The Masters School (Dobbs Ferry, NY)

Thought I’d update this thread with a “where to eat in Dobbs Ferry” suggestion:

http://www.theparlordf.com

Yeah, it’s a pizza parlor. But that’s like saying a Maserati is a car.

This has become our go-to place when visiting/picking up/dropping off 7D2. Great “artisan” pies (don’t be expecting a NY-style pizza…as awesome as that style is in its own right)…including unconventional combos like lemon (possibly candied?), smoked scamorza cheese, garlic, chili, and basil. Appetizers are great, too. I really enjoy their hen of the woods app.

Interesting observation by 7D1, who was visiting her sister’s school for only the second time, “the density of the town shops/restaurants is appealing…more ‘walkable’ than Middletown”

In other Masters news, the fencing and boys basketball teams had strong seasons. Details can be found on the Masters site.

My son is a graduate of the Masters School class of 2012. It’s an awesome school!

This just in:

The Masters School Receives $10 Million Gift

Largest Gift in School’s History Will Name the Maureen Fonseca Center for Athletics and Arts

Dobbs Ferry, NY, April 3, 2015 – The Masters School has received a $10 million gift from The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation of Bethesda, MD, the largest one-time gift in the School’s history. This endowment gift will be used to help offset the operating costs of the new Athletic and Arts Center, as well as provide permanent funds for faculty salaries, release time to develop new courses, and additional continuing education opportunities. The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation has made this grant in recognition of Head of School Dr. Maureen Fonseca’s fifteen years of extraordinary leadership. It was the Foundation board’s wish that the School name the new building the Maureen Fonseca Center for Athletics and Arts (Fonseca Center) in her honor.

At a recent strategic planning retreat, endowment growth was identified as essential to The Masters School’s sustainability. Tuition and fees do not cover the entire cost of educating and supporting Masters students. Annual income drawn from the School’s endowment and gifts to the Annual Fund help fill that gap, allowing Masters to offer its exceptional educational experience each year. Board Chair Tracy Tang Limpe '80 P’18 states that “this generous gift will provide a significant and valuable infusion of funds into our existing endowment. It is entirely fitting that it goes to support the Fonseca Center and our faculty, two of Maureen’s greatest hallmarks in her fifteen-year tenure.”


[Edited by SevenDad just so it’s not a big mess o’ text for you to read…]

For further information, contact Tim Kane, Associate Head of School for Institutional Advancement: 914-479-6527 or tim.kane@mastersny.org.

Hah! I know Tim Kane! Our kids went to school together way back when

Construction on the newly re-named Fonseca Center is continuing, and my daughter reports that you can see the suspended indoor track taking shape.

NYC-area prospects who are interested in trying fencing in HS…this just appeared in the weekly parent newsletter:

Join Coach Paul Friedman and members of Masters’ Varsity Fencing Team for a hands-on workshop and demonstration of the sport in the Middle School’s Great Hall on Sunday, May 3, from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM. The event is open to the public. To learn more, contact the Admission Office at admission@mastersny.org or 914-479-6420.

A relatively new Master’s tradition that sounds pretty cool to me :

“Each year, an album is chosen by Music teacher Gilles Pugatch, Art teacher Vincenzo Galgano, Drama teacher Jeff Carnevale, and Dance teacher Janie Wallace. The entire album is then performed onstage entirely by students. The project combines elements of musical performance, dance, theater tech, DJ’s and video installation to create a spectacular show.”

From an email to the parents this week. This year, they are covering Beck’s 1996 album “Odelay” (the one that featured cover art of a Komodor dog jumping over a hurdle). I know my daughter is pretty psyched to watch the performance tonight. Livestream available here: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/mastersny/

Performance starts at 7 pm.

Pulled a drive-by on campus last weekend and am happy to report that the Fonseca Center is looking pretty darn good. Impressive. Can’t wait to get an official tour in the coming weeks.

SevenDad, thanks for all the info you’ve posted here. As I am also a parent of color, I especially appreciate your p.o.v. My daughter is starting at Masters in the Upper School this year, and she could not be more excited. From what I’ve learned from the school, former and current parents and students, and our own interaction with staff and administration so far, the balanced focus on academics, athletics and the arts is a great match for her. She’s been playing varsity sports since middle school, so she’s eager to get a look at the Sports Center this weekend! I’m so looking forward to seeing how her year unfolds.

For those who might be interested, the Fonseca Center (formerly known as the MAAC) is slowly but surely coming together. The official dedication is tomorrow night, with various sections of the building coming online on a rolling basis. Masters has started posting pix to their Instagram account and it looks sharp!

[DELETED LINK, SEEMS LIKE CC DOESN’T LIKE IT]

Correct. Instagram, facebook, and the like are not allowed.

I attended the opening ceremony for the new Fonseca Center (formerly known as the Masters Athletic & Arts Center or MAAC) on Friday afternoon and am happy to report that the new facility is wonderful. In addition to the ribbon cutting for the entire building, it was also the debut of the Francisco Martin Fencing Room, which is named for the current longtime head coach of the Masters’ team. Coach Martin has been at Masters a long time, and has seen many of his fencers go on to NCAA programs. One of the alumni speakers was Susie Paxton, an Olympian. Two more recent graduates (who fence for Penn State and Johns Hopkins) also spoke and gave a demo. Having seen the room with my own two eyes now, I can verify that it is among the finest dedicated high school fencing facilities in the country — if not the finest (I’ve heard Dana Hall has a pretty nice fencing salle, but have never seen it myself). It’s even nicer than some college fencing rooms. The school has several new international students who are very high level fencers, so I’m very psyched for the season to start!

I’m sure Masters will be adding pix of the Fonseca Center to its website and Instagram channels soon, so look there for impending updates.

I stayed at a nearby hotel overnight so I could co-chaperone a new club’s field trip to the new Whitney Museum in NYC the next day…it takes about 50 minutes to get to Grand Central from Dobbs, and the train station is very walkable from the school grounds. If proximity to a big city (THE big city?) is important to you or your prospective student, add Masters to a very short list (that includes Episcopal, Madeira, Milton, and Andover…am I missing any?) of boarding schools.

Back from my second annual Family Weekend at Masters. While I had attended the official opening of the Fonseca Center (athletics & arts building) a few weeks ago, I had more free time to look around and even watch part of a game (girls volleyball) on this visit. It confirmed my initial impression (which had been “Wow”).

It was also the official installation of new Head of School Laura Danforth. The multiple introductory speeches were touching and occasionally funny (especially those by the student government heads) and Ms. Danforth’s own speech was wonderful. The event was held in the main gym of the new building, so I got to admire some of the features and details built into the structure. Again, very impressed.

The school has a great reputation for arts and humanities… do you think a STEM-focused girl might thrive there, too? (Said girl also sings in a choir and plays musical instruments… but is primarily interested in Math and Science…and Astronomy…)

My best friend goes there ahaha