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).

A new partnership between the Manhattanville College School of Education and the Jefferson Elementary School will provide an opportunity to prepare teacher candidates, as well as provide existing faculty professional development, improve instructional practice, and enhance student learning. The two partner institutions will each blend relative expertise and resources toward mutual goals. Among the goals of this partnership is to enhance after-school programs in Arts and Literacy, develop on-site graduate courses, parent workshops, cooperative teacher workshops, collaborative grant writing, as well as research and assessments.

A ceremony after school on Monday, October 27 at Jefferson Elementary School marked the beginning of the Professional Development School. Attending was Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisciak and Manhattanville College Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Edgar B. Schick. Cutting the ceremonial ribbon was Jefferson Elementary School Principal Cynthia Slotkin with Dean and Professor of the Manhattanville College School of Education Shelley B. Wepner, Assistant Professor and Professional Development School Liaison of Manhattanville Kristin Rainville.

The New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence sponsored the annual Rubie Saunders Fall Literary Festival at New Rochelle High School on Friday, October 24. The festival, now in its ninth year, celebrated the life and works of several transcendental authors, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller and Henry David Thoreau, with a day of educational and engaging activities created by the NRHS English Department under the direction of Department Chairman Leslie Altschul. Students who participate 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 festival, which is named in honor of a founding Board member, has previously focused on authors Edgar Allen Poe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, Edith Wharton, Frederick Douglass and Robert Frost. Each year, the Fund brings distinguished professors of literature from colleges and universities throughout the country to participate in this unique seminar. Professor Richard Kopley, a NRHS graduate and Professor of English at Penn State University has participated each year as moderator. Distinguished guest also include Sandy Petrulionis, Professor of English & American Studies at Penn State Altoona, Rick Sterling Delano who is retired from professorship of English at Villanova University, Phyllis Cole, Professor of English, Women's and American Studies at Penn State Brandywine. As part of the days activities, student teams will compete in game show of "How Much Do You Know About the Transcendentalists?" designed by Mr. Robert Monteleone and hosted by Mr. Scott Zimmerman. Students in the PAVE (Performing and Visual Arts Education) Theater classes performed a skit, "Transcendental Trip." In computer labs at the school students filled a crossword puzzle based on facts related to the Transcendental authors, and went on a multi-media scavenger hunt created by Instructional Technology Facilitator Ms. Vitoria Guarino.

The Bersaglieri Military Marching Band from Italy performed for students at the Jefferson Elementary School and the Isaac E Young Middle School on Wednesday, October 15. Students gathered on school grounds for an Italian-American Cultural Day Celebration where the visiting marching band of musicians made a running entrance while playing their brass instruments. Once in standing formation, the band performed traditional classic pieces, as well as the national anthems for both Italy and the United States. Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisciak, Principal Anthony Bongo and Board of Education member Chrisanne Petrone welcomed the guests and acknowledged President of the New Rochelle Italian American Association Domenic Procopio.

Mr. Chris Colquitt, a chemical engineer visited Mr. Stephen May's Technology classes at Albert Leonard Middle School where he gave students a demonstration of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle at the school in New Rochelle on Wednesday, October 15. Mr. Colquitt, a GM Driver Relationship Manager and a chemical engineer first introduced students to the basics of the development of hydrogen as an alternative form of vehicle energy, and showed students images of cars being designed, developed, and tested for eventual world market by the company.
Following the introduction, Mr. Colquitt took students outside where he demonstrated a new Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle, an electric powered hydrogen cell vehicle. Students heard the car start, run, and shut down, which was somewhat different than a conventional car. Students got a glance of what is under the hood of the car, which differs greatly from gas driven cars. Students felt the tailpipe emission of the running vehicle, which was slight water vapor as opposed to carbon exhaust of vehicles with gasoline-powered engines. The company is allowing applicants in the metropolitan New York City area to test drive GM Fuel Cell vehicle, including a family of a student in one of Mr. May's Technology classes at Albert Leonard Middle School. More information about the GM program is posted on the Chevy.com web site.
Said Mr. May, "The students in the pre-engineering prep program are learning about the marvels of engineering and experiencing real-world application of science, engineering and technology."

A group of thirty-four ninth-grade Japanese students and their teachers from Koyo Junior High School in Oito, Japan visited New Rochelle High School, where they performed two choral selections in Japanese and they were also treated to selections performed by the New Rochelle High School Chorale and Choraleers. On Friday, October 3, the international visitors toured New Rochelle High School where they entered several Global Studies classes and experienced exchanges of culture.