• 2023 - 2024 Superintendent's Updates 

     

    September 19, 2023

    Dear Scarsdale Community,

    Earlier this afternoon, Greenacres Elementary School was distinguished with the honor of being named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School! I hope you will join me in congratulating the students, faculty, staff, and parents on this gratifying accomplishment. In a message to the building earlier today, I urged them to take a few moments to reflect on the individual and collective journeys they have taken as educators, and to consider how this accomplishment helps to reinforce the importance of the care and commitment they demonstrate for their students each and every day. After learning of their nomination last winter, they brought the same level of care and commitment to bear on the voluminous NBRS application. Importantly, they embraced the opportunity to reflect on their practices as a school, identify those that best help define the Greenacres learning community, and put their best foot forward for the broader education world to see. Way to go!

    It has been my observation that our school culture can sometimes downplay or discourage these types of noteworthy recognitions. Perhaps this is simply part and parcel of a high-achieving, high-success environment, or perhaps we are fearful of being viewed as distinct or apart. Personally, I subscribe to the belief that the accomplishments of individuals, groups, and schools within our organization are to be celebrated, as they reflect positively on all of us. Our students embrace their unique elementary experiences and hold on to those identities in important ways even after forging new relationships and more complex identities as they move on to SMS then SHS. Likewise, our collaboration as professionals runs deep, with good ideas, innovative practices, and novel learning opportunities nourishing the broader landscape in which we practice. I am delighted to express joy in this accomplishment both because it is well deserved, and because it reflects positively on the entirety of our District! 

    In partnership,

    Drew

     

     

    September 4, 2023

    Dear Scarsdale Schools Community,

    Good evening--I hope the Labor Day Weekend was restful and enjoyable. I want to acknowledge that this week looks to be hotter and less comfortable than last. In anticipation of the potential for uncomfortable heat, I strongly encourage you to send your children to school dressed according to the conditions, and equipped with water bottles to stay hydrated. Each of our buildings has a cooling plan to ensure students and staff who are not assigned to instructional spaces that are cooled have access to such spaces during the day as necessary. If your child has a heat-related medical concern that we are unaware of, please let your school nurse know so they can be proactive in providing support to your child.

    Thank you for your attention to this message, and I hope you have a relaxing evening.
     
    In partnership,
     
    Dr. Drew Patrick
    Superintendent
    Scarsdale Public Schools
     

     

    August 30, 2023

    Dear Parents, Caregivers, and Community Members,

    Happy New Year! On behalf of the faculty and staff of the Scarsdale Public Schools, I would like to formally welcome you to the 2023-2024 school year. After a busy summer of learning, planning, and preparing, we are incredibly excited to open our doors to all students tomorrow morning. If you have a child who is nervous or anxious about starting the new year, please reassure them we are anticipating their needs, are here to support them, and are ready to make the year joyful!

    I realize there is a lot of communication at this time of year, so I have included just a few important reminders and resources to help with the transition back to school. Please take a moment to note the following.

    • Traffic is always tricky in the first few days of the school year. Please be as patient and understanding as possible as those new to our schools learn and adjust to the pattern and flow of traffic. Our focus is on safety during arrival and dismissal, and, as always, our friends in the Scarsdale Police Department will be supporting that goal as well.

    • Information about safety, security, and emergency management can be found here. In a few weeks' time, we will send a TEST emergency call/notification to help our community prepare for inclement weather and other emergencies.

    • Please know we are committed to addressing questions and concerns that arise during the school year. We encourage you to take advantage of the suggestions for communication and issue resolution found in the Parent-Educator Partnership Guides developed collaboratively between our Parent Teacher Council and Scarsdale Teachers Association.

    • We are closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 4. The full calendar can be found here.

    In closing, I wish to express my thanks to our PTA and PTC partners for all they have done to prepare for this year as well. Their commitment to our students means that you can expect a year full of exciting programming! You will also hear more soon about a strategic planning process the District is about to embark on. I wrote about this and more in my piece for the Scarsdale Inquirer, which I hope you will take a few moments to read in case you missed it and want to learn more. Either way, we hope you will continue to be actively involved in our school community this year! 

    In partnership,

    Dr. Drew Patrick

    Superintendent of Schools