Chappaqua Central School District
December 21, 2021
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On behalf of the CCSD faculty and staff, I want to wish you and your family a safe and restful break. I hope that you are able to take time over the next two weeks to share meaningful memories and moments with your children and loved ones. Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday season and a happy and peaceful New Year! Sincerely, Christine Ackerman |
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We were thrilled to welcome back our winter performances this semester as students from Bell, Seven Bridges and Greeley took to unconventional stages to showcase their talents. Greeley hosted all of our winter concerts in both the auditorium and gym so that we could ensure we followed all of the NYSDOH distancing guidelines and welcome as many family members as possible. The District also held our annual high school musical, Me and My Girl, this November at Seven Bridges Middle School while the Greeley auditorium was under construction for repairs to the ceiling. |
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At the December 15th meeting, the Board of Education presented revised strategic questions, which now include an emphasis on social-emotional learning. These questions serve as guiding principles as the Board continues to work for the betterment of our educational program, and an enhanced and inclusive experience for all students, while also adhering to its fiduciary responsibilities. Strategic Question 1 Budget & Operations Strategic Question 2 Teaching & Learning Strategic Question 3 Social-Emotional Learning |
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In partnership with the Chappaqua PTA, our staff and students celebrated National Inclusive Schools Week beginning on December 6th. This year’s theme, Rebuilding Our Inclusive Community Together, provided the space for educators, students and parents to come together and celebrate the unique abilities and needs of all members of our school community. |
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At the December 15th Board of Education meeting, Board Member Victoria Bayard Tipp announced that she will be stepping down from her position on the Board of Education, effective December 31, 2021. Vicky served on the Chappaqua Central School District Board of Education for the last ten-and-a-half years. While she will be leaving the school board, Vicky will continue to serve the community as she embarks on her new role as a Trustee on the New Castle Town Board. Superintendent Ackerman remarked that during her tenure, “Ms. Tipp has never wavered in her advocacy for our students. The precision and insight with which Ms. Tipp grappled with extraordinarily difficult circumstances in partnership with the administrative team, was invaluable and much appreciated. She often provided the necessary push to examine, and sometimes re-examine, our practices to ensure that we make the right decisions for our students.” Board President Hilary Grasso added, “On behalf of the School Board, we thank Vicky for her support, spirit of collaboration, and collegiality as well as her unwavering dedication to the children of this District. We will miss her!” It is with great respect and admiration from the Chappaqua school community that we wish her well in her new role and look forward to the continued work and support she will provide to our community. |
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At BS, 7th-grade Spanish students work in partnerships to develop a skit inviting a friend to engage in various activities using specific vocabulary. |
Having pride in what we create is essential. One HG artist took their logo design and pushed the assignment further by turning it into wearable art. |
From revising to developing new audience statements, 3rd-grade authors at RB make the most of their independent writing time. |
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4th-grade researchers at DG are ready to start their small-group work on extreme weather. . .but not before a discussion about group norms and expectations. |
5th-grade computer scientists at SB use the Chappaqua Design Process while programming a spherical robot to carry an object across a room and discussing how this could help people. |
How can we be kind online? WO knows after traveling around thinking stations, engaging in discussions, and generating digital upstander tips with their team members. |
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Scientists on the RB playground take photos/videos to show whether there are forces pushing or pulling, and balanced or unbalanced. |
BS Environmental Club students placing pods they started from seeds into hydroponic units, changing the water, and adding nutrients. |
Values, qualities, traits, romance, vulnerability, partners, timelines, dating -- HG students discuss relationships during health class. |
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Our November 2nd Superintendent’s Conference Day keynote address was delivered by Will Richardson, co-founder of the Big Questions Institute and co-author of the ebook, 9 Big Questions Schools Must Answer to Avoid Going Back to Normal, which challenges us to think about how this pandemic may act as a catalyst for reflection and change. The keynote was followed by a ‘lunch & learn’ discussion with Dr. Robert Dillon, author of The Space. His work focuses on instructional design in robust learning spaces. |
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LanguageLine offers phone, video remote and onsite translation and interpretation services in more than 240 languages. “If a parent comes for a meeting, at a moment’s notice District staff can call LanguageLine and a translator will be available to interpret the conversation and the meeting for the parent,” explained Jamie Edelman, Interim Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services. “We have used it already during parent-teacher conferences, CSE meetings and other meetings that principals have conducted with parents.” |
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Elementary & Middle School Writing Connections This semester, Bell Middle School 5th grade students created visual picture books based on personal narratives written in Ms. Kenna’s class. Their picture books, which included audio recordings, were shared with students in Ms. Lester’s 2nd grade class at Roaring Brook Elementary for feedback. In return, the Roaring Brook students shared with the 5th grade students original works from their poetry unit. Our fifth-graders shared how meaningful it was to have their younger classmates listen to their stores and provide suggestions, while the second graders loved having a middle school poetry coach. |
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Thanks to a grant from the Chappaqua School Foundation, Seven Bridges Middle School now has a fully functional, state-of-the-art, professional-grade digital television studio and control room. Studio 7B will support many facets of the curriculum, including morning video announcements, podcasts, and other audio/video endeavors. Students will learn and use a diverse set of skills related to TV and radio/audio production such as set design, lighting, video, and sound design, broadcast journalism, script writing and effective communication. Simultaneously, skills related to pre-recorded projects such as film shorts, documentaries, podcasts and animation design become possible as students can work in a dedicated environment that supports today’s constant evolution of media creation production. |
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Congratulations to Ethan Kuperman, a junior in the Greeley Science Research Program! His work, titled, “The Significance and Evolution of the Stellar Initial Mass Function," was just published in the International Journal of High School Science Research. “My research focuses on the initial mass function (IMF). It’s an equation that describes the number of stars within certain mass intervals in a selected group of stars,” Ethan explains. “The IMF is derived from a luminosity function, or LF, and a mass-luminosity relation (MLR), and my main interest is figuring out the influence that small fluctuations in the LF and MLR have on the IMF.” Ethan enjoys the freedom of being able to pursue authentic research in high school with support from teachers, mentors and like-minded classmates, and that the Greeley Science Research Program is a unique opportunity to pursue individualized studies within the greater curriculum. |
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“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” ~ Thomas Huxley For over 40 years, the Chappaqua Continuing Education program, offered through the Chappaqua Central School District, has provided enriching courses for residents of Chappaqua and the surrounding communities who are 18 or older. We are happy to announce that CCE has an exciting line-up for the winter. Our program will be a hybrid of in-person classes, which will meet at Horace Greeley High School (unless otherwise noted), and online classes via Zoom, which can be taken from the comfort of your home! Art / Art Appreciation / Virtual Tours ♦ College Prep ♦ Culinary Arts ♦ Exercise ♦ Finance ♦ Games & Fun ♦ Garden & Home ♦ Photography / Technology ♦ World Languages
Please visit www.chappaquaschools.org/cce for course descriptions and to register, or call 238-7201 ex. 2318. |
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Dear CCSD Parents, The Horace Greeley High School Science Research Program offers motivated and independent science students the chance to step beyond the traditional classroom structure to explore their area of interest. We are seeking members of the CCSD parent community to serve as mentors for the HG Science Research Program. This experiential learning opportunity allows students to explore scientific fields while promoting STEM and developing scientific capabilities. Students taking the course:
In past years, students have been selected as finalists in prestigious forums such as the Regeneron Science Talent Search, WESEF and Upstate New York Junior Science & Humanities Symposium. Example backgrounds of mentors include, but are not limited to:
If you believe you have the background to serve as a mentor, please complete this short form and we will set up time to talk you through the mentoring process and expectations. Thank you for your consideration. The Chappaqua PTA STEM Committee |
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Providing students and staff in the Chappaqua Central School District with a safe educational environment remains one of our top priorities. Please take a moment to read a letter (English / Español) from Westchester County District Attorney, Miriam Rocah, pertaining to gun safety and gun violence. |
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As a reminder, the Westchester County Department of Health (WCDOH) is allowing school districts to facilitate a Test to Stay (TTS) and a Testing Out of Quarantine process. This was confirmed in a memo shared by the WCDOH with regional superintendents. You may also review the NYSDOH’s guidance memo that allows local health departments to facilitate Test to Stay and Test Out of Quarantine in their given communities here. In addition, here are links to the slides and the recording of the District's webinar, held on November 22nd, for your review.
Note: Test to Stay and Testing Out of Quarantine are not available to families with unvaccinated children living in a household with a COVID positive individual. These students must have documentation from a medical provider to return to school as the District cannot verify the last date of exposure when a case is in the home. Please also note the following additional information for your consideration:
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