"A Scarsdale Story" Debuts in the New SHS Auditorium

The Scarsdale community really knows how to “show up.” Around 200 alumni, neighbors and friends came together for a rare opportunity to celebrate our public school district on Wednesday night December 3, 2025 at the new high school auditorium. As conveyed in the new film From the First Schoolhouse: A Scarsdale Story, this community-minded spirit is what has helped the Scarsdale Schools thrive.

“From the First Schoolhouse: A Scarsdale Story” brings to life the people, places, and moments that built the foundation of Scarsdale’s schools. From little-known facts about the buildings themselves to pioneering educational strategies and milestones that captured national attention, the film traces a more than a century of innovation and vision. It highlights Scarsdale’s long tradition of educational progressivism, from early experiments like The Scarsdale Plan to programs such as the Scarsdale Alternative School (A-School). Along the way, the district faced historical challenges—wartime pressures, overcrowding, censorship, and the Red Scare—that continue to resonate today. Together, these themes show how civic dedication, forward-thinking leadership, and a willingness to confront conflict shaped the district’s identity.

Rare photographs, archival footage, and personal anecdotes bring the evolution of the schools to life. Narrating on location from schools across Scarsdale, trustees Lori Rothman, Jordan Copeland, and Leslie Chang weave together stories that have been hidden for decades. There are firsthand accounts from legendary former educators like Ruth Friendly and Tony Aranella (a founder of the A-School), and insights from one of the first graduates of the A-School, WiIlliam Klayman ‘73. Together, they offer a vivid portrait of a community shaped by vision, ambition, conflict, triumph, and change that continues to unfold.

The film includes many rare photos, like this football team photo from the 1923 Scarsdale High School yearbook.

Jordan Copeland explains about Quaker Ridge School’s origins at a very unexpected location.

A journalist and trustee of the Scarsdale Historical Society, Lori Rothman makes her first appearance in one of the organization’s films.

Don’t miss their new exhibit on the Scarsdale Public Schools, created by the library’s Local History Librarian Dan Glauber. It’s on display in the Local History Center of the library, or online here.

The film is posted online on the Scarsdale Historical Society website and is free to view. Watch the movie here: