Superintendent Dr. Paul Kreutzer and Assistant Superintendent for Business Michael Jumper have made presentations to staff in all of the district's buildings to provide contextual awareness for the budget development process. The presentation, titled 'Education and the Economy,' presents data about the US economy, local community information, and historical school district budget information."Broadly speaking, this information provides a crystallized version of the challenges our school district and most others face," said Dr. Kreutzer. "It is the kind of data that helps us all better understand our trajectory."
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District Leaders Present 'Education and the Economy' to Staff
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Great Job, JJHS Hockey Team!
Congratulations to the John Jay High School Hockey Team for an excellent season, which they capped off by making it to the NYSPHSAA Final Four State Championships! Although the team did not take home the final victory this past Sunday at Utica, their achievement still makes KLSD history. This was the first time that the Hockey Team made it to such an impressive level and they played their best! This winter, the team was crowned League, Section, and Regional Champions. Well done!
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John Jay HS Students Excel at Science and Engineering Fair
Congratulations to all of the John Jay High School students who participated and earned awards in the Regeneron - Westchester Science and Engineering Fair (WESEF)! Over 350 students from 33 area high schools presented their science research projects at the annual event, which was hosted at Sleepy Hollow High School. Sixteen JJHS students took home prizes for their outstanding research.
The Fair was sponsored by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Acorda Therapeutics and Entergy. John Jay students began their research during their sophomore year. On Saturday, March 9, their hard work culminated in this competitive venue featuring individual and team poster presentations. Projects were judged by local experts in the fields of environmental studies, psychology, engineering, life science, and physical science.
Eleven of the JJHS students placed in their categories and one student, Dan Fulop, placed first in Cellular and Molecular Biology and placed in the top ten of all participants at the Fair. The title of Dan’s project was “A Potential Treatment for Cirrhosis: Retinol-Palmitic Acid Treatments in Combination with Knockdown of the miR-23b Cluster Reverts Activated Cirrhotic Hepatic Stellate Cells to the Quiescent Healthy State.” Dan will continue to compete at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) being held in Phoenix, Arizona this May. He will be amongst 1,500 fair winners from sixty countries.
Other esteemed JJHS winners are as follows:
Matt Joseph – 2nd place in Cellular and Molecular Biology
Jackson Ruzzo – 2nd place in Cellular and Molecular Biology
Seth Feder – 2nd place in Environmental Sciences
Kevin Pawley – 2nd place in Microbiology
Nola Waill - 3rd place in Behavior
Tom Jansen – 3rd place in Engineering
Rebecca Bauer – 3rd place in Medicine and Health
Christopher Ramsay – 4th place in Behavior
Eli Lee – 4th place in Environmental Science
Kelsey Sklar – 4th place in Medicine and Health
Special awards were granted to the following:
Nick Vulpescu – The American Psychological Association Award for outstanding behavior projects
Tom Jansen – ASM International Foundation Award for a materials science project in chemistry or engineering
Dasha Ivenitsky – Society for In Vitro Biology Award – 11th grade students involved in tissue or cell studies
Alexandru Stan – US Metric Award – Exceptional projects displaying significant use of metric measurement
Janice Choi – Philips Award for Exceptional Research awarded to projects that focus on improving the quality of people’s lives
Claire Coleman – Visual impact Award – for projects with the best visible display of their research
AP Biology/Science Research Teacher, Ann Marie Lipinsky, praised the students. She stated, “Dreams come true. These are fabulous kids who do great work. I feel privileged to work with them. I’d also like to mention that (teacher) Jodi Riordan is on the board of WESEF and has worked all year to help make WESEF a great experience for all the students of Westchester County.
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Congratulations to the 2013 JJMS Science Olympiad Team!
On Saturday, March 2, 2013, the John Jay Middle School Science Olympiad Teams went to Scarsdale Middle School to compete in the Lower Hudson Valley Regional Competition against 30 other teams from Westchester and Rockland Counties. This was the first year that JJMS sent two teams to compete – between the A Team and B Team, a total of 22 students competed in 20 events and did the District proud. The A Team finished in 12th place and the B Team finished in 14th place overall! Each event had 32 teams competing in it and our Science Olympiad Teams earned the following medals:
Physics Events:
“Mystery Architecture” –3rd place – Tommy Pickup and Sam Chen“Helicopter” – 4th place – Lauren Brigden and Ila Rosen
Earth Science Events:
“Reach for the Stars” – 6th place – Ila Rosen and Abigail Wilson
General Science Event:
“Metric Mastery” – 4th place – Lauren Brigden and Athena Ohnemus
Science Olympiad Team Members:
6th Grade: Lauren Brigden, James Chen, Sadie Gilman, Athena Ohnemus, Ellie Randles, , Ila Rosen , Eric Sasimovich, Jordan Schwartz, Heather Sherr, Elyse Sherr, Molly Siegel, Abigail Wilson, Fayth Wisehart.
7th Grade: Sam Chen, Sean O’Shea, Sophia Peris, Tommy Pickup, Guy Pillon, Michael Sexton, Lucy Siegel,
8th Grade: Chas Gilman, Max Lee
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Board of Education to Hold an Executive Session & Business Meeting - March 21, 2013
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Board of Education to Business Meeting & Budget Adoption - April 1, 2013
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John Jay Middle School Hosts 30th Annual Science Fair
On March 20, John Jay Middle School celebrated its 30th annual Science Fair. Public viewing was followed by a recognition ceremony in the theater.
Participants in grades 6-8 outdid themselves! Projects were innovative, well thought out, and impressive. The earnest efforts of these 36 motivated students were extremely evident. They were well versed in their chosen subjects and they displayed their findings in creative and informational venues. Sixth grade topics ranged from Isabel Davenport and Julia Healy’s “The Cheese and Toast Experiment” and Mikaela Marcotuillio and Paula Mici’s “How Background Noise Affects Concentration: Boys vs. Girls,” to Angela Huang’s “LEGO Robot.”
Isabel and Julia accurately measured the speed of light using a microwave oven and cheese on toast! They created a spreadsheet proving their hypothesis. “We were surprised at the accuracy. It worked out well!” said Isabel. “I saw a similar experiment on the Discovery Chanel. My partner and I attempted to replicate it.”
Mikaela and Paula conducted memory tests utilizing background noises. They found that the boys were far more affected by the sounds than were the girls. In some ways, the impact was of a positive nature, but more often, the boys were distracted and their scores reflected such. Report Mikaela and Paula, It would be cool to use this information in a busy classroom. It can be used at home, as well.”
Angela’s “Lizard” robot was able to detect the color of different marbles and, based on that color, react accordingly! Acknowledges Angela, “It wasn’t too hard. I was confused in the beginning, but (I stuck with it and) it became easier and easier.”
Other notable 6th grade exhibits included: “Fraternal Twins” by Lauren Brigden and Amanda Huang, “Lollypop Licks” by Mike Craig and Will Moreo, “Chromatography” by Becca Cohen, “In Between States of Matter” by Lauren Diack and Sydney Burlingame, “Robotic Bumper Car” by James Lucassen, “Rocket Away: Newton’s Third Law of Motion” by Jacob Tabs, and “Soap Test” by Sabrina Zapson and Marissa Pisera.
Seventh grade projects ranged from Stephen Marinucci’s “Skin Deep” and Mara Teich’s “Which Type of Taste is Dominant?” to Sarah Leavy’s “Mega Light Wheel.” Stephen learned, via experimentation, that the back of the hand and the shoulder are very sensitive areas whereas the upper arm is much less so. Apparently, there are more neurons present in the parts of the arm that are used most frequently.
Mara discerned that, based on experimentation and taste bud location, a savory taste is “stronger” than sweet, sour, salty and bitter flavors. Sarah demonstrated the way in which an electrical current can be transferred from a stationary device to a rotating device.
Other remarkable seventh grade projects included: “Stem Cells” by Jack Buckley, “The Feed Room” by Annie Downs, “Levitating Train” by Ethan Duffy, “Can You Judge a Geode by its Cover?” by Adam Ferman, “The Really Great Outdoors” by Jack Finney, “Texting While Driving with Inexperienced Drivers” by Isabella Gibaldi, “Solar Powered Car” by Jack Kelleher, “The Fungus Frigate” by Evan Neu, “I Paid That Much For What?” by Isabelle Pierce, “Drinking Straw Robot Hand” by Katie Ricca, “Parasites” by Isabel Schaus, “Earth Friendly Selection for Water Rejection” by Koby Weston, and “The Goldilocks Theory” by Grace Young.
The eighth graders continued to amaze! Their displays included: “Kinetics in Sports” by Hayden Cassone, “The Reasons for Seasons” by Adithya Chimata, “How to Kill an Oil Spill: A Search for a Solution” by Daniel Gordon, and “The Force of Fiction” by Mark Laubscher
The event concluded with an award ceremony, officiated by teachers Gregg Kastanis and Zach Miller. All sixth graders received a medal for their participation. Award recipients were as follows:
7th grade
Honorable Mention Awards:
Isabelle Gibaldi, Stephen Marinucci
Outstanding Awards:
Evan Neu, Katie Ricca
8th grade
Honorable Mention Awards
Hayden Cassone, Mark Laubscher
Outstanding Awards:
Daniel Gordon, Mark Laubscher
Special thanks are extended to the PTO and to the following individuals who served as judges, coordinators, and supporters: Maija Arbolino, Thomas Casper, Drew Hoffman, Lisa Krammer, Lucian Lipinsky, Erika Pierce, Leslie Root, Jack Scambos, Jeff Tepper, Carol Walsh, Ed Wickersham, Gregg Kastanis, Zach Miller, all members of the JJMS Science Department, Principal Rich Leprine, Gil Cass, Monica Mermiss, the Entire Custodial Staff, and all parents!
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Increase Miller Elementary School Presents Alice in Wonderland
On March 19, under the superb direction of music teacher Jennifer Fraczek, the talented fifth graders at Increase Miller presented a lively musical rendition of Lewis Carroll's “Alice in Wonderland.” The student audience was mesmerized as Alice, portrayed by Julianna Duva, faced a trial for a crime she did not commit. The headstrong Queen of Hearts, played by Jessica Leff, officiated over the offbeat trial. A wildly amusing group of characters served as witnesses. In the end, the audience presented the verdict and Alice was set free.
The cast and stage crew consisted of all sixty of the fifth graders. They practiced for several months during music class and recess and their hard work paid off. The result was phenomenal! The audience cheered with delight when characters as strange as White Rabbit, Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, Caterpillar, The Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat and others sang famous tunes from the show. Other roles included the King, Jurors, Dodo, Birds, Rose, Rosebud, Flowers, Vowels, Dormouse, March Hare, and Cards. Liam O’Shea and Chris Rueda controlled the lighting and the stage manager was Brandon Blackburn. Mr. Michael Gelfer served as sound technician and Ms. Marijane Hamren designed the creative set, with the help of students in her class. Connie Labbe played the piano accompaniment and assisted with costume design. The magnificent costumes were also designed by Mrs. Nolan, Mrs. Stobin, Mrs. Duva, Mrs. Leff, Mrs Freeman, Mrs. Greenspan, Mrs. Celaj, Mrs. Mardirossian, and Mrs. Touzeau.
Gratitude was extended to the following: Mr. Crivelli, Ms. Cowen, Ms. Navarra, Connie Labbe, the Costume Moms, Mrs. Hamren, all the parents who lent their time and resources, Justin, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Cecere, Mr. Podraza, Ms. Turpenning, Mrs. Ghirardi, Mrs. Sapere, Mrs. Ford, and Mr. Galotti.
The students performed later that evening for parents and friends. The thunderous applause was well deserved!
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John Jay High School Theater Workshop to Present Working in April
John Jay High School Theater Workshop proudly presents Working, based on the book by Studs Terkel adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso. Working is a musical exploration of the working lives of people from all walks of life, with songs by a number of all-star composers.
Seniors Lauren Ciubotaru, Carly Dieck, Phil Eng, Theo Kiffer, John Anthony Loffredo, Gregory Markert, Ellie Martino, Yanni Metaxas, Jackson Ruzzo, Jake Shippee, Isaac Sims, and Lucas Spain will head a cast of 25 in this classic American musical.
See the production on Thursday, April 18 at 7 P.M., Friday, April 19 at 7 P.M., and Saturday, April 20 at 1 P.M. and 7 P.M. in the High School Theatre. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students/senior citizens and go on sale at the door beginning 45 minutes prior to show time.
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KES Donates Hundreds of Books to Community Center
Katonah Elementary School donated hundreds of gently-used children's books to the Community Center of Northern Westchester. Throughout the school's P.A.R.P (Parents As Reading Partners) month, they collected the donated reading materials. KES Reading Specialist Enid Linden kindly put out the call to local families who found many books to share. The Community Center was delighted to receive the books!
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John Jay High School Theater Workshop proudly presents "Working"
John Jay High School Theater Workshop proudly presents "Working," based on the book by Studs Terkel adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso. "Working" is a musical exploration of the working lives of people from all walks of life, with songs by all-star composers Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Tony Award™ winning Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers, Susan Birkenhead, Stephen Schwartz and Grammy Award™ winning James Taylor. John Jay seniors Lauren Ciubotaru, Carly Dieck, Phil Eng, Theo Kiffer, John Anthony Loffredo, Gregory Markert, Ellie Martino, Yanni Metaxas, Jackson Rizzo, Jake Shippee, Isaac Sims, and Lucas Spain head a cast of 25 in this classic American musical. See the production April 18 (7:00 P.M.), 19 (7:00 P.M.), and 20 (1:00 & 7:00 P.M.) in the John Jay HS Theatre. Tickets are $10.00 for adults, $5 for students/senior citizens and go on sale at the door beginning 45 minutes prior to show time.
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Public Notice of Auction of Surplus Assets
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Board of Education to Hold Executive Session, Special Meeting & BOCES Budget Adoption - April 23, 2013
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District to Recommend Administrative Appointments/Re-Appointments
The Katonah-Lewisboro School District is recommending to the Board of Education the appointment of Marisa Merlino to a probationary position as Director of Guidance and the re-appointment of John Goetz as Interim Principal at John Jay High School. During this current school year, Ms. Merlino has held the role of Interim Director of Guidance and Mr. Goetz has served as Interim John Jay High School Principal.
Ms. Merlino also came to Katonah-Lewisboro last summer after working in the Millbrook Central School District, where she served as Interim Assistant Principal at Millbrook High School. Her earlier roles in education include Director of Guidance, At-risk and Health Services in the Hyde Park Central School District, School Counselor at Van Wyck Junior High School in the Wappinger’s Central School District, and Student Support Services Coordinator at the Mid-Hudson Regional Information Center – Ulster BOCES. “Ms. Merlino has been an excellent fit for our guidance department,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Kreutzer stated. “She has made valuable contributions to our students and staff during her time in the District this year, and we look forward to having her become a more permanent member of our administrative team.”
Mr. Goetz joined the District last summer after having served as an educational leader since 1985. He has held long-term principal positions at Orville H. Platt High School and Danbury High School in Connecticut and interim principal positions at Mamaroneck High School and Stamford High School. He has also served as Superintendent of Brookfield Public Schools in Connecticut and Interim Superintendent in Monroe Public Schools.
“The District’s recruitment process for a John Jay High School principal did not surface any candidates that we felt confident recommending to the Board,” stated Dr. Kreutzer. “With that in mind, we will redouble our efforts in the new school year with the expectation that a permanent principal will be appointed by September of 2014. We are grateful for Mr. Goetz' excellent work over the past year and very pleased that he will be able to assist us by staying on for an additional year – we are lucky to have Mr. Goetz at John Jay High School."
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Find Your Budget Information Here
All of the necessary information for the proposed budget is available on our budget information page. Please click here to learn more.
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Katonah-Lewisboro Schools Receive Earth Day Awards from Westchester County
Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino presented the Katonah-Lewisboro School District with an Earth Day Recognition Award for its composting and sustainability efforts. The District was acknowledged with this honor at the County’s Earth Day Fair held on April 21 at Kensico Dam in Valhalla. Katonah Elementary School Assistant Principal Terry Costin, who spearheaded the composting initiative, accepted five certificates – one for each elementary school and one for the District – on behalf of everyone involved.
In the 2011-12 school year, Katonah Elementary School’s Sustainability Committee piloted a composting program as a way to help the environment by reducing cafeteria waste. Indicative of the effort’s success, the school received a Green Award from the Town of Bedford and was also selected for a grant from the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse & Recycling Green Schools Grant program.
This year, Increase Miller Elementary School, Lewisboro Elementary School and Meadow Pond Elementary School implemented the composting program as well. It has already brought impressive results: Over 5,605 pounds of compostable materials were recycled throughout the four schools in the months of February and March alone.
The composting initiative is not only good for the earth; it teaches children at an early age about the importance of recycling and appreciating the environment. As the award certificates state, the recognition from the County was presented to the schools and District “for implementing innovative programs, inspiring students to practice and promote activities benefiting the environment.”
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Board of Education to Hold Executive Session, Business Meeting & Mandatory Budget Hearing
The Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School District Board of Education will meet as follows:
Board of Education Business Meeting and Mandatory Budget Hearing
Thursday, May 9, 2013
7:00 p.m. – Anticipated Executive Session
7:30 p.m. – Public Session
Increase Miller Elementary School, Cafeteria
186 Waccabuc Road
Goldens Bridge, NY 10526
Anticipated Executive Session – 7:00 p.m.
The Board of Education will begin the meeting at 7:00 p.m. with and Executive Session for the purpose of discussing the employment history of certain individuals, and negotiations pertaining to KLAAS, KLDTA and KLSSA. The executive session meeting will be devoted to such matters and will not be opened to the public.
Public Session – 7:30 p.m.
The following items will be presented and/or discussed during the Public Session of the
May 9, 2013 Board of Education Meeting:
• Mandatory Budget Hearing
Consistent with State law, the Board of Education will hold a Budget Hearing pertaining to the proposed 2013-2014 school year budget, which will be presented to the voters on May 21, 2013. As part of the Budget Hearing, Dr. Paul Kreutzer and Mr. Michael Jumper will present an overview of the proposed budget. Immediately thereafter, members of the community will be invited to raise questions and/or comments pertaining to the proposed budget. Copies of the proposed budget can be found on the District website at www.klschooldistrict.org.
Board of Education Action Agenda
In addition to the above, the Board of Education will act upon recommendations of the administration relating to business and personnel matters. The agenda for the Business Meeting can be found on the Board Docs website four (4) days prior to the meeting at http://www.boarddocs.com/ny/klsd/Board.nsf .
Public Forums
The Board of Education values community input and provides opportunity for the public to speak at its public meetings. The agenda provides for two opportunities to raise questions and/or concerns to the Board of Education. The first public forum is on any agenda item and the second public forum is for any item pertaining to the District which would include agenda items.
The Board of Education is asking that if you would like to speak during any public forum that you please see Kimberly Monzon, District Clerk, at the Board meeting to sign-up to speak during the public forums.
The Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School District, a nationally recognized high performing school district, serves approximately 3,850 pupils in six schools: Increase Miller Elementary School Grades K-5, Katonah Elementary School Grades K-5, Lewisboro Elementary School Grades K-5, Meadow Pond Elementary School Grades K-5, John Jay Middle School Grades 6-8, and John Jay High School Grades 9-12.
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Budget Video with Dr. Kreutzer and Mr. Jumper
Dr. Paul Kreutzer, Superintendent of Schools, and Mr. Michael Jumper, Assistant Superintendent for Business, offer key budget information in this informative new video. You can view it below.
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Increase Miller Students Celebrate Arbor Day with New Pear Trees
In commemoration of Arbor Day, fruit trees are being planted at each of the elementary schools this spring season. Fifth grade students at Increase Miller Elementary School recently gathered around their brand new pear trees in a moving celebration.
The festivities began with a student-generated speech. “When you plant a tree, the tree will grow and you will grow with it. When you plant a tree you are helping the environment and yourself. The tree we are planting today…is a fruit-bearing tree. It will sustain fruit year after year for this school. Also, it will give us oxygen. We hope this encourages everyone to plant their own trees…”
Groups of students recited poems that corresponded with the occasion. This was followed by “wishes on pears.” Each student wrote a wish on a pear shaped piece of paper and ceremoniously dropped the wish into a basket. The notes will be displayed in the hallways of IMES and may later be placed in a time capsule.
The Almstead Tree Company generously donated the two trees. Mr. Jonathan Olsz, from the company, volunteered his time and expertise as he helped the children with the planting. Jon discussed compost and cross-pollination and provided each student with his/her choice of seeds or saplings to bring home. Every fifth grader had the opportunity to use the trowel and add soil.
Principal Kerry Ford explained, “We chose the fifth graders because, as with the trees, they soon will also have their own new beginning.” District parent, Liz Fryer helped to coordinate this event, along with the assistance of The Town of Lewisboro Sustainability Committee, the Lions Club and Onatru Farms.
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JJMS Inter-Generational Day
May 3 marked this year’s much anticipated, annual John Jay Middle School Inter-Generational Day! Welcoming posters created by students flooded the hallways. With an emphasis on the World War II era, the entire school was granted the opportunity to interact with and learn from thirty inspirational, local seniors.
Principal Rich Leprine; Town of Lewisboro Senior Outreach Director Pam Veith; teachers, administrators and other staff members; and the PTO did a phenomenal job of organizing this event. Ms. Veith explained that the program originated years ago and Mr. Leprine has kept it alive. She added, “Kids love it and ask that we don't stop doing it.” The day was extremely well organized, entertaining and informative.
After the seniors were greeted by their sixth grade hosts, they enjoyed a group lunch. Students then escorted their visitors to their appointed classrooms where they conversed with the seventh graders. The sixth graders then guided their guests to either the theater lobby or to the specific areas where they were scheduled to speak. The eighth grade teams eagerly awaited the presentations.
Later that afternoon, the seniors congregated in the theater for a wonderful performance by the eighth grade jazz band followed by refreshments in the lobby.
The JJMS community extends its appreciation to the Senior Presenters who shared personal moments in their lives. These speakers included: Harry Maroncelli, Yvonne See, Don Taylor, Barry Singer, Al Vieira, Ulla Zoller, Trudy Reynolds, Peter Senatore, Bob Quentin, Barbara Quentin, Ingrid Mihailkovic, and Muriel De Lorio
JJMS students, staff, and administrators are also grateful for the participation of the following important individuals: Carol Lascari, Ramona Pfau, Donna Longo, Joe Longo, Marjorie Schiff, Lisa Curra, Betty Kemp, Edna Brugger, Laurel Cerciello, Evelyn Russell, Laurie Wiegand, Marion Senatore, Betty Pullman, Marie Williams, Madie Giloth, Linda Mead, and William Martin’s grandparents
Trudy Reynolds stated that she had “a wonderful day and a wonderful lunch! The students waited on us, hand and foot. They’re bright youngsters.” When asked if today’s classrooms differed than those of her childhood, Ms. Reynolds replied, “These classrooms are SO different from ours. They’re much more casual.”
Laurie Cerciello agreed. “I was also very impressed with the youngsters. They are highly intelligent!”“It’s wonderful to see the students interacting with the seniors. The visitors were very complimentary!” noted Principal Rich Leprine.
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