Local Debate Begins on Future of Specialized High School Test

By DAVID CRUZ

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s decision to delay discussion on whether to keep or reject the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) opens the door for a yearlong conversation. And at least two local legislators look to keep the test, with one requesting add-ons be included. Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz and state Senator Jamaal Bailey told the Norwood News that keeping the test is vital to the selection process of the city’s most prestigious schools. Dinowitz and Bailey both attended the Bronx High School of Science in Bedford Park, a highly sought-after specialized high school for placement. Questions over whether to outright

By PS/MS 95

When contemporary teachers decide to collaborate, they have a daunting task: to create and utilize curricula to make sure that each child has access to, that is an “entry point” or “stepping stone” into the learning, so that each child can be successful. Under the leadership of school principal Serge Marshall Davis, PS/MS 95, teachers at the Sheila Mencher School have taken up the challenge of collaboration with a mission: to provide enhanced opportunities for student learning. The challenge is motivated from the heart: the teachers’ sincere desire to improve the students’ deeper learning and by the mind: the intellectual

By DAVID CRUZ

Bad blood and jealousy ended with the death of one man and the arrest of another for his murder. Police said Dwayne Saunders, 37, of Queens, was fatally struck by two bullets as he ran for his life along East 209th Street and Perry Avenue on May 1. Detectives 52nd Precinct and Bronx Homicide Task Force arrested Tyrone Frank, 33, on June 7, more than a month after police distributed wanted fliers alleging he fatally shot Saunders. Police said the shooting was sparked when Frank ran into Saunders hanging out in a playground with Saunders’ current girlfriend and

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers their thoughts on the NFL’s new policy of issuing fines to players who publicly kneel in protest during the singing of the National Anthem. It’s the American anthem and any NFL, NBA or players of any sport should have the right to kneel. I don’t think it’s fair that they’re now penalized and all they are doing is respecting ordinary people–us. I think President [Donald] Trump is partially responsible for taking away their right of free speech. I am a football fan, I’ll probably still watch, but not be into it as much as I was because

Editor’s Pick Family Fitness Festival The public is invited to a free Family Fitness Festival at Williamsbridge Oval Park on June 16 from noon to 3 p.m. Events include zumba exercise, healthy cooking demonstrations, face painting, relay races and health workshops. Onstage The Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd., presents Sonido Costeño Trio in Concert, June 9 at 2:30 p.m. featuring Latin and other world music. For more information, call (718) 579-4244/46/57 or visit www.nypl.org. Riverdale Choral Society presents Summer Sing featuring two Requiems, June 13 at 7:30 p.m. ($15), at Christ Church Riverdale, 5030 Henry Hudson Pkwy. (252nd

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Reimagining Mosholu Parkland Residents are invited to a brainstorming session on improving sections of Mosholu Parkland on June 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sister Annunciata Bethell Senior Center, 243 E. 204th St. The event is hosted by Citizens Committee in conjunction with Friends of Mosholu Parkland. For more information, contact Elizabeth Quaranta at mosholuparkland@gmail.com. Bronx Career Fair A career fair will be held at Hostos Community College, C Building/East Academic Complex, 3rd floor gym, 450 Grand Concourse on June 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, email Lisanette Rosario, director of career services, at Lrosario@hostos.cuny.edu.

MEMBERS OF THE Washington Greys Military Cadets, based at the Kingsbridge Armory, spent the weekend flagging the graves of U.S. military members. Photo by David Greene

By DAVID GREENE

Some 250 volunteers spent the week before Memorial Day carefully locating the more than 7,000 members of the U.S. military who are buried among the hundreds of thousands of individuals buried at the sprawling 40-acre site at Woodlawn Cemetery. Washington Greys Military Cadets Major Fernando Maria joined 35 youngsters to locate the veterans at the landmark cemetery. They were given maps of the cemetery, identifying G.I.s with the placement of an American flag by their tombstone. “We’ve been here since about 10 in the morning,” said Maria. “We had four sheets, roughly about 500 graves. We completed one whole section

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers! The latest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of Bronx news to spread around. We’ve packed 12 pages of original reporting by our talented rotation of reporters we hope you’ll find insightful. For now, let’s begin with page one and a long-awaited project. That project falls in the heart of Norwood, Williamsbridge Oval Park. It’s there where a ceremonial groundbreaking of the highly anticipated skate park took place to the pride of many stakeholders involved. Read the city Parks Commissioner’s comments on this latest project. Read also why some will view this project as

Ground Formally and Finally Broken for Oval Skate Park

By MARTIKA ORNELLA and JOSE A. GIRALT

“Today is a big day for the Norwood community,” said city Parks Department Commissioner Mitchell Silver, standing at a podium in front of the future site of the neighborhood’s first skate park. “We’re starting construction on something we’ve been waiting for for a very long time: A skate park right here in Williamsbridge Oval [Park].” Together, with a number of skateboarding enthusiasts in the Bronx, local officials and community leaders gathered at a ceremonial groundbreaking on June 5 to usher in construction of the long-awaited skate park. Councilman Andrew Cohen, representing Norwood, funded $750,000 in capital money towards the construction