City School District of New Rochelle
News & updates
October 23, 2020
‌
Hybrid Model Gets Under Way With Students Back in Schools
A classroom at Daniel Webster Magnet School.
Throughout this week, the first wave of students returned to school buildings to sit at desks spaced apart by floor stickers, and greet the teachers they had known only as faces on their computer screens.

The City School District of New Rochelle began its transition to a hybrid model Monday, welcoming back students in Pre-K through grade 3, grade 6 (the first year of middle school) and several specialized programs. To follow COVID-19 safety protocols, half the students attended school in person Monday and Tuesday, and others came in Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is a remote-learning day for all.

“You are strong, you are resilient and you are amazing,” Albert Leonard Middle School Principal John Barnes told sixth-graders seated six feet apart in the lunchroom during a Thursday orientation. “Thank you for coming back to school, thank you for being here and thank you for coming in with your masks on and ready to go.”

In school, students adjusted to COVID-19-era rules, learning to maintain social distance and scrub their hands 20 seconds at a time. They will continue to learn remotely the three days per week they are not in school.

The full phase-in will continue over the next three weeks. This Monday, Oct. 26, grades 4, 5 and 8 return. On Nov. 2, grade 7 returns. New Rochelle High School students return to the building Nov. 9.

“I love it. I couldn’t wait for the kids to come back,” said Marie O’Connell, teaching assistant at Daniel Webster Magnet School. Getting to know the students over the computer just wasn’t the same. In person, she said, “you’re really getting to see their personalities.”

Students already have gotten to know their teachers remotely over the past few weeks, which aided their adjustment on their first day in the building.

“That made a huge difference,” said Webster Assistant Principal Greg Middleton.

Teachers and administrators said students were acclimating well to the rules, and that they seemed excited to again be in class with teachers and friends.

“They’re smiling under their masks,” said ALMS sixth grade science teacher Cynthia Picone. “You can tell that they’re happy.”
A class at Isaac E. Young Middle School.
Albert Leonard Middle School Principal John Barnes welcomes sixth graders.
Ray Casher
NRHS's Ray Casher
Vies for Title:
'Rock Star Custodian'
You might know Ray Casher as the Plant Manager at New Rochelle High School. Soon, you may also know him as the Rock Star Custodian of 2020.
The longtime New Rochellean is one of eight custodians across the country up for the honor, which is bestowed each year by the Academy of Cleaning Excellence, a Florida-based organization provides professional development and certifications for front-line workers in the cleaning industry.

Casher manages more than 30 staff members and supervises the operation of all critical building systems in the 520,000-square-foot high school. He has been an unsung (until now) hero of the COVID-19 crisis, overseeing the distribution of more than 3,000 meals every day at NRHS and several other locations as part of the City School District of New Rochelle’s response to the pandemic.

“Ray continues to bring out the best in those around him and foster ‘buy-in’ towards the cause and purpose,” said Keith Watkins, Assistant Director of Facilities for the District. “During COVID, when a lot of us were assigned to home, Ray was going in to work like nothing was happening, keeping these places operating and overseeing the staff.”

Casher also devotes personal time to assure the success of after-school events.

While voting continues through Dec. 15, with the winner to be announced in January 2021, Casher was honored to be among the select few in the running.
“I truly take pride in what we’re trying to accomplish here,” Casher said. “To be identified this way – it only makes you want to do more.”

Watkins said Casher’s years of emergency-preparedness experience as a 911 operator and two decades in the U.S. Coast Guard fortified his expertise and refined his measured, meticulous approach to problems.

Vote for him here.  
Sister, Brother Team Up
To Promote White Cane Awareness Day with Art
New Rochelle siblings Brianna and Miguel Herrera teamed up earlier this month to create a poster with a powerful message close their hearts.

Both legally blind, they worked together on a sign that caught some attention in the White Cane Awareness Day Walk in White Plains on Oct. 15, organized by the Coalition for Access, Mobility and Safety. The poster features a cane and a crosswalk and wishes people, “Happy White Cane Walk Day.” It was featured in News 12’s coverage of the annual walk.

“I hope that the walk in White Plains helps bring awareness to the community,” said Miguel.

The sister and brother took part in the project with help from Joy Bieder, teacher of the visually impaired for the City School District of New Rochelle. Brianna is a freshman in New Rochelle High School; Miguel is in seventh grade at Isaac E. Young Middle School.

“I am very proud of my students,” Bieder said. “They are learning to advocate for themselves. Supporting their community will help them to better the community and will develop their consideration for others who live, visit and work there.”

The walk is held each year on Blind Americans Equality Day, a national observance originally called White Cane Safety Day. Before the walk, Bieder provided supplies to the Herreras and discussed the students’ poster during their virtual lessons. To get ideas for the poster, Brianna searched the internet for inspiration.

“I looked online and kind of got ideas of what to draw or pick, and I added some of my own ideas such as the stars, the dashes and the sidewalk with the cane,” said Brianna.

“I helped to color it in,” added Miguel.

The annual observance was signed into existence by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. It focuses on the abilities of the visually impaired.
Health Screen Form
Will Come Twice Weekly
Weekly student health screenings that began last week will now be sent out twice weekly – on Wednesday and Sunday evenings – beginning Oct. 28.

A glitch with the first survey has been resolved and wording has been revised to capture clearer data points to support keeping schools safe and to respond more quickly to families in need. Families may complete the survey throughout the week, although it is preferred that it be filled out immediately before the child's first day in the school building each week.

Cohort A (Elementary and middle school hybrid model students in school on Monday and Tuesdays) Please complete the screener weekly and ensure that it is complete no later than 7 a.m. Monday, preferably Sunday evening.

Cohort B (Elementary and middle school hybrid model students in school on Thursday and Friday) Please complete the screener weekly and ensure that it is complete no later than 7 a.m. Thursday, preferably Wednesday evening.

Cohort V (Students opting for a full remote option) Please complete the screener weekly and ensure that it is complete no later than 7 a.m. Monday, preferably Sunday evening.

New Rochelle High School students will be grouped into Cohorts A, B and C, with attendance varying by week. When the hybrid model starts on Nov. 9, please submit your response prior to your student attending in-person classes by either Sunday-Monday or Wednesday-Thursday.  

If you are not receiving the screener, please see below:

TEXT Messaging
If you would like to receive the screener via text, you will need to opt in to receive text messages from the District. Text the the letter "Y" to 67587 to start receiving SMS messages from the CSDNR. If successful, you will see an automated message confirming your registration.

EMAIL
This link can assist you with setting your language preference, updating your telephone numbers or email address, setting up an account, changing your password or username, and registering additional family members as emergency contacts and additional recipients of school/district messages.
Daniel Long and Talia Hughes
Valedictorian, Salutatorian
Named for Class of 2021
A computer aficionado and an aspiring architect have become the New Rochelle High School Class of 2021 valedictorian and salutatorian.

Daniel Long, who has always been fascinated with computers, is the valedictorian, the school has announced. The salutatorian is Talia Hughes, whose interest in how people relate to the space around them has solidified into a love of architecture.

Both students said their passion for their chosen field was sparked by the specialized courses they have taken at NRHS.

Long said he was drawn to computers, and the iconic figures in the field, early on.

“I would idolize people like Bill Gates and Elon Musk who can do things with them that no one else can,” he said. At NRHS, he took the Advanced Placement computer-science course and is taking the third of the three AP physics class offered. Even outside school, he enrolls in coding classes and takes programming lessons.

When he’s not tapping a keyboard, he’s shooting hoops on the NRHS basketball team or in his backyard.

Hughes always liked making things, including small models of fanciful buildings.

“I’ve always been interested in how the space around me affected me. Different shapes and different elements of design have impact on people’s brains,” she said. “They can calm people down and they can make something more exciting. They have different purposes.”

When she began taking architecture classes at NRHS, she got hooked. She’s a fan of Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, designer of iconic structures such as the Oculus, the transportation hub with a soaring design at the World Trade Center in Manhattan.

“They’re very clean and precise,” she said.

She is a member of the school’s archery club, and in her spare time, she takes equestrian lessons and enjoys reading.

“Daniel and Talia are model New Rochelle High School students,” said Interim Principal Steve Goldberg. “They exemplify the possibilities that open up when students apply themselves and take advantage of the variety of courses we offer.”

More than that, Long said, the school has been a nurturing place to grow.

“The high school has been a super-supportive community,” Long said. “Every teacher and every coach has always pushed me to be the best that I can be.” 
NRHS Student Artists
Bring Halloween Spirit
To Storefront Windows
Ghosts, witches and jack-o’-lanterns appeared this week on the windows of dozens of New Rochelle stores, coffee shops and restaurants, thanks to the artistry of New Rochelle High School students.

They ornamented storefronts from downtown to the north end. Jack Skellington and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas pose on the glass of Liebman’s Uniforms on Main Street while scarecrows dance on the windows of Enchanted Flowers not far away. Two miles north, the Wykagyl Starbucks features an eerie take on the coffee giant’s familiar logo, with a skeletal version of the siren at the center.

“This was such a great opportunity for us to get involved in the community and for the community to see what the kids are willing to do for our city,” said senior Sophia Pelaez, one of the artists. “It's a great connection.”

The project, Halloween Magic, was organized by the Chamber of Commerce of New Rochelle, the New Rochelle Downtown Business Improvement District and the city. It drew 36 students from the Performing and Visual Arts Education (PAVE) program and the National Art Honor Society. Overseen by teachers Rachel McCain and Alexi Brock, the students brought seasonal fun to some 40 windows – and gained valuable experience.

“This was an authentic learning experience and a great way for students to share the skills they have gained in our exceptional art program at New Rochelle High School," said Deepak Marwah, Director of Performing & Visual Arts for the City School District of New Rochelle. “Using art to connect to the New Rochelle community is an important way for our students to see the impact art has on society.”

Works will remain in the windows until the week after Halloween. Sophomore Piper Genkin, another participant, said it was a great opportunity for an art lover like herself. She had one wish for the citywide series of artworks she and her schoolmates created:

“I hope it brings Halloween spirit to everyone.”
From left: New Rochelle Public Library Director Tom Geoffino, Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Alex Marrero, New Rochelle Public Library Foundation Vice President Lynn Green and Library Board of Trustees President Diedra Gray Clark.
Library Loans District
40 WiFi Hot Spot Units
The City School District of New Rochelle received a gift of 40 Wi-Fi units from the New Rochelle Public Library and its foundation yesterday. The District will make use of them while the COVID-19 crisis continues to impact the community.

“We thank the New Rochelle Public Library and the Foundation for this timely and thoughtful gesture,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero said, accepting the units at the library on Thursday. “With students learning remotely, whether in an all-distance learning or hybrid model, internet connectivity is not merely important – it is critical to ensuring that we offer a high-quality education to all students. These units will help ensure that students will have the access they need.”

The New Rochelle Library Foundation raised more than $32,000 to purchase the units. Each of the 40 LTE hotspot devices can connect up to 15 devices, and provides 5GB unlimited high-speed data on the T-Mobile network.

Eventually, they will revert to the Library, which will loan them to patrons. During the COVID-19 crisis, however, the Foundation felt students would make the best use of them.

"The pandemic has emphasized and deepened the digital divide in our country,” said Foundation Vice President Lynn Green. “These units will help prevent that gap from widening in our community.”

Library Director Tom Geoffino said loaning the units to the District made sense.

“The library mission is all about making resources available to the community," he said. "It is the cornerstone of what we do.”
Davis Student, Teacher Discuss 'Babysitter's Club' Series in Scholastic Video
Take a look at this Scholastic video to see George M. Davis Jr. Elementary School teacher Kristen Clark and fifth grader Milan Smith joining a discussion of the Babysitter’s Club series:
City School District of New Rochelle | http://www.nred.org/