Monday’s Board of Education meeting was focused on two topics – starting the annual budget process and graduation requirements that are changing based on the recommendations of a State commission. Inflationary costs for health insurance, retirement, and transportation will present challenges as we look to maintain our existing programs and student supports while remaining within the tax cap.
The State’s new high school graduation requirements shift the emphasis from content literacy (like Regents exams) to skill acquisition. The State has outlined its “Portrait of a Graduate” conceptually, describing skills like “Critical Thinker” or “Effective Communicator,” but they’re still a long way from defining how we would measure students’ success in these areas. Not to worry, these new standards won’t be fully implemented until 2031; but if the State is looking for present-day examples of these skills, Junior Nikhil Shah might point the way.
Nikhil became deeply interested in Long Island’s Revolutionary-Era history back in 7th grade, while visiting Raynham Hall museum in Oyster Bay, He discovered the remarkable story of Liss, an enslaved woman who is widely believed to have aided George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring (memorialized in the Netflix series “Turn”). Nikhil spent months studying Liss independently, becoming inspired by stories of underrepresented historical figures.
Nikhil arranged for the author of Remember Liss and Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution, Claire Bellerjeau, to speak with Advanced Research students at the High School about the research process and how to navigate local historical document archives. Then, as part of Black History Month, he presented an assembly for 7th graders in both middle schools that not only shared Liss's story but also encouraged students to explore other untold stories of historical figures. Students attended breakout sessions in the South Woods and HBT libraries where he guided students to analyze primary source documents, form their own historical conclusions, and explore the question of whether Liss was truly “Agent 355.”
Civic engagement, critical thinking, advanced research, effective communication – Nikhil’s project illustrates so many of the skills comprising the Portrait of a Graduate. It seems like a strong example of how education might evolve to ensure students attain both knowledge and skills in ways they find engaging and relevant.
