Kramer Lane Elementary School was the meeting spot for the Bethpage Union Free School District’s Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. Kramer Lane Principal Kerri McCarthy, along with some Kramer Lane students and staff, kicked off the meeting in the school’s all-purpose room by sharing some of the great programs and initiatives happening around the school.
Ms. McCarthy first introduced music teacher Nazli Todor who is the director of the Kramer Lane Jazz Band. The Jazz Band is a new ensemble at the school and is open to all fifth grade band students. Mrs. Todor spoke about the outstanding musical talent at Kramer Lane and how she wanted to provide students with an additional musical challenge, as well as strengthen their musical abilities. The Jazz Band currently has 25 fifth grade members and they performed for the Board and the community during the meeting. Some members also shared their positive experiences being part of this new music ensemble.
Kramer Lane students and staff also presented on the school’s new Kindness Club, which is open to fourth and fifth graders. Ms. McCarthy introduced Kindness Club advisors Krysta Fink and Cynthia Cavallo and four Kindness Club members during the meeting. The students spoke about how the club has promoted kindness throughout the building this school year. For example, creating a buddy program among younger and older grades, making kindness rocks for the school’s rock garden, crafting kindness bracelets, and sharing them with others, writing thank you notes for support staff and more.
The presentation ended on a high note as Kramer Lane first grader John Orenstein was introduced with his teacher Amanda Tepedino to speak about the new trivia game that he created for his class – The Tepedino Super Bowl Trivia Challenge. The challenge combines first grade trivia and the Super Bowl. His idea sparked from the fun trivia games that Ms. Tepedino plays with her class when they line up or go back to their seats. To get his teacher to agree to the trivia challenge, he first wrote her a persuasive letter. Together, they created different rounds for the trivia challenge and John brainstormed a list of questions to ask his peers. The questions were directly related to what they were learning in class. John enthusiastically shared his class’s positive experience playing his game and received a round of applause from the Board and the community during the meeting.
The Bethpage Board of Education will continue traveling to each school in the district for one of their scheduled Board of Education meetings. This will allow them to celebrate all the wonderful things that Bethpage students are involved in.
