New Talent Show Technology

Talent Show production crew silently
communicates with Today's Meet

In the final February Talent Show the production crew experimented with new technology. It's a site called Today's Meet. The audience didn't see or hear it, but it kept the adult and student production team on the same page. Today's Meet is an online "backchannel" tool. The balcony and backstage crew used it to silently share information through on screen texts. For instance, the backstage "projector" light is still on or the emcee is causing feedback when he talks into the mic while underneath the PA speaker or giving the whole crew a heads up on an unplanned stage entrance. In a live show, scripted events change and the production crew needs to be ready to jump in, make adjustments, and keep the show rolling. People come out to watch our talented young performers, but the behind-the-scenes work of the backstage and balcony crew is in itself a performance worth seating an audience. Whether their work involves adjusting wireless microphones on stage or balancing vocals with recorded music through a mixer in the sound booth, each production crew member, working outside the spotlight, contributes to the show's successes. And Today's Meet, I think, will make our jobs this much easier. -- Paul Tomizawa

Lunar New Year Celebration

     Edgewood celebrated the Lunar New Year with the traditional Chinese Dragon parade led by our first graders. Throughout the building, teachers and students spilled into the hallway, lining the parade route to greet students chanting "Gung Hay Fat Choy." Festivities continued in the New Meeting Room where our wonderful parents adorned the room with festive red streamers and table stations that invited visitors to see how the new year is greeted in China and Korea. What an entertaining event! And thanks for the delicious dumplings! Xièxie! Kamsahamnida!
-- Paul Tomizawa

The Annual Chinese Dragon Parade

Celebrating the Year of the Monkey
with "Fireworks"

Science Fair

     Edgewood’s first student-initiated Science Fair took place during lunch on Wednesday, January 27th. The event, which was conceived by members of the school’s Student Involvement Council, took place during lunch and was attended by the entire student body.

     The idea for the show came from students, who wanted to find an outlet for students interested in Science, similar to the opportunity provided to students through the Talent Shows. Students then designed an event that would be non-competitive, student organized, and supported through student run jobs. A planning committee, composed of teachers and student volunteers, developed an application for interested students, held interviews for

students or groups to present their ideas, and then developed a schedule for the event. On the day of the show a student run committee helped set up the room, greeted participants as they arrived to direct them to their assigned area, took photographs of the event in progress, and presided over the event by directing the audience.
     The success of a venture such as this is less the science expertise that was demonstrated by participants, although that too was impressive, but more the ability of our students to come up with an idea for an event, figure out an organizational plan to make it happen, and preside over it all during their lunch time. -- Scott Houseknecht

Lending a Hand

Early school-wide PA call for donations

This month we launched a partnership with a non-profit group called the USA/Africa Children's Fellowship. A representative from this organization talked to us at our January 5th anniversary assembly. He spoke about his experiences in Africa. Impoverished villages. Poorly equipped schools. He also talked about happy school children who would light up when receiving something new or gently used from America. These children took little for granted and were raised to waste nothing, while sharing everything. Their teacher made this point when he took a bundle of donated pencils and promptly broke each in half, so that every child could have a one.

These stories resonated with our students. Soon after, they formed a committee, along with teachers Lisa Houston and Malu Gonzalez. They hung posters, made signs, and delivered early morning PA announcements reminding students to donate their new or gently used toys, books, clothing and school supplies. Within two weeks, schoolmates have answered the call, filling more than 80 boxes with donated goods for our new friends in Africa. We'll continue collecting for the African fellowship until February 12. Impressive work everyone! -- Paul Tomizawa

Girls Who Engineer Their Future

Girls design 3D models in Tinkercad.

About 20 girls took part in our first lunchtime Coding & Design club of the year. These girls will engage in coding with Scratch and/or Tynker, but we began our lunch sessions in design. In Mr. Fitzpatrick's art studio (STEAM Lab), the girls used Tinkercad, an online 3D modeling program, to create artifacts that represent Edgewood history. Our school just turned 97 years old on January 5 and with our Centennial seemingly just around the corner and with the upcoming launch of the Edgewood History Club, the 3D design work seemed timely.

This club is available to both girls and boys, but as the old saying goes...girls first. It's well-known that while girls are drawn towards the creative problem-solving and "making" aspect of the STEM fields, keeping them in these fields as they get older is a challenge. But educators and corporate experts believe it's possible to attract girls for the long haul.

We agree. - Paul Tomizawa

Countdown to 100

A cross cut of copper beech tree
shows timeline of Edgewood history.

     Today we celebrated Edgewood School's 97th birthday. At a school assembly we reflected on nearly a century of learning at Edgewood, through the life of a single copper beech tree. That tree was a mere sapling, when Edgewood opened its doors on January 5, 1919. Last year, after years of providing shade over the Roosevelt Place lawn, it was cut down, dying from a fungal disease. Our Edgewood News reporters first brought us this story last year. It was known as our "Witness Tree." And oh, what it must've seen through the years.
     Recently, Mr. Fitz and several students counted the rings of a preserved cross-cut section from the tree. And they matched those rings with the timeline of some memorable events in Edgewood history. For instance, we remembered Professor Carl Schorske, who was enrolled at Edgewood as a kindergartener in 1919. As Professor Schorske told us during his visit to us in 2007, back then, after a few days in kindergarten, he was promoted to first grade. Apparently, a 5 year old singing a German ballad, a couple years after the end of World War I, is enough to offend a kindergarten teacher and get booted from class. Fortunately, Mrs. Mary Piedalue, Edgewood's first principal, recognized young Carl's intelligence and talent and promoted him to first grade. We also heard an audio recording of Lou Lustenberger, Julie Leerburger, Juliette Goldsmith, and James Conlan talking about life in the neighborhood during World War II. And then there was William Reilly, current 3rd grade teacher and former Edgewood student in the 70s who was inspired to sing by his music teacher at the time.
    Finally, Dr. Houseknecht talked about the Edgewood time capsule that was assembled in 1994 for Edgewood's 75th anniversary. It was installed under the first floor steps closest to Mrs. Lamonaca's room and there it remains until our centennial celebration in 2019. Can't wait to see what's inside!
- Paul Tomizawa

Happy Anniversary Edgewood!

Edgewood's first principal,
Mrs. Mary Piedalue.

     On January 5, Edgewood School turns 97 years old. In 1919, Edgewood School, set amid bountiful Russet "rustycoat" apple trees, opened its doors to become Scarsdale's second elementary school (Greenacres celebrated its 100th earlier this school year). Mrs. Mary Piedalue was the first principal of Edgewood, a school that produced a number of famous alumni including Pulitzer Prize winning author Carl Schorske; his sister Florence Schorske Wald, credited with opening the first hospice in the United States; and venerable world statesman and 7-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Richard Holbrooke. Not to mention several Edgewood students who will someday make their mark on the world. Read more about our school's history. Happy Birthday Edgewood! The Centennial celebration is just around the corner. -- Paul Tomizawa