http://www.bethpagecommunity.com Copyright 2012 Syntax Communications Click Here for Budget Information Absentee Ballot Bethpage Newsletter - Budget Edition 2012 Property Tax Report Card http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4405 Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Re-Registration Letter Re-Registration Form http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5363 Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Kramer Lane held its annual Art Show on April 3, 2012. Under the direction of Kramer Lane's art teacher, Mrs. Norris, every student from the building had at least one piece of artwork on display. Many parents and individuals from the community visited the show and appreciated the hard work of our students. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5772 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 at Kramer Lane assisted in helping to plant fresh annuals in the front beds in an effort the add beautiful color to the front grounds of the school. With the help and assistance from Kramer Lane PTA members, Mrs. Vasi and Mrs. Palzer-Lee, students volunteered their recess time to give a helping hand. The beds look terrific and are ready to welcome all those who will be attending our "Special Person's Day" on Friday, May 18, 2012. Thank you to all those who volunteered their time. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5773 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5774 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT JFK Orchestra students attended a performance by the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in New York on Friday, May 4. Conductor Alan Gilbert led the orchestra in a performance of Dvorak's Carnival Overture and the world premiere of Magnus Lindberg's Concerto Number 2, with soloist Yefim Bronfman. The concert closed with a dynamic performance of Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5775 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Monday, May 14th JFK students attended a BINGO activity. Students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to compete in various Bingo games. The topics ranged from geometry, state capitals, parts of speech and animal classification to bullying prevention, Disney and football. Students were given definitions or trivia questions about the terms so that they needed to not only find them on their Bingo boards but also understand them. We learned new facts and had a great time doing it! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5776 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT The JFK Junior Society Trip to Baltimore and Philadelphia went extremely well. Students were able to get to many attractions including Fort McHenry, Maryland Science Center, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Franklin Institute and more. Everyone had a great time and the students received numerous complements from hotel, restaurant and museum staff. Thanks to the teachers for making all the arrangements, especially our Advisor Ms. Mastellone! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5777 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT The ACE students, along with the help of some friends, created some delicious "sushi," using Peeps, Rice Krispie treats and Fruit Roll-ups. We had a great afternoon together celebrating spring. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5778 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5779 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT *****UPDATE****** Click Here for update Congratulations to our very own Ms. Greco who has been named a finalist in Live with Kelly! Top Teacher contest! We are all very proud of her work! She was nominated by Mrs. Ingenito, a JFK parent, particularly for her work with our Challenger Basketball team. Now everyone in Bethpage has to go to the site and vote for Ms. Greco! Go to: http://dadt.com/live/contest/topteachersearch/12/vote/ Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5420 Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT U.S. News released its list of Best High Schools in America and BHS ranked 494 out of 22,000 schools! We were a gold medal winner in the rankings. Congratulations to the faculty and staff and to the students who have enrolled in rigorous courses that the rankings are based on. See the entire listing at: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/national-rankings http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5710 Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5636 Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Friday May 4, FIAT representative Michael Germana visited the Italian classes of Bethpage High School to talk and demonstrate the new FIAT cars, designed in Italy and manufactured in Michigan. Mr. Germana spoke to a group of more than fifty high school students from the classes of Signor Vincenzo Maio and Signora Jacqueline Jill Rito interested in discovering more about Italian design, marketing and imports. After speaking to the students and showing a video in the Little Theater, the classes went outside to see the 2012 FIAT 500 Sport POP, climb inside and feel the new reliability that FIAT and Chrysler now represent since its re-entry into the American market in 2011 with a totally new product after years of research and development. Students asked questions, sat in the car and after Mr. Germana's expert talk on the advantages of the FIAT 500, such as superb safety features and gas mileage of 44 miles per gallon, students reassessed their ideas about smaller cars and some even considered further investigation into their first car as a FIAT. Our gratitude to Mr. Germana and FIAT of Westbury for their collaboration in bringing a little bit of Italy to our students! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5637 Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Honors Living Environment students attend a histotechnology career day field trip. Students observed tissue fixed in alcohol that could be prepared for viewing under the microscope. They then got to do some hands-on embedding of buttons in paraffin and placed these materials into a microtome, turned the wheel and used forceps to pull sections after cutting to place in a water bath. Students got to make prepared slides just like histotechnologists do. The staining process was explained and we viewed slides under super powered microscopes of images of particular tissues. We were able to see the difference between what is normal verses abnormal (cancer cells). The students really enjoyed the trip and said how informative the presentation and activities were. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5638 Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT JFK students met after school with Ms. Okita and Ms. Maloney throughout the month of April. Students learned how to hand sew. Using felt fabric, they created tote bags for a Mother's Day gift. They were able to choose their own colors and use a pattern for their own chosen designs. The students had a great time and were able to create beautiful gifts for a special woman in their lives. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5639 Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT The 4th grade students at Kramer Lane participated in an International Feast on Thursday May 3rd. After the students researched a country of their ancestry, they created PowerPoint presentations about their counties to share with their parents. Under the direction of Mr. Wibben, the music teacher, students in Mrs. Caliguri, Mrs. Dionne and Mrs. Swartz's classes performed dances from around the world. The students and their guests then sampled foods from around the world at the feast. All the students and guests had a wonderful time and enjoyed "traveling around the world" without ever leaving Bethpage! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5640 Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5581 Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT At our Annual Recognition of Excellence Dinner, nine Bethpage High School students chose an elementary, middle and high school teacher who had a positive influence on them. It was a great night as the students spoke with great poise and maturity and the teachers were recognized for their long hours and dedication to assisting children. Thanks to everyone including the BHS Jazz Ensemble for their stellar performance! The parents had much to be proud of on this evening! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5454 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Second-grade students at Charles Campagne Elementary School in the Bethpage Union Free School District received a lesson on different types of birds and their habitats when they were visited by instructor Donna Waldenburg of the Long Island Center for Arts and Sciences. After presenting a slideshow to the second graders, Mrs. Waldenburg discussed various species of birds, their instincts, what they eat, and how and why they migrate. She also led students through a hands-on activity in which they made birdfeeders from a pinecone, a piece of yarn, vegetable shortening, and birdseed. The students were eager to bring home their birdfeeders to hang them in their own trees. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5465 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Special education teacher Danielle Greco at John F. Kennedy Middle School in the Bethpage Union Free School District was nominated and has been named a finalist for Live’s 3rd Annual Top Teacher Search, which is sponsored by television personality Kelly Ripa on the Live with Kelly show. Denise Ingenito, mother of JFK student Peter Ingenito, nominated Ms. Greco for the contest. Below is her letter of recommendation: “I nominate Danielle Greco for Top Teacher. Ms. Greco is a special education teacher at JFK Middle School. She became our son’s and many other students' ‘on earth angel’ upon entering middle school! Our son Peter is diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, an autistic spectrum disorder. His ability to adjust to new environments, deal with highly stimulating situations, and make friends has always been difficult. Academically, he is very bright but becoming overwhelmed leads to confusion and disorganization -- all issues that become a challenge when entering a new school that requires more independence! Ms. Greco was Peter's resource room teacher, and the first thing Peter learned was that when he entered Ms. Greco's classroom, there would be no stress. It became his mantra and Ms. Greco's classroom became his safe haven to regroup for the rest of the day. Ms. Greco became Peter's anchor during the school day. As the year progressed, we became aware that not only was Ms. Greco reinforcing academic needs, but also implementing strategies to help Peter learn how to organize himself, feel more confident, advocate for himself, and negotiate the difficult social world of middle school. She also came forward as Peter's biggest advocate. Any need, support or service that Peter needed, Ms. Greco had in place sometimes even before we knew Peter needed it! Ms. Greco is responsible for numerous students with various special needs and she devotes the same amount of dedication to each child as if he or she is the only one she is working with. She is a very special woman. Beyond her dedicated teaching, last year, Ms. Greco initiated, got the funding for, and coordinated a new program called Challenger Basketball that made a huge impact on our son and the other students. She coordinated with other local school districts to create a program that enabled middle school and high school students with special needs to play basketball. It was remarkable on so many levels! These games included real basketball uniforms, on a real high school basketball court with an announcer, varsity cheerleaders, the mascot, etc. -- all the makings of a real high school game. All of the teachers and administrators came out to support the kids as well as the varsity high school athletic teams! It has been incredible to watch children with various disabilities beam with confidence with hundreds of their peers and teachers cheering them on. The children help each other out on the court and have developed a bond that is generally difficult for them to develop! One child was heard to comment that he finally felt ‘normal.’ This program has also gone beyond the special needs children as it has created a culture of tolerance, acceptance and inclusion among the general education students. It stands to reason that one person can make a difference, and Ms. Greco is a shining example of this. On behalf of our son and all of his classmates, please consider Ms. Greco for your top teacher, as she so deserves the recognition!” http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5466 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT It was another great TGIF event and a great way to end two weeks of ELA and Math testing! Thanks to all our teachers for coming out on a Friday to have fun with us! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5430 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT On April23, BHS Students once again arrived at Bethany House in Roosevelt to offer pizza, an arts and crafts session and a sheet cake to the women and children guests. After everyone had their fill of the pizza, which is always a treat for them, BHS Civic students, Amanda Arnold, Lisa Coletta, Deena Hadhoud and Rebecca Massone helped the children make sparkly bookmarks to use for school. Children delighted in decorating and personalizing their own bookmarks. There were enough supplies donated for each mother to also make a bookmark for themselves as well. Finally a vanilla-mousse sheetcake with milk topped off the evening! Before leaving, children shouted the names of the students with a big "THANK YOU". Amid plenty of smiles, BHS students returned home knowing that twenty content children had a happy ending to a perfect day! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5431 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Sunday April 22nd, students from JFK joined Ms. Robb, Ms. Maloney, and Ms. Okita on a tour of Adelphi University during Accepted Students Day. The group met with Richard Garner, Dean of the Honors College, Associate Dean Diane Della Croce, and Professor Mary Jean McCarthy to discuss the expectations faced by students applying to college. The educators stressed the importance of reading novels throughout middle school and high school as well as exploring those subjects the students find to be the most inspiring. The group also enjoyed a tour of campus provided by enthusiastic student tour guide, Jenna. What a fantastic day! Thank you to all who attended. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5432 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Our letters unit was enhanced with the help of the play dough created by the 7th grade Family and Consumer Science Students taught by Mr. Scarola at JFK. Maddie Molina was our teacher for period five and had our "little friends" form and create the letters of the alphabet with the play dough. As always our little friends were assisted and guided by their big friends. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5433 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5434 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to all the students for their fine work displayed at this year’s Art Show! There is a lot of talent at JFK! Thanks to all our teachers for their support! And thanks to the students who performed musical numbers during the show! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5435 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5381 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5333 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT 21st Century students were able to take an architectural tour of St.Patrick's Cathedral in NYC under the direction of Mr. DeStefano with help from Mr. Fazio and Mrs. D'Alleva. It was a great day that also explored lots of art at the Onassis Cultural Center as well. Thanks to our teachers for making this happen! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5334 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Over 260 Senior Citizens came out for the 23rd Annual Senior Citizen Prom at Bethpage High School! It was another great success thanks to all the teachers and students who worked so hard! Everyone enjoyed the music, the dancing, the food and especially the company! Great job to all! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5335 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Junior Class held a fantastic and fun-filled Banquet and everyone had a great time! Thanks to all the students, the class officers and our faculty advisors- Ms. Sherry and Ms. Amodia- for all their hard work! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5336 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT There's been a lot of excitement surrounding the release of The Hunger Games movie around the world and right here at JFK. The Library held a review contest asking students to rate the movie and compare and contrast the film version to the books. 6th grader Kaylagh Walsh's review was randomly selected as the winner out of many entries. Kaylagh won a copy of The Hunger Games: Tribute Guide by Emily Seife donated by 6th grade Literacy Workshop teacher, Ms. Forgione. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5337 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT The people have spoken and the results are in...the new lounge area in the JFK Library is now called the Cozy Corner. The idea for the name was submitted by 6th grader, Victoria Bock. The Library received many naming contest entries which were narrowed down to three by the Read Day Committee. JFK students selected the winner through an online poll during lunch periods. Victoria won a Bethpage Eagles pillow handcrafted by ELL teacher Ms. Lishansky. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5338 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Wednesday, March 28th, students at the high school signed up through our 21st Century Scholars program to attend a presentation on the FBI with Special Agents Scott Kerns and Laura Spence. The presentation focused on the history of the FBI and the path both individuals took to become FBI agents. Special attention was given to areas of the agents' expertise. Students learned about the process to become an agent, the difficulty of training at Quantico and the policing of white collar crime. The FBI agents also spoke about why and how they conduct electronic surveillance. In addition, students listened to how the FBI combats crimes against children. After the presentation, students had many questions for the agents. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5289 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Over 250 youngsters came out to participate in the Battle at Bethpage Youth Lacrosse Clinic. Youngsters were treated to small group instruction on lacrosse skills from the talented players of Drexel and UMass. Thanks to all the college players for helping us with our game. Special thanks to Drexel Coach Voelker and UMass Coach Canella for coming out with their teams and talking to the children about athletics and the importance of good school habits. We also appreciate all the BHS athletes who assisted with the event! It was fantastic! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5290 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students at Central Boulevard, Charles Campagne, and Kramer Lane Elementary Schools, like students worldwide, have previously studied the earth’s continents on a two-dimensional textbook map or a globe. Fortunately for the district’s fourth and fifth graders, satellite photos of the world were rendered on a gigantic fabric balloon, called the “Earth Balloon,” which allowed them to explore the earth’s landforms and continents from different perspectives. The Earth Balloon measures 20 feet in diameter and displays high-resolution satellite photos from NASA. The students were able to enter the balloon through a Velcro opening situated at the international dateline. They were instructed by Nassau BOCES naturalist Kathy Frost about the position of the continents, the deep coastline canyons, waterways that flow through each of the continents, and the countries situated in both the northern (inside the balloon) and southern hemispheres (outside the balloon). “I hope you see why the planet Earth is so important to us,” Ms. Frost said to the students. “You need to take care of it so that other generations can live here.” http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5269 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Jerry Pallotta, renowned author of Read a Zillion Books, among many other children’s stories, visited the District’s three elementary schools – Charles Campagne, Kramer Lane, and Central Boulevard, respectively. Before Mr. Pallotta’s visit, the students prepared for his arrival by reading some of his books and working on related activities during their library time. Mr. Pallotta discussed the writing process, researching, working with illustrators, and designing, editing, and publishing books. He came to each school equipped with a colorful slide program to support his talks and gave presentations that were informative, fun, and very entertaining. “After I leave this school, I hope some of you say to yourselves, ‘I want to be a writer when I grow up,’” said Mr. Pallotta to the students at Charles Campagne Elementary School. Librarians Andrea Swicord (Kramer Lane), Phyllis Ivers (Charles Campagne), and Ann Tracy (Central Boulevard) planned and organized this exciting event. Thanks to the generous contributions of each school’s PTA, the students received an autographed copy of Mr. Pallotta’s latest book, A Giraffe Did One. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5270 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT At Charles Campagne Elementary School, students are encouraged to fill their buckets. The kindergartners through fifth graders participated in an assembly program called “Bucket-fillers for Life,” which included lessons focused on the concept that people carry invisible buckets containing their feelings. When someone’s bucket is full, that person feels good, but when the bucket is empty, he or she feels empty. The students learned about the importance of bucket-filling from Faith Smith, the regional director with Bucket-fillers for Life Inc., an organization that promotes the message at schools and companies. Ms. Smith, who has spoken at schools throughout the state and in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, presented an assembly to students in grades K-3 in the morning and another for those in grades 4-5 in the afternoon. “Bucket-filling is always sincere. It is genuine and it comes from the heart,” Ms. Smith said. “Every day, bucket-filling is easy. If you choose to live your life as a bucket-filler, then you will have a happy life. The choice is yours to make.” She noted that there are also “bucket-dippers” – people who are mean to others, also known as bullies. At the conclusion of the assembly, a framed certificate was presented to Principal Angelita Cintado designating Charles Campagne as a “bucket-filling school.” The assembly concluded with the students joining Ms. Smith in singing “The Bucket-filling Song,” after which they took the “The Bucket-filling Oath.” http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5271 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Second-grade students at Charles Campagne Elementary School have become published authors of the book “FABLEicious,” which contains students’ original fables complete with morals relevant to today’s youth. In preparation for their writing, the students studied genres of fables and selected an animal that would best represent their fable. The second graders worked collaboratively to come up with the lesson they wanted to convey and the animal to best teach that lesson. After the students had penned their fables, the District funded the color printing and binding of the books. The culminating activity was an author celebration in the school’s all-purpose room. Groups consisting of six students each shared their books with students who were not in their class. Upon completion, each group rotated to another group to partner with different students. Selected fables from “FABLEicious” were entered into the 2012 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Competition. Best of luck to the student authors! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5272 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Two great lacrosse teams squared off at the Battle at Bethpage II. Drexl took on UMass in a fantastic game which UMass won 8-6. There were four thousand people at the game which was sponsored by the Bethpage Educational Foundation and the Town of Oyster Bay. Thanks to all the fans and the many volunteers! Photo Gallery http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyGNwChDYNo http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5242 Sun, 15 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage elementary schools welcomed famous children's author Jerry Pallotta for their recent annual Author Visit. Jerry Pallotta is an award-winning author of children's alphabet books and imaginative fiction. All students received their own personal copy of one of Mr. Pallotta's books from each building's PTA organization. He was a wonderful presenter and the children enjoyed him very much. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5243 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT JFK students proved their creativity once again! A group of students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to create scrapbooking lay outs. They learned techniques such as layering, collage, bordering and how to choose colors using the color wheel. They created memories that they will be able to look back on and share with their families. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5244 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT CBS held its annual Science Fair. The projects were very professional and academic in nature. Stopping by to review them was former CBS student and now Dr. Jason Schneiderman. Dr. Schneiderman has a PhD and works in neural imaging working with former NFL players on brain injuries. He says his interest in science began at CBS and he was very impressed with the work of the students! Congratulations to all! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5245 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT CBS Fourth graders celebrated American diversity at their annual Nationalities Day! There were delicacies from all different nations. Thanks to all the students, teachers and the parents who assisted! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5246 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT The BHS Masquers’ Guild put on a fantastic production of A Chorus Line. The singing, the choreography, the acting and the music were all terrific! Congratulations to all the actors and to Mr. DeStefano and Ms. Lishansky for a great show! Thanks also to all the students involved in stage, lighting and sound. The audience loved it all! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5247 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Saturday March 31st Mr. Carroll and Mr. Portuese conducted a 21st Century trip to the Fire Island Lighthouse(built in 1858). Although the weather was a bit on the damp side, the experience was inspirational. Participants had the opportunity to climb the 190 steps to the top via the original spiral staircase. The students were also given a historical demonstration on how passengers were rescued from stranded ships. Another highlight was the newly build structure housing the old Fresnel lens that created the light beacon prior to electric lights. This new addition contained informative displays and interactive exhibits. The staff at the lighthouse were very friendly and knowledgeable making our experience truly memorable. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5248 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the winners of the 21st Century 16 Word Poetry contest: Kristen Chiofalo, Deena Hadhoud and Mackenzie Pech. Thank you to all who participated! Ms. Bertolotti would also like to thank Mrs. Gagliardi and Ms. Cardo for helping to judge the contest. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5249 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5190 Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5191 Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5192 Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT All Kramer Lane students participated in a 5-A-Day Nutrition Challenge to promote Nutrition/Wellness Awareness Month. Students were asked to try new fruits and vegetables for five days and fill out chart listing what they have tried. All students who completed the challenge were entered into a contest to win a gift card to Target. Two students from each class were chosen as winners who are pictured above. We would like to congratulate all of the Kramer Lane students for trying new and healthy choices of food. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5139 Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5140 Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT On March 30, 2012, Leila Dastgheib-Beheshti and Michelle Mason proudly represented Bethpage High School at a United Nations Conference focusing on Methodology in a Multicultural World involving educators, professors, students, representatives from NGOs from the Northeast and videoconferencing with educators from British Columbia, Canada, Mexico City, Mexico and Manila, Philippines. Co-sponsored and organized by the NGO Global Education Motivators from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia and Adelphi University, the conference on Teaching for Peace and Human Rights brought global ideas and discussions to light in simultaneous videoconferencing. Leila and Michelle met other high school and college students, professors, and teachers. They listened attentively to discussions and participated by offering practical details about programs that can help change perspectives and improve international relationships. These actions are in an effort to bring people closer together and solve problems with concrete projects that offer potential solutions. The participation in active listening, reflection and action is exactly what the BHS students have begun with their continuing participation in the Global Days of Listening, the program they presented at the United Nations as a concrete way to connect with youth globally. Making a difference globally always begins with one small and persistent step after another. Congratulations to Leila and Michelle for an excellent presentation and outstanding example of the leadership that we as a community of active citizens - parents, educators, administrators and students - seek to build. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5141 Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Wednesday, March 28th, the JFK Academy, accompanied by Ms. Fetner and Ms. Pizzuto, went on a tour of News12. The group was thrilled to meet meteorologist Samantha Augieri and reporters, Eileen Lephamer and Shari Einhorn. They also got to meet the behind the scenes staff. One of the many highlights was getting to see the studio and sit in the anchors’ chair. The boys asked many questions and learned that the cameras are robotic and it takes a large staff to produce the news each day. This day will not be forgotten! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5142 Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT BHS students went on a 21st Century trip to Sacred Heart University in Connecticut to get the flavor of college life. Students toured the campus, from the Division I athletic complex to the innovative classrooms, learned about the diverse extra-curricular activities on and off campus and enjoyed a hearty lunch in the dining hall. Our friendly tour guide Meg and our outstanding group of Bethpage students made for a wonderful day. Photo Gallery Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5066 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Music department and ACE students attended a performance by the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in New York on Friday, March 16. Guest conductor David Zinman led the orchestra in a performance of Beethoven's Symphonies 1 and 3. Violin soloist Gil Shaham performed Karl Amadeus Hartmann's Concerto Funebre. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5067 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT JFK students met after school on March 19th and 26th with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to learn about the ancient game of Mancala. The students learned the African and Egyptian origin of the game and how to play. They created their own Mancala boards from cutting and painting old egg cartons. Everyone had a great time and got a chance to play against their classmates on the boards they created! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5068 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students and parents were active participants in Ms Klein's Egyptian Jeopardy exercise. They answered some very tough questions about the culture and history of Egypt and everyone was surprised when Cleopatra was there in person! Thanks to everyone for participating and congratulations to Ms. Klein (alias Cleopatra) for organizing the entire event! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5069 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Melissa Cao won first place at the LI Science and Engineering Fair division for middle school and will move on to the next round-awesome for a rigorous competition! Her experiment was on the effect of carbon dioxide on seed germination and seedling growth. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5070 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the winners of the VFW Voice of Democracy contest. The students created works on patriotism that were reviewed by the veterans. We congratulate our winners and appreciated the service of all our veterans! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5071 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5072 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT JFK’s third annual Pi-day contest was held on Wednesday, March 14, 2012. 25 students attended and enjoyed singing pi songs and eating pi-cookies! The event was run by Ms. Noreman and Ms. O’Sullivan. Special thanks to the Academy students as well as the HS ACE students for baking us delicious and beautiful pi shaped and pi decorated cookies! 19 brave students recited digits of pi to be included in our JFK pi club! Michelle Luo finished in first place and recited 400 digits of pi. This was a new record for JFK! Emily Dean also stunned the audience by reciting 323 digits. Matthew Heym finished in third place and recited 200 digits of pi. Honorable mention goes to Jenna Skaferowsky, who recited 68 digits, Jessica Nardulli, who recited 67 digits and David Shapiro, with 60 digits memorized. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5073 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Friday, March 16th JFK held a Spring Party for all students. The party was sponsored and organized by the PTA. The theme of the party was “Casino Night.” Students enjoyed a variety of games, such as, Plinko, Spin the Wheel, Deal or No Deal, Roll the Dice and Pick a Card. Students turned their winning tokens in for cool prizes. There was something fun for everyone including, a Hot Dog Cart, Cotton Candy, Popcorn and great music. Thanks to the PTA for planning such a wonderful event. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=5074 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT From March 1st to March 4th, JFK French students, as well as two 9th graders, went to Quebec ,Canada under the supervision of French teacher, Madame Ciarniello, and chaperones, Mrs. Sciglabaglio and Mr. Rodriguez. Everyone had a fantastic time with such exciting activities as snow tubing and dog-sledding. We also visited the Ice Hotel, the Montmorency Water Falls, and the beautiful Saint Anne's Basilica. Our last activity was an inter-active experience in which we learned how soldiers lived in the 1800's. What a great trip! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4980 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to Stefanie Diers who received a scholarship from the Nassau County Art Supervisors’ organization! Stefanie was honored at the annual art show held at Adelphi University. Mrs. Candela was there to support her! Congratulations on this prestigious award! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4981 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT On March 8, the Bethpage Varsity Golden Girls Kickline traveled to Myrtle Beach to compete in the ECDA Dance Nationals competition. The girls took home 5 trophies and 2 plaques from the weekend including the titles; National Kick Champions and National Variety Champions. They also won the award for "Best Kick Sequence". It was a great weekend and the girls have much to be proud of! A special acknowledgment to seniors: Gabby Micciche, Jennifer Pilarte, Alyssa Szynal, Taylor Ilasi (Captain), Monica Mitrache (Captain) and Marissa Nani (Captain). Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4982 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4997 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to 7th grader Jessica Nardulli,who participated in the Al Kalfus LI Math Fair at Hofstra University on Friday, March 2nd . Jessica was chosen as one of the winners in the preliminary round of judging and now moves on to the final round of judging in April. Good Luck Jessica. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4918 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4919 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT BHS sent four gymnasts to the state meet outside Albany. That is quite an accomplishment! Congratulations to the girls, their teammates (County Champs) and to Coach Rhatigan! Mr. Clark had to see it for himself, so he joined the girls upstate to cheer them on. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4920 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4921 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Mrs. Cataldi, Ms. Sieben and Dr. Hantzidiamantis had a poster session on the topic of Patterns and Relations at the ASSET Conference at the Huntington Hilton. They highlighted how they use the SmartBoard in their teaching of important Common Core topics. Their students are very lucky to have such dedicated teachers! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4922 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT The JFK Middle School and Bethpage High School Orchestras rocked the house before a crowd of 800 people under the direction of Mark Wood. Mark was a founding member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Students played a number of great songs along with his electronic violin. Thanks to Mark and all the student performers. Thanks to Mr. Kay for making all the arrangements. Mark donated an electronic violin he makes and Moms and Dads raffled it off and raised $1,100 for the orchestra program. It was a great evening! Visit Mark’s website at: http://www.markwoodmusic.com Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4925 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students were treated to a private showing of work by renowned local artist Dan Cristoffel at the Huntington Arts Center. Mr. Cristoffel is our Artist-in-Residence and his show consisted of his works of Lincoln and Whitman. He introduced each piece to the students and what his motivation was for each and then he talked about the crafting of each piece. He was terrific as he is in class when working with students. Thanks to Mrs. Candela and Ms. Cardo for making the arrangements! Check out the Huntington Arts Council’s website at http://www.huntingtonarts.org/ Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4926 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4927 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT On a brisk, yet sunny Sunday morning, students joined Mrs. Klein and Ms. Robb for a tour of the Woodland's Catering hall and golfing grounds in Woodbury. They were told the history of the mansion and grounds and shown the ballroom, bridal suite, drawing room, kitchen and several smaller catering rooms upstairs. In the ballroom, a table was beautifully set. It was explained to us the use of all the utensils surrounding the plate. Mrs. Bower also explained the proper procedure to serve a guest . As men were golfing, Mrs. Bower was explaining the 120 -acre estate. We walked to where a wedding ceremony could be held outdoors. As our tour came to an end, Mrs. Bower explained how our students could get into the hospitality industry. At age 16, they could start off as a Runner or Bus Person. They could then work their way up in the industry to management with a strong work ethic. A seed has been planted in their minds. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4853 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students at Kramer Lane Elementary School were visited by a special guest today during their lunch periods to mark the kick-off of Health and Nutrition month. "Luke the Lion," one of the district's food service company Whitson's mascots, was the hit of the day as he spent time during the lunch periods visiting the students while promoting healthy eating. The students were very excited and took part in the word challenges which were promoted and offered by Whitsons. Thanks for the visit Luke! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4854 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT The 3rd annual Long Island High School Ethics Bowl took place at Molloy College on Saturday, February 11th. Twenty two teams from the tri-state area matched wits over ethical cases whose topics included bullfighting, the use of torture, and corporate advertising in public schools. Teams competed in three preliminary rounds earning points to ultimately determine the top two teams. The Bethpage team of Lauren Birck, Michelle Mason, Jeremy Roller, Kelly Chan, and Usman Asif made it to the final round against Ramapo High School from New Jersey. After an hour of intense presentation, commentary and rebuttal Bethpage ultimately took second place. The final score was 215 to 203. Another Bethpage team consisting of Akash Dagur, Chang Jeong, Nisha Shah, Andrew Aquino, and Michelle Cirillo came in 4th place. Congratulations to all of the students who competed! The Long Island Ethics Bowl is sponsored by the Squire Family Foundation. The foundation was founded by Long Island native Gary Squire, an advocate for more philosophical instruction at the pre-college level. An Ethics Bowl is a collaborative yet competitive event, in which two teams are presented with a series of wide-ranging ethical dilemmas and are asked to analyze them; they are then judged on the basis of their analyses. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4855 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT On March 2, 2012, all the district's schools celebrated the joy of reading in our annual "Read Across Bethpage Day." Students in all five buildings enjoyed a number of fun and exciting activities from author visits to reading with younger classmates to listening to our wonderful guest readers. It was a great day for everyone! Photo Gallery - JFK Click Here for CB Video Click Here for KL Video #1 Click Here for KL Video #2 CC Slideshow Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4771 Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Middle School and High School French classes celebrated Mardi Gras on Feb. 28th (a week late, due to the February vacation). We enjoyed croissants and home-made crepes with everyone's favorite filling--Nutella. The students also received Mardi Gras beads and made colorful masks. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4743 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Thirty Leadership class students were invited by County Executive Edward Mangano to tour the Nassau County offices, the Police Museum and to meet with Mr. Mangano and Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker. The County Executive welcomed the group into his blue and gold office for a very interesting Q and A session. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4744 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students and faculty at Kramer Lane took part in a number of activities during our recent district focused Anti-Bully week. Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 visited the younger students in grades K, 1, and 2 and acted out the story "One" by Kathryn Otoshi which focused on the concept of being an upstander versus a bystander in a bully type situation. After the older students acted out the story, they were paired together with a younger student and worked together to create an anti-bully poster based on the story. The students enjoyed collaborating together and the older students certainly enjoyed being role models for the younger ones. The teachers and students worked diligently to prepare their presentations for the younger grades prior to the day. Job well done Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4745 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4746 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4747 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4748 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Wednesday, February 8, 2012, Mrs. Cohen’s 5th grade class from Central Boulevard Elementary School, visited the Morrelly Homeland Security Building, in Bethpage. Mr. Symons, a lawyer who has had a genuine interest in meteorology for a very long time, welcomed us to Homeland Security with the purpose of discussing the topic of weather and showing us the Doppler radar computer screen, but we learned so much more! First, we sat in a very large conference room with four huge computer screens displayed on the walls. Mr. Symons held an interesting discussion with the children about the formation of thunderstorms and hurricanes, and the seasons and places in the world they occur. Next, Mr. Symons showed us a video clip of a hurricane in action with a visual of the damage this hurricane caused. Mr. Robert Mangano then explained his work in safety management and evacuation procedures. He handed out an informative pamphlet explaining the importance of storm preparation – be ready at all times, do not wait until the last moment because supplies in the stores will be limited. Police Officer Horn was then introduced. He explained his work with the canine and mounted patrol units. The dogs are used to chase and capture bad people and horses are used for crowd control situations. He passed around a bullet proof vest for the children to view, touch, and lift. They were surprised at how heavy the bullet proof vest really was! Mr. Beebe gave us a mini tour of parts of the building we were permitted to see. He took us through double locked doors. The first set of doors must be closed before the second door is able to be unlocked. He showed us an alarm pad in which a code is punched in on a keypad, and hand identification is needed before entering a restricted area. Once inside the computer room, the computer tech logged onto the Central Boulevard Elementary School security cameras. The children were able to see the outside perimeter of the school building, including the playground, field, and parking lot! We all learned a lot about what the different federal Homeland Security departments do to help keep Americans safe, and were amazed by it all! Thank you Mr. Symons, for arranging this special visit for us! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4641 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT BHS Student Civic Association attended the Nassau County Human Rights Awareness Conference on 9 February 2012 at Adelphi University. BHS seniors Michelle Mason, Leila Dastgheib-Beheshti, Holly Josephs, Jerry Kim, Nicole Scagliola and Christina Wing facilitated a workshop based on the connection made at BHS with the Afghan Youth Volunteers. High school and university students from across Nassau County along with their teachers and professors took part in an informational workshop testing their real knowledge of the situation in Afghanistan. Through the Global Days of Listening, students had the opportunity to ask questions directly to Dr. Hakim and the group of volunteers in Afghanistan with a SKYPE connection. Dialogues flowed between the American students and the Afghan Youth. Representatives of various peace and social justice groups witnessed the discussions as observers. Each workshop lasted about an hour and hosted more than 100 students total. At the end of the conference, BHS students remained with a renewed sense of the strength there is in knowledge and the ability to reach out to others to affect positive change. It is hoped that BHS Student Civic will be presenting more workshops to other interested universities in the near future. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4642 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Feb 16th, 2012 Ms. Cooper and Ms McCarthy did a 21st century trip to NYC to see Spiderman the Musical. There were 25 students on the trip which consisted of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. The show featured music from U2 and was a rock musical. The sets, costumes, special effects, and scenery were fantastic. Everyone enjoyed the show! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4643 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Wednesday, February 15th JFK Middle School dedicated the entire day to raising awareness about bullying. The students attended a variety of workshops and activities on bullying and bullying prevention. Guest Speaker Bobby Petrocelli spoke to the students about good decision making and anti – bullying. Mr. Schneider and Mr. Fullerton conducted a student workshop on the school’s culture with students anonymously responding to survey questions via their cell phone for immediate feedback and discussion. This was followed by an activity led by the JFK PPS staff, entitled I Matter, You Matter, We Matter. The day concluded with a JFK Stand Together Walk of Unity and the unveiling of a Bullying Awareness Banner. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4644 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT On February 13, 2012, JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to participate in a current events activity. Everyone reviewed the sections of the newspaper and strategies on how to read current event articles. Skills such as reading comprehension, inferencing, context clues, and DBQ's were all practiced. Students had a great time working in teams. Thank you to all the students who competed. The winning team was "Sparkles and Stripes", Alyssa DeStefano, Rebecca Diers and Deanna Lazo. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4645 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Kindergarten students at Central Boulevard, Charles Campagne, and Kramer Lane Elementary Schools in the Bethpage Union Free School District celebrated the 100th day of school with a variety of activities geared toward sorting, counting, reading, and writing. Students brought in plastic bags with items totaling 100, among which were Cheerios, gummy bears, beads, mini marshmallows, dried lima beans, and more. They counted out and divided the items into groups of ten. Prior to this activity, they made posters, artwork, placemats, and Froot Loops necklaces, color sorting them into groups of ten. Some of the students even made age progression self-portraits, depicting how they might look at the age of 100. The kindergartners rounded out their 100th day of school by enjoying a “100 Day” snack mix, reading many “100 Day” stories, such as “Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day,” walking 100 steps, and completing writing activities based on the number 100. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4622 Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Kindergarten students at Central Boulevard Elementary School celebrated Groundhog Day in a variety of ways that tied in with math, science, literature, and social studies. Some of the activities included reading books and poetry on the subject of Groundhog Day, making a prediction chart to see if Punxsutawney Phil or Malverne Mel would see his shadow, learning about Groundhog Day legend and lore, and making Groundhog Day hats. The CBS students were fully immersed in the spirit of Groundhog Day! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4569 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT John F. Kennedy Middle School introduced a new lunch menu featuring a panini press, which is able to produce four delicious and nutritious sandwiches. Students were given a choice of a buffalo chicken, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Monte Cristo, or Italian panini. All of the sandwiches were served with roasted potatoes, raw carrots, and a selection of fruit, milk, and juice to provide a well-balanced meal. Whitson’s Food Service Director Tricia Reed, along with special guests Principal David Schneider and Assistant Principal Kevin Fullerton, assisted Whitson’s guest chef Harold Kavo by helping to serve the students. New lunch selections are on the horizon at JFK, with many more options to choose from. The students will be conducting taste tests on these new menu items. Some of the latest items include sliders, wings, nachos, and fajitas. Who says school lunch has to be boring? http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4541 Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Story http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4467 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the Bethpage Cheerleading team which hosted a major cheerleading competition! It was a huge undertaking. Congratulations to all the participants from the many schools that joined us. Thanks to Coach Tavolacci for all the hard work as well as all the parents who assisted with day! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4449 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4450 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT On January 23, 2012, a group of JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Okita to create memory sculptures. These sculptures were three dimensional pieces that represented a special memory that they have. Among these memories were family vacations to Disney World, going to NYSSMA, family cruises, and winning trophies. Students used only white paper and glue or tape to create these sculptures. They shared their memories with eachother through writing as well. Everyone had a great time and showed just how creative JFK students are! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4451 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT On January 11th, 12th, 18th and 19th, students at JFK participated in the Nassau Reading Council Young Authors’ Contest for 21st Century. With over 25 students participating, students had to write a personal narrative completely on their own. Judges, Mr. Kramer, Ms. McCarthy and Ms. Zito had a hard time choosing only 5 entries for each grade. All entries will be displayed on the principal’s wall of fame bulletin board over the next few weeks. Thank you to all who participated. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4452 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Jan 26th, 2012 Ms. Cooper and Mrs. Saur went on a field trip to "Arts Alive" which is a program that focuses on music and art. There were 20 students in 6th, and 7th grade that attended. The day was filled with music and art workshops including musical theatre, water coloring and so much more. It was a great learning experience! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4453 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students in Ms. Bennardo and Ms. Labriola’s classes used Kinex toys to construct a model of DNA. This model was then used to study the different parts of DNA and DNA replication. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4454 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT On January, 31st students from JFK attended a field trip to the NY Times Dsicovery Center in NYC. Students participated in the CSI: Experience exhibit where they used their detective skills learned in their 21st Century CSI Bethpage activity. Students were first given time to view a crime scene and gather evidence. Later in the day they were able to analyze the evidence in the lab using toxicology, forensic entomology, DNA analysis as well as latent prints and impression evidence. JFK students cracked the case and gathered enough evidence to issue warrants for the arrest of the accused. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4455 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Mrs. Parascondola's class collected pencils for a program called "The PencilProject." This program aims to place pencils in the hands of students all over the USA. The pencils collected were donated to a school in Long Island City, New York. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4456 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Spring into spring with new and exciting courses offered by the Adult and Continuing Education Department. Our Distinct program offers a variety of classes from Computers to Zumba. Get into shape with Pilates, Kickboxing or Yoga. Learn the fundamentals of cooking with Chef Paul. You can also brush up your dance skills and be ready for those June weddings with Ballroom Dance lessons. Join us for registration on February 6 and 8 in the BHS lobby between 7:00-8:30 p.m. SPECIAL NOTE: There has been a change in pricing of the Italian, Main Course and Mediterranean Cooking classes. The fee will be $50.00. A “materials” fee will not be charged. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4371 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Third-grade students at Charles Campagne Elementary School were introduced to the beauty and wonder of the night sky as they stepped into another dimension with Star Lab. Star Lab is a portable planetarium, which is inflated with a household fan and seats up to 28 students. While inside Star Lab, the students learned about the phases of the moon, the alignment of the planets, the earth’s rotation, eclipses, comets, and meteors. They also viewed constellations with two different interpretations – the Greek sky and the Native American sky. A special thank you to BOCES naturalist Brett Curlew for presenting Star Lab to the third graders at Charles Campagne. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4368 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Fourth and fifth-grade students participating in the 21st Century Program at Central Boulevard Elementary School took on the special activity of creating Valentine’s Day cards for senior citizens residing at The Bristal in Lynbrook. Under the direction of fifth-grade teacher Patricia Tierney and social worker Sarah Glassman, the students met after school to brainstorm creative ideas for messages to be written in the cards, and then gathered art supplies to design their valentines. The students used construction paper, markers, crayons, foam stickers and hearts, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and glue to construct their cards, then wrote positive messages for Valentine’s Day. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4369 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Students in grades six through eight at JFK Middle School competed in the school’s annual Geography Bee, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. All classroom winners were provided a certificate for their accomplishments. Philip Atkins, a seventh-grade student from Andrea Mastellone’s social studies class, won the schoolwide bee. The runner-up was Jason Maund from Monica Klein’s social studies class. Philip also took a written exam to determine whether he will qualify to move on to the state finals. Congratulations to all of the students who participated in this event. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4370 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Fourth and fifth-grade students in the 21st Century Scholars program at Kramer Lane Elementary School participated in a letter-writing activity by sending messages of thanks to those in the military. Under the direction of librarian Andrea Swicord and fourth-grade teacher Sara Dionne, the students used the library’s SMART Board to log on to A Million Thanks, an organization whose goal is to send messages of appreciation to those in the military, both past and present. The students viewed samples of letters that students from other areas had sent to soldiers and veterans, and then created their own letters of appreciation with individualized messages and artwork. “I think it’s nice that we are doing this because they do so much for us, and it makes me feel good to do something for them,” stated student Taylor Galgano. “Soldiers are risking their lives to keep us safe. This is our way of saying thank you,” added student Jack Kemperle. Newsday’s FutureCorps Community Affairs Coordinator Elizabeth Dysart and NEFCU Branch Manager Nancy Duffett attended the activity. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4329 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders competed in JFK’s Geography Bee. This annual event is run through the National Geographic Society. All classroom winners were provided a certificate for their accomplishments. Philip Atkins, a grade 7 student from Ms. Mastellone’s social studies class won the school-wide Bee and the runner up was Jason Maund from Ms. Klein’s social studies class. Philip Atkins also took a state qualifying exam to determine whether or not he will move on to the state finals. Congratulations to all of the students who participated in this event. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4269 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Hunger Games Change Drive Over twenty eighth graders participated in the kick-off event for the Team Peeta vs. Team Gale vs. Team Katniss Change Drive for the Lustgarten Foundation. All eighth grade students are reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (http://www.scholastic.com/thehungergames/) in English class. The main characters, Peeta, Gale and Katniss exhibit the character trait of courage throughout the book. In class, students discussed how each character demonstrated courage by their actions. Afterwards, students contributed change to the collection jar representing their favored character. All money raised will be donated as part of JFK's ongoing efforts to support the Lustgarten Foundation (http://www.lustgarten.org/). During the 21st Century kick-off event, students decorated t-shirts and change collections jars in the Library with Ms. McCarthy, Ms. Phillips and Ms. Zito. The t-shirts were worn the next day in order to create enthusiasm among classmates for the change drive. See the photo gallery for pictures. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4270 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT On a cold Saturday afternoon, students gathered with Mrs. Klein, at Dr. Reiss' Chiropractic office in Plainview for All Cracked Up. We learned the difference between chiropractic and medical care. Dr. Reiss showed us X-Rays, demonstrated how our nerves send messages throughout our body; by having kids represent the brain, the nerves and the body part. He mentioned the benefits of being a chiropractor: making your own hours, meeting many different people, healing with his hands and being able to do what he loves anywhere he wants. Dr. Reiss informed us that exercise, nutrition, sleep, a proper mental attitude and chiropractic care all lend to good health. The kids watched a chiropractic adjustment of the spinal cord. They left with a handful of products. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4271 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage High School PTSA held its annual Train Show for kids of all ages! It was a fantastic event! Thanks to our PTSA parents for being so involved! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4272 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage Wrestling Alumni honored those past BHS wrestlers who went on to state competition. It is quite an accomplishment. Thanks to the Candito brothers for organizing the event! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4273 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT 21st Century Scholars visited NYC's Tenement Museum to see living conditions for America's immigrants. Thanks to Ms. Smith, Mr. Brace, and Ms. Mastellone for making the arrangements! Everyone had a great time! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4157 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Mentoring Program at BHS did a great job getting toys for kids in need. Congratulations to all of them along with Advisor Ms. Kennedy and to Santa! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4158 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT The District has partnered with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to identify and achieve significant energy-efficient upgrades throughout the District, which will result in additional energy cost savings of approximately $68,000 annually. Through this initiative, the District has upgraded the lighting systems, installed occupancy sensors in all buildings, and replaced or retrofitted more than 3,780 fixtures with energy-efficient high-performance lighting equipment. It is estimated that through these enhanced measures, the District will save up to 366,000 kilowatt hours per year and reduce its peak electric demand by an estimated 147 kilowatts. By reducing energy usage and lowering the cost of electricity, the District will be doing its fair share to help improve the environment. In addition to the projected annual savings, the District has also received $187,870 in LIPA rebates and incentives, which were used to help defray the cost of the improvements. “The Bethpage School District is grateful to LIPA for working with us through this process and guiding us toward these energy savings and the resulting rebates,” stated Superintendent of Schools Terrence Clark. “LIPA has been incredibly helpful and they have enabled us to lower operating costs, increase efficiencies, and reduce our carbon footprint for our five schools. It has been a win-win for us on many levels for our schools and our taxpayers.” http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4123 Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Plainview-Bethpage Lions Club sponsored students at JFK Middle School in a Lions Clubs International Peace Poster Contest. This year's theme was "Children Know Peace.” The JFK students created posters and briefly explained their interpretations of this theme. The Bethpage Library will exhibit the creative work of the overall winner, Jamila Vasi, and runners-up Manisha Kalia and Julie Gryzbowski, who received certificates of achievement and prizes. The winning poster was sent to the Lions Club District 20K2 for further district judging. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4087 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Check out the video made by Mr. Benjamin! Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4054 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Friday December 16th, Mrs. Chiddo came and spoke to the students of the Child Psychology classes. She has 35 years of experience as a nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Long Island Jewish Hospital in New Hyde Park. She brings not only her stories, but many props to show the students how fragile a premature babies life is. She also touched on topics such as Safe Havens, and Shaken Baby Syndrome, which the students just learned about this week. We thank her for her expertise and time. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4055 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.msgvarsity.com/long-island/bethpage/the-challenge-roosevelt-vs-bethpage-1.856780 http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4056 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4057 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT On Thursday, December 22nd fourth and fifth graders from Kramer Lane Elementary School enjoyed a 21st Century event as they traveled to The Sunrise Assisted Living facility in Plainview for a holiday sing-a-long. Accompanying the students were Kramer Lane teachers Mrs. Caliguri, Mrs. Cavallo, and Ms. Sarube. The children sang holiday songs and gave the residents candy canes. The holiday spirit was felt by all! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4058 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT The Kindergarten classes at Kramer Lane once again sponsored a school wide toy drive. The donated toys were forwarded to Toys for Tots to be distributed to needy families on Long Island. Pictured here with their classes are kindergarten teachers Mrs. Peggy Cahill, Mrs. Cynthia Cavallo, Mrs. Deborah Sarube and Mrs. Carrie Kenney (not pictured). Click Here for Photos http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4059 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT A group of JFK students participated in a winter caroling activity for the 21st Century Scholars Program. The carolers met three nights in December to walk through Bethpage and visit the homes of some of our neighbors. Students sang winter songs in order to spread holiday cheer to all. They really showed the true meaning of the holidays! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=4060 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT The JFK Academy recently took a field trip to the restaurant Denny’s for brunch. This trip was the culmination of a speech project on restaurant vocabulary, procedure, adding tax and tip. Mrs. Keller, Ms. Jennings, Mrs. Pizzuto, Mrs. Fetner and Mr. Schneider all joined the students for the delicious brunch. A good time was had by all. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3981 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage Varsity Cheerleaders traveled to Kutztown University in Pennsylvania this weekend to attend the UCA Northeast Regional Qualifier Competition. This is where each team must compete in order to attempt to earn a bid to UCA Nationals in February. Each division winner receives an automatic bid and all other teams have an opportunity to receive an at-large bid based upon their scores. The Bethpage cheerleaders won their division and received an automatic bid to Nationals in February. They are the 2011 Northeast Regional Champions! Congratulations to all of the girls. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3957 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT This Life and Career skills activity provided an opportunity for students to be educated about the functions of a stand alone children’s hospital directly from one of its staff members. Dr. James Schneider, attending Pediatric Intensive Care Unit physician and Director of the Hofstra Medical School Fellowship program visited students at JFK to describe the functions and team members of the various supports encompassing the health care available at the hospital. Additionally, this activity provided a way for our students to show their appreciation to the staff at Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center who work effortlessly to improve the lives of children in this area. The students created gift baskets with homemade cookies and wrote hand made thank you cards to the staff members. Principal David Schneider and Family and Consumer Science teacher Tom Scarola visited the hospital and delivered the baskets on behalf of their students. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3958 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to all the BHS performers in the Annual Winter Concert! It was a terrific evening for everyone involved! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3959 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT 21st Century Scholars visited the home of Edgar Alan Poe in Connecticut thanks to Ms. Green, Ms. Klein, Ms. Robb and Ms. Ahronheim. Everyone had a great time learning about the life of one of our greatest writers! Click Here for Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3910 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Masquers Guild of BHS did a fantastic job with their production of A Christmas Carol! Congratulations to all the performers and their authentic accents! Thanks to Stage and Lighting Crews! And special thanks to Mr. DeStefano and Ms. Lishansky for all their hard work! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3883 Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Friday, December 2nd a group of writing/drama students visited the set of the TV show "Blue Bloods". The students first spoke with Tom Kelly, a writer and producer on the show. Then they toured the stage area, visiting several of the sets where the show is filmed. As an added treat, the students were able to visit a set during a break in filming and saw many of the show's stars, including Will Estes, Bridget Moynahan, Donnie Wahlberg and Tom Selleck. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3884 Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT During the month of November the character education trait emphasized at JFK was “Responsibility.” The JFK Middle School took responsibility for the community by collecting non-perishable food items. The 7th grade Blue team demonstrated the greatest sense of responsibility as they donated the most amount of food. As a “thank you” to the students of the 7th grade Blue team a pancake breakfast was provided by the administration and character education committee. Over 1000 pounds of food was collected for the community. It was a great opportunity to teach the meaning of responsibility for others, as well as sharing and caring for members of our community. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3885 Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students from JFK had an amazing time at the New York Aquarium. They enjoyed a Sea Lion Show, had the opportunity to talk to trainers at the Walrus, Sea Otter, Penguin, and Shark feedings, and participated in a fun Scavenger Hunt through the exhibits such as the Coral Reefs, Sea Cliffs, Alien Stingers, Explore the Shore, and the Shark Tank. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3886 Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Tom Scarola's seventh and eighth-grade Family and Consumer Science classes at JFK Middle School in the Bethpage Union Free School District participated in their first lab in the class kitchens. The students didn't cook something they could eat. Instead, they cooked something to give away. The middle schoolers made play dough in red, yellow, and blue for the Child Study Workshop class taught by Theresa Schneider at Bethpage High School. The play dough will be used to help create lesson plans for the four-year-old children in the community. Mr. Scarola delivered the huge box of play dough himself and surprised the high school students. A very special thank you goes to the JFK students and Mr. Scarola for keeping the community connection strong. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3869 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Fourth and fifth-grade students at Central Boulevard Elementary School (CBS) in the Bethpage Union Free School District have embarked on a 21st Century Scholars activity by getting together after school to learn how to play “Equate.” Equate is a math version of the game Scrabble. The players use tiles to form vertical or horizontal math equations, a process that requires computing and thinking strategically, critically, and creatively. The CBS students were recently introduced to this activity incorporating addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Later in the school year, fractions will be added into the game. The purpose of the activity is to hone students’ math skills and enhance the concept of turn-taking while providing entertainment. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3870 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Thirty-three JFK Middle School students in the Bethpage Union Free School District participated with 412,259 students worldwide in National Cup Stacking Day, helping to set a brand new Guinness World Record for “Most People Sport Stacking at Multiple Locations on One Day.” Students representing over 28 countries competed in this event, and the JFK students are now included in the Guinness World Records book for their participation. The World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA) STACK UP! occurs every year on Guinness World Records Day and is an opportunity for schools, libraries, and youth organizations on every continent to involve their communities in a day of sport stacking, fitness, and fun. The STACK UP! allows 30 minutes of sport stacking for each stacker who participates from a school or organization. JFK teachers Deborah Muller and Hanae Okita facilitated the event, and all students received a World Record Day certificate. The students’ participation in National Cup Stacking Day was a 21st Century Scholars activity. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3871 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Monday, November 28, 2011 JFK Middle School and Bethpage H.S. students combined to make history. This was the first session in our P.E.A.C.E. Mentor Program. (P.E.A.C.E stands for Pride, Empathy, Acceptance, Compassion, and Empowerment) The High School students working with Ms. Padalino’s 8th grade health classes are members of Mrs. Kennedy’s SADD Program. The students have been working with Mrs. Kennedy to fine tune their mentoring skills. The goal is to have our high school student’s model and practice with our middle school students situations they may be facing in their teenage years. So far the program is off to an amazing start; the students were broken up into small groups and participated in ice breaker activities. In the future we will be dealing with topics such as: peer pressure, conflict resolution, relationship issues, as well as social communication. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3812 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Mr. Scarola's 7th and 8th grade Family and Consumer Science Classes had their first lab in the kitchens. They didn't cook something they could eat. Instead they cooked something to give away. They made play dough for the Child Study Workshop class run by Mrs. Schneider in the High School. The play dough will be used to help create lesson plans for the 4 year olds in the community. He delivered the huge box himself and surprised the high school students. Thanks JFK and Mr. Scarola for keeping the community connection strong. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3802 Sun, 04 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3803 Sun, 04 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Photo Gallery Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3741 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Photo Gallery Pictures Continued Friday Video #1 Friday Video #2 Saturday Video #1 Saturday Video #2 http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3742 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Close to a hundred students participated in this year's Thanksgiving craft activity in the JFK Library. Students were able to come during their lunch to create a Turkey Luminaria using paper bags and tissue paper. For the full instructions to make your own, visit http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/turkey-luminarias-783823/. See photo gallery for pictures of the event. Happy Thanksgiving from the JFK Library! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3743 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT JFK celebrated National Gaming Day on Monday, November 14th during all lunch periods. Students played computer games or chose from a variety of board games like Apples to Apples, Monopoly and Battleship. For mroe information about National Gaming Day, visit http://ngd.ala.org/. Check out the photo gallery for pictures from the event. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3744 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT The District’s annual Read to Achieve event was once again a huge success. Hosted at Bethpage High School, the assembly was attended by educators, high school scholar-athletes, and third graders from Charles Campagne, Central Boulevard, and Kramer Lane Elementary Schools. Read to Achieve inspires third-grade students to appreciate the importance and value of reading both now and into the future. The scholar-athletes, who are also captains of various high school sports teams, were the stars of the event. They served as role models for their younger peers by sharing the titles of their favorite books and describing the many benefits that they have gained through reading. Superintendent of Schools Terrence Clark, Bethpage High School Principal Michael Spence, Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Instruction John DeTommaso, Director of English/Language Arts Dr. Mary Hannon, and Director of Physical Education, Health, and Athletics John Franchi facilitated the event. Each of them addressed the third-grade students, focusing on the many benefits of reading. Mr. Clark welcomed all in attendance, stating, “This is the most enthusiastic group of third-grade students at the Read to Achieve event to date.” He went on to discuss the importance of reading, getting involved in sports, and doing what it takes to become a scholar-athlete. “A scholar-athlete does very well in school. They are also great athletes, and they treat one another with respect.” “If you take your school spirit and put it into your studies, you will all be scholars,” said Mr. DeTommaso. “When you read you can put yourself in another place, in another galaxy, in another world. That is the beauty of reading. When you read, you will achieve.” Mr. Spence told the third graders, “I have four kids, and each day I encourage them to read.” Mr. Franchi reinforced the value of hard work by stating, “It’s very important that you do your best in the classroom and on the field.” The Varsity Cheerleaders and the Golden Girls Kickline performed for the third graders, inspiring more school spirit and much applause, and the Golden Eagle mascot offered the youngsters plenty of high-fives. One of the event’s highlights came when the third graders watched their teachers shoot hoops, and then had the opportunity to do so themselves with the assistance of the scholar-athletes. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3798 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students performed some great numbers at our Annual Cabaret Night! Thanks to all involved! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3724 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT It was another great Astronomy Night at BHS! Hundreds of students participated at all levels along with dozens of teachers and administrators. Highlights included Starnival and Big Bang: The Musical! Thanks to everyone for helping out! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3725 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT On November 19th, students from Central Blvd. Elementary School, Charles Champagne Elementary School, Kramer Lane Elementary School, and JFK Middle School attended the Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD Program. Accompanying the students for this 21st Century trip were Mrs. McGrath and Ms. Austin. We saw Glass’s Satyagraha at the Westbury UA Theater. For many of the participants it was their first Opera. We were all truly captivated by this performance despite the lack of subtitles. Many audience members complimented the Bethpage students on their spectacular behavior and interest in opera. They were also thrilled to hear that we are the only school district in Long Island that participates in the Metropolitan Opera partnership. Everyone is looking forward to the next Opera, which will be held in December. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3726 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT First-grade students at Charles Campagne Elementary School celebrated Native American Day just before the Thanksgiving break. Four activity centers were set up in the school’s all-purpose room, with parent volunteers assisting the students and their teachers as they made clay pots and beaded necklaces, fashioned vests with Native American symbols out of brown paper bags, made drums by recycling empty coffee cans, and wove paper using strips of construction paper. After completing an activity, the students rotated to their next center when they heard the “tom tom” sound. The program provided a unique and memorable way for the students to experience first-hand some of the activities performed by Native Americans. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3700 Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students in all grades at Central Boulevard Elementary School participated in the 10th annual Turkey Trot. This annual event is a fundraiser that enables the students to get outside and exercise while raising funds to help those in need. The event, coordinated by physical education teachers Nicole Agovino and Patrick Braglia, took place on the school’s field. During their recess, students in grades four and five walked, jogged, or trotted around the field for ten minutes, or one mile. Younger students did the same for five minutes, or one-half mile. The students donated 25 cents or more to participate, and then signed a feather with their name on it. The feathers were placed around a large turkey in the school lobby for all to see. CBS’s Turkey Trot brought in more than $300, which was used to purchase food for Thanksgiving baskets for less fortunate families in Bethpage. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3716 Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT For many years, the Bethpage School District has incorporated anti-bullying programs, which focus on tolerance, diversity, and acceptance into its daily curriculum. Programs such as “The Power of One” have raised awareness and provided elementary school students with the skills needed to respect others and combat bullying. At JFK Middle School, the Second Step program was instituted for the 2011-2012 school year. The program is designed to teach students how to positively navigate their way through a number of different risky behaviors, such as bullying, aggression, and substance abuse, and how to improve academic success through skills emphasized in the classroom. Most recently, student participants in the 21st Century Scholars program at Bethpage High School, advised by foreign language teacher Jacqueline Jill-Rito, viewed a video entitled “Hate – Crossing the Line.” The video was produced in 2009 by the Nassau County Police Department and is used as a “peer to peer” learning model. Following the video, guest speakers spoke to the students about bias, bullying, and teasing. The speakers included Lieutenant Gary Shapiro, Bias Crimes Coordinator for the Nassau County Police Department, Officer Mike Cario of the 8th Precinct, and Joselo Lucero, brother of Marcelo Lucero, a deceased victim of a hate crime in Patchogue. “Little things like teasing can lead to bigger things. It starts with a comment, and then it becomes energized,” said Lt. Shapiro. The BHS students were urged by Lt. Shapiro to speak about the video with their younger peers and to become role models, leading by example. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3717 Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT The JFK Drama Club put on a fantastic production of Alice in Wonderland! The acting, the singing, the choreography, the set design and the staging were all fabulous! Congratulations to the cast and to Ms. Cooper and Mrs. Shresta for all their hard work! Thanks to all the stage crew folks led by Ms. Kruzynski and Mr. Scarola! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3646 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT We had some great singers at karaoke and great dodgeball tournaments at our TGIF event! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3647 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT All first graders at Kramer Lane Elementary School enjoyed a wonderful celebration at their Annual Thanksgiving Feast held on Friday, November 18, 2011. The students, under the direction of Kramer's very own music teacher Mr. Wibben, performed three Thanksgiving songs with movement and enthusiasm. Dressed in costume, all students then had the opportunity to feast on the traditional foods served on Thanksgiving Day. A very special thank you to first grade teachers Mrs. Siegel, Mrs. Seewald, and Ms. Schmidlapp for their help in organizing such a wonderful celebration and all of the families who donated their time in preparing the foods. A wonderful time was had by all. Happy Thanksgiving!!! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3648 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT On the 15th and 16th of November 109 Forensic Science students visited the CSI: Discovery Times Square exhibit. There were three different crime scenes scenarios for the students to explore and solve. A special thanks to the teachers and parents that made this trip possible. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3649 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Participants in the 21st Century Junior Forensic workshops facilitated by Mrs. Sciglibaglio and Vultaggio, recently attended the Discovery Expo Center - CSI exhibit in Times Square. Three teams of investigators worked to gather evidence to solve three different crime scenes. After gathering evidence, they worked in the laboratory to analyze the data. Finally, they submitted their results to present their culprit. Afterwards, we dined at Dallas BBQ...where the food was delicious and the portions were huge! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3650 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage High School has today been awarded $10,000 as one of eleven Long Island schools recognized by Optimum Lightpath as part of its Transforming Education with Technology grant program. The program was created to award $100,000 in grants to Long Island schools to fund technology-driven learning programs in the classroom. With more than 150 grant applicants, Bethpage High School was selected based on how it would use technology in innovative ways to enhance education. The $10,000 check was presented on November 16th at an education technology themed event held at Cablevision Headquarters in Bethpage, NY. Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano spoke at the event and presented award checks to the grant winners. Bethpage High School will use the $10,000 grant from Optimum Lightpath to create a new course that explores the use of Geographic Information Systems that combine maps and statistics to visually represent societal trends. A key focus of the program is local projects that connect students to technology and their communities. The result is improved spatial thinking and project management skills through real world applications and simulations as they begin the transition to higher education. Professional GIS software will be used to drive the program. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3651 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students at JFK worked hard to compose letters to American troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar during the “Letters to Soldiers” program on November 2nd. With the help of Ms. Grothmann, Ms. Zito and Ms. Fitje, twenty members our military overseas, including friends and family of the staff and even some Bethpage grads will receive notes of gratitude and appreciation before the holidays. Thank you to all of the students and teachers for their efforts. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3604 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT The 1st annual Moorestown Bio-Ethics Bowl took place at Moorestown Friends Academy in New Jersey on Saturday, October 22nd. Sixteen teams from the tri-state area matched wits over ethical cases whose topics included “win-a-baby,” NFL disclosure of concussion dangers, forced vaccinations, and convicts donating organs for a lesser sentence. After three rounds, four final teams were announced and Bethpage’s team consisting of Lauren Birck, Usman Asif, Michelle Mason, Jeremy Roller, and Chang Jeong took on Moorestown Friends Academy from New Jersey in the final round After an hour of intense commentary and rebuttal Bethpage ultimately took third place. Congratulations! An Ethics Bowl is a collaborative yet competitive event, in which two teams are presented with a series of wide-ranging ethical dilemmas and are asked to analyze them; they are then judged on the basis of their analyses. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3605 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT BETHPAGE UFSD SETS DATE FOR CAPITAL RESERVE FUND PROJECT VOTE Tuesday, November 15, 2011 Voting is scheduled to take place in the high school gymnasium on Tuesday, November 15, from noon to 9:00 p.m. If you are not yet registered to vote, the District has continuous voter registration. To register, contact the District Clerk at (516) 644-4002 any day school is open. Please remember to vote on Tuesday, November 15. CRFP FOLD OVER MAILER CRFP FAST FACTS CRFP POSTER ABSENTEE BALLOT At the Bethpage School District Board of Education meeting held on Tuesday, September 27, the Board of Education approved a proposition to be submitted to the voters at a District’s Special Election, which will be held on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 from 12 noon to 9:00 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. These projects, if approved, will be New York State Education Department aidable up to $0.39 (39%) on each dollar approved. This proposition, if approved, will not result in an increase to the tax levy. The proposition would authorize the District to expend $2,193,502 out of the District Capital Reserve Fund, which was established, by voter approval, on May 20, 2008 for the purpose of: • Reconstruction of locker rooms, showers, and bathrooms at Bethpage High School • Replacement of heat generating system at Central Boulevard School: new boilers, new hot water heater and storage tank • Removal and replacement of transite asbestos ceiling panels at JFK Middle School • HVAC work District-wide • Installation of wrestling room ventilation at Bethpage High School • Security improvements District-wide; security infrastructure and door access • Replacement of existing generator at Bethpage High School • Replacement of existing hardware on doors with push/pull mechanisms; installation of magnetic hold-open devices on assembly room doors District-wide Please save the date, Tuesday, November 15, 2011 and remember to vote. For additional information regarding this project, visit the District’s website at www.bethpagecommunity.com. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3165 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT The BHS Philosophy Club was invited by the Long Island Ethical Humanist Society in Garden City to discuss their experiences competing in ethics bowl. The discussion began with Ms. Roberta Israeloff, director of the Squire Family Foundation, who discussed the importance of high school students participating in ethics bowls and asking the audience to consider being “ambassadors” for their schools to create an interest in ethics and forming teams to compete in future ethics bowls. Next, Ms. Way spoke about the philosophy program at Bethpage H.S. and introduced the members of the ethics bowl teams that had just competed in a bowl the day before. The students discussed their experiences competing, what they like about it, what they have learned from it, and the types of cases that they have debated. The discussion was followed by a lively question and answer period and a meet and greet over pizza and salad. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3572 Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students from the BHS Philosophy Club took part in a Plato Study Day at the School of Practical Philosophy in Manhattan on Sunday, October 30th. The school sponsors this event twice a year which allows participants and professors to do an intensive study of one of Plato’s works. This year the focus was on Plato’s Phaedo which deals with Socrates last day on earth before he drinks the poison hemlock. The students looked at the dialogue in depth by breaking into small groups led by two instructors and followed Socrates’ discussion of how, facing death, Socrates imparts how to live a good life to his students. After the study day was over the students enjoyed a catered Greek lunch, watched the 1950s episode of You Are There: The Death of Socrates (hosted by Walter Cronkite), and enjoyed a humorous piano and song parody of events from Plato’s writings. The professors were very impressed with the students (they were the youngest people in attendance) and gave them a special introduction during the summary portion of the event which was a wonderful way to end a wonderful day! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3573 Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3574 Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT During the month of November, Vice President and Vocational Service Director George Hannau and Past District Governor Steven Lesetz from the Plainview-Bethpage Lions Club, along with Branch Manager Diana Roca and Personal Banker Harmeet Kaur from Astoria Federal Savings, visited Central Boulevard, Charles Campagne, and Kramer Lane Elementary Schools in the Bethpage Union Free School District. The purpose of their visit was to provide third-grade students and their teachers with their own personal dictionaries that can be used throughout their school careers. Superintendent of Schools Terrence Clark, Principals Angelita Cintado, Steven Furrey and Kerri McCarthy, and the District’s third-grade teachers enthusiastically endorsed the Plainview-Bethpage Lions Club Dictionary Project, which was sponsored by Astoria Federal Savings. The Dictionary Project provides an opportunity for students to expand their vocabulary while aiding teachers in their goal to see all of their students finish the school year as good writers, active readers, and creative thinkers. A dictionary is perhaps the first and most powerful reference tool a student should own. Its usefulness goes beyond the spellings, pronunciations, and definitions that it lists. It is a companion for solving problems that arise as a student develops his or her reading, writing, and creative thinking skills. Students benefit from an increased self-reliance and resourcefulness inspired by the maxim “look it up in the dictionary.” Teachers benefit by knowing that their students will have consistent access to a tool for homework and in-class exploration, even into their high school and college years. The book provided by the Dictionary Project is more than a dictionary – it is an almanac as well, offering graphical and historical information such as weights and measures, multiplication tables, calendars, the U.S. Constitution, and more. Many thanks to the Plainview-Bethpage Lions Club and Astoria Federal Savings for providing Bethpage’s third graders with such a wonderful gift! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3589 Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Sixth-grade students and teachers at JFK Middle School in the Bethpage Union Free School District took a trip to the BOCES Outdoor Environmental Center at Caumsett State Park to learn about pond and forest ecology. Caumsett's pond was the perfect site for studying a freshwater ecosystem. Led by a BOCES naturalist and a Bethpage teacher, each group of students explored the different zones of the pond as well as the producers, herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, scavengers, and decomposers pertaining to it. From there, they discussed some of the organisms' niches and the roles they play in their environment. The students gathered samples from the pond and used hand lenses to identify insect larvae, fish, and other organisms by using a dichotomous key. They discussed the overlapping ecosystems of land and water and the organisms found in both. In Caumsett’s forest, the students learned about the microhabitats beneath their feet and discussed the natural ecological succession that took place in the forest over time. The students also compared and contrasted coniferous trees with deciduous trees. Adaptations were pointed out to show how some organisms acclimatize to survive in their habitats, and the students recognized symbiotic relationships, such as mutualism and parasitism, between organisms. The Caumsett ecology lesson concluded with a discussion of food webs and food chains and the energy flow through these chains. The hands-on study also focused on the importance of the roles played by decomposers such as bacteria, fungi, and earthworms, and limiting factors in the natural environment such as drought, disease, and lack of food. This hands-on experience provided a unique opportunity for students to explore their environment as part of their sixth-grade science curriculum. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3536 Sat, 05 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Second-grade students at Kramer Lane Elementary School in the Bethpage Union Free School District were treated to a visit from BOCES Outdoor and Environmental Education naturalists to demonstrate how apple cider is made. The naturalists taught the students about the different types of apples, counted and compared the number of seeds in different species of apples, taught the students what plants need in order to grow, and compared the color of apple cider, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar. The students learned a song entitled “Grind, Grind, Grind the Apple” as they each took a turn grinding apples into cider. The lesson on cider making concluded with a cider tasting and toast “to the fall apple harvest.” http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3537 Sat, 05 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage school community mourns the loss of Oleksandr (Sasha) Safronov. Sasha was a vibrant young man with many, many friends. In addition to being a good student, his artistic talents were on full view in the work he created for our drama productions and he was a dedicated athlete. His life deeply touched his fellow students, teachers and staff members at Bethpage High School. High School counselors and teachers are meeting with his many friends to offer comfort and grief counseling. Students at Central Blvd. where Sasha's brother attended are also being counseled. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Safronov family. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3514 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Close to a hundred students participated in the JFK Library Spooktacular. Librarian Mrs. Phillips and Library Aide Mrs. Quinn hosted the event during lunch periods on Halloween. Students were treated to popcorn and candy and played a trio of ghoulish games: Minute-to-Win-It Witches Brew, Pin the Face on the Jack o' Lantern and the Great Costume Race. Ghost and horror story books were on display. Check out the photo gallery for pictures from the event. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3454 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT JFK Middle School’s PTA held a Giants vs. Jets Spare Change Drive during the recent Book Fair. After purchasing a book, students donated their spare change in the box of their favorite New York football team. In a narrow victory the Giants won the challenge over the Jets. This meant that Mr. Schneider and Mr. Fullerton each had to wear a New York Giants jersey for the entire school day. The PTA raised $150 for the students of JFK. Thanks to all of the students who donated and for the PTA for holding the Spare Change Drive. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3455 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Friday, October 28th marks 125 years since the Statue of Liberty was dedicated to the U.S. from France. In celebration of Lady Liberty's Anniversary, JFK students met after school on Tuesday, October 25th. Students researched the history and symbolic meanings of the statue. They also created a bulletin board for all JFK students to view! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3456 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Friday, October 28th, Nassau County Assistant District Attorney, James Cole, presented the program Choices and Consequences to the 11th grade. The program highlighted for students the dangers of drugged, drunk and reckless driving. The assistant district attorney described in great detail actual cases on Long Island and the tragic results. As part of the program, a Nassau County police officer explained to students the consequences associated with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This program delivered a very powerful message to students to be safe and wise behind the wheel of an automobile. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3475 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Registration Info http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3508 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Kramer Lane third graders recently received personal student dictionaries from the Vice-President of the Plainview-Bethpage Lions Club, Mr. George Hannau. In cooperation with Astoria Federal Savings Bank, Mr. Hannau helped to secure the books for our students. The dictionaries were presented to each student by Mr. Clark, Mr. Hannau, and Ms. Kaur from Astoria Federal Savings Bank. Students were extremely excited and expressed their gratitude for Mr. Hannau's gift. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3512 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3513 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3433 Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the Bethpage PTA for another outstanding Safe Halloween Party! There were over 1,000 people who attended! Thanks to all our volunteers, including all the students, parents and teachers who assisted. Thanks also to our Custodial Crew which had to clean up our big mess! It was a great evening. And a little scary! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3425 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT JFK Middle School held their first Period 0 Second Step Day on Thursday, October 13th. All students were exposed to a Character Education lesson on Empathy and Communication during a 50 minute block in the morning. The entire Middle School staff delivered this important lesson to all of the students in the building prior to their regular scheduled classes. Each lesson included audio and visual components with video clips, group discussions, and worksheets that prompted students to apply their skills as they examined various situations. The Second Step Program aims to prevent risky behaviors among students and improve school success through skills emphasized in the classroom. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3392 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Each year, the students, staff, and faculty of JFK Middle School show their spirit for their school and community by coming together for Spirit Week. By honoring their favorite decade on Decade Day, coming to school in their craziest hat or pajamas, and wearing Bethpage blue & gold, the students of JFK work together to show their spirit. The culmination of Spirit Week is a battle for bragging rights where each grade and a faculty team participates in team building events such as the obstacle course, basketball shoot-out, letter game, and the sentence scramble. Thanks to all who participated and showed their school spirit! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3393 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to Michael Cipolla for being selected to the All County Jazz Band Division. Only 17 students, out of hundreds who auditioned, get chosen to participate in the All County Jazz Band and Michael will be 1 of only 4 trumpets in the band! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3394 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT To kick off Spirit Week and the Character Trait of Pride, JFK Middle School held a Pep Rally on Monday, October 17th. The event began with the beautiful singing of the National Anthem by 7th grade student Carly Sesti. The 7th and 8th grade cheerleaders energized the crowd with a spectacular cheer routine. All of the student athletes who are currently playing a fall sport for JFK Middle School were introduced along with their coaches. One of the highlights of the event was the Golden Eagle Mascot who distributed mini Bethpage basketballs and Bethpage t-shirts to the excited crowd. The event ended with Eagle’s Voice singing an inspirational rendition of, Don’t Stop Believing. Thanks to everyone who participated in this memorable event. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3395 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Thanks to all the students and staff members who helped out with our Peace Out to Drugs program. The students were encouraged to wear clothing of the 1960's and learned the message of how to drugs are never a solution. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3396 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the BHS Girls' Tennis Team for their victory over Wantagh for the Conference Championship! We are proud of all the athletes and Coach LaRochester! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3397 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage High School (BHS) celebrated Homecoming 2011 in grand fashion, beginning with a colorful parade of class floats through the community and culminating with a convincing win by the Golden Eagles Varsity Football team. In the weeks leading up to Homecoming, students worked diligently on the traditional floats to create eye-catching works of art that captured the attention of the community members lining the streets. The parade began at the King Kullen shopping center on Stewart Avenue and ended at BHS, with the Marching Band leading the procession and the BHS faithful cheering all the way. The festivities continued at the BHS Sports Complex, where community members filled the stands to root on the home team. Hard work, determination, and a dominant demonstration of football technique propelled the Golden Eagles to a 22-0 second-quarter lead over the Floral Park Knights. The Golden Eagles finished the day with a 29-14 victory. Danny Chillianis had 11 carries for 78 yards and two rushing touchdowns, as well as two receptions for 54 yards and one touchdown to lead Bethpage (7-0) in Nassau III. During the halftime show, the Marching Band and Color Guard, Varsity Cheerleaders, and Varsity Kickline entertained the audience with on-field demonstrations. Joey Walsh and Erin Neuman were announced as Homecoming King and Queen and chauffeured around the track in a golf cart driven by Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics John Franchi and accompanied by Principal Michael Spence. The winners of the float competition - Jungle Juniors - were announced as having the most colorful float. The pièce de résistance of the homecoming show was a “flash mob” dance, which was a surprise to all! School spirit, community pride, and a Golden Eagles victory all contributed to a Homecoming 2011 to remember! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3380 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Central Blvd.'s Dr. Farkas was honored by the Nassau County Chapter of the New York State School Psychologists Association for his outstanding work with Bethpage youngsters for many years. A huge crowd showed up to congratulate him on this award. No one deserves it more than our own Dr. Farkas! Thanks for eveything! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3353 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3356 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Flyer http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3303 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3230 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT While many were enjoying the Columbus Day parades or just the beautiful fall weather before school resumes again, BHS students were giving of their time, talents and smiles to help those less fortunate. How fitting on a day steeped in celebration of exploration, BHS students "discovered" a different world so close to home. Led by Ms. Rito, Kanza Ahmad, Joe Agnese, Nick Broughton, Wilfred Cheung, Deena Hadhoud, Jeanne Lavalle, Michelle Mason, John Saugy and Samantha Virgil prepared sandwiches, bagged grapes, served food to guests of Mercy Inn Soup Kitchen in Wyandanch, one of Long Island's poorest areas. Mercy Inn is located in the basement of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Wyandanch and serves hot lunches to guests from Monday through Friday. It is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit, non-sectarian, community-based organization which believes that all human beings are interdependent and that society heals itself by caring for the least of its brethren. The Mercy INN is an affiliate of The Interfaith Nutrition Network, Inc. operating autonomously from that organization, maintains its own bank accounts, and is responsible for its own income and expenses. The Mercy INN operates a single soup kitchen in Wyandanch, Long Island, NY, serving over 25,000 free, hot noontime meals per year to the homeless and working poor of the community. No questions are asked of our guests, and no proselytizing, counseling or outside publicity is permitted. The Mercy INN has no paid employees, except for a part-time custodian. Almost all food served is donated by local hospitals, restaurants and community groups, or purchased through annual grants. If the smiles are any indicator of "having a good time", it's evident that BHS students spent a morning and afternoon well worth their time. If you would like to know more about what is needed or what you can do for Mercy Inn, please call 631-422-1420 or see Ms Rito at Bethpage High School. Thank you to each and every Volunteer! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3231 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT This past Saturday (October 8th) members of the Marine Science Club experienced the Nissequogue River by canoeing it's 5.5 miles, from "the bull" to Old Dock Road. Students began their trip from the rivers fresh water source to the Long Island Sound. The estuary that they traveled through, where salt and fresh water meet, was teeming with a rich diversity of life. They encountered great blue herons, swans and two large nesting sites; one for American Egrets and the other for cormorants. The trip ended with a riverside B-B-Q and a collection of local fish for the club's tank. The weather was spectacular and the cheeseburgers were pretty good too! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3232 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage Union Free School District’s Continuing Education Program kicked off its new culinary arts cooking series with three new courses this fall. The first, which began on October 5, was an Italian Cooking class taught by Chef Paul Doyle of the Brick Café in Lynbrook. Chef Doyle will also teach the next two courses, Main Course Cooking and Mediterranean Cooking. Assisted by Briana Monzert, also of the Brick Café, Chef Doyle taught the students the basic skills and techniques of how to prepare a complete and healthy Italian dinner consisting of an appetizer of artichoke and white bean bruschetta, a first course of pasta with Bolognese sauce, and a second course of chicken cutlets in a lemon caper sauce with sautéed spinach. Each component of the menu was broken down into easy-to-understand terminology, with Chef Doyle demonstrating the proper way to hold a knife and chop ingredients. He answered questions about where to purchase a good knife (not on television!) and recommended which type to use, from slicing bread to filleting chicken cutlets. He also stressed the quality of ingredients – using a more expensive cheese and a less expensive brand of pasta. Chef Doyle shared tips on items that could be prepared the night before. He suggested the use of a crock-pot in order to save time, something that few people have these days as they try to earn a living and raise a family. “You’re not going to be able to please everybody all of the time. Cook for yourself. Make yourself happy. And don’t be afraid to make mistakes – it’s not a big deal,” stated Chef Doyle. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3224 Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT In recognition of Constitution Day, JFK students participated in a Preamble Challenge contest. Seventy five students successfully memorized and recited correctly all of the words in The Preamble to the Constitution. Two students from each grade level won the contest as they recited the words correctly in the shortest amount of time. The overall grade level winners of the contest were: Jeremy Miller – Grade 6 (7.2 seconds) Heather Palmer – Grade 6 (7.2 seconds) Jack Lewis – Grade 7 (6.9 seconds) Sara Suozo – Grade 7 (6.9 seconds) Valerie Kress – Grade 8 (7.8 seconds) Honorable Mention – Joey Gilio – Grade 6 The students were awarded certificates for their accomplishments and Gift Cards to Pappardelle’s. Congratulations to all of the students who participated. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3199 Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3183 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Over the summer, manyKramer Lane studentsparticipated in the"600-Minute Summer Reading Contest." Upontheir return to the new school year,those whoparticipatedin the contest wereacknowledged with a certificate andprize, provided by the KramerLaneP.T.A. Pictured along with theparticipantsare Kramer Lane's principal, Ms. McCarthy, and Reading Specialist, Mrs. Tina.Congratulations to all those who participated! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3198 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT BHS students Elaina Kuhlke and Tim Wakely interview former NY Giant and current MSG Varstiy announcer Amani Toomer: Click Here for Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3163 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Four Bethpage High School seniors have earned honors in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program, a competition presented by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). National Merit Semifinalists Chelsea Levy and Dan Zirkel and National Merit Commended Students Patrick Cao and Holly Josephs earned their respective recognitions as a result of their impressive 2010 Preliminary State Assessment Test (PSAT) scores. As Semifinalists, Chelsea and Dan are two of the highest-scoring entrants in New York State. Their status makes them eligible to be considered for Finalist standing, with the prospect of earning one of three types of Merit Scholarship awards. Holly and Patrick received Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise, and they can also apply for Special Scholarships through the NMSC. Congratulations to all four students for their academic achievements that have resulted in recognition from this competitive academic scholarship program. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3173 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT Twenty students ranging from freshmen to seniors in the 21st Century Scholars Program at Bethpage High School recently made a connection by conference call with the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan. This was not an easy task for either group, given the language barrier and lack of technology in Afghanistan. As part of the program, the two groups have been conversing for one year now with the assistance of Italian teacher and School Civic Association advisor Jacqueline Jill-Rito, and medical doctor Wee Teck Young, originally from Singapore, who acts as translator for the Afghan youth. Dr. Young, who arrived in Afghanistan ten years ago to aid refugees, is known to the Afghan volunteers as Hakim. After all of the technological kinks were worked out and a connection was finally made, Ms. Rito said, “Hello Hakim, this is Jacqui from Bethpage High School. We are projecting a picture of the Afghan youth.” (A photo of the participating Afghan youth was projected on a SMARTBoard because an actual videoconference is not possible in Afghanistan.) Hakim responded, “We appreciate the work you are doing. We thank you for your time.” A question and answer session with the Bethpage students and the Afghan youth followed. The first question, asked by Michelle Mason, president of Student Civic, was, “What does peace actually mean to you?” After translating back and forth between Hakim and the Afghan youth, the response was “All things good.” A second question was posed by Julia Musetich: “If you could change one thing about where you live, what would it be?” They answered, “Change for the people of Afghanistan means bringing them together.” “I was wondering if you guys live in a war zone?” asked Jackie Grigorian. “Yes, it is unsafe,” replied Hakim on behalf of the youth. In spite of the problems with communication and technology, the two groups managed to get their messages across to one another, and that’s what it was all about. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3174 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage Union Free School District is pleased to announce the following students who will be performing in All-State music performing ensembles at this year's NYSSMA Winter Conference, to be held in Rochester from December 1 through 4, 2011: Aekyung (Jane) Kim, Viola, String Orchestra Luke Norris, Saxophone, Symphonic Band Last spring, over 6,500 sophomores and juniors from across New York State put in countless hours preparing for All-State evaluations in the hope of being selected as an All-State musician. The selection process begins with the student’s solo receiving evaluation from a NYSSMA-certified All-State adjudicator at one of 43 All-State audition sites throughout New York State. Adjudicators are responsible for evaluating every solo of the same instrument or voice part. At the conclusion of the festival, the adjudicators create a rank-ordered proficiency list of all students being recommended. Every student who earns a score of 98-100 must be recommended. This year, over 2,400 students statewide received scores of 98 or higher and were recommended for All-State consideration. In addition to being named an All-State musician, Luke was a winner of the Young Composer's Concert. His composition, entitled "Transitions," will be performed at the NYSSMA Conference in December, and will be featured at the Electronic Music Showcase there as well. Congratulations to Jane and Luke! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3172 Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT At Central Boulevard School in the Bethpage Union Free School District, kindergarten teacher Theresa Torti held the third annual Summer Scrapbook Party for her former kindergarten students. The children, who are now first graders, were invited to create their own personal scrapbooks over the summer after completing kindergarten in June of 2011. The students and their parents were provided with an activities list of twelve items. Using the list as a guide, students were asked to select seven or more activities to create their personalized scrapbooks. The theme of the scrapbooks was what the students did over the summer. As summer ended, the children enjoyed reuniting with their kindergarten classmates during the afterschool get-together while sharing their scrapbooks and snacking on some treats. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3146 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT On September 15, students in all grades (two shows: K-3 and 4-5) at Charles Campagne Elementary School in the Bethpage Union Free School District attended an anti-bullying assembly presented by Soren Bennick Productions entitled “The Power of One.” Actors Molly Roberson and Jimmy D’Amico presented a series of skits utilizing different colored boxes and masks that represented the different roles in the bullying process. The creative skits vividly portrayed what bullying is, what can be done about it, and how every child has the power of one -- the power to report bullying whenever he or she sees it. “The Power of One” explored three roles in bullying: the bully, the target, and the bystander. It also gave dramatic examples of different types of bullying techniques: physical, verbal, exclusion, and, for the older students, cyber bullying. The show warned students that targets need help and intervention, and it encouraged them to not be bystanders, emphasizing the need for individual action to make their school and community a safer, better place. Whenever the audience was asked what they should do when they saw bullying happening, they responded, “Tell your teacher!” Following the color scheme of the boxes, the actors wore a green mask when they played the bully, a purple mask when they played the target, and a yellow mask for the bystander. The highlight of the performance was when student volunteers from the audience went up on stage to act out the roles of bully, target, and bystander. The show concluded with all of the students taking “The Power of One” anti-bullying oath. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3147 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Family & Consumer Science Teachers Tom Scarola & Theresa Schneider from JFK Middle School in Bethpage had students write letters to military personnel over seas in conjunction with Northrop Grumman & the USO. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3065 Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Over 500 students showed up for our first TGIF event of the year! Everyone had a great time! Thanks to Mr. Schneider, Mr. Fullerton and all the JFK teachers who helped out! And thanks to the BHS Custodians and Security staff who took good care of us! Looking forward to the next one! Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3064 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage's outstanding Marching Band and the Kickline team all went away for Band Camp Weekend. They practiced all their numbers and routines and are ready for an exciting season! Thanks to Mr. Stehlik and Ms. Novelli as well as all the chaperones who attended. Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3039 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage students along with Mr. Fenster, NYC Firefighter Bill Seiter all visited Gander, Canada to help commemorate 9-11. Mr. Fenster invited a team from Gander to visit New York last December and Constable Os Fudge wanted to return the favor. The Bethpage contingent participated in the national ceremonies and met U.S. Ambassador David Jacobson during their visit. Everyone had a fantastic time. The people of Gander lived up to their reputation for incredible hospitality. Thanks to Mr. Fenster for making all the arrangements! He did an incredible job! Here is a link to a Canadian television story on the event and the Bethpage connection: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2011/09/10/nl-rex-murphy-gift-gander-video.html Photo Gallery http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3040 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT A community remembered those lost on 9-11 with a ceremony in downtown Bethpage hosted by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and Legislator Rose Walker. They were joined by Supervisor John Venditto. The event was emceed by Terrence Clark, Superintendent of the Bethpage Schools. The names of the 128 Town of Oyster Bay residents who were killed on that day were read by students from Bethpage High School and JFK Middle School. Thanks to everyone who participated including our own Mr. Kevin Healy who played the bagpipes. Thanks to the Bethpage 9-11 Memorial Committee who organized the event and did a great job. Thanks also to the our own first responders, the Bethpage Fire Department, for all they do and for acquiring a piece of World Trade Center steel for our town that will reside at Rotary Circle. It was an emotional event. Those who perished are always in our thoughts. Photo Gallery - Pictures by Kevin Imm http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3066 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Friday, September 9, students and faculty at Charles Campagne Elementary School in the Bethpage Union Free School District participated in a walk-a-thon to aid the first responders affected by the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Donations were forwarded to The Fealgood Foundation, a non-profit organization that spreads awareness and educates the public about the catastrophic health effects afflicting 9/11 first responders, as well as providing assistance to relieve these heroes of the financial burdens placed on them over the last ten years. The morning ceremony at Charles Campagne began outside of the school with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by select fourth and fifth graders. Principal Angelita Cintado addressed the crowd and stated, “We are gathered here today as a school family in memory of the victims and heroes who lost their lives on September 11th. Today, we commemorate the tenth anniversary of this tragic event.” All then shared a moment of silence. The ceremony concluded with everyone singing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” “As we begin our walk to honor the memory of the 3,030 victims, the heroes, and all those affected by 9/11, we also want to remember all of the survivors, brave first responders, veterans, and all of the men and women who continue to serve and protect our country today,” continued Principal Cintado. The students and faculty walked 3,030 steps through the school and out into the schoolyard, and then silently made their way back into the school and back to their classrooms. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3033 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT District Welcomes Students to the 2011-2012 School Year Rainy weather did not hinder a smooth opening or dampen anyone’s spirits at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year in the Bethpage Union Free School District. On Tuesday, September 6, the district’s newest students – kindergarteners – were greeted as they arrived at school with their parents or off the school bus, each armed with a backpack brimming with school supplies. The more seasoned students were welcomed back to their individual buildings, with sixth graders entering middle school and ninth graders braving the halls of high school. Best wishes are extended to all of Bethpage’s students for another successful year of growth and learning. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3034 Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Thursday, September 1, 2011, the Bethpage Union Free School District held Superintendent’s Conference Day in preparation for the opening of schools on Tuesday, September 6. The day began with Superintendent of Schools Terrence Clark welcoming new administrators -- Dave Schneider (new principal at JFK Middle School), Carol Leonardi (new guidance chair), and Kerri McCarthy (new principal at Kramer Lane) -- and offering hearty congratulations to all newlyweds, new parents, and newly tenured staff. Mr. Clark highlighted some of the many wonderful summer programs and accomplishments. One such accomplishment was made by the high school students in the CORE program, who, under the assistance of advisor Jon LaRochester, renovated the Pediatric Room at Nassau University Medical Center. These students raised $20,000 over the past two years and received a $5,000 donation from Cablevision. They painted the room, assembled furniture they had purchased, and provided high-tech equipment such as computers and iPads. Among other highlights from the summer, SMARTBoards were installed in all of Bethpage’s elementary schools. In addition, high school physical education teacher Mike Fenster helped the Newfoundland town of Gander obtain a 120-pound piece of steel from the World Trade Center in gratitude for their hospitality to travelers on September 11, 2001. Mr. Clark also reviewed in depth the many significant changes that are being faced by the Bethpage School District, which were adopted by New York State and the New York State Education Department (NYSED): • The 2% tax levy cap recently passed the Legislature and was signed into law by Governor Cuomo. This cap will pose some challenges for funding programs as the district moves forward. • Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – 46 states including New York have adopted a unified set of learning standards in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA), and these standards are to be fully implemented within the 2012-2013 school year. • The Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments are ahead. PARCC has initiated the development of a K-12 assessment system aligned to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and mathematics. The goal of PARCC is to create an assessment system that will help states dramatically increase the number of students who graduate high school ready for college and careers and provide students, parents, teachers and policymakers with the tools they need to help students – from grade three through high school – stay on track and graduate prepared. • NYSED has mandated the new teacher and principal evaluation process, or Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR). In closing, Superintendent Clark stated, “I believe strongly in the Bethpage faculty. I believe strongly in public education. I think teachers are the most important people in our society. Thank you for everything and have a great school year!” http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=3035 Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students in the CORE program at BHS, with great assistance from advisor Jon LaRochester, renovated the Pediatric Room at Nassau County Medical Center. The students raised $20,000 in the past two years and received a $5,000 donation from Cablevision. The students painted the room, assembled furniture they had purchased and provided lots of high tech equipment like computers and iPads. There are lots of smiling kids in the Pediatric Center as a result of all their hard work. Click Here for Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2949 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the new faculty members of the Bethpage School District. They all attended the New Teacher Orientation program where they learned a great deal about our community. Then they took a bus tour narrated by Superintendent Terrence Clark with stops at Cablevision and Northrop-Grumman. The day was arranged by Ms. Lavelle, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and everyone is looking forward to the new school year! Click Here for photo http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2950 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage High School held its 2011 Commencement indoors and had a very distinguished ceremony. We were honored to have Senator Charles Schumer as our guest speaker. Repeatedly throughout the ceremony, the memory of Simon Jambrone was invoked as someone who worked hard and lived life to the fullest. We are proud of the Class of 2011 and their 98% Regents Diploma rate. Valedictorian Lauren Piulson, Salutatorian Jasdeep Singh and Senior Class President Jillian Skuza all gave great speeches. Congratulations to to the Class of 2011! Click Here to View More Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2739 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT BHS students interned at Northrop-Grumman this spring and a ceremony was held to honor them and their mentors. It was a great experience for these students who plan on being future engineers. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2768 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Everyone enjoyed the 5th Grade Moving Up ceremony today. Congratulations to all our students and thanks to the parents, teachers and staff! The JFK faculty is really looking forward to having you all at the middle school next year! CBS Pictures CC Pictures KL Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2734 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT JFK held its annual Moving Up Ceremony at the BHS Center for the Performing Arts. It was a terrific ceremony and the Class of 2015 is pretty special! The BHS faculty is looking forward to having you all at the high school as 9th graders next year! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2735 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Kramer Lane family remembered our dear friend Lexie Falabella at a ceremony attended by hundreds of people. A bench in Lexie's honor was dedicated at the front entrance of Kramer Lane. Lexie was a special person who touched the lives of many people. On hand were her parents, siblings and grandmother as well as classmates, teachers and Mrs. Costa. Lexie's family has started the Lexiebean Foundation to assist families and children battling cancer. It was a fitting tribute to our friend Lexie whom we miss very much. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2702 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Tuesday evening, June 14, 2011, Bethpage High School Italian students celebrated their end of the school year success with Mrs. Rabeno and Ms. Rito at La Famiglia in Plainview. Forty-three participating "Students of the Month" and those with an average of 90 and above in Italian for the academic year gathered for a delicious family-style choice of primo piatto, caesar salad, bruschetta and a special cannoli cake for dessert. The Italian classes were joined by Mrs. Don Rosentel and Italian middle school teacher, Mrs. Marinaccio. Tanti auguri and mille grazie to those students and parents who helped make the year an enjoyable success. A special thanks to Sal and La Famiglia staff for the great food and impeccable service - more reasons of excellence to show that "Italian is not just pizza." Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2720 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT BHS students assist elementary students as they make fish prints during the Maritime Festival Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2721 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students from JFK and BHS compete at Bellmore-Merrick Challenge Day. Students had a great day making new friends while competing in basketball, long jump, running, cup stacking, hockey, bean bag toss, and the obstacle course. All students received a certificate, and some students even received trophies for their athleticism. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2723 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students from BHS cheer on fellowclassmate Philip Formica as he competes in the 27th annual N.Y. State Games for the Physically challenged. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2724 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT On June 9th Ms. Carlow's and Ms. Cilento’s 8th grade Spanish students attended a field trip to Manhattan. They danced the afternoon away learning the Bachata, a dance from the Dominican Republic. After, they ordered their lunch in Spanish at Clienete Cab Restaurant. A great time was had by all. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2725 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2726 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2727 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT 7th grade students in Mrs. Blau's Family and Consumer Science classes, created and hand-stitched original smiley faces and gingerbread people. The projects are being donated to Nassau University Medical Center's pediatric patients and to the Family Service League of Huntington. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2729 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations and a sincere thanks to JFK retirees Mrs. Erica Blau and Mrs. Lorraine Axelrad. They have served the students of Bethpage very well for a over three decades. We wish them good health and a long retirement! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2701 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Saturday and Sunday, June 11th and 12th, several JFK and Bethpage HS students, former students and myself joined other Bethpage residents by participating in church services at St. Martin of Tours in Bethpage, by reading responsorials psalms in French, Italian, and Spanish at 6 different services. (This was done as a special celebration for Pentecost.) The Middle School students were: Michelle Cirillo, Jillian Perrota, and Madeline Kuhlke. The High School students were Amanda Arnold, Tim Wakely, and Mary-Kate Colletta. The alumni were Tim Ciarniello and T.J. Hynes. The kids did a great job, and the congregations was very pleased and impressed. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2703 Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students in the ACE Program have been instrumental in supporting the Bethpage School Business Office. The students intern there and have been a huge help! At a ceremony this week, Mr. Clark and Mr. Marchesiello thanked the students and the staff for making this wonderful experience so rewarding for everyone. Great job to all! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2633 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Charles Campagne students performed a terrific produciton of Annie as a 21st Century event. The musical was perfect with great acting and stage direction. Thanks to the BHS students for their assistance. Special thanks to our phenomenal directors- Mrs. Kelly, Mrs. Brady and Mrs. Lazaridis. Everyone put in a lot of work to make this production come alive! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2639 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to Lauren Piulson for being the BHS 2011 Valedictorian and to Jasdeep Singh for being the 2011 Salutatorian. Both are tremendous scholars and have worked hard during their academic careers. They have earned the awards and the respect of the BHS faculty and staff. Lauren will be attending the College of William and Many and Jasdeep will be attending Stony Brook University. They were honored at a recent Nassau County Superintendents’ Breakfast which they attended with family members. Both will be speaking at the upcoming Commencement Ceremony. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2605 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage Research scholars presented their findings to a large audience at Bethpage High School. The evening was organized by Mr. Chris Pollatos who directs the Science Research Program at BHS. Dr. Allan Ludman, Geology Professor and Department Chairperson at Queens College, provided a fascinating keynote address and told the students to pursue their passions. Students made presentations in the Auditorium before an audience of 350 people and in the Gym where guests reviewed their poster boards and asked many questions. The JFK and BHS Robotics Teams had their latest creations on display and Mr. Zabell, Mr. Wettengel and Mr. Granieri were instrumental in organizing that portion of the program. Thanks to all the JFK and BHS and also to Mrs. Sciglibaglio, Ms. Kruzynski and Ms. Basford for their mentoring the JFK Science Program. It was a fascinating evening that demonstrated 21st Century learning in Bethpage. Great job to all! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2606 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT The ELL teachers applied for a grant that provided laptops to all students in the district. Congratulations to Ms. Lishansky and Mrs. Miniero for all their hard work. A ceremony was held to give out the laptops and parents and students were very excited! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2607 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage Council of PTA held its annual dinner and installation of new officers. The evening was organized by Lena Ritchie and was a great success. Thanks to the BHS Jazz Ensemble for providing the entertainment. Congratulations to all the new officers and thank you for you willingness to serve on behalf of our students. We will miss all the outgoing officers and particularly Liz Cotton and Linda Mangano who have dedicated years of their lives to making our schools are more inviting environment for our children. Congratulations to the recipients of special awards- Karen Fikar, Jackie LaRose and Pam Puglisi. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2608 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for the Video http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2609 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Thursday, June 2nd The students of the 2010-2011 Child Study Workshop had their Graduation Ceremony. It was a beautiful day all around. The "big friends" have spent the past 12 weeks preparing and teaching lessons to our "little friends" based on different topics. The topics included numbers, letters and the five senses. Our little friends sang songs, received diplomas, and enjoyed refreshments in the Senior Courtyard on a breath taking day. Laura Coletta received the New York State Family and Consumer Science Educators Excellence in Family and Consumer Science award. Congratulations! Thanks to everyone involved Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2610 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT On a gorgeous Saturday morning in June, Ms. Quinn, Ms. Green and Mrs. Klein accompanied 30 students into NYC for a unique future career choice: A private tour of a recording studio. Many famous artists recorded there: Elvis, Beyonce, Madonna, Carole King, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston , Justin Bieber and so many more. We were met by Mr. Dave "Roz" Rosner, the manager of KMA Recording Studio in the famous Brill Building. It's located on Broadway and 49th St. in the heart of Time Square. Mr. Roz gave us a private tour of the sound studio, instruments and engineering room where all the mixing of voice and instrument take place. We were privileged to listen to an unreleased song by Pia Toscano entitled: Question. Mr. Roz and his engineer stressed the importance of education. In order to get into the recording studio business you need to be a college graduate who exhibit a strong work ethic. He also mentioned that being an intern is how one would start off in the business. A great time was had by all. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2611 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Friday May13th Ms Cooper and Mrs. Shrestha took 25 students into NYC to see the Broadway show " Anything Goes". It was an unbelievable show with amazing singing, acting, and dancing. What a fun night! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2601 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage's 7th Annual Poetry Contest was held during the month of April in celebration of National Poetry Month. JFK Library received over 40 submissions from students. A committee made up of middle, high school and public librarians and English teachers read each poem and selected the winners. The Bethpage Libraries would like to congratulate the winners of the 7th Annual Poetry Contest. First place: Michelle Cirillo; 2nd place: Peter Billovits; Third place: Ailin Yu; Honorable Mention: Dylan Brown, Amy Kappel, Jamila Vasi, Jamie Olanick and Angelo Micciche. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2602 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Friday May 6th Ms Cooper and Mrs. Shrestha took 26 middle school students from 6th through 8th grade on a 21st century trip to see the Broadway show "Sister Act". It featured wonderful singing, and dancing. It was very entertaining, and we had a blast! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2603 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2576 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Sophmore Luke Norris's composition "Transitions" for saxophone quintet was premiered at the Long Island Composers Allianceannual Music ByAnd For Students Concert held at the Fortunoff Concert Hall at Hofstra Universityon Friday, May 27th. He was accompanied by fellow BHS students Daniel Zirkel, Michael Ganz, Samantha Ingenito and Nicholas Milazzo. I have attached some photos of the group, as well as Luke with Herbert Deutsch. Herb Deutsch is the Co-Founder and current President of the Long Island Composers Alliance. Luke's composition was selected from the other student compositions to be performed at the Long Island Composers Alliance's 39th Anniversary Concert on Sunday, June 12th at 2:00 pm at the South Huntington Library. Luke will also be presented with the Arline Diamond Memorial Award in recognition of his work. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2558 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Saturday, May 14th, Mrs. Klein, Ms. Green, Mrs. Sciglibaglio and Mrs. Weiner accompanied 40 students into NYC for the long-awaited trip to the Pompeii Exhibit. While there, they explored authentic artifacts, which were found buried under 12 feet of harden ash and pumice. It’s was amazing that most of the artifacts were still beautifully intact. Before the trip, the students participated in a Volcano Workshop run by Mrs. Sciglibaglio. Students experimented with the consistency of magma, and created two different types of eruptions, including an explosive event like the pyroclastic flow that consumed Pompeii. Also, the student viewed the movie: The Last Days of Pompeii. This movie brought the viewers into the lives of the many citizens who made up Herculaneum and Pompeii, the two cities destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius eruption in 79 CE. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2559 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Monday, May 16th, JFK students and teachers teamed up to bake for the “Share Our Strength” Bake Sale held during the May 78th School Budget Vote. The money is used to help feed hungry American families. This year, as part of the 21st Century Junior Scholars program, students and teachers from JFK baked and packaged several delicious treats in a two hour marathon after school. This year’s creations included: Hershey’s Kiss Snowball Cookies, Confetti Bars, Chocolate Covered Marshmallows, Chocolate Crunchy Cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Cookies, and Blue & Gold Cupcakes. The students donated their own money to buy the supplies. The sale raised $432. Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2560 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students in the Captains' Club decided to have a social get together for some younger students and everyone had a blast! Thanks to all the students, teachers and parents who participated! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2561 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Tri-M students held their annual Music in the Garden Ceremony and it was a big success. Under the direction of Mr. Stehlik with help from Dr. Petruzzi and Mrs. McGrath, students performed solo and ensemble pieces. Though it was held indoors this year due to the weather, everyone had a great time due to the quality of the performances. Congratulations to all! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2562 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students in Mrs. Parascondola’s class were fortunate to hear from three veterans on the day before Memorial Day. The veterans were all related to someone in the class- including Mrs. P’s father! They had fascinating stories about war and each said peace was much better than war. We salute them and all the men and women who defend our country! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2557 Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT 1024x768 Normal 0 false false false st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Thanks Bethpage High School Students and Local Business Owners for their Efforts to Save the Games Games to be Held June 2nd-4th Bethpage, NY - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano today invited residents to the 2011 Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged, which will take place this year from June 2nd through June 4th at Mitchel Field and Nassau Community College. After New York State announced a plan to eliminate all funding for the Empire State Games, Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano stepped in to save the Games by creating the Committee to Save the Games, chaired by Disability Opportunity Fund President & CEO Charles D. Hammerman. Following a number of successful fundraisers and thanks to the generosity of local businesses and schools, the Games will continue for a 27th year. The Bethpage High School Student Civic Association raised funds to sponsor an Empire State Games athlete, Philip Formica, and Association members will volunteer at the Games throughout the weekend. In addition, Bussani Mobility of Bethpage, which sells wheelchair accessible vehicles, handicap van conversions, and related mobility products, donated $5,000 to help Save the Games. For more information please also visit www.nassaucountyny.gov/SavetheGames.htm. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2534 Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students recycled Relay for Life t-shirts from past eventsinto pillows. The pillows will be given out as gifts to cancer survivors during the Survivor's Reception that is held just prior to the start of Bethpage's Relay for Life on June 4th. This 21st century activity was a labor of love for the students involved; they stitched, tied and decorated 53 pillows during the 4 sessions. The instructors for the activitywere Ms. Young and Mrs. Blau. Click Here for Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2535 Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT BHS is once again the Most Philosophical School in America! Read the listing at: http://www.philosophyslam.org/prizes_fin.html Congratulations to all the students and to their Advisor Ms. Wendy Way! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2510 Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT There were fantastic works of student art and impressive student musical performances all night long in our Democracy in Action evening. Thanks to all the teachers and the students and everyone who contributed to the Great American Bake Sale! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2469 Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the BHS Programming Team of Chris Stratis (grade 12), Jerry Kim & Agi Shirinian (both grade 11) which took first place in the St. Joseph's College Programming Competition followed by two teams from Stuyvesant High School. Thewinning team is awarded a $500 cash prize per student. Special thank to our sponsor, GraphicFlash (founded by two Bethpage graduates)which donated T-shirts for the event. Congratulations to the team and to Coach Mr. LaSpina! Click Here to View Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2470 Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Thanks to everyone for participating. Proposition Two passed as well and both Mr. Kelly and Mrs. Israelton were re-elected. Click here for more information http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2275 Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here to View All Videos http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2446 Mon, 16 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to Jennie Park for being named a Scholar-Artist by the Long Island Arts Alliance! Jennie was honored with 20 other seniors from around Long Island at a ceremony at the Tilles Center. Mr. Tilles himself was there to present the award. She was joined by her parents, her mentor and art teacher Mrs. Candela, Principal Michael Spence and Superintendent of Schools Terrence Clark. This is a very prestigious award. Congratulations! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2426 Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to our First Grade Authors who presented their non-fiction books to Mrs. Cintado, Mr. Clark and Mr. DeTommaso. Everyone was very impressed. Thanks to Mrs. Saltzman and the First Grade teachers! View the slideshow! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2434 Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for Pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2374 Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage High School held its 21st Senior Citizen Prom and it was a huge success! Over 250 senior citizens came out on a beautiful May evening and were treated to dancing and dinner. They were served by BHS students and danced the night away! Congratulations to all the teachers and students and particularly to Ms. Way and her husband Mr. Long for their outstanding commitment to this annual event! Click here for the full slideshow More pictures are on Shutterfly at: http://bethpageseniorcitizenprom.shutterfly.com/pictures#n_5 http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2345 Sun, 01 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT A great time was had by all at this year's Junior Banquet. Congratulations to everyone including the Junior Advisor Mr. Whittemore! Click here for more pictures http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2336 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT On April 6th JFK Middle School had our Tri M music honors society induction. It featured very talented advanced musical students from 7th, and 8th grade chorus, band, and orchestra. There were amazing performances as well. It ended with cake, and dessert for all to enjoy http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2319 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Thirty-three Middle School LOTE students enjoyed a fabulous to Montreal, April 7th through 10th. We took part in so many fun activities and went to so many great places: Space Camp, Circus School, Imax movie, the Biodome, the Olympic Tower, St. Joseph's cathedral, creating an original animated movie, shopping in Old Montreal, iceskating, a pool party at the hotel, delicious restaurants...And an added bonus--the weather was great. It was an exhausting butwonderful experience. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2318 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Each year, the students, staff, and faculty of JFK Middle School show their spirit for their school and community by coming together for Spirit Week. By honoring their favorite decade on Decade Day, coming to school in their craziest hat or pajamas,and wearing Bethpage blue & gold, the students of JFK work together to show their spirit. The culmination of Spirit Week is a battle for bragging rights where each grade and a faculty team participates in team building events such as the obstacle course, letter game, and the sentence scramble. Thanks to all who participated and showed their school spirit! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2279 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage Educational Foundation and the Town of Oyster Bay hosted the first annual Battle at Bethpage featuring Duke v. Denver in NCAA Mens' Lacrosse. It was a fantastic event and exciting game which Denver won 12-9. There were 6,000 spectators for the event and it went flawlessly. Thanks to all the fans, the sponsors, the volunteers, the Nassau County Police, the Bethpage Fire Department, the Town of Oyster Bay Public Safety Department and the custodial staff of Bethpage Schools for their outstanding effort. It was awesome! Thanks to all! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2258 Sun, 10 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Mrs. Hermann is very proud of the three students pictured above who were chosen to represent Charles Campagne School at the Art Supervisors Association All-County Art Exhibition on Sunday, March 20, 2011. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2257 Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Everyone was a lacrosse player at the Duke-Denver Lacrosse Clinic sponsored by the Bethpage Educational Foundation and the Town of Oyster Bay. The Duke and Denver players along with legendary coaches John Danowski and Bill Tierney taught youngsters from around TOBAY a little bit about the game. They were assisted by the JV Lacrosse teams from BHS who all did a great job! It was awesome! Thanks to all! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2256 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Mrs. Hermann worked very hard with all the children at Charles Campagne School to put together a wonderful art show. She is very proud of her young artists! The Art Show was open to the public on Thursday evening, March 31, 2011. Click Here to View the Photos http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2255 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the cast of Beauty and the Beast who performed to packed crowds in the JFK Auditorium! They had great reviews. The entire cast was fantastic! Thanks to Ms. Cooper and Ms. Shresta for their professional directing of the play and to Chris Stratis for the stage and lighting. Everything was perfect! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2197 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Teachers and students were honored at a Celebrating Excellence ceremony at Bethpage High School. Students were asked to select teachers from each grade span to honor. These students were selected by the high school faculty because they have exemplified the best we offer in many different fields. Each student chose three Bethpage teachers who had an impact on their lives and gave an inspirational speech about each one of them. It was quite touching to hear the students talk about their memories of class and the way in which their teachers offered support and guidance through the years. The teachers were clearly moved by the tributes and the students represent the best Bethpage has to offer. It was a special evening for everyone involved. Thanks to Aramark for catering the event. Congratulations to all the teachers and to all the students! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2196 Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Pump It Up Presented by SEPTA http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2195 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Nassau Community College Honors Program hosts an annual science fair, art and theatre competition. For the first time, Bethpage was represented by 5 research students in grades 8 and 9 from Mr. Pollatos', Ms. Sciglibaglio's and Mr. Ravener's classes. The theme this year was Social Justice Now and asked students to interpret how media drives current issues. Cynthia Dabrowski earned first place honors in grade 8 for her presentation and research into the BP oil spill detailing how the media influenced public attitudes and what new clean-up practices proved most effective. Tom Fraher investigated how texting and social networks in general affected the incidence of risky behavior in teenagers while Craig Schmier explored the connection between body language and human emotions including fear, love and lying. Sarah Cirisi and Samantha Zito investigated healthier alternatives to high energy drinks. Congratulations to all these students whose hard work and insight resulted in such creative projects! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2146 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT The students in Bethpage's Argonaut program recently visited the Dolan DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring Harbor. They began their experience with an inschool field trip where they had the opportunity to make their own DNA and cell models with an instructor from the Dolan DNA Learning Center. On March 21st they visited the Learning Center where they extracted DNA from harmless bacteria and then had the opportunity to use forensic techniques to identify the remains of the Russian royal family, and the missing princess Anastasia Romanov. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2147 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT 7th Graders Teach 5th Graders About Characterization Ms. Green’s seventh grade English class from JFK and Ms. Ostrom’s fifth grade class from Central Boulevard have been working together on developing a deeper understanding of Literacy through reading, writing, speaking, and listening to independent and shared reading experiences in both buildings. Ms. Green and eight students visited Ms. Ostrom’s class on Friday, February 4, where the seventh grade students taught a mini lesson to the fifth graders on characterization that illustrated the difference between ROUND and FLAT characters in two different historical fiction books. The fifth graders also had an opportunity to share a writing piece about their favorite book character. In an ongoing effort to scaffold prior learning, the two classes participated in a live SKYPE video conference on Friday, March 25. The seventh graders created a “kidspeak” version of The Cay, which summarized the plot and provided illustrations to entice the younger readers. The fifth graders presented group projects that analyzed characters in the book Mr. Popper’s Penguins and that helped them apply what they learned about ROUND and FLAT characters. Both groups had the opportunity to share and broaden their appreciation of literature while utilizing cutting edge technology. JFK Librarian Michelle Phillips orchestrated the conference and helped develop an interactive lesson that incorporated all four of the Literacy "strands,” while CBS Librarian Ann Tracy played an active role in documenting the entire event. This was a rewarding experience to share and discuss literature for all involved. Ms. Green and Ms. Ostrom look forward to making more meaningful connections between their Language Arts classes in the months to come. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2148 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students created personalized tote bags out of recycled newspapers, magazine pictures and boxes in this 21st century activity with the help and direction of Ms. Young and Mrs. Blau. Have a look at the eye-catching and environmentally-conscious handiwork of our JFK students. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2105 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT The BHS Philosophy Club was invited by the Long Island Center for Inquiry to discuss the topic, “Is belief without reason ignorance?” and “Can morality exist without religion?” in front of live audience of center members and the general public. The discussion was held in the auditorium of the Plainview Old Bethpage public library where the students debated the topics for forty five minutes followed by a fifteen minute question and answer period. After the students were finished answering questions, Amy Frushour Kelly, coordinator of CFI Long Island programs, presented the students with the “Inquiry Award.” The students then had a chance to meet the CFI members to further discuss their ideas and opinions while enjoy some refreshments. The Long Island Center for Inquiry is the local affiliate of a national community of rationalists, skeptics, and humanists which sponsor local events, lectures, and educational programs. (www.centerforinquiry.net/li) The discussion will air on YouTube in the next few months so check it out if you were not able to attend. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2106 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Fourth grade students from Central Blvd., Charles Campagne, and Kramer Lane went to view a performance by the Long Island Philharmonic on Tuesday, March 15th. The concert titled, "It's An Orchestral World" featured works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Hayden, and student composers by young Long Island composers. Conductor David Stewart Wiley took time to meet with several teachers and students. The concert was enjoyed by all. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2104 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT It was unfinished business from last year’s Battle of the Classes that led the sophomore class to bring their “A” game for this year’s challenge. Last year, as freshmen, the team got to the finals (the first time ever in the history of Battle of the Classes) and faced the faculty in a Tug-of-War tie breaker which they lost. History repeated itself this year when the sophomores found themselves tied with the faculty for first place and up against them in a Tug-of-War to determine the champion. It only took 45 seconds for the sophomores to drag the faculty flag past the cone for a sweet victory! Congratulations! The final results were: 1st place-sophomores 2nd place-faculty 3rd place-seniors 4th place-juniors 5th place-freshmen http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2103 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the fourteen outstanding Bethpage High School musicians who were inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society on Thursday, March 10th. Students were selected based on their dedication to music and music performance groups, upcoming NYSSMA solo performances, and studies in school. Each performed a solo selection and then were inducted into the Honor Society. Thanks to the BHS Tri-M Advisor Mr. James Stehlik and Moms and Dads for Music for providing the refreshments. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2102 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT On March 14th, 2011, over 25 students attended the 2nd annual Pi Day competition at JFK Middle School. Students sang “Happy Pi Day To You” (Sung to the tune of Happy Birthday), enjoyed “p ” cookies, and learned about everyone’s favorite irrational number. The high point of the afternoon was contest to see who could recite the most digits of pi. Our winner was Emily Dean, recited 265 (!!) digits of Pi. Our second place finisher was an impressive 6th grader, Michelle Luo, who knew 244 digits. Our third place finisher was Matthew Heym, who recited 150 digits (up from 66 last year when he won). The exciting event was hosted by Ms. Noreman and Ms. O’Sullivan! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2101 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT On March 11, the French students went to A La Carte Cooking School in Lynbrook where they prepared and enjoyed a delicious 5 course meal. Each group of four prepared a different section of the meal: a Niçoise salad, French cheese puffs, a cheese quiche, chicken in a cream sauce, and Nutella crêpes. Très délicieux. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2099 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage School District - Spring into Math – March 3, 2011 – 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. A Math Event for Families of English Language Learners Parents and students engaged in different activities and games that promoted mathematical language and literacy in school and in the home. The focus was on shape recognition, estimation, problem solving, logical thinking, and fun! Presented by: Mr. John Titolo Director of Mathematics Mr. Steven Furrey Principal, Central Blvd. School Teachers: Laura Miniero Elementary ESL Tracey Beechay Elementary ESL Katie Lishansky Secondary ESL http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2100 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage High School had a great celebration for Pi Day (3.14)! Thanks to Mr. LaSpina and all the teachers for helping out! And special thanks to the ACE students who baked all day long and made us special (and delicious) Pi cookies! Congratulations to Chris Stratis, reigning school champion! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2054 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the Bethpage Kickline Team for their First Place performance at the national competition in South Carolina! First in Kick and second in Pom! They came home with a lot of trophies! Fantastic job to all! Thanks to Coaches Novelli and Joannou for everything! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2055 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT We had a great, fun-filled TGIF event with 400 JFK students attending! Everyone had a great time! Thanks to all the teachers and staff who gave up a Friday night to spend with us! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2053 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT During the month of February, JFK faculty and students were engaged in activities centered around the Character Education trait of Courage. We had a special assembly on February 18th featuring motivational speaker Rohan Murphy. Rohan Murphy lost both of his legs at birth, but still went on to have a successful wrestling career in both high school and college. He spoke to the students of JFK about having the courage to overcome adversity and living life with a purpose. Rohan has been featured in publications such as ABC News, Sports Illustrated and even has his own Nike commercial It was an engaging assembly for all JFK Students and Staff that motivated and inspired everyone to exercise and to live a healthy lifestyle. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2052 Sun, 13 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT The groundwork has been completed for our Reading Gazebo in memory of Mr. Robert Kohlhagen. Ribbon cutting ceremony information will be forthcoming. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2051 Sat, 12 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click Here for the Slideshow. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2048 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Officer John Dockswell spoke to the Fourth and Fifth Grade students at Charles Campagne about cyber-bullying. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2050 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Tuesday, March 1st, Bethpage students participated in the largest worldwide math competition – World Math Day. World Math Day is an online mathematics competition where students from all over the world compete against students their own age in mental arithmetic questions. In each game, students have one minute to answer as many questions as they can. This year, over 5.3 million students from over 215 countries correctly answered over 400,000,000 mathematics questions. Bethpage students from the High School, Middle School and all three Elementary schools participated in this exciting event. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2049 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT On March 3rd, all students in the school district celebrated National Reading Day. Students had a wonderful time participating in Read Day and reading their favorite books. Below are pictures and videos from Read Day's events. Central Boulevard Powerpoint Charles Campagne Powerpoint http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2018 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Our first graders celebrated the publication of their “How To” books facilitated by Mrs. Saltzman and the First Grade Teachers. They learned the different parts of a “How To” book, including the title page, the introduction, the materials page, the step by step page, and the reminder of what the reader learned. All three first grades met in the All Purpose Room on February 28, 2011 to share their books. The children learned a lot from each other and enjoyed sharing their knowledge. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2017 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT The orchestras of JFK and BHS had quite a performance with electric violinist Mark Wood! To a packed audience and under the direction of Mr. Wood, the orchestras had the house jumping to the music of Coldplay, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Ozzie Ozbourn and others. Mr. Wood is an original member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and has played with incredible musicians during his career. The students thoroughly enjoyed themselves. He rehearsed with them for two days and got them ready for this impressive concert! It was incredible. Special thanks to our Orchestra leader, Mr. Eric Kay, who made all the arrangements. As an added bonus, Mr. Kay joined the final performance, playing sax right alongside his students. He was very impressive! Everyone was inspired! Mark Wood was awesome! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2016 Sun, 06 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Some of the best athletes at Bethpage High School took over the court in a basketball game against Calhoun High School. It was a packed crowd! The athletes spent time preparing for the big game and were superbly coached by Coach D'Albenzio and Coach Greco with assistance from Mr. Franchi, Mr. Fullerton and Mr. Kileen. It was a high scoring game on both sides. Excellent defense was exhibited. And there was true sportsmanship on the court at all times. Thanks to all the adults who helped with the game, all the teachers who attended and to Dr. Hantzidiamantis for making the arrangements. At halftime, our Senior Eagles took over and gave us a great show! Thanks to them and our cheerleaders for showing us how it is done! And thanks to the Golden Girls for warming up the crowd with a pre-game performance. It was a great event! Thanks to all our athletes for being such good Golden Eagles! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=2014 Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage Union Free School District is pleased to announce that Jermaine John, Hanna Kim, and Jasdeep Singh, seniors at Bethpage High School, have attained much success for their academic and/or athletic achievements. Jermaine John won the Nassau County Championship for wrestling on February 13. Jermaine plans to sign a letter of intent to wrestle once he decides on the college he will attend in the fall of 2011. Hanna Kim will be attending the United States Military Academy at West Point for the Class of 2015. Hanna wishes to follow up her education at the highest level, bringing with her the morals and ethics she has learned while at Bethpage High School. Jasdeep Singh was named a Finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program, after earning Semifinalist standing in the fall of 2010. Jasdeep is currently waiting on decisions from Columbia University, New York University, and SUNY Stony Brook. Congratulations are extended to these outstanding students, and best of luck for their continued success. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1978 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT The kindergarten children at Kramer Lane celebrated the 100th day of school on Tuesday, February 14. The children have been preparing for this special day since the first day of school. Each day we read the book Emily's first 100 days of School, by Rosemary Wells. We were very excited as we reached 100. Children each made a collected of 100 items which they brought to school to share. We all enjoyed a special 100 snack and proudly paraded around the school announcing Hip Hip Hooray--It's the 100th Day. We are so proud to be 100 days smarter! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1977 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to the Girls Gymnastics Team for their County Championship! They were fantastic and as you can see Coach Rhatigan was a little enthused! For more pictures go to http://www.msgvarsity.com/long-island/nassau-county-gymnastics-photos-1.376674?p http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1915 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Friday, February 11, 2011, a presentation of $1000 was made to the Long Island Crisis Center (LICC) from Bethpage High School’s Student Civic members. This year's Student Civic Talent Show at the high school dedicated its proceeds to the work that LICC diligently executes daily. Their slogan "Any Problem, Any Time, Any One” reflects their mission: “Everyone has the right to free and anonymous help at any time, no matter who they are or what their needs might be.” LICC offers crisis intervention, counseling, information and referral, and other supportive services primarily through a 24/7 telephone crisis hotline and live online counseling, as well as advocacy for appropriate services and programming on behalf of Long Island's underserved and disenfranchised population. Development Director Fran Karliner received the check from Student Civic Executive Board members Dessiree Pendleton, Laura Coletta and Carley Okula and active participants, Amanda Arnold, Lisa Coletta and Jeanne Lavalley. Proud Principal Michael Spence and Student Civic Advisor Jacqueline Jill Rito were also available for the official presentation. Thank you to the Bethpage community for their active interest and support in making meaningful events like this one a rousing success for these high school students. Caption: Pictured from left to right are: Principal Michael Spence, students Amanda Arnold, Jeanne Lavalley, Dessiree Pendleton, Lisa Coletta and Carley Okula, and Director of Development for the LICC Fran Karliner. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1914 Sat, 19 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT On February 9th, 2011, Bethpage High School Student Civic members along with other students from high schools across Nassau County participated in the 25th annual Nassau Country Human Rights Awareness Conference at Adelphi University. The theme of "Your Human Rights Are My Responsibility" reflected the workshops of this year's conference. Presented were; Hate Crimes 101 - The Continuum of Prejudicial Behavior presented by Alisty Keneth of AJK Diversified; If Your Words Had the Power/ Passing Along Dare to Care, Herstory Writers' Workshop - Erika Duncan (a program offered for schools, social service agencies and institutions); Here I Stand: Silence Only Empowers the Oppressor, presented by Mineola High School's Increase the Peace Club; and From Your Facebook Page to Your Prom Date: Students' Rights, presented by the NY Civil Liberties Union, led by Samantha Fredrickson, Esq. Director just to name a few. Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano made the morning keynote address to the packed crowd at Adelphi Student Union despite having left Albany at 4am that morning. He expressed how important such a conference and its values are in today's world and how he felt that his address would emphasize that point to today's youth. The afternoon presentation was a dramatic rendition by Adelphi students of "The Laramie Project: The Portrayal of the story of Matthew Shepherd, a gay young man who was tortured and killed by two other young men in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998. The bus ride home lent itself to discussion from the students and their inspiration at attending the conference. Now comes the task of incorporating this awareness in our daily lives. Bethpage Student Civic members in attendance were: Leila Dastgheib-Beheshti, Holly Josephs, Jerry Kim, Michelle Mason, Nicole Scagliola, Christina Wing. BHS Student Civic advisor, Jacqueline Jill Rito is also a member of the Nassau County Human Rights Awareness Conference Advisory Board. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1912 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students in the 21st Century Junior Scholars Program at JFK Middle School in the Bethpage Union Free School District have taken up a community service project that allows them to be creative as well as being kind to others. The project, “Fleece Scarves for Charity,” began on Friday, January 28, under the direction of teachers Erica Blau and Courtney Young, and will be completed on Friday, February 11, when the students have finished putting together their “no-sew” fleece scarves, which will be donated to a local nursing home. The students began the project using a pattern, which was traced onto fleece material purchased from a local fabric store, and then cut out. By the time the scarves are pieced together, the recipients will be the proud owners of colorful, cozy warm scarves, made by JFK Middle School students. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1874 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT Click here to read the flyer... http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1876 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Friday, February 4th, the Bethpage High School Mathletes competed in the 2011 Nassau Math Tournament at SUNY Old Westbury. The Lower Division Team (9th and 10th graders) placed 10th out of 54 teams, earning a plaque which will be displayed in the showcase near the Center for Performing Arts. Members of the Lower Division Team are Tyler Albert, Harshil Garg, Chang Jeong, Nisha Shah, and Yu En (Ian) Tsang. In addition, the Upper Division Team (11th and 12th graders) placed 14th out of 65 teams with Patrick Cao and Jerry Kim both earning top 20 honors for all 11th graders. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1877 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT A presentation of $1000. was made to the Long Island Crisis Center from BHS Student Civic members on Friday, February 11th, 2011. This year's BHS Student Civic Talent Show dedicated its proceeds to the work that LICC diligently executes daily. "Any Problem, Any Time, Any One" is their slogan that reflect their mission: Everyone has the right to free and anonymous help at any time, no matter who they are or what their needs might be. They offer crisis intervention, counseling, information and referral and other supportive services primarily through a 24hour/ 7day -a- week telephone crisis hotline and live, online counseling as well as advocacy for appropirate services and programming on behalf of Long Island's underserved and disenfranchised population. Development Director, Fran Karliner received the check from BHS Student Civic Executive Board members: Dessiree Pendleton, Laura Coletta and Carley Okula and active participants, Karen Arnold, Lisa Coletta and Jeanne Lavalley. Proud Principal Michael Spence and BHS Student Civic advisor Jacqueline Jill Rito were also available for the official presentation. Thank you to the Bethpage community for their active interest and support in making meaningful events like these a rousing success for our students. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1878 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT The 2nd annual Long Island High School Ethics Bowl took place at Bethpage High School on Saturday, February 12th. Fourteen teams from eight area schools matched wits over ethical cases whose topics included sexting, polygamy, omitting information on a job application, sterilization of the mentally challenged, and the rights of obese airline passengers. All of the Bethpage teams made it to the semi-final round, but it was Bethpage Team A consisting Michelle Durnack, Mark Han, Matt Lippertshauser, Amy Gaines, and Alex Mangano that made it to the final round against Moorestown Friends Academy from New Jersey. After an hour of intense commentary and rebuttal Bethpage ultimately prevailed and took home the trophy! Congratulations! The Long Island Ethics Bowl is sponsored by the Squire Family Foundation. The foundation was founded by Long Island native Gary Squire, an advocate for more philosophical instruction at the pre-college level. An Ethics Bowl is a collaborative yet competitive event, in which two teams are presented with a series of wide-ranging ethical dilemmas and are asked to analyze them; they are then judged on the basis of their analyses. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1879 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT Students at Kramer Lane participated in the 21st century Board Games activity. Students enjoyed playing games such as Blokus, Life, Parcheesi, Clue and Yahtzee. Each student learned new game stratgies and some helped create some beautiful Blokus designs. The games were hosted by Mrs. Swartz and Mrs. Muller. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1881 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Library was abuzz with love on Valentine's Day as students created "Library Love Bugs", "Sweet Wreaths" and played HEART (BINGO). Faculty designed "I Love Reading" bookmarks and love themed books were also on display. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1882 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT During a wintry January week, many students gathered to create four 3-D Puzzles: The Eiffel Tower, The Taj Mahal, Big Ben and The White House. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had plans of her own and threw us for a loop with a major snow storm. The students demonstrated perseverance during their valiant effort to construct the puzzles. They were not as easy as they looked. Big Ben is still not completed. The puzzles are on display, along with more information about each landmark, in our JFK Library Media Center. Thank you Mrs. Phillips. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1875 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Tuesday, January 25, fourth and fifth-grade students in the 21st Century Program at Central Boulevard Elementary School in the Bethpage Union Free School District enjoyed a special visit from the author of Hope Is Here to Stay, Patrice Domozych. Mrs. Domozych shared her inspirational book, which tells the story of her niece, 13-year-old Lauren Loose and her battle with pediatric cancer, and how she wanted to help other children fighting the same illness. She also spoke to students about the writing process, reasons for writing a book, and followed up with a discussion about communication, inspiration, and empowerment. Through book sales, a foundation was created called “Lauren’s First and Goal Football Camp.” The foundation helps families as they deal with pediatric cancer, and it raises money that goes to research and support for pediatric brain tumor research. After sharing information about the foundation, each student received a personalized copy of the book Hope Is Here to Stay, and also became part of “Lauren’s Circle of Strength.” http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1872 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT In an effort to promote literacy and open communication between JFK and the elementary schools, students in Ms. Green's JFK class recently visited Central Boulevard with 8 seventh graders to present a lesson on Round (dynamic) and Flat (static) characters for the fifth grade students in Mrs. Ostrom's class. Students prepared balloon and plate characters based on historical fiction books they read for their independent reading project in English, CBS students prepared summaries of characters from their independent reading books in Language Arts. As a culminating activity, the seventh graders prepared a brief PowerPoint presentation on characterization that they presented to CBS students on February 4. It was a terrific project for all! Click here to view photos http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1873 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Tuesday January 25, students enjoued a visit from the author of Hope is Here to Stay. Mrs Patrice Domozych discuess the writing process with the participants and more about the foundation that the book features. Each of the students went home with their own personalized copy of the book. The students also became part of the "Lauren's Circle of Strength" for their participation. Click to view more photos in the Photo Feature http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1778 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Thursday, January 20, 2011, JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Zito to learn more about how they can "pay it forward" to others. They also discussed how that relates to JFK's character education program. The students viewed a recent episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" where a young boy, who was chosen to recieve a new house for his family, decided to "pay it forward" by giving his old house to another family. It was a very inspirational video. The students created buttons that pledged something that they would do for someone else to "pay it forward". They are looking forward to creating a chain reaction! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1728 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT Below are some pictures from our recent SADD trip to CBS. The SADD group works monthly with Mrs. Tierney's CBS third grade class. We work on a clean slate project that teaches ways to be better friends to one another. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1727 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders competed in JFK’s Geography Bee. This annual event is run through the National Geographic Society. All classroom winners were provided a certificate for their accomplishments. Steven Sciglibaglio, a grade 7 student from Ms. Mastellone’s social studies class won the school-wide Bee and the runner up was Kelly Russo from Ms. Moquin’s social studies class. Steven Sciglibaglio also took a state qualifying exam to determine whether or not he will move on to the state finals. Congratulations to all of the students who participated in this event. Click to view more photos in the Photo Feature http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1724 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT JFK students met with Ms. Maloney and Ms. Zito on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 to create sculptures with white paper. Students thought of a memory they have had and represented it in a three dimensional sculpture using only white paper. The students had a great time and came up with very creative ideas! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1725 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Thursday January 13, 2011, Bethpage High School Student Civic Association hosted a celebrity-judged Talent Show with proceeds going to Long Island Crisis Center. Students poured in despite the cold weather with a major donation of $1000. earmarked for LICC. Celebrity judges included musician/singer/songwriter Patricia Shih, rock drummer Liberty Devitto (formerly of Billy Joel's band), teen rock sensation Jesse Kinch, unparalleled LI DJ Rocky from WBAB and Fran Karliner, Director of Development from Long Island Crisis Center. Winners of the Talent Show were Kristen Chiofalo singing an operatic aria, "Deh, Viene Non Tardar" in 3rd place, the rock band Last Stand, playing "Bring Me to Life" in 2nd place and first place was none other than Kyle Brown and his stand-up comedy routine, which we were told actually made "all the judges laugh". Much appreciation to all those who attended the talent show, participated in its success on all levels and of course the performers and judges which makes the show a night of enjoyment and giving for and from the community from BHS Student Civic Association. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1726 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT The Annual Train Show rolled into Bethpage and it was quite a display! Thanks to the BHS PTSA for sponsoring this event and bringing so many smiles to the faces of so many people-- young and old alike! Special visitors included Nassau County Legislator Rose Walker and her grandson! Click to view more photos in the Photo Feature http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1722 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT Congratulations to Coaches Ron Abatelli and Ben Resnick for being recognized by the Bethpage High School Alumni Wrestling Association for their many years of service to our community! Coach Abatelli recently won his 300th match! Coach Resnick has now been with us for 25 years! Both are pillars of our athletic program and a source of pride for Bethpage! They have contributed so much over the years and are so deserving of this recognition! Congratulations to them and thanks to the Alumni Wrestling Association for recognizing their importance to us all! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1723 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Monday, January 3, the 8th grade began an epic, pulse-pounding adventure as they started The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Mrs. Hayes, Miss McCarthy, and Mrs. Pelcher were decked out in their Hunger Games tees and buttons to celebrate the exciting and special day. The book introduces sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem where North America once stood. This is where a powerful government working in a central city called the Capitol holds power. In the book, the Hunger Games are an annual televised event where the Capitol chooses one boy and one girl from each district to go to arena and fight. The Hunger Games exist to demonstrate not even children are beyond the reach of the Capitol's power. It's a great read! Author of the Twilight series, Stephenie Meyer says this about The Hunger Games: "I was so obsessed with this book I had to take it with me out to dinner and hide it under the edge of the table so I wouldn't have to stop reading. The story kept me up for several nights in a row, because even after I was finished, I just lay in bed wide awake thinking about it...The Hunger Games is amazing." http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1719 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT On Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 The Eagles Voice Chorus went into NYC to see “Million Dollar Quartet.” Prior to the show all students and chaperones had lunch at Planet Hollywood. The trip ended with a meet and greet of the actors including signatures and pictures. It was a huge success!!!!! Click to view more photos in the Photo Feature http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1721 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT On January 5, 2011, Special Education Professor Dr. Ann Mungai and Service-Learning Professor Diana Feige visited Mrs. Theresa Gervasi-Schneider's Child Psychology classes to bring good wishes and thanks from the 42 orphan children from Dr. Mungai's orphanage and school in Kenya. Mrs. Schneider's classes hand-crafted pencil cases, personalized for each of the children last academic year and sent I LOVE NY T-shirts as well. Also at that time, Ms. Chris Bennett's physical education classes collected and donated boxes of athletic equipment; games, balls, bats, rackets, jump ropes and toys much to the delight of the children. After much bureaucracy with shipping and documentation, the container of athletic equipment finally cleared customs and arrived this summer, to be transported miles from the sea to the orphanage and the eager attention of the children. Dr. Mungai chose to bring photos and slides of the children as well as hand-written thank you notes to all our students and teachers who gave of their time and effort to give to them. Students were silent as Dr. Mungai recounted the life stories of several of these orphaned children. Students asked questions and seemed positively motivated to be involved in more of these hands-on projects. This year, Mrs. Schneider's classes chose to create individual backpacks for the children which were shown and then boxed for Dr. Mungai to take back to Adelphi and then to be sent to the orphanage in the forthcoming months. Bethpage Student Civic Advisor, Ms. Rito invites any teacher in the district interested in creating similar projects with the Mungai Foundation children to contact her at Bethpage High School (644-4100) for details and connections http://cwmf.org/children.htm. Other schools on Long Island have participated with projects of their own, however, Dr. Mungai is always pleasantly willing to raise awareness about the many issues that create the need for safehomes like hers in Kenya. Click for more photos in the Photo Feature http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1611 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage High School senior Tom Engelhardt recently signed a Letter of Intent to play lacrosse at Molloy College. Tom has played on the High School’s Varsity Lacrosse Team for three years and serves as a captain as well. In addition to lacrosse, Tom plays football, for which he achieved All-Conference status. He earned an All-County Honorable Mention as Varsity Lacrosse Team member, and has also played on the Underarmour Team and Long Island Express Team. At Molloy, Tom plans to study education. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1718 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT The SADD club visited the Mary Brennen Inn in Hempstead and served over 300 guests lunch and prepared them bags for dinner that night. The students had an amazing time and are looking forward to going back in the spring. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1713 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage High School students attended the Challenge Day workshops. On a daily basis, we have been receiving overwhelmingly positive responses to the program. Thanks to everyone involved, especially the Guidance Department for organizing the event. View the slideshow in the Photo Feature http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1714 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT Despite mounds of foot-high snow, BHS Student Civic members Dessiree Pendleton, Jeanne Lavalley and Nick Broughton arrived all-smiles at Mercy Inn Soup Kitchen in Wyandanch early on Tuesday morning, December 28th 2010 to serve those less fortunate. Accompanied by Student Civic advisor, Ms. Rito, the students managed to lend a hand in making preparations for the 80 guests that attended for Tuesday's lunch. Dessiree served the vegetables, Jeanne took care of the salads and rolls and Nick gave piping hot coffee and desserts. The Mercy INN addresses the issue of hunger and need in the community of Wyandanch, one of the poorest on Long Island, by providing hot, nourishing meals in a dignified, comfortable and respectful manner to those who seek help. Theirs is an an all-volunteer, not-for-profit, non-sectarian, community-based organization believing that all human beings are interdependent and that society heals itself by caring for the least of its brethren. The Mercy INN is part of the The Interfaith Nutrition Network, Inc. operating autonomously from that organization, maintaining its own bank accounts, and is responsible for its own income and expenses. It operates a single soup kitchen serving over 25,000 free, hot noontime meals per year to the homeless and working poor of the Wyandanch community. Almost all food served is donated by local hospitals, restaurants and community groups, or purchased through annual grants. Through the selfless service of our BHS students on December 28th 2010, wishes of Happy New Year were exchanged among guests and volunteer staff. Much gratitude to Dessiree, Jeanne and Nick, who decided to go out in the cold, drive considerable distance and give their energy, efforts and smiles to those who really needed them. You've made a difference at year's end 2010 and will continue the trend in 2011. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1715 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT Just prior to the holiday vacation, Scrooge visited Charles Campagne and read "A Christmas Carol" to the three third grade classes. Thanks for visiting us! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1716 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT Click here for more information... http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1717 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT Click here to read more... http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1708 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT Students from JFK met with Ms. Maloney, Ms. Okita, and Ms. Zito to go winter caroling throughout the month of December. Students sang songs like "Let it Snow" and "Winter Wonderland". The students had a great time walking around Bethpage and spreading holiday cheer to all their Bethpage neighbors. View more photos in the Photo Feature http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1710 Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT On the evening of Saturday, December 18th, the Bethpage High School Wind Ensemble and Bethpage High School Show Choir, Singsation performed at the Old Bethpage Restoration Village Tree Lighting Ceremony. Under the direction of Mr. James Stehlik, the Wind Ensemble performed traditional favorites to a large crowed filled with friends, families, and patrons. Under the direction of Mr. Marc Silverberg, Singsation performed holiday favorites. Nassau County Executive, Mr. Edward Mangano spoke and lit the beautiful Christmas tree. Everyone had a festive evening! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1711 Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT On Friday, December 3rd, 2010 junior Andrew Cavaciuti presented his electronic music composition titled, “October” at the annual New York State School Music Association Winter Conference in Rochester, NY. Andrew was one of ten students honored from New York State to present his composition at the state level. While at the state convention Andrew had the opportunity to meet several professional composers and attend composition workshops presented by educators and musicians across the state. Andrew is currently enrolled in Computer Music II at Bethpage High School and is also a member of the BHS Jazz Ensemble. Below are photos of Andrew along with the other honored students, Professor Herb Deutsch, and Mr. Terry Nigrelli, the New York State Electronic Music Chairperson. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1712 Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT On Friday, December 10th Ms. Cooper and Ms. Shrestha went to see the Broadway show “Elf” in New York City. There were 18 students in JFK who attended and it was a huge success. This was a wonderful show for the students and was accompanied by two workshops. It was a fun time for all!!!! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1707 Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT On Thursday, December 16th, members of BHS Student Civic participated to make the holidays a bit happier for others. Nick Broughton, Jeanne Lavalley, Ashley Ambrico, Desirree Pendleton, Jenny Park, Amanda Arnold, Carley Okula and Laura Coletta decorated pre-printed holiday cards to be sent to troops overseas with our best wishes for a speedy and safe return home. Operation Gratitude http://www.opgratitude.com/ is a project that seeks to lift morale and put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed in harm's way. Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, hygiene products, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support. Through Collection Drives, Letter Writing Campaigns and Donations of funds for shipping expenses, Operation Gratitude provides civilians anywhere in America a way to express their respect and appreciation to the men and women of the U.S. Military in an active, hands-on manner. Continuing the festivities, Laura Coletta and Carley Okula accompanied by advisor Ms. Rito trekked into Roosevelt for the annual Bethany House Holiday Party. Amid squeals of delight from the Bethany children, BHS Student Civic provided pizza, a vanilla-mousse cake, angel ornament crafts to decorate for their holiday tree and a cuddly stuffed bear for each child. Art supplies for the children and notepads for the mothers remained as additional gifts. After each child finished decorating their individual angel with color and glitter, they were led into the living room to choose their own stuffed bear much to their delight. After the gasps of joy, whirling and jumping subsided, the evening ended with the children hugging their bears as they obediently marched upstairs to bed, but not without sixteen little voices of "thank you" and the appreciation of thirteen moms making everyone's holiday just a bit brighter. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1705 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT The Kindergarten classes at Kramer Lane once again sponsored a school wide toy drive. The donated toys were forwarded to Toys for Tots to be distributed to needy families on Long Island. Pictured here with their classes are kindergarten teachers Mrs. Peggy Cahill, Mrs. Cynthia Cavallo and Mrs. Deborah Sarube. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1706 Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT Click here to read more... http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1709 Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT Below are pictures from the high school-middles school faculty volleyball game last month. It was a real nail-biter this year as it went to a decisive fifth games. The high school faculty got the beat of the middle school faculty by two points in the final game. The kids and everyone involved had a great time. The event helped us raise over $400 for Challenge Day. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1704 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT Click here for more information... http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1697 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT In the Bethpage School District, Central Boulevard, Charles Campagne, and Kramer Lane Elementary Schools each held different Thanksgiving- and fall-related activities for students prior to the November 26 holiday. Though the events varied, there was one common theme: food and treats shared by friends and the concept of being thankful. At Central Boulevard, Mrs. Cataldi and Ms. Sieben's inclusion class had Thanksgiving desserts covered, baking apple pies that they later enjoyed. The students had the opportunity to peel apples, mix ingredients, and try a slice of the finished products. First graders at Charles Campagne made crafts and participated in celebrations during Native American Day. Students rotated stations where they created their own beaded necklaces, clay pots, drums, paper weaving projects, and brown bag vests in the all-purpose room where a life-sized tepee was assembled. Kramer Lane children performed for parents and staff during a show featuring several Thanksgiving compilations. Under the leadership of Director of Chorale and Classroom Music Mrs. Deborah Stehlik, students sang songs about giving thanks, the traditional Thanksgiving feast, and more. One of the most popular was the “Turkey Tango.” In addition to these activities, many classes held Thanksgiving feasts that staff and PTA members, children, and their families helped contribute to. Students also learned more about why it is important to be thankful, around the holidays and throughout the year. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1698 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT On November 4, the BHS orchestra and other music students attended a performance by the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in New York. The program was three violin concertos by Mozart and the world premiere of Wolfgang Rihm’s “Lichtes Spiel.” The violin soloist was Anne-Sophie Mutter, the New York Philharmonic’s Artist-in-Residence, who also directed the orchestra in the Mozart concertos. Michael Francis was the guest conductor for “Lichtes Spiel.” http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1699 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage Board of Education recently honored our two most recent Eagle Scouts- James Fischer and Joseph Agnese. Congratulations to them both! That is quite an accomplishment. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1700 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT On the evening of Saturday, December 4th the Bethpage High School show choir, "Singsation" performed at the Town of Oyster Bay's "Holiday on Ice". Under the direction of Mr. Marc Silverberg the students performed holiday favorites as patrons entered the Bethpage Skating Arena. Senior Kelly Ryan performed the national anthem. The music really got everyone into the holiday spirit. Thanks and congratulations to all of the performers! http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1701 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT The Bethpage School District’s JFK Middle School held Bullying Awareness Day in November. Each grade followed a schedule of activities and programs based on anti-bullying. The day started with a PowerPoint lesson, followed by a special presentation and assorted activities. The highlight of Bullying Awareness Day was the assembly, “Ryan’s Story,” presented by John Halligan. Mr. Halligan lost his son Ryan to suicide in 2003, and it is believed that bullying and humiliation – both online and in school - from Ryan’s peers are what sparked this tragedy. Following Ryan’s death, Mr. Halligan helped form the Vermont Bullying Prevention Bill and also played a role in passing ACT 114, a law pertaining to mandatory suicide prevention education in public schools. Mr. Halligan shared Ryan’s story and photographs from the time his son was a young child through his adolescent years. He described the difficulties that Ryan faced as a result of bullying, as well as its broader impact. “When you bully, you’re not just bullying one kid – you’re bullying their entire family,” he explained. He discussed the basic characteristics of bullies while noting that bystanders are guilty as well, and encouraged students to help their peers. Mr. Halligan then took the time to respond to questions students asked about Ryan’s situation and bullying in general. Following Mr. Halligan’s presentation, JFK Middle School Principal Ms. Kerri McCarthy addressed the students. “Change really comes from within,” she explained. “You as students have the power to make that change. You should be here to support each other.” Students then participated in post-assembly activities including group discussions and handouts in classrooms, cooperative games in the gymnasium, a video showing, and ice cream treats. Staff members, who wore “Bully-Free Forever” shirts, emphasized tips for dealing with bullying, avoiding cyber bullying, and important points from the Ryan’s Story presentation. The day brought students together in realizing the importance of good character and rising above negative behaviors such as bullying. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1702 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT Click here to the happenings... http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1695 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT Click here for more information... http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1696 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT Bethpage Schools, in conjunction with Cablevision and Power to Learn, kicked off the Fifth Annual Read to Achieve program . Third graders from all three elementary schools came up to Bethpage High School for a day of fun and to meet their new reading mentors- the BHS Athletic Captains. Students learned how important reading is to a good education. High School students talked about their favorite books and their love of reading. The High School students are known as scholar-athletes because they are both excellent athletes and excellent students. They will now visit the third grade classrooms to make sure that everyone is keeping up with their reading! The High School will now visit the third grade classrooms to make sure that everyone is keeping up with their reading! Thanks to all the students, teachers, administrators, clerical staff, Cablevision and Power to Learn! See more photos on the Photo Feature page http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1703 Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT Click Here to Read More Information... http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1694 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT The JFK Library celebrated Thanksgiving a week early with more than 100 students participating in crafting activities during lunch periods. Students made Thanksgiving cornucopia placemats and paper bag turkey centerpieces. The feathers were literally flying and creative juices were flowing as students designed and decorated their artwork. The two-day event was well-received by the students and the library staff plans to hold similar crafting sessions in the future. http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/News/Story.aspx?id=1693 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT