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Spring 2014 get rts Bud Sta tion 0 rma e 1 nfo Pag I on Voy ages www.valhallaschools.org Valhalla UFSD: Dedicated to every child... stimulating learning, developing values and cultivating understanding Voting Information: The annual budget vote A Message from the Board President... for the fiscal year 2014- Dear Community, 2015 by the qualified voters of the Valhalla The Valhalla School District is still not seeing any relief from Albany. This year, we lost $600,000 Union Free School in our state Gap Elimination Adjustment (see more on page 12). We have not seen any financial District will be held on support for the ever-increasing mandates being placed on the district. Common Core Standards Tuesday, May 20, at the following locations: and Common Core testing are still a fact of education in New York State. Despite these challenges, we continue to make sure our children have the best educational opportunities possible. District 1: Town of Mount The Energy Performance Contract that the school board approved last year is making progress Pleasant (see more on page 4). There are new boilers, energy-efficient lighting and ceilings at Valhalla Kensico School Middle/High School, and the work will continue at our Kensico and Virginia Road schools. 320 Columbus Ave. Valhalla, NY 10595 Our administrators, teachers, support staff and custodians work hard to maintain our educational environment, and we continue to benefit from their dedication. District 2: Town of North Castle Our children also benefit from the dedication of parents and community members who volunteer North Castle their time to assist and support the children of the Valhalla School District. Advocacy within the Community Center 10 Clove Road district is at an all-time high thanks to the Advocacy Committee’s dedication and persistence. North White Plains, NY 10603 Every item in our upcoming budget has been analyzed and evaluated to find cost savings (see District 3: more on page 16). The Valhalla School Board continues to do its due diligence by balancing the Town of Greenburgh needs of our children against our financial abilities. Wherever savings could be realized, they Virginia Road Elementary School were incorporated into the budget. Unfortunately, circumstances beyond the control of the school 86 Virginia Road district are driving our budget. The tax levy limit is still in place and the Consumer Price Index was North White Plains, NY 10603 capped at 1.46 percent, resulting in a substantial decrease to the levy limit (see more on page Voting hours will be 13). Unfunded mandates continue to negatively impact the school district. 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Valhalla School Board supports the 2014-2015 budget and has worked diligently to review every aspect of it. These are difficult financial times, but we try to do what is best for our For more information… children without unduly overburdening our taxpayers. Learn more about the district and the proposed budget for Regards, 2014-2015 by logging onto our website at LaVerne Clark www.valhallaschools.org President, Valhalla Board of Education Voy ages PepsiCo Partners with VHS for STEM Fun become more aware of the STEM world. As students now begin contemplating Valhalla High School students sat in front of Stephanie Adams as she mixed a their future careers, the program showed thick, carbonated mango-flavored foam with Pepsi. She handed cups of the them that even if science is not their forte, concoction out to the teenagers and asked them to taste it. they can still work in the field. “We have a blast in here everyday," said Bridget Skahill, a senior culinary scientist at PepsiCo. “We’re doing science. We’re cooking and we’re having fun.” She and Chef Kyle Shadix told the students that PepsiCo was even in charge of creating special beverage flavors at Pepsi-serving fast-food chains. For example, they said, Taco Bell’s Sangrita Blast drink – a mix of cherry and pomegranate – was created by using the same culinary process that they use in the lab everyday. “For a lot of students, they don’t know what jobs are open to them with a science degree," she said. "A scientist has touched every product on the shelf of a store. It’s good for the students to realize that when they are young. There is a wide world open to them.” Students taste-test unique and original beverage samples at Valhalla's PepsiCo. The partnership between Valhalla High “It’s something you wouldn’t think would creation laboratory. School and PepsiCo ties into the state’s Common Core Learning Standards, which taste good together,” she said, “but it’s “We have never done anything of this aca - calls for critical thinking, hands-on work actually really good! That’s what I do here demic magnitude before,” said Mr. and 21st century learning. all day. I play with flavors.” Thomas. “t’s a great partnership. This is Ms. Adams is a culinary mixologist and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our PepsiCo Director Galo Cadena, who was researcher at Valhalla’s PepsiCo. In March, students to delve into the behind-the-scenes a key organizer of the STEM program, Valhalla High School was one of only area of learning science.” three schools nationwide to participate in The initiative’s goal was to help students CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 the company’s STEM Accelerator Day, which taught students about the endless opportunities within the science world. “This program is for the kids who aren’t thinking about science,” said VHS Principal Jon Thomas. “They might not have ever thought to enter a field in the science world. This will open their eyes up to a world of new possibilities for their futures.” At PepsiCo, students received practical experience regarding the creation of a beverage. They studied ideation, flavor creation, product development, pilot planning, and performing analytics and forensics. They visited PepsiCo’s culinary center, manufacturing center, sensory laboratory, product development sector, analytical laboratory, and flavor 2 Voy ages CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 performed the infamous “Soda and Mentos” said that the Accelerator Day was all experiment. PepsiCo about combining fun and education for the employees told the students to acquire a unique advantage teenagers that the in the science world. carbonated blast shoots PepsiCo Director and Data Analyst Eric out better when using Milgram, a scientist and bioengineer, Diet Pepsi due to its noted that new scientific ideas can often ingredients. While many be stymied in favor of maximizing a believe that the Mentos company’s success. While that success is affects the soda due positive, sometimes restrictions limit the to its sugar content, it company’s overall creativity to experiment actually causes the and produce inventive ideas. The STEM reaction due to its Career Accelerator Day was a gateway to shape and its small new ideas and limitless creations, he said. ridges across its surface. While at PepsiCo, the students also explored the forensics lab. Scientist Nancy As a student tested out Hirdt taught them that her job is see what is safe to put in a new drink. the experiment – careful not to get his to troubleshoot and problem-solve issues Ms. Hirdt noted that it is beneficial to have clothes wet – his classmates watched from that arise in the field. For example, she that expertise in-house. She also added their seats with smiles and wide eyes as mentioned that if someone said that they that the forensics lab can work on product the soda burst out of the bottle. found an object in their drink, the forensics counterfeiting, where they examine the “We want the students to enjoy science department can perform experiments to liquids and compare them to their and be attracted to it, even if they never reveal if the object was from the factory or original product. saw themselves in the field,” said Mr. if it was from a hamburger that the Thomas. “The STEM Accelerator Day was Meanwhile, in the ideation lab, Pepsi person was eating at the same time. great for them to play around and learn exploded through a plastic tube and exciting details about the science world.” The forensics lab also tests ingredients to volcanoed onto the ground as students Students work with PepsiCo employees to perform the "Soda and Mentos" experiment. They watched as Pepsi shot through the air. 3 Voy ages District-wide Energy Performance Contract Implemented Seamlessly The Valhalla School District’s Energy Performance Contract, which began in late 2012, is continuing its execution without a hitch. Throughout the 2013-2014 school year, Valhalla High Valhalla’s grounds and maintenance School students stand team was busy updating several facilities together in around the district as part of a plan that the VMHS saves $3.7 million per year in energy cafeteria conservation fees. under better lighting during The largest change can be seen in the the Whitney Valhalla Middle/High School’s gym and M. Young cafeteria, which is now brighter than in Dinner in past years. While those venues used February. to be dark, the crew installed new lighting fixtures throughout the areas to increase brightness and to conserve energy. “I am happy with how all of the updates are going so far,” said Peter Kelly, the district’s grounds director. “We haven’t run into any major problems, and we have maintained a positive relationship with the contractors. Our coordination is good, The grounds and maintenance crew also the grounds crew will have new snow and, thankfully, we are on schedule.” changed some of the district’s plumbing to removal and salting procedures in place The Energy Performance Contract also help with water conservation.

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