Greetings from our lovely New York Campus,
We are all settled into our school year routine. We welcomed a few later arrivals, but overall, everything is running as normal, the classes are all going full speed ahead, fall sports are in full swing, clubs are up and running, so all in all we are a very busy place - as any school should be! Many of our students are wishing we had many more hours in a day, so they could fit in everything they want to do and all of the new things they want to try, but alas, one of the things we are trying to teach our young is to how prioritize and make choices.
I am pleased to report that we are off to a very good start in all aspects of the school. The other day I walked through our dorms in the evening during study hall and was pleased to see all of the students engaged meaningfully in various activities, from working on their homework and various projects, to simply reading and engaging in conversations about everything under the sun. As I walk, I like to pick up a few words in various languages, that students eagerly teach me. Apparently, according to Pedro, when I say a few words that I know in Portuguese, my accent is perfect! But, I guess I need to learn a lot more than 5 words in order to fool anyone with my perfect accent. I was also pleasantly surprised with how clean all of the dorm rooms were. Hopefully I have not jinxed it!
You may have heard from your children that we have made some changes for the better in how we assess the learning. Please stay tuned, I will be sending out a separate letter in a week or two explaining everything.
It was great to see a number of our recent graduates from a few years ago come and visit school and stay for lunch. So great for all of us here at the school to see them all grown up and hear their stories, as well as positive reflections on their time at EF Academy, hence their desire to keep coming back to visit.
In the next few months, I plan to travel to various countries to visit our offices, meet with our current families and talk to prospective families. In about a week, I will be in Vietnam visiting both Hanoi and Ho Chi Min City. In early November, I will visit Russia (Moscow) and UAE (Dubai). If you are around and have time, I would be happy to meet up for a cup of tea or coffee and a chat.
Well, time to wrap up my letter to you, as it is impossible to tell you everything I wish to tell about our school and life in it. As always, please feel free to reach to me in any way that suits you. Always happy to hear from you!
A very busy place - as any school should be!
October 2023
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Dr. Vladimir D. Kuskovski
Head of School, EF Academy New York
Updates & Reminders
Winter Break
Students may begin departing campus at 12:00 pm EST on December 13 and must depart by no later than 3:00 pm EST on December 14. Flights should be arranged to accommodate these campus departure times.
Students should plan to return to campus on January 11. Flights should always be booked to arrive between 6:00 am and 8:00 pm EST
Spring Break
Students may begin departing campus at 12:00 pm EST on March 6 and must depart by no later than 3:00 pm EST on March 7. Flights should be arranged to accommodate these campus departure times.
Students should plan to return to campus on March 26. Flights should always be booked to arrive between 6:00 am and 8:00 pm EST
End of Year Departures
Grade 12 students must depart after Graduation on May 18 and should plan to leave campus by no later than 10:00 pm EST
Underclassmen may start departing from campus on May 25 and must depart by no later than 3:00 pm EST on May 26. Flights should be arranged to accommodate these campus departure times.
2023-2024 School Year Calendar
For your convenience, you can find next year's academic calendar: here. It can also be found on EF Academy New York's News and Info page.
Activities
For October, our Activities Team has a variety of fun activities planned - something for everyone! This month, plan to see:
Basketballs games
Six flags amusement park (Fright Fest)
NHS Halloween dance
Halloween Costume shopping
Spirit Week
Spooky hall decorations picked and placed by students
Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow parade
New York City outings to different neighborhoods
Bake goods made by staff every weekend
...and so much more!
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September Spotlight!
Mount Pleasant Police Station Open House
The Mount Pleasant Police Department is an important, positive relationship for EF Academy. We're so grateful to have opportunities to work closely with them.
Earlier this month, Ms. Smith and Ms. Valentino, our Student Council Advisors, took 7 students to the Mt Pleasant Police Department for their Open House community event. The purpose of these open house events is for Mt. Pleasant to get to know Westchester's police offices and come together as a community to promote peace and safety.
The officers requested our students, specifically, to volunteer at the event and assist with activities. Lucky for us – the station is only 5 minutes down the road from campus! Students tended to young children who came with their families, and applied glitter tattoos, police tattoos, inflated balloons, and monitored the bouncy house for the day. The students were a mix of Student Council, Ambassadors, and Mentors. They proudly represented EF Academy, wore their shirts, and did an amazing job.
We feel so proud to be thought of so highly by our police offices, and are eagar to continue building a strong bond with the department!
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Mount Pleasant Police Station Open House
The Mount Pleasant Police Department is an important, positive relationship for EF Academy. We're so grateful to have opportunities to work closely with them.
Earlier this month, Ms. Smith and Ms. Valentino, our Student Council Advisors, took 7 students to the Mt Pleasant Police Department for their Open House community event. The purpose of these open house events is for Mt. Pleasant to get to know Westchester's police offices and come together as a community to promote peace and safety.
The officers requested our students, specifically, to volunteer at the event and assist with activities. Lucky for us – the station is only 5 minutes down the road from campus! Students tended to young children who came with their families, and applied glitter tattoos, police tattoos, inflated balloons, and monitored the bouncy house for the day. The students were a mix of Student Council, Ambassadors, and Mentors. They proudly represented EF Academy, wore their shirts, and did an amazing job.
We feel so proud to be thought of so highly by our police offices, and are eagar to continue building a strong bond with the department!
Student Life
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Our fall sports are back in action and students are excited to participate! Our Girls' and Boys' Varsity Soccer teams have been outside practicing, rain or shine, since the beginning of the month. As the Fall season progresses on, there will be many competitions by rival schools that our athletes will play in. If you want to show your support, you can find them on the turf after school, working diligently!
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We love when alumni come back to visit! This September, we've had a couple of familiar faces return! Our alumni who attend university nearby, or even those or are just visitng New York, often stop in to greet their old teachers and walk the corridors they once called home. These 2021 alumni, Cecile, Chantale, and Luca came to say hello to Dr. Kuskovski, along with other teachers. Cecile and Luca are attending university in Berlin for medicine, while Chantale is studying psychology in Munich.
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One of the first things we did when we all returned to campus was have a welcome back assembly in the theater. The purpose of these school-wide assemblies is to build a sense of community among our teachers and students. We even had our students, Clare and Ayami, play a song to bring in the new year.
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As is every year, Dr. Kuskovski and Coach Roach participate in the annual 9/11 run to show their support for all the victims, and their family & friends, who suffered from the tragedies that occurred in New York City on September 11, 2001. The pair ran 9.11 miles around Mt. Pleasant, and ended at the Kensico Dam Plaza 9/11 memorial. Thank you, both, for your commitment to this cause.
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Mr. Gibson (our IB Language & Literature and IB Film teacher) brought a few students to see the newly released Cassandro film at the Jacob Burns Film Center, a nonprofit cultural arts center dedicated to presenting the best of independent, documentary, and world cinema. Together, they watched the film and after, stayed for an interview with the director, Roger Ross Williams. We're so grateful to have this educational hotspot so close to campus.
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Alongside our curriculum are our clubs and programs, which enhance the learning done inside the classrooms. Clubs happen both during the school day and after classes have ended. Here is our Pride not Prejudice club gathering for a club meeting. Their goal is to create a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies, and to share their experiences with each other.
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Another varsity sport that is working hard this fall season are our Cross Country teams. Our Girls' and Boys' Varsity Cross Country teams have been traveling to nearby schools for competitions and meets. The teams race against about 8 other schools for the gold. We're so proud of their dedication!
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Many of our classes have interactive components to get our students engaged and bring education to life. Here, is our US History 1 class, taught by Mrs. Bill. Students are individually researching a Native American tribe (pre-Christopher Columbus) and creating a poster which they will present to their classmates. Students are expected to work independently and in collaboration with their peers to share their findings. Some folks have gotten very artistic!
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Many of our art classes are already producing beautiful pieces of art. Some highlights in the art department this month include a representative from the Maryland Institute College of Art visiting campus and Year 1 HL IB Visual Art students working together on a collaborative projective, in which each student created a section of the circular artwork to be a visual representation of their class community.
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The Drama department is bursting with activity! Mrs. Bill, our drama teacher, has been playing a fun game in class called "bus stop," so students can work on their improv skills. The premise of the game is to adopt a personality of an unknown character, only to be uncovered after choosing a piece of paper from a pile of roles. The students only have a few seconds to adopt the role before the must start acting!
Athlete of the month
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Congratulations Juki from Japan 🇯🇵
Yuki, a diligent and dedicated student, recently secured 5th place in his first cross-country meet, highlighting his commitment to always improving. His consistent hard work and passion for the sport have distinguished him as a noteworthy individual on the team.
Beyond his athletic achievements, Yuki has displayed remarkable leadership skills, often leading the team's warm-ups and acting as a captain. He has willingly stepped up, taking on responsibilities to guide his teammates and foster a cohesive and supportive environment.
Yuki’s role as a positive leader and a good role model doesn’t stop with his leadership during warm-ups. He is always there to support his teammates, showing care and concern for everyone on the team. His encouraging words and actions have inspired his peers, promoting a positive and nurturing atmosphere within the team.
In conclusion, Yuki’s dedication to his sport, leadership skills, and caring nature have not only earned him a respectable position in cross-country meets but also the admiration and respect of his teammates. He is indeed a positive leader and a valuable asset to his team, displaying qualities that make him a true role model for others.
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Faculty Member of the Month
The Septemner Faculty Member of the Month is Mr. James Henrick. James consistently has a terrific attitude towards his colleagues and students. He thoroughly enjoys engaging his students in spirited, intellectual conversations in his both his Learning and Knowledge classes and in his 10th grade English class. His lessons and his students' work reflect a creative and intellectual curiosity. We are lucky to have James as part of our learning community.
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