November 2025

Volume 2

Dear Harrison Families,

As Thanksgiving approaches, we are reminded that what distinguishes our students is not only their scholarly accomplishments but the equally powerful ways they serve, support, and honor members of our community. Their actions bring extraordinary pride to their schools and families, reflecting both achievement and character.
 
In our classrooms, studios, laboratories, playing fields, and performance spaces, your children are learning to think with curiosity and discipline, collaborate with others, and grow toward becoming the best versions of themselves. This work is made possible through the thoughtful guidance of our faculty and staff, who skillfully see, support, and challenge every student. Their efforts reflect our unwavering belief in each child’s capacity to learn, contribute, and thrive.
 
This edition of HCSD Highlights shares moments that reflect this work in practice:
 
  • The HHS Marching Band honored our community’s veterans at the Veterans Day ceremony. They also had the opportunity to perform with the Penn Marching Band at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Students at Harrison High School and LMK MIddle School organized Thanksgiving food drives to support local families in need.
  • Members of the Varsity Football Team engaged in community service, demonstrating leadership grounded in empathy.
  • The HHS Debate Team continues to distinguish itself. Senior Andrew Gaffin is currently ranked #1 in New York State and nationally, the result of steady preparation and mentorship.
  • Thirty-four HHS musicians were selected to perform in the Area All-State Festival, an honor earned through commitment and study.
Our recent Tenure Celebration honored educators whose work has shaped student learning with care and purpose.
We believe in developing and adapting so that every student can find their voice and live a life of positive impact. Their achievements, both large and small, reflect our shared commitment: faculty and staff who teach and guide; families who support; the PTA and Harrison Educational Foundation who strengthen our opportunities; and a Board of Education that leads with purpose.
 
At this time of Thanksgiving, I am grateful to be part of a community that consistently demonstrates care for one another. Thank you for your partnership and for all you do to support our students.
 
Sincerely,
Louis N. Wool, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
 
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HHS Marching Band Honors Harrison's Veterans at Annual Ceremony 

The Harrison High School Marching Band honored Harrison’s veterans with a performance at the annual Veterans Day Ceremony. Community members, veterans, and members of the police and fire departments attended the ceremony which featured remarks from Harrison veterans and members of the community. Tessa Marsico, a student at Harrison High School , sang the National Anthem and God Bless America. Jaxson Colasacco, a student at LMK Middle School, read a personal reflection about growing up as a son of veterans; his mom and dad, as well as many relatives have served in the military.

HCSD Students Spread the Spirit of Giving

HHS Youth Volunteers of Harrison collected donations outside DeCicco’s and assembled Thanksgiving gift baskets.

 

The LMK Service Club organized a Thanksgiving Food Drive at the middle school.

 

Students from Harrison High School’s Youth Volunteers of Harrison (YVH) and the LMK Middle School Service Club embraced the spirit of giving this season by organizing food drives to support local families in need. Both extracurricular clubs are dedicated to serving the school and greater Harrison community through acts of kindness and service. YVH members collected donations outside DeCicco’s and assembled Thanksgiving gift baskets, while LMK students led a school-wide collection of holiday essentials. Together, their efforts will benefit the Harrison Food Pantry, helping to ensure every family in our community can enjoy a plentiful Thanksgiving.

If you would like to support the Harrison Food Pantry in ensuring every member of our community has access to nutritious food and support during the holidays and throughout the year, please contact Catherine Tammaro, Director of Community Services for the Town/Village of Harrison, at  914-670-3026.

Football Team Shows Winning Spirit Through Community Service 

For the second year in a row, Harrison Varsity Football players teamed up with Backyard Sports Cares for a day of camaraderie and community service. Varsity players volunteered to partner with special needs athletes to navigate the Boundless Adventure Course together.  For three hours (even longer for some) the players encouraged, supported and celebrated their partners, demonstrating compassion, patience, and leadership through every obstacle on the course. 
Varsity Football Head Coach Jay Ciraco believes the experience provides “an opportunity to instill important life lessons that extend beyond sports.” He also reflected that service provides athletes an opportunity to learn “success isn’t only measured by victories, but by how they contribute to the well-being of others.”
 
The day was a powerful reminder that sportsmanship and teamwork extend beyond the field. Members of the Husky squad shared reflections about their experiences working alongside special needs athletes: 
 
Captain, Aldo Buonocore:  It was an honor to be part of such an uplifting afternoon, watching each athlete overcome challenges with such courage and joy. The experience taught me valuable lessons in empathy and leadership: qualities that I hope to carry with me in everyday life and as a leader on the football field with my teammates.
 
Captain, Jack Badner: Working with special needs athletes at Boundless Adventures was a very rewarding experience. The impact that my team and I were able to have on the athletes is greater than any win on the field.
 

Senior CJ Pasquale: Working with the athletes was a meaningful experience that showed me how our team can positively impact others and strengthened my sense of responsibility as a leader in our community.

Another Impressive Start for HHS Debate Team; Andrew Gaffin Ranked #1 

The Harrison High School Debate Team has posted another impressive start to the season, winning top honors at several prestigious tournaments, garnering eight bids to the Tournament of Champions (TOC), and earning recognition for two students as Academic All-Americans.  Harrison again has the #1-ranked Lincoln-Douglas debater in the country, senior Andrew Gaffin, as well as the top 3, and 5 of the top 10 in New York state (Andrew is #1, Adeena Naeem is #2, Flynn Williams is #3, Atharv Gandhi is #6, and Beverly Kang is #7).
 
This year, the National Speech and Debate Association has recognized Andrew and Adeena as Academic All-Americans this year, which puts them in the top 1% of all speech and debate students around the country. The award recognizes academic rigor, competitive speech and debate success, and personal excellence. 
 
At the National Speech & Debate Association's Season Opener Tournament, Andrew placed 7th out of 252 competitors from around the country and earned his first qualifying bid to the TOC; Adeena and Alicia Zihenni also earned awards. The team continued its success at Yale University, where Kevin Iwanski reached the final round and placed 2nd overall in the JV division; Alicia was named 4th speaker out of 95 in the varsity division. At Valley High School’s national championship in Iowa, Andrew placed 3rd, Flynn 4th, Alicia 12th, and Adeena in the top 30, all earning bids to the TOC. Additionally, Alicia won Valley's Sophomore Throw-Down round robin, an invitational for 15 of the top sophomore debaters nationally. Andrew, Flynn, Alicia, and Atharv Gandhi also ranked among the top 20 speakers. The team’s momentum continued at the Bronx High School of Science’s national championship, where Andrew placed 3rd, Flynn 7th, and Adeena in the top 32, all again earning qualifying bids to the TOC. Andrew was also 7th speaker, and  Flynn was 14th.  Most recently, at Bronx Science’s Sister Raimonde Service Tournament, Paige Bianchini won the varsity championship, Lotte Leijdekkers placed in the top 12 in the novice division, and novice Gabi Catanzariti also achieved a winning record. Additionally, at the Online Debate League's recent tournament, Jordan Blake placed 3rd.

HHS Musicians Among the Best in Westchester, Perform at NYSSMA Festival

Thirty-four Harrison High School students were selected to perform in the 2025 New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA)  Area All-State Festival. Their outstanding performances and top scores at last spring’s NYSSMA Solo Festivals earned them this prestigious honor, recognizing them among the finest young musicians in Westchester County. The Festival took place on October 30th in the performing arts center at SUNY Purchase.  Congratulations to our remarkable student musicians…..Bravo! Symphony Orchestra: Aidan Grant, Nicky Li, Beverly Kang, Atharv Gandhi, Ritsu Kimura, Kayli Kyu; String Orchestra: Hana El Khoury, Iroha Kawata, Miho Masumura, Mizuki Horiuchi, Hina Kamada; Alternate: Neil Kaji, Sophia MacMillan, Lianni Forbes; Treble Choir: Ashley Aguilar, Gianna Aubry, Mira McKell, Neeve Kenny, Theresa DeRosa, Sophia Campos; Mixed Chorus: Joseph Montes, Ella Zamek, Eren Yoshimura, Maya Rolan, Emma O'Malley, Audrey Cheung, Kc Onwuasoanya, Kohaku Kawakami, Mary Crozier; Concert Band: Kinga Kozyra, Dashiel Grossberg, Giuliana Palmisano, Clement Riou, Benji Ferris, Riko Suzuki, Mei Maehara; Alternate: Matthew Basso

Marching Band Performs Halftime Show with UPenn Musicians

The HHS Marching Band performed the halftime show with the UPenn Band.

The Harrison High School Marching Band was invited to the University of Pennsylvania for an extraordinary opportunity to learn alongside the UPenn Marching Band.  HHS musicians mastered a new performance routine in just two weeks (the much faster college timeframe), performed the National Anthem at a UPenn football game, and took the field at half-time to perform together with the UPenn Marching Band. Students also received a special tour of the campus from the UPenn Marching Band Director, Dr. Kushol Gupta, whose day job is professor of biochemistry at the UPenn Medical School.  The unique experience offered HHS musicians an inside look at what it’s like to be part of a college marching band.

Tenure Celebration Recognizes Dedication and Impact of Educators

Family, friends, and colleagues joined together in the Performing Arts Center at Harrison High School to celebrate the District’s annual tenure ceremony. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Louis Wool welcomed the honorees and guests, sharing that the tenure celebration is one of his favorite events of the year because “it serves as a reminder of the importance of holding onto the values that make our district unique, the need to continue to grow and learn in order to best support our students, and to reflect on all of the exciting things we will continue to do.”  Achieving tenure in Harrison is a result of a rigorous process of evaluation and observation from multiple perspectives. Awarding tenure recognizes administrators, teachers, and teaching assistants who exemplify the district’s core values in their teaching and daily practice. Each recipient was recognized individually by their school principal, who shared examples of their dedication to creating learning environments where students thrive.

Congratulations to the 2025 tenure recipients! District Administration: Jennifer Egan, Jennifer Cippola, Jennifer Toscano; Harrison High School: Sarah Rowe, Elizabeth Wagner, Johanna Weidenhamer, Brittany Mitchell, Angela Brandt; LMK Middle School: Sandra Bodner, Molly Bryne, Carmella Fiumara, Aileen Lonergan, Danielle McWaters, Vincent Umbrino; Harrison Avenue Elementary School: Therese McDonough, Molly McGuire, Kimberly Zilempe; Parsons Elementary School: Desirae Ciaffone, Sophie Trecker, Sabrina Winoski; Preston Elementary School: Sarah Durso, Marissa Fiore, Erin O'Donnell, Christina Murray-Castellano; Purchase Elementary School: Sophia Conte, Lindsey Vanno

Community Carnival Supports Learning & Enrichment for Elementary Students 

 

The District Elementary Enrichment Committee (EEC) recently hosted its annual Community Carnival, an event that raises funds to support programs across all four Harrison elementary schools. Over the years, the carnival has become more than a fundraiser; it is a valued community tradition where Harrison families come together to enjoy games, rides, treats and activities in support of our elementary schools. The EEC, which includes members from each of the four elementary PTAs, works collaboratively to provide shared enrichment opportunities for students, including theater arts, cultural arts, and visiting author programs at Harrison Avenue, Parsons, Preston and Purchase Elementary Schools.

Western Spirit Shines Bright at HEF Fundraiser

Members of the Harrison community saddled up for the Harrison Educational Foundation’s (HEF) Country Western Night fundraiser. More than 200 guests enjoyed an evening of festivity and friendship in support of HEF’s mission to enhance educational opportunities across all six of the district’s schools.

 

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