Special Meeting: At 5:00 p.m., Jim Dugan, Board of Education President, convened the Special Meeting with representatives from the Scarsdale Teachers Association (STA).
Business Meeting: Mr. Dugan called the Business Meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., noting all Board members were present, including the student members (Jim Dugan, President; Colleen Brown, Vice President; Leah Dembitzer; Lucy Eisenberg; Suzie Hahn; Robert Klein; Laura Liu; Anish Mehta; and Amber Yusuf). Superintendent Dr. Drew Patrick and members of his Administrative Cabinet were also present.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Dugan provided a brief recap of the earlier meeting with the Scarsdale Teachers Association (STA), stating, “Our Teachers are critical partners in helping to deliver optimal educational outcomes to our students, and we greatly value the opportunity to have these discussions with them.” The group discussed current topics of interest to our schools and students, including grade book transparency, the implementation of community lunch, the new Annual Professional Performance Review Standards issued by NYSED, the cell phone ban, and the elementary school math program. On behalf of the Board, Mr. Dugan expressed appreciation to the STA for the productive discussion around key topics and the teachers for their collaboration and dedication to our students.
Dr. Patrick added his welcome and reiterated Mr. Dugan’s words of appreciation to the STA for the important discussions, collaboration, and partnership. He also reported on the first few weeks of school, noting a smooth and successful start, with welcome back picnics, open houses, instrumental lessons, back-to-school nights, new family orientations, and the first football game, which had a great turnout and resulted in a resounding win for the team.
Dr. Patrick noted that an update and preliminary recommendations by the Capital Projects Steering Committee (CPSC) will be presented later in the meeting, and he publicly thanked all those who have served on the CPSC for their contributions and for being present at the meeting.
In closing, Dr. Patrick provided information on upcoming Parent Coffees, back-to-school nights, Raider Pride week, Homecoming on Friday, September 26, and other important dates to note:
Schools are closed on Tuesday, September 23, through September 24, in observance of Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sundown on Monday, September 22. Navratri occurs during the nine days between September 22 and October 2. Schools are closed on Thursday, October 2, in observance of Yom Kippur, which begins at sundown on Wednesday, October 1.
Board members presented the following reports:
Ms. Dembitzer announced that on Sunday, October 12th, the Village of Scarsdale and the Scarsdale Business Alliance will host Paint the ‘Dale: A Community Mural Project event from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Chase Park. She also noted that the event will feature a variety of family-friendly activities. Mr. Dugan provided information on the 2x2 Meeting he attended with Dr. Patrick, Ms. Brown, and Village leadership on September 9th. Topics of discussion included the SPD technology acquisition, the status of the A-School building, consideration of adding a shed by Butler Field, and the recent MTA track incident, among others.
Student Board members gave the following reports:
Anish Mehta reported that a meeting with the Editor-in-Chief and advisors of Maroon confirmed that the Student Board Member Reports, discussed at the August Board Meeting, could be included in the digital editions on the website as early as October. He noted that their reports in the printed edition of Maroon are on hold as the layouts of the paper have already been completed. He also provided an update on the progress of the device ban in the High School from the student perspective, as well as alternative methods that teachers are using in the classroom. Lucy Eisenberg provided an update on discussions with the Maroon multi-media team about utilizing the weekly homeroom videos to provide Board updates, announce upcoming meetings, and convey ways to communicate with the Board of Education and stay informed. She also reported that although the community lunch program has had minor challenges at the start, such as longer lines, overall, it has provided students more time to eat, study, socialize with peers, check in with teachers and clubs, and has been met with a lot of positive feedback.
Cabinet Updates: Dr. Patrick introduced Cabinet Members to provide the following updates.
Human Resources: Ms. Troy presented a Staffing & Enrollment Update as of 9/10/2025, noting factors that drive the numbers, including special education placements, and the District’s commitment to maintain elementary class sizes of no larger than 22 students in K-3 and 24 students in grades 4-5. Ms. Troy answered questions from Board members. Curriculum and Instruction: Dr. McIntosh presented an update on the Elementary Math Program Improvement that took place this summer, and he thanked Carrie Orgera and Vivian Robert, Elementary Math Coordinators, for their contributions to this work. Special Education: Mr. Rauschenbach reported on a very successful extended school year (ESY) program for both the 12:1 and 8:1 classes at Edgewood School. The summer program lasted six weeks and included academic and enrichment activities, ensuring that students were prepared for the start of a new school year and had a smooth transition to the Middle School. He also reported that the students who moved into the 12:1 program at the High School from the Middle School are acclimating well. Mr. Rauschenbach thanked the Middle School, High School, Central Office staff, and Administration for working to get these programs up and running successfully, and he thanked the Board of Education for supporting the continuum. Safety, Security, and Emergency Management (SSEM): Mr. Rauschenbach provided an update on the opening day of school around the District regarding SSEM. He referenced Dr. Patrick’s August Friday Five, which included links to three important documents: the District Safety Plan, Inclement Weather Communications, and Emergency Procedures Guide for Parents. He also noted the strong partnerships the District has with SSEM experts and the Scarsdale Police Department, which ensure that all faculty and staff are trained in incident command and the simple six procedures to identify concerns and ensure safety protocols are followed. Mr. Rauschenbach reported on the installation of door-ajar sensors in the District; the replacement of outdated cameras; the start of emergency drills for staff and students; the meetings of the District Emergency Response Team (DERT) and Building Emergency Response Team (BERT), and noted that the District-wide Safety Plan has been revised to address a new State requirement and is on the agenda for review later in the evening. -
Business/Facilities: Mr. Lennon provided updates on the following:
As a follow-up to his July Cabinet Update regarding the purchase of two EV buses rather than the three originally planned for (due to the unreliability of Federal tax credits), Mr. Lennon reported that an FAQ released in August by the IRS provided clarity on the process and confirmed that the District now meets the requirements for the credits. Therefore, the appropriation of the IRS Clean Vehicle Tax credit is on the Consent Agenda later in the meeting for Board approval. *The update on the fund balance and reserves for year-end 6/30/2025 will be presented as an information and discussion item later in the meeting. The District does not currently participate in the Universal Free Meals Program due to the uncertainty of federal funding and the requirement to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which would require multiple adjustments to our existing food service program and food service management contract with Chartwells. Mr. Lennon added that this fall, in partnership with the Food Service Committee and our Management Consultant, District Administration will review the options available to determine what changes would be required to participate in NSLP and possibly make a recommendation to the Board later in the year for implementation in the 2026-27 school year. Mr. Lennon addressed questions submitted by Board members.
Hearing From Those Present: Community members were invited to address the Board. No one spoke in person. One person spoke virtually.
Written Communications: Ms. Brown reported the Board had received (6) emails from members of the community since the last report, as listed in the Board meeting agenda, all of which received a response from the Board and/or District Administration.
Consent Agenda: The Board approved the items on the Consent Agenda, including the Personnel Report.
INFORMATION/DISCUSSION
ACTION ITEMS |
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Information Items/Discussion: The Board considered several items under the information/discussion portion of the agenda:
Capital Projects Steering Committee (CPSC) Preliminary Recommendations: Dr. Patrick welcomed the (CPSC) members in attendance to join the Board table and introduce themselves: Michelle Mangiamele, Edgewood Teacher; Melissa Feinberg, Fox Meadow Principal; Matt Picheny, Scarsdale parent; Kevin Walsh, BBS Architects, and Nick Ferraro, Director of Facilities. Board members Leah Dembitzer, Robert Klein, and Student member Anish Mehta also serve on the CPSC. Dr. Patrick thanked the Board and community for the opportunity to provide the evening’s presentation, stating that the goal is to provide the Board with a summary of the work completed by the CPSC over the past six months and to present an initial scope of work for the Board’s consideration. Dr. Patrick, Mr. Lennon, and CPSC members presented the Bond and Capital Project Planning Update. Following the presentation, Board members asked questions that were addressed by Committee members, engaged in a detailed discussion, including various ways to engage community members in the process and gather feedback, and discussed next steps. Dr. Patrick confirmed that a follow-up CPSC update will be presented at the October Board meeting, factoring in the matters raised during the evening’s discussion. Mr. Rauschenbach reviewed the revisions made to the District-wide Safety and Emergency Management Plan, outlining the procedures for a cardiac emergency required by the State (highlighted in orange). State law also requires a 30-day public comment period before a Public Hearing, which will be held on October 27th prior to the Plan being presented to the Board for adoption. On behalf of the District, Mr. Rauschenbach thanked the Scarsdale Youth Programs for donating seven AEDs last spring to enhance school field safety. -
Mr. Dugan provided an overview of the summer work that Board members have been engaged in.
President Dugan, Ms. Yusuf, and Ms. Brown reviewed the gifting procedures and determined that no significant changes are recommended; however, it was noted that some gift proposals require more immediate approval, such as some Maroon and White gifts. Ms. Hahn, Mr. Klein, and Mr. Mehta reviewed the Community Engagement Plan and presented ideas for further community engagement, student feedback, and discussed ways to make the Board Coffees easier for community members to attend. The group also discussed revisions to the preamble for public comment during Board meetings. Ms. Yusuf, Ms. Dembitzer, and Miss Eisenberg reviewed Policy 2245-Ex Officio Student Member of the Board and determined that no edits are needed; however, they discussed revisions to Exhibit 2245-E - Selection Process for Ex Officio Student Board of Education Members related to the onboarding of student Board members based on student input. The findings will be presented to the Board later this fall.
The Board reviewed its draft 2025-26 Goals and Primary Objectives during the August 25th Board meeting and provided feedback and recommended revisions. The revisions are reflected in the revised draft document that was reviewed by the Board. Following a Board discussion, questions, and confirmation of edits, the Board reached a consensus on its goals and primary objectives for the 2025-26 school year, which can be viewed on the Board of Education website. Mr. Lennon reviewed the process for the development of the budget calendar each year and presented this year’s Draft Calendar for the 2026-2027 Budget that will be presented to the Board for approval on October 6th. Dr. Patrick provided an overview of the process for the NYSSBA 2025 Proposed Bylaw Amendments and Resolutions as presented in the Board meeting agenda, noting that District administration is reviewing the resolutions and will present their viewpoints (Yes/No/Non-Sibi) to the Board for review and further discussion on October 6th. Dr. Patrick provided the background information on the appropriation of NYS funding for distraction-free schools. He noted that the funds will be utilized to support the education of students and adults on the impacts of device use on learning and to secure storage solutions for devices of users who are not following the policy. This agenda item will be presented to the Board later in the meeting for approval. In advance of two resolutions being presented to the Board later in the meeting for adoption, Mr. Lennon presented an overview of the health insurance reserve increases and the appropriation from the health care reserve jointly, as they both have implications related to the fund balance. Mr. Lennon reviewed the financial results for 2024-25, including revenues, expenses, the use of the fund balance, and reserves, and the increase in the unassigned fund balance. Mr. Lennon addressed the Board members' comments and answered questions. Dr. Patrick presented the Fox Meadow School gift proposal, exceeding $1,000.00, for the Board’s review and discussion. The gift will be presented to the Board for approval on October 6th.
Action Items: The Board approved the STI fall courses, the appropriation of NYS Funding for Distraction-Free Schools, health insurance reserve increase, the appropriation from the health care reserve, and approved, with gratitude, gift proposals from Edgewood and Fox Meadow Elementary Schools.
Public Comment: Community members were invited to address the Board. One person spoke in person. Two people spoke remotely.
Adjournment: The Board adjourned into an Executive Session to discuss pending litigation at 9:47 p.m. The Board meeting may be viewed on the District website, Board of Education VOD.
* Note from the Board of Education: Please email your feedback, questions, or comments to boardofed@scarsdaleschools.org
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Scarsdale Public Schools
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