Community Update

October 11, 2024

Dear Syosset Community:

This Monday, South Woods Middle School hosted a cross country meet against HBT and Herricks Middle School. I’m told that the HBT boys “ran away” with the meet – perhaps they were inspired by the news about getting a new track at their school. But in my book, when it’s Syosset vs. Syosset… everyone wins! This picture of both schools together makes my heart race.

Also at our middle schools, motivational speaker Mark Leinweaver stopped by to speak to our students about character, and why it matters. Mark is an MLB Agent who represents over 75 professional players and commands 20 years of experience as an agent, TV & radio broadcaster, writer, and educator. He spoke to students about how they need to be their own agent, and protect their image by being upstanding citizens. And that sometimes, our perceived weaknesses actually can become our strengths. Special thanks to our PTA for making this presentation possible.

Facilities Improvement Bond Update

We are so appreciative of the community’s support of the Facilities Improvement Bond last Tuesday. We have been entrusted with a big responsibility and we will take it very seriously to ensure our students – your children – have amazing places to learn for years to come. My team is already hard at work to turn these projects into a reality. We will keep you updated every step of the way; so here is our first update about the process and what will happen next.

First, our architects and engineers will take our conceptual designs in batches and turn them into actual architectural blueprints – a process that might take five months each for the largest projects, and as much as two years to sequence all the batches. We are prioritizing safety items for our students and staff, as well as our most pressing student enrollment constraints.
Blueprints are then shared with the New York State Department of Education for review and approval. It typically takes between 30 and 40 weeks to award us a building permit.
Once we get the building permits, we will hold a public bid on the work. This typically lasts over a month in order for us to maximize the number and quality of bids we can choose from. By law, we award to the responsible bidder with the lowest cost.
After the bid is awarded, we finalize a contract with the contractor. They are required to post performance bonds and meet our stringent safety and insurance requirements, etc., so this process can take several more weeks.
Finally, we develop a safety plan and construction schedule based on when the contractor’s workforce frees up and our instructional calendar permits.

Yes - this is a lot of steps, so we will try to accelerate those things under our control. We’ll keep you informed every step of the way. But it’ll be at least a year before the fun stuff – video tours and pictures – begin to appear. Stay tuned for the exciting developments ahead!

Spotlight on Instruction 🔦

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, which aims to raise awareness about bullying and promote efforts to prevent it. Bullying prevention in Syosset is a year-round activity. But, at Berry Hill this week, our school social worker and psychologist kicked off grade-level assemblies to educate students on identifying bullying behaviors and equip them with effective prevention and intervention strategies. During our K-2 assemblies, we introduced the terms "upstander" and "bystander." In small groups, students were given “scenario cards” and workshopped what to do if they saw a friend playing alone, if a new student joined their class, or if someone was being unkind to a classmate. In grades 3-5, students explored different types of conflicts, such as mean moments, rude moments, disagreements, and bullying. Each conflict type was followed by discussions to deepen their understanding and problem-solving skills with questions like “If you and your friend disagree about something, is this bullying?" Throughout the school, these assemblies have led students to actively engage in conversations to distinguish conflict from bullying and explore ways to collaboratively resolve issues and promote kindness within the Berry Hill community.

#SyoArts

Three of our talented Syosset musicians have been selected to perform at the annual NYSSMA piano showcase! To be selected to play at this prestigious recital, a student must first achieve a score of 100 on a NYSSMA Level 6, which is the highest level of difficulty that can be performed. Once a student has received this score, they must then submit an audition recording to a panel of musicians who then select the students for the Showcase. Congratulations to sixth grader Caleb Chen, junior Sue Nian, and senior Aaron Liu (who will be performing at this showcase for a second time)!

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers to students with exceptional artistic and literary talent. The organization has named five Syosset students 2024 National medalists for their extraordinary submissions. Congratulations to Sophia Liu, Minqi Li, Rhiannon Li, Andrew Mo, and Grace Lin on this recognition!

Our Syosset High School alumni are always making waves – and in this case, sound waves! Jordan Cohen, a 2010 graduate, visited our students to share about his successful career as a musician in the band Lawrence, and his recent Capitol Hill testimony in support of artists’ rights. Jordan spoke passionately about the impact the SHS music department has had on his career – even telling the story about how his elementary school band teacher, who was in the audience, called him at home when she heard he was considering dropping his Saxophone. That phone call, Jordan said, changed his life. Amazing! Thank you Jordan for stopping by, and to Ms. Lisa Gordon for having a lasting impact on your students.

And finally, Syosset CSD will be hosting its first ever professional art exhibition in our newly-renovated gallery space at Syosset HS. “Beauty on the Edge: Observing Nature’s Ever-Changing Landscape” will feature works from local artist Michael Sansone, who created a series at the historic Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve. Art work will be on display Tuesday, October 15th through November 15th. There will be an artist’s reception followed by a talk one week from today, October 18th at 7:30pm. Our Syosset school community is invited to attend!

Speaking of gallery space, there’s a new student artist of the month whose work adorns my office wall. Andrew Mo has an evocative display of still life and pastoral scenes. I was particularly attracted to this landscape as it evoked fond memories of a hiking trip I took in the rural Spanish countryside.

Bright Spot

You’re never too small to make a big impact! A.P. Willits first grader Mia Marsilio loves her little brother. In partnership with her parents, Mia hosted a fundraiser for ACDS, an early intervention school in Plainview dedicated to assisting neurodivergent students like her brother, who has Down syndrome. The event garnered impressive attendance! Mia played an active role in the event, even distributing hand-made yellow and blue bracelets, the colors that represent Down syndrome awareness. In Syosset, we love how our students foster acceptance and inclusion. We are so proud of you, Mia, for your compassion and dedication to making sure everyone has an innate sense of belonging!

A reminder: school is closed on Monday. Enjoy the long weekend!

#SyoStartsConstruction
Tom Rogers