As a member of our District’s Related Services Team, William O. Schaefer Elementary School Speech-Language Pathologist Melissa Jacob, CCC-SLP, TSSLD assesses, diagnoses and treats speech, language, social communication and cognitive-communication disorders in our District’s youngest students.

How did you prepare yourselves and/or your students for distance learning?

Jacob: “I evaluated the needs of all my students and worked with their families to create a family-centered plan that would ensure the most success and help them feel connected to school and learning. Collaboration with our occupational therapist, psychologists, learning consultant and classroom teachers was also a huge part of the preparation as we worked to transition our resources and materials to an online-friendly format. To prepare students, I made distance learning social stories explaining what school and therapy will look like. We explored how this difference might make us feel, accepted that it’s okay to make mistakes or feel unsure about distance learning, and talked through strategies to use when we feel overwhelmed. I also worked with each student to make a personalized speech/language therapy charter that explored how they wanted to feel in therapy and ways to achieve that.”

What, if any, are some of the unique challenges you’ve encountered with distance learning so far?

Jacob: “Continuing to develop social skills essential to communication and fostering connections and community has been a challenge. This poses an even greater challenge for families without access to technology and who are struggling to meet basic needs. We had to step back and come up with creative and realistic solutions to encourage language development. Virtual playdates, scavenger hunts, Simon Says, charades, and acting out ‘movies’ have been helpful, low-stress ways to infuse the home environment with language. Holding group sessions have also been a way for students to interact in a smaller, more easily accessible setting. Group sessions are structured in a way so that students can spend time greeting each other, engaging in conversation and working together to problem-solve during activities.”

What does speech therapy look like in a remote environment?

Jacob: “It looks very similar to in-person sessions but with some surprisingly wonderful differences. I’m able to use household objects that are accessible to students instead of worksheets or other materials that aren’t as readily available in the home. I’ve done my best to convert all my visuals onto an online friendly format–no printers needed! I use the screen-sharing and remote control options of Zoom in every session – I want students to be in charge of their activities and to feel as if they are actively striving towards their goals rather than being passive participants. Therapy has also changed because caregivers are participants in my sessions as well! Caregivers have been providing tactile cues when I can’t, providing positive reinforcement and modeling flexibility and persistence for all tasks.”

How are you partnering with families to support their children at home?

Jacob: “Families have been wonderful partners in distance learning. One advantage of teletherapy is that I am able to provide feedback and explanations in real time. Speech-language therapy is grounded in being client- and family-centered. Teletherapy engaged parents as collaborative partners during and outside of sessions, where we hope to see the generalization of skills. This collaboration and constant communication in the therapeutic process has been vital, especially as we approached annual reviews and made plans for next year. Families work to model and recast, they provide tactile cues for tongue/lip/jaw placement, help students make connections about stories to their own lives and act as tech support!”

What are key things that you’ve learned through this process so far? How, if at all, has it impacted your thinking about your own professional practice?

Jacob: “This experience has emphasized the fact that no man is an island. It takes a coordinated team effort to make teletherapy possible. I’ve also learned that telepractice isn’t ‘re-inventing’ therapy but that it’s all about changing my expectations of how a therapy session ‘should’ look. It’s still possible to use evidence-based methodologies, to use the same supports and to see student growth. Additionally, I have been privileged to witness how resilient our students and families are. My families have been extremely flexible about finding time in their hectic days for therapy. Students have been patient with me as we navigate Zoom and been persistent as they worked through difficult tasks. It has inspired me to do the same.”

As a young musician growing up in Hyde Park, NY, oboist Keve Wilson dreamed of performing on Broadway. Along the way to realizing that dream, Wilson learned valuable life lessons from her education, friends and teachers which she shared with South Orangetown Middle School and Tappan Zee High School students during a live chat on May 13. Wilson discussed her journey and answered questions about pursuing a career in music.

SOCSD Music Teacher Charles Yassky organized the special event and shared feedback from Music Teacher Jon Rossi’s orchestra students. Here are a few excerpts:

• “I thought it was very interesting when she talked about first starting to play the oboe in high school. I wouldn’t have imagined that someone who struggled with an instrument in high school so much that they almost gave up, would become a famous musician.”
• “One thing I liked is when she talked about motivating yourself to practice. I often find it hard to pick up my instrument and practice a piece I’ve already heard so many times and am bored of playing. I liked how she said to play things that are interesting and fun to me because it reminded me how there are endless possibilities and songs that I can enjoy playing.”
• “Sometimes it can be really hard to practice when you’re constantly being discouraged by all of the wonderful players out there. I liked how she talked about playing the parts you’re good at and then slowly working on the harder stuff.”
• “I really liked her playing and her little life lessons about overcoming challenges and getting motivated to practice. Also, I didn’t know oboe players made their own reeds–that’s actually so cool!”
• “I thought it was interesting when she said you don’t audition to play the music in a Broadway show, it depends on how well your reputation is. One day I hope to be involved in a Broadway show, and hearing about how she did it was really helpful.”

Hearing a professional musician make connections between high school experiences and her career is powerful for students. “We were excited that the music department arranged this special live session for our musicians,” said SOMS Principal Chad Corey. “It’s always a valuable experience for students to hear and see live music performed and to have the opportunity to ask professionals questions about practicing, rehearsing and auditioning. We look forward to continuing to provide our students with authentic, interactive learning experiences like this!”

“Related services” is the term for a whole range of therapeutic specialties within special education, including occupational therapy and physical therapy. And although schools are closed, the professionals providing these services are working as hard as ever to ensure that students are receiving therapeutic support. Three of our staff members, Monica Friedman-Diaz, OTR, Beth Kaplan, COTA and Mary Kate O’Callaghan, PT, recently shared how they’re adapting to a virtual environment.

How many students do you each serve, in total?

Friedman-Diaz: “This year, I provide occupational therapy services for 35 third, fourth, and fifth grade students at Cottage Lane Elementary School. I, along with Beth Kaplan, share the responsibility of working with students in every building during the Initial Evaluation Process.”

O’Callaghan: “I provide direct physical therapy services with 29 students and consult for an additional four. The students I support range in age from kindergarten to 11th grade, so I travel to each school multiple times over the course of each week. This year, I also supported an out-of-district student due to their individual needs.”

“Kaplan: “I provide occupational therapy for 38 students in kindergarten, first and second grade. I also provide consultation, through the building-level Response to Intervention (RTI) process, to teachers and other staff members. This year, I also had the opportunity to ‘push-in’ to Art Teacher Elizabeth Piteo’s classes.”

How did you prepare yourselves and/or your students for distance learning?

Friedman-Diaz: “I realized pretty early on that providing occupational therapy services through Distance Learning, was not going to be something that should be handled alone. Collaboration with my fellow OT service providers on new and varied approaches has been super helpful. Equally important, became the Related Service partnership at Cottage Lane, which encompasses PT, OT and speech-language. By working so closely together, our hope was to provide the most support to our students and families, in whichever way best suited the individual, with the least amount of pressure and angst. This meant that our own individualized, Related Services Google Classrooms, in conjunction with e-mails, phone calls, and text messages, would be offered as methods of communication. Partnering with teachers to gain access to student work in their classrooms has been another important piece for communication and planning. Establishing a remote work space, and all the technological and therapeutic-based materials, was also an important piece of the puzzle, bringing to life the reality of ‘outside the box’ thinking while staying inside.”

O’Callaghan: “The nature of physical therapy is hands-on, with direct person-to-person interaction. I needed to adjust my thinking and learn different technology platforms in order to contact my students and not overwhelm families. I collaborated with other related service providers in the various buildings to establish google classrooms. The Google Classrooms look different in each building, as the needs of the students and their level of independence differs. Within the Google Classrooms are therapeutic activities based on the age level of the students and each particular student’s needs. This provides the students and families a resource of gross motor tasks to perform as their schedule allows.”

Kaplan: “The collaboration between related service providers, teachers and administration, has been the key to making this a successful transition. The first step was to become familiar with various online resources, including Zoom and Google Classroom. Speech-Language Pathologist Melissa Jacob, RTI Teacher Lauren Maurer and I practiced setting up Zoom sessions, posting on our specific Google Classroom pages and modifying documents for online classes. Parent consultation has also been probably the most important. Working with families, we set up workspaces, activities for self-regulation and taught our K-2 students how to use a mouse, to write and color on the Zoom screen and online etiquette.”

What, if any, are some of the unique challenges you’ve encountered with distance learning so far?

Friedman-Diaz: “I think that the biggest challenge for me was not necessarily the nuances of the technology itself, but more of the time management of working from home alongside my husband, also a teacher, and my new ‘student teachers’ (my two-year-old son and four-year-old daughter). It was pretty obvious that the introduction of my own children on staff, parent and student Zoom sessions was bound to happen. The shouts of excitement from a potty-training child achieving a sticker and slamming open the door to yell for me just as I UNMUTED to present my part at a meeting…a little more unexpected (all the while, lightening the mood of the awkwardness of our first Zoom meetings).”

O’Callaghan: “The biggest challenge for me has been learning the technology. Physical therapy is very hands on and I use verbal and visual cues, along with hand-over-hand assistance, to help students learn physical tasks. Using platforms like Google Classroom and Zoom have made me reassess and modify activities and tasks that I have been using in practice for years to best help my students.”

Kaplan: “The most challenging and rewarding experience has been learning how to effectively use the technology to engage students so that they could achieve their goals. Although teletherapy has been utilized by many health care providers around the world, we have always provided occupational therapy services face-to-face in an amazing therapy room. Now we’re learning to be creative at home, including animal yoga poses and fun movement break exercises, to improve self-regulation and endurance needed to participate in school.”

How are you partnering with families to support their children at home?

Friedman-Diaz: “I understood early on that it was most important to really listen and follow the lead of our families and the level of support they were looking for. Initially, parents were so kind and thankful for our support, but simply learning the technology and focusing on classroom work were at the forefront of distance learning. To respect the intricacies of ‘the new normal,’ over time, we came up with additional plans, such as offering to work on goals while completing classroom assignments (adding an OT spin to what the students were already required to do) or maximizing time due to schedule or technology conflicts by collaborating and treating a student, simultaneously, with another service provider. While I feel it is important to keep the connection and support going with my students, it continues to be, just as important to reassure parents and caregivers that ‘OT is all around us.’ The family yard work sessions (core/upper body strengthening); slime-making, bike rides, and trampoline breaks (for sensory input); time spent cooking with the kiddies (for executive functioning/fine motor skills); couch cushion tent sessions (for self-regulation/mindfulness); and of course, the “extra keyboarding practice” that is hand-in-hand with distance learning, are all excellent methods of getting in a little extra OT, in the natural every day environment. We are all in this together and it all counts.”

O’Callaghan: “Initially, it was important to contact all families to make sure they were healthy and determine if they were in need of assistance. Each family was called and/or emailed in order to establish the best means of communication. After creating the Google Classrooms, all families were again contacted to ensure the students were able to access the activities. Some families stated that their children were enjoying the activities. Others said they were too overwhelmed to participate and were reassured to do the best they can, in these uncertain times. I have also delivered equipment that was left at school to a few students so they can continue toward progress with their gross motor goals.”

Kaplan: “The partnership with parents has been the most important piece of the puzzle. Many of the parents have never attended an occupational therapy session with their child. Working with the parents and children in their home environment enables me to explain the rationale behind the activities. Many foundation skills are key to achieving the actual goals. For example, exercises to improve finger and hand strength actually help improve handwriting skills. I love that I have the ability to consult weekly with the parents and explain the importance of these skills. We are learning together how to effectively use technology to support the children.”

What are key things that you’ve learned through this process so far? How, if at all, has it impacted your thinking about your own professional practice?

Friedman-Diaz: “All in all, I feel like this process has reminded me, more than ever, of the importance of ‘sharing what you know, in order to reap the rewards of all the incredible amount of things out there that you don’t know.’ The collaboration between myself and others in the OT community around the world has provided me with a huge platform for shared resources, ultimately enhancing my box of OT tricks for students and teachers alike. While not under the best of circumstances, I feel like distance learning has really challenged me to step outside of my 16 years of practice, ultimately providing me with technology I can use, in my role as a school-based occupational therapist.”

O’Callaghan: “I’ll continue to use Google Classroom, in some form, as a resource for my students and their families. It’s a great way to have various resources at their fingertips and an easy way to keep lines of communication open, particularly for students and families who want to carry-over skills and strategies at home.”

Kaplan: “I always prided myself in being flexible, but I have a new appreciation for what that means and have learned to adjust expectations. Every day, I’m learning new ways to improve the sessions. Students are enjoying utilizing both traditional worksheets and/or technology. OT’s role in school has always been to help the student access the curriculum. Now, the way they learn has shifted; OT has had to also adjust. The classroom is now located within the child’s home and we have the opportunity to work with the students in their environment. Parents have always been an integral part of the team, but we generally only meet a few times a year. This has been a wonderful experience working collaboratively with families on a daily basis.”

Tappan Zee High School junior Adam Garvey recently earned Eagle Scout rank after completing a monument beautification project for the James H. Anderson American Legion Post #1199 in Orangeburg. Eagle Scout is a milestone accomplishment and the highest achievement a Boy Scout can earn. Just 6.5% of eligible scouts earn this rank.

For his project, Garvey installed pavers to create a patio and pathway, benches and plantings to beautify the space surrounding a monument in tribute to three employees of Rockland State Psychiatric Center who fought in World War II and bricks with the names of local veterans and their years and branches of service. One brick honors Kevin Garvey (US Coast Guard, 1956-1961), Adam’s grandfather.

Garvey began scouting at age 6 with Tiger Scout Pack 55 in Blauvelt and moved on to join Boy Scout Troop 78 in Nanuet four years later. “As I advanced and got older, new activities became available to me, such as a 50-mile kayaking trek through Lake Champlain last summer,” he says. “The community service projects I’ve been a part of have been most meaningful to me. Giving back to the community is important.”

In fact, giving back for Garvey also includes staying engaged with his troop and helping his friends and brother earn the rank of Eagle Scout. He notes that scouting has been a rewarding experience from which he has learned a great deal. “I’ve enjoyed my time in scouting and liked learning different skills for problem solving and leadership. They will definitely be useful in the future.” Congratulations, Adam!

La Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica Capítulo Tito Puente, Tappan Zee High School’s Spanish Honor Society, proudly inducted 38 new members this week. Co-advisors Odette Santiago and Kristy Walsh created this slideshow to celebrate the inductees.

“Nelson Mandela said, ‘If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart,” says Santiago. “On a human level, learning another language is a portal to other cultures. When you are able to connect to people in another language, you have an opportunity to understand a different culture and empathize with those of a different background than your own. When there is mutual understanding, prejudices are less likely to arise, and I feel great pride in students that are choosing to follow this path of understanding, empathy and opportunity.”

To be eligible for induction, students must be currently enrolled in a Spanish language course, have taken at least two years of high school Spanish with a minimum average of 90 or above in all Spanish courses at the high school and possess a minimum cumulative grade point average of 85. To maintain membership, students are required to tutor, perform community service, participate in meetings and events and maintain the minimum Spanish and overall coursework averages. The requirements for tutoring, participation in events and community service were suspended this school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Learning a language opens your mind to think in different ways and have various perspectives. Just as our world shouldn’t be viewed through one lens, it shouldn’t be viewed through one language,” Walsh argues. “Now, more than ever, the world demands global citizens who are culturally and linguistically fluent. Candidates who are bilingual and/or multilingual are more likely to be hired for jobs. Language fluency will definitely give a candidate a leg up in the hiring process.”

Tappan Zee High School is home to a vibrant and collaborative Spanish language program. All teachers have experienced Hispanic language and culture firsthand by living in various Spanish-speaking countries and bring those experiences into their classrooms. They work closely as a team, exchanging ideas and supporting each other in their professional growth as educators. To learn more about Spanish courses available at Tappan Zee High School, view the World Language section of the 2020-21 Curriculum Guide.

Stephanie Mueller joined the District as its Elementary School Counselor at the start of the 2019-20 school year, and serves students at both William O. Schaefer Elementary School and Cottage Lane Elementary School. “My mission as a school counselor is to inspire students to become lifelong learners, creative thinkers and caring and responsible citizens,” explains Mueller, who previously served as a middle school counselor on Long Island.

What is the role of an elementary school counselor?

SOCSD’s comprehensive developmental school counseling program provides education, prevention and intervention services from kindergarten to high school. As the elementary school counselor for WOS and CLE, I am a Tier 1 support to every student, meaning that I work with every student. During the elementary school years, children begin to develop their academic self-concept and feelings of competence and confidence as learners. Children are beginning to develop decision-making, communication and life skills and character values. It’s also a time when students develop and acquire attitudes towards self, peers, social groups, school and family. I push into every classroom throughout the school year to lead lessons on character development, career readiness and social skill development. My aim is for students to gain the social emotional skills necessary to become successful young adults and lifelong learners. I also have the pleasure of working directly with whole classrooms on hosting school-wide events and assemblies which promote a positive school culture.

Early identification and intervention of children’s personal and social needs is essential in removing barriers to learning and in promoting academic achievement. With input and referrals from teachers and parents, I provide individual and small group counseling on a variety of topics, such as academic achievement, anger management, changing families, friendship, grief, self-esteem and social skills. I absolutely love developing relationships with students through my classroom visits and counseling sessions. By being a constant fixture in their school lives from kindergarten on, it is my hope they will feel comfortable to come to me if anything should arise down the line.

Children need to feel safe in order to ask for help. During the first few weeks of kindergarten, students are introduced to the student support team at WOS. Through constant interactions in the classroom and during the school day, we form those positive connections that are needed when an issue arises. Then, children transition over to CLE where they are introduced to another wonderful support system. We hope to keep showing kids we are here for them because, as we’ve seen over the years, there is such a need for social and emotional support for young children. It is so important to address concerns when they first arise than to hope they go away. We work directly with parents, providing support and resources, and are also able to provide outside referrals to great service providers and therapists in the area. If you are concerned about your child and do not know what or who to ask please reach out to any member of our team, we are here to help!

How has the school closure and shift to distance learning changed your approach to counseling?

At first, virtual learning and virtual counseling seemed so abstract but I believed the most important thing I could do was provide a sense of normalcy for students, parents, and teachers. Since the first week of virtual learning, I’ve been seeing students individually and in small groups, popping into classrooms and doing grade-wide activities such as virtual Lunch Bunch. I knew that consistency was key, so I reached out to parents and arranged all the services I was providing in school virtually.

Through teacher referrals, I’ve been connecting with more and more students to help them with whatever they are struggling with. I’ve seen distance learning as an opportunity to reach as many students and parents as I can. One shift I am noticing is the need for mental health support as a result of unexpected life changes due to the pandemic. For so long, mental health has been a taboo topic but it’s just as important as our physical health. I am very excited to be raising awareness to such an important topic through our participation in Mental Health Awareness Week (May 18-22, 2020). Each day a member of the CLE and WOS student support teams is hosting a read aloud of a book pertaining to mental health. I also arranged a virtual spirit week full of activities students and their families could do each day to promote positive mental health. I think this is a great time for us to focus on making sure everyone is ok and giving students and their families the necessary tools to promote positive mental health within themselves. It is so important to make sure our children have the tools necessary to work through feelings that may arise and know how to ask for help.

What key concepts or strategies are most helpful for students during these challenging and uncertain times?

Tips for Children:

• Set a schedule – having a consistent schedule is a great way to help us stay on track and feel a sense of normalcy. Set your alarm or plan to wake up at a certain time, schedule schoolwork, lunch, play, dinner and free time. When we don’t stick to a schedule, we tend to feel out of sorts/confused.
• Remember to do the activities you love or try something new! Just because we have to stay home to stay safe doesn’t mean you can’t ride your bike, read books, or play in your backyard.
• Connection is key! Try to Facetime your friends and family as often as you can. Seeing their faces should make you feel a little more connected to others.
• Talk to your parent or trusted adult about what you are worried about. If you want to talk to someone else, think of the trusted adults at school- your teachers, school counselor, school social worker or psychologists- we are here to help!

Tips for Parents:

Try your best to be patient with your children. Not returning to school will bring up feelings of grief and loss. Students are missing their school, friends, teachers, end-of-the-year celebrations, and goodbyes that provide closure for another year complete. These feelings can present in many ways, there is no right way to feel at this time. There may be tears, anxiousness, anger, or any other combination of feelings. The most important way to support children is to listen with an empathetic ear. Here are some other tips:

• Listen to all feelings without judgement. Know that recovery from these feelings does not work in a linear fashion, there will be ups & downs, some days better than others.
• Find healthy ways for those feelings to be expressed such as writing, drawing, or art projects
• Incorporate your existing health coping skills your family already uses such as cooking, gardening, dancing, or singing when feelings are low.
• Keep schedules as consistent as possible.
• Remind your children that this is temporary. It might not be back to how it way but this stage is not forever.

As a special education teacher at South Orangetown Middle School, Mary Ann Wood is busy Zooming with students in groups and individually and making screencasts.

With her sixth-grade Just Words class, Wood helps students fill in gaps in their decoding and spelling proficiency. Her sixth- and seventh-grade Wilson Reading classes provide more intensive, multisensory reading instruction for students with a language-based learning disability. In addition, she co-teaches two science classes. “Right now, we meet twice a week for Zoom reading lessons,” she explains. “I do screencasts everyday for the science classes and meet with them live as a group once a week and individually to work on projects. I love Zooming with my students because I truly miss them and they seem happy to be able to see and talk to each other. ”

Initially, the transition to distance learning was challenging for both Wood and her students. “Not knowing that we’d be out for so long was difficult. My students and I left most of our materials in school thinking we’d only be out a few weeks,” she says, noting that the Technology and Pupil Personnel Services departments have helped to address student needs. “Chromebooks were distributed to students who didn’t already have devices at home and packets have been mailed to students without printers at home. One science student left his textbook in his locker and we were able to mail it to him.”

Wood has found that the remote learning environment has put more demands on all students in terms of initiative and organization. “Executive functioning is very important in distance learning. You need to be able to keep track of your assignments and Zoom lessons while working around your parents’ and siblings’ schedules. Some of our students aren’t living at home due to family members being sick or working full-time, so they face other difficulties,” she comments. “I have 3 children of my own homeschooling, one in tenth, one in seventh and one in third. All have Zoom lessons and need computers and printers, so I know it must be difficult for families that don’t have space to create a quiet place to work for everyone. Our school and prevention counselors have met with students to help them set up weekly schedules to support their executive function needs. As a result of that help, students are coming to Zoom classes on time and prepared to learn. They are not as overwhelmed with the multiple emails and assignments they have to tackle because they have an effective plan in place.”

Most of all, Wood looks forward to returning to the classroom. “I’m hoping everyone is safe and healthy at home, and can’t wait to see you all in the fall!”

During his distance learning downtime, Tappan Zee High School junior Max Greisberg has been disseminating the results of an independent research study he conducted over the past two years.

“I’ve been looking into ways to reduce the biggest risk to wrestlers and other close contact athletes: skin infections,” Greisberg explains. “Before the epidemic, I participated in close contact sports and acquired a skin infection. My goal is to share my work nationally to help reduce the rates of infection. I want to help prevent this from happening to anyone else.”

His study consists of three parts: analysis of bacterial samples collected from wrestling mats at two different schools, a meta-analysis of scientific literature for key concepts and recommendations and a survey of coaches designed to compare current practices with the literature. A key finding of his research is that using a flat mop with direct application of disinfectant achieves the lowest bacterial load levels. “However, a large number of microorganisms remain in the grooves or sections of wrestling mats, even after disinfection,” Greisberg notes. “My current suggestion to reduce athletes’ risk of exposure is to cover the seams and grooves in the mats.”

Greisberg enrolled in the Science Research course this year to carve out dedicated time to pursue this project and receive support. To date, he has presented his project at both the Tri-County Science and Technology Fair and the Greater Capital Region Science and Engineering Fair, and written and submitted two separate papers for publication. One paper, “Current Concepts in Decreasing the Incidence of Skin Infections in Close Contact Athletics” has been accepted for publication by the “The Sport Journal,” a peer-reviewed journal published by the United States Sports Academy.

“My plan is to prepare a paper for submission to the National Collegiate Athletic Association or the National Wrestling Coaches Association,” Greisberg says. In the meantime, he plans to discuss his work with SOCSD Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics Bill Pilla.

“The health and safety of our student-athletes is of paramount importance and it’s awesome that Max is so committed to protecting fellow athletes,” says Pilla. “He has really done a lot of research and I look forward to learning more about his work.”

Congratulations to Tappan Zee High School Salutatorian Hannah Ahn, who was named a 2020 United States Presidential Scholar semifinalist, one of the highest national honors for high school students! Of the 5,600 students nationwide identified as candidates, just 621 were selected as semifinalists.

“To be recognized as a semifinalist in this prestigious and highly competitive program is such an honor for Hannah and for Tappan Zee High School,” TZHS Principal Rudy Arietta noted. “While we all know how special Hannah is, it’s awesome that her efforts have been recognized and that she is being honored as one of the most impressive young people across the nation.”

The selection of the vast majority of candidates for the prestigious U.S. Department of Education program is based on SAT and ACT scores. Application is invitation-only; students may not apply and schools may not nominate candidates.

“I was honored just to qualify for the program, so to finish as a semifinalist was such a great surprise!” said Ahn, who has committed to Harvard University. She plans to study Chemical Physics.

The vendor managing the printing and mailing of our District’s absentee ballots for the annual school budget vote and Board of Education election reported that our absentee ballots were mailed on Monday, June 1. Qualified voters have begun receiving their absentee ballots with postage prepaid return envelopes today.

To provide our voters with an alternative method to return their absentee ballots, the District will provide a secure dropbox at the South Orangetown Middle School main entrance, at 160 Van Wyck Road in Blauvelt, starting tomorrow, June 4. The dropbox hours are as follows:

• Thursday, June 4: 8:00AM-5:00PM
• Friday, June 5: 8:00AM-5:00PM
• Monday, June 8: 8:00AM-7:00PM
• Tuesday, June 9: 8:00AM-5:00PM

To complete your absentee ballot:

• • Mark “X” or “√” in the appropriate box (yes or no) for Proposition 1 – 2020-2021 School Budget.
  • Mark “X” or “√” next to candidate of your choice in box provided at left of candidate’s name or you may write in a name.
  • Use black or blue pen or pencil with black lead. Fold ballot in Oath envelope provided and seal envelope.
  • Date and signature of the voter must appear on the reverse side of the sealed Oath envelope.
  • Place the Oath envelope in the larger postage prepaid envelope addressed to the South Orangetown Central School District and seal it.
  • Return by mail or deposit in the secure dropbox at South Orangetown Middle School, 160 Van Wyck Road in Blauvelt during the hours listed above.

All absentee ballots, whether they are returned by mail or dropbox, must be received by 5:00PM on Tuesday, June 9.

Detailed information regarding the proposed 2020-21 school budget is posted on our website at www.socsd.org. Questions regarding the budget may be sent to budget@socsd.org.

Questions regarding the budget vote, including absentee ballots, should be directed to District Clerk Kathy Muscari via email (kmuscari@socsd.org) or phone (845) 680-1012.

Given that our Districtwide Celebration could not be held this evening, Director of Staff Relations Joseph Lloyd, Ph.D., with the help of his team, crafted this special video to celebrate South Orangetown Central School District retirees and staff members who have reached career milestones during the 2019-20 school year.

“While we wish that we could be together and in-person to celebrate our colleagues, we are quite proud to recognize their ongoing commitment and service to our school district,” Lloyd said.

Sincere thanks and congratulations to:

RETIREES
Kathleen Conway (CLE), Kathleen DeStefano (WOS), Carol Heinemann (WOS)

CAREER MILESTONES
Central Office
20 years: Kim Woodford

William O. Schaefer Elementary School
20 years: Anna Coughlin, Lisa Savarese and Carole Widmayer
25 years: Riva Fisher, Heidi Hill and Carol Kuhn

Cottage Lane Elementary School
20 years: Sunita Hill, Kerri McBride, Susan O’Rourke, Judy Pocalyko and Jacob Tanenbaum
30 years: Paula Klika

South Orangetown Middle School
20 years: Jennifer Abrahamsen, Kristine Condon, Janesa Martinez, Emily McKay, Allison Meyers, Marisa Nadler and Frances Piazza
25 years: Tatiana DiPierno and Glenn Spiegelman
30 years: Burke Anderson and Suzanne Solomon-Hollander

Tappan Zee High School
20 years: Karen Bell, James Donovan, Christine Drivas, Frances Duffy, Patricia Kelly, Nancy Lungaro, Michael Matulac, Daniel Rafferty, Seth Resnikoff, Lisa Reynolds, Steve Sherman, Beth Smith and Russell Wagoner
25 years: Brian Newburger, Steven Purkis and Jonathan Rossi

Tappan Zee High School’s Virtual Senior Awards Ceremony kicks off today at 10AM on the Tappan Zee High School Counseling Department Facebook page! Today’s award presentations will be: TZHS COVE and the TZHS English and Social Studies departments.

“Although we can’t be together, we hope that recognizing our seniors for their accomplishments over the past four years via social media will raise the visibility of their achievements and garner the attention that they deserve,” said Principal Rudy Arietta.

Video presentations will continue through Friday. View the complete awards book here. Congratulations to all of the Class of 2020 Senior Awards winners!

Following is important information for K-12 families from our District Food Service Office:

Food Service Pickup/Deliveries Drawing to a Close
The final date for weekly home meal delivery is Tuesday, June 23 and the final date for meal pick up is Thursday, June 25. Information on the Food Service webpage.

Summer Meal Programs
Families in need of food assistance can find information regarding local summer meal programs by visiting www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks, texting “FOOD” to 877877 or calling 1-866-348-6479. Information for New York State will be posted later in June.

Apply for Food Assistance
We know that the economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic is causing financial stress for many of our families. Here are a few things that families can do to access support:

• Find out if your family is eligible for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) at https://www.ny.gov/services/apply-snap.  SNAP provides monthly benefits to help you buy food. Everything you need to do to apply for and receive SNAP benefits can be done by phone or online—no need to visit a local social service office. And, you can use SNAP benefits at local grocery stores or shop online. Additional benefits are available for SNAP recipients who register in June; for information, go to the New York State SNAP COVID-19 Information webpage.
• In addition, applications for free and reduced-price school meals may be submitted year-round by those who believe that their children may be eligible. Information regarding District Food Service, as well as free and reduced-price meal applications, can be found on the Food Service webpage.

My Payments Plus Account Balances
Funds remaining in students’ My Payments Plus meal accounts will automatically roll over to the 2020-21 school year.

Students who are graduating or leaving the district are entitled to a refund of the balance remaining in their meal account. To access a refund, please email Principal Account Clerk Danielle Durso to request whether you wish to apply this balance to another SOCSD student’s meal account (please provide the name, grade and PIN of the student to whose account the balance is to be transferred) or if you would like a refund by check.

Parents of graduating students or those leaving the district who have signed up for AutoPay (automatic renewal) through MyPaymentsPlus, must visit www.MyPaymentsPlus.com to cancel the auto payment and prevent future renewals. Log into your account, click on “Manage Accounts”, and choose “Manage AutoPay.”

Questions regarding Food Service?
Please email or call Danielle Durso (ddurso@socsd.org | 845-680-1009).

Yesterday, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.39 which impacts the Annual School Budget vote and Board Election as follows:

• Hand-delivered ballots may be received via dropbox until 5PM on Tuesday, June 9. No hand-delivered ballots may be received after this time.
• Mailed ballots must be received in the District Clerk’s office by 5pm on Tuesday, June 16.

We appreciate our community’s patience and understanding as our District navigates these continued challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will continue to communicate updates should further clarification become available.

If you have not yet received your ballot, please contact District Clerk Kathy Muscari at (845) 680-1012 or kmuscari@socsd.org.

Information regarding the school budget vote may be accessed directly here.

Tappan Zee High School Youth and Government Club members Matt T., Katrina C. and Amy W. participated in the New York State YMCA Youth and Government State Conference, a virtual event. Katrina and Amy were selected as committee chairs and led youth delegates in discussions regarding their bills. As an attorney, Matt argued two cases before judges and was awarded “Best Attorney” for New York State District 4.

“The whole conference is a great opportunity for young adults to engage in respectful debate and to learn more about how the government actually works. Even people who have no interest in working in government or law can benefit from it, and I bet that they would enjoy it too,” said Matt, who was also selected as a state delegate to the Conference on National Affairs (CONA), a national conference of Youth and Government delegates from 33 states and Washington DC. Delegates are required to write a proposal to change a national or international policy. Proposals are then debated by delegates in committees, and the best proposals are awarded. “It is a great honor to have been chosen to attend,” he added.

This is the inaugural year for the high school’s Youth and Government Club, which is advised by social studies teacher Martin Patmos. The club’s goal is to enable the youth to be active members of their government, even if they cannot yet vote. During the school year, members prepare for the annual conference according to the branch of government they have chosen to serve in. Members of the legislative branch write and debate their own original bills and attorneys in the judicial branch write a brief and argue a case in front of a panel of student justices. Members may also serve in the press corps or as a lobbyist.

“These students have spearheaded this club with true passion,” Patmos noted. “Their desire to engage with ideas of policy and government, and learn how to make positive change is inspiring.”

Congratulations to Matt, Katrina and Amy!

Caption: Tappan Zee High School freshman Matt T. was presented with the award for “Best Attorney” by Chuck Maze, Rockland County YMCA CEO and President and District 4 Coordinator on May 29.

This week, the English Honor Society presents the 19th Annual Hepcat, a virtual showcase of student poetry, musical performance and artwork. The much-anticipated, annual event was founded in 2002 by English teachers Sarah McMane and Michael Matulac, as a forum for TZHS student poets and singer-songwriters to share their work. Initially run by a small group of students, Hepcat became an English Honor Society (EHS) production in 2004. Since then, the event has grown to include more than 30 performers and dozens of backstage crew members.

“When I realized that we would not be able to have Hepcat this year in person, I reached out to the English Honor Society officers to see if they’d like to do something virtual,” explains McMane. “Hepcat has always provided a voice for students, and this has been a time when students really need an outlet for those feelings and thoughts to be heard. I’ve been so impressed by their ability to rise to the occasion, and I’m so proud of all the hard work they did. The result is pure Hepcat: humorous and poignant and fun and artistic.”

This is the third year that EHS Vice President Laura Pollock, a senior, has participated in Hepcat and she believes its purpose is as powerful as ever. “Hepcat is a safe haven for students to share their creativity and love for the arts. Even though we couldn’t have a live show this year, we wanted to create that unity during this difficult time,” she says. “We have so many wonderful submissions from students and teachers and I cannot thank the administration, EHS Officers and Ms McMane enough for making this happen. It’s the perfect and most bittersweet way to send off the school year.”

EHS President Juliana Guarracino, also a senior, was first introduced to Hepcat as a junior officer, by pitching in to help seniors prepare for the event. She counts the time spent planning and presenting at Hepcat as one of her favorite high school memories. “Hepcat is such a non-judgmental space and everyone there truly just wants to uplift their fellow writers and artists, as well as share their passion for creative writing. I am so grateful that TZ has an opportunity like this for the many talented students who participated in Hepcat in the past and those who have joined this year,” notes Guarracino. “I have always loved creative writing, so having a place to share my work and share my appreciation for writing with my friends has been very rewarding. Being able to present my creative work and be so open in front of my peers has made me much more confident in my writing and helped me grow overall as a writer. Now more than ever, having a place to share your thoughts and feelings through writing and find comfort in the works of other students is so important.”

Pollock plans to study audiology at the University of Toronto and Guarracino will major in international relations at New York University. “Hepcat, and the entire English Department at TZ, has helped me so much throughout my high school career to find my voice in writing and improve each year,” Guarracino adds. “Although my career is not directly related to English, nor creative writing, I do hope to become a published author in the future. I know I will have Hepcat and the teachers at TZ to thank for empowering me with the confidence to do that.”

Click here to view Hepcat 2020.*

“I am so impressed, not only by the talent on display but also by the drive of our officers who did not let the obstacle of not being in the building prevent them from producing this year’s edition of Hepcat,” says Principal Rudy Arietta. “I thank the officers and Ms. McMane for their leadership on this great accomplishment.”

*Viewers may pause the presentation by clicking the “Play” button. To play a video embedded in a slide, simply click the “Play” button in the center of the slide. To advance the slideshow at your own pace, simply use the < and > buttons.

Over the past three months, our District’s instructional technology team has played an integral role in planning, implementing and supporting the pivot to distance learning in response to the COVID-19 related school closure.

In fact, the foundation for remote learning had been built long before this spring. “For the past seven years, we’ve been in a continuous cycle of professional development to equip our students and teachers with digital tools to enhance learning. Leveraging those familiar tools helped us make the transition to digital learning,” reports K-12 Instructional Technology Coach Marc Eckert.

In collaboration with Director of Technology George Brady and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Brian Culot, Ed.D., Eckert has worked closely with Technology Education/maker space teachers Randi Nerkizian (WOS), Kimberly Guzas (CLE), Jacob Tanenbaum (CLE), Andrew McIntosh (SOMS), Kimberlee Landgraff (SOMS) and Karen Connell (TZHS) to advance support tech-infused classrooms and advance district STEM programs. “We’re in constant conversation about how to consistently improve and address the needs of students and teachers with regard to hardware, software and professional development. We work hard to leverage tools that both meet our instructional technology needs and protect student data privacy,” Eckert explains.

Over the years, SOCSD has made substantial investments in educational technology. The District introduced mobile laptop carts 12 years ago and began its first one-to-one tech initiative nearly eight years ago at SOMS. As the mobile initiative expanded, the District implemented a one-to-one, student-to-Chromebook model at TZHS and installed classroom racks of Chromebooks for grades K-8. “We were well-positioned from an infrastructure perspective, given that mobile learning has been a primary District initiative for the past decade. Support from our Board of Education and our community really facilitated the adoption of mobile technology across the district,” says Brady.

Then, the pandemic struck.

“As it became clear in early March that we would likely be out of school for an extended period, I worked individually with every K-6 teacher to establish Google Classrooms for each homeroom to facilitate centralized content sharing across grade levels,” Eckert explains. “The goal was to ensure the consistent, equitable delivery of high-quality lessons and activities to meet the diverse needs of our student body. We’ve learned a lot and are proud of the work that has been done by both teachers and students.”

Professional development for teachers began on March 16 and has been based on both teacher needs and advancing how students are engaged virtually. The team developed a distance learning portal through which 10-15 group professional development sessions have been offered each week, in addition to individual support via Zoom, email and text message.

“My role isn’t only tech support; I’m also a cheerleader, encouraging people to stick with all of the ‘new’ that they’re encountering,” says Nerkizian. “It has been very rewarding to see how much and how quickly my colleagues have learned and grown! I make it a top priority to join classes each day during live lessons to get a feel for their experiences and challenges, to offer an extra set of hands and eyes and to interact with our students.”

At the building level, technology teachers hosted weekly drop-in sessions and developed resources to support teachers in changing the way that they deliver instruction. Feedback from teachers, students and families enabled them to assess progress and inform thinking about ways to differentiate remote instruction to meet diverse needs. At SOMS, McIntosh and Landgraff created a Google Classroom with resources just for teachers. “Teachers can access our Google Classroom to complete an assignment as a student to understand how it may be perceived from a student point of view,” McIntosh reports.

Zoom sessions also helped teachers network with their colleagues. “We found this to be a collaborative forum for people to problem solve, share ideas and learn something new,” notes Guzas.

And, the team provided direct assistance to families who needed help getting students online. “I ended up doing quite a bit of tech support in Spanish and even learned a few new words that had never come up in the 30 years that I have been speaking the language!” Tanenbaum says.

Despite the challenges, the team reports that teachers have risen to the challenge of distance learning. “As a technology teacher, it was a big challenge leaving my planned curriculum behind in entirety,” acknowledges Nerkizian. “Many of the units that I had planned were contingent on the resources and tools in the maker space, which the vast majority of students don’t have access to at home, such as robots, laser cutters and paper circuitry. It’s also a slightly different experience trying to navigate distance learning in a K-2 school. Balancing foundational skills such as learning to read, write, or learn math strategies and skills along with the tech skills required to access and express their learning has been a challenge. Without question, though, the success has been seeing just how much my colleagues have learned and how much more open they are to trying new things.”

“Teachers are eager to continue to provide meaningful learning experiences for their students and they’re open to learning and using the technology that is available to them to make that happen,” Connell states. “One of the highlights that has been evident throughout this distance learning journey has been the increased enhancement of the supportive culture among staff in our high school and throughout the entire district. We’ve all adopted a ‘we are in this together’ attitude and are working hard to do the best we can.”

Among the team, there is consensus that this experience will have a long-term impact on teachers’ professional practice. Optimizing the digital content they created may spur teachers to innovate and experiment further, perhaps by exploring flipped learning models. “Personally, I’ll have a Google Classroom set up for my Technology classes and for math support students in September so students are familiar with where to go for lessons and assignments,” says Guzas. “Also, we’ll teach students how to use different tools in Technology class so they’ll be prepared should we need to extend or return to distance learning in the future. The vast library of video lessons I have now created will be a wonderful resource for next year which I will use to teach, reteach or share with substitute teachers.”

Distance learning has also helped to strengthen the home-school connection. “Teachers are seeing the ways that technology can help meet students and parents where they are,” Nerkizian notes. “I think more teachers will incorporate recorded lessons as a reference and reteaching or extension tool to drive independent learning. I also think it will increase and expand accessibility for parents and parent/teacher communication. I’ve had a few colleagues mention that they’ve never felt such a close relationship with the parents or had a better understanding of who their students are beyond the walls of the school. Who knows, maybe this experience also shows us that snow days, as we know them, are out and remote learning days are in!”

In terms of establishing a strong home/school tech connection, Brady’s team distributed more than 300 devices to students–some without any technology at home and many others whose families discovered that access to shared technology at home was insufficient to meet the needs of multiple household members simultaneously engaged in working and learning remotely. “In anticipation of the potential need to extend distance learning, our technology team is repurposing existing devices and procuring new ones so that we’ll be able to provide all our students with mobile technology,” says Brady. “Based on the number of mobile devices in our K-8 classrooms, we are capable of providing a mobile device to each student. Reconfiguring existing and configuring new devices for over 2,000 students is an enormous project. Once the devices are configured, we’ll work with our building administrators to deploy them.”

The instructional technology team is hopeful about how the teachers and the District will be able to leverage this experience to elevate, engage and inspire students in new and exciting ways.. “If we decided to implement distance learning under normal circumstances, it would have taken about two years to roll it out. We would have studied the different platforms, heard from vendors and tested each system. We would have trained students and staff and had trial runs in the classroom. There would have been workshops, surveys and a great deal of discussion,” Tanenbaum reflects. “There are teachers all over this district and this country who, over the past three months, have proven to themselves that they have the ability to very effectively use technology in ways they had never dreamed possible. I can’t wait to see where that leads them.”

Congratulations to the 17 Tappan Zee High School seniors celebrating the completion of their Rockland BOCES Career & Technical Education Center (CTEC) programs:

• Julia Di Biase, Health Science Fundamentals
• Michael Gedeiko, Electrical Trades
• Cian Geoghegan, Electrical Trades
• Tatiana Guzman, Culinary Arts
• Christopher Kozman, Electrical Trades
• Christopher Loch, Digital Design & Marketing
• Thomas McKenna, Welding & Fabrication
• Cristina McKiernan, Health Science Fundamentals
• Elisa Mohr, Health Science Fundamentals
• Kevin Moran, Cyber Technology
• Shervin Morris, Certified Auto Collision & Welding Technology
• Evan Nelson, Certified Auto Collision & Welding Technology
• Luke O’Brien, Certified Auto Collision & Welding Technology
• Vincent Tomasello, Plumbing/HVAC
• Jovanna Tubito, Animal Science
• Rebecca Zachariah, New Visions Health Careers Exploration
• Kaila Zaide, Digital Design & Marketing

View the Rockland BOCES Virtual CTEC 2020 Completion Ceremony video.

Four Tappan Zee High School seniors have earned the New York State Seal of Biliteracy (NYSSB), which recognizes high school graduates who demonstrate a high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing one of more languages in addition to English. Congratulations to Juliet Hayes (French and Spanish), Juliana Guarracino (French and Spanish), Tatiana Guzman (Spanish) and William Carroll (Spanish).

“I appreciate that these four students continued to pursue this endeavor via distance learning,” said Assistant Principal Melissa Luciano, who previously taught world languages. “It was not an easy task and I commend Juliana, Juliet, Tatiana and William for their drive and dedication to the study of languages.”

Guzman will be majoring in Culinary Arts Food Business Management at The Culinary Institute of America and plans to open her own Latin American restaurant in homage to her family and culture. “My passion for learning languages grew tremendously throughout the years because of the amazing teachers. For all of middle school, I had Madame Spatz; freshman to junior year, I had Mr. Burgos for French and AP Spanish Lit. My junior year, I also had Madame Root for French. These teachers pushed and inspired me to further my education and love for languages,” she said. “I chose to pursue the Seal of Biliteracy because it represents my proficiency in communicating in both English in Spanish and, as a proud Latin American graduating from Tappan Zee High School, it pays tribute to my family.”

Guarracino is headed to New York University as an International Relations major. “I pursued a Seal of Biliteracy in French and Spanish because it displays the effort I put into studying these two languages throughout my high school career. Having a certificate saying that all my presentations, dialogues, and tests did make me a proficient speaker feels rewarding. I think it will be beneficial in the future as I plan to pursue a career in international relations, as well,” she noted, expressing deep appreciation for her school experience. “Throughout my language-learning journey at SOCSD, my teachers have been so passionate about the language and the culture they teach that it seemed nearly impossible to not develop that same appreciation. They always gave me opportunities to further my learning and prepared me to continue my studies beyond high school. At TZHS, in particular, there were so many opportunities to immerse myself in the cultures that I was studying, such as trips abroad, clubs and multicultural events; I feel those played an integral part in my studies.”

Hayes will attend Villanova University, where she hopes to double major in Finance and Business Analytics with minors in French and Spanish. “I value how wide-encompassing my world language experience at TZHS has been. In both French and Spanish, I have been exposed to so much vocabulary, grammar and culture, which really prepares students to be global citizens. Taking two languages can be difficult at times, but my French and Spanish teachers were always so encouraging and made every effort to make connections between the two languages, which further enriched the language learning experience for me,” she said.

For Hayes, the Seal of Biliteracy as an opportunity to challenge herself and take her passion for French and Spanish to the next level. “World language is a subject that holds so much importance, yet there are not a lot of opportunities for students to showcase what they know. So, I appreciate that New York State and TZHS are recognizing students’ accomplishments in the subject.”

Carroll has committed to the Sam Draper Honors Program at Rockland Community College, where he will study Anthropology.

The NYSSB was developed to encourage language study and identify students with language and biliteracy skills for employers and universities. This is the second year that TZHS has had seniors achieve this prestigious certification.

In May, South Orangetown Central School District administrators, educators, health and safety experts, mental health clinicians, transportation planners, communications staff joined the County-Wide Reopening Work Group convened by Rockland BOCES to plan for the reopening of Rockland County schools, in the wake of the state-mandated school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic which began on March 18 and remains in effect through the end of the 2019-20 school year.

On June 17, the District launched its own task force and subcommittees to focus on reopening planning and logistics specific to South Orangetown schools for the 2020-21 school year. Subcommittees will be chaired by administrators to cover a number of key topic areas, including curriculum and instruction, school health and safety, pupil personnel services, facilities, food service, transportation, technology, staff relations, athletics and communications.

In the absence of state guidance and given the evolving nature of the pandemic, the task force will plan for three potential scenarios: 100% in-person capacity for students, partial in-person capacity with blended learning and no in-person capacity with 100% distance learning.

The task force and subcommittees will be meeting through the summer, with the goal of presenting a reopening plan to the Board of Education by August 1.

Information and updates will be posted on the Reopening webpage, available under Quick Links at www.socsd.org.