August graduation canceled amid health concerns
Sophia Van Beek, Copy Editor
July 28, 2020
The Class of 2020 was informed on July 14 that their August graduation had been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns, making them the first class to not walk graduation terrace in celebration of their commencement. The announcement came after weeks of carefully weighing the numerous safety and logisti...
Masters releases action plan on inclusion as frustration with administration mounts
Mitch Fink, Editor-in-Chief
July 16, 2020
In an email sent to the Masters community on July 13, the school unveiled its new anti-racism plan: “A Better Masters: An Action Plan for an Inclusive Community.” The plan was signed by Head of School Laura Danforth, Chair of the Board of Trustees Edith Chapin, and Director of Equity and Inclus...
Obituary: Remembering Claire Arnod Horikawa
Kira Ratan, Web Editor & Social Media Manager
July 8, 2020
Claire Arnod Horikawa, a Dobbs Ferry resident and World Language Department Chair at the Hewitt School in New York City, died on Sun. June 21. She was 55. Horikawa had been riding her bike on Clinton Avenue on the evening of Sat. June 20 and was found on the ground unconscious adjacent to the Master...
The mystery of mask denial: Why is it so hard for Americans to mask up to save lives?
Logan Schiciano, New Ventures Editor
July 2, 2020
The United States reported 52,789 new coronavirus cases on July 1 – the most in a day since the start of the pandemic; yet, individuals across the United States, including many of the top officials in the Trump Administration, refuse to wear a mask. The Center for Disease Control originally issued gui...
Students involved in candidates’ campaigns push for change
Logan Schiciano, New Ventures Editor
June 20, 2020
With local primaries (NY on June 23, NJ on July 7 and CT on Aug. 11) right around the corner, Tower spoke with Masters students and alumni who have been involved in various candidates' campaigns. NOTE: Tower recently sent out a survey to the classes of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 regarding student ...
Democrats in NY’s 17th district fight for open seat in Congress
Kate Sibery, Editor-in-Chief
June 20, 2020
The race to represent NY-17 has become one of the most competitive in the country, as it presents the opportunity to win an open seat in a secure Democratic district that hasn’t existed in nearly three decades. The candidates’ campaign aspirations have reflected that same intensity. Tower spo...
Protestors gather in Dobbs Ferry for Black Lives Matter rally
Watch: Leron Dugan ‘20 gives a powerful speech at today’s Black Lives Matter rally in Dobbs Ferry. pic.twitter.com/gEKLUPR947
— Tower ("MastersTower) June 4, 2020
Mitch Fink, Editor-in-Chief
June 15, 2020
Hundreds gathered at the Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park for a Black Lives Matter rally on June 4. The rally was organized in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died at the hands of former police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25. Organized in ju...
Masters Hall renovations underway
Logan Schiciano, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
June 13, 2020
A major redesign of the Pittsburgh Library and its surrounding spaces, in addition to parts of the garden level of Masters Hall, is underway. The construction project, which has been in the works for years, should be completed by September 2020. With an emphasis on creating more collaborative and academic...
The COVID-19 blame game
Logan Schiciano, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
June 10, 2020
While the Trump Administration has pushed theories that COVID-19 started in a bio-lab in Wuhan, China and also blamed initial Chinese responses to the virus for the pandemic spread of the disease, the Chinese government has denied these allegations. Chinese boarding students at The Masters School...
Remote learning model prompts schedule shift
Kira Ratan, Web Editor & Social Media Manager
June 5, 2020
In time for the last month of school, the Masters School administration made several changes to the daily schedule in order to better accommodate the current remote learning model. These changes for the Upper School included shortened class periods, a later start time and earlier end time, more freq...
Co-chair elects plan for next year amid uncertainty
Annie Rubinson, News Lead Editor
June 5, 2020
Juniors Caio Lanes and Sophia Viscarello were elected as the 2020-2021 co-chairs for the Masters School, Upper School Head Peter Newcomb said in a schoolwide email in early May. Both Viscarello and Lanes said they were excited by the news. “I felt such pure excitement and joy,” Viscarell...
Middle School shifts from single-gender classes to co-ed learning
Tim Mathas and Mitch Fink
May 31, 2020
The Masters Middle School will be shifting to completely co-ed classes beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, per an email sent to Middle School families by Head of School Laura Danforth and Middle School Head Tasha Elsbach on Thursday, April 30. The gender-separated learning policy was implemented when the Mi...