Superintendent's Update

October 2024

Dear Rye Neck Families,

Rye Neck closed September with a strong Homecoming performance. Despite soggy weather, our Panthers proved tough competition for each of their challengers and we ended the weekend undefeated with a 4-0-3 record. We are proud of our student-athletes, who exemplify the best qualities of our student body.

This extended weekend, we are closed Thursday and Friday. I wish all of our families and friends who are celebrating Rosh Hashanah a Happy New Year.

Best regards,

Dr. Eric Lutinski

Superintendent of Schools

New MS/HS Parking Lot and Walk/BIke Path

We will be celebrating the opening of our new MS/HS parking lot and walk/bike path on October 18th with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony similar to those we held for the new MS Gymnasium and Collaborative Science Center. The ceremony will be held early in the afternoon to avoid impacting campus traffic. Our Senior Buddy Day groups, the 6th and 12th grade, represent our future and current drivers and will be invited to participate in the ceremony.

The new parking lot and walk/bike path at the MS/HS, located on the right as you enter campus and across from our neighbors on Hornidge Rd., lies within 100-feet of adjacent wetland. In light of this, the district's architect, LAN Associates, designed the parking facility in conjunction with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to include the use of permeable parking stalls made of permeable pavers and a road made of impervious asphalt. The design also includes a bioretention basin area for stormwater management located between the bike path and parking area. The bioretention basin will also include native plantings.

One of the most frequent comments I have heard about the new space is that it appears there are two separate areas for cars. There is a curb that divides the asphalt where the cars drive and the pavers where the cars park, but it’s all part of a common surface for cars. Looking at the architectural image below, you can see the purple area represents the parking lot while the yellow area represents the walk/bike path. The photo, taken yesterday, also shows the parking, bioretention, and path areas. Light poles and, later, trees will be added to the space between the lot and Hornidge Rd. You can also see from the image that the path has been extended further down the driveway to offer a safer crossing. New bike racks will be added on the pathway side of the driveway across from the back MS entrance.

Safe Routes to School

Within our community is a group of parents that have formed Rye Neck Safe Routes to School, a link found under “Community Partners” on our District website. Safe Routes to School is a national organization committed to helping communities promote safe walking and biking. That includes habits of mind, awareness, and infrastructure. Our parents have been active collaborating with local government officials such as Senator Shelley Mayor, Assemblyman Steve Otis, and also the Village of Mamaroneck. Two key projects in our local future are a federal Safe Streets grant for the Village and NYSDOT “Project #847315”, a major paving effort for Route 1/Boston Post Road scheduled for 2026. We are happy to partner with RN Safe Routes to School and will be participating in stakeholder meetings with the NYSDOT to promote safety for our residents.

Rye Neck Safe Routes to School will join us at the parking lot ribbon cutting on the 18th to help kick off the PTSA’s Walk to School Week starting on October 21st.

Strategic Plan

I want to thank our parents for helping us have a productive session on our first early release professional learning day last Wednesday. Please see our Rye Neck social media for images of your children’s teachers from around the district as they worked on ways to promote active and reflective problem solving in and out of the classroom-- using our “heads” to achieve the first of our Strategic Plan goals.

Student Spotlight

In each monthly message, we spotlight high school students who are doing interesting things in or out of school. Based on the relationships our staff members forge with their students and their knowledge of what’s going on in their lives, our teachers suggest students for consideration. Mary Lanza, our Director of Technology and Communications, then interviews the students to “get their story.” Here are the students for October. To read about the students, click on the name below their picture.

GRAYSON FINDLAY

ABBY RAMOS

Staff Spotlight

We also like to highlight teachers and other staff members each month. Each shares personal reflections on how they got into education, memories from their time as students, and their favorite activities outside of school. To read about a staff member, click on the name below their picture.