The End

Somers Spectator Is Logging Off

We began the Somers Spectator because the Town of Somers, NY had no local newspaper and we wanted a central source of news and information about our hometown.  Our tag line in the masthead stated our reason for being: “Because Somers Has No Local Newspaper Of Its Own.”  We were pleasantly surprised as our readership grew.  In the last 30 days, the Somers Spectator had nearly 3000 page views.

However, Somers, NY now has two local newspapers -- the digital daily, The Daily Somers and the print weekly, The Somers Record. These are professional organizations that have publishers, editors and reporters.  We welcome them!

With two real newspapers in town, it is time to retire the Somers Spectator.  We thank our readers and supporters.  We enjoyed the experience.

Sincerely

Somers Spectator

Newspapers Covering Somers, NY

Newspapers

Daily Somers
Somers Records [not on web]
LoHud.com - Somers
NCNLocal.com - Somers
Northern Westchester Examiner 

Two From SHS Accepted To Summer School of Orchestral Studies

Jemmin Chang and Alicia Wu from Somers High School in Somers, NY were accepted to the prestigious New York Summer School for the Arts, according to the June 2011 edition of the Trumpeter published by the Somers High School PTSA.  The two teens will be rehearse with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Saratoga Center for the Performing Arts this summer.  “This is the first time a Somers student has been accepted for this honor, and this year we have two!” says the Trumpeter.  

The online Trumpeter is available here. 

The examiner.com for Albany, NY in a January 21, 2011 article described the program as follows: 

The New York State Summer School of Orchestral Studies is accepting 115 New York State High School students to study and rehearse with the Philadelphia Orchestra in residence at Saratoga Performing Arts Center under the artistic direction of Russell Stanger. Students will have the opportunity to work side by side with first-chair members with the chance to work for four weeks, coached in small groups and in sectional rehearsals, performing repertoire while attending elective classes in the history, literature and theory of music. The orchestra program is co-sponsored by the New York State School Music Association, The Saratoga Performing Arts Center and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Auditions will be held at 10 different locations throughout the state, student must audition successfully in order to become a member or alternate. 

LINKS:

http://www.somersptacouncil.org/SHS/Newsletters/SHSJune11.pdf

http://www.examiner.com/arts-education-in-albany/new-york-state-summer-school-of-the-arts-education-funding-cuts

Are Grads Ready For College? NYS Grades Somers High School

Only 60% of Somers High School grads are "college-ready", even though over ninety percent graduate. Those are some of the findings in the June 14 report issued by the NYS Board of Regents.  Somers beats the state-wide average by a huge margin, but its college readiness percent is in the bottom half of public schools in Westchester County.  Seven high schools in Westchester County scored over 80% on the college-readiness standard.  Locally, Carmel High School is at 60%, Fox Lane, 69%, John Jay, 78% and North Salem, 78%. Mayor Bloomberg of New York City said of that city’s rates:  “There is no percent under 100 percent that we are satisfied with.”

According to the Board of Regents, "Students who graduate high school – but do so with a score below 80 on a math Regents exam and below 75 on the English exam – are likely to require remediation in college." 

This standard -- percent of students scoring at least 75 on English and 80 on math Regent exams -- was once referred to as the "college and career ready" graduation rate.  The Board's new terminology -- perhaps designed not to offend school boards but to keep parents and taxpayers in the dark -- is “ELA/Math APM” with APM meaning "aspirational performance measure".  

The Board of Regents press release of June 14 is here.

Data for Westchester County schools is tabulated by LoHud.com here.  State-wide data and by schools is available at the NYSED web site under Graduation Rate Data - June 14, 2011

Read the following news stories: June 14 in the New York Times, College-Readiness Low Among State Graduates, Data Show and June 14 in LoHud.com, N.Y. graduates not ready for college, according to new state standards.

See our earlier posts on this topic, Are Grads Ready For College? Somers High School Report Card - English Regents Exam [March 15, 2011] and Are Grads Ready For College? Somers High School Report Card - Math Regents Exam [March 30, 2011].

LINKS:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/pressRelease/20110614/GradRatesRelease-FINAL.2011.pdf

http://www.lohud.com/assets/htm/BH175618614.HTM

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/pressRelease/20110614/home.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/nyregion/37-of-new-york-graduates-meet-college-readiness-standard.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=sharonotterman&adxnnlx=1308421962-fqboLcW2IT/+7Akbx3nLRw

http://www.LoHud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011106150340

http://somersspectator.blogspot.com/2011/03/somers-high-school-report-card-english.html

http://somersspectator.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-grads-ready-for-college-somers-high.html

Somers Pepsi Workers Give Back to Community

From the Harrison Patch.  Pepsi Beverages Company [based in Somers, NY] is holding its fourth annual Gives Back Days Wednesday and Thursday, when Pepsi employees will volunteer at more than 20 charitable organizations in Westchester and Putnam counties and Connecticut.  
Joe Coussan, a spokesperson for PBC, said that approximately 500 employees will participate in various volunteer activities over the next two days.


Pepsi Beverages Company, the bottling division of PepsiCo, renewed its lease at its Somers headquarters in January, and Coussan said that has made this year's event even more pertinent.

Read the June 15, 2011 Harrison Patch story, Somers Pepsi Workers Give Back to Community.


LINKS:
http://harrison.patch.com/articles/somers-pepsi-workers-give-back-to-community

Antlers' Silberman Interviewed In Pitchfork

Peter Silberman, the founder of and creative force behind the indie band the Antlers, grew up in Somers, NY.  This week he is interviewed in Pitchfork for its 5-10-15-20  feature.  To read about the music Silberman, age 25, loved at five-year interval points in his life, check out  5-10-15-20: The Antlers' Peter Silberman in Pitchfork.

LINKS:

http://pitchfork.com/news/42860-5-10-15-20-the-antlers-peter-silberman/