When the Board of Education needed to dispose of over 150 cartons of obsolete records in accordance with State guidelines for records disposition, Clerk and Secretary to the Board of Education Lisdalia Saraiva contacted the Westchester County Shredmobile for assistance. The County service, available through the Westchester County Department of Environmental Services, saved the School District approximately $1,200 during this single visit. Members of the School District custodial staff brought cartons marked for destruction out to the Shredmobile parked outside of Board of Education facilities in City Hall.

The City School District of New Rochelle received the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from both the Association of School Business Officials and the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada, for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) ending June 30, 2008. Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisciak presented certificate awards to District Treasurer Carol Amorello at the meeting of the Board of Education held September 8, 2009. The award is the highest recognition for school district financial operations offered by ASBO, and is conferred to school systems that have met or exceeded the standards of the program.

New Rochelle SEPTA, Special Education PTA, presented a substantial grant of $10,000 to the Board of Education on November 5. SEPTA members raised the funds to support the New Rochelle City School District's Response to Intervention initiative. Upon presenting the gift which will be used to implement an innovative literacy program to develop proficient readers, Mrs. Brickle explained, "Providing research based early literacy interventions to all struggling students, regardless of disability, is a win-win for everyone, especially our kids. We commit our continued support, both to assist parents in understanding Response to Intervention, and working to develop new opportunities for students to access effective interventions like Fast forWord."
Shown are SEPTA Co-Presidents Naomi Brickle (left) and Cydni Carew (right) present grant to Board of Education President Cyndi Babcock-Deutsch (center).

On October 28, the New Rochelle Board of Education expressed gratitude to Congresswoman Nita Lowey for her unwavering support for public education throughout her two decades in office in Congress. Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisciak explained that since 1988 Congresswoman Nita Lowey has been responsible for bringing millions of dollars of federal funds that directly benefit children in New Rochelle. For 20 years Congresswoman Nita Lowey has supported this school district’s Federal grant applications, which have provided for: academic intervention to improve student performance, Immigrant Education, after-school programs, summer school programs, homework centers, Special Education, technology, Smaller Learning Communities at the high school, and class size reduction.

Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisciak (left) and Board of Education Vice President Quay Watkins (right) with Congresswoman Nita Lowey (center).

At the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education of the City School District of New Rochelle on September 2, 2008, the Board granted tenure to 42 teachers and building administrative staff members. The Board of Education granted tenure to:
Laurette Shrage, Assistant Director of Special Education – Elementary; New Rochelle High School – Devan Ganesthanathan and Dara Monifa Tippitt, House Principals; Michael Fry, Art teacher; Erica Vinelli, English teacher; Danielle Blancato, Foreign Language teacher; Byron Blum Mathematics teacher; David Altizio, Jill Ferrara, Andrea Schwach, and Allegra Stein, Science teachers; Alison Landskowsky, Social Studies teacher; and Laura Foster, School Counselor.
Albert Leonard Middle School – Mathematics & Technology Chairperson John Pratt; English teachers Angela Davenport and Noel Katsogridakis; and Home and Careers teacher Jane Gersh.
Isaac E. Young Middle School – English Language Learners Chairperson Elena Dilion; English teacher Sarah Fernandez; Science teacher Pauline Hudson; English-As-A-Second Language teacher Jason Krasner; School Counselor Lisa Rhett.
Barnard Early Childhood Center – Assistant Principal Lori Pisani; Elementary teachers Judy Badillo and Andreana Pizzuti; and Teaching Assistant Maria Alayo.
Columbus Elementary School – Assistant Principal Sonia Nunez; Special Education teacher Astrid Vanessa Guzman.
Davis Elementary School – Music teacher Regina Talbot-Mendez; and Special Education teacher Toni Ann Zuzulo.
Jefferson Elementary School – Elementary teacher Sandra Texidor-Desilla, Library Media Specialist Pamela Haas; and Special Education teacher Lauren Batiste.
Trinity Elementary School – Assistant Principal Rolando Briceno; Elementary teachers Patricia Martinez and Thomas McTigue; and School Social Worker Maria Morris.
William B. Ward Elementary School – Elementary teachers Trudy Tsiropinas, Genevieve Vaccariello, and Jacqueline Watts, Physical Education teacher Armando Oliveria, and Special Education teacher Marisa Maldonado.

Board of Education President Cindy Babcock- Deutsch administered the oath of officeto trustee MaryJane Reddington on July 1, the first day of Mrs. Reddington's sixth five-year term as an elected member of the Board of Education of the City School District of New Rochelle. At the reorganization meeting of the Board of Education, Board members unanimously voted for Mrs. Babcock-Deutsch to continue as President of the Board of Education, as well as Quay Watkins as Vice President, the second year for both in each respective capacity. Rev. Michael Sullivan, of St. Patrick's Cathedral, gave the invocation during the Installation Ceremony. Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisciak was master of ceremonies. Dana Mancuso, a vocalist, and recent graduate of the Class of 2008, sang a musical selection, and Mayor Noam Bramson represented the City of New Rochelle.