CSS Cycling Program Rolls!

With the financial assistance of parent donors and strong community partners such as Bike New York and Harlem’s own Mod Squad Cycles, CSS-MSE has added cycling to its fitness program this Semester. Parent donors raised approximately $6000 through our mini-grants website to make this program a reality.  Our super cycling staff includes Math Professor Dee Martin, competitive cyclist Cami Kornelly, and lifelong cycling enthusiast and Resident Philosopher Paul Thomson.   The cycling fitness curriculum runs for an eight week session in which 24 students at a time learn the rules of the road, safe hand-signaling, basic bike maintenance, and defensive road riding skills. Beginner riders work closely with instructors to master balance and coordination, while more advanced students venture to Central Park and Riverside Greenway trails. Future plans include June Semester city-rides and Saturday rides.

 
Earlier this year, Profs Ligocki, Swan, Hill, Martin, Russell, Stillman, and Cornelly participated in Bike New York's Bicycle Educator Safety clinic, enabling CSS to have a cadre of teachers capable of leading educational rides. Faculty spent nearly seven hours learning techniques for safe group leadership, as well as training exercises and curriculum. Course leader Rich Conroy has built Bike New York's bike education program from the ground up, and his leadership in this course was superlative. 
 
Mod Squad Cycles, a Harlem-based and family-owned shop, worked closely with Assistant Principal Andrew Stillman to provide us heavily discounted pricing on a fleet of FUJI Adventure 3.0 mountain bikes and accessories.   Mod Squad’s owner, Oyeshiku Carr, was exceptionally helpful in finding us a high quality bike at the price we were able to afford.