
Community Update
March 1, 2024

Dear Syosset Community:
Welcome back to school! I hope you all enjoyed a restful winter break.
While I always appreciate the chance to recharge, nothing feeds my energy like coming back to Multicultural Week at South Woods, where my office marinates in all the excitement. One of my favorite events each year is the culminating multicultural expo! A huge thank you to the PTA and the many parents who brought delicacies and cultural artifacts from around the world, the students who practiced so hard for their performances, and the staff for all the extra work setting up and cleaning up. I typically gorge myself because I’ve yet to discover a cuisine I don’t enjoy. This time around, I sampled foods both familiar (a wonderfully smoky Chicken Tikka) and adventuresome (a Korean rice cake that was super spicy and super delicious). Plus, my lunch pail got the day off.
It’s amazing to see how the students gravitate to the crafts and explore the various displays and artifacts. It’s a tangible way to travel without ever leaving home. I feel very fortunate to work in a place where families bring and share their rich heritage so generously with one another.
Spotlight on Instruction 🔦
Speaking of rich heritage, February marks Black History month – and while we emphasize the contributions of Black Americans year-round, there are always some special events this time of year.
At HBT, our seventh grade Social Studies students reflected through artistic expression. Students crafted works of art that focused on honoring the humanity of enslaved persons. These remarkable works of art were then displayed in the “People, Not Property Art Gallery” in the HBT Library. This is the fifth year this exhibit has been on display, with each piece serving as a moving tribute to the resilience of those who fought to achieve liberation from the scourge of slavery. Through their art, the students beautifully captured the spirit and narratives of these courageous people. The Gallery stands as a testament to the students’ empathy, understanding, and commitment to learning about and commemorating those who have faced horrific hardships.
And, later this March, fifth grade students from all seven elementary schools will travel to the Tilles Center to attend “Keep Marching,” a one-act play about the American civil rights movement centered around the 1963 March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” speech. The production creatively weaves new music with classic civil rights anthems and collected oral history from marchers, juxtaposed with their fictionalized descendants. The event dovetails nicely with the 5th grade Social Studies unit on the civil rights movement and will be an amazing opportunity for our young people to deepen their understanding of this pivotal moment in our nation’s history.
#SyoSports 🎳
The season has begun for our Unified Bowling Team – who held their first and second matches this week. The Varsity team is open to all students, including those who haven't had the opportunity to participate in mainstream athletics. The Syosset showing was 28 team members strong! We are so excited to be able to offer this program to our students – and Unified Basketball won’t be far behind in a couple of weeks. We focus on the importance of belonging here in Syosset, and being on a team and representing your school is a key opportunity to center these students in our school community.
In other sports news, our girls basketball team will face off against Baldwin in the County Championship tomorrow at 11:00 am at SUNY Farmingdale. Come decked out in your Red and Black to help me cheer on the team! Also still in the playoff hunt – eight gymnasts at the State tournament in Clarence, eight swimmers in Ithaca, and one young man at the winter track meet on Staten Island. #GoSyo!
#SyoStars ⭐
South Woods 7th graders in Ms. O’Rourke’s art class just completed the annual #MyCauseMyCleats project, where they design shoes for a specific charity to raise awareness. This year, students sent formal letters to the charities represented in their art to let them know how connected they feel to their cause. In response, charities are now writing back, thanking our students for their creativity and dedication. On my walk back from the High School, I photobombed student Julia Keselman, who was being recognized by Island Harvest. Once I heard more about the project, I made sure to be there when Mia Khareyn met with the Executive Director of The Strohm Foundation, a local charity dedicated to finding a cure for cancer. He was so very impressed by Mia’s efforts to do something good – and as always, I’m so impressed by all of these students for their thoughtfulness and acts of charity.
Bright Spot
Across our District, elementary students are taking the "E-Pledge," vowing to champion kindness in every corner of our community for the next 100 days.
The E-Pledge is short for the “Ethan Pledge.” Ethan Falkowitz was one of the two children from Roslyn who tragically died in a car accident last year. Ethan embodied kindness – and our students have committed to continue spreading his light. The E-Pledge, created by Ethan’s family, is a powerful tool for students to learn and schools to teach about the importance of being compassionate people.
Each of our schools has their own unique approach to weaving kindness through the year, but all ultimately boil down to one simple principle: be kind, every day, in every way. The acts may be simple, but collectively, they pack a lot of punch: cleaning up a water spill, carrying grocery bags, helping a friend find a lost lunch box, sharing pencils. I met two students new to our District during my visit to Walt Whitman this morning and they each shared how they had been welcomed. That’s the best kindness of all.
I’m fond of this quote from Jacqueline Woodson’s book, Each Kindness:
“This is what kindness does,” Ms. Albert said. “Each little thing we do goes out, like a ripple, into the world.”
I hope that the collected ripples of these kindnesses coalesce into a wave! But I also hope that these initiatives help build our students’ “kindness muscles” for those times when it’s not as easy to be kind – when we’re frustrated, or angry, or when someone isn’t very kind to us first.
Below, I’ve shared a select few photos (and even one launch video) of some of the schoolwide kindness celebrations.
May tidal waves of kindness wash over you this weekend!
#Light&Love
Tom Rogers