News

Parents of Edgemont Class of 2018,

Can you believe that your child’s graduation is almost only a year away? Before you know it your child will be on their way to their next chapter of life so it’s never too early to begin thinking about a lasting way to recognize this momentous occasion. Buying a personalized brick in honor of your soon-to-be graduate is the perfect way to commemorate your child’s graduation from Edgemont High School.

In 1998, Edgemont School Foundation sponsored the creation of the Alumni Walkway. The walkway, currently located along the wall in the center of the campus outside the C building, consists of clay bricks which can be personalized to honor graduating seniors, Edgemont High School alumni, faculty, administrators, and community leaders.

All proceeds from the sale of personalized bricks help fund the Foundation’s grants to the schools. Since its inception, Edgemont School Foundation has granted over $2.2 Million to the Edgemont School District for programs that have improved the curriculum, modernized facilities, and enhanced the educational experience of all Edgemont students. Your support will allow us to continue to impact the lives of current Edgemont students and ensure that they have as positive of an experience as your child did while at Edgemont.

If you have other family members who have already graduated, why not consider honoring them with a brick as well? If you have family members graduating in the future, place an order now to reserve their spot. Ordering bricks together is the only way to guarantee they will be located next to each other on the walkway.

Purchasing a brick now is the only way guarantee it will be installed for Graduation 2018. To place an order please visit edgemontschoolfoundation.org/buy-a-brick

We look forward to seeing your child’s name on the Alumni Walkway!

Dylan F. Pyne
EHS ’08
Walkway Coordinator

Nancy Gordon
Parent ’18, ’20, ’23
Treasurer

As Thanksgiving signified the start of another holiday season, our inboxes were immediately hit with a flurry of opportunities to spend money – there was Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. However, today is a day you might not be as familiar with – a day focused not on getting deals for your friends and family (and yourself), but to use your money for good.

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving has become known as #GivingTuesday. This #GivingTuesday the Edgemont School Foundation is excited to continue their involvement in the movement and hopes you will join along.

Please consider celebrating #GivingTuesday with us by making a gift to the Edgemont School Foundation today. Enable us to continue pursuing our mission of ensuring and enhancing the Value of an Edgemont Education.

We wish you a happy holidays,

The Edgemont School Foundation Board of Directors

In this month of Thanksgiving, we want to thank you. Because of community members like you, over the more than 20 years that the Edgemont School Foundation (ESF) has been operating, we’ve been able to grant approximately $2.2 million to the school district for programs and projects that have improved the curriculum, modernized facilities, and enhanced the educational experience at all Edgemont schools. Here are some highlights from the 2015-2016 school year:

Model School Plus: “ESF continues to support teacher training and technology,” says Superintendent Victoria Kniewel. “ESF helped fund the Model School Plus professional development initiative, a program that seeks to help teachers integrate technology into every Edgemont classroom, such as the Google Apps for Education programs. ESF is a vital partner ensuring that our students and teachers stay on the cutting edge.”

Blanford Field: If you have seen the field, you know how great it looks! Gabi Falk, co-captain of the Varsity field hockey team explains why this improvement goes beyond aesthetics. “The field has given sports a whole new vibe at Edgemont,” she says. “It has attracted a lot of new fans. These crowds create a strong sense of unity which translates into better play on the field.”

Quaver’s Beyond Marvelous General Music Curriculum: This comprehensive program is revolutionizing the way technology is used in today’s music classroom. As Seely Place’s Mr. Peace says, “It’s an ideal approach to teaching music.”

Climbing Wall in the Jim San Marco Gymnasium: Physical Education teacher Ms. Saracino loves that the climbing wall allows students to challenge themselves outside their comfort level in a safe, controlled environment. She adds, “What’s so great is that students can pick their own personal goals, which allows for more opportunity for continued success.”

Every year, support of the Edgemont School Foundation makes opportunities and experiences like these possible for our students. To ensure that our schools remain best in class, we need your help. If you have given in the past, we appreciate your continued support. If you have not yet donated to ESF, we encourage you to begin supporting the community, our schools and our students with a tax-deductible gift today.

To donate please click the button below. Together we can provide the very best educational experience and a bright future for our students.

We wish you a happy Thanksgiving,

Ellen Litt
Co-Chair

You are coordinately invited to the Edgemont School Foundation summer fundraiser on Wednesday, August 3rd at Sunningdale Country Club. Cocktails begin at 7PM and dinner follows thereafter.

Performing at the event is local band The Del Bocas and a presentation recognizing our special guest, outgoing Seely Place Principal Dr. Ed Kennedy.

The Dress Code is Country Club Casual. Jeans are permitted, but please no ripped jeans.

Recently the Edgemont School Foundation took on an initiative to improve our communication with our fellow Edgemont neighbors and donors. As a continuation of that ambition, the ESF is excited to release the new Edgemont School Foundation Newsletter.

Features inside this newsletter includes an interview with noted actor, comedian, writer and Edgemont alumnus Ben Schwartz ’99, an update on the “Edgemont Goes Green” initiative in partnership with the Greenburgh Nature Center and an overview of some recent ESF grants and how they are impacting today’s Edgemont students.

After enjoying the newsletter, please consider sharing this message with any former or current community members you are in touch with using the share buttons below. While we have over 1,500 resident emails there are still many neighbors we are not in touch with. At the same time encourage them to sign up for our email distribution list so they receive future messages from us.

Lastly, we hope you’ll consider supporting the School Foundation by making a gift before the end of the calendar year. Founded in 1993 by a group of parents, school administrators and alumni, the Edgemont School Foundation through its endowment, awards monetary grants that support and enhance the Edgemont School District’s curriculum, its students, and its teachers. Our mission is to “Ensure and Enhance the Value of an Edgemont Education.”

To learn more about the Edgemont School Foundation please visit our website www.edgemontschoolfoundation.org or like us on Facebook.

We hope to see you at a future event!

Sincerely,
The Edgemont School Foundation Board of Directors

P.S. Do you have an idea for an article in a future newsletter or personal update to share about your Edgemont graduate? Email alumni@edgemontschoolfoundation.org.

Scarsdale, NY (October 12, 2015) – Keeping up with the times, technology changes rapidly and Edgemont is working diligently to stay on top. In addition to the wireless network and iPad initiative the Foundation has previously granted, we are excited to support our schools with the most recent initiative, Model Schools Plus. This grant will provide our schools with the professional learning and technological support to promote creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking, All-important facets in Edgemont’s strategic plan. The program will be instructed by the Lower Hudson Regional Information Center, LHRIC.

Studies have shown that effectiveness in technology goes hand in hand with professional development. Edgemont administrators and faculty are excited about bringing Google apps into the classroom. Groups of teachers were trained on how to develop projects using the Google Apps for Education software in the classroom. Teachers will learn how to develop projects that reflect the needs of their students. For example, Google Sheets can be used to gain shared understanding of theme in literature. Google Moderator can be used to brainstorm questions in preparation for a field trip, taking photos on the trip to answer these questions and then creating online montages documenting their work. The training will take place over a long period of time so that teachers will have the opportunity to apply, reflect and assess what they have learned. In addition, trainers will visit our classrooms to provide guidance and the teachers undergoing training collaborate with their colleagues about the experience.

For those of you that still have relatives or friends in the school district, ask a high school student to share a little bit about their use of Google Apps in the classroom. It’s amazing to see how “living documents” are created and used. Students are using Google Apps in their daily academic schedule. This grant is another example of how the Foundation supports professional development enhances our schools and keeps us cutting edge.

SCARSDALE, NY (May 6, 2015) – With training and oversight from the Greenburgh Nature Center, funding provided by a grant from Edgemont School Foundation (ESF) and support from The Moses Feldman Family Foundation, Edgemont schools have embarked upon a district-wide comprehensive waste reduction and recycling program. Students, staff, and administrators at Greenville, Seely and Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School will be separating their compostables, recycling and trash into new source separation stations in the cafeteria and teacher lounge. Uniform trash and recycling bins with clear signage will be placed throughout the schools. These new tools will allow Edgemont students to practice what they are learning in their classrooms about taking care of their environment and will reduce the schools’ waste headed for the incinerator by up to 75%.

“One of our strategic goals as a school district is to create authentic opportunities to foster students’ understanding of their roles as local and global citizens. Currently there are New York State laws requiring all schools to recycle. Soon we will be required to sort our food waste, too. Edgemont is fortunate to have this opportunity for oversight, training and funding. We will partner with our community resources to engage our students in an authentic expression of local and global citizenship to protect our environment and save tax dollars,” said Victoria Kniewel, Superintendent of the Edgemont School District.

Students in all grades, as well as faculty, administrators, janitorial staff, cafeteria personnel, food service staff and aides will be trained by the GNC to participate in the new source separation program. Green Teams comprised of teachers, staff and parents are being formed at each school and will also include Edgemont students who have taken the lead in promoting this program. The PTA and PTSA will have representatives on the Green Teams and will also be involved in reducing and/or improving packaging from outside vendors. The GNC will continue to be a resource for the Green Teams throughout the process.

In addition to the source separation systems and bins, the ESF grant will cover 3 new bottle-filling stations at the Jr./Sr. High School, as requested by Edgemont’s student groups including the Environmental Club, FoodSync, and the Student Government. This will help to reduce the number of plastic bottles the students purchase and consume each day.

Edgemont student leaders Zach Falk, Rachel Blume, Allie Rutter and David Scharf stated it perfectly – “When students recognize how they can contribute to their surroundings, they will be able to make a difference for the environment. The global trend to be more environmentally conscious is something that Edgemont wants to continue in our community. This initiative will enable students to further embody the values of the school that help shape them to become active contributors to society throughout their lives.”

About the Greenburgh Nature Center:
Established in 1975, the GNC is a 33-acre woodland preserve with trails, a pond, gardens, a playground, and outdoor animal exhibits. The Greenburgh Nature Center offers special programs for groups of all ages on a wide range of environmental topics, camps, and more. Its mission is to ignite passion, curiosity, and respect of the natural world. More than 80,000 community members visit the GNC each year. For more information: www.greenburghnaturecenter.org.

About the Edgemont School Foundation:
Founded in 1993 by a group of concerned parents, school administrators and alumni, the Edgemont School Foundation through its endowment, awards monetary grants that support and enhance the Edgemont School District’s curriculum, its students, and its teachers. ESF’s endowment is funded primarily through private donations. For more information: www.EdgemontSchoolFoundation.org

About the Moses Feldman Family Foundation:
This Foundation seeks to improve the lives of individuals and to protect the environment by supporting non-profit organizations that engage in these endeavors. www.mfff.org.

For questions or more information, please contact:
Anne Jaffe Holmes: ajaffeholmes@greenburghnaturecenter.org
Pam Miner: pamminer@gmail.com

By Julie Schneyer

The Scarsdale Inquirer
VOLUME 91, NUMBER 31
FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2014
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

Download PDF

The Edgemont School Foundation, which awards monetary grants that support and enhance the Edgemont School District’s curriculum, students and teachers, celebrated and looked back on a banner year at its annual fundraiser Tuesday, July 22, at Sunningdale Country Club. Andrew Falk and Steven Heinemann co-chaired the group this past year, and Falk will continue in 2014-15 with new co-chairman, Ellen Litt.

The event was a success, attended by approximately 90 people, including Edgemont High School principal Devan Ganeshanathan and Superintendent Victoria Kniewel. Cocktails, dinner and a jazz trio were all part of the festivities. Eve Brooks, one of the organization’s 14 board members, was in charge of organizing the event.

Dr. Kniewel addressed the group and praised the ESF, saying, “The foundation and the district work together well. Our mission and values are aligned. The district values the enhancement of an excellent Edgemont education in a fiscally responsible way through collaboration with all stakeholders and the foundation enhances the value of an Edgemont education. Examples of this excellent Edgemont education include high – level competencies in addition to strong content knowledge.”

This past year was a notable one for ESF, with accomplishments that included a $500,000 grant toward the five-year capital plan. The plan includes enhancements to school security, infrastructure repairs, and creation of a new multimedia lab and renovation of athletic fields. The grant is the largest ever awarded by the foundation. The foundation also raised $340,000 for the Jim San Marco Gymnasium, currently in the beginning stages of a large renovation. The school recently received state approval to start the work, which includes commitments from the school for a new roof and windows. Work begins this summer and will include a new floor, bleachers and partitions. “The foundation increased its commitment for this project by an additional $75,000 to fund physical education equipment and teaching aids to make the project a state of the art teaching facility,” said Falk, ESF co-chairman.

The organization’s logo went through a rebranding effort this year, with the help of graphic designer and Edgemont resident Lisa Feldman. “The logo selection, particularly the star, represents accomplishment, success and a bright future. The star was designed with kids in mind, but also applies to the foundation, which had a year with many significant accomplishments — and with a healthy and growing endowment, active board members and continued community support, the foundation is poised to continue to do great things in the future,” said Falk.

The Edgemont School Foundation was founded in 1993 and is trying to reach out to alumni with publication of its second annual alumni newsletter this summer. They completed their first alumni capital campaign and received a $1,000 donation from the class of 1964 reunion committee. (An article about the class of 1964’s reunion was published in the Inquirer July 11.)

Foundation board members are: Eve Brooks, Sheldon Glassman, Jonathan Kahn, Suzanne Kirsch, Ellen Litt, Dylan Pyne, Eric Selle, Henie Simon, Gary Stern, Beth Tomkiewicz, Eileen Westler and Gary Zimberg.

The organization’s logo also went through a rebranding effort this year.

Scarsdale, New York (March 25, 2014) – The Edgemont School Foundation (the “Foundation”) announced today that it has pledged $500,000 to the District in support of its Five-Year Capital Facilities Plan, addressing the Edgemont School District’s critical need to upgrade facilities and infrastructure.

The Foundation’s Board of Directors strongly believes that the proposed capital improvements – including enhanced security and accessibility, repairs of infrastructure, a new multimedia lab as well as much needed renovation of athletic fields – are not only imperative, but also fit squarely within the Foundation’s mission to “ensure and enhance the value of an Edgemont education.” The Board said that these capital improvements will benefit every Edgemont student as well as the larger community for decades to come, which was a key factor in the Foundation’s decision.

According to Foundation Co-Chair Steven Heineman, “Our financial support for the capital improvements is easily our largest grant ever to the school district. Importantly, given the generous contributions from the hundreds of community members who support the Foundation each year and conservative estimates of returns on the Foundation’s investment portfolio, we expect to not only honor this fifteen year pledge, but to be in a position to continue to award grants going forward – without reducing the Foundation’s endowment.”

Dr. Victoria Kniewel, School Superintendent, thanked the Edgemont School Foundation, saying, “We are so grateful for the Foundation’s extremely generous pledge. The pledge not only represents a substantial financial commitment, it also clearly demonstrates the broad-based community support for this capital facilities initiative. A major component of a successful school district is a strong partnership with parents. In Edgemont, this partnership moves to an extraordinary level through the generosity of the School Foundation.”

Foundation Co-Chair Andrew Falk added, “We congratulate the Edgemont Board of Education for its leadership and vision at this critical juncture for Edgemont’s schools. We are very pleased to provide our support for this historic initiative and look forward to continuing to work the school board to ensure that the Edgemont School District – the very center of our community – maintains its tradition of excellence.”

About the Edgemont School Foundation:
Founded in 1993 by a group of concerned parents, school administrators and alumni, the Edgemont School Foundation (the “Foundation”), through its endowment, awards monetary grants that support and enhance the Edgemont School District’s curriculum, its students, and its teachers. ESF’s endowment is funded primarily through private donations. The Foundation is a fully qualified IRS 501(c)(3) not-for- profit charity. The Foundation has awarded approximately $2.0 million in grants to the District since inception. For more information, or to donate to the Foundation, visit our website at www.EdgemontSchoolFoundation.org.

Contacts:
Steven Heineman
ESF Co-Chair
914-450-4374
info@edgemontschoolfoundation.org

Andrew Falk
ESF Co-Chair
917-287-9020
info@edgemontschoolfoundation.org

Scarsdale, New York (January 22, 2013) – Edgemont School Foundation (ESF) announced today that it has awarded a grant of $89,000 to fund a district-wide iPad initiative, aiming to integrate mobile computing devices into all three of the Edgemont schools. The grant will provide a total of 105 iPads to the district, offering students and teachers the benefit of portable tablet computing and the multitude of available applications designed to support learning.

Edgemont School Foundation co-chair Steven Heineman said, “The use of iPads in all three Edgemont schools will keep Edgemont on the cutting edge of both technology and education. iPads have many advantages over traditional PCs, and with the large number of apps that have been designed specifically for educational purposes, iPads will provide a new and exciting dimension to the classroom. We are pleased to have been able to provide the necessary funding to make this initiative a reality.”

In total, the district will deploy four iPad carts (one in each elementary school and two at Edgemont Jr/Sr High School. Each cart will contain 25 iPads. There will be 5 extra iPads available that will be used either as loaners or as replacements should the units in the cart need repair or maintenance. The grant also includes the infrastructure to manage and support all 105 iPads in the district: a MacBook for local management and a virtual server. Finally, it will provide four AppleTV units that will enable iPad users to share their screen through ceiling mounted projectors in the classrooms around the building. The elementary carts will be housed in each of the school’s library. The two carts at EHS will be located in the E-Building and in the D-Building.

Michael Curtain, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Technology for the district thanked Edgemont School Foundation for its support. “We are thrilled to receive this generous grant from Edgemont School Foundation. It will help us to continue to integrate cutting-edge technology with the curriculum in the classroom. The iPad is an excellent solution for schools for a number of reasons, including ease of use, portability, reliability and the ability to deploy apps quickly and inexpensively. The iPads will be a great addition to Edgemont teachers’ toolkits for creating and supporting rich, dynamic, and engaging learning experiences for their students. We appreciate Edgemont School Foundation’s ongoing support for technology and learning in Edgemont schools.”

EDGEMONT SCHOOL FOUNDATION
After several failed school budget referendums in the early 1990’s, many Edgemonters desired a vehicle that could create and finance new and alternative school programs and maintain the District’s tradition of excellence. Founded in 1993, Edgemont School Foundation, through its endowment, awards monetary grants that support and enhance the Edgemont School District’s curriculum, students, and teachers. Since its inception, Edgemont School Foundation has granted over $1 Million to the Edgemont School District for programs that have improved the curriculum, modernized facilities, and enhanced the educational experience of all Edgemont students. Edgemont School Foundation is a fully qualified IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity.

Contacts:

Nancy Taddiken:
914-472-7768
Superintendent, Edgemont School District

Andrew Falk:
917-287-9020
Co-Chair Edgemont School Foundation

Steven Heineman:
914-450-4374
Co-Chair Edgemont School Foundation