Long Island schools offering a host of new programs, from AI to aeroponic gardening

In preparation for the 2024-25 school year, Newsday asked Long Island superintendents what new programs or initiatives their school districts are offering. Below is a sampling of their responses:

NASSAU

Shari L. Camhi, Baldwin

We continue to focus primarily on building academic programs and curricula that nurture essential workforce skills and prepare our students for the future, which is why we launched "Baldwin 2035." Through this community-wide initiative, our district aims to create educational experiences that will equip each of our students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the world of work in 2035. We have developed an innovative course called ‘Senior Experience,‘ where students integrate their Senior Economics, Participation in Government and English 12 courses and are involved in internships and excursions we call "Leaving2Learns" in their field of interest. This enables them to delve deeper into their potential career paths. What makes this course especially unique compared to traditional internship programs is its integration with the social studies and English Language Arts curricula. Participating seniors will alternate between attending in-person classes and gaining internship experience throughout their school day. They also engage in what we refer to as Learning Through Interest exhibitions and will be required to complete a capstone project to demonstrate how their internship links to their social studies and ELA curricula, what they have learned throughout the course and their next steps. The students will then present their capstone projects at the culminating event, "School2Career Showcase." The goal of this course is to not only allow our students to gain real hands-on experience, but to prepare them for college and beyond by enhancing their research, problem-solving and communication skills.”

Ken Bossert, Great Neck

One goal (for the 2024-25 school year) is to continue our exciting initiative focused on news media literacy in partnership with Howard Schneider, executive director of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Center for News Literacy. Statistically, approximately 90% of students possess a smartphone and report being online "constantly." This trend, since the advent of these devices, has led today’s students into a virtual world where they are inundated with information at a rate beyond their threshold to accurately process. . . . Students, by and large, are accepting of information received as factual and accurate and are deriving perspectives and making decisions on unreliable information. News media literacy teaches students how to process and distinguish credible and unreliable sources, which is a cornerstone of responsible citizenship and effective communication in our globally connected society.

Todd Winch, Levittown

Elementary students in grades K-5 will now participate in a weekly Career Exploration class, exposing them to various professions and igniting early interest in diverse career fields. This initiative ensures that even our youngest learners start thinking about potential career paths in an engaging and meaningful way. Based on student and parent feedback, the district recently established a financial literacy graduation requirement. In this class, students will acquire essential money management skills, from budgeting to borrowing to investing. Additionally, a college real estate class offers students the unique opportunity to graduate as fully-licensed real estate agents, opening doors to lucrative career paths right after high school. Aspiring educators will benefit from the future teachers class, where they can gain hands-on experience. This program aims to nurture the next generation of passionate and skilled teachers.

Lorna R. Lewis, Malverne

Our theme for the 2024-25 school year is "Greatness Unleashed." We have embarked on a strategic planning initiative that engages every member of the community in setting the pathway to successful trajectories for students. The driving force for this initiative is Malverne’s Portrait of a Graduate program and the need to integrate the following qualities into the every day life of our schools: civic engagement, cultural responsiveness, digital fluency, resilience, ethical behavior, collaboration and innovation. This effort extends beyond the classroom, influencing school policies, programs, and extracurricular activities to cultivate a community that embodies these attributes. We are mindful of the diminishing financial aid picture facing us and are determined to maintain the same standard of excellence that we have become known for. We are laser focused on literacy in all content areas and providing the necessary support to reach our goal of every student being a competent reader and writer by third grade. We are also taking a deeper look at our assessment methods to ensure they accurately reflect the student learning outcomes desired by our community.

Judith A. LaRocca, Valley Stream School District 13

At Valley Stream 13 we are excited about a new initiative that will support our district’s whole child approach. Recognizing the importance of student well-being, we have expanded our mental health offerings by creating a district mental health team. In addition to having one social worker and one psychologist in each of our four schools, we will now have a district psychologist, district social worker and district guidance counselor to serve our prekindergarten through sixth grade students. This staff will help our young learners navigate an increasingly complex world by focusing on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and effective communication and collaboration. It is never too early to begin to foster skills that help students succeed academically, develop resilience and contribute positively to society.“

Unal Karakas, Valley Stream School District 24

At Valley Stream 24, we are excited about the launch of Vision 2030, which prepares students for the demands of the 21st century. We are redesigning one classroom in every building this summer to become state-of-the-art learning hubs with markerboard walls, flexible and whiteboard desks, Mio tables and cutting-edge technology. Our educators are beginning to utilize artificial intelligence to enhance their practices, facilitating planning and differentiation for all learners. Additionally, we are expanding our Spanish program to include grades three to six, instead of just grades five and six. By introducing Spanish starting in grade three, we aim to prepare our students to acquire a second language and be ready to achieve the Seal of Biliteracy by high school. We are also excited this school year to expand our Challenge program to grades four and five, extending it beyond just grade six. This program provides students who need additional enrichment with project-based learning, debate and critical thinking opportunities. In fact, our students are conducting mock trials in actual courtrooms in New York City! We will offer this advanced opportunity while maintaining our Enrichment for All program in all grades and classrooms.

Roxanne Garcia-France, Valley Stream School District 30

“As a member of the board of directors for Reform Educational Financing Inequities Today, I am keenly aware of the challenges facing public school districts in New York. With the end of COVID-19 relief funds approaching and uncertainty around future state aid funding, the ability to uphold the landmark 1995 Court of Appeals decision requiring the state to offer all children the opportunity for a ‘sound basic education’ is at risk. To address this issue, our team strategically pivoted toward crafting a fiscally responsible budget. Thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision program, our breakfast and lunch program will thrive for four years without burdening families. The district received an award of $1.4 million from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections competitive grant. Over the next three years, these funds will staff a community information service assistant, two social workers and a district school counselor. These professionals will establish an integrated support system at our upcoming Family Connections Center in 2025.

SUFFOLK

Sharon A. Dungee, Central Islip

We are preparing to enhance the rigors of our curriculum to include the following additions: AP African American Studies; AP Chemistry; Prep AP English 9; Prep AP Biology; Prep AP Chemistry; Prep AP Global Studies 9; and Amazon Web Services Cloud Computing.

These courses are designed to challenge our students and provide them with a robust and diverse educational experience. We believe these additions will prepare students for higher education and equip them with the skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

Our Elementary Envisions Math program (now in its fourth year) has significantly enhanced our students’ math learning experiences by engaging them with interactive lessons that provide them with a deeper understanding of math concepts.

Introducing these new courses reflects our dedication to nurturing well-rounded, informed, capable future leaders.

Jordan Cox, Commack

For the 2024-25 school year, Commack is thrilled to introduce several new programs and initiatives to enhance students’ experiences across all levels. Commack High School will open a Bloomberg Financial Lab, providing seniors with the opportunity to work with Bloomberg terminals as part of a newly developed financial literacy curriculum. In our intermediate schools, we are piloting an agricultural education program at Marion Carll Farm, where students will engage in planting, caring for and harvesting produce. For our primary students, we are expanding our Lunch n Learn program to offer first- and second-graders enriched STEAM experiences and project-based learning opportunities. Additionally, we are piloting Discovery Dens — cutting-edge STEAM suites designed to foster creativity and innovation through hands-on technology experiences. We also are excited to introduce Tower Gardens in each primary building, allowing students to explore aeroponic gardening and engage in problem-solving and engineering activities while promoting healthy living and social-emotional well-being.

Michael Miller, East Quogue

After a yearlong committee review, we are proud to announce the adoption of a new English Language Arts curriculum. Starting in September, we will be implementing the American Reading Company (ARC Core) program with fidelity in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. This comprehensive program is designed to engage students in high-quality reading and writing activities, fostering a love for literacy that is grounded in the science of reading and helping each student reach their full potential.

In addition to our curriculum enhancements, we are excited to re-introduce a self-contained program that will allow our students to stay within our school community as part of the East Quogue family. This program is designed to provide a supportive and inclusive environment for students who benefit from a more structured and individualized approach to learning.

Patrick Harrigan, Half Hollow Hills

In Half Hollow Hills, we are committed to developing the literacy skills of our elementary learners so they can communicate effectively and understand the world around them. Each year, we explore new ways to stay on the cutting edge of research so we can continue to teach our students how to become successful lifelong readers and writers. During the upcoming school year, our elementary students in grades 3-5 will begin to feature the myView Literacy program as an English Language Arts (ELA) curricular resource. myView is a comprehensive literacy instruction program aligned with the Science of Reading and is designed to cultivate the critical reading, writing, speaking and listening skills that our students will need to be successful 21st century thinkers and leaders. The program offers a wide range of texts, engaging multimedia resources and differentiated instruction to help meet the needs of all of our students. Our educators will utilize this program to strengthen cross-curricular connections between ELA, Science, Social Studies and Technology, helping students see the interconnectedness of knowledge and to gain deeper insight in content areas. Our teachers, many of whom completed the Science of Reading Micro-credential program from SUNY New Paltz, are looking forward to engaging our students in this exciting new curriculum.

Vincent A. Caravana, Lindenhurst

This coming school year will see our inaugural in-house cosmetology program begin, along with courses in Early Childhood Education, Women in Literature (as a complement to the already running HERstory elective in the Social Studies Department), and the Science of Agriculture and Horticulture. Additionally, students who choose to take College Real Estate can graduate from Lindenhurst High School with their license to practice real estate in New York State. Our side-by-side dual language Spanish program now has its first original cohort in grade 5, and the program will be expanding to the middle school next year. Additionally, we have branched off to create Heritage-level Spanish courses to provide more advanced studies for our native Spanish speakers. We have additional new electives that tackle artificial intelligence in computer science and we continue to expand our work-based learning programs in the community. Thanks to the generous support of our community in passing last May’s budget, we are not losing any programs or initiatives in the 2024-2025 school year.

Kenneth E. Graham, North Babylon

This year’s budget includes funding to add a nine period day at the high school. The nine-period day is common for high schools on Long Island, and we believe our students are looking forward to the opportunities that will be created as a result. This change will allow the high school to offer additional classes in all academic areas, including AP and upper-level classes, support and topical enrichment classes and enhanced offerings in real-world application courses. In the 2024-25 school year, we are continuing to bolster our in-house cosmetology program, which gives students the opportunity to be licensed cosmetologists upon graduation. Additionally, we are offering new courses in our state-of-the-art television and broadcast studio and we will continue to explore additional career opportunity courses in areas such as drone technology and teacher preparation.

Jessica Schmettan, Port Jefferson

The district’s newly constructed and state-of-the-art computer science center will house 24 high-performing computer stations capable of propelling our AP computer science classes, cybersecurity course, drone elective and esports program to even greater heights. Students will have access to cutting-edge technology in a venue that will challenge their critical thinking and creativity skills. The space will be innovative in the areas of computational systems, coding, engineering, aeronautics, graphic design, photography and gaming. 

Cheryl Pedisich, Riverhead

The district has proudly continued to expand our Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program, known as UPK. In the 2023–2024 school year, we started our own in-house UPK program — with four classes at Pillips Avenue Elementary School and two integrated classes at Riley Avenue Elementary in coordination with the Just Kids Early Childhood Learning Center — to accompany our programs with partners Long Island Head Start, St. David’s School in Riverhead and the nonprofit Alternatives for Children. Our 2024–2025 school year UPK expansion includes a new class at Aquebogue Elementary School and an additional integrated 12-student class at Riley, increasing educational opportunities for UPK scholars and resources available for special education students. Through our grants, we have expanded the number of Riverhead students at St. David’s and provided additional funding to enhance the experience of our students at Head Start. We also look forward to expanding our English as a New Language program and welcoming our school resource officers at the middle and high school. In addition to the added security these school resource officers will provide, they will instruct specialized courses for students at their respective schools and serve as helpful resources for our community.

Scott O’Brien, Rocky Point

As part of the district’s strategic plan and through the implementation of our new nine-period day, Rocky Point has expanded educational offerings for students in grades K-12. This year, we will build upon that foundational work with several new innovative elective courses. In September, Rocky Point High School will launch a Career Kickstart cybersecurity course,  designed to prepare students for the fast-evolving world of cybersecurity. This innovative pilot program will enable students to earn industry credentials and college credits, paving the way for future success whether they choose college, technical school or immediate entry into the workforce. The course aims to blend the rigorous academic standards of Advanced Placement with practical career and technical education. The full-year course covers the essentials of networking and cybersecurity, providing an applied, inclusive learning experience that emphasizes real-world career connections. 

Rian Doelger, Shelter Island

Our elementary school staff has collaborated on curricular alignment in both English Language Arts and math over the past two years. This year, that effort will expand horizontally into science. The district will also continue to push this curricular design vertically into the upper grades. Finally, in addition to the eight dual college courses that the district already offers, we just received approval for an additional five through St. John’s University, St. Joseph’s University and Suffolk County Community College. These course credits can be accepted and transferred into most college programs when our students graduate. In fact, this September, one of our 2024 graduates will enter college with 49 accepted college credits. This initiative greatly reduces student financial debt and also allows them to graduate or enter graduate school early.

Paul Romanelli, West Islip

In West Islip, we are focusing on strengthening our foundational literacy instruction, supporting our students with special needs and providing meaningful learning opportunities through the expansion of our Career and Technical Education program. In the coming school year, we are launching new courses in welding and precision Machining, and we are aligning our existing automotive courses for Career and Technical Education accreditation. In addition, we are expanding our multimodal approach to literacy instruction by continuing our Fundations program into grade 3, and further aligning our curriculum with the science of reading. We will now also be offering our Integrated Co-Teaching program at both middle school buildings by expanding this offering to grades 6 and 7 at both locations this coming year. We have also worked to bring services previously delivered by outside providers in-house to build strong relationships and best meet the needs of our students. Finally, we are expanding our English as a New Language program to meet increased enrollment in this area. 

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.