Aggrieved parents of students at Prospect Hill Elementary School vented their frustration with the school district last week over its lack of responsiveness to their efforts to build an outdoor classroom. At a Board of Education meeting last Wednesday, Emily Pauley spoke on behalf of the school’s outdoor classroom committee and said her group had received assurances starting in March and throughout the spring that the district was doing everything it could to move the project forward at the state level only to learn a few weeks ago that a key email from a district staff member to the state had sat unopened for two months.
“We were informed that we could trust the district to advance the project,” Pauley told the board. “However, at the most recent PTA meeting, on June 10th, during the outdoor classroom update, it was revealed that an email sent to the state, dispatched at the end of March, had remained unanswered in an inbox for two months. This contradicts the prior assurances… Prospect Hill Elementary School and its many contributors are keenly anticipating the outdoor classroom. We bear an obligation to deliver the outdoor classroom timely as promised, or refund the contributions received.”
In the past year, Prospect Hill parents raised about $75,000 to help pay for the creation of the outdoor classroom. Two other elementary schools, Colonial and Siwanoy, already have an outdoor classroom.
Pauley also read letters from other concerned parents to the board, including one from Stephanie Royce. “Our teachers, families and children deserve better than months of silence and delays with no accountability,” Royce wrote. “What we are asking for is simple: timely communication…and a clear plan of action. We understand that challenges arise, but when they do, we expect transparency and a willingness to collaborate, not stonewall or radio silence.”
“Message received,” said Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Champ, who acknowledged that the district’s focus on winning voter approval for its recent budget and bond proposals in May shifted attention from other matters. “Now that things have gotten past the vote, now we’re moving into next phase of things. We will make sure we’re moving everything forward that needs to move forward.” Champ said the delay could end up being a benefit for the outdoor classroom project, insofar as the proposal could be combined with other improvements approved by voters for the Prospect Hill school.
Earlier in the evening, the board recognized outstanding student athletes from spring varsity teams at Pelham Memorial High School, lauding them for excellent efforts and performances in sportsmanship, skill and teamwork. Athletic director Joe Toombs said that 22 of 29 varsity teams at the high school were eligible for the NYSPHAA award, one that is granted to athletic teams or students that display large degrees of athletic skill on the field and academic skill in the classroom. Two students at the high school were nominated for this award individually, including Viviana Wright for her sportsmanship on the Varsity Girls Softball team and Manu Naik for his on the Varsity Boys Tennis team. Additional awards were granted to individual students who proved their excellence in a variety of sports.
The list of awarded athletes:
Varsity Girls Lacrosse:
- Emma Bier, Zoe Pursel, Charlotte Marion and Jolie Morselli for All League Honorable Mention
- Arden Keough, Parker Koupal, Taylor Green, Ava Orlando and Brooke Green for All League Honors
- Zoe Pursel for the Golden Dozen Award
- Parker Koupal, Ava Orlando and Brooke Green for All Section 2nd Honors
- Arden Keough and Taylor Green for All Section 1st Honors
Boys Lacrosse:
- Sean Grubert, Drew Bier, Reeve Murrell and Graham Bardolf for All League Honorable Mention
- Will Dunhill, Joseph Martucci, Noah DeDomenico, Peyton Kerr, Ryan Zabatta, Travis Cross, Matthew Hirsch, and Timothy Gallivan for All League Honors
- Will Dunhill for All Section
Taylor Green, Noah DeDomenico and Joseph Martucci were also awarded the US Lacrosse Academic All-American Award.
Varsity Boys Rugby:
- Christian King, Jonathan Mullan, Gregory McFarland and John McGrory for All League
Varsity Boys Golf:
- Eamon Brennan for both All League and All Section
Varsity Track and Field:
- Serafina Lavallee, Sadie Ashlock, Riley Schindler, Caroline Mingey, Elliot Levine and George Negrin for All League Honorable Mention
- Emmanuel Idowu, George Negrin, Matthew Prisco and Clark Logan for All League
Toombs then acknowledged the retirement of the team’s coach and Pelham Middle School guidance counselor, Scott Brown. “Thank you for all the wonderful years.”
Varsity Boys Baseball:
- Jonathan Starvatow for All League Honorable Mention
- Owen Duffy, Maxwell Middleton, Benjamin Pollock, Spencer Polsky and Gavin Keating for All League
- Gavin Keating for League Pitcher of the Year
- Spencer Polsky for All League Section Honorable Mention
- Gavin Keating for All Section
- Owen Duffy for Diamond 9
Varsity Girls Softball:
- Leah Stein for All League Honors
- Jenna Domenici for All Section Honorable Mention
Varsity Boys Tennis:
- Axel Robinson, Mark Sobolak, Devrin Vargas and Jackson O’Connor for All League
Unified Basketball:
- Khaled Albaher, Norbert Bryan, Cameron Wanuga, Christopher Pignone and Chip Gallagher from the boys team
- Nicoletta Beltecas, Victoria Beltecas, Julia Findikyan, Kira Findikyan, Millie Mohammad, Erin Moskowitz, Jamie Moskowitz, Audrey Pursel and Stella Stobart from the girls team
