New Rochelle High School's Matthew Dodd
in Metropolitan Opera’s Porgy and Bess
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Matthew Dodd, a member of New Rochelle High School's Performing and Visual Arts Education (PAVE) program, is part of the ensemble of the Metropolitan Opera's Porgy and Bess.
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"Spectacular … an experience I will cherish for life.”
That’s how New Rochelle High School junior Matthew Dodd describes his exhilarating opportunity to perform with the Metropolitan Opera in its staging of a theater classic, Porgy and Bess.
The American standard by George and Ira Gershwin, along with DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, runs through Dec. 12 at the Metropolitan Opera. The play debuted in 1935 and was groundbreaking as a show featuring a full cast of black actors. It has continued to be produced around the world since its debut.
Dodd, a member of the ensemble, has not taken a moment for granted.
“Everyone is so kind and encouraging and I feel like I’m part of the community every time I’m there,” he said. “Regardless of experience, age, race, religious background, everyone is accepted and respected for who they are. I feel like an important part of the crew. I’ve had several opportunities to speak with some of the lead performers. They were very positive, uplifting, and brought positive energy to the stage.”
Dodd is a member of New Rochelle High School’s Performing and Visual Arts Education (PAVE) program, which he credits with developing his acting abilities. The program is designed to give talented students outlets to explore a wide range of creative and artistic works in a way that helps them find success both academically and professionally.
“I don’t think I would have been able to do this if it weren’t for the support and encouragement from my teachers in and outside the PAVE program,” said Dodd. “I feel that in taking part in this performance I can show my peers the opportunities that exist in the world of theater. My experience also demonstrates how valuable and helpful the skills are that were taught in PAVE.”
Dodd’s mother, Kerry-Ann Reeves, is a fifth-grade teacher at Daniel Webster Elementary School. She has been bursting with pride seeing him on stage at the Metropolitan Opera.
“For the opening matinee of Porgy and Bess, I sat with knots in my stomach, eagerly waiting for the show to start,” she said. “When Matthew came on stage, my heart surged with joy and my eyes welled with happy tears that the sight of my son doing what he loved, performing.”
For Dodd, the joy and gratitude have been immense. “I want to thank my teachers for the time that they’ve taken to prepare and deliver lessons that have helped me get to where I am today,” he said.
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Education Plan for When Wintry Weather Hits
The City School District of New Rochelle has formulated a plan for education when inclement or severe winter weather is expected. Please see the important document, and preparations students, families, faculty, and staff are asked to take, at this link.
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COVID-19: Safety & Vigilance Still Paramount |
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Almost 200 Get Vaccinations
at Webster Elementary Clinic
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The City School District of New Rochelle's free COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Nov. 30, in partnership with the Westchester County Department of Health, was a success! Overall, 191 received vaccinations. This included 181 children ages 5-11 who received their first dose; three children who received their second dose; four booster shots that were administered; and vaccinations for three adults.
The school district advocates vaccinations as the most effective way to end the pandemic and keep children and the community safe. To address many common inquiries about children’s vaccinations, Westchester County has created a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers. Please visit https://5il.co/128fk.
Vaccinations for ages 5-11 also are available at Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital; (call (914) 701-1700, ext. 1, for an appointment) and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. To make an appointment there, visit Am-I-Eligible.COVID19Vaccine.Health.NY.gov.
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Please Follow These Important Guidelines and Mask Up! |
The health and safety of City School District of New Rochelle students, families, faculty, and staff are paramount, which is why the school district provides a reminder re: important COVID-19 safety protocols to be observed:
Indoors in school buildings and on school buses: Universal mask wearing for all students and staff is required, regardless of vaccination status. Indoor mask breaks of 60 to 90 seconds are permitted for individual students and staff, provided 6 feet of physical distance are maintained. On school buses, windows will be kept open and social distancing is observed.
Outdoors: Mask wearing is optional. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people who are not fully vaccinated wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings and during activities that involve prolonged close contact with others.
New York State requires that masks be worn during indoor physical-education classes. For outdoor physical-education classes, mask-wearing is optional for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals as long as 6 feet of social distancing are maintained. Mask-wearing is required for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals less than 6 feet apart.
During music education, vocal music and wind-instrument playing can occur with 6 feet of physical distancing, and masks must be worn. Those playing string instruments must wear masks and ensure 3 feet of physical distancing. For students participating in band, specialized masks and wind-instrument bell covers are provided.
Learn more about school district COVID safety protocols and find future updates at nred.org. Click on the COVID Resource Center at the top right.
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Vaccinate Children, Doctors Urge During Community Presentations |
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The COVID-19 vaccine for children not only protects them, it helps protect the community and is another way to minimize and end the pandemic, Westchester County health officials told Zoom viewers during presentations this week.
The forums, presented by the county in partnership with the City School District of New Rochelle, emphasized that vaccines are safe and effective, and that their benefits far outweigh any risks. The doctors pointed to extensive clinical trials that verified the vaccines’ importance, and the millions of children who have received vaccinations and remain in good health. Unvaccinated children who contract COVID can experience severe health complications and are even more at risk if they have other underlying health conditions, they said.
To view the program, click here.
Presenters were:
- Sherlita Amler, MD, MS, FAAP, Commissioner of Health, Westchester County
- Dial Hewlett Jr., MD, FACP, FIDSA, Division of Disease Control, Deputy to Commissioner, Westchester County Department of Health
- Kathy Gomez, BSN, RN-BC, CLC, Public Health Nurse, Westchester County Department of Health
- Louis Corsaro, MD, Interim Medical Director, City School District of New Rochelle
- Marc Wager, MD, Pediatrician, Boston Children’s Health Physician
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Rhonda Graves Acholonu, MD, Pediatrician, the Children’s Hospital of Montefiore, Vice Chair, Education, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Children's Hospital at Montefiore
- Dr. Jackielyn Manning Campbell, Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services, City School District of New Rochelle, as the moderator of the forum in English
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Melissa Almonte, Ward Elementary School teacher, moderator of the Town Hall in Spanish
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Early Dismissal for Elementary Schools on Wednesday
New Rochelle’s elementary schools will dismiss students on Wed., Dec. 8, at 11:40 a.m. to allow time for parent-teacher conferences. Schedules will be normal at New Rochelle High School, Albert Leonard Middle School, and Isaac E. Young Middle School. Please plan accordingly.
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New Rochelle High Senior Links Stress Disorder to Genetics |
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The students in New Rochelle High School’s Science Research Program explore a dazzling range of topics under the mentorship of experts from some of the top institutions of learning and exploration. Students’ projects will regularly be featured in this Newsletter.
Student: Natalia McMorris, senior
Mentor: Jake Egelberg, biochemistry major, Northeastern University
New Rochelle High School’s Natalia McMorris has long been interested in science, largely due to the sheer number of unexplained things in our world.
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The human brain is just one subject that holds great intrigue for her, so it was only natural she made it her focus in her work with the school’s Science Research Program.
“I wanted to know why our brains work the way they do, why we behave the way we behave psychologically, and if there is a biological explanation behind it,” she said.
McMorris decided to specifically focus her research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), due in part to having secondhand experience with the disorder.
“I became interested in this specific topic because I have family members with PTSD and I have always wondered if there could be a way to detect and treat it early on,” she said.
The subject of McMorris’s research: studying genetic changes due to exposure to traumatic events and determining whether the onset of PTSD can be predicted. For the purpose of this study, her subjects were members of the military.
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McMorris began by conducting research on both PTSD and genetic sequencing before selecting the genetic sequences she would run in R Studio, a data-analysis program. She then selected five pre-military deployment sequences and matching post-deployment sequences to analyze. The data resulting from the analysis were presented in multiple graphs.
She found there were genetic-sequencing changes in deployed Marines exposed to trauma. Further research will be required to support these findings, but it is a significant early step in early detection and treatment of the disorder.
McMorris hopes to be part of that further research.
“After high school, I plan to study psychology in college and continue conducting research on PTSD related to behavioral science,” she said. “My hope is to continue studying PTSD over time, and hopefully I can help find a way to identify and treat PTSD at an early enough stage where no one will ever have to suffer with PTSD ever again.”
The experience of being part of the Science Research Program has been extremely positive for McMorris, who feels a sense of community with her fellow researchers.
“We support each other even when we are competing against each other,” she said. “One person’s accomplishment is everyone’s accomplishment, and that is what makes the Science Research Program so special.”
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Communities and Cranberries: Exploring at Ward |
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Two creative activities at William B. Ward Elementary School are keeping second-graders busy.
They spent the last four weeks immersed in a social studies unit on Communities. They explored different types of communities, learned attributes that describe each, and compared the population density of various communities within Westchester County.
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The students enjoyed learning about New York City and what the urban community has to offer. Students were amazed when analyzing the population density of Westchester, and recognizing the names of various neighborhoods they have visited. The unit culminated with the students working on a project at home, during which they selected their favorite place in New Rochelle and designed a mini poster board teaching others about that location.
Elsewhere, students in Randi Kamer’s class used their senses to learn about, and appreciate, cranberries. By utilizing all five senses, they explored the nature of cranberries as whole fruits later processed for numerous products. Students learned how cranberries grow and where cranberry bogs are located in the United States. They also used scientific approaches to determine if cranberries float and/or bounce.
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Mobile Food Pantry Wednesday at Isaac E. Young Middle School |
A lack of food means a lack of consistent nutrition, which can hinder students’ success. That’s one reason why the City School District of New Rochelle’s Pupil Personnel Services Department and Feeding Westchester team up to sponsor a Mobile Food Pantry, which provides assistance and healthy options.
The Mobile Food Pantry will return to Isaac E. Young Middle School on Wednesday, Dec. 8 from 4 -5 p.m. All are welcome. Click the flyer for more information.
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New Rochelle High's TheatreWorks
to Present 12 Angry Men
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Save the date! TheatreWorks is back – and the troupe is performing in person. New Rochelle High School’s acclaimed TheatreWorks is presenting “12 Angry Men,” the classic courtroom drama about a jury deliberating a homicide case. Shows are Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 16-18. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on those days, and there is a 2 p.m. matinee Dec. 18.
Tickets are $7 for students and senior citizens, and $10 for all other adults. More information will be forthcoming on how to purchase tickets.
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Safety at Jefferson Includes Evacuation Training |
Recently, Jefferson Elementary School participated in an Evacu-Chair training session, and the volunteer evacuee was none other than Principal Kim Nieves. The training is part of a City School District of New Rochelle program to prepare schools to have smooth, safe techniques to evacuate disabled students down staircases during an emergency.
“Safety is our No. 1 priority,” Nieves said. “The Evacu-Chair training was productive and will prepare us for real emergencies. We all learned that with practice, the Evacu-Chair is easy to manage. Being put in the evacuation chair, I learned that anyone, big or small, in the chair will be safe. We will continue using the chair during our drills so that we will all be comfortable in the event of an emergency.”
Several Jefferson faculty and staff members practiced guiding the Evacu-Chair down the stairs. Evacu-Chairs have been in place in every district school for years, and several chairs were added to potentially accommodate additional students. The district Facilities Department provided the training, which is done on an ongoing basis.
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City School District of New Rochelle | nred.org
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