WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR AROUND WHITE PLAINS. By John F. Bailey. May 5, 2024:

The White Plains Library Foundation whose mission is to promote and expand services and attractions and community involvement in the continued growth of the White Plains Library celebrated the “Joy of reading” last night.

Where else–but among the books and welcoming atmosphere of thousands of –books!

The Foundation created an elegant dining room festooned with green plants on the tables and even secluded tables in the beckoning shelves where colorful titles of books jump off the shelves saying “Read me! Look me over. Take me home!”

Some 70 persons (exact counts of  guests  not available at press time),  mingled and greeted each other to hear author Mariah Fredericks (above) fascinate a rapt audience with the fascinating life of Edith Wharton,  the first woman author to win the Pulitzer Prize.  Wharton turns detective  to investigate a notorious murder in 1920 of  controversial author, David Graham Phillips, in Ms. Fredericks’ The Wharton Plot. 

Addressing a crowd packing White Plains Library Auditorium Studio, Ms. Fredericks said she was attracted to writing about the Phillips murder because of the controversy over book banning and attacks on authors in our present day and the parallel to the violence of the Roaring Twenties. Describing Wharton’s Gilded Age background fasicnated the gathering making real life writer from history one you wanted to know more about.

Ms. Fredericks said that in attending an author’s conference recently attended by published authors and young persons dedicated to publish books or novels where they have something say, encouraged her how important it is that no voices be denied, in view of the moves to censor books today. She concluded saying it is her mission to make sure by writing that children as they grow up will have their eyes in books and not their I-phones.

Supporters of the Library bought chances for wine collections, Mets tickets, hotel stays, restaurants and bundles of book collections at the Raffle Auction

Brian Kenny, Library Director recalled the efforts and great business relationships in building The Trove, modernizing the auditorium into a studio, creating The Edge and the welcoming spacious high interior. He gave a shout out to previous Library Director Sandy Miranda for starting the project of redesigning the library. He introduced the honoree of the evening the builder and designer of the spaces.

Rai Fernandez, Partner, Bermello Ajamil Architects

(Photo by Graham Trelstad, Courtesy White Plains Library Foundation

Mr. Fernandez, (Debonair in tuxedo)   remarked to the crowd how  challenging the project was and how cooperative the community was with their ideas. The foundation website wrote the end product was a mutual collaboration, that has worked splendidly in building patronage and involving the community,noting:

With creativity, technical skill, and appreciation for our grand old building, Rai Fernandez and his team have transformed almost all of the Library’s spaces, improving the user experience for thousands of people every year. The Trove (children’s area), Edge (teen area), entire first floor, Auditorium, and Gallery are stunning renovations created through a multi-year partnership with Bermello Ajamil Architects. Rai Fernandez has over 30 years of experience in managing, coordinating, designing, and master planning a variety of award-winning projects including hotels, airports, residential buildings, ports and libraries.

Caperberry presented its elegent buffet  with salads, vegetables, meats(superbly prepared) easy to access serving, with a round of rotating delicious appetizers  with servers circulating among the mingling multitude with unigue treats featuring salmon, figs, and most creative combinations refreshing and tasting fresh-served.

The great surprise was encountering a warm inviting  complete dining room refreshed by  realfresh green centerpieces, spacious with plenty of room to circulate to tables. This should be continued in some fashion. There were even secluded spaces among the engaging alluring shelves. We used to call them stacks back in the days.

I

The Auction Raffle

Celebrities

THE CITIZENETREPORTER  and BRENDA STARR  You’ll never know what will jump off the shelf out you in the Library.

50 YEARS OF  History of the Library 

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WPCNR, courtesy of  the White Plains League of Women Voters presents the 8 candidates running for three seats on the Board Of Education in the School Board Budget and Elections May 21. They will be appearing at the Candidates Form at 7 PM  for the Forum, held May 9 in the  White Plains High School Library. The Forum will be zoomed and retelecast on FIOS Channel 46 and Optimum Channel 77. The information is published as received from the League and there may be some errors in fonts. Addresses and contact information excluded for privacy. 

Information Sheet for Board of Education Candidates

Name :            Vincent Orlando

Education:      Bachelor History with a minor in Education from Mercy College

Profession:     I started my career in Education and moved on to Financial Services.

Questions

1. Do you currently have children in the White Plains Schools or have you had children in the schools in the past?

I currently have two children in the White Plains School district.

2. There are many ways individuals can serve the community. Why have you chosen to run for the school board?

As a lifelong resident of White Plains and having gone through the White Plains  School district, I have chosen to run for the White Plains School Board so I can continue  to serve my community. I feel it is an important responsibility to work with our community  and schools so that all children can have an opportunity to succeed. As a current PTAmember, I know the importance of working side by side with our schools to give our  students access to experiences and opportunities for all.

3. What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member? In what school or district activities have you been involved?

I am very involved in my children’s school, from organizing events, to volunteering  during lunch and I currently serve as the PTA secretary for my children’s school. I have  worked closely with parents, teachers, and the principle to help facilitate events and  activities. I have worked with the PTA in fundraising so we can offer programs for little to  no cost for our students, and not add cost to our school district.

4. What do you think is the most important role of a school board member?

I believe the most important role of school board member is to work with the  Superintendent, parents, and educators to help students succeed and to ensure that the  school is building a bridge with the community. Part of the responsibility of a  schoolboard member is to ensure that the school budget is fiscally responsible and that  we are including key stakeholders from each department to the decision-making  process.

5. What are 2-3 strengths of which the White Plains Public Schools can be proud?

The White Plains School District provides a multitude of opportunities for all our  students and families. At the elementary level being able to offer school choice is a  unique opportunity that not many districts can offer. Each school provides and targets  the values of the families of our community. For example, we have schools that offer  bilingual education that in the long run would address the seal of biliteracy as a  graduation pathway. We also offer STEM opportunities. Our schools value the voice of  our families.

6. What are the White Plains Schools’ greatest challenges?

As the population of White Plains continues to grow, we need to make sure that we  continue to address all the needs of our student’s, English language learners, students  with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students and our gifted and talented  students. We need to make sure that we continue to offer as many opportunities as possible to our students that we can. We also need to make sure there is transparency  with decision making process and that we move away from top-down decisions.

7. At the end of your term on the School Board, what would you hope to have been the accomplishment you are most proud of!

At the end of my term on the school board I hope that we have as a school district  where our process of decision making, takes in consideration all voices; staff, parents,  students and tax payers and all decisions are made with the children first.

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WPCNR, courtesy of  the White Plains League of Women Voters presents the 8 candidates running for three seats on the Board Of Education in the School Board Budget and Elections May 21. They will be appearing at the Candidates Form at 7 PM  for the Forum, held May 9 in the  White Plains High School Library. The Forum will be zoomed and retelecast on FIOS Channel 46 and Optimum Channel 77. The information is published as received from the League and there may be some errors in fonts. Addresses and contact information excluded for privacy. 

Information Sheet for Board of Education Candidates

Name:           Rose Lovitch

Education:    Pace Law School, JD , Fordham University, Political Science and Public Administration

Profession:    Attorney/Owner, Rossi Law PLLC, White Plains, NY Staff Attorney, Pace Woman’s Justice Center, White Plains, NY

Questions

1. Do you currently have children in the White Plains Schools or have you had children in the schools in the past?

I have 3 children who are all alumni of White Plains School District, and I was a very  involved and active parent during my children’s years in the district.

2. There are many ways individuals can serve the community. Why have you chosen to run for the school board?

I have proudly served on the White Plains School Board for 12 years, and I am eager to  continue our work to support our students. I have always enjoyed working with  children, and I feel that my role as a school board member serves students in a most  critical part of their growth. We are concerned not only with their curricular education,  with their extracurricular opportunities, college and career preparation, and very  importantly their social and emotional learning. I especially enjoy visiting classrooms and watching our students as they learn and connect with others, and celebrating their  accomplishments with them during special presentations and events.

3. What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member? In what school or district activities have you been involved?

After many years as a PTA volunteer and President at the elementary, high school and  PTA Council levels, and as a Girl Scout leader, I ran for the Board and have proudly  served for the past 12 years. While on the PTA, I worked with students and teachers as a  class parent, running PTA events and chairing committees. As a Girl Scout leader for 14  years, I led and empowered young girls while learning and experiencing their  community and the world around them, helping my troop to earn their Bronze and  Silver Awards, and proudly supporting my daughter earn her Gold Award, which later  became the underlying interest for her career in Public Health. As a Board member, I  have worked collaboratively with my colleagues, served on the Special Ed, Curriculum  and Policy committees, as well as the Dual Language Program review committee and  Diversity Committee. I have learned the budget process and the need to thoughtfully  consider not only our students’ needs, but the sustainability of our decisions in terms of  our budget. As a White Plains small business owner, I am a sole practitioner. I represent  my clients, taking into consideration each of their individual needs, just as our school  district considers the needs of our students. I manage and budget the financial needs of  my practice, as the school board strives for the needs of the district. I am an integral  part of the community and recognize the effects of our school district budget plans. I  continue to support our students as a member of the Woman’s Club of White Plains, where I have been attending and volunteering with the annual Scholarship Luncheon  and Fashion show, where scholarship donations are raised for our high school seniors. I  have had the opportunity to watch many cohorts of students, including my own children, learn and grow, both in our schools and after graduation. With all my years of  service to the district, I bring much history and experience when discussing and deciding  the needs of our students.

4. What do you think is the most important role of a school board member?

The two most critical roles of any school board are to select and support the school  superintendent, and to review, understand and approve the budget.

I am proud to serve on a Board which chooses to take a more active role in our district, which includes visiting classrooms, attending school functions such as concerts, plays,  awards ceremonies, reading and math nights, science fairs, and so many more. One of

our favorite events is graduation, where we each attend elementary, middle school and  high school moving up/graduation ceremonies, very happily celebrating our students  and their successes.

5. What are 2-3 strengths of which the White Plains Public Schools can be proud?

– Our schools are as diverse as our community. Our students each have their own  culture,

backgrounds, interests, and strengths, and our schools are prepared to focus  and support each

student.

– Our schools can be proud of our wide range of opportunities for our students. Our  excellent financial team diligently prepares a budget which offers all levels of  curriculum, from support for struggling students, inclusive enrichment for all  students, to advanced and AP classes. Our commitment to excellence includes Dual  Language, STEM, Computers and Engineering, Fine Arts, and we support our students who prefer to prepare for a trade by attending BOCES programs.

– Our students are involved in our community, through sports, community service,  intern/externships, and learn to give back to the community which has offered so  much opportunity to each of them.

6. What are the White Plains Schools’ greatest challenges?

Our greatest challenge is maintaining our commitment to always do better for our  students, who are our   priority and our future. We continue to recover from our most  serious recent crisis, the 2020 pandemic.          We united as a Board, administration and  staff, strong and committed to return our children and staff     safely to school, and we  continue to provide continuity and stability as we afford the supports necessary             for each  person, as we still re-acclimate to our educational and social environment. We strive to  hire the best teachers and to bring the best programs to our schools. We often make difficult or unpopular     decisions, based upon research and data analysis, to best provide  for a body of students very diverse                needs. I believe that my experience as a longtime  Board member provides the knowledge and information, strength and objectivity, and  perseverance necessary to face these challenges. We always   look to the future as we provide the resources necessary for our students to pursue their dreams and        contribute  to a diverse and dynamic world.

7. At the end of your term on the School Board, what would you hope to have been the accomplishment you are most proud of?

I will always be proud of my more than 25 years of service to our students and our  school district. I am incredibly proud to serve with board members who always put  children first, and whose decisions are always made in the best interests of our  students. I will always be proud to have dedicated my time to support our children, to  provide vast and diverse opportunities for learning, sharing and preparing for successful  futures and realized dreams.

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WPCNR, courtesy of  the White Plains League of Women Voters presents the 8 candidates running for three seats on the Board Of Education in the School Board Budget and Elections May 21. They will be appearing at the Candidates Form at 7 PM  for the Forum, to be held May 9 in the  White Plains High School Library. The Forum will be zoomed and retelecast on FIOS Channel 46 and Optimum Channel 77. The information is published as received from the League and there may be some errors in fonts. Addresses and contact information excluded for privacy. 

Information Sheet for Board of Education Candidate

Name:             Leslie Hickey

Education:      College graduate

Profession:      CPA

Questions

1. Do you currently have children in the White Plains Schools or have you had children in the schools in the past?

My son graduated from WPHS two years ago.  I have a nephew who is a senior at WPHS now.

2. There are many ways individuals can serve the community. Why have you chosen to run for the school board?

I believe that times have changed, and we need a fresh perspective in addressing them.

3. What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member? In what school or district activities have you been involved?

I served as the Assistant Treasurer and then Treasurer for the WPHS PTA for four years as well             as serving as an active volunteer at fundraising events.  I have been on the PTA Council for            three years as the enrichment and curriculum liaison.  I also add a financial background in the business world which would assist in strategy and planning.

4. What do you think is the most important role of a school board member?

Fiscal responsibility

5. What are 2-3 strengths of which the White Plains Public Schools can be proud?

First, the district strives to add programs to the curriculum that meet the needs of a very           diverse student body with different plans for their future.  Second, WPHS has amazing facilities            that are unlike any other high school in the area.

6. What are the White Plains Schools’ greatest challenges?

Finding the right balance between teachers and administrators to maximize education goals in             a fiscally responsible manner.  We need to find the right support for those on the front line in           the classrooms so we keep our best teachers.

7. At the end of your term on the School Board, what would you hope to have been the accomplishment you are most proud of!

That no one wants to set my house on fire!  (Just a little humor).  This is a difficult question as   it’s hard to know what the hot button items will be during my tenure.  I’m sure that no one in the history of the Board elections ever wrote here that they wanted to be proud of how they    dealt with a global pandemic! I think (and this sounds a little lame) that my biggest          accomplishment would be to have the community be sad to see me go.

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WPCNR, courtesy of  the White Plains League of Women Voters presents the 8 candidates running for three seats on the Board Of Education in the School Board Budget and Elections May 21. They will be appearing at the Candidates Form at 7 PM  for the Forum, held in the  White Plains High School Library. The Forum will be zoomed and retelecast on FIOS Channel 46 and Optimum Channel 77. The information is published as received from the League and there may be some errors in fonts. Addresses and contact information excluded for privacy. 

Information Sheet for Board of Education Candidates

Name:                          Jessica Buck  

Education:       B.S. Business Administration, SUNY Albany; MBA Cornell University

Profession:       Marketing/Brand Management Consultant

Questions

1. Do you currently have children in the White Plains Schools or have you had children in the schools in the past?

Yes, I have a son in the 8^th grade at Highlands who will be moving up to White Plains High School in the fall. He’s grown up in the White Plains City School District since Kindergarten at Ridgeway and Eastview’s 6^th grade academy prior to Highlands Middle School. I’m happy to say that I’ve built positive relationships with his teachers, school administrators, counselors, and other school staff over the last 9 years including our facilities and maintenance staff who maintain our beautiful school buildings and grounds.

2. There are many ways individuals can serve the community. Why have you chosen to run for the school board?

I’ve been a student & parent advocate in the WPCSD since my son entered Kindergarten in 2015 and have lived in White Plains since 2003 after moving here upon graduating with an MBA from Cornell University. I am an active member of the PTA and have been going to BoE meetings consistently since 2015 when I became the PTA Council Representative for Ridgeway and have continued to represent the PTA at BoE meetings as President of the PTA Council and Advocacy Chair of the Westchester East Putnam Regional PTA. I’ve gotten to know all the members of the board over the years and have been able to gain a broad view of what is going on in the WPCSD community. There have been times when I am the only community member in attendance at the live meetings. I’ve witnessed how hard they work and admire their deep dedication to the students and families in the WPCSD. I share that same dedication and passion about serving students and families and continuously striving to make this school district the best it can be within the parameters of the resources available to it.

3. What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member?

My professional background is in Marketing/Brand Management, I am currently owner of my own marketing consultant business (current BoE members are lawyers, teachers, professors, finance managers). My professional experience and my volunteer experience brings a new perspective to the BoE. I have built relationships with parents, teachers, administrators and students because community engagement and advocacy is the most important role of the PTA. I understand the importance of transparent communication and collaboration with the community.  I have all the characteristics of a board member as outlined by the NYS School Boards Association: I am an effective communicator, a consensus builder, community participant, decision maker, information processor, leader and team player.  As a trusted member of the WPCSD community I believe I am the best qualified candidate to serve on the Board.

In what school or district activities have you been involved?

PTA Experience

• Ridgeway PTA Council Rep 2015 tp 2021
• Halloween Spooktacular Chair, 2016 & 2017
• Book Fair Chair, 2016
• Health & Wellness Committee, 2017-2019y678
• District-wide Recess Committee, 2016, 2017
• Silent Auction Chair, 2018, 2019, 2020 (raised ~$30K-$40K for PTA)
• 5th Grade Committee Chair, 2021
• PTA Council co-President, 2020-21 (virtual year)
• PTA Council President, 2021-22
• PTA Council Advocacy Chair, 2022-24
• Westchester East Putnam Regional (WEPR) PTA, White Plains Rep, 2021
• WEPR PTA, Advocacy Chair, 2022
• WEPR PTA, Membership Chair, 2022-2023, 23-24
• District-wide Re-opening Committee 2020-2021

8th Grade Fundraising Committee Booster Club

• Founded a 501c3 organization to fundraise for end of year activities & events

Moms Demand Action Westchester Volunteer since 2018

• Be SMART for Kids Team Lead (secure gun storage education & advocacy)

4. What do you think is the most important role of a school board member?

Serving students and families, building strong relationships/partnerships with teachers, administrators and staff; ensuring community stakeholders are informed about important district changes and news and collaborating with community partners to fulfill the vision of the WPCSD while working toward achieving high student performance that aligns with what success looks like for each individual student.

5. What are 2-3 strengths of which the White Plains Public Schools can be proud?
   • Diversity of the student population and the on-going effort to ensure students have an equitable educational experience
   • Teachers and administrators who make students a priority
   • A BoE that manages the district strategically (short & long range planning)
   • High level of readiness and preparation to manage through challenges

6. What are the White Plains Schools’ greatest challenges?
   • Community engagement with students and families (communication, partnership) at all schools, especially at the middle & high school levels
   • Retaining students as they transition from middle to high school
   • Finding high quality substitutes at all school building levels
   • Anticipating the impact of all the new residential construction in White Plains

7. At the end of your term on the School Board, what would you hope to have been the accomplishment you are most proud of!

Developing strong student and family engagement to bring our community together.

Marketing the WPCSD to showcase its strengths and elevate our city as a coveted place to live.