Category Archives: Education
Students Get NBA All-Star Treatment
Last week, as New York City welcomed some of the biggest names in professional basketball for the start of the 2015 NBA All-Star Game, league officials announced that they would reach a seasonlong goal: to interact with more than one million students at 100 public schools across the five boroughs.
On Feb. 13, NBA Cares – an outreach initiative addressing the importance of education, youth, family development, health and wellness – came to PS 20 in Flushing to engage students in fun, fitness and basketball-related activities.
Originally appeared in the Feb. 19 – 25, 2015 edition of the Queens Tribune.
CB 3 ‘OK’s Proposed School In Jackson Heights
To try and ease overcrowded schools in Jackson Heights, the School Construction Authority is proposing a new elementary school at 69-01 34th Ave., the former site of White Castle’s regional headquarters.
Representatives with the SCA met with members of Community Board 3 on May 21, to propose the acquisition and demolition of the existing property in order to make way for a 450 seat elementary school.
This story originally appeared in the May 28 – June 3, 2015 edition of the Queens Tribune.
Kids Help Restore Murals
Thanks to the help of some student volunteers with Arts in Parts, Rockaway artist Esther Grillo is restoring her mural at the “wave” bus shelter on Shore Front Parkway and Beach 85th Street, back to its original, colorfully vibrant state.
Source: Kids Help Restore Murals
A Rose That Grew From Concrete
The once vacant lot adjacent to the Goldie Maple Academy (PS/MS 333) on Beach 54th Street has been transformed into a brand new facility that will serve dozens of local school children with adequate space and activities for years to come.
After nearly two years of construction, the $3.2 million renovation of the track, courts and playground at the Goldie Maple Academy is officially open.
This story originally appeared in the Aug. 12, 2016 edition of The Wave Newspaper.
Robodawgs Put Island Trees On The Map
The Robodawgs robotics team—a group of five intellectual Island Trees High School students—were given a warm welcome home, after taking first place in the Incredible Bionic Man challenge. The regional competiton, sponsored by the Smithsonian Channel and Cablevision, put the Robodawgs up against some of the best and brightest from 10 different states and Washington D.C., with the goal of creating a working bionic body part out of common household items.
According to the team’s advisor, Dr. Andrew Sass, the group was first inspired to enter the contest after attending a presentation at Half Hallows High School, last October, where the students were able to meet the researchers behind the Incredible Bionic Man. He said that when people ask why the group of high schoolers decided to enter the contest by building a bionic arm-hand combination—a robotic body part that researchers said was the most challenging to construct—that he would reply much the same way as George Mallory did when he climbed Mt. Everest. “Because it was there,” Sass said.
This story originally appeared in the Dec. 25, 2013 edition of the Levittown Tribune.
Harrison Student Spreads Message Around The Globe
Harrison High School junior Rajan Mehra has taken on the task of teaching kids the importance of making informed decisions in their community and beyond.
His mission is to preach volunteerism and activism to young people at a time where many feel youths are not as engaged as they should be. Mehra, 17, started a program called the Civics Workshop at the high school last fall to fulfill the 150 hours of community service required by the International Baccalaureate program.
Opt Outs Impact Testing
As children all across Long Island head off to school, kids in grades 3-8 brace themselves for a new round of the New York State Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics exams.
In response to concerns from school officials, parents, and teachers regarding the level of testing administered to children in grades 3-8, U.S. Rep. Steve Israel joined 12 of Long Island’s school district superintendents, on Sept. 8, to present new legislation that would reduce the number of tests taken by students in grades 3-8.
“While some testing is essential to ensure that our students are actually learning what is being taught, I share the same concerns as many of our local superintendents and parents,” Israel said. “We are over-testing our students and stifling their creativity.”
This past year 1,136,069 students statewide took the Common Core ELA and Math assessments—a decrease of 45,000 from last year—according to the New York State Department of Education.
This story originally appeared in the Sept. 25, 2014 edition of the Levittown Tribune.
School Zone Tickets Nulled
Last week, County Executive Ed Mangano declared amnesty for all speed camera tickets issued this summer.
Drivers across Nassau County were up in arms due to the recent implementation of the school zone cameras, which had issued numerous violations since they were installed just weeks ago. The source of residents anger with the county’s speed cameras stems from lack of warning and the cameras issuing speed violations even when school wasn’t in session.
According to Chris Mistron, director of Nassau County Traffic Safety, while some residents were taken by surprise, summer school hours were considered a violation period.
“We didn’t utilize a warning period of sorts,” Mistron told the Levittown Tribune, acknowledging the shock some residents experienced after receiving a violation in the mail.
This story first appeared in the Aug. 27, 2014 edition of the Levittown Tribune.
Voters Approve $198.7M Spending Plan
Nearly 3,000 voters in the Levittown School District cast their ballots on May 20, to pass a $198.7 million spending plan for the 2014-2015 school year, by a margin of 68 percent.
According to unofficial tallies, 1,965 residents voted “yes” while 906 voted against the 2014-2015 budget.
“This budget was a result of the Board of Education’s hard work, a great working relationship between the central administration and the board, and input from the community,” said Levittown Superintendent Dr. James J. Grossane. “We thank the entire community for its continued support.”
This story originally appeared in the May 31, 2014 edition of the Levittown Tribune.
Island Trees Passes $60.2M Budget
Voters in the Island Trees School District cast their ballots on May 20, approving a $60.2 million spending plan for the 2014-2015 school year by a 78 percent margin.
According to unofficial tallies, 957 residents voted “yes” while 267 voted against the 2014-2015 budget.
“I would like to thank the community for again supporting the Island Trees school budget,” said Island Trees schools Superintendent Dr. Charles Murphy. “Year in and year out, the Island Trees residents continue to support their investment in our school programs, services and students… for that, I truly thank the residents.”
This story originally appeared in the May 30, 2014 edition of the Levittown Tribune.
