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Community Update

May 3, 2024

Community Update May 3, 2024

Dear Syosset Community:

I hope the school break was restorative and perhaps an opportunity to connect with family and friends. Next week is AP testing week at Syosset High School – so our Rock Band students figured everyone could use a little stress relief. They put on a concert of rock classics in the courtyard Thursday that had everyone’s toes tapping.

Ahead of the break, Robbins Lane unveiled a new hallway mural that embodies the spirit of its community. The school’s multicultural celebrations committee worked closely with our art teacher, Jacqueline Shanley, to design a mural that spells out the word P.RI.D.E. in the 22 world languages spoken by students in the school. P.R.I.D.E. in Syosset stands for Patience, Respect, Integrity, Dignity, and Empathy. Ms. Shanley has been working on the mural since September – and the end result is truly inspiring.

And, this Friday, we traded our tie-dye accessories (in recognition of Neurodiversity/Autism Awareness Month) for green accessories to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month. The annual District-wide initiative helps reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness, and encourage those who may be struggling to seek out support and resources. Students in the High School’s Bring Change 2 Mind club created the resource book at this link in eight different languages to encourage good mental health habits.

#SyoStars ⭐

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Science teacher Alexa Tyner is a step ahead! Ms. Tyner is one of less than 200 teacher advocates in the country selected to be a part of the STEP UP program – a collaboration between the American Physical Society (APS) and American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). The program recruits advocates to encourage young women’s interest in physics. Ms. Tyner will attend a curriculum training summit and implement two lessons created by researchers in her own classes this coming year that are meant to inspire young women to pursue physics in college and beyond. This program is a stepping stone for women in physics and more broadly, STEM! Congratulations Ms. Tyner - and thank you for inspiring our Syosset students!
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The Syosset High School National Art Honor Society participated in the annual opening reception for the 10th Annual National Art Honor Society's 6x6 Collaborative Exhibit at the Heckscher Museum of Art. Student artists created 6-inch by 6-inch square works of art for display in the exhibit based around the theme “Home.” This year's special installation included student art from our students, and students from 11 other school districts across Nassau and Suffolk Counties throughout the past decade. Congrats Syosset students on your inclusion in this dynamic installation!


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Syosset High School's Forensics team, also known as Speech and Debate, will reign as New York State champions for another year! The team faced off against 69 schools last month – and was named best in the state! Plus, two of our debaters are individual state champions: 9th grader Anabella Pisapia DeMarco in the novice division, and senior Kyra Kozey at the varsity level.


To compete at the State finals, students have to finish at the top in at least two qualifying competitions. Of the 75 Syosset students who qualified, 34 advanced to elimination rounds and won awards. This marks the 6th consecutive year Syosset Forensics has finished top in the State, a testament to the consistent depth and breadth of the team! Congratulations students, and advisor Lydia Essinger, on this accomplishment. The team heads to nationals later this month. Fingers crossed!

Bright Spot

Sophomore William Shih is a master of language on Long Island… and beyond. Linguistics is the scientific study of language. It explores how languages work, including their sounds, words, grammar, and meaning, as well as how they're used in different contexts and how they change over time. Linguistics competitions challenge students to engage in a series of intricate word problems drawn from diverse languages and cultures, highlighting their aptitude for computational linguistics.


As a competitor in the 2024 North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad (NACLO), William finished third place overall, and clinched the prestigious 1st-place position among sophomores. Out of 2,000 participants from across North America this year, William achieved a remarkable #63 rank. His outstanding performance showcases both his talent and dedication to computational linguistics.


We received these details about William's success from his father, who believes that William's dedication to intellectual pursuit is a testament to the supportive learning environment provided by our school community. We thank Mr. Shih for the kind compliment--and I’ll add that William’s accomplishment is particularly relevant in a school district where so many different languages are spoken.


Congratulations, William. Thank you for making Syo schools look so good!

Enjoy the weekend!


#Light&Love

Tom Rogers

Syosset Central School District