Budget Update
At the March 12 budget workshop, Jacqueline Pirro, assistant superintendent for business, again presented an overview of this year’s budget.
[To view our budget presentations, go to our website at www.ewsdonline.org > click on 14-15 Budget Info on the left side navigation bar > click on specific presentation.]
In addition there were in-depth presentations on the athletic, pupil personnel services and technology budgets presented respectively by Tom Fitzpatrick, director of physical education, athletics, health & medical services; Clare Hayes, director of pupil personnel services; and David Casamento, director of science and technology.
The recommended budget continues to support our wide variety of athletic offerings noteworthy for a school district our size.
The recommended PPS budget (which includes special education) maintains all of the special education programs currently offered, including integrated co-teaching classes in elementary through grade nine for ELA and math with daily support classes, special classes by subject area (ELA, math, science and social studies), direct/indirect consultant teacher, resource room, adapted physical education and the Wheatley Life Skills Program.
The budget maintains the same level of related services and other PPS programs, as well.
Highlighting some of the new technology in the recommended budget, the budget supports expanding the 1:1 initiative (currently in grade six and seven) to grade eight with the purchase of chromebooks for our eighth grade students, an additional 15 laptops and mobile cart for North Side, and for Willets Road, four replacement projectors and two wireless printers.
In addition to the purchase of the eighth grade chromebooks at Wheatley, the recommended budget includes 50 replacement classroom PCs, two smartboards and four wireless printers. Additional district-wide network upgrades and software as noted in the presentation.
Technology Fair
Just before the March 12 budget workshop, members of the public, grown-ups and children alike, were invited to participate in our technology fair that highlighted all of the technology initiatives that our students are involved in as part of their East Williston educational program. The overall goal of the available technology at
• North Side is to have students acquire basic and intermediate computer operating skills: from mouse manipulation and mouse clicking to keyboarding and typing to exploring the Internet for research and project-based learning;
• Willets Road is to have students apply what they learned at North Side as well as to further their acquisition of new technology skills and begin implementation of Web 2.0 tools; and
•Wheatley is to have students utilizing technology in a 21st century manner. Students collaborate, create, and research using technology daily.
Some of the North Side technology exhibited at the fair included use of Second Star to the Right, Adventures in Math, Story Kit, Make Math Count and Bridge Creator.
Willets Road technology was highlighted by History with Weebly, Creative Wiring and the iPad, Prezi in Math Research, Using iMovie to Communicate Content, Excel with IXL and Exergaming.
Wheatley students exhibited their robot for an upcoming robotics competition while other students used Listening & Speaking in a Second Language and Screencasting in Computer Science.
You can view the technology fair pamphlet on our website on the district homepage > click on Technology Fair in the left side navigation bar.
Many thanks to our Director of Science and Technology David Casamento and the many teachers who participated in hosting this terrific event.
The fair also highlighted some new technology that is part of the recommended 2014-15 budget.
Along with some of our students watching the demonstrations, I was fascinated with the 3-D printer that was scanning and “printing out” three dimensional objects. This printer and scanner is scheduled to be purchased with funds in the recommended 2014-15 budget as part of the new equipment we are acquiring to support the first year implementation of our high school engineering program as prioritized in our five year strategic plan.
Safety Update
Over the past several weeks the district has been installing new scanners at each of our schools to enhance the safety for our students and staff. The identification scanning process will be operational soon.
After your reason for visiting the school has been verified, you will be asked to put your photo ID into the scanner while remaining in the vestibule area before being buzzed into the building. I will continue to keep you updated as enhanced safety procedures are being implemented.
Speaking of safety updates, the recommended 2014-15 budget includes the hiring of trained security personnel to provide a security presence in each of the three school buildings, as recommended by our district safety committee.
Thank you for your continuing cooperation in helping us keep our schools safe.
National History Day Contest
On Sunday, March 9, 54 East Williston students participated in the National History Day – Long Island Regional Competition, which was held at Hofstra University.
Although Wheatley’s A.P. Core program has been involved in this competition for the past three years, this was the initial entrance into this prestigious educational event for middle school students at both Wheatley and Willets Road.
This year’s theme was “Rights and Responsibilities.”
Awards were given in nine categories for both the Junior (grades six-eight) and Senior (grades nine-12) levels.
The top two winners in each category will represent Long Island at New York State History Day in Cooperstown on April 28.
The following students earned recognition at the event:
• Donna Nazarian, Jared Rothstein, Harris Wekselblatt and Seung min Yi (grade 11) earned first prize in “Senior Group Website” for their project on “The Central Park Five”
• Madison D’Ambrosio (grade 11) earned first prize in “Senior Individual Website” for her project on “The Pentagon Papers”
• Bonnie Lerman (grade 11) earned second prize in “Senior Historical Paper” for her paper titled “Opposition to Vietnam: Civic Responsibility Redefined”
• Anne Yan (Grade 8) earned second prize in “Junior Historical Paper” for her paper titled “Internment of Japanese Americans: Fear Brings Downfall of Liberty”
• Madison D’Ambrosio earned an additional award, sponsored by Hofstra University’s Center for Civic Engagement, for “Outstanding Entry on Citizen Activism” (Daniel Ellsberg)
•Sean Gray, Andrew Gullotta and Joseph Martello (grade seven) earned a special award, sponsored by the Huntington Historical Society, for “Outstanding Entry on Colonial History” for their website on “The Stamp Act”
The day was a tremendous success and a great educational experience for all involved. It culminated a great deal of time and effort on the part of all the students in grades seven and eight, along with those in A.P. Core.
We look forward to building on what we have learned this year and hope to see research in the social sciences continue to be an area of strength for East Williston students and in the future.
Please join me in congratulating our winners and wishing Donna, Jared, Harris, Seung min, Madison, Bonnie and Anne continued success in Cooperstown on the state level.
Thank you to seventh grade teachers Dr. Joseph Coladonato and Patrick Shanahan and eighth grade teachers Cindy Schwartz, Matthew Haig, Patrick Shanahan and Gena Topping and AP Core teachers John Staudt, Michael Haig and Jennifer Fatone, librarian Jo Beth Roberts and social studies chair Brian McConaghy for their support and guidance of our student research projects.
Mock Trial Team
How impressive it was to attend the most recent competition of our mock trial team at the Supreme Court in Mineola.
Our Mock Trial Team has had an amazing season. This past Wednesday our team defeated Manhasset High School and has now moved into the “elite eight” team competition once again (second year in a row).
The team performed so well.
Congratulations to the team members and their advisors John Staudt and Bob Bernstein.
For a description of mock trial team and a listing of team members, see the February 28 Superintendent’s Weekly Newsletter archived on the website at the Superintendent’s Corner.
10P Experimentals
Congratulations to the students of 10P and their teacher Karen Bartscherer for the multi-media research projects, the “Experimentals,” they shared with the Wheatley community this past week.
Experimentals are a long term, in depth, student multi-disciplinary exploration of a self-chosen area of inquiry through multiple interviews and the use of other primary and secondary resources. The following is a list of our 10P students and their topics:
• Joy Bestorurous, Krist Chen and Erica Kim presented “Bonds”
• Jordan Pollack and Farrah Siegler presented “Silence”
• Nathan Berman, Chintan Datt and Ari Jain presented “Drive”
• Sienna Brancato, David Rosenzweig and Andre Zuckerberg presented “Survival”
• Robert Chang, Jessica Chu and Jordan Shaked presented “Curiosity”
• Rebecca Besada, Erin O’Kelly and Jaclyn Stroud presented “Choices”
• Ron Aldad, Gabe Besada and Chris Shen presented “Growth”
• Jessie Cao, Alana Osroff and Andrew Schloss presented “Reflections”
Speaking of English students and projects, ninth and tenth graders are currently completing their research papers while our twelfth graders in 12R are completing their internships and working towards their senior projects which will be presented later in the year. We’ll be sure to share news about these projects in upcoming newsletters!
Family Math/Family Fun!
Reminder:
There is still time to sign up. I’m looking forward to the 26th Annual Nassau County Sandy Cohen Family Math Day, scheduled for Saturday, April 5, which will be held at Bethpage High School.
This is a parent/child event for grades K=six.
The Family Math Day provides a day of excitement and adventure in mathematics for children and their parents.
The following East Williston teachers will be presenting workshops: Joyce Bernstein, secondary chair for mathematics; Danielle Calvagno, Henry Kupstas, Herman Lim, Tom Greeley and Jessica McGee.
There are 66 workshops being offered. A PDF version of the program with registration information is linked to the website news item on the district home webpage, Willets Road webpage and North Side webpage.
Please download the program with registration info to sign up for this first come-first serve event. This event is presented by the Nassau County Mathematics Teachers’ Association and Nassau County Association of Mathematics Supervisors. I hope to see you there!
Everything’s Coming Up Roses – Tickets on Sale for “Gypsy”
The Wheatley Theater Company will be performing the Broadway musical, “Gypsy” on:
Thursday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 29 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $10. Senior Citizen tickets are free.
You can purchase your tickets online by going to the district homepage (or the Wheatley homepage) at www.ewsdonline.org > hover over Wheatley Theater Company Tickets on the left side navigation bar > click on Tickets for Gypsy > click on tickets in red. This will bring you to a site where you choose your seats and purchase the tickets.
You can also reserve tickets if you leave a message on Rick Leidenfrost-Wilson’s extension by dialing 333-1630 and follow the instructions (Press 8 > Press 1) and then dial extension 5224.
Senior citizen luncheon and “Gypsy” matinee
Before the Saturday, March 29 matinee of “Gypsy,” Wheatley’s United Student Government will be hosting a luncheon for our senior citizens.
Please pass this information on to your neighbors. Beginning at 12 noon, students will be serving lunch for our senior citizens in anticipation of Wheatley’s matinee performance of the musical “Gypsy.” Please RSVP to the Wheatley office by calling Linda Leff at 333-7942.
iPhone/Android App
At the district-wide Technology Fair on Wednesday, March 12, sophomore Arihant Jain unveiled the EWSD App available for your iPhone or Android phone.
Ari developed the app for the district after attending a summer course at George Washington University in Washington D.C.
The app can be downloaded for free, from the App Store or Google Play on any smartphone.
The app allows easy access to frequented accessed pages off the District/School websites.
Currently, the app allows for easy access to Wheatley items. The North Side and Willets Road sections are currently under construction. The district link will be up and running this weekend.
So go ahead, search EWSD in your app store and download your free app today!
Congratulations and Commendations
A Summer Trip to Spain
Wheatley junior and member of the National Spanish Honor Society, Ashley Saparzadeh was recently awarded a trip to Spain from the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica which is affiliated with the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Ashley is one of 24 students nationwide selected for this honor based on her application, academic standing, involvement in extra-curricular activities as well as submission of a 5 minute video interview conducted in Spanish and her essay in which she expressed a desire to explore traditional Spanish dress and how the designs might be incorporated into contemporary fashion. She will be travelling with the other award recipients and SHH Board Members from July22-29. Ashley is currently enrolled in Mrs. Martinez’s Spanish V class.
Art Awards Aplenty
Congratulations to seniors Emily Giunta and Lauren Miceli whose artwork will be shown at the Professional Women Photographers 2014 Student Photography Exhibit. A reception will be held on Saturday, March 15 at the Calumet Photography Gallery at 22 West 22nd Street in Manhattan.
Congratulations to juniors Katie Keller, Gabrielle Nelson and Nancy Zhang and sophomores Dara Bahk, Nikki Koch and Madison Misk whose artwork was selected to be displayed at the Long Island Art Teachers Association’s Fifth Annual Art in Heart Exhibit. A reception will be held on Saturday, March 22 at the Broadway Mall in Hicksville from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. The artwork will be displayed at the Mall through March 22.
Congratulations to senior Zachary Wolff whose photograph was selected for publication in Photographer’s Forum: Best of College and High School Photography 2014.
And … congratulations to senior Michael Lituchy who received a Gold Key Award and Honorable Mention for his Digital Artworks, Gold Key Award for photography and a Silver Key Award for photography.
Round 2 of the Long Island Science & Engineering Fair (LISEF)
Yesterday, round 2 of the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair took place at the Crest Hollow Country Club. Wheatley science research students Justin Borczuk, Allison Chowdhury, Aakash Jhaveri, Lauren Perry and Kuan Yu all presented their projects to a pool of professional scientist-judges. Allison Chowdhury and her partner Greta Huang from Commack High School took second place for their project in the category Materials and Bioengineering. Aakash Jhaveri and Kuan Yu won third place in the Cellular and Molecular Biology category. Lauren Perry and Justin Borczuk were awarded honorable mention for their projects in the Materials/Bioengineering and Medicine/Health categories, respectively.
In addition, Wheatley research students Arihant Jain, Krista Chen, Hebah Hassan, Alexandra Boubour, Zachary Chorost and Samuel Mohebban participated in the Junior Varsity LISEF fair, also held yesterday. Alexandra Boubour was awarded third place in the biology category, and the team of Zachary Chorost and Samuel Mohebban won honorable mention in the behavioral science category.
Have a Good Weekend
As always, please email me at kanase@ewsdonline.org or call me at 333-3758 with any questions, suggestions, and or any topics you would like to see in this newsletter.
