Bethpage High School
10 Cherry Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714
|
 |
| PRINCIPAL: Mr. Nicholas Jantz |
|
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS: Mr. Kevin Healy, Mr. Ralph Tocco
|
Main Office:
516-644-4100 (Phone)
516-644-4110 (Fax) |
|
Extra Help (Quarter 4):
Monday/Wednesday:
English, Family & Consumer Sciences, Health, Math, Reading, World Languages
Tuesday/Thursday:
Art, Business, Music, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies
|
In the News
Top of Bethpage
With the end of the school year nearing, Bethpage High School recently announced seniors Stacy Kappel and Soham Maiti as the Class of 2019 Valedictorian and Salutatorian, respectively.
A pair of students that have been recognized for academic achievements throughout the school year, Stacy and Soham were both identified among the 15,000 finalists in the 64th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program in March after being named semifinalists in September.
Stacy is a member of the National Honor Society and Italian Honor Society at the high school. She plans to major in engineering when she begins college in the fall.
Soham intends on majoring in economics when he begins his collegiate studies. At Bethpage, he is the president of the Philosophy Club, team captain of the Ethics Club, an All-State musician, a founding member of the Chamber Orchestra, a Mathlete and a member of the National and Spanish Honor Societies.
“Stacy and Soham are great examples and role models for future graduates to look up to,” said Principal Nicholas Jantz. “Congratulations to them on being named the Valedictorian and Salutatorian of this year’s graduating class.”
Photo Gallery
A Standard and Example Set
The Regal Eagles robotics team is set for a challenge at the For Inspiration Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics Competition World Championship, to be held in Detroit, Mich. from April 24-26. This marks the third straight year that the Regal Eagles are contenders in this event.
Seniors Blake von der Esch and Morgan Heller have been part of all three previous trips to the FIRST World Championships as four-year members of Team #2869. Both students have witnessed the growth of robotics and science at school and in regional events. There were 54 participating teams at the New York City Regional on April 6 and 7, including groups from China, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
“Robotics has definitely helped me develop as a person,” said Blake. “There are things we have learned outside of the classroom including team work, working on real world problems and working on time crunches.”
“Being a part of the robotics team has given me a non-technical point of view of how many companies operate,” Morgan explained.
The Regal Eagles experience has helped each student individually prepare for college and beyond. Blake has enrolled at Northeastern University for the fall with plans on majoring in mechanical engineering. Morgan will major in business management at nearby SUNY Farmingdale.
While the team built the robot during a six-week window in January and February, members meet year-round to discuss methods and strategies. The intense six-week-long preparation period involved after school work, sometimes until almost 9 p.m., and students also dedicated the majority of their Saturdays. The work ethic and dedication demonstrated are just two of the values learned by students and alumni of Regal Eagles.
“It is such a unique experience being part of FIRST Robotics that you will never experience anywhere else,” said Blake. “The program is expanding massively.”
The goals of the team at the championships are to continue to fix the flaws of their robot, reach the Einstein level once again and improve upon their success and results from last year. However, no matter the outcome, Blake, Morgan and the entire team have set a standard of excellence for future robotic teams and students in the district.
“Blake and Morgan’s contributions have been more than just the development of the robot,” said Director of Technology Andrew Choi. “This team has pushed through adversity and put together a body of work this year to earn a place in Detroit.”
The district wishes the Regal Eagles the best of luck during the FIRST World Championships!
Photo Gallery
Long Island Science Congress
Ten freshmen students from Bethpage High School competed at the Long Island Science Congress at St. Anthony's High School on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 after months of hard work and efforts abound! Awards will take place Monday, May 20, 2019. Good luck to Aurrel Bhatia, Ruchitha Channapatna, Suchitha Channapatna, Bernardo Jimenez, Nimrit Manj, Demitrios Nerantzinis, Samar Singh, Sukhraj Singh, Theresa Thulasidas, and Ava Zingone! Great job!
Photo Gallery
Certified Musicians
High school Principal Nicholas Jantz congratulated Will Katartzis, middle left, A.J. Vita, middle right, and Soham Maiti, far right, for receiving their New York State School Music Association All-State certificates on April 8.
Photo Gallery
Regal Eagles Soar at New York City Regional and World Championship Bound
The Bethpage High School Robotics Team, Regal Eagles, FIRST Robotics Competition Team #2869 participated at the New York City Regional on Saturday, April 6, 2019 and Sunday, April 7, 2019. They were among fifty-four participating teams, some having traveled from as far as China, Turkey, and the United Kingdom to participate in this prestigious regional event. The Regal Eagles put together a string of strong performances during their qualification matches, to the tune of a 7-3 record. In the playoffs, the Regal Eagles were seeded in the #2 ranked alliance with the Ossining High School O-Bots (Team #4122) and Bronx High School of Science SciBorgs (Team #1155). During their best-of-three quarterfinals match-up, the Regal Eagles and their alliance were successful and prevailed, 2 games to 1. In their best-of-three semifinals match-up, the Regal Eagles and their alliance were again successful winning, 2 games to 0. In the finals, the Regal Eagles and their alliance fell to the #1 overall alliance, 2 games to 0, however still earned the right to participate at FIRST Robotics Competition World Championships later this month in Detroit, Michigan. This now marks the third straight year that the Regal Eagles will participate at FIRST World Championships!
Congratulations to the Regal Eagles and their team advisors, Dr. Kay and Mr. LaSpina on their accomplishments at the New York City Regional and from throughout the school year.
The district wishes the Regal Eagles much success on their journey to Detroit, Michigan!
Bethpage High School Student Publishes Philosophy Article
Bethpage High School senior, Soham Maiti recently had a philosophy article published in the magazine, Questions: Philosophy for Young People. The magazine is unique because it publishes the work of K-12 students interested in philosophical issues. Soham felt that his experiences taking philosophy class with Ms. Way, serving as President of the Philosophy Club, and Captain of the Ethics Bowl Team gave him a great foundation to analyze how ancient philosophy affects the modern world. His article, "The Allegory of the Digital Cave" explores whether the pursuit of truth sill matters in our society. The district congratulations to Soham on this excellent accomplishment!
Students Turn Back in “Bye, Bye Birdie”
The high school Masquers’ Guild produced three captivating performances of “Bye, Bye Birdie” at the Bethpage Center for Performing Arts from March 28-30.
Families, administration, staff and community members enjoyed each of the three performances directed and choreographed by Ilana Strongin, produced by Michelle Marino and under the vocal direction of Jessica Sinisi. The play marked the final district musical for many of the seniors in the cast and crew.
The show is inspired by the popularity of singer Elvis Presley and his draft notice into the Army in 1957. The musical features rock-and-roll idol Conrad Birdie, played by Joseph Colavolpe, being drafted into the U.S. Army and his agent Albert Peterson, portrayed by William Katartzis, creating a farewell performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. The farewell performance is hoped to also save Almaelou Records from going under.
“We would like to thank the cast and crews for all of their hard work to make ‘Bye, Bye Birdie’ a success,” said Ms. Strongin. “We could not have done this performance without the help and support of our custodial, administrative and building staff.”
Photo Gallery
Student Leaders of Women’s History
Students of Bethpage High School had the opportunity to participate in a special Women’s History Month event, held at the nearby Altice Corporate Office on March 22.
Twenty-two student leaders attended this panel discussion that featured County Executive Laura Curran, District Attorney Madeline Singas Carol Silva of News12 and Altice executives. The students spoke to the panelists about leadership, confidence and empowerment.
The district thanks Altice for bringing together this panel and for having the high school’s student leaders.
Photo Gallery
AP Examination Schedule
For any students enrolled in an Advanced Placement course, AP Examinations will take place between Monday, May 6, 2019 and Friday, May 17, 2019. Please refer to the schedule available at the link below.
AP Examination Schedule, 2018-19
Celebrating Italy
Members of the Italian Club at Bethpage High School collaborated with teachers and parent-volunteers to host the 47th Annual Festa Italiana on March 15.
Students transformed the school’s auxiliary gymnasium into an Italian Haven with posters, flags, streamers, a photo booth and a wide variety of Italian dishes. The samples of Italian cuisine included zeppolis, cheeses, pastas, pizzas and desserts prepared by parents, teachers and students.
Students, staff members and administrators enjoyed the day as a way to celebrate the Italian heritage and the feast day of St. Joseph on March 19.
Photo Gallery
LISEF and JV LISEF
Bethpage High School Research students competed in the 2018-19 LISEF and JV LISEF fair.
-- Savannah Boncic (10) - The Effect of Detergent Types on Eisenia fetida Survival
-- Soham Maiti (12) - Derivation and Applications of Lorentz's Transform and Association with Einstein's E=MC^2
-- Scott Merforgel (12) - The Effect of Distance and Angles on Light Intensity
-- โAdina Rahmanโ(11) - The Effect of Different pH Level Environments on the Release of Mercury in Dental Amalgam
-- John Schmidt (12) - The Effect of Pitch Counts on the Outcome of a Major League Baseball Game
Congratulations to Soham Maiti for placing 4th at LISEF in his category! He was also the recipient of the Mu Alpha Theta Award for the most challenging, thorough, and creative investigation of a problem involving mathematics.
Special thanks to Mr. Pollatos for his continued guidance and support of the Research students!
Photo Gallery
Cooking Up Pi
The district celebrated Pi Day on Thursday, March 14, 2019 with contests at Bethpage High School.
Students were tasked with reciting as many correct numbers in a row as possible in the numerical value of Pi. Freshman Gulam Abbas was the individual winner at the high school with 130 digits in a row! In an additional contest, students embraced the challenge of going around in a circle naming one digit at a time. Junior Geanna Koulouris was the final contestant standing to earn a t-shirt along with Gulam. Of course, everyone enjoyed eating apple and blueberry pie!
Congratulations all of the participating students for helping to celebrate Pi with this fun contest.
Photo Gallery
Special Thanks from the Bethpage Eagles Varsity Hockey Team
The Bethpage Eagles Varsity Hockey Team would like to thank the community for all of their support for the Stick It Cancer Benefit for Cohen's Children's Hospital. In addition to the $21,016 donation made in January, the team will be attending the Team Up for Community Awards Dinner in May where they will receive their 1st Place award of $3,000 from the foundation to add to their fundraising effort. The team would also like to specially mention alumni, Brian Schmier for lending his videography talents to this cause.
Bracelets for Wildlife
Students in the high school ACE program took on the initiative of supporting the World Wildlife Fund.
During lunch periods on March 7 and 8, the ACE Science Exploration class sat outside the school’s cafeteria to promote their efforts to save endangered animals. Students handcrafted bracelets and sold the creations for a $1.
“Thank you to our ACE students for raising awareness and money for endangered animals,” said Principal Nicholas Jantz.
Photo Gallery
Italian Educators Recognized
On Tuesday, March 5, 2019, Mrs. Calio and Mrs. Sagarese were honored by Bernardo Paradiso, the President of IACE for their tireless promotion of the Italian language over the past years. IACE is an organization founded in 1975 for the purposes of promoting the study of the Italian language and culture within the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. IACE is made possible primarily through an Italian government grant and operates under the supervision of Consulate General of Italy in New York. The district congratulates both Mrs. Calio and Mrs. Sagarese on this great recognition!
Photo Gallery
Italian Club Cooking Class
On Wednesday, February 13, 2019, the Italian Club students from Bethpage High School decided to test their cooking skills at A La Carte Cooking School in Lynbrook. Students were divided into small groups, each working as a team to create a different course. Dishes included bruschetta, polenta with broccoli rabe, gnocchi pomodoro, chicken piccata, and tiramisu for dessert. Once finished, everyone was able to enjoy a delicious dinner they prepared together!
Photo Gallery
Mardi Gras 2019
On Tuesday, March 5, 2019, the Bethpage High School French classes, along with Madame Ciarniello, celebrated Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) in the beautifully decorated Bethpage High School Auxiliary Gymnasium. We enjoyed a variety of ethnic foods, some typical Mardi Gras foods (jambalaya and beignets), as well as some French foods (ratatouille, Brie cheese, Madeleine cookies, and of course freshly-made crepes with Nutella and fruit)! Special thanks to our crepe-maker, Monsieur Tony Ciarniello, and a special welcome to our littlest guest -- Austin, Madame's grandson! Everything was "tres delicieux" and "un jour fantastique!"
Photo Gallery
Seniors Selected as National Merit Finalists
Seniors Stacy Kappel and Soham Maiti have been honored as finalists in the 64th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The pair have advanced in the competition after being named semifinalists in September.
Stacy and Soham have been counted among the nation’s 15,000 finalists. They had to submit a detailed scholarship application that included their academic records and list of extracurricular activities, community service, leadership roles, employment and past honors. Additionally, their SAT scores had to be equivalent to or better than their PSAT scores while also maintaining prestigious academic performance. A recommendation from a high school official was also written on their behalf.
Stacy aspires to major in engineering when she begins college in the fall. The senior recently applied to local universities and is excited to decide on a college in the near future. At Bethpage, she is a member of the National Honor Society and Italian Honor Society. Outside of school, she has been a dancer for 14 years.
The president of the Philosophy Club and the team captain of the Ethics Club, Soham is also an All-State musician. He was also one of the founding members of the school’s Chamber Orchestra while also being part of the Mathletes and National and Spanish Honor Societies. He intends on majoring in economics in college.
“Congratulations to Stacy and Soham on becoming finalists in such a prestigious program,” said Principal Nicholas Jantz. “The entire district wishes them the best of luck as they advance!”
Photo Gallery
NYSSMA
On Monday, March 4, 2019, Ms. Sinisi and Mrs. Marino attended a day of music education advocacy on behalf of NYSSMA. Both Ms. Sinisi and Mrs. Marino sat in on meetings with some of Nassau County's state senators and assembly members. At the conclusion of the day, there was a reception for all teachers, administrators, and politicians featuring live music from the All County Jazz Band, featuring Bethpage High School senior, AJ Vita! AJ also got to meet Senator James Gaughran.
Photo Gallery
Voices of Democracy
High School freshmen Lauren Hawley and Shane Nikas were celebrated as winners of the Voice of Democracy Essay Contest, presented through the Plainview Veterans of Foreign Wars, during a ceremony on Feb. 28.
According to the VFW website, the Voice of Democracy has been the VFW’s premier scholarship program since 1947. Students compete by writing and recording an audio essay on an annual patriotic theme. This year’s theme is “Why My Vote Matters.” The contest is open to all high school students.
Lauren was honored as the first-place winner from the high school while also taking second place in the county. Meanwhile, high school second-place honors went to Shane for his essay. Contestants were judged on both content in the written essay and delivery heard through the audio.
“Congratulations to Lauren and Shane for their hard work, dedication and perseverance,” said teacher Jacquelyn Keane.
Photo Gallery
Long Island Ethics Bowl
The 10th Annual Long Island High School Ethics Bowl took place at Hofstra University in February 2019. 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 and students are judged on the basis of their analyses. Twenty-six teams from fourteen different Long Island high schools matched wits over ethical cases whose topics included allocation of liver donations, bringing extinct species back to life, gerrymandering, and buying followers on social media. The Bethpage team of Andrew Sciglibaglio, Nichole Licata, Soham Maiti, Jessica O'Keefe, and Samantha Salerno took 2nd place while the team of Nichole Zacchia, Ujala Dar, Erica Marciance, and Eirini Drosos took 3rd place! This qualifies both teams for the Prindle Institute National High School Ethics Bowl in June, which will take place in Indianapolis! Congratulations to all of the students that participated!
Photo Gallery
Bethpage Dance Team Repeat at Nationals!
The Bethpage Dance Team won its second consecutive National Championship in Orlando, Florida! The Varsity Golden Girls and Company Kickline traveled to Orlando to compete at the NDA Dance Nationals over the February Mid-Winter Recess. The team competed in four categories and made it to finals in three of the dances. The team ended the weekend:
-- 12th in SV Jazz
-- 11th in MV Team Performance
-- 2nd in SV Pom (winning the specialty award for Innovative Choreography)
-- National Champions in SV Kick (also won the specialty award for Technical Excellence)
The team was also nominated for a Sportsmanship Award by the competition staff members!
Congratulations to the Bethpage Kickline Team for their amazing and memorable season! Best wishes to team seniors: Captain Grace Carney; Captain Giavanna Novelli; and Team Officer Madeline Schmidt. The team will miss them greatly next year and wishes them well in their future endeavors!
Photo Gallery
Board Pitch
The Bethpage Union Free School District Board of Education welcomed members of the Bethpage High School Virtual Enterprise program to the Feb. 26 meeting to share their growth as a class.
Students involved in the two companies, MiSport and STEALTH Fitness, have enjoyed successful growth that resulted in awards at the January VE Trade Show hosted by LIU Post. At the Board meeting, the leaders of each company had the special opportunity to present their businesses. Superintendent of Schools David Schneider spoke about the growing VE program in the high school, then Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Michael Spence introduced the students and the work they have done.
“We are very proud of the efforts, dedication and hard work of these students as they have treated their companies as real-world professionals,” said Mr. Spence.
MiSport was built to offer personal training to all athletes through state-of-the art sporting equipment. The equipment provides real-time evaluations and feedback that guides users to the corrected form and technique specialized in their desired sport. Meanwhile, STEALTH Fitness is a subscription-based company where customers have access to diet plans, workout routines and supplement products. Each package is personally tailored to the customer for age, weight and goal.
The members of each VE company shared the various details of their venture from the start to present, including the awards won at the LIU Post Trade Show. The students also had the opportunity to express how the experience in the VE program at Bethpage has helped influence the career path they will look to study in college.
“The work done by each of these groups is impressive and should be saluted as the program grows under the leadership of teachers Nancy Simpson and Anthony Murray,” said Mr. Schneider. “We are excited for the future of these companies, students and the program.”
Photo Gallery
In Line for Victory
The Bethpage High School varsity kickline team was crowned the National Dance Alliance High School National Champion for the second straight year in the small varsity kick division.
The team, which competed in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 24, earned the title of NDA National Champion in kick while finishing 11th in team performance, 12th in the jazz category and second in the pom division. The group also earned awards for innovative choreography in pom and technical excellence in kick, and was recognized with the sportsmanship award for members’ positive attitudes and support of other teams.
Upon returning to the high school on Feb. 25, the team was greeted by district and building administrators as well as an excited group of family and friends.
“This is a remarkable accomplishment for a second straight year and we are very proud of these Golden Eagles,” said Superintendent of Schools David Schneider.
Photo Gallery
2nd Annual Regal Eagle Rampage: Week 0 Event
On Sunday, February 17, 2019, the Bethpage High School Robotics Team, Regal Eagles, FIRST Robotics Competition Team #2869, hosted their second annual Week 0 Event. A Week 0 Event allows teams from across our region to come together for calibration and practice matches in order to get a sense of how each team's robot will perform during upcoming regionals, but before teach team's mandatory "stop build" deadline on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 11:59 PM EST. The Regal Eagles hosted ten other robotics teams from the region in their event in the Bethpage High School Gymnasium that featured a robotics field built to the same dimensions as what each team will face during their regional competition challenge called "Deep Space".
Special thanks to the Regal Eagles, team advisors, Dr. Kay and Mr. LaSpina, the army of parents/guardians for their donations of food, beverages, basket raffle items, assistance with construction and field setup/breakdown and time, the custodial engineers, facilities/maintenance staff, technicians, and volunteers. Also, the district thanks FIRST Long Island (also known as the School Business Partnerships of Long Island) for their continued support of the Regal Eagles and all robotics teams and programs across Long Island and Mackenzie Pech, Bethpage Schools alumnus and former Regal Eagles captain, who served as game announcer throughout the day!
The Regal Eagles will participate in their first regional event at the School Business Partnerships of Long Island Regional at Hofstra University on March 26, 2019 and March 27, 2019. They will also participate at the New York City Regional on April 5, 2019, April 6, 2019, and April 7, 2019 at the Armory.
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery (courtesy of Mrs. Cetin)
Mitosis Stages
Freshmen students in Ms. Papetti's Period 1 and Period 9 Living Environment classes applied their knowledge of the mitosis stages to a hands-on activity with Play Doh. They worked in groups of four to illustrate the entire process of mitosis.
Photo Gallery
Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF)
Six of our Bethpage High School Science Research students participated at the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF) on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 and did an exemplary job!
-- Bhavika Garg, Grade 12 -- Ozone Sauna Therapy for the Enhancement of Women's Fertility
-- Soham Maiti, Grade 12 -- Derivation and Applications of Lorentz's Transform and Association with Einstein's E=MC^2
-- Andrew Tarabokija, Grade 12 -- The Effect of Electromagnet Strength on the Distance a Stainless Steel Metallic Bearing Travels
-- Curtis Dalsass, Grade 11 -- The Effect of Lake Water Acidity on Water Lilies
-- Sarah D'Arrigo, Grade 10 -- The Effect of Rainwater pH on Local Crop Growth of Long Island, New York
-- Maya Maciel-Seidman, Grade 10 -- Arduino-Powered Dehydration Sensor: A Novel Device to Save Lives
Congratulations to Soham Maiti for advancing to Round 2 of LISEF on March 14, 2019.
Photo Gallery
Long Island Champions!
The Bethpage High School Varsity Kickline team completed at the Nassau Scholastic Championship on Sunday, February 3, 2019. After a long day of four performances, the team walked away ranked 4th in Jazz; 2nd in Kick; 2nd in Pom; and 2nd in Team Performance. The team was also named "Champion of Champions" in the Team Performance category. This title is given to the team that competes at all local competitions and has the highest cumulative score in that dance category (combining scores from all size divisions).
Special recognition to the Varsity Kickline team Seniors: Captain Grace Carney, Captain Giavanna Novelli; and Team Officer Madeline Schmidt. Each of these girls has made a huge impact on the team these past few years and they had beautiful performances at their final local competition!
Best wishes to the team for their upcoming trip to Orlando, Florida to attend Dance Nationals!
Photo Gallery
Regional Dance Champions!
The Bethpage High School Varsity Kickline program competed at the NDA Regionals this past weekend at Walt Whitman High School. After a long day, the team finished 5th in Jazz; 2nd in Pom; 2nd in Team Performance; and Regional Champions in the Small Varsity Kick category. They also took home the Specialty Award-Technical Excellence in Kick! The team is excited about the season and cannot wait to see what the future will hold!
Photo Gallery
French Club Haiti Fundraiser
In December, the Bethpage High School French Club had a fundraiser, raising $250 for the children of Haiti, specifically for the Mission Grandbois. Grandbois is a small rural town in Haiti that has no electricity or running water. The people of Grandbois are very poor. On January 3, 2019, Madame Margarett Alexandre, who was born in the town of Grandbois and is a registered nurse in the United States with a doctorate in nursing visited the French Club during their meeting. She gave a wonderful presentation on her work in Haiti. She also presented the club with certificates, thanking them for their generous efforts.
Photo Gallery
Award Winning Weekend for Bethpage Dance
The Bethpage Varsity Kickline, Golden Girls and Company, competed at the second Nassau Scholastic competition of the season on Sunday, January 6, 2019. The team placed in all four of their competitive dances, ending the day 3rd in the jazz category, 2nd in both pom and kick, and 1st in their team performance category! It was an exciting day and the team has so much to be proud of!
Photo Gallery
Italian Trip to New York City
On Friday, December 7, 2018, the Italian students from Bethpage High School spent a beautiful day enjoying the sights and sounds of Manhattan during the holiday season! After indulging in some delicious pastries and espresso from Ferrara Bakery in Little Italy, the students feasted on delectable Italian cuisine at Carmine's Restaurant. The trip concluded with a stroll through Midtown to see the renowned Rockefeller Christmas Tree along with other famous sites such as Bryant Park, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the spectacular holiday window displays along Fifth Avenue!
Photo Gallery
Holiday Cards
The Bethpage High School Art Club made Holiday cards for a local nursing home. Special thanks to Ms. Stagliano and the Art Club for their special thoughts and sentiments. Happy Holidays!
Bethpage Community ‘Sticks it to Cancer’
It was far from a normal night of hockey at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Rink in Bethpage, as four local teams came together for a “Stick it to Cancer” fundraiser to raise money for Cohen Children’s Medical Center on Dec. 19.
The first game featured Port Washington/Great Neck/Herricks vs. Farmingdale, while the nightcap included Bethpage hosting Oceanside. Hockey was surely the backstory in what was an emotional evening for those in attendance. The fundraiser touched close to home, as Bethpage High School junior and hockey player Derek Zacchino has been battling a brain tumor since being diagnosed in September. While Zacchino was hoping to be well enough to participate in the puck drop at the beginning of the game, he got better news than he could imagine, as he was cleared to play in the game the morning of Dec. 19.
“I just couldn’t believe it, and I couldn’t be happier,” Zacchino said. “I am so excited to be out there with my teammates.”
Prior to the game, guest speakers included Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Superintendent of Schools David Schneider. Syosset Hockey presented Zacchino with a signed jersey by former New York Islander Pat LaFontaine. Zacchino’s girlfriend and fellow Bethpage High School student Bridget Pfeifer performed the national anthem.
"Thank you to everyone who is here to support such a wonderful cause," Schneider said. "I couldn't be prouder of our staff members who planned and organized this fantastic event and our entire community who eagerly participated in order to raise money and awareness for the great work [Cohen Children's Medical Center] does for our children."
Outside the rink, volunteers sold T-shirts, sweatshirts, cupcakes and raffle tickets to collect money for the cause. All in all, the event raised more than $16,000 to be donated to Cohen Children’s Medical Center.
To cap things off, Schneider announced that the Bethpage Hockey Team won first place in the Team Up 4 Community Service Challenge for the hockey game initiative, which drew a monstrous ovation from the crowd. On the ice, Bethpage prevailed against Oceanside with a 4-3 victory.
“The highlight of the evening was watching Derek join his teammates on the ice as his last minute clearance from his doctor allowed him to play in his first game since his diagnosis and surgery,” Schneider added. “To see the joy on his face as he was introduced to the standing room only crowd was something I will always remember”
Photo Gallery
Festive Sweaters for Charity!
On Friday, December 21, 2018, the Bethpage High School Faculty & Staff donned their best "festive sweaters" to raise funds for the Cycle for Survival charity. Through their collection, over $1,000 was raised to support this charity. Thank you to everyone who participated and donated to this cause. Happy Holidays from the Bethpage High School Faculty & Staff!
Holiday Caroling with the Chorus
On Saturday, December 15, 2018, members of the Bethpage High School Chorus and Chorale sang holiday carols at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center. Junior Bridget Pfeifer also performed a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem!
Student Athletes Make College Commitments
On Dec. 11, eight Bethpage High School seniors declared their commitments for the fall of 2019 by signing National Letter of Intent to continue athletic careers at the collegiate level.
Joined by Superintendent of School David Schneider, Director of Athletics John Franchi and Principal Nicholas Jantz as well as their coaches, parents and siblings, the seniors made their future paths in college athletics official.
The seniors signing fall NLIs were:
• Brandon Bestany – McDaniel College, men’s lacrosse
• Madison Buttice – SUNY Purchase, women’s lacrosse
• Richard Gennero – Molloy College, baseball
• Alex Keener – St. Joseph’s University, men’s lacrosse
• Kevin Leon – SUNY Geneseo, men’s lacrosse
• Nicholas Leung – SUNY Old Westbury, men’s lacrosse
• Amanda O’Neill – Long Island University, women’s lacrosse
• Peter Schimmel – St. Thomas Aquinas, baseball
“We are super proud of our student-athletes as these eight seniors sign their National Letter of Intent to continue athletic careers in college,” said Mr. Schneider.
Stick It to Cancer Fundraiser
The Bethpage Hockey Team participated in the 2018 Long Island Holiday Sports Hero Video Challenge. Please click on the link below to support their fundraiser, Stick It to Cancer. You can vote ONE TIME EVERY DAY through Tuesday, December 18, 2018. The Bethpage Hockey Team can be awarded funds to support their cause (Cohen's Children's Research Hospital).
The Benefit Hockey Game, Oceanside vs. Bethpage, will be held on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 7:30 PM at the Town of Oyster Bay Bethpage Rink. A raffle auction will be held at the game.
Bethpage Hockey Team Video
UPDATE (12/19/18): The Bethpage Hockey Team learned prior to their Benefit Hockey Game that their Stick It to Cancer video received the MOST votes in the 2018 Long Island Holiday Sports Hero Video Challenge! As a result, the team will be awarded an additional $3,000 to support their cause (Cohen's Children's Research Hospital).
Varsity Kickline Places First!
On Sunday, December 9, 2018, the Varsity Golden Girls and Company Kickline competed in their first local competition at Nassau Community College. The team danced in four categories (jazz, team performance, pom, and kick) and placed with each routine! The team ended the day in 3rd for jazz; 2nd for kick; and 1st for both team performance and pom!
Congratulations to the Varsity Golden Girls and Company and a special congratulations to team seniors: Gracie Carney, Giavanna Novelli, and Madeline Schmidt!
Photo Gallery
Aspiring Veterinarian Off to Quick Start
Junior Alexander Dupree has turned his love for animals into a potential career at the beginning of this school year. He enrolled in the BOCES Veterinarian Science program at Barry Tech, where he was recently named Student of the Quarter.
Alexander earned this honor as an acknowledgement of being the top student in the class in terms of participation, grades and excellence. The Veterinarian Science program’s curriculum is dedicated to building upon the connections between animal health and well-being as well as environmental and ecosystem health. Students such as Alexander have been able to get a head start on a possible and exciting career path.
“The course gives myself and other students hands-on experience,” said Alexander. “We get to run our own veterinarian clinic every Tuesday that assists us in gaining real life experience while still being students.”
The district congratulates Alexander on being named Student of the Quarter at BOCES and look forward to future milestones.
Students hit the right tune in All-County Selections
A total of 23 students from Bethpage High School and John F. Kennedy Middle School have been selected to perform in the Nassau Music Educators Association All-County Festivals this upcoming January.
Students were selected based on their NYSSMA scores from last spring and represent the individuals who achieved the highest marks. All the concerts will take place at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of LIU Post throughout the second and third weeks of January.
The JFK students set to perform include Joey Baskhker, Sara Bashker, Gayatri Bhat-Viola, John Dong, Haley Flaherty, Olivia Flaherty, Ashley Garner, Sophia Gianfrancesco, Jack Looney, Nicholas Morgan, Leo Miller, Ryan O’Connell and Lauren Zabrowski.
Representing the high school are Madison Buttice, Joyce Choi, Samir Gupte, William Katartzis, Soham Maiti, Valenni Passsaro, Emanuella Tsourous and AJ Vita.
In addition to the All-County achievements, students from both schools were also chosen to participate in the Long Island String Festival Association performances this winter. High school students Suchitha Channapatana, Doreen Dong and Soham Maiti and JFK students Thomas Cuzzo and Svetlana Mughnetyan will take the spotlight at this event.
The district congratulates all of these talented musicians for their hard work and opportunity to showcase their abilities at the festivals!
Photo Gallery
Student Spotlight Bright at Board Meeting
The Board of Education meeting on Nov. 27 was a time to recognize and honor the exceptional accomplishments being achieved by students from Bethpage High School.
The Board and entire district salute these exceptional students and wish them continued success!
Photo Gallery
Tradition of Read to Achieve Continues at Bethpage
Third-grade students from all three elementary schools in the Bethpage Union Free District gathered in the gymnasium at Bethpage High School on Nov. 20 for the annual Read to Achieve program. The annual program is geared towards stressing the importance of reading and sparking the interest of young students with fun activities.
Superintendent of Schools David Schneider opened the event by thanking all who helped coordinate this year’s assembly, including the senior leaders, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Michael Spence, fellow administrators and Plainview-Bethpage Lions Club President George Hannau. Schneider followed by walking around to see the unique and creative books the third-graders brought with them.
Senior leaders split up and guided eight to ten third-graders throughout the gym floor, and each group held interactive dialogues regarding the books brought in. As discussions started to conclude, each student wrote the title of their book, the name of their favorite character and that character’s special traits on paper. The pages were glued to their respective group’s poster boards, which were then hung together on the gymnasium wall to show the variety of characters that interest students.
To conclude the event, the senior leaders introduced themselves as well as illustrations of their favorite pieces of literature. Each attendee received a gift bags containing a dictionary/almanac for their participation, compliments of the Lions Club.
The district thanks all of those that put together this enriching event every year, particularly the Lions Club and President Hannau, for supporting reading and showing why it is important on the road to success.
Photo Gallery
Bethpage Thrills in “Clue: On Stage”
The Bethpage High School Masquers’ Guild put on several riveting performances of “Clue: On Stage” at the Bethpage Center for Performing Arts from Nov. 15-17. Audiences comprised of administrators, students and community members attended and applauded the first show of the year.
Directed by Ms. Ilana Strongin, the guild debuted the play during a dress rehearsal for JFK Middle School students and select community members on Nov. 14. Official opening night for the public was held on Nov. 15, and was followed by two more performances over the next two days.
The play is based on the cult classic film and the popular board game. With the theater taking the setting of a dark and stormy night, the show played to a madcap comedy that kept the audience guessing until the final twist.
The district congratulates the entire cast and crew for their outstanding performances. The entire community looks forward to the guild’s next performance of “Bye Bye Birdie” in March!
Photo Gallery
French Club Unlocks Gulliver's Gate
The Bethpage High School French Club had "un voyage fantastique en ville de New York" on Wednesday, November 14, 2018. Their first stop was "Gulliver's Gate," an exhibition of famous cities from all around the world all in miniature model size! The attention to detail was amazing! Students loved seeing La Tour Eiffel, L'Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and the Champs Elysees! Their second stop was the French restaurant, Cafe Un, Deux, Trois, where the students enjoyed many French foods, such as chicken cordon bleu, steak-frites, crepes, and escargot. Don't forget the delicious desserts including creme brulee, sorbet, and mousse au chocolat! Absolument delicieux! Special thanks to Madame Ciarniello for organizing this experience!
Photo Gallery
Proactive Superintendent’s Day
The District gathered on Nov. 6 for it’s fall Superintendent’s Conference Day, during which the various staff departments participated in presentations, workshops and activities to continue proactive learning and development as educators.
Staff members from the high school and JFK middle school along with Superintendent of School David Schneider attended morning sessions that focused on dynamic issues, led by Lauren Marra and Romila “Dr. Romie” Mushtaq, MD. Marra, a behaviorist who specializes on the topic of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, presented on proactive discipline approaches with students. Dr. Romie is a renowned neurologist that stressed the importance and techniques of mindfulness in education for both students and faculty.
The afternoon was a time of collaboration as departments at both secondary schools traveled to the Island Trees School District and met with educators in their corresponding building and subject areas. They had opportunities to share ideas and broaden their instructional practices.
At the elementary level, faculty members from Kramer Lane, Charles Campagne and Central Boulevard broke into grade-specific groups to gain training in STEM and other pertinent topics. Led by district administrators and teachers, the STEM workshop demonstrated assorted grade-specific lessons and activities. The journeys session covered content requested by teachers and also provided time for them to discuss and navigate digital tools.
Other aspects of the day included CPR training for nurses and building monitors and the Hofstra Mental Health Conference, which was attended by guidance counselors and social workers.
The district thanks Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Michael Spence and all that helped to coordinate and facilitate an educational day for district educators.
Photo Gallery
Bethpage High School Masquers' Guild Presents "Clue: On Stage"
Come see the Bethpage High School Masquers' Guild perform the High School edition of "Clue: On Stage"! You may be familiar with the movie or board game version of the classic story. Tickets are $8.00 each. The show runs three nights: Thursday, November 15, 2018; Friday, November 16, 2018; Saturday, November 17, 2018; at 7:00 PM at the Bethpage Center for the Performing Arts (at Bethpage High School).
Tickets are available for purchase at the door or from Mrs. Marino ahead of time.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Strongin (ihuertastrongin@bethpage.ws) or Mrs. Marino (mmarino@bethpage.ws).
Bethpage Takes Top Spots in Philosophy Essay Competition
Congratulations to Valenni Passaro, Adina Rahman, and Erica Marciante whose essays took 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place in the National Kids Philosophy Slam Essay Competition. Plato would be extremely proud! The Kids Philosophy Slam was created by John Davis to provide a powerful opportunity to help students grapple with life's big issues. Each year, a different question is chosen that requires students to think about a major philosophical idea that is relevant in their lives and society. This year's essay topic was "truth or deceit, which has a greater impact on society"? The winning essays can be found at the link below. Any Bethpage High School student who is interested in entering the 2019 Kids Philosophy Slam Essay Competition should see Ms. Way for details.
2018 Kids Philosophy Slam National Award Winners
Varsity Cheerleaders Host 3rd Annual Dance
On Monday, November 5, 2018, the Bethpage High School Varsity Cheerleaders hosted the 3rd Annual Little Lady-Special Person Dance. The dance was held in the Bethpage High School Gymnasium and was a huge hit this year with close to 400 guests in attendance! Little ladies from Grades K-6 attended the dance with their special guests, including mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and more! They enjoyed a night of music, dancing, pizza, and snacks! Thanks to everyone who came out to support the cheerleaders!
Photo Gallery
Diffusion Lab
Students in Ms. Pepetti's Living Environment classes at Bethpage High School performed some hands-on learning during their laboratory experiment, "Diffusion Through a Membrane". The students were very excited to pose with their artificial cells!
Photo Gallery
French Club's Safe Halloween
The Bethpage High School French Club took part in Safe Halloween with the theme of Rataouille! The French Club members dressed up as chefs, rats, and servers and played some fun games with the visiting children. It was a busy evening, but a lot of fun!
Photo Gallery
Happy Halloween from Bethpage High School
Staff members at Bethpage High School got into the Halloween Spirit! Please enjoy the pictures available in the link below! Happy Halloween!
Photo Gallery
Jazz Combo Volunteers at the ACLD Benefit Dinner
On Thursday, October 11, 2018, the Bethpage High School Jazz Combo, comprised of AJ Vita, Jessica O'Keefe, Soham Maiti, and Andrew Sciglibaglio, performed at the Adults and Children with Learning Disabilities (ACLD) Annual Benefit Dinner at the Garden City Hotel. The students were extremely proud and honored to be able to volunteer their time and talent for an important cause.
Photo Gallery
Newsday Band Festival
On Tuesday, October 16, 2018, the Bethpage High School Marching Band, Varsity Kickline, and Junior Varsity Kickline took part in the 56th Annual Newsday Marching Band Festival at Mitchell Field Athletic Complex in Uniondale, New York. The Newsday Band Festival takes place over three nights where marching bands from both Nassau and Suffolk County get to showcase their dedication, hard work, and talent. Special thanks to our chaperones for ensuring that the night ran smoothly, our drum majors, Jessica O'Keefe, John Schmidt, Sophia Suazo, and AJ Vita for leading such a talented group of musicians, and our kickline captains, Gracie Carney and Gia Novelli for helping to put together another dazzling performance!
Photo Gallery
Italian Club Visits Arthur Avenue
On Thursday, October 11, 2018, students in the Bethpage High School Italian Club spent the afternoon strolling along Arthur Avenue. The club advisors, Mrs. Sagarese and Ms. Calio, guided the students along the historical area known as "Little Italy" of the Bronx. Everyone enjoyed buying fresh mozzarella, hand-made pasta, cannoli filled with delicious cream while you wait, and a variety of authentic Italian items in specialty stores along the strip. Vendors were also impressed to see that our students were up for the challenge of practicing their Italian skills as they searched and paid for their items. The group ended their trip with a wonderful meal at Trattoria Zero Otto Nove, enjoying Italian specialties such as pizza margherita, lasagna, gelato, and tartufo. Squisuto!
Photo Gallery
Bethpage Kickline Makes Strides in the Fight Against Cancer
On Sunday, October 21, 2018, the Varsity and Junior Varsity Kickline teams participated in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at Jones Beach. The teams walked with hundreds of others in support of those who have battled and are still battling cancer. In addition, the teams raised $825.00 for the American Cancer Society. Fantastic job to the Bethpage Kickline programs!
Photo Gallery
AP Environmental Students Visit Marine Nature Study Center
Students in Mrs. Sciglibaglio's AP Environmental classes performed a field study at the Marine Nature Study in Oceanside, New York. During the trip, they learned about the history and significance of the marsh system to Long Island, studied the marsh food web, tested the water quality, did a transect survey of the marsh plant species, and cast nets to collect and survey the marine species. Students were able to connect their classroom learning in an authentic setting.
Photo Gallery
Regal Eagles: Defending Champions at the Hudson Valley Rally
The Bethpage High School Robotics Team, the Regal Eagles (Team #2869) participated in their first off-season competition of the year at the Hudson Valley Rally on Saturday, September 29, 2018 at the New York University Tandon School of Engineering. The competition was based on the FIRST Power Up game, pitting the Regal Eagles against fifteen other teams. The Regal Eagles were ranked #3 going into the playoff matches and won their semi-finals matches, 2 games to 0. In the finals, the Regal Eagles worked alongside Stuyvesant High School and Townsend Harris High School. After dropping the first match of the best-of-three finals, the three-team alliance successfully completed their comeback, taking both of the remaining matches to prevail in the finals, 2 games to 1! The Regal Eagles successfully defended their championship, having won this off-season competition in 2017-18. Congratulations to the Regal Eagles on the victory and to Coach Zabell and Coach Kay!
Photo Gallery
21st Century: Oyster Bay Beach Clean Up
Members of the Marine Science Club along with other environmentally concerned students from Bethpage High School and John F. Kennedy Middle School helped to rid our beaches of trash. The students were greeted by Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor, Joe Saladino, who boarded the school bus to personally thank them for their good work. Participants were treated to a hot dog cookout and had the opportunity to try their hand at fishing while the charcoal heated up! Local specimen were collected for the Marine Club's saltwater tank.
Photo Gallery
French Club Car Wash
On Saturday, September 22, 2018, the Bethpage High School French Club held its annual car wash to raise money for their trips. Everyone did a fantastic job and the weather was cooperative! There was even a surprise visit from Madame Ciarniello's "grand-fils" (grandson) and some adorable puppies! Thank you to everyone who came out to support the French Club!
Photo Gallery
Band Camp 2018
Bethpage High School's band students participated in Band Camp in Monticello, New York. The band came together and learned an amazing show that will be showcased during halftime at all of the football games. Special thanks to Mr. Stehlik for planning the weekend's logistics and to our drum majors, Jess O'Keefe, John Schmidt, Sophia Suazo, and AJ Vita for directing an amazing show! Also, thanks to our chaperones, Mr. Wibben, Mrs. Sinisi, Mrs. Marino, Mr. Pollatos, Mr. Sciacca, Mrs. Kallmeyer, Mr. Neuman, Mrs. Agnesini, and Mr. Schmidt for helping to make things run smoothly!
Photo Gallery
Summer Assignments for 2018-19
Summer Assignments for Advanced Placement, Pre-AP, and Philosophy courses are now available. They can be accessed by selecting "AP Summer Assignments 2018-19" in the left menu or by clicking on the link below.
Summer Assignments for 2018-19