Greenacres Residents Press BOE to Preserve School
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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The fate of the Greenacres School continued to be a focus at the BOE meeting on 9-21, when Board President Lee Maude clarified the Board's position and timeline and residents continued to press the Board to take any discussion of tearing down the school off the table.
Board President Lee Maude addressed the issue of the future of the Greenacres Elementary School and the process for coming to a decision. Though the Board had originally planned to pass a resolution to reconvene the Greenacres Feasibility Committee they postponed it to give residents an opportunity to address the board at the meeting.
At the opening of the meeting, Maude read a statement outlining the board's position on Greenacres which can be viewed in its entirety online here. In her message, she stated repeatedly that no decisions had been made or would be made until the Greeancres Feasibility Committee and the District-wide Building Committee met and made their recommendations. The timetable for a bond referendum on the issue is now planned for mid-2017.
She said that the board had received many letters opposing Option C, which is to build a new school on the field, and appreciates residents' involvement. She assured the group that all letters were read and considered and that no decisions had been made.
She explained that the administration is reconvening the Greenacres Feasibility Committee to propose priorities and recommendations and that the committee will be expanded by three residents and three staff members. According to Maude, "Educators should have meaningful input into plans for the building. We collaborate with our teachers and staff." She said that the administration will seek broad representation on the committee and has turned to the Greenacres PTA and the Greenacres Neighborhood Association to find "fair and open minded" residents that are representative of the community.
She said that the PTA had chosen two for the committee who oppose the demolition of the school and asked residents to work with their neighborhood association to select their representatives.
However, Maude said, "At some point we need to let this committee meet. We prefer not to delay the reconvening of this committee. Hopefully at our October 7 meeting we will adopt a resolution to reconvene the building committee."
She then listed the following "facts."
- The architects have made no recommendations.
- Russ Davidson from architects KG&D says that 99% of the time his firm renovates rather than build new schools and much of the school infrastructure is 30 years beyond its useful life.
- All engineering reports are available online.
- The Greenacres Feasiblity Committee will report to the school administration, not the school board.
- Building committees are usually selected by the administration, not the board.
- The Board of Education has had limited discussion about the study.
- Between now and then building committees will work with the architects on a building master plan for the district. The district wide steering committee will begin their work in June 2016.
- The issue about how to address the aging building will not come to the board until the Greenacres Feasibility and the District-wide steering committee have completed their work.
- No decisions have been or will be made by the board for months to come.
- A referendum will not happen until mid-2017.
She concluded by saying, "We respectfully ask that you let the committee complete its work. Its task is to find the best solution for educating the children of Greenacres. The members of the committee are well aware of the neighbors desire to keep the Green space in Greenacres.... The Greenacres Feasibility Committee has not done its work so we are not in a position to eliminate option C which is the potential of constructing a new facility. We understand that the residents of Greenacres are frustrated by the length of this process. We hope to share a formal timeline for this decision with the community later in the fall. We have a long road ahead of us and we hope at some time in the future the residents of Greenacres come to trust this process. I am optimistic that at the end of the day our paths will meet.
In the public comments section, Greenacres residents continued to ask the Board to save the existing school.
Meredith Gantcher who Co-chairs the Committee to Save Greenacres asked that two more reports be released. She asked to see the long-term demographic study that back ups an assumption of 415 students rather than a decline in enrollment to 352 students. She also asked to see the architect's cost assumptions on a new building versus a renovation.
Claudia Uribe of 162 Brewster Road had questions about the engineer's
Building Condition Report. She said that the school has been well maintained and that the architects should explore options to upgrade existing systems rather than tear down the school. Though the survey says all systems are 30 years past their useful life, she pointed out that the electric system was upgraded in 1997 and this is not reflected in the report.
Vivienne Braun of Kingston Road asked if there will be two representative from the Greenacres Neighborhood Association, or two additional representatives? Maude said, "No, there will still be two." Braun said, "It still seems to me, that anyone without a child in the school is not represented on that committee."
Madeline Hauptman of 150 Brewster Road said that she designed the Greenacres lawn signs and that 200 people have posted them at their homes. She said, " I am very disturbed by this threat. It appears that the administration and the architects equate a quality education with a brand new building. If we look at the premiere educational institutions like Oxford Cambridge, Harvard or Yale, they do their utmost to preserve and renovate the buildings that define their ethos and history and pass that on physically to the next generation."
Hauptman continued, "KG&D has based their work on a flawed study that emphasizes square footage per child. There is no proven link between educational performance and classroom size. The unproven validity of that formula needs to be questioned now. Private schools don't offer data on square footage but emphasize parent-student ratio and teacher quality, which are proven to enhance academic achievement. There is no need to tear down the school and spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars. I hold a masters in education from University of Pennsylvania and I am a realistic oil painter. The Greenacres playground is integral to my decision to stay in Scarsdale for the peace it offers me as an artist. I am not alone in wanting to keep the green in Greenacres. 840 people, more than 50%, have signed a petition to save the Greenacres School. Heed our call."
Barbara Wenglin of 152 Brewster Road said "We are empty nesters who choose to remain in our homes. There are more than 50% like us who no longer have children in the school. We are important stakeholders who pay much and cost little. We have chosen to stay despite the tax burden because of the neighborhood character and the Greenacres field at its heart. The field is our village green. When our grandkids visit they play on the field and admire their mother's historic school. Many of us with grown children are feeling disconnected from the decision making process. We can't join the PTA so we look to the Greenacres Neighborhood Association to hear us and represent our views. But they will not represent our views and will only act as a conduit of information. We are not sure what that means. Why won't our neighborhood association express the concerns of more than 50% of Greenacres households who want to save the field? Yes our neighborhood association should hear all points of view. They should convey our views to the reconvened Greenacres Feasibility Building Committee now as it considers the various options. The BOE should also hold sessions to receive community input. We empty nesters want to be heard now, we are still here, we are the majority and we vote."
Amy Stern of 10 River Road said she was also an empty nester who lives a 15 minute walk away from the school. She said she came to support those who want to keep the green in Greenacres and that the field was a draw when she moved here. She said, " It draws people into the neighborhood, helps property values and I hope future generations can continue to enjoy it."
Lisa Hassan from Sage Terrace lives right next to the school. She asked if the 100 year-old school had landmark status and asked the Board to consider "other options than taking the school down." She added, "Maybe close Huntington Avenue and add something there."
David Schatz of Montrose Road asked the board to be sensitive to community wishes. He said, "Over 50% of GA families have signed the petition not to build on the field. We have already spent $75,000 on studies. Why should the rest of Scarsdale have to pay to build a new school on the field, if a majority of Greenacres residents do not want a field on the school?"
Karen Schatz, also of Montrose Road said, "There is an assumption that new is better than old. I don't think that's true. The school can be updated and expanded. When we looked for a home, we loved the feel of the green in Greenacres."
Seventh Annual Friends of Peter Alderman Walk to Be Held at Fenway Golf Club
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Over 200 friends and family of Peter Alderman, who was murdered in the destruction of the World Trade Center Towers on September 11, 2001, will participate in the 7th Annual Friends of Peter Alderman (FOPA) Walk Sunday, September 20, 2015 at Fenway Golf Club, 384 Old Mamaroneck Road, in Scarsdale from 3:00-7:00 pm. This year the FOPA Walkers hope to raise $150,000 for the Peter C. Alderman Foundation to be used for the Foundation's programs.
In announcing this year's FOPA Walk, Co-Chair of FOPA, Dr. Gregory Janis, of Manhattan, said, "We are very excited to be holding this year's FOPA Walk and Family Day again in Scarsdale. Last year we moved the event to Scarsdale both to bring it home to where Pete loved growing up, and to accommodate our own expanding families."
Demarest, NJ resident and FOPA Walk Co-Chair Tina Schweid continued, "It has become a much anticipated special day. Each year we look forward to reconnecting with others who loved Peter, miss him and want to honor his memory by contributing to the great work of the Peter C. Alderman Foundation."
Dr. Janis and Mrs. Schweid were his among Peter Alderman's best friends in Scarsdale, where they all grew up together. If he were alive today he would be 39.
The Walk will begin at 3pm and be immediately followed by a celebratory BBQ with entertainment and activities for the whole family including, a dunk tank, bouncy castles, face painting, games and sports, tie dye art-making, carnival booths and much more. It will be held rain or shine.
A $30 donation is requested for non-registered adult Walkers and $15 per non-registered child to cover expenses. For more information or to register go to: walk.petercaldermanfoundation.org
About the Friends of Peter Alderman (FOPA)
Following his death, Peter's many friends wished to honor his life. They decided to create an enduring legacy to memorialize his loving and generous spirit by working together as a group to support the Peter C. Alderman Foundation's (PCAF) work. With that in mind, the Friends of Peter Alderman, or FOPA, was created as an arm of the PCAF. With the motto "For Pete's Sake", in the past six years, FOPA created the annual Peter C. Alderman Walk and raised $350,000 for PCAF including the funding for a new roof for the Peter C. Alderman Mental Health Clinic in Cambodia.
About the Peter C. Alderman Foundation (PCAF):
The mission of the Peter C. Alderman Foundation (PCAF)(www.petercaldermanfoundation.org ), which was formed in 2003 by Elizabeth and Stephen Alderman of Pound Ridge, NY to honor their son Peter who was murdered by terrorists in the destruction of the World Trade Center September 11, 2001, is to heal the emotional wounds of victims of terrorism and mass violence by training indigenous health workers and establishing trauma treatment systems in post-conflict countries around the globe.
In its 12 years, PCAF has established eight trauma clinics: two in Cambodia, four in Uganda, one in Liberia and one in a maternal child health clinic in one of Africa's largest slums in Kibera, Nairobi and treated more than 100,000 patients. It runs workshops and conferences in Africa that have trained thousands of mental health professionals. Working in public-private partnership with governments, PCAF creates capacity, sustainability and community acceptance at very low cost.
Call for Candidates for the Citizens Nominating Committee
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The Procedure Committee invites eligible Scarsdale residents to run for election to the Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC), the caucus of the Scarsdale Citizens Non-Partisan Party that selects candidates for mayor, trustee and village justice. Once elected, the newest members of the CNC will join 20 sitting CNC members in four or five meetings to consider and choose candidates to run for any open positions in the March Village election. These candidates run under the banner of the Scarsdale Citizens Non-Partisan Party.
CNC members are expected to attend all CNC meetings, to serve on the CNC for three years and to serve for one year on the Procedure Committee after their service on the CNC. The meeting dates for 2015-2016 are: Sunday, December 13; Sunday, January 10; Wednesday, January 20; Sunday, January 31 and, if necessary, Wednesday, February 3. This year's CNC will select candidates for the three open Trustee positions and Village Justice.
Eligibility is governed by the Non-Partisan Resolution which can be found at the Procedure Committee website: www.scarsdaleprocedurecommittee.org. A candidate for the CNC must be a qualified voter and a resident of Scarsdale for at least two years. A CNC candidate may not be a member of the Procedure Committee, the School Board Nominating Committee, the School Board Administrative Committee, the Scarsdale Board or the Village Board.
Candidates run for the open CNC positions in their elementary school district. A minimum of two candidates is sought for each position. This year, there are two open positions for three year terms in Edgewood and Greenacres. There are three open positions in elementary school districts Fox Meadow (one position to fill a two year term), Heathcote (one position to fill a one year term) and Quaker Ridge (one position to fill a one year term).
Candidates must file a short biographical sketch and a nominating petition with 10 signatures of registered voters from their elementary school district. Forms for both are available as downloads at: www.scarsdaleprocedurecommittee.org. Hard copies may be obtained at Village Hall and the Scarsdale Library as well. Filing instructions can be found on the forms.
The deadline for filing both forms is Friday, October 2; after this date, additional candidates for any school district will be accepted only if there are fewer than two candidates for each position in that school district. The CNC election will be held at Village Hall on Tuesday, November 10.
Potential candidates are welcome to contact individual members of the Procedure Committee which include members of the CNC graduating class of 2015 Linda Blair, Linda Flaxer, Susan Groner, Warren Haber, Robert Reiffel, Andrea Seiden, Michael Stevens and Evelyn Stock; Town and Village Civic Club (TVCC) representatives Lena Crandall, Tim Foley, Dan Hochvert, Jackie Irwin, Eli Mattioli, Lucas Meyer, BK Munguia, Howard Nadel, Susan Douglass and Bruce Wells; and Scarsdale Neighborhood Association Presidents (SNAP) representative Matthew Martin.
Woohoo for Wuji: Farm-to-Wok Chinese Food Comes to Scarsdale Village
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- Written by Stacie M. Waldman
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As quickly as Savona disappeared, Wuji moved in to replace it at the corner hotspot on Chase and Popham Roads in Scarsdale Village. Wuji is being marketed as an organic, healthier, local farm-to-wok version of authentic but modernized Chinese cuisine for the suburban foodie who doesn't want to make that trip to the city for an upscale Chinese food fix.
Jody Pennette, the Greenwich-based owner of Wuji, has put a lot of thought into the design of the restaurant so it accurately reflects its name (which means to embody the spirit of purity, balance, and harmony with nature) and contributes to the overall experience for the customer. "The restaurant is designed deliberately with an aesthetic that is more in tune with the western lifestyle," Pennette remarked. "The walls help make the restaurant feel more reminiscent of an art gallery than a restaurant." In regards to the food, he commented, "We use only high-end ingredients, including local and organic produce and meat, and stick to traditional Chinese recipes. Everything is super fresh and we don't use fillers. In fact," he added, "my kitchen staff come in at 9 o'clock every morning to begin preparing food for a 5 o'clock opening. Really, everything is made from scratch every single day. It's that fresh." Don't ask about lunch- it's not possible at this time given the time required to prepare the fresh food for dinner. However, look for brunch offerings in the near future. The Chef, whom is nicknamed "Chef Joe," only speaks Cantonese.
The food is delicious
We got to Wuji around 6:30 PM on a Wednesday night. The few open tables were filled by 7:00 PM -- impressive since it was also the first day of school in Scarsdale. Our waiter brought over complimentary fried wontons with a triad of dipping sauces that were pleasing to the palate. We started with a Mai Tai (strong and refreshing but not overpowering) and some shrimp and chive dumplings. The dumplings were perfectly steamed with a generous amount of filling and were served with a light scallion soy dipping sauce. Next they brought our order of spicy fried rice that came with a sunny side up egg on top and a sprinkling of fried shallots. The presentation was beautiful and the rice had a nice kick to it, but bringing it to the table prior to the main course seemed unusual. The explanation we got was that everything is fresh and made-to-order, so comes out when it's ready. 
We were satisfied with that because each and every dish was piping hot.
The menu allows for half orders of the main dishes so you can sample more than you might otherwise. This is great for indecisive people like me. We ordered halves of the sesame chicken, the Peking duck, and General Tso's fish as well as a small sampling of the tangerine beef. We also tried a side of Blue Lake green beans. The size of the half orders was generous.
The green beans tasted like they were picked out back then served at our table. They were crispy in texture, robust in flavor. Writing about them is making me crave them now. The fish tasted heavenly and light even though it was lightly breaded and fried before being tossed in a bowl with ginger-chili sauce and fresh vegetables. The sesame chicken was presented with crisp bok choy, a vegetable that in most Chinese restaurants arrives wilted and soggy. The chicken was exceptionally juicy and contained all white meat. It was the perfect blend of sweet, sour, and salty. The tangerine beef was the biggest surprise for us. We were told it was very spicy, but we found that to be it's best quality. It was spicy but not in a "burn-your-tongue-ask-for-milk," kind of way. The spice truly enhanced the tangy flavor of the citrus and was our favorite dish of the night. The Peking duck seemed like a "must order" menu item because of the two-day cooking process, but we found it a bit on the bland side even with a side of hoisin and mu shu pancakes.
While we were at first dismayed to learn that a dessert menu had not yet been developed, we were ecstatic to receive two complimentary Momofuku Milk Bar cookies at the end of the meal. Some people will make that trek to the city just for Momofuku cookies, --so now that you can eat the freshest, most delectable Chinese food around and indulge in Milk Bar cookies, there's just no reason to order typical Chinese take out any more.
Speaking of take out, Wuji is offering delivery ("our place or yours") within a 2-mile radius of Scarsdale Village. They deliver the food on fashionable bikes- it's progressive, green, and fun. (Wishing them good luck making that left onto Scarsdale Avenue)
Wuji has a full bar and exceptional service.
Wuji is located at 2 Chase Road, Scarsdale and is currently open for dinner with seating beginning at 5 PM, last seating at 10 PM. www.wujirestaurant.com, https://www.facebook.com/WUJIchinesefood.
Please Don't Pick Produce from the Garden at SHS
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Scarsdale10583 received this note from SHS teacher Maggie Favretti who manages the sustainable garden at Scarsdale High School:
Please help the SHS Sustainable Garden Project achieve its mission. Please do NOT help yourself to the food!!
Here are the reasons why:
1. You might be destroying a long-term student experiment (for example, the kids have cultivated the apple trees for FOUR YEARS while waiting for them to produce apples, and they deserve to taste them, don't you think?!) Last year, their first small crop was entirely stolen.
2. You might be destroying a teacher's lesson. Much of the produce in the garden plays a role in outdoor classroom lessons, and if it disappears....
3. You are definitely taking food away from a hungry child. We give our food to local soup kitchens and food pantries, about 1500-2000 pounds per year.
If you would like to support our Sustainable Garden Project, by volunteering or donating funds, please contact Maggie Favretti, 721-2567.
Thank you for your help!
Maggie
