EducationalHorizons

EducationalHorizons

PLAINVIEW-OLD BETHPAGE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

JANUARY2011

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**** ECRWSS ****CURRENT RESIDENTPlainview-Old BethpageCentral School District

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDHicksville, N.Y.

Permit 156

Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School DistrictAdministrative Offices • Washington Avenue • Plainview, NY 11803www.pobschools.org

Board of EducationGary Bettan, PresidentAmy Pierno, Vice PresidentDebbie Bernstein • Angel Cepeda • Ginger LiebermanEvy Rothman • Emily SchulmanGerard W. Dempsey Jr., Superintendent of Schools

Students in the independentscience research program at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School continue to excel in nationalcompetitions. We are proud to announce that four students were named semifinalists in theSiemens Competition in Math,Science and Technology, theprestigious signature program of the Siemens Foundation. This competition recognizesremarkable talent early on,fostering individual growth forhigh school students who arewilling to challenge themselvesthrough science research. This year, a record number of individualand team projects – nearly 5,000 – were entered, and the top 300 were awarded semifinalist status. This status is exceptionallydifficult to achieve due to the regionalization of the competition.Long Island has historically submitted the greatest number ofprojects of any region, most with extremely high levels of quality. Congratulations to our 2010 semifinalists:Senior Kevin Chon worked with astrophysicist Sebastian Lepine at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium. In his project, Companions to High ProperMotion Stars Resolved with the Hubble Space Telescope, Kevinchallenged an existing assumption that over 50 percent of starsystems are binary. He found that the actual figure was muchlower, and in the process discovered three new binary stars.Junior Anisha Khemlani worked with two students fromBrentwood High School in Stony Brook University’s Ecology &Evolution Department. With the assistance of Dr. Dianna Padilla,the students completed their project, East Meets West: The NovelUse of Rocky Intertidal Bivalve Recruitment Techniques in a SaltMarsh Ecosystem. Through this two-year project, Anisha and her

colleagues successfullyapplied a protocol used tostudy the health of intertidalareas on the west coast to theFlax Pond saltwater marsh in Stony Brook.Senior Lina Lin worked for three years with a partnerfrom Huntington High School in Stony Brook University’sGarcia Center for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces. With much support andencouragement from mentorsDr. Miriam Rafailovich and Dr. Vladamir Jurukovski on a project titled Hydrogel

Environment on Dental Pulp Stem Cell Differentiation: Can they learn and remember?, Lina and her partner observed thatstem cells do learn from their substrate, but once established,continue to develop even when the substrate changes.Senior Ari Turkiewicz worked in the chemistry lab of Dr. Benjamin Chu and Dr. Benjamin Hsiao at Stony Brook University. There, he completed his project, Characterization of Cross linked POSS and PEGDA-CNF Hydrogels asNanofiltration Membrane Coating Materials. Ari successfullysynthesized a novel polymer filtration membrane for waterpurification. The membrane increased filtration of sediments in water by over 1,000 percent, from the micro to the nano level.Accolades for POB’s science curriculum are not limited to thehighly successful research program, however. The departmentcontinues to evolve in all areas, and now boasts six AdvancedPlacement (AP) course offerings, including physics B and C,biology, environmental science and chemistry, as well as acombined psychology and social science research lab. This full-year junior elective is designed to introduce students

More Accolades for POB Scientists

(L-R) POBJFKHS Principal James Murray; Siemens semifinalists Ari Turkewitz, Kevin Chon, Lina Lin and Anisha Khemlani;

Science Research Coordinator Mary Lou O’Donnell; and Science Chairperson Joyce Barry

Superintendent’s Message

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Development of the proposed 2011-12Plainview-Old Bethpage Central SchoolDistrict budget is underway, and thedialogue between the district and ourresidents is at the heart of the budgetdevelopment process. We want to hearfrom you; please take note of theseimportant upcoming dates. All Board of Education budget workshop sessionstake place at 7:45 p.m. in the BoardRoom at Mattlin Middle School and are open to the public.

Monday, February 28*Budget Meeting #1Monday, March 7Budget Meeting #2

(only budget meeting scheduled for 7 p.m.)Monday, March 14*Budget Meeting #3

Monday, March 28*Budget Meeting #4Monday, April 4*

Budget Meeting #5 / Budget AdoptionMonday, May 9

Budget Hearing / Public HearingTuesday, May 10

Absentee ballot applications dueVoter Registration, 12-9 p.m. at Jamaica

Avenue School, Old Bethpage ES and Plainview-Old Bethpage MS

Tuesday, May 17Budget Vote and Election of School Board Members

*Regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting

2011-12 BudgetCalendar

More Accolades for POB Scientists

to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings, with an emphasis on conducting high-level behavioral science research projects. Throughout the year, students learn and apply various research methods used bypsychologists in preparation for their projects. Students are faced with monthly deadlines to choose research questions, conductthorough literature reviews, gain Institutional Review Board approval, collect data, complete statistical analysis, and write researchpapers. Emphasis is placed on preparing students to submit their behavioral projects into the various national research competitionsduring their senior year.

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Dear Community Residents,At the beginning of this new year, the school district is focusedon future educational planning in a context in which resourceswill be limited. The new governor has promised to press for a tax cap. As administrators, we are acutely aware of the need tocontrol spending and limit tax increases. However, a tax cap is a

particularly blunt instrument, especially because there is no state commitment tomaintain state aid for schools or other programs. The state tax cap also reduces or eliminates local control, a feature of our state governance system that hascreated quality school districts such as ours.Our list of academic and social expectations continues to grow while our aidcontinues to decrease. We are asked, and want, to achieve higher levels ofperformance on assessments in English language arts and mathematics. We are asked, and work hard, to achieve in science and social science competitions;in academic contests of every variety; in research; and in music, visual arts and technology. We want to introduce more instructional technology into our classrooms. We have been especially pleased with our student and staff response, but we need to do more. We must preserve the best of our programs and evaluate carefully all that we do.In the areas of social development, health and wellness, extracurricular activitiesand personal growth we see the challenges as greater than ever. We believe ourstudents need us to make progress in all of these areas. It would be a great loss if our district and other fine districts around the state hadto retreat from these growing expectations. We need to continue moving forwardeven in these difficult financial times. As we move through the upcoming budgetdevelopment period, we will not only be talking about spending and tax levies,but also about the future educational values of our community. We also want tolook at changes and improvements, not only at programs we want to preserve. We need the community’s understanding, insights and support as we face thesechallenges.Our standard of comparison in the highest performing county in New York Stateis not only our neighboring districts but the performance of every other nation inthe world. Schools have to be committed to continuous improvement – there is no standing still. We ask the community to follow the debates at the state level,because they will play an important role in the future of our schools here inPlainview-Old Bethpage.Sincerely,Gerard W. Dempsey Jr.Superintendent of Schools

What’s Happening ...Kindergartners Get a Head Start on Healthy LivingIt is never too early to start teaching kids about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. At the Plainview-Old Bethpage KindergartenCenter, students take part in a yearlong health education curriculum,through which health teachers Carla Camerata and Julia Allison visitindividual classrooms for regular 30-minute lessons. These lessonsinclude discussions on the value of hand washing, healthy foodchoices and physical fitness. The curriculum also reinforces thedevelopment of good character, which starts with treating everyonewith kindness and respect, and allows kindergartners to build afoundation for healthy decision-making at an early age.

Old Bethpage Students are Entering Another Dimension …Students in Michele Frimmer’s art class at Old Bethpage ElementarySchool are moving beyond basic artwork and into the third dimension.In order to study 3-D art, students built wooden sculptures using avariety of shapes and objects, and then used the concepts of asymmetry,negative and positive space and angles to make lifelike paintings of those sculptures. After learning that an object can be measured in height, width and depth, they explored ways to create imaginativeworks of art that can be seen from more than one side, demonstratingperspective. Students were also introduced to the terms unity andcontrast, and learned how to use these principles in their paintings.

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Courage is a Slam Dunk for Parkway StudentsThe Totally Courageous Basketball Exhibition, an entertaining,fast-paced program, motivated and inspired students at ParkwayElementary School to be winners and champions in the mostimportant endeavor of all: life! Sponsored by the Parkway PTA,guest speaker Steve Granata used an exciting display of athleticprowess and basketball wizardry to communicate the powerfulmessage, “Be courageous and live out your dreams.” Whilespinning basketballs on everything from pens and pencils to umbrellas – and even feet! – Mr. Granata stressed theimportance of working hard and making smart choices to get ahead in life.

Steve Granata inspires students at Parkway Elementary.

(L-R) Alyssa Dady, Kristin Ferretti, Kristine D’Onofrio and art teacher Michele Frimmer

Patti Gagliano’s kindergarten class learns about the importance ofpersonal hygiene from health teacher Julia Allison.

POBMS Students Spread a Message of ToleranceDiversity is a strength of American culture, yet it can result in prejudice whenpeople do not embrace compassion, equality and tolerance. To combat thatprejudice, 40 eighth graders from Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle Schoolattended a tolerance workshop at the Holocaust Memorial and ToleranceCenter of Nassau County in Glen Cove on December 15. Through films and group discussions, students learned about the key elements of building a tolerant community and related them to their own experiences with bullying and cyberbullying. Their goal is to develop a specific plan todecrease prejudice in the school and community. The eighth graders

will extend this message of tolerance by sharing it with their fifth grade classmates at POBMS.

in Our SchoolsAmazing Feats of Fitness at Pasadena ElementaryThroughout the year, students at Pasadena Elementary School have been workinghard in their physical education classes to achieve the five components of fitness:cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. Pasadena’s fitness curriculum encourages students to become more aware of their personal levels of fitness and teaches them how to set and achieve their goals in order to improve. The bulletin board outside of the Pasadena gymnasium proudly displays the names of students who have reached milestones in push-ups, sit-ups, standing broad jumps and jump rope skills. Pictured are fourth graders who have recently reached some of these milestones.

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(L-R) Back row: Julianna Fryman, Sarah Morgenthal,Alyssa Lawson, Catherine Sang and Sam Coleman; kneeling:

Alvin Song, Cassie Perrotta, Andrew Kim and Evan Ressel

Stratford Road Students Voyage Into New York’s PastFourth graders in Carol Rose’s class at Stratford Road Elementary Schoolventured back to the year 1400 to explore the Native American culture in whatlater became New York. As a culminating activity for this social studies unit,students researched, designed and built replicas of Iroquois longhouses andcreated their own Native American games, musical instruments, arrowheadsand clay pottery. The children also enjoyed a daylong visit from the JourneysInto Native American Territory cultural arts program sponsored by the PTA.Hosted by anthropologist Robert Vedder, the program featured stories andactivities involving real Native American artifacts.

High School Heroes Teach FinancialLiteracy at Mattlin MSOn December 7, Howard B. Mattlin Middle School welcomed membersof Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School’s DECA chapter for aspecial program called High School Heroes. Working in small groups, theDECA members visited fifth grade classrooms to teach the Mattlin studentsabout financial literacy during a full-day seminar broken into six uniquesessions. Using Junior Achievement’s More than Money curriculum, thefifth graders learned about earning, spending, sharing and saving money,and about businesses they can start or jobs they can perform to earn money. DECA members Allison Giosa, Melissa Benenson and Rebecca Breier first proposed the idea of bringing High School Heroes to our middle school students.

M usic an d F in e ArtsM usic an d F in e Arts

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18 POB Musicians Named to Hofstra Middle School Honor BandCongratulations to the 18 seventh grade band students who were selected to perform at the eighth annual Hofstra University Middle School HonorBand Festival: Puneet Arneja, Ross Cohen, Cori Dauman, Alex Goldberg,Zachary Goldstein, Matthew Kessler, Aaron Kim, Jessica Lagnado, EvanLander, Vivian Lee, Danielle Melón, Aaron Meyers, Melissa O’Reilly,Bryan Safer, James Serpico, Claire Shamul, Jessica Unterlack and JoshuaWicker. Under the direction of renowned composer Sean O’Laughlin, thesestudents had the opportunity to perform with talented seventh grade studentsfrom 45 schools throughout the New York area, as well as members of the Hofstra University Symphonic Band.

(L-R) Top row: Ben Rabinowitz, Ben Pagliaro, Zach Goldberg, Cory Hecht, Keith Weiss, Chance Dennis, Allen Saltzman and Matthew Dershowitz; bottom row: Taylor Sheehan, Paige Schindler, Zoe Finn, Sari Stifelman, Rebecca Salmon and Alexa Dicken

(L-R) Justin Pinsky, Benjamin Ozur, Bechir-Auguste Pierre and Scott Leo

Drama Cadets Perform ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’The Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. KennedyHigh School Drama Cadets presented thePulitzer Prize-winning play The Diary of AnneFrank for three performances in November. The play is based on the famous diary kept by Anne Frank from 1942 to 1944 while she and her family were in hiding during the Nazioccupation of the Netherlands. A book of Anne’swritings was later published as The Diary of aYoung Girl after her death in the Bergen-Belsenconcentration camp in 1945. Congratulations tothe talented cast and crew on an outstandingproduction of this historically important play.

Art Club Hosts Technonite for POB SeniorsIn November, the POBFJKHS Art Club welcomed members of thePlainview-Old Bethpage Senior Citizen Club for Technonite, an evening of interdisciplinary learning and fun in one of the high school’s graphic arts computer labs. Senior citizens paired with Art Club volunteers whoworked with the seniors to create colorful images using Adobe Photoshop.They printed these photos onto wooden picture frames that the studentsmade by hand and provided to each of their senior guests. When the project was completed, all of the participants enjoyed lively conversation,along with some fruit and other healthy snacks provided by the Art Club.(L-R) Joan Hydo with Art Club member Adriana Cioco

POBJFKHS Shines at Newsday Marching Band FestivalThe Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School marching bandparticipated in Newsday’s 48th annual Marching Band Festival in October. Led by Band Director Jerry Loeb and assistant directors Neil Wallowitz,Joseph Boardman and Brett Colangelo, the band wowed the audience at HofstraUniversity’s James M. Shuart Stadium with a stellar performance of its halftimeroutine. The musicians were joined by the JFK flag line, under the direction ofElizabeth Christie, and the JFK kickline, under the direction of Jason Goodstone.

Athletics

Winners & Achievers

Scholar/Athlete TeamsPOB’s student-athletes work hard to achieve success both on the field and in the classroom. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association(NYSPHSAA) has recognized four of Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. KennedyHigh School’s varsity sports teams as scholar/athlete teams for maintaining acombined GPA of at least 90 percent during the fall season:

POB Seniors Chosen as Scholarship SemifinalistsSeniors Waka Kobayashi, Bechir-Auguste Pierre and Alexandra Ragin have been named semifinalists in the Coca-ColaScholars Foundation’s 2011 merit-based scholarships program. TheFoundation received 71,000 applicants this year, and only about three percent, or approximately 2,200 students, were selected assemifinalists. Waka, Bechir-Auguste and Alexandra were chosen toadvance to the next phase of the competition based on their academicexcellence, leadership and achievement in school and communityactivities. They will remain in the running for $3 million in college scholarships that the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will award in March 2011.

Team GPABoys’ Cross-Country 94.95Girls’ Tennis 94.77Boys’ Volleyball 93.54Girls’ Swimming 93.13

We thank all of our talented student-athletes for another job well done!

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DECA Inducts New MembersPlainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School’s DECAchapter held its annual installation ceremony in October, inducting a record 235 new members into the organization. The keynote speaker at the installation was Dr. Ed Weis, the dean of MolloyCollege’s Division of Business. Dr. Weis provided students and their parents with advice on college and the business world. DECA,an association of business students, prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.

FootballBrandon Glass, All-ConferenceSteven Vissichelli, All-Conference

Girls’ SoccerAli Gungor, All-ConferenceDanielle Ragin, All-Class

Fall 2010 Individual HonorsGirls’ SwimmingDanielle Kessler, All-ConferenceAnne Krekel, All-ConferenceMelanie Messinger, All-Conference, All-DivisionIsabel Ren, All-Conference, All-DivisionKara Schrank, All-Conference

Girls’ TennisErica Bernstein, All- ConferenceRebecca Shnitkin, All-Conference