he was bringing forth multiple options for our school administration and Board and it allowed me as a parent to make informed decisions on whether or not to send my child to school this year.
My impression of Irin, from those meetings, as well as his active involvement in our local Facebook town and school groups, is that he is someone who found the time to research, talk with architects, medical experts, ask questions, and send follow ups to our Board and administration on his findings. This shows a deep level of care for his children, our children, and our community and not to just allow the status quo to be. He shouldn’t have had to do this, but he felt it was necessary to show both the current Board and the administration other options that they potentially weren’t looking in to as well as be the voice to some of us parents.
We were (and still are) in unprecedented times, and to see someone step up and offer up the evaluation that he did, doesn’t need any other resume from me to evaluate on May 18th.
Over the course of the 3-year term as the focus switches significantly away from Covid, I feel confident that he will continue to ask questions and ask for alternatives on other subjects that come before the Board, whether or not he is an expert in the area, such as he has done during the pandemic.
Barbara Carlton
Nelson Road
Over 400 Residents Pick Up Free Compost Made from Scarsdale's Food Scraps
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Scarsdale’s food scrap recyclers reaped the rewards of their work at free compost give back day at the Scarsdale Recycling Center on Saturday April 24. In a testament to local enthusiasm for their gardens an estimated 400 people turned out to take home their share of two truckloads of compost that was produced from Scarsdale’s food waste. They know that the organic composition of this mix is a rich supplement to their soil. See photos below of everyone throwing in their shovel including State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and Scarsdale Village Trustee Jonathan Lews.
CAC Chair Michelle Sterling said, “Scarsdale’s annual free compost give back day on April 24 was a fantastic day! There was a terrific turnout as residents came throughout the day to pick up compost for their gardens. It was a great opportunity for residents to see and use the finished product from our food scraps. In addition to the compost there were also volunteers there throughout the day with educational materials and starter kits available for residents to sign up. If you’d like to be a part of this terrific program that safeguards our environment please email composting@scarsdale.com and a volunteer will sign you up and get you started!”
Letter to the Editor: Harrison Backs Singer for School Board
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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To The Editor:
I strongly recommend a vote for Alison Singer for her second three-year term on the Scarsdale Board of Education. Alison has an impressive resume including her community service and volunteerism and leadership positions. She has founded the Autism Science Foundation in 2009 and has been President ever since and has been a spokesperson for autism research and a supporter of individuals with autism and their families. She has been interviewed many times on national television bringing national media attention for autism issues. Alison has a deep understanding of special education and needs for our children as she has a child with autism. .
Alison has served on the BOE for three years and was elected by her fellow Board members to serve as Vice President during this past difficult pandemic corvid year. Alison was a leader on the Board to pass the two-installment plan for our school taxes to help our residents better handle our high property taxes during the corvid recession. Almost every other town in Westchester had this two-payment option for years.
Alison was also a leader on the Board to keep any tax increase for the coming fiscal year on July 1 to a minimum with a 1.93 % school tax increase. Compare this with the excessive Village tax increase of 2.99%.
This past Covid year has been most difficult for all of our Scarsdale community. Alison Singer with her past experience on the School Board can provide steady leadership for our students and parents for the coming years.
Please cast your School Board vote for Alison Singer on May 18. Contact Bob Harrison with any questions or comments on Alison's campaign effort at
proscars@aol.com or 914 725-0962.
Bob Harrison, Chairman
Scarsdale Taxpayer Alert
65 Fox Meadow Road
From the Village: Vaccines Available to the Homebound, Recreation Department Moving to Supply Field
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The Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corp is partnering with the Westchester County Department of Health to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to homebound Scarsdale residents 18 years of age or older, free of charge. If you are not a homebound Scarsdalian in need of a COVID-19 vaccination, please share this information with anyone you believe may benefit from it as they would like to help as many homebound Scarsdalians as possible.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment, contact SVAC either by phone at 914.722.2288 or by email at covid@scarsdalevac.com.
Please also note that SVAC offers COVID-19 testing for all Scarsdale residents. Any resident needing a COVID-19 test, either rapid or molecular, may schedule an appointment online at www.scarsdalevac.com/covid, or by calling 914.722.2288.
Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Moving to Supply Field
The Scarsdale Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation (PRC) is moving from their first-floor location in Village Hall to the former Library Loft location at Supply Field, 244 Heathcote Road. The move will consolidate all PRC staff in one location and help to improve operational efficiency and enhance resident service experiences when visiting their office.
All PRC phone numbers, email addresses, and operating hours will remain the same.
Their new physical address takes effect on Tuesday, April 27. However, their offices will be closed for in- person business beginning at 2:00 PM on Friday, April 23, through Monday, April 26, to facilitate the final stages of their move. Although the physical office will be closed after 2:00 PM this Friday afternoon and all day this coming Monday, PRC business will continue to be conducted by phone, email, and online.
PRC personnel look forward to seeing you at their new Supply Field location, starting on Tuesday, April 27.
