Acclaimed author and New Rochelle resident Cynthia Ozick and Molly-Thomas Hicks, Literature Specialist at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), held a discussion about the novella, The Shawl, before an audience of students in eleventh and twelfth grades at New Rochelle High School on Tuesday, November 17. The classes have been reading Ozick's the book The Shawl as part of New Rochelle’s Big Read. Audience members had the opportunity to pose questions to the engaging author and Ms. Thomas-Hicks, who has facilitated similar Big Read events in communities across the country. Cynthia Ozick reminisced of her high school days. Her advice to potential writers was to also be readers. She discussed the "seed" for the novella, as well as historical context, and character symbolism. New Rochelle is one of 269 communities nationwide participating in The Big Read which began in September 2009. New Rochelle began its focus on The Shawl on October 18. The lunch-hour discussion at New Rochelle High School was one of many events hosted by the New Rochelle Public Library that have been taking place throughout New Rochelle during the project, which will conclude at the end of November.

Carlotta Walls LaNier, author of "A Might Long Way" spoke to seventh and eighth grade students at the Albert Leonard Middle School in New Rochelle on Thursday, November 5, about her personal experience as a student at Little Rock Central High School during 1957. According to Mrs. LaNier, it was one of the most gripping watershed moments of the Civil Rights Movement when she and eight other students integrated Little Rock Central High School. She spoke to students of what it was like to attend school with a military escort, as well as the painful experience when her family home was bombed. Carlotta Walls LaNier is a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, and sits on the board of the University of Northern Colorado.

Senior citizens from the Hugh Doyle Center in New Rochelle joined Mrs. Mary Monteleone's "Young Readers' Group at the Isaac E. Young Middle School as students participated in a video conference in conjunction with the Cleveland Museum of Art on the topic of the Mexican observance of the Day of the Dead. As a prelude, students visited the Hugh Doyle Center on November 2 to read their original poems, or calavera, to seniors at the Hugh Doyle Center.

New playground equipment has been installed at the Barnard Early Childhood Center in New Rochelle. On Friday afternoon on October 30 members of the Barnard school PTA including Karen Hessel (left) joined Principal Patricia Lambert (center) and Board of Education President Sara Richmond in officially cutting the ribbon to ceremonially open the play space behind the school. Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisciak and Vice President of the Board of Education Chrisanne Petrone attended the ceremony. The PTA and School District Administration worked jointly on the project.

On Friday, October 23, 2009, the New Rochelle High School English Department celebrated of “The Life and Works of Edgar Allen Poe” The annual event is sponsored by the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence. The festival, now in its tenth year, celebrates the life and works of noted authors, with a day of educational and engaging activities created by the NRHS English Department under the direction of Department Chairman Leslie Altschul. Students participated in the festival have studied each of the authors as well as the times in which they lived and wrote. There were various events including a seminar by renowned scholars. The symposium began with an honors seminar in the Kelly Theater with presentations by distinguished guests, including Barbara Cantalupo, who is Associate Professor of English at Penn State, Lehigh Valley. Professor Cantalupo spoke about “The Poe You Might Not Know.” Also presenting was David S. Reynolds, who is a Distinguished Professor of English, at CUNY who lectured on “Poe in His Times.” Returning to moderate and lecture for the tenth consecutive year was Richard Kopley, a graduate of the NRHS Class of ’67. Mr. Kopley is Professor of English at Penn State University, who lectured on “The Secrets of The Purloined Letter.” Following the honors lectures was a unique game show, “What Do You Know About Edgar Allan Poe?” Students in the PAVE (Performing and Visual Arts Education) program presented a skit based on Edgar Allen Poe. Students in English classes also participated in a computer-based multi-media scavenger hunt based on the Life and Works of Edgar Allen Poe.

The arts-based interdisciplinary approach in Social Studies for fifth grades at the George M. Davis Jr. Elementary School recently received support through a $10,000 grant from the New York State Council of the Arts. The grant will be used to highlight instruction about Latin America and the Amazon Rain Forest. Through the grant fifth grade teachers will participate in training workshops at the school. Participating faculty include Constance Jackic, Jeffrey Longo, Michelle Perdoncin, Jill Cole Walker, Carmelo Bueti, Regina Talbot, Lauren Sinacore, Deirdre Sugrue-Ferrara, Susan Bouchard, and Carol Kelly.

Davis also received a grant of $2,000 from Partners for Arts Education to underwrite a Strategic Foundation Building Retreat, during which faculty will develop long-term planning and grant concepts. Also planned is a culminating activity in March, highlighting activities and student participation.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009 Advisor of the New Rochelle High School Future Business Leaders of America Club Chris Drake, and high school club co-presidents Alexis Ganley and Jannet Rangel, visited the Cablevision Studio in Harrison, where they were interviewed for the cable program: "Health Talk." Each December, the high school clubs provide community service at the Sound Shore Medical Center's holiday gift-giving event, which serves children within the New Rochelle area.

The Friends of Music Concerts of Westchester County sponsored the Carducci String Quartet as the ensemble visits elementary schools in the New Rochelle City School District. On October 13 and 14 the quartet performed for string students in the third, fourth and fifth grades at the Trinity, Jefferson, and Daniel Webster Elementary Schools. The Quartet is based in England, and is touring the East Coast.

On a fine Fall day on October 8, art students were out of doors by New Rochelle High School creating work "En Plein Air." Students were drawing and painting scenes by the lake, while others were firing ceramics and sculpture in kilns outside employing the Raku method.

Four NRHS Science Research students were selected to present at the Westchester Rockland Sub-regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at Purchase College in February. The students have set their sights for the Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), one of the most prestigious forums for young scientists in the country. Students in the competitive presentation section represent the High School in the competitive poster session.

The Mamaroneck Artists’ Guild’s annual “Young Artists on the Rise” exhibit in January featured the artworks of 107 students from New Rochelle and Mamaroneck high schools. New Rochelle High School students received 11 out of 19 awards.
Two students who attend Albert Leonard Middle School, won first and second place in the New York State Radon Poster Contest. Students received gift certificates to Barnes & Noble. The competition is sponsored by the National Safety Council and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Four students who attend New Rochelle High School exhibited their work in the seventh annual “Student Studio: Emerging High School Talent” at the Rye Arts Center in March.

Three teams of New Rochelle High School students were among 30 regional groups to compete in the Science Olympiad Lower Hudson Regional Competition held in February at Byram Hills High School.
New Rochelle High School Team A earned regional champion status in the contest, taking first place with a total of 425 points by successfully completing 12 out of 16 events. Team B won five events, placing 11th overall, and Team C won three events, placing 15 out of 30. The A group, along with teams from John Jay, Bryam Hills and Yorktown high schools, advanced to the New York State tournament at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, which took place March 20 and 21. NRHS Science teacher Mr. Tom Byrne advises the Science Olympiad Team.
Science Olympiad is one of the premiere science competitions in the country, with students competing in several categories, including astronomy, cell biology, fossils, forensics, technical problem solving, and much more.

The Columbus Elementary School hosted a National Scholastic Chess Foundation chess tournament on Saturday March 7 when 170 students from Westchester, the Bronx, and Connecticut participated. Twenty Columbus Elementary School students competed in this tournament. Columbus chess players participated in three sections and won two first place team trophies and a second place team trophy. A Columbus team came in first place in the Elementary section for students in grades four to six as well as the Primary section for second and third grade students. Three students won individual awards in the Elementary section, and two students won individual awards in the K-5 Novice section. Columbus Elementary School's team in the K-5 Novice section placed second in their category in this tournament. The Columbus teams are making plans to participate in the SuperNational IV event in Nashville, Tennessee during April.

Fifty students from the National Honor Society spent March 1 raking up leaves, cutting down vines and doing other clean-up work on the Scott Perdew Memorial Field in New Rochelle. The NHS President initiated the project with the goal of “having the Honor Society make a noticeable difference in the lives of the young people of New Rochelle.” Two students brought the project to the attention of the chapter and convinced other members to take on the project.
Students coordinated work days with Rick Perdew, League President, and Kenny McLean, a League Commissioner. Perdew, impressed by the energy and dedication of the high school seniors, remarked, “I was taken aback by how hard the kids worked and how much they got done. The field is transformed.” The students will continue to repair the infield, paint railings, remove graffiti, and even create a mural for the outfield wall.

Seven members of the NRHS Jazz Band have been selected to perform with one of the two All-County Jazz Bands in March in Mamaroneck. In addition, eleven members of the Symphonic Band were selected to participate in the Area All-State Music Festival last fall. More students were selected from New Rochelle High School for both events than from any other Westchester area high school, noted Band Director Robert Freeberg.