Todd News

Nicole Hesari, a third-grade teacher at Todd Elementary, has a small statue on her classroom bookshelf inscribed with “World’s Best Teacher.” This memento, given to her by a student, seems fitting given her recent recognition. Last week, during the district's Superintendent Conference Day, Superintendent Dr. Jim Kaishian honored her with the Briarcliff Teacher of the Year Award.

When Shems, a Todd fifth grader in Cindy Yaeger and Taylor Mitchell’s class, lived in New York City, he remembers seeing homeless people and thinking how life can be unfair.

“I asked myself ‘how come we get to be full while others have to starve?’” he recalled. “I live in Westchester, but I still see homeless people in places like White Plains, and it makes me feel really guilty.”

This was the reason he opted to do his fifth grade Capstone project about homelessness in New York City.

The Capstone project is the culminating project in fifth grade and involves students working in teams of four or five and conducting extensive research about a particular subject, such as homelessness, like Shems’ project.

Second graders at Todd Elementary School have been exploring gravity and aerodynamics in STEAM class using paper napkin parachutes made with either yarn or a string. Oh, and of course – a teddy bear.

Todd Elementary School second grade teacher Debi Fried is retiring this year. We talked with her about a funny incident involving her directing traffic, her most memorable moments and her plans for retirement.

The gymnasium at Todd Elementary School was recently transformed into a makeshift circus ring, when ZUZU acrobats performed at a school-wide assembly, showcasing their incredible acrobatic skills.

The performance, which was part of the Multicultural Day celebration at the school, included human pyramids, body contortions, juggling acts and African dancing, all set to traditional African music.

A runaway dog, an unexpected earthquake, an exciting soccer game.

Those are all stories that Todd fifth graders recently wrote about in their new journalism writing unit.