80 Quarantined in Scarsdale Following PSAT Exam at SHS
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- Written by Sydney Piccoli
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(Update October 20) In a second incident in just one week, the Scarsdale School district ran into another COVID challenge on Saturday October 17. After students took the PSAT test at Scarsdale High School, an individual who had been in the room with 80 students in the cafeteria, received a positive diagnosis for COVID-19.
According to the email from the district, “The individual was asymptomatic during the test but noticed a loss of taste/smell while eating lunch after the exam. The person immediately went for testing and then contacted the District with this information.” It was later revealed that the COVID positive individual was a proctor or a person administering the test.
Though students were placed six feet apart and wore masks during the exam, the positive diagnosis required for contact tracing to be done. The Westchester County Department of Health said that the students and staff who were in the cafeteria will need to quarantine for 14 days. However, siblings of these students will not be required to quarantine.
The email from the school district says, “The Department of Health believes the risk for transmission is low due to the safeguards that were put into place but issued the quarantine to ensure there is no further infection from this gathering. The approximately 80 students and staff members who need to quarantine will be contacted directly by the Department of Health over the next 24-48 hours. Additionally, the High School staff will also be contacting all affected students/families.”
The schools custodial team cleaned all affected areas in compliance with the district’s restart protocols and CDC guidance.
School will re-open as scheduled on Monday.
We asked Assistant Superintendent Eric Rauschenbach for more information and here is what he shared.
“Once we were informed of the test result we immediately contacted the Department of Health. On the weekends there is a hotline and you leave a message. In the meantime, the District interviewed the individual and immediately gathered contacts for all of the students and staff that could have come in contact. The DOH contacted us shortly thereafter and we discussed the particulars of the situation and where there could have been exposure. The DOH collected contact information for students and staff so they could follow-up and confirmed they would place all students and staff in the cafeteria during testing on quarantine.”
We wondered if they were investigating where the exposed student may have contracted the virus and contacting whoever else may have been exposed? Rauschenbach said, “The individual was not in the buildings for 2 weeks prior to the test administration so there was no chance of in-school exposure prior to yesterday. The school's role was limited to providing information about yesterday. The Department of Health also interviewed the individual and will be following up on all non-school related contacts and public health concerns as per their procedures.”
How will the 80 quarantined students keep up with their work? Rauschenback said, “They will attend their classes virtually similarly to the way virtual-only students do.
And will they need to be tested before they can return? Rauschenbach answered, “The DOH requires a 14 day quarantine regardless of testing results. If a person completes the 14 day quarantine symptom free they may return to normal life (including school). We encourage families to contact their primary care providers to discuss testing and follow their recommendations. If a person becomes symptomatic during the 14 days they should immediately contact their doctor and follow their advice for testing and follow up.”
SHS Junior Sydney Piccoli interviewed some of the students who took the PSAT in the cafeteria on Saturday October 17 and here are their comments:
Shamolie Panjwani ’22:
Finding out about the COVID case at the PSAT, I was shocked. I was sitting with my mom when she had heard that where a case in the cafeteria and immediately went up to my room and called my friends to find out more information. I had always thought that if I were to be quarantined or get COVID it would be at school, not something I voluntarily went to. My first thoughts were whether I had contracted COVID and if I had spread it to my parents. While I wasn’t as scared about getting COVID myself, I was worried about my parents getting the virus. While I know that going to school, hanging out with friends, and daily activities are all a risk, I felt that this case was a wake up call for many in realizing that COVID is still prevalent within Scarsdale. In terms of my school schedule, I’ll be zooming into classes in the morning in addition to the start of cross-cohort streaming. Because many clubs and extra-curriculars are happening on zoom, quarantine doesn’t affect my schedule too much, apart from hanging out with friends and family.
Charlotte Davis ’22:
I’m glad that the school was so quick to respond to the issue so that it hopefully won’t continue to spread, but I’m personally kind of irritated that I have to spend two weeks locked in my room when I have been following all the protocols and such. I have to be fully online for the next two weeks which I am not excited about because of the added screen time when cross streaming is on the horizon as well. I am also annoying because I’ve had to cancel some of my upcoming plans with family and friends.
Samuel Drescher ‘22
I think it’s really unfortunate but not entirely surprising. The event definitely could have been regulated better. The seats were not assigned and the school did not keep track of who sat where so as to best inform people if they were close to patient 0. The lines in front of the school to check people in were unregulated and crowded, so there was much more room to be exposed than was necessary. It’s ultimately understandable that this happened, but I believe the effects of this exposure could have been mitigated.
Being in quarantine definitely throws a wrench in things. I’m now all virtual, which comes with its own consequences because I have to be on zoom all day. I believe this will have negative effects on my education and my mental health. Before quarantine, I was participating in cross country, but now that I cannot go to practices or meets for two weeks, I may not be able to have a significant season. Also, I will be unable to go on runs and exercise in public, which will probably make it harder to keep up with my physical health.
I was definitely shocked when I found out I had to quarantine. At first I was very concerned for at-risk people in my house, and in case I have the virus, I have to be very careful. This feeling quickly involved into panic as all of the sudden my life felt very out of control, and I know that the next thirteen days are going to be a big challenge. However, I’m optimistic that I will be able to keep up with all of my responsibilities and come out of this having undergone a tough experience.
Fire Prevention Week Focuses on Safety in the Kitchen
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Traditionally, the Scarsdale Fire Department celebrates Fire Prevention Week by holding its annual Fire Fair. In light of the current Public Health guidelines, the Scarsdale Fire Department has decided not to hold its annual Fire Fair this fall. Even though we will be unable to hold the fair in its traditional manner, we remain committed to providing this service to our community in a virtual manner.
This year’s theme for Fire Prevention week is “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen”. The focus on fire safety while cooking is a response to the fact that home cooking fires represents the leading cause of U.S. home fires. Nearly half (49 percent) of all home fires involving cooking equipment, and unattended cooking is the leading cause of these fires.
Key messages of this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen” will include the following:
Keep a close eye on what you’re cooking; never leave cooking unattended
Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — at least three feet away from your stove top.
Be on alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.
To get this fire safety message out to the public, the Scarsdale Fire Department will be posting several safety messages and videos throughout October on our social media platforms. Check out the sites listed below and be on the lookout for new information and fun throughout the month of October. If you have any question, please contact the Scarsdale Fire Department Fire Prevention office at (914) 722-1221.
Check Out these sites throughout October:
Website:
https://www.scarsdale.com/fire
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/scarsdalefire
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/scarsdalefire
Candidate for Trustee Forces Scarsdale Village to Release 4,318 Resident Email Addresses
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Robert Selvaggio obtained 4,318 resident email addresses after a FOIL request.After exploring all legal avenues not to comply with a FOIL request for 4,318 resident’s private email addresses, the Village of Scarsdale turned over the list to resident Robert Selvaggio of Rochambeau Road on September 11, 2020.
Selvaggio, who is running for Village Trustee as a candidate for the Voter’s Choice Party, filed a FOIL request in April, 2020 to receive the email addresses of all residents who were signed up on the Village’s “Notify Me” communications system. The system is used to disseminate information about emergencies, storms, road closures, sanitation schedules, recreation opportunities and more. The Village built the system as a way to improve communications with residents who opted in to receive Village emails and alerts.
On April 24, Selvaggio sent the following FOIL request to Scarsdale Village Clerk Donna Conkling:
“Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Law, I am requesting the list of email addresses of subscribers to Scarsdale’s “Notify Me” system and the list of email addresses to which the “Mayoral Community Update: April 23, 2020” was addressed.”
Scarsdale10583 filed a FOIL request to see Selvaggio's request.
Village managers were highly reluctant to turn over the list for many reasons. They feared that it would betray the public trust in the Village, as many residents assumed their private email addresses could not be shared. Managers feared that if residents started to receive unsolicited communications, they would opt out of the Village’s Notify Me list. In addition, if Scarsdale yielded to this request, what would prevent more requests for the list from others seeking to reach Scarsdale homeowners?
According to Village Manager Steve Pappalardo, “The Village was not concerned about the requestor, but rather, on a more comprehensive basis, relative to the potential invasion of privacy and any perceived violation by the Village of the public trust. In our view, Notify Me subscribers should have a reasonable expectation of privacy when providing this contact information to the local government.”
Furthermore, Pappalardo said, “We also had concerns about cyber security to the extent that making the public records available to anyone may elevate the risk of a cyber attack. And a third concern was that releasing the emails might stymie our ability to maintain or increase enrollment in Notify Me.”
In order to determine if they were legally bound to release the list, the Village reached out to their attorney as well as the NYS Committee on Governance.
Pappalardo said, “Access to public records in New York State is governed by the Freedom of Information Law as adjudicated by the NYS Committee on Open Government (COG). We asked the Village Attorney to review the FOIL request and determine our ability to withhold/deny the request based on the above concerns. Based on his review of the law and pertinent case law on this point, the Attorney determined that the email addresses should be released. Subsequently we wrote to the NYS COG for a formal opinion/response. After reviewing, the COG responded that the emails should be released, citing several previous COG opinions and case law.”
There was one caveat. According to Pappalardo, “The New York Public Officers Law (FOIL) Section 89.3(a) specifically provides that an agency may require a person requesting lists of names and addresses to provide a written certification that such person will not use such lists of names and addresses for solicitation or fund-raising purposes and will not sell, give or otherwise make available such lists of names and addresses to any other person for the purpose of allowing that person to use such lists of names and addresses for solicitation or fund-raising purposes. Mr. Selvaggio was asked and complied by executing, having notarized, and submitting a Certification to this effect, as written by the Village Attorney.”
Will Selvaggio use the newly released list to send emails asking for votes for the Voters Choice Party candidates on Tuesday September 15? It is not clear whether the provision that bars the use of the list for “solicitations” includes campaign emails. The Oxford Dictionary defines solicitation as “the act of asking for or trying to obtain something from someone,” which would seem to prohibit campaign-related emails but we won’t know until the election is over on Tuesday night.
There is precedent for the decision. In a similar case about the release of the email addresses of residents in Greenburgh in 2016, an appellate court ruled that “the Town, Town Clerk and Town Board all violated the New York State Freedom of Information Law when they refused (two years ago) to disclose in electronic form, the names and email addresses of subscribers of the Town’s email list so that a resident could respond to political arguments made on the Town’s “gblist” by Town Supervisor Paul Feiner.”
Commenting on the issue, Scarsdale Village Trustee Jane Veron said, “Yes, I am aware that the FOIL request was fulfilled today, and I think it is a regrettable result. While I am a strong proponent of open government, I believe the release of personal email addresses for private use is beyond the bounds of what is necessary to achieve transparency. I have always been determined to make government more accessible to our residents. When I joined the board, I sponsored the communications committee, and together with a diverse team, we built a user-friendly website, launched e-newsletters and implemented the Notify Me system. Every decision we made was guided by a commitment to public trust. I hope that trust endures.”
Even if Selvaggio refrains from using the list to garner support in the election, it’s hard to understand how forcing the release of private email addresses benefits residents in anyway, or as the Voters Choice Party political signs say makes for a “better Village.”
What do you think? Share your comments below.
Inside Scarsdale High School -Signs, Distancing, Masks and Virtual Learners
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- Written by Anna Cho
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Mr. Williams conducting his Chamber Orchestra class.September 18, 2020 marked the first day of school for students in Cohort A at Scarsdale High School. As students shuffled into school with masks wrapped around their faces, they followed stickers that showed them which direction to walk and to remain six feet apart.
Many changes can be seen around the high school such as the new safety guidelines featured on signs all throughout the building. As one steps inside, one’s eyes are immediately attracted to the Old Commons, an area once filled with noisy students one next to another in the morning, sitting in tables preparing for their classes, and feasting on a protein bar or two before class started. Now, the lounge area has become filled with empty rows of seats separated from each other.
As one enters into the classrooms, one can notice that the rooms all consist of the same layout, rows of chairs with several feet of distance between them. An empty chair is placed in the front of the classroom for the teacher to place his or her laptop for all virtual students to watch the lesson, while other teachers chose to display the virtual students on the smartboard.
The teachers no longer walk up to student’s desks, but rather remain at the front of the classroom, teaching through their masks.
Mr. Harrison, Social Studies Department Chair, talking to his virtual students in the AT US Government class.
As senior Andrew Lofaso discusses his first day of school he describes how as he walked into the building, “At first it was a shock, just to see the school in that kind of state, but after a little time, adjusting wasn’t so bad. The biggest adjustment was having to wear a mask all day and not being able to interact as intimately with your peers and teachers.”
While there is a learning curve to virtual classes and it can take time adjusting to the hybrid schedule, students and teachers alike are working together every day to make the transitions as smooth as possible for everyone.
Seniors Andrew Lofaso and Trevor Koch wearing their masks while participating in their Spanish class. 
Spanish teacher, Ms. D"Angelo, teaching her students, including her virtual students, that remain on the smartboard.
Mr. Sipe teaching Honors Geology class to his seniors.
Author Talk: Unacceptable: Privilege, Deceit and the Making of the College Admissions Scandal"
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz, authors of "Unacceptable: Privilege, Deceit and the Making of the College Admissions Scandal" will speak at an event sponsored by the Friends of the Scarsdale Library (FOSL) on Thursday October 8 at 8 pm.
Veteran Wall Street Journal reporters Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz, have written “ a propulsive true-crime drama of greed and privilege run amok, set amid America's most exclusive enclaves and prestigious institutions. And it’s an important interrogation of class divisions and the myths of meritocracy in higher education; loopholes in admissions systems ripe for corruption; and modern parenthood and the lengths to which the privileged will go to preserve their status.”
The Library has purchased additional copies of the book so the community can have a chance to read it in preparation for the event. Dara Gruenberg, president of FOSL, will be moderating the talk with the authors. Upon registration, individuals will have an opportunity to submit anonymous questions that will drive the discussion about the largest admissions scam ever prosecuted by the Justice Department which sent shock waves through American schools and families.
A zoom link will be sent prior to the event.
Register to attend the event here:
Please submit questions prior to the event here: https://forms.gle/mhjRP9eVzngdwDgk9
Jennifer Levitz
Melissa Korn
