VoyagesAward Winning Publication of the Valhalla Union Free School District

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Dear Valhalla Parents and Community Members,The Valhalla Union Free School District celebrated a tremendous startto the school year. This October, I began my second year at Valhalla.People often ask me if I am enjoying being the Superintendent here.I always answer with a resounding “yes!” and remind everyone thatwe have the most hard-working, talented and caring students.

Being a school Superintendent in 2011 is interesting both from an educa-tional standpoint and from a political, social and economic perspective. Publicschools are built on the fabric of our society. Given the current climate, I oftenfeel the need to champion our public schools.

During my time here, I have learned how the Valhalla UFSD spent the last 10 years building the resumeof our students. That resume is filled with opportunities. Over time, we have added more athletic andextracurricular opportunities for all students. We have more accelerated courses and opportunities tospecialize and earn college credit. We have integrated more advanced technology into the learningenvironment. And we have built programs for inclusive education and additional support to help stu-dents fully develop as learners.

As our students move towards graduation, the global market is highly competitive. A rich resume filledwith diverse learning opportunities coupled with a rigorous academic program is key to their future suc-cess and to our society’s future success. As public education remains under attack, I hope you will lendyour support and find the words to share with your legislators, friends and neighbors to describe thepromise of public education. Working together, I am confident we can keep our promise to the childrenof Valhalla.

Valhalla Union Free School District... thinking, learning and leading together.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brenda Myers, Superintendent of Schools

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Valhalla Prepares to Teach toNew Common Core StateStandardsThe Valhalla School District isgearing up to train teachers tobegin integrating the state’s Common CoreLearning Standards, a new set of educationalstandards that define what students areexpected to learn in English language artsand math in grades K-12.

So far, Common Core Learning Standards havebeen adopted by 48 states, two territories and the

District of Columbia. The Common Core establishesminimum standards for each grade level in ELA andmath for all states that adopt it, with the goal of

preparing students for college andthe workforce by the time theyleave high school.

New state exams that reflectCommon Core Learning Standards in ELA and mathwill replace former New York standards for thesesubjects starting in school year 2012-13.

Beginning this school year, the state has requestedthat all teachers develop at least one CommonCore-aligned unit each semester as a minimum inpreparation for the new exams.

Technology Committee ..............2

Joy Distenfeld ScholarshipWinners ......................................3

Voyages and Victories ........10 -12

Homecoming Week .................8-9

Julian Guy ...................................4

New Faces on Campus...........6-7

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Valhalla Prepares to Teach to New ...

Committee Formed to Study theCommon CoreTo support its teachers, Valhalla hasformed the Common Core Standards &21st Century Learning Committee, led byVMS Principal Dr. Steven Garcia andVMHS Assistant Principal Angela Aguilar.The committee will study the CommonCore, determine how best to embed thenew standards within existing curricula andinstruction, and aid teachers in designinglessons, classroom learning experiencesand assessments that reflect Common CoreLearning Standards.

“This is an opportunity for us as a school dis-trict,” Dr. Garcia said. “If we do this well,we’ll have a good K-12 systemic curriculum.”

The committee includes two teachers fromeach Valhalla school who teach literacy,math and the arts: Geraldine DiGuglielmo

and Ginger Thompson (VRES); Kelly Astrellaand Pat Trehy (Kensico School); CayneLetizia and Lynne Lewin (VMS); EileenMulroe and Irene Torrieri (VHS); HollyFlannery (VMHS); and Margo Doran (VMSSpecial Education).

Dr. Garcia and Mrs. Aguilar participatedin BOCES training on the Common CoreLearning Standards in March, July and inAugust, and met with the committee for thefirst time in June and over the summer.

The committee’s first goals include:

• Creating a user-friendly guide to theCCLS and differentiated instruction forfaculty and staff;

• Reviewing the CCLS and differentiatedinstruction;

• Developing an action plan andtimeline for district implementation ofthe Common Core Standards; and

• Developing model lessons that reflectCommon Core Standards.

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The user-friendly guide – a PDF version ofthe Common Core Standards that teacherscan click through for easy access toinformation – was developed this summer,along with a wiki – a simple web pagewhere teachers can access Common Coreresources and documents and collaborateonline.

Of primary focus is the embedding of dif-ferentiated instruction – varied instructionalapproaches that take into account students’different learning styles – into lessons thatreflect Common Core Standards.

“We have all of these diverse learners andwe have to be cognizant of that in design-ing lessons and activities,” Dr. Garcia said.“If we don’t, it’s a lost opportunity.”

For more information on the CommonCore Learning Standards, visit:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/com-mon_core_standards/

Technology Committee Sets the Stage for MobileClassroom ComputingThe district’s Technology Integration Committee, led by VHS Principal JonThomas, has been busy mapping out plans to make computer technologymore accessible in VMHS classrooms and to eventually provide each studentwith a personal laptop to use at school and home.

Over the summer, the district purchased sixmobile computing carts fitted with 10 Maclaptops teachers can check out, along witha printer and projector, that will be sharedamong classrooms during an experimentalphase this school year.“We want to bring the mobile concept tothe classroom and to the students,” said Mr.Thomas, “instead of bringing students to asingle classroom computer that’s static.”The committee, he said, is looking at waysto integrate mobile computing technologyinto the classroom so that it becomes “anintegral part of the learning process. Butwe want to avoid having technology fortechnology’s sake.”If all goes well with the mobile computingcarts in this first phase, the committee’slong-term goal is to put a laptop in thehands of every student that would beassigned to them at the beginning of the

school year and turned back in at the endof it. The laptops, Mr. Thomas said, would“in essence, put an interactive Smartboardat every child’s desk.”

That goal is in reach, but still a few yearsaway as the infrastructure and wirelesscapabilities in the VMHS building arestrengthened, said Aaron Herold, the dis-trict's Technology Specialist. “We have tobuild a wireless network from scratch.”

As the school year progresses, Mr. Heroldand the committee will be evaluating the

building’s current infra-structure, hardwareneeds and how themobile computer cartsare working out.

They’ll also determinegrade-level appropri-ateness for laptops orother mobile devices.VMS Principal Dr.Steven Garcia isconducting an iPadexperiment withgrades 6-8 to deter-mine whether thelaptops are bettersuited for students ingrades 9-12.

Teachers still need some basic training withthe Macs before the laptops become a

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Technology Committee Sets the Stage...

mainstay in the classroom. Most teachershave their own PC laptop or desktop andare comfortable using them, Mr. Thomassaid, but Macs operate differently. SomeVMHS teachers already have volunteeredto be the first to learn to use the Macs pro-ficiently.

“The learning curve for students is muchsmaller than it is for adults,” said Mr.Thomas. “That’s why we want to start withthe teachers and have them become astech savvy as they are capable of becom-ing with the Mac and then move forwardwith the students.”

Big BenefitsLaptops in the classroom offer a numberof benefits to both students and teachers:

Collaborative Opportunities: Blogs andonline collaborative student projects givequiet students a chance to contribute.“Teachers can then see what wonderfulinsights these students have always had,”and were perhaps too shy to share, Mr.Thomas said.

Virtual Learning: Teachers can recordlessons in advance for days they will beabsent. Students can watch the lesson on

their laptop in class or at home at theirown pace and replay it when needed.

Cost Savings: Textbooks can be down-loaded to a laptop for less than the cost ofthe physical book. This year, high schoolbiology classes are piloting an online text-book. The online version allows teachers toplace chapters in the order in which theywant to teach. Students also will be lessphysically stressed by not having to carryheavy textbooks around in backpacks.

Teacher Mobility: The laptops work espe-cially well for teachers who share class-rooms and have to move throughout theday. They can take their laptop home, pre-pare lessons and plug in from classroom toclassroom.

Technology Support/Volume PurchaseDiscounts: The district has partnered withSouthern Westchester BOCES, whoseLower Hudson Regional Information Center(LHRIC) supports the district’s Local AreaNetwork (LAN), provides the services of anon-site technology consultant, and is ableto purchase new Mac laptops at a volumediscount.

“The timing is good, the relationship withBOCES is excellent, and having a consult-ant who is a Mac expert is necessary,”said Mr. Thomas. “All the stars aligned.”

Mac HappySix years ago, the district rolled out a dual platform operating systemutilizing both Microsoft and Mac operating systems on Mac machines.PCs have been gradually phased out and now less than 10 percent of thehardware at VMHS is PC-based.

Why the shift? Stereotypically speaking, PCs are viewed as a workhorse – great forthings like creating spreadsheets, writing papers and performing logistical and data-base functions, but they come up short against the Mac when it comes to creativity.

The Mac is seen as the PCs cool, hipster alternative, packed with neat software thatlets users do everything from making websites and blogs to movies and music mash-ups, while still providing functionality for all of the workhorse stuff.

That versatile blend is what the Technology Integration Committee is after in the ongo-ing quest to ensure that students are technologically sharp for college and able tocompete in the 21st century global workforce.

College campuses are wifi-ready and incoming freshman are usually required to havetheir own laptop – whether it’s a PC or Mac – and to be proficient moving around ina technical environment, said VHS Principal Jon Thomas. “One of our goals aseducators is to make sure students are technologically prepared for life after Valhalla.”

Joy Distenfeld ScholarshipWinners Share SummerExperiencesFourteen students ranging from fourth gradersto seniors were participants in summer enrich-ment programs partially funded by the JoyDistenfeld Scholarship program, established26 years ago in honor of Joy Distenfeld, along-time Valhalla school psychologist.The students shared their experiences witheach other, parents, Valhalla teachers andadministrators and Joy Distenfeld Fund boardmembers at a reception held on Oct. 19 atVMHS. Also in attendance was JoyDistenfeld’s husband, Dr. Ariel Distenfeld.The students showed their work and projects,among them rockets, artwork and DVD record-ings of participation in dance performances.The scholarship winners include:• Nishan Grandhi, 4th grade, Squire AdvantageChoice (Masters School, Dobbs, Ferry)

• Jessica Xu, 4th grade, Musical Theater Camp(Concordia College, Bronxville)

• Nikola Viazmenski, 5th grade, Launch MathAchievement Center – Rocket Science (New York,N.Y.)

• Christian Petrilli, 6th grade, ID Tech Camp/GameDesign (Pace University, Pleasantville)

• Bryce Wills, 6th grade, Animal Kingdom SummerCamp (The Bronx Zoo, Bronx, N.Y.)

• Casey Sullivan, 7th grade, Junior Marine Biologist 1(The Maritime Aquarium, Norwalk, Conn.)

• Ciara Valle, 8th grade, American Ballet Theater NewYork Summer Intensive (New York, N.Y.)

• Jade Brown, 8th grade, Future Stars AcademicEnrichment Camp (Purchase College, Purchase, N.Y.)

• Je’lyn Brown, 10th grade, Genetics (Johns HopkinsUniversity Center for Talented Youth, Baltimore, Md.)

• Kate Vaccaro, 11th grade, Bates Dance FestivalYoung Dancers Workshop (Bates College, Lewiston,Maine)

• Lesly Mejia-Flores, 12th grade, Fashion Institute ofTechnology Summer Live Programs (FIT, New York,N.Y.)

• Jessica Caixeiro, 12th grade, Fashion Institute ofTechnology Summer Live Program (FIT, New York,N.Y.)

• Doug Dellolio, 12th grade, Technology Intern(George Washington University, Washington, D.C.)

• Greg Dellolio, 12th grade, Technology Intern(George Washington University, Washington, D.C.)

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His best subjects are math and physicsand he has a favorite t-shirt that sports aseriously complicated calculus equationacross the chest.

But the number Julian likes the most is hisscore on the PSAT (Preliminary SAT), thetest high school juniors take for practicefor the SAT, the standardized collegeadmissions exam.

Julian took the PSAT last fall, scoring 235points out of a possible total score of 240.His score qualified him as a NationalMerit Scholarship Program Semifinalist,putting him in the running to win one of8,300 National Merit Scholarships worthmore than $34 million that will be offeredin the spring.

He is also a contender in the NationalAchievement Scholarship Program, asecond competition conducted by theNational Merit Scholarship Program forAfrican-American students with highPSAT scores.

As if that weren’t enough, Julian scored36 out of a possible total score of 36 onthe ACT, another college entrance exam.

An Ace StudentJulian’s high scores come as no surprise toAndy Kupec, VHS Director of Guidance.“Julian has been awesome since his arrivalat VHS four years ago,” he said. “Hecertainly will graduate as one of our topstudents in a long time. He has a realpassion for learning, loves to be chal-lenged and does things outside the class-room that really set him apart.”

According to the Evanston, Ill.-basedNational Merit Scholarship Corporation,which sponsors the program, about 1.5million juniors from 22,000 high schoolsentered the 2012 scholarship competitionwhen they took the PSAT in 2010. Thepool of nationwide semifinalists includesthe highest scoring entrants in each state.

A Semifinalist must have an outstandinghigh school academic record, be endorsedand recommended by their high schoolprincipal, and earn SAT scores that confirm

the stu-dent’s per-formanceon thePSAT.The studentmust alsosubmit ascholarshipapplicationalong withan essay,and infor-mationabout his

or her participation and leadership in schooland community activities.

“We worked with Julian as a school toprepare him for the competition,” said Mr.Kupec, who wrote a recommendation forJulian and a profile about VHS that wassubmitted in October along with Julian’sapplication and SAT score. Julian took theSAT in May, scoring 2270 points out ofa possible 2400, substantiating that hisPSAT score wasn’t a fluke.

Julian will find out if he’s a National MeritScholarship Finalist in February 2012.“I like Julian’s chances,” Mr. Kupec said.“It’s very, very competitive. To reach thislevel is awesome. If he goes further, it’sgreat for Julian and the school. He’s aspecial guy. We’ll cross our fingers.”

Julian said he prepared for the PSAT andSAT months in advance of taking them,buying prep books and taking lots of prac-tice tests. “I definitely studied a lot,” hesaid. “When I graduated from eighthgrade, someone told me to apply forNational Merit. It’s really big money. I justtook a lot of practice tests.”

Julian has his eye on Harvard and plans toapply through the university’s early selectionprogram and study either applied mathe-matics or physics.

Summer Study at M.I.T.This past summer, he participated in theMITES (Minority Introduction to Engineering

Julian Guy a Semifinalist in National MeritScholarship ProgramVHS senior Julian Guy is a numbers man.

Sciences) program at M.I.T. in Boston. Just80 out of 1,400 students nationwide wereselected for the six-week program basedon their PSAT score, high school transcript,recommendations and four essays.

Julian took college-level calculus, physics,biochemistry, architecture and humanitiescourses as well as mid-term and finalexams for each. “It was hard!” he said.“I was placed in the highest physics class,but I hadn’t taken calculus yet, so I strug-gled with it. But I learned that it’s not thegrade that matters. It’s the change fromhigh school to college and learning toabsorb material that’s completely foreign toyou. The kids were amazing. Everyonewas motivated and dedicated to learning.”

Acceptance into MITES “was a greataccomplishment” for Julian, Mr. Kupecsaid. “It got him onto M.I.T.’s campus, sohe got exposure to a college setting. I thinkit was academically one of his most enjoy-able experiences.”

Through a program sponsored by the inter-national company for which his mother,who is a chemist, works, Julian also wasan exchange student for two weeks inGermany during the summer of 2010.

At VHS, Julian has served as an editor of“VOX,” the high school’s award-winningliterary magazine, was president of theEnvironment Club last year, and playstennis. This year he’s working with otherseniors to form a club called the ModelUnited Nations.

But back to the numbers: one of Julian’smost meaningful achievements last yearwas collecting 300 pairs of gently usedshoes and sneakers at school for thenational Soles4Souls shoe drive, a figurehe said he hopes to triple this year.

Community Facilities CommitteeHolds First Meeting, Seeks MembersThe newly formed Valhalla CommunityFacilities Committee will hold its first meetingNov. 29 at 6 p.m. in the VMHS cafeteria.Community members are sought for input asthe Committee reviews the district’s five-yearfacilities plan, determines the viability of anenergy performance contract, and reviewsthe opportunities for future use/sale of theColumbus Avenue building. For more infor-mation, contact School Business OfficialChristina Howe at 914-683-5040.

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National Merit Scholarship ProgramCommends Four SeniorsFour VHS seniors were given “Commended” status by the National Merit ScholarshipProgram after taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test intheir junior year. Commended students are in the 96th percentile of all test takers andare among the top 50,000 highest scorers out of the 1.5 million students who takethe test nationwide. The students are, from left: Thomas Planamento, RamyaPendyala, Jane Jacob and Morgan Kincade. “VHS is very proud of our fourCommended students,” said Director of Guidance Andy Kupec. “Each has demonstrat-ed excellence in the classroom and outstanding citizenship, and has had a positiveimpact on student life throughout their high school journey.”

Jessica’s three older brothers, now all intheir twenties, had attended Boys Statewhen they were VHS students and encour-aged Jessica to go for it. She applied forthe spot with the help of VHS Director ofGuidance Andy Kupec, interviewing witha committee at the American Legion Post inValhalla. The program is open to juniorsgoing into their senior year who are recom-mended by their guidance counselor.

“It was one of the biggest confidenceboosters I ever had,” Jessica said of theweek she spent in June with 370 girls fromacross New York at SUNY Brockportrunning a fictional self-governing state

divided into 12 equally fictional countiesand parties – the Federalists and theNationalists. Jessica, a Federalist, waselected county executive of Earhart County,named after Amelia Earhart, the firstfemale aviator to cross the Atlantic solo.

Long Days, Fulfilling WorkThe counties and their parties elected lead-ers, worked together to develop a stateconstitution, organized assembly and com-mittee meetings, wrote bills for debate andran legislative sessions during long daysthat started with a 5:30 a.m. wake-up calland group run, followed by breakfast at7:30 a.m. and a full slate of meetings and

instruction in parliamentary proceedings.Free time was sparing, with half an hour inthe evening for rest, followed by dinner,choir practice and dismissal at 9 p.m. Thegirls would sit up most nights, either prepar-ing for the next day or socializing.

“I thought I would have a hard time fitting

Senior Gets Firsthand Look at How StateGovernment WorksOver the summer, senior Jessica Grant followed in a family tradition of sortswhen she participated in the American Legion’s Auxiliary Girls State, aleadership program that teaches high school juniors about politics and stategovernment processes.

in with new people; I didn’t know if there’dbe other girls there like me,” Jessica said,“but by the end of the first night, everyonein my county was extremely comfortablewith each other. It was amazing. I thinkwhen you get a group of girls togetherwho are interested and excited about thesame things, it makes meshing easier.”

One of the more challenging requirementsof the program was giving 90-secondimprovisational speeches on a variety oftopics, Jessica said. “You had to think onyour feet a lot.”

“Hello, Mr. President”It was an improvisational speech, however,that ultimately won Jessica the right toattend the elite American Legion AuxiliaryGirls Nation in Washington, D.C., alongwith 97 other girls representing every state(except Hawaii) when Girls State wrappedup. In July, Jessica and her Girls State coun-terparts toured the capitol, the WhiteHouse and had a once-in-a-lifetime oppor-tunity to meet President Obama.

The President “was very cool,” she said.

VMS Spanish TeacherJulie LaConteJust 12years ago,JulieLaConte,the newVMSSpanishteacher,was in thesame posi-tion herstudents arein, learninga foreign language for the first time. “I fellin love with the language and said tomyself ‘this is my passion, I love it andI will speak Spanish fluently one day,’”she recalled.That’s a sentiment Ms. LaConte hopes topass on to the seventh and eighth gradersshe now teaches. Learning a foreign lan-guage, she said, “opens so many doors intheir future. There’s a whole world out therebeyond Westchester County and I thinkthat knowing a foreign language will helpstudents to understand how other peoplelive and make them more culturally aware.”And in this global market, speaking a sec-ond language, she said, is more likely toland them a job “than someone who canonly speak English.”Ms. LaConte, who graduated from SalveRegina University in Newport, R.I., with adegree in Spanish and secondary educa-tion, began her career two years ago as aSpanish teacher in the Mahopac schooldistrict, teaching eighth grade students.She joined the Valhalla staff in August,replacing Dorothy Edler, who retired inJune. “I’m very happy to be here,” shesaid. “I’m still learning the ropes andadjusting, but things are going well.”Ms. LaConte has 104 students this year,some of whom have joined the school’scombined language club, where Italianand Spanish language students can doafter-school cultural and study activitiesthere may not be time for in class. “Theclub does extra things for students whowant to take their studies a little further,”she said.

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VMHS School NurseVirginia DiamondVirginiaDiamond isbusy apply-ing an icepack to astudent’sbruisedknee in heroffice on aFriday morn-ing. It’snothing shehasn’t donebefore in more than 10 years of nursing,but it’s one of those routine practices thatschool nurses are often teased about.

“There’s a misconception that school nursesare ‘Band-Aid nurses,’” she said aboutthe profession, “but there’s a lot more to itthan that.”

Twenty years ago, you wouldn’t have seenthe high number of allergies, food sensitivi-ties and chronic illnesses like asthma thatplague children today, she said. That maybe due, researchers assert, to environmen-tal changes and an increased consumptionof processed food over the last twodecades.

Keeping Students Happyand HealthyWhatever the cause, between those run-of-the-mill Band-Aid fixes, school nursessupport children who might not be able toreturn to the classroom by monitoring theircondition throughout the day and adminis-tering medication if needed, Ms. Diamondsaid. “We allow a student to participatein school to their potential.”

Ms. Diamond, an RN who took over thereins from retired school nurse PatriciaMartin, is hard at work keeping VMHS’s830 students healthy, happy and whole.She joined the district in August, in time forthe annual sports Red Card Clearanceperiod. She interviewed more than 300student athletes, prepared their records andmade sure their physicals were compliant.

“We’re the last checkpoint before a childgoes off to play,” she said.

On any given day, up to 30 students maystop by her office for help with anythingfrom a scrape to something more serious.She also performs student health screeningsfor hearing, vision and scoliosis, and moni-tors records to make sure every student iscurrent on vaccinations and booster shots.In addition to their physical health, Ms.Diamond is particularly concerned with stu-dents’ psychological well-being in an agewhen news channels operate 24/7. Evenfirst graders, she said, are worried aboutthe economy, global-warming and terror-ism. “Kids need coping strategies; they’reoverwhelmed with modern day issues andconcerns,” she said.She is also passionate about anti-bullyingand would like to collaborate with adminis-trators and the other district nurses to pro-vide anti-bullying and preventative healtheducation for students and staff. “Therereally is a lot of opportunity within theschool setting to promote health and well-ness,” she said.

From Hospital to School NursingBefore joining Valhalla, Ms. Diamondworked for three years as an elementaryschool nurse for the Ossining Union FreeSchool District.She began working for White PlainsHospital Center in 2001 in the oncologyunit and later in cardiology. She continuesto work per diem at WPHC as a ResourceClinician, primarily focusing on the preven-tative treatment of pressure-related woundsin geriatric and other bed-bound patients.“I get to practice within an acute care set-ting and promote health and wellness in aschool setting among children, which is awonderful opportunity.”After four job interviews with Valhallaadministrators, including one with students,Ms. Diamond was invited to join theVMHS family. “That they had students inter-view me said a lot about the administrationhere,” she said. “They truly value their stu-dents and that’s noted by involving them inthe decision-making process.”

New Faces on CampusValhalla welcomed three new staff members to the district this year.

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Summers in SpainDuring her junior year in college, Ms.LaConte lived with a host family in Seville,Spain, and was a student at the Center forCross Cultural Study at the University ofSeville to further her own language studies.She had to sign a contract saying shewould not speak English during her timethere, something that worked to her bene-fit. “That just solidified everything,” shesaid. “Now I’m fluent and I love it and Icouldn’t be happier.”

Seville, she added, represents the trueSpain. “It’s in the south, it has the whitewashed buildings, the wrought iron gates,the flamenco dancing, the bull fighting.When you think of the real Spain, Sevilleis it. And not everyone speaks English inSeville. You really need to be able tospeak Spanish there.”

Serious students eventually need to live in aSpanish-speaking country to truly becomefluent, she said. “If you’re not forced toread Spanish and listen to it and speak itevery day, you’ll be fine, but you’ll neverspeak it at the rate of a native speaker.”

Staying FluentOver the summer, Ms. LaConte returned toSeville for seven weeks, taking a course tokeep up her higher-level language skills.To stay fluent in the United States, she lis-tens to Spanish radio and TV news, readsSpanish newspapers, converses with nativeSpanish speakers and telephones her hostfamily in Spain, with whom she has kept intouch. During her free time, she may alsoteach English language learners who arenative Spanish speakers when she finishesher master’s degree in language educationin the spring.

Speaking is perhaps the biggest obstaclestudents face when learning a foreign lan-guage, she said. “It can be intimidating totry and say these new words that sound sodifferent. Some people can be self-con-scious and not want to take the step andsay anything, but if you don’t say anything,you’re always going to be too nervous.You just need to overcome those inhibitionsand realize that your teacher and class-mates will help you.”

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New Faces on Campus... work in a lab. They don’t interrogate thewitnesses or drive around Miami in hum-mers. It’s a little over-glorified on TV and thekids are disappointed to learn that if you’reCSI, you’ll be working in a lab.”

From Biology to Field HockeyMs. Massi graduated in 2000 with adegree in biology and chemistry fromKeuka College, a small, liberal arts schoolin the Finger Lakes region of New York.Half way through her degree, she decidedthat she wanted to teach high school aftercompleting an internship in a school. “Itinterested me more than my internship in ahospital; more than my month-long researchcamping trip in the Everglades,” she said.“I felt like teaching was something I coulddo every day.”

After graduating, she taught biology fortwo years at a Catholic school in NewRochelle before moving to Syracuse toattend Le Moyne College for a master’sdegree in education. She returneddownstate, completing the degree onlinewhile she taught at Preston High School,an all-girls college prep school in theBronx. She later moved to Arlington HighSchool in Poughkeepsie, where she taughtfor four years.

In the summer of 2010, Ms. Massi and herhusband Daniel and their two small childrenhad an opportunity to move to Houston.When things didn’t work out as planned,they returned home and quickly foundemployment, with Ms. Massi hired by theValhalla School District this past summer.

In addition to her teaching duties, Ms.Massi coaches Valhalla’s girls’ field hockey,a game she played when she was a stu-dent at Rye Neck High School andcoached at Arlington. “It was somethingJamie Block [Valhalla’s Athletics Director]was very interested in having me pursueright from the beginning,” she said.

She also has been a volunteer EMT andLieutenant with Mamaroneck EmergencyMedical Services and has served as avolunteer firefighter for Mamaroneck.

VHS Biology TeacherJoanne Massi

BiologyteacherJoanneMassi hasjoinedValhallaHighSchool,where sheis teachingLivingEnvironment,a Regents-

level course for sophomores, and APbiology, a pre-college-level science coursedesigned for seniors.

Ms. Massi is the leave replacement forbiology teacher Lisa Muggeo, who recent-ly had a baby. Ms. Muggeo returns toVHS in January 2012.

Biology is an important subject for highschool students because it emphasizes“environmental awareness and our impacton living systems in our world,” said Ms.Massi. “It’s the foundation for understandinghow living things live, what they need tolive, and what they need to continue life.”

While there are some big differencesbetween Living Environment and APBiology, “together, these courses really doforce the students to make an observationof the world around them and applyprior knowledge to help them analyze theirconclusions based on their observations,”she said.

The Truth About Forensic ScienceFor juniors, Ms. Massi teaches a sectionof Integrated Science, which focuses onforensic science, a field glamorized by thepopular CSI television series. But she isquick to burst the bubble of those inclinedto believe what they see on the show.

“There is no such thing as getting a DNAsample processed in a day,” she said witha smile. “And the careers that are por-trayed are skewed. On CSI, the leadinvestigator is also the medical examiner.That doesn’t work in real life. The medicalexaminer is only the medical examiner.The police officers are the ones whoinvestigate, not the CSI technicians. They

Add color to your VoyagesPrint out a color PDF of this issueof Voyages online. Go to:

http://valhallaschools.organd click on “News and Announcements”

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Homecoming Week 2011!Vikings at every school – from VRES to VMHS – were a united front throughout homecoming week,Oct. 11-15. Students showed their school pride on dress-up days and at pep rallies wearing maroonand white. The Viking mascot, the ultimate symbol of schoolspirit, popped up at each building to stir uphomecoming excitement. Events also includedSEPTA’s first annual Fall Festival, full offun family activities!

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VoyagesVoyages and Victories

Family Fun atVRES/KS PTA PicnicThe annual joint VRES/KS PTA picnicwas a weekend hit for families onSaturday, Sept. 17. The event included aBBQ and games and activities for thechildren.

ThirdGradersVisit PepsicoSculptureGardenThird gradersspent a day inlate Septemberat the PepsicoSculptureGarden at thecompany’s head-

quarters in Purchase, N.Y. The garden fea-tures 45 pieces of work by such modernsculptors as August Rodin, Henry Moore,Alexander Calder and Alberto Giacometti,all set within a park-like landscaping ofmanicured lawns, trees, topiary, flowerbeds and water-lily ponds. The students

walked through the park, sketching andtaking notes about some of the sculpturesthey saw as part of an art projectarranged by KS art teacher NancyKincade.

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VMHS Remembers 9/11VMHS students gathered at the school’s track on Sept. 9 to commemorate the tenthanniversary of 9/11. VHS Class President James Fulgenzi addressed the student body,calling for a moment of silence at 9:02 a.m., the exact time United Airlines Flight 175flew into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. After a performance of theNational Anthem by the high school’s Vocal Ensemble, James recalled that 10 yearsago “the world was shaken by the senseless and unnecessary loss of innocent lives inPennsylvania, New York and at the Pentagon. Today we pause to remember all ofthose who have been lost to us and the rest of the world.”

Kindergartners Make AppleCider the Old-Fashioned WayApple cider is a fall favorite, and kinder-gartners had a chance to make their veryown from the season’s finest selection ofGranny Smith, Red Delicious andMacintosh apples at the GreenburghNature Center on Oct. 3 and 4. The littleones learned how apple cider is madethe old-fashioned way, with special tools– a cider press, paddle, “hat” and “t-screw” – used to squeeze the juice and

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VoyagesVoyages and Victories

pulp out of the apples. When the ciderwas ready, the students were served acup, and after taking a whiff, they raisedtheir cups, yelled “cheers!” and took atasty sip.

Exploring Colonial History atPhilipsburg ManorSeventh graders were transported back intime to Colonial America during a recenttrip to Philipsburg Manor in SleepyHollow. Once a working farm and millowned by the Philips, a family of Anglo-Dutch merchants, the manor today offersguided tours of the main house, rivetingtales told by costumed interpreters, plushands-on activities, encounters with farmanimals, and a look at a working, water-powered gristmill.

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A Journey into Native American LifeFourth graders got a taste of how the Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands livedthanks to Journeys Into American Indian Territory, an organization whose in-house fieldtrips immerse students into Native American culture. The students learn through a varietyof activities such as putting up a wigman or tipi, story telling, playing Native games,seeing exhibits of Native American clothing, shoes, beadwork, wampum, toys, instru-ments and tools, and trying some of them out. The program has been brought to the KSfor the last four years to support the fourth grade’s social studies curriculum unit on theIndians of New York State.

Halloween Round-up!From your traditional witch and a patriot-ic Uncle Sam to a ZZ Top band memberand a mini Michael Jackson, Valhallastudents came up with some creative cos-tumes to wear to districtwide Halloweencelebrations!

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Valhalla Union Free School District316 Columbus AvenueValhalla, NY 10595

Board of EducationWilliam Rosenberg, President

LaVerne Clark, Vice President

Valentina Belvedere

Joseph Garbus

Alan Higgs

Brian Macken

William McGuinn

Superintendent of SchoolsDr. Brenda Myers

School Business OfficialChristina Howe

Newsletter EditorSuzanne Davis

Contributing PhotographerSusan Rossi

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDWhite Plains, NYPermit No.9501

This district does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, maritalstatus, gender, age or disability in its educational programs and employment practices.

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Voyages and Victories

“He came into the room really leisurely, buthe was very busy with the debt crisis.”

The President spoke with the girls for aboutfive minutes, telling them that they are thegeneration that will resolve the crisis, evenif they don’t become career politicians.

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Senior Gets Firsthand Look at How... “Just your actions should influenceAmerica’s future,” Jessica recalled thePresident saying. “He had a nice outlooktoward the future.”

Although the experience at Girls State andGirls Nation was empowering for her,Jessica said her real passion is health andthat she will study nutrition in college. “ButI’m not going to completely close the door”

on leadership opportunities, she said. “Ijust don’t think I’d do it on a grand scale.”

Of Jessica, Mr. Kupec has nothing butpraise: “She’s a phenomenal young ladyfrom a phenomenal family. She’s been fromthe get-go a solid student, solid citizen,very involved, has an extremely high char-acter and has been just a joy to advise forthe past four years.”