Students at F.E. Bellows Elementary School and Daniel Warren Elementary School celebrated homecoming week in Rye Neck with various activities in their classrooms.

Students created posters, answered trivia questions and heard from student-athletes throughout the week, culminating with Spirit Day on Sept. 15 when they wore black and blue for Rye Neck pride. They also welcomed their Panther mascot, who encouraged students to lead healthy and active lifestyles. 

Five Rye Neck High School seniors were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as Commended Students, an honor given annually to outstanding students who achieve exceptional scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Nina Buettner, Mahmoud Daas, Eikoh Hayashi, James Lord and Genki Ono, who received the National Letter of Commendation award, are among 34,000 students throughout the nation to be recognized for their exceptional academic promise. They placed among the top scorers of more than 1.6 million students nationwide who took the qualifying test in 2016. 

Congratulations to Nina, Mahmoud, Eikoh, James and Genki on being recognized for demonstrating outstanding potential for academic success. 

Rye Neck Panthers capped off Spirit Week and showcased their school pride with a traditional pep rally, which brought the entire middle school and high school to the gymnasium on Sept. 15. The students cheered as their peers introduced their sports teams and captains acknowledged varsity players.

The pep rally kicked off two days of homecoming games on Sept. 15-16, attended by students, parents, alumni and community members. Athletic Director Joe Ceglia said that homecoming is a celebration of the school community and an outstanding opportunity to support student-athletes and their coaches. 

Students had participated in a number of themed days throughout the week, culminating with Spirit Day on Friday when they wore black and blue for Rye Neck pride.

“My favorite part about homecoming is the entire school coming together,” said senior and soccer player Jack Sheldon, who co-hosted the pep rally with senior Joey Tenner. “It’s a good way to start the school year on a good note.”

Tenner added that he loved going to the games, which are filled with energy and serve as an opportunity for students to support one another. 

For more information about the athletic department and for a full schedule of the fall sports games, visit the district’s website at www.ryeneck.k12.ny.us. 

Four distinguished Rye Neck High School seniors who have shown outstanding academic talent have qualified as semifinalists in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship competition.

Olivia Dunne, Allie Liebmann, John Masciopinto and Bennett Taylor are among approximately 16,000 high school students nationwide who were awarded the distinction by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. They represent the top 1 percent of students from across the country with the highest scores on the qualifying Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. 

“Being recognized as a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program is a tremendous honor reserved for the top performers nationwide,” Principal Tina Wilson said. “We congratulate Olivia, Allie, John and Bennett and wish them luck as they continue in the process.”

Rye Neck’s four semifinalists took the qualifying test in 2016 along with 1.6 million other academically talented juniors from more than 22,000 high schools nationwide, and are in the running for approximately 7,500 scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered in the spring. About 90 percent of the semifinalists will advance to the next round, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship. 

To become finalists, the students must submit a detailed scholarship application, demonstrate an outstanding academic record, write an essay and earn scores that confirm their earlier performance on the qualifying test. 

National Merit Scholarship finalists will be announced in February, while scholarship winners will be announced in the spring.

Rye Neck Union Free School District students joyfully entered their classrooms on the first day of school on Sept. 5. With new books and school supplies in hand, they were eager to see their friends, organize their lockers, compare schedules and meet new teachers who greeted them with smiles.

Kindergartners at Daniel Warren Elementary School had an exciting day of firsts as they attended orientation sessions with their parents and introduced themselves to their new teachers. Meanwhile, F.E. Bellows Elementary School students spent a half-day of classes organizing their school supplies, learning the rules of their new classrooms and getting to know new friends. 

Throughout the day, Rye Neck Middle School students attended a variety of presentations and moved around the building to find their new classrooms and meet their teachers. The halls at Rye Neck High School were buzzing with chatter as seniors teamed up with ninth-graders for various first-day-of-school activities that were designed to help the younger students make a smooth transition into high school.

“The start of a new school year is filled with anticipation and excitement,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barbara Ferraro said. “My best wishes for an engaging, productive and joyful school year. Rye Neck is a special place where students learn, achieve and lead.”

Rye Neck Union Free School District welcomed new staff and faculty members during a two-day orientation, held Aug. 28-29. The group, which brings an array of experience to the district, met with administrators; worked with their teams and departments; discussed technology initiatives, policies and procedures; and received a tour of the district and village.

“Rye Neck is such a special place to live in and learn at, and understanding its culture and values was at the center of the staff orientation,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barbara Ferraro said. 

Ferraro described the faculty members as knowledgeable, creative and caring individuals who possess the ability to personalize the learning environment for students.

“As our newest staff members launch their careers within our district, I am confident that each one of them will become an integral part of our learning community.”   

The new staff members at Rye Neck are: 
• Tara Goldberg, principal at Daniel Warren Elementary School 
• Tina Wilson, principal at Rye Neck High School 
• Karen Reynolds, Languages Other Than English (LOTE) teacher at Rye Neck High School 
• Kristin Bonnici, science teacher at Rye Neck High School 
• Vincent Scozzari, eighth-grade social studies teacher at Rye Neck Middle School 
• Leanne Cipolla, reading teacher at Daniel Warren Elementary School
• Darnell Davis, cleaner at Rye Neck High School
• Carolyn Mahar, treasurer at Rye Neck Union Free School District
• Bozena Sidorowicz, world languages teacher at Rye Neck High School, leave replacement
• Allen Grant, sixth-grade teacher at Rye Neck Middle School, leave replacement
• Diana Carvalho, special education teacher at F.E. Bellows Elementary School, leave replacement
• Nicole Crispinelli, psychologist at Rye Neck High School, leave replacement
• Brian Iacovelli, physical education/health teacher at Rye Neck High School 
• Ashley Synowiez, English teacher at Daniel Warren Elementary School 
• Amy Bushnell, physical education teacher at Rye Neck Middle School and Rye Neck High School 
• Nadia Whiting, world language teacher at Rye Neck High School
• Theresa Gray, special education teacher at Daniel Warren Elementary School, F.E. Bellows Elementary School and Rye Neck Middle School 
• Kristian Wasdick, teaching assistant at Rye Neck Middle School 
• Erin Unis, teaching assistant at F.E. Bellows Elementary School
• Kelly Addorisio, English teacher at Rye Neck Middle School 
• Ashley Worley, teaching assistant at F.E. Bellows Elementary School