School Notebook: Long Island students embrace spirit of giving

Students and staff across Long Island have gotten into the spirit of giving.

Dozens of schools have held everything from toy drives to cookie collections in recent weeks to make the holidays brighter for people near and far.

One such collection saw the school communities in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District donate an assortment of toys, cookies and gift cards for hundreds of children as part of an event held in partnership with the Bellmore Lions Club.

"There are families who were struggling in our area before the pandemic just to put food on their table," said the event's chairwoman, Nina Lanci. "Now, with so many families hit hard by COVID, this event has become even more important."

Another drive collected 100 shoe boxes filled with items — ranging from playthings to school supplies — for children in need worldwide through a drive organized by Elwood-John H. Glenn High School's World Language Honor Society. The project, called "Operation Christmas Child," is part of Samaritan's Purse, an international relief organization.

"The holidays are always such a magical time of year," Elwood senior Aidan McNamara said. "I'm glad that I was able to help give joy to underprivileged children during this time."

In Dix Hills, students and staff in the Half Hollow Hills School District donated 700 toys to local children fighting cancer through the Amityville-based nonprofit Kids Need More. The drive, which collected items including action figures and board games, was coordinated by students Vanessa Tantillo and Grace Sullivan.

In Smithtown, High School East students recently sewed more than a dozen "fidget blankets" for Alzheimer's patients at the nearby Sunrise of Smithtown, an assisted-living facility. The patients are encouraged to keep the blankets on their laps to use as an alternative to pulling at their clothing, school officials said.

In Greenlawn, Harborfields High School's career transition class baked an assortment of cookies and wrote thank-you cards for military recipients through the nonprofit Soldiers' Angels.

"While learning valuable life skills in a meaningful way, my students were very excited to be sending care packages to service members overseas," said Harborfields teacher Rhonda Lebit.

In Merrick, students and staff at Norman J. Levy Lakeside School filled seven large bags with toys — including such items as crafts and remote-controlled cars — as part of a drive to benefit Toys for Tots. The toys will be distributed by the Kiwanis Club of Merrick.

In Garden City, the high school's Spanish Honor Society held a raffle to benefit Toys for Tots in which participants tried to guess the number of candy corn in a jar. Guesses cost $1, or three for $2, and the winner received the jar and a gift card to Chipotle.

In North Bellmore, Saw Mill Road Elementary School students collected nearly 200 books and toys for families affected in August by Hurricane Ida.

"A lot of kids don't have the privilege of getting new toys from their parents, so it's good to give to them," said Saw Mill sixth-grader Jada Jennings.

BRENTWOOD

Living-skills kitchens

Brentwood School District held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month to unveil adaptive living-skills kitchens at its Freshman Center and North, South and West middle schools.

The kitchens are part of an adaptive living-skills program that strives to help students who require ongoing support in more than one major life activity to effectively participate in integrated school, home and community settings. The goal is to facilitate a "seamless transition as they move on to postsecondary experiences," the district said.

"The new adaptive living-skills kitchens represent all that the Brentwood School District is working to provide its students, including the skills necessary to be independent and self-sufficient," Superintendent Richard Loeschner said.

PLAINVIEW

Start With Hello Award

Plainview-Old Bethpage School District has won the school district category of the Start With Hello Week Awards, issued by Sandy Hook Promise, the Connecticut-based nonprofit that trains students and adults to recognize the signs of potential gun violence.

The award honors student leadership and empathy-building activities that promote the spirit of Start With Hello Week, a national campaign to prevent bullying and violence. The district's efforts included a "smile wall," in which kids wrote something that made them smile during the week on Post-it notes.

Winners received a plaque, cash prize and free admission to the 2022 National SAVE Promise Club Youth Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina.

RIVERHEAD

Superhero Day

Aquebogue Elementary School students and staff celebrated the school's inaugural Superhero Day last month by dressing like heroes in honor of Keri Stromski, a kindergarten teacher who died of cancer last year. The event was held on her birthday, Nov. 16.

Stromski was known for having a superhero costume for various occasions and for helping students see the heroism in everyday people, school officials said.

"Mrs. Stromski made every kid feel like they had superpowers," Principal Bryan Miltenberg said. "The positive energy in our building today shows that her spirit lives on in our school community."

VALLEY STREAM

New superintendent

Judith LaRocca has been appointed superintendent of Valley Stream School District 13, effective Jan. 15, 2022. She will replace Constance Evelyn, who is stepping down after six years.

LaRocca has been the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction since 2016, and before that was director of curriculum, instruction and technology in the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District.

"In Valley Stream 13, our schools equitably prioritize and customize high-quality programs that promote the academic and emotional health of each child," LaRocca said. "I look forward to building upon the comprehensive work we have achieved together over the past six years."

ISLANDWIDE

All-State Festival

Long Island students made up 200 of the 500 statewide selected to participate in the New York State School Music Association's 2021 All-State Festival and Winter Conference, which was held earlier this month in Rochester. Last year's conference was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conference consisted of five ensembles: vocal jazz, instrumental jazz, mixed chorus, symphonic band and symphonic orchestra.

"We are grateful to the many New York school districts statewide for doing their best to maintain their music programs throughout the pandemic," said the association's president, David M. Brown.

— MICHAEL R. EBERT

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.