Pleasantville School District Updates Happenings

• Through Friday, Feb. 20: Winter recess; schools closed. 

At the Board of Education meeting Wednesday, Feb. 10:  

• The board received two special reports: a technology update by district technology specialists Sam Aidala and Drew Marino that included the announcement of a district app for Apple and Android devices; and a 2015-16 budget process update by David Quattrocchi, assistant superintendent for business.
• The board approved the adoption of the 2015-16 school calendar.
• The board accepted the proposed tax certiorari settlement in the sum of $543,690.12 to Stop and Shop Cos. covering the tax assessment years 2009-12.  

The board meeting is available in its entirety at www.pctv76.org.

At Bedford Road School:

• On Wednesday, Joanne Stratigakis’ third-graders delighted their audience with their performance of "Grammarosaurus."
• BRS celebrated its 19th annual Healthy Heart Week with lessons and activities about the circulatory system and ways to stay healthy.
• On Friday, Ann Brown’s third-graders enjoyed an intergenerational Valentine’s Day luncheon at the Clinton Street Center. Before joining the seniors at their tables, the students performed a medley of songs, accompanied by music teacher Jon Vercesi and distributed handmade Valentine’s Day cards.

At the middle school:

• Riik Acharya (seventh-grade) and Lily Vance (eighth-grade) won national recognition for their writing from the 2015 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Vance was awarded a Gold Key for her short story, “Lunch Seats,” and Acharya received honorable mention for his dramatic script, “The Awesome Riik Who Is Awesome.”
• The FIRST Lego League Robotics team, the Brick Breakers, earned an overall fourth-place finish in the Hudson Valley Regional Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 7. 
• PJ Collins, founder of the 10,000 PB&Js outreach program, spoke to the fifth grade about his mission of feeding New York City’s homeless and making a difference, one peanut butter and jelly sandwich at a time. Students returned to their classrooms, where they decorated lunch bags with a Valentine’s Day theme for the organization’s Sunday night distribution. Students also collected, and will continue to collect, jars of peanut butter and jelly to donate to this cause.
• Sixth-graders culminated their study of ancient Egypt with the creation of an ancient Egyptian museum of student-made artifacts in the lobby of the middle school.
• To conclude their study of the Roaring '20s, eighth-graders held a salon dressed as famous historic people from the era whom they had researched and interviewed each other in character.
• On Wednesday, Dorian Nuccio and the jazz band gave a lively concert at the Clinton Street Center. The next night, the jazz band and the seventh- and eighth-grade band performed in the 23nd annual Band Night.

At the high school:

• The sixth-period journalism class distributed the second edition of the Panther Post on Thursday. This edition focused on the PAARC initiatives, which include planned online testing for the state Regents exams, as well as feature articles reporting on the Jacob Burns Film Center and famous Pleasantville residents.

Upcoming Happenings:

• Tuesday, Feb. 24: Wellness Committee, 3:30 p.m., PHS Library Media Center.
• Thursday, Feb. 26: PHS AP and Honors Night, 7 p.m., PHS library media center.
• Tuesday, Feb. 24: Fund for Learning Moms’ Night Out, 7:30 p.m., Trattoria 160.
• Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28: Fifth- and sixth-grade musical, "Alice in Wonderland," 7 p.m., mddle school multipurpose room

Did you see:

• Educational Channel (Verizon Channel 32 and Cablevision Channel 77, simulcast Fridays on Cablevision Channel 76)

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