West End Elementary School students strutted down the red carpet alongside loved ones on the evening of May 11 to represent their culture for their multicultural celebration.

It was an exciting night that was the culmination of weeks of preparation by students. Prior to the evening, students created foam people with various crafting materials that represented different areas of the world. Around the gymnasium, students set up tables representing their heritage with various items and facts about their country and culture. Students had a great time learning about areas around the world from their peers. They also walked down the red carpet in traditional outfits while the audience cheered them on. Lastly, homemade desserts were shared offering a taste of the families’ origins.

Date Added: 5/26/2023

The Lynbrook High School orchestra greeted guests with a performance as they arrived for the Lynbrook Public Schools Board of Education regular meeting on May 3, which included the public budget hearing.

Starting the meeting, the Bern Seiderman Art Gallery announced its final showcase for the 2022-23 school year featuring more than 30 works from students who were selected as All-County Artists. Their work was featured in the county-wide Art Supervisors Association All-County Artists exhibit, which was held in Long Beach and featured art from more than 1,200 students.

Next, several students who recently received accolades got the spotlight. They include Sophia Yaker, who was chosen as the All-County Art Scholarship recipient; Kaelynn O’Brien, who was recognized as an All-State basketball player by the New York Sports Writers Association; and Cece Farr, who received the Award for Excellence in the PTA Reflections competition. The Spector family also presented grants to educators Mary Kirby, Craig Kirchenberg, Michael Kunz, Karen Smith, Harry Weiner and David Yaker.

The Lynbrook High School Key Club enjoyed a highly productive year, and their resulting success was celebrated. Club members, as well as advisor Dr. Ben Tieniber, received honors from the Lynbrook Kiwanis, Nassau County Legislator Bill Gaylor, New York State Assemblyman Brian Curran and Town Councilwoman Laura Ryder. Gabriella Slootsky, a representative of the New York district Key Club, also presented the Lynbrook Key Club with several awards, including the Distinguished Faculty Advisor Award and the Distinguished Club Award.

The retirement of Henry Enrique Gomez, who served for 34 years on the Lynbrook Public Schools custodial staff, was announced.

Assistant Superintendent for Finance, Operations and Information Systems, Dr. Paul Lynch, presented the 2023-24 proposed budget during the public budget hearing. The full presentation can be found on the district website. The budget vote will take place on May 16.

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Melissa Burak, congratulated all in the music department for their contributions towards the district’s Best Communities for Music Education distinction.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Dr. Gerard Beleckas, as well as Lynbrook High School Principal Matthew Sarosy, presented the findings of the Grading, Weighting, and Assessment Commission. The roughly 40-member group is comprised of students, parents, teachers and administrators who have held regular meetings to examine assessment and grading practices to propose a fair weighting structure. The full presentation can be found on the district website.

Plans for the Marion Street Elementary School and North Middle School fields were approved by the state.

The board accepted a donation of $1,425 from Field of Honor to purchase American Flags to be displayed throughout the community, as well as a donation of a Casio Celviano keyboard from Ms. Ann Randazzo.

Click here to view the photo slideshow.

Date Added: 5/5/2023

The Lynbrook Public Schools Board of Education held its regular meeting at Lynbrook High School on April 18.

The Bern Seiderman Art Gallery presented its current exhibit titled “Pattern Palooza.” The exhibit features works from several grades that implement unique patterns, such as those on handbags made with fabric patterns sewn together by students, or collages inspired by artist Joanna Goodman. The Class Quilt is also featured, which is a creative and technical project that joined the works of dozens of students.
Next, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Melissa Burak recognized two winners in the PTA Reflections competition. West End Elementary School student Drex Farr was the overall winner in Nassau County across all age divisions and all art categories, ranking first out of 800 entries and earning him the Helen Vandermosten Arts in Education Award. Drex read his award-winning poem, titled “My Unique Voice,” to board trustees. Marion Street Elementary School student Zain Gaffoor was named a finalist for his photo, “I Am a Math Expert.”

The retirement of Paul Jankosky, who served for 22 years as a member of the Facilities Maintenance staff, was announced. Mr. Jankosky was presented with a plaque thanking him for his many years of service.

Two new teachers were welcomed into the district: Michael King, who will serve as a social studies teacher at Lynbrook High School, and Jodi Kossin, who will serve as a music teacher at West End.

The Lynbrook Council of PTA’s free Concert Clothing Swap will take place on May 3 from 7-9 p.m. at Lynbrook High School. All are welcome to find concert attire at no cost, including white shirts, black pants and black shoes in various sizes. They will also accept donations. Meet the Candidates will be held on May 1 at 7 p.m. at the high school.

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee recently met and discussed future collaborations between the high school Diversity Club and the elementary schools and the Kindergarten Center, and the activities surrounding Women’s History Month, Autism Awareness Month and spring multicultural celebrations.
The board shared the first reading of Policy 6145, which will reflect the return of unspent monies to the Facilities Reserve.

Trustees directed the district to contact local legislators to assist in the approval of upcoming construction plans, which have been shared with the state with the goal of a summer start date.

Instructional Technology Coordinator Neil MacDermott and West End Reading Specialist Melissa Kulikowsky held a presentation on Smart Start, a new technology grant and partnership with BOCES. Thirteen teachers from all three elementary schools participated in this professional development opportunity that equipped them with new ways to utilize technology in instruction. The program caters to students with varying needs, such as those learning English as a second language. Various programs are involved, including Book Creator, FlipGrid and Padlet.
Trustees voted to adopt the BOCES Administrative Operations budget and voted in support of the reelection of board candidates Deborah Coates, Lawrence Greenstein and Eric Schultz.

All 105 registrants to the Universal Pre-Kindergarten lottery will be eligible for the free program. The program will be held at the Friedberg JCC and Tiny Tikes in Lynbrook.

Director of Guidance Laurie Mitchell held a presentation on the SEL Committee’s recommendation to move forward with a program entitled RULER. It is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that supports the entire school community.

Construction on the Waverly Park court has begun, and the high school library will soon be cleared of all books in preparation for renovations.
Trustees read sympathy resolutions for Alfred Peterson, who served as the principal of South Middle School for 15 years, and Brenda Arum, who served as a foreign language teacher at the high school for 27 years.

Trustees accepted donations of $12,604 from the Excellence in Education Foundation, Inc.; $3,000 from Lynbrook SEPTA; $1,000 from Community Chest South Shore; and $2,400 from the Marion Street PTA.

Date Added: 4/20/2023

Kindness and acceptance are being emphasized at West End Elementary School in the Lynbrook Public School District to mark Kindness Month throughout April.

On April 3, students kicked-off the month by wearing shirts that promoted kindness with messages of positivity. Various activities throughout the month will also focus on kindness, such as designing colorful kindness crowns and classroom challenges that award students with kindness certificates. The West End Student Council also assembled a bingo board for students to take home and complete with their families. Families who complete five challenges by the end of the month will win a special prize.

Date Added: 4/5/2023