There are big things afoot in Eastchester classrooms, and community members had a chance this week to find out more about the learning being done, specifically in our elementary schools. 

 

On Tuesday, November 26, a Board of Education Work Session provided elementary administrators and faculty members an opportunity to speak to some of Eastchester’s newest initiatives, sharing multimedia presentations on just how vibrant and exciting the elementary experience has been this fall.

 

Prior to the presentations, EUFSD Superintendent Dr. Ronald Valenti officially introduced the community to the new Interim Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics, John Bauerlein, who comes to the district with a wealth of experience, including 12 years as the Athletic Director in the Pleasantville School District and seven more at Dover. 

 

Valenti also spoke to the early results of a recent poll that indicates there is a growing interest in accelerated or gifted programs, noting that the survey results will be discussed further after the upcoming break.

 

But the bulk of the meeting was spent on highlighting the various new programs that have been instituted across the district’s elementary schools.Building leaders and faculty members from Waverly, Anne Hutchinson and Greenvale were on hand to speak about key initiatives that are being met with rave reviews this year from students and parents alike. 

 

Paola Pelosi and Arelis Rodriguez, the FLES teachers at Greenvale and Anne Hutchinson, respectively, were up first to speak about the expansion the foreign language instruction for the district’s elementary students. Last year, the FLES program was run in grades K-1 at Waverly, but it has since been adopted as part of the K-5 curriculum. 

 

The language teachers spoke about how FLES instruction is delivered at various grade levels, laying out a clear plan for the skills that young students have been acquiring through the first three months of the school year. 

 

BOE Secretary Matthew Fanelli thanked Pelosi and Rodriguez for their presentation, noting that Trustees have gotten glowing reports on the program from community members.  

 

“I want to thank you both and your counterpart at Waverly [Claudia O’Reilly], because I’ve heard through the emails that we receive that the children are excited,” said Fanelli. “And the word ‘excitement’ is really important for some of our youngest learners.”

 

Other elementary initiatives discussed during the meeting included the What I Need (WIN) Period, the Junior Great Books Program and Fountas & Pinnell literacy training, three programs that are helping to transform learning in the district.

Board Member Chrissy Geagan said she was heartened to hear of the great work being done in the district, noting that the inspiration for many of these programs stemmed from ongoing discussions between community members and the BOE that have helped guide district officials.  

 

“A lot of these initiatives really came from the community and parents, through emails we have received and during Coffee and Conversations events,” she said. “It’s so nice to see all these initiatives come to life, and I want to say thank you.”

 

To watch the videos featured at the 11/26 BOE Meeting, please see below:

 

Program Highlights: Junior Great Books K-1 at Waverly

 

Program Highlights: "WIN' Period and Junior Great Books at Anne Hutchinson

 

Program Highlights: Inside the 'WIN' Period at Greenvale

 

Program Highlights: FLES Program at Anne Hutchinson & Greenvale