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Application for Absentee Ballot for the May 17 2016 Election
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Celebrating Dr. Seuss
In celebration of the birthday of Dr. Seuss, Mayor Ed Fare read Dr. Seuss’s “There’s a Wocket in My Pocket” to Wheeler Avenue students during Dr. Seuss Pajama Night.
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Wellness at Wheeler
The Wheeler Avenue PTA hosted an evening of Family Fitness for students and their parents. Those who participated in this fun-filled event enjoyed exercising together while they learned the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise.
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A Wave of Talent at Wheeler
Wheeler Avenue students in grades 1-6 showcased their many talents much to the delight of all who attended the second annual Wheeler’s Got Talent show.
During the program, a group of sixth graders entertained the audience with a synchronized swimming routine.
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Celebrating Dr. Seuss and Read Across America Day
Students at Willow Road School celebrated beloved author Dr. Seuss' birthday by decorating classroom doors and hallways and with a special literacy event.
To encourage a love of reading and books, the Willow Road PTA generously donated books to all the students. Each class was invited to the library to choose from a wide selection of well-known titles and famous authors. Making this event extra special was the additional gift of a Dr. Seuss themed pencil.
Working with the PTA, librarian CaroleAnne Weik selected books familiar to her as all-time favorites and popular titles. March 2 was a national day to celebrate reading with "Read Across America Day" – nationwide all school age students were reading books to support the Parents As Reading Partners (PARP) and Be Excited About Reading (BEAR) activities.
Students left the library smiling and excited to get home and curl up with their new books.
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Writing, Sharing, Learning
Students in Mrs. Morreale's fourth-grade class at Wheeler Avenue turned writing into a celebration shared with their families and classmates. During the workshop, each student shared three different types of original essays. Each wrote a realistic fiction story featuring unique characters they created. They also wrote an opinion essay discussing whether or not kids should get paid for doing chores. The last piece of writing was an opinion essay based on articles they had read about school lunches. Everyone enjoyed reading and sharing their articles and discussing what they enjoyed most about the experience.
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Students Let Their Imaginations Fly
Willow Road School held their PTA Reflections award assembly to recognize the students who were this year’s award recipients.
Founded in 1969, the National PTA Reflections program involves nearly 300,000 students and their families in art education activities. The program invites students from pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade to explore the arts, create and to submit original works of art in several different categories for fun and recognition. This year's theme, "Let Your Imagination Fly," included the following categories: Dance Choreography, Literature, Photography, Film Production, Musical Composition, Visual Arts and a Special Artists Division. Congratulations to the following Willow Road School 2015-16 PTA Reflections winners:
Literature Entries
Primary Division (K-2nd)
1st place: Ryan Balsan (1st gr.) (Absent from photo)
Intermediate Division (3rd-5th)
1st place: Sophia Buccellato (5th gr.)
2nd place: John DeLutri (5th gr.)
3rd place: Tanner Barahona (5th gr.)
Honorable Mention: Nathalie Taveras ( 5th gr.)
Special Artist Division
1st place: Emely Otero (5th gr.) *Nassau Region Finalist
2nd place: Aidan Davila (5th gr.) *Nassau Region Finalist
3rd place: Oniel Spence (5th gr.)
Honorable Mention: Joseph Vella (5th gr.)
Visual Arts Entries
Primary Division (K-2nd)
1st place: Alessia Nunnari (2nd gr.)
2nd place: Emma Anteri (1st gr.)
3rd place: Ryan Balsan (1st gr.) (Absent from photo)
Honorable Mention: Emily Jackson (K) and Kayla Sooroojballie (K)
Intermediate Division (3rd gr. - 5th gr.)
1st place: Sophia Buccellato (5th gr.)
2nd place: Nora Rivera (3rd gr.)
3rd place: Michael Pagano (3rd gr.)
Honorable Mention: Lauren Orsano (3rd gr.), Kaitlyn Scialo (3rd gr.), Dayanara Castillo (4th gr.) and Angelina Odone (3rd gr.) (Absent from photo).
Middle School Division (6th)
Honorable Mention: Karime Ribeiro (6th gr.)
Special Artist Division:
1st place: Amaya Garcia (5th gr.)
2nd place: Joseph Vella (5th gr.)
3rd place: Nicholas DeCrescito (5th gr.)
Honorable Mention: Emely Otero (5th gr.) and Oniel Spence (5th gr.)
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James A. Dever School Youth Art Exhibit
As part of the school’s participation in National Youth Art Month, students at James A. Dever School will be showcasing their artistic talents in a school-wide exhibit on display during the month of March.
Visitors to the school will have an opportunity to view and enjoy various paintings, sculptures, collages and prints created by the talented and dedicated students attending James A. Dever School.
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Celebrating the Year of the Monkey
Howell Road School kindergarten students celebrated the start of the Chinese New Year by wearing red and marching in a grand parade throughout the school.
During the event, the students learned the meaning of tradition, and how different groups of people celebrate holidays unique to them. The students decorated the hallways with signs that read "Gung Hay Fat Choy," which translates to "Best wishes and congratulations. Have a prosperous and good new year." They also sang songs in celebration of the holiday season and paraded around the school with a traditional paper dragon, a popular symbol of Chinese New Year that represents strength, goodness and good luck. The event culminated a week of learning in which students were taught several of the traditions of the Chinese New Year, including the handing down of beliefs, legends and customs from generation to generation.
Considered the most important of all Chinese holidays, the New Year celebration begins on the first day of the lunar calendar and ends on the first day of the full moon. This year, which is the Year of the Monkey, the first day of the lunar calendar fell on Feb. 7, and the celebration came to a close on Feb. 22.
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Long Island Regional Spelling Bee Finalist
Sixth-grade student John Youssef in Mrs. Valerie Cassano’s class represented Wheeler Avenue School and the District at the LI Regional Spelling Bee held at Hofstra University on Sunday, March 13, 2016.
John was one of 36 finalists who qualified after the preliminary round.
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Building a Connection for the Future
Members of the Student Peer Organization (SPO) at North Jr.-Sr. High School visited with sixth-grade students at James A. Dever to address any concerns and answer questions they might have about moving into the high school next year.
SPO is a group of juniors and seniors who foster positive relationships between older and younger students within the schools and assist incoming seventh graders through their first year in a high school setting.
Members are trained in problem solving techniques, decision-making activities and skills for group leadership. Each year, SPO representatives visit the sixth-grade classes in Valley Stream UFSD Thirteen to facilitate a lesson on emotional intelligence. The focus of the lesson is to help students identify potentially stressful situations, the behaviors and feelings that may result, and to then develop healthy strategies for handling those emotions.
The students present the lesson at this time of the year as a beginning of the transition to the seventh grade at North. Since juniors in SPO will be meeting with the sixth-grade students when they enter seventh grade, the lessons learned and the relationships established help to pave the way for a smooth transition into seventh grade.
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Joining Forces for Education
Educational advocacy was at the heart of the 20th annual Legislative Breakfast, hosted by the Valley Stream Council of PTAs on March 12. Elected officials, school district leaders and staff along with members of the Valley Stream community were present at Valley Stream Memorial Junior High School for a conversation about topics critical to the programs, funding and future of public education.
Represented at the breakfast was the Valley Stream Central High School District as well as the elementary districts: Valley Stream District 30, District 24 and District 13. Several political dignitaries were in attendance, including Mayor Edwin Fare, Town of Hempstead Councilman Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Legislator William Gaylor, Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages, New York Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, New York Assemblyman Brian Curran and Tom Curry from U.S. Congresswoman Kathleen Rice’s office. “The community's engagement at the breakfast is a testament to the understanding that advocacy for our children must be a continuous and concerted effort,” said Valley Stream UFSD Thirteen Superintendent of Schools Constance D. Evelyn.
The participants engaged in discussions regarding important issues such as Common Core, the Gap Elimination Adjustment, state aid, the tax levy cap, teacher evaluations, testing and more. The political leaders introduced themselves and summarized the efforts they have taken in the past year to benefit their school districts, then expressed their opinions and goals regarding education-related issues. They encouraged those in the audience to be active in communicating concerns and feedback.
“There’s more to the whole child than just a single test,” said Valley Stream Central High School District Board of Education President Dr. Frank Chiachiere, who also serves on the Valley Stream UFSD Thirteen Board of Education. “Valley Stream is committed to each child, every day.”
The gathering of these individuals demonstrated the shared value that the Valley Stream schools, residents and local officials place on education, and their determination to be heard by the leaders in Albany.
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Valley Stream Students Get Heart Healthy
Students at James A. Dever School had a fantastic time jumping, dancing and shooting baskets, when the school hosted a fun-filled event, which promoted heart health and benefited the American Heart Association.
Surrounded by family members and with deejay music pumping through the gymnasium, students took part in Hoops for Heart and Jump Rope for Heart activities, which included jumping in and out of heart-shaped jump ropes, dancing to “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” and shooting baskets. Physical education teachers Carrie Lundgren and Peter Schwasnick planned the activities.
According to Lundgren, the children practiced cardio respiratory endurance exercises and sought donations for the American Heart Association for four weeks, prior to taking part in the event. The students also learned about making healthy food choices and were encouraged to be active outside of school.
“We explained to the students that heart disease is a major problem in our country and how lucky we are that everyone in our school has a healthy heart. We also discussed the importance of giving back to those in need, especially those with sick hearts,” Lundgren said.
More than 1,000 hand-colored paper hearts that read, “I care” could be seen covering the walls of the school’s gymnasium. Lundgren said the students created the hearts during their spare time.
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Looking Back in Time and Into the Future
Students in Ms. Phillips’ sixth grade class at James A. Dever School welcomed fifth-grade students to their Social Studies Expo. The sixth graders created a museum representing the ancient worlds they have studied during this school year. The students touring the museum saw pyramids, ziggurats, canopic jars, writing forms, gods and even a mummification ceremony.
The student museum was the culminating event to support the sixth-grade social studies curriculum. Unique displays cleverly demonstrated the components of a successful civilization. The students eagerly shared their knowledge and discussed their research on Egyptian gods, weapons and defense tactics, agriculture, language, communication, government and irrigation.
Touring the museum gave the fifth-grade students a sneak peek into what they would be learning in social studies next year, and the exciting research project they can look forward to.
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Students Test Their Skills at Willow Road
The long awaited seventh annual, PTA sponsored Brain Challenge Game Show finally arrived and Willow Road students were ready to meet the challenge.
The show's host, Mr. Allen Strauss and Randi, his referee kept the show amusing and entertaining. The audience was split into two teams, the red team vs. the blue team. The students appointed teacher captains and the captains choose students to compete in each event.
Competitions included quick thinking trivia questions, fast moving team building activities, the classic Hula-Hoop challenge, Tug-o-War, Simon Says and a fantastic dance-off competition. Thank you to PTA representative Liz Meany for coordinating this spectacular event. The Brain Challenge assembly is always a huge sensation at Willow Road School.
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We’re Off to See the Wizard
Willow Road's first-grade classes are over the rainbow about the Wizard of Oz. Students in Mrs. Mendes’s and Mrs. Coryell's classes began this exciting unit by sharing the classic novel, reading aloud as a class and discussing the characters, setting, and exciting adventures of the fabulous foursome.
The children enjoyed following Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion on their infamous journey through Oz. On March 4th, they were off to see the wizard as they followed the yellow brick road and boarded the bus for a field trip to the Bellmore Theatre.
After the excitement of seeing the story come to life on stage, the students then enjoyed watching “The Wizard of Oz” movie. Students were surprised to notice the similarities and differences between the many versions of the book, play, and the movie. As they learned about graphing in their current math unit, the boys and girls created picture graphs to show their favorite characters and their favorite version of the story. They also made connections to their science curriculum while they discussed light energy and how it creates a rainbow. They even wrote about what they would do if they were citizens of the Emerald City. Although there's no place like home at Willow Road School, the students really enjoyed their visit to the Bellmore Theatre to see "The Wizard of Oz.”
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A Day at the Opera
On Monday March 7, sixth-grade students from Howell Road School, their teachers, parents and music teacher Michael Rodgers had the unique pleasure of attending the opera, "L'Elixir d'Amore" at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center.
From the moment they arrived, the students were mesmerized by the opera house including the velvet seats, the enormous crystal chandeliers and gold plated ceiling. As they watched this lively and fun opera by Gaetano Donizetti performed by some of the world’s most renowned opera singers, they were amazed by the costumes, colors and incredible music.
This trip would not have been possible without the support of the Howell Road School PTA, who generously donated the subscriptions again this year for the students to attend and continue to experience a day at the opera at the world famous "Met.
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Concert Time at Willow Road School
On March 15, Willow Road School held its first of two spring concerts. It was no surprise that, once again, the students and music directors captivated the audience with a spectacular presentation.
Included in the program were the band and orchestra, conducted by Ms. Cynthia Shannon and the chorus, directed by Mrs. Kristan Nordquist, with special performances by an amazingly talented string quartet that performed "The Barber of Seville's Dream.” To add to the show, the Willow Road School’s very own rock band, Rock Nation, rocked out their rendition of "Crazy Train.” The grand finale was set to the song "I Gotta Feeling" and featured the chorus, band and orchestra.
Of significant note, is the fact that this year Willow Road School has 33 participants in NYSSMA, the New York State School Music Association Festival, including 5 from orchestra, 11 from band and 17 from chorus. This is a true testament to the Valley Stream UFSD Thirteen’s outstanding music program and the dedication of these talented musicians and vocalists.
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History Comes to Life at Howell Road
Fourth-graders at Howell Road School culminated their studies of Colonial America with a Colonial Times Celebration on March 22. Donning clothing representative of the era, the students were brought back in time as they explored a variety of traditional colonial activities.
The students constructed their paper bonnets and hats in school prior to the celebration, and many took their attire to another level by sporting long dresses, slacks and collared shirts that were typical of the colonial time period.
As the morning kicked off, students sang the classic tunes of “Sarasponda” and “Soldier, Soldier Will You Marry Me?” They then danced the Virginia Reel, which entertained the audience of parents, staff members and other guests who were in attendance.
Following the performances, the fourth-graders broke into three groups and rotated among various craft activity stations where they created yarn dolls, whirligig spin toys and cross-stitch projects. Teachers Paula Barnick, Danielle Dodge, Rachel Jean-Claude, Catherine Ricchiuti and Kelly Wilcha organized the event and helped to create a realistic colonial experience for all involved.
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Board of Education Hosts Second Commendation Ceremony
The Board of Education hosted its second Commendation Award Ceremony, an initiative introduced earlier this school year, on March 22. A number of students, along with two staff members, received certificates of acknowledgment and rounds of applause as they were individually recognized during the celebration.
Superintendent of Schools Constance D. Evelyn welcomed the honorees and their guests on behalf of the Board of Education and administration. “The recognition you are receiving this evening is a tribute to how much we value your hard work and dedication to excellence. We hope that it will encourage the maintenance of your outstanding efforts,” she said. “We commend your efforts and want you to know that we highly value your level of commitment.”
Howell Road school psychologist Dr. Gaston Weisz and James A. Dever art teacher Janis Boremski were recognized prior to the presentation of student awards. Dr. Weisz was congratulated for co-authoring research that was selected for publication in the journal Psychology in Schools, and for developing two presentation proposals that were accepted for use at the National Association of School Psychologists’ annual conference. Ms. Boremski was honored for leadership with students through efforts such as Lights On for Education, Reflections and Youth Art Month.
The first students honored were those who had participated in the Colors of Long Island Art Exhibition, a festival that invites students to submit artwork for display at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook. The honorees included Joseph Chetram, Joshua Hunt, Afia Kapadwala, Gabriella Rivera, Kira Sherman and Leah Thyme.
The next round of student recognitions were presented to members of the Care Package Club, who created blankets and cards for children in hospitals, as well as for veterans and service members. The award recipients were Ricky Chen, Mikayla Cittadino, Gabrielle DiCostanzo, Jenna Graziano, Megan McDermott, Olivia Muscatelli, Nyla Phillips and Christina Ravo.
The largest presentation of awards was bestowed upon students who performed in the All-County Music Festival, an opportunity sponsored by the Nassau Music Educators Association for which students are selected based on their New York State School Music Association solo evaluations. This year, an unprecedented number of Valley Stream UFSD Thirteen students were selected to All-County ensembles. Those honorees included the following: Samantha Altieri, Sofia Barry, Gianna Betzu, Frank Castrofilippo, Isabella Cheque, Ava Cicilia, Michelle Cuocci, Ynah Delamerced, John Delcarpine, Connor Donovan, Madelyn Dusel, Charlotte Graham, Nicholas Grosso, Lindsay Guerra, Sarah Gutierrez, Aiden Hack, Joshua Hunt, Lindsay Jacob, Kate Kalb, Vivian Laskowski, Elyas Layachi, Hannah Lee, Eilanna Madonia-Brea, Grace Mahoney, Rei Maldonado, Giovanni Mascetti, Grace Mastandrea, Ashley Matos, Sarah McGrath, Matthew Meaney, Emma Michel, Nicole Morera, Fazan Munshi, Steven Munson, Sophia Mura, Leah Narain, Marissa Nardone, Craig Papajohn-Shaw, Gianna Petrucelli, Johansson Ramos, Michael Ramos, Kayla Santo, Kira Sherman, Abigaille St. Fort, Samantha Szabo, Megan Taylor, Matthew Tineo, John Valencia, Olivia Walsh, Melan Williams, Amanda Wong, Lucy Wu, Karen Ye, Ivan Ymaz, John Youssef, Alexandria Zerbarini, Ella Zhuo and Kate Zydor.
Also honored for her musical accomplishments was Tiffany Wong, who, along with Michelle Cuocci, was selected to participate in the Long Island String Festival Association’s specialized ensemble.
The next group of awards was presented to participants in the Farmingdale State College All-County Art Exhibition, which featured the works of students throughout Nassau County. Tazio Barra, Sophia Buonomo, Camila Camacaro, Ricky Chen, Reannah Dautruche, Melanie Gangi, Nalani Gayle, Argelina Jeune, Josephine Scalia, Zainab Shahzad, Paris Siegel and Jimmy You were the honorees.
Recognitions were then bestowed upon Aleeza Dhillon, Ericka Leus, Tamryn McKenzie, Sofia Raza and Laraib Rehman, whose artwork was chosen for display in the New York State Art Teachers Association Legislative Art Exhibit. Their pieces were showcased at the state capitol and viewed by the state’s political leaders as well as the Albany community.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of honors for students who are taking part in the Long Island Art Teachers Association’s “Art in HeART” exhibition, held in conjunction with the New York State Art Teachers Association. Sophia Buccellato, Iveilys Castro, Sabrina Garufi, Christopher Gutierrez, Aiden Hack, Ariann Jean-Baptiste, Ryan Mangru, Allister Roache, Logan Schafer, Peter Tumminello, Sophia Valverde and Gabrielle Walker will have their work showcased in this exhibition. “We are so proud of these students and their diligence in achieving excellence,” Ms. Evelyn stated as the event came to a close. “To our parents and community members, we also commend you on your commitment to supporting our young people to strive for high achievement.”
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