by Robert Pritchard, Ed.D. | Sep 14, 2017 | Updates
On September 13, many of our parents attended “Meet the Teacher Night” at Tappan Zee High School. I had the honor of speaking to these parents briefly and mentioned that I would post my speech online along with associated resources. My remarks were centered on three essential elements that parents should consider as they support their students in high school:
- Student transition to adulthood: Monitor your child’s progress, but not too closely. The key concept here is to “trust but verify.” This is not only for them to start gaining independence but for you to maintain your sanity as well. You don’t want to wait until your son or daughter is a college freshman to start “cutting the strings” without having had an opportunity to help them transition into adulthood during their high school years. Help them to transition by giving them small tasks like doing laundry, time management scheduling, and managing personal finances. Avoid becoming so overly focused on the college admissions process right now that you overlook other aspects of their development…be aware of their college admissions goals, but remember that there’s more to life than “checked boxes” on an academic transcript.
- Student self-discovery: Encourage your children to discover and explore their interests through coursework and extracurriculars. TZHS offers dozens of athletics teams, 50+ clubs and a wide range of general, Regents, Honors and AP electives, including courses such as: Aerospace Engineering, Chorale, Forensic Science, Law and Literature, Sports Marketing to AP Computer Science A and more. In spring of students’ sophomore year, they are introduced to the Naviance Family Connection website, a tool for post-graduation planning, through their school counselors. As your student approaches senior year, his or her school counselor will ask your student to provide a resume (examples are on the website), a senior questionnaire, and a parent perspective questionnaire. Your child will complete the resume and senior questionnaire. You, as a parent, will complete the parent perspective survey. Even though these requirements are due early in their senior year, it’s never too early to start looking at these requests from the guidance department. The senior questionnaire and the parent perspective survey can be a very helpful guide to some very powerful conversations between you and your TZHS student (regardless of what grade they are in). When the time comes, share your thoughts and feelings with your counselor so he or she can better guide you and your child in the college admissions process.
- Enjoy the moment: Lastly, enjoy these years as the parent of a TZ Dutchman. As we start to have discussions about life after high school, we may forget to cherish this very special time. It is especially important that you assist your child in discovering their passions and how those passions allow them to better interact with the world. These high school years are a great time to develop ideas about what academic areas are of interest (or, equally important, not of interest) to them.
Best wishes for a great year!
A list of “Key Dates to Remember” for 2017 – 2018 is posted under the “College Readiness” section on both the TZHS For Students and For Parents webpages. The direct link is: http://blogs.socsd.org/tzhs/key-dates-to-remember/
by Robert Pritchard, Ed.D. | Sep 8, 2017 | Updates
It is the end of the first week of the 2017 – 2018 school year and I have said the phrase “welcome back” a few hundred times. Saying, “welcome back” is my way of expressing that I am truly happy to see everyone and an acknowledgment of our students’ return from summer break. However, it might be better if I simply said, “welcome!” The word “welcome,” means something slightly different than “welcome back” since it conveys a sense of what is truly in my heart – an expression of my desire for everyone who attends our school district to feel welcomed. The greeting of “welcome” is an assurance that we make to another person to make him/her/they feel emotionally and physically safe. It is a powerful word in that sense.
My heart soared recently when I read a Twitter comment by our Tappan Zee High School Student Organization (SO) that stated, “Let’s continue to create a culture within our community filled with respect, responsibility, empathy, and kindness!” This confirmed something that I thought I already knew – which is that students, overall, are extremely kind, empathetic, respectful, and act responsibly when left to their own devices. Of course, this does not apply to every student; but in general, I have great confidence in our youth and will do everything in my power to strengthen their voices when it comes to promoting the ideals of:
- Respect
- Responsibility
- Empathy
- Kindness
It is my understanding that these four ideals represent what our Tappan Zee High School students refer to as “the Zone” and the staff is committed to ensuring that the students are able to be successful towards their collective goal of “getting in the Zone.”
There is further great news on this front…it is not just the students who are working towards improving the social climate in our schools. In late August, I met with the PTA executives to discuss ways that we can improve the social climate in our schools and ultimately our nation. Joining me at this meeting were parent representatives; our Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Brian Culot; our Board of Education President, Mrs. Rosemary Pitruzzella; and our Human Resources Director, Mr. Jeremy Barker. What prompted our meeting was an awareness that some of the hate speech and associated physical violence, which have been symptomatic of recent demonstrations around the country, could potentially have an adverse impact on our school climate. The result of our meeting was a rededicated effort to promote an increased awareness of standards of behavior that promote justice for all. Our K-12 curriculum will reflect what we expect our students to know and be able to do towards eliminating bias against people on the basis of their race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, military service, or other protected status. Staff will be trained on the November 9 and December 8 during Superintendent Conference Days to ensure that each is able to identify potential violations of our prescribed laws and code of conduct pertaining to the fair and ethical treatment of all individuals in our community.
We must start with clear expectations from students and staff who stand united for social justice. Over the past several months, we have heard these voices loud and clear in our community. Voices that seek to promote anti-bias education at every stage of K–12 instruction. Thank you to our Student Organization for igniting the spark that will shed light in what would otherwise be occupied by the darkness of intolerance, hatred, ignorance, and fear. Welcome everyone!
Here are the standards that our staff is integrating into the K-12 curriculum as prescribed by the Teaching Tolerance Education Organization:
IDENTITY
Students will develop positive social identities based on their membership in multiple groups in society.
Students will develop language and historical and cultural knowledge that affirm and accurately describe their membership in multiple identity groups.
Students will recognize that people’s multiple identities interact and create unique and complex individuals.
Students will express pride, confidence and healthy self-esteem without denying the value and dignity of other people.
Students will recognize traits of the dominant culture, their home culture, and other cultures and understand how they negotiate their own identity in multiple spaces.
DIVERSITY
Students will express comfort with people who are both similar to and different from them and engage respectfully with all people.
Students will develop language and knowledge to accurately and respectfully describe how people (including themselves) are both similar to and different from each other and others in their identity groups.
Students will respectfully express curiosity about the history and lived experiences of others and will exchange ideas and beliefs in an open-minded way.
Students will respond to diversity by building empathy, respect, understanding, and connection.
Students will examine diversity in social, cultural, political and historical contexts rather than in ways that are superficial or oversimplified.
JUSTICE
Students will recognize stereotypes and relate to people as individuals rather than representatives of groups.
Students will recognize unfairness on the individual level (e.g., biased speech) and injustice at the institutional or systemic level (e.g., discrimination).
Students will analyze the harmful impact of bias and injustice on the world, historically and today.
Students will recognize that power and privilege influence relationships on interpersonal, intergroup and institutional levels and consider how they have been affected by those dynamics.
Students will identify figures, groups, events and a variety of strategies and philosophies relevant to the history of social justice around the world.
ACTION
Students will express empathy when people are excluded or mistreated because of their identities and concern when they themselves experience bias.
Students will recognize their own responsibility to stand up to exclusion, prejudice, and injustice.
Students will speak up with courage and respect when they or someone else has been hurt or wronged by bias.
Students will make principled decisions about when and how to take a stand against bias and injustice in their everyday lives and will do so despite negative peer or group pressure.
Students will plan and carry out collective action against bias and injustice in the world and will evaluate what strategies are most effective.
by Robert Pritchard, Ed.D. | Jun 23, 2017 | Updates
Here are the notes for my speech at the 2017 Tappan Zee High School Graduation Ceremony. Here’s wishing everyone a safe, restful, and productive Summer Break.
Trustees of the Board of Education, Principal Amos, colleagues, parents, friends and family, and especially our Tappan Zee High School Class of 2017, I am privileged to be your Superintendent and honored to speak to you. Above all, I wish to express a debt of thanks to the many family members and loved-ones who are joining us tonight – without your love and support, none of this would be possible.
Tonight we are here to celebrate an incredible milestone. Everyone in this audience, on this podium and throughout this supportive community is united, beaming and excited for these young men and women, the Class of 2017. (Note: This class is probably the most joyful, happy, and enthusiastic bunch of kids I have ever seen…don’t forget to acknowledge this).
Graduating seniors – you will be bringing your unique traits and talents into a global marketplace that is hungry for all that you have to offer. You are one of the initial cohorts of students who have had the opportunity to work and learn in a “Makerspace” where you are not only developing practical solutions using modern digital equipment but building concepts and ideas that address contemporary problems – to include the array of societal challenges that face us as a Nation. With this in mind, do not be misguided by concepts and ideas that are, at times, forged in a tempest of questionable veracity (e.g., mass media, the internet, reporting of facts, etc.) and a social media structure that would have you believe the world is flat. Rise above this “and never be content with a half-truth when the whole can be won (USMA, Office of Chaplains – date and author unknown).” Now more than ever, you must hold on fast to the ideals of careful scholarship that advances our free and just system of democracy. Trust your instincts, stay firm in your moral convictions, and be willing to thoughtfully analyze all sides of an argument from a perspective that is free of bias and hatred. That is what the world desperately needs from each of you right now, and I am confident that we have prepared you to do nothing less – you are ready!
The people surrounding you have had an immeasurable impact on you throughout this journey. These people include your teachers, your classmates, and your families. Your teachers have sparked a resiliency in you to seek the truth and to remain steadfast in the face of adversity. The gift that they have given you is a love of learning and an endless curiosity for the world around you. Your classmates, some of whom have been and will remain, lifelong friends, have shown you the meaning of trust, loyalty, and a collective sense of self. As a Tappan Zee High School alumnus, it is my sincere hope that you will treasure what it means to be a Dutchman and will never know the feeling of being alone. Lastly, and most importantly, take some time in the next few days to appreciate your family and loved-ones before you embark on the next leg of your journey. These people have been and will continue to be, your biggest supporters. They love you more than you know and are very proud of all that you have achieved.
In closing, never stop believing in yourself and the endless possibilities that lie before you.
Congratulations and I wish you all continued success!
by Robert Pritchard, Ed.D. | Jun 14, 2017 | Updates
“Curiosity is the linchpin of intellectual achievement” – Susan Engel, 2015
(Below is a letter that I will soon be sending to all of our South Orangetown Middle School students, but felt the need to send to a wider audience. Conceptually, this is a message that should be valuable to all students, families, educators, and lifelong learners – basically, anyone who wants to be a better version of themselves).
To All the Amazing Student Learners at the South Orangetown Middle School:
The Student Handbook and Agenda Planner are important tools to help you stay organized and get the most out of your schooling and learning (by the way, it is important to note that I have made a distinction between the words “schooling” and “learning”). While these two words are related, they are not the same. Learning is something that you do all the time and schooling…well, those are activities in which you are engaged during school hours.
The Student Handbook is a guide that explains the rules associated with schooling. It will assist you in being a productive member of a community of learners who are respectful, responsible, and are prepared to do their best (better known to you as the “Three B’s”). As the superintendent, I will periodically check to ensure that each of you is familiar with the Three B’s and that you are using your SOMS Student Agenda Planner to keep track of your priorities (to include project and homework completion).
Beyond “schooling,” how do you intend to answer your mom or dad at the end of the day when they ask you, “What did you learn in school today?” This is a very important question and an even more important question might be, “What would you like to learn more about?”
So…this begs yet another question: How can you use your Student Agenda Planner to make you a better learner? After all, learning (or more specifically, “learning more”) is the main reason why we come to school in the first place. Learning how to stay organized and work alongside your classmates are important skills – for sure. Nevertheless, I am going to challenge every SOMS student to use the Student Agenda Planner to help personalize the “learning experience” at SOMS. Get in the habit of keeping a journal of your experiences at SOMS. Periodically reflect on what you have learned and how that learning will provide the foundation for future learning. Keep track of what you are curious about and how this curiosity will contribute towards your improved understanding of the world around you.
I wish each of you good fortune on what promises to be an exciting adventure in learning. Use the tools that you are given and be open to every opportunity that you are presented at SOMS. These opportunities are certain to create wondrous possibilities for your future.
Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Pritchard, Superintendent of Schools
Reference:
Engel, S. (2015). The Hungry Mind: The Origins of Curiosity in Childhood. Harvard University Press.
by Robert Pritchard, Ed.D. | Jun 9, 2017 | Updates
We are very proud of all of the accolades that our musicians and vocalists garner each year as part of our school’s affiliation with various school music organizations: NAMM, RCMEA, NYSSMA, etc… Our students represent us well at all of the music festivals and competitions including All-County and All-State. It takes great dedication and self-discipline to perform at these levels of mastery and our music educators play a vital role in helping our students achieve these goals. Beyond this, the community is fortunate to be part of the audience throughout the year at our many seasonal concert events. This is an opportunity to witness our students working collaboratively, “in-concert.” Daniel Pink, in his book, A Whole New Mind, categorizes a person’s ability to work collaboratively in a “high-touch,” right-brained manner along six essential dimensions (Pink, 2005):
- Design – Moving beyond function to engage the senses.
- Story – Narrative added to products and services.
- Symphony – Adding invention and big picture thinking.
- Empathy – Going beyond logic and engaging emotions and intuition.
- Play – Bringing humor and light-heartedness to businesses and products.
- Meaning – the purpose is the journey and intrinsically providing meaning to life.
Consistent with Mr. Pink’s assertion that “right-brainers” will rule the world in this century, there is a strong rationale to ensure that music education continues to be viable in our schools. I wrote in detail about this in my blog post June 10, 2016. There is ample evidence to support strengthening the already great work that is happening in all of our schools concerning music education. This past week, I was part of the audience at the high school spring concert (I speak for the entire community when I say that it was amazing and I was thoroughly entertained). This year, the high school Concert Choir did a Gloria Estefan medley from “On Your Feet” where the kids had the opportunity to work with Broadway performer and choreographer, Robbie Roby. Next June, our choir students have been invited to sing in Paris, which is yet another example of the countless array of benefits provided to our students involved in music education.
After we’ve considered all the benefits of offering music education in our schools, I’m still left with one important question: What if the sole benefit of providing music education was simply for the sake of making our students more musical? I know that this may sound overly simplistic, but I believe that the value of music education goes far beyond how it may (or may not) influence other aspects of student-life. We make many impressive arguments about supporting music education as an adjunct to our kids’ education but I would like to advocate from the perspective of “music for music’s sake.” Dr. Eric Rasmussen, chair of the Early Childhood Music Department at the Peabody Preparatory of The Johns Hopkins University, writes:
“There is a massive benefit from being musical that we don’t understand, but it’s individual. Music is for music’s sake. The benefit of music education for me is about being musical. It gives you a better understanding of yourself. The horizons are higher when you are involved in music. Your understanding of art and the world, and how you can think and express yourself, are enhanced (Rasmussen in Brown, 2014).” While some of our students may pursue careers in a music field, the overwhelming majority of our children participate in music education in order to become more musical, “to appreciate all aspects of music, and to respect the process of learning an instrument or learning to sing, which is valuable on its own merit (Rasmussen in Brown, 2014).”
There was a time, not so long ago, when I may have “encouraged” my own children to practice more at their musical instruments under the assumption that they may score better on a NYSSMA solo piece or be accepted into a particular musical performance ensemble in school. Subliminally, I thought that these pursuits might also help them associate with similarly-minded students (and families) who held schooling and academic achievement in high regard. There was an odd prequel to this: When they were in utero, my spouse and I ensured that J.S. Bach’s “Air on the G String” was playing perpetually in the background and when they were born, we purchased the Baby Mozart videos. I chuckle about that now and maybe we, as parents, weren’t too far off. While there are scientific claims that certain types of music help babies’ neurons knit together differently, we were operating under the premise that “it couldn’t hurt” plus it made us all “feel good” (the latter benefit of “feeling good” being the most important benefit of being a musical family). Our kids are older now and we don’t encourage them to practice their instruments anymore. While I still love seeing/hearing them perform in their respective high school/college music ensembles, I admittedly feel greater satisfaction, as a dad, when I overhear the duo of my kids noodling Beatles’ tunes on ukuleles in the basement on a Friday night.
So, the next time you are driving down the road with your family, don’t be afraid to sing along with the music on the radio or sing a little louder during the course of your daily routine. We can all stand to be a little more musical in our lives.
Works cited
Pink, D. (2005). A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers will Rule the Future. Riverhead Books.
Rasmussen, E. (2014) was interviewed by Laura Lewis Brown in the pbs.org article “The Benefits of Music Education” at: http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/
by Robert Pritchard, Ed.D. | Jun 2, 2017 | Updates
The philosopher Lao Tzu said, “Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” On June 1, we celebrated the accomplishments of our South Orangetown staff members who have attained career milestones. Every so often, those “journeys of a thousand miles” intersect. In the photo below, TZHS teacher Donna Grasso (center) – who was honored for her twenty years of service at SOCSD – is seen celebrating with two of her former students, Christinamae Rispoli (left) and Amanda Flahive (right).
Ms. Rispoli (a teacher at WOS) and Ms. Flahive (a teacher at SOMS) were honored for having received tenure as part of the SOCSD “Celebration of Career Milestones.” Ms. Grasso writes, “Things come full-circle…[Amanda and Christina were] two of my favorite students that I taught back in the day! Now they are my colleagues…life is good.” Below is a list of all the staff who were honored on Thursday evening:
Staff Receiving Tenure – This milestone is not so much a celebration of having accomplished a prescribed set of tasks during probation, but an acknowledgement that a high level of trust has been earned for the journey ahead. The community has confidence that each of these individuals will continue to learn and grow and do amazing work on behalf of our students:
Christinamae Rispoli, WOS
Jess Calungcagin, CLES
Amanda Flahive, SOMS
Gregory Sullivan, SOMS
Michael Emmert, TZHS
Leigh LaBrake, TZHS
Martin Patmos, TZHS
Jillian Richards, TZHS
Samantha Levine, DW
Jessenia Urena-Cursio, DW
We also celebrated our seasoned staff members. These employees have earned the trust of our community and protected that trust for many years. A debt of thanks to the following:
Twenty Years
Lori Berube, WOS
Christy Steingasser, WOS
Jean Bowler, CLES
Patricia McCarthy, CLES
Young-Ji Choi, TZHS
Donna Grasso, TZHS
William Hughes, TZHS
Eugene Kousoulas, TZHS
Suzanne Moskowitz, TZHS
Christine O’Brien, TZHS
Mark Stanford, TZHS
Twenty-Five Years
Anne O’Brien, CLES
James Drivas, SOMS
Thirty Years
Jamie Fodor, SOMS
Retirees – These valued members of the SOCSD family are changing the course of their life journeys. Hopefully, their hearts will lead them back to us occasionally and we will learn about their new voyages beyond South Orangetown Central School District. Congratulations and best wishes to:
Lisa Graff, WOS
Maureen Hobday, SOMS
Farah Jaquith, SOMS
Daniel Sullivan, SOMS
Linda Thurston, SOMS
Kathleen Knorowski, TZHS
Elise Moloney, TZHS
Deborah Owen, CO
Dr. Liam Frawley, DW
Mary Kaye Gibson, DW
James Gray, DW
