BRIARCLIFFECOLLEGE HOLDS 14TH ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY RECOGNIZING 2008-2009 GRADUATING CLASSMedford’s Angela Signore is class Valedictorian; Amityville’s Kathryn Lee Pinho is Salutatorian BriarcliffeCollege honored the 2008-2009 graduating class during its Fourteenth Annual Awards Ceremony held in May 2009 at its Patchogue campus. Fifty-two students were presented certificates of achievement for outstanding academic and extracurricular accomplishments.President Dr. George Santiago, Jr. welcomed nearly 200 attendees from the College community of faculty, administrators and students, and introduced the evening’s Master of Ceremonies — Brian Schorr, Chair of the Liberal Arts Department.Mr. Schorr, department chairs, faculty and administrators presented awards in the following categories: Top honors in each of the degree granting programs, Alpha Beta Kappa Honor Society, Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society, Who’s Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges, Briarcliffe VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program, Outstanding Achievement and Contribution to the College, and Scholar Athlete.College Dean Caroline Zebrowski, noting that the Awards Ceremony is a run up to the Briarcliffe College Commencement taking place Saturday, May 30th, introduced Kathryn Lee Pinho of Amityville, NY, selected to deliver this year’s Salutatory address. Ms. Pinho completed her program requirements in December 2008 and will be receiving her Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice.Dr. Sonia Heywood, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, announced that Ms. Angela Signore of Medford, NY, is to represent her peers as the class Valedictorian. A Bachelor of Business Administration major, Ms. Signore is also a student-athlete on the Briarcliffe women’s softball team.
Massapequa School Budget Vote
3.21% Increase Over Last Year
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 between 6am and 9pm at Massapequa High School, John P, McKenna School, Raymond J. Lockhart School and Fairfield School
Massapequa High School students and members of the St. Rose of Lima Youth Group participated in a local "famine" on Saturday, March 14 through Sunday, March 15, 2009 as part of world hunger awareness. Students did not eat for 30 hours and participated in other activities, so as to better understand and raise awareness of the suffering throughout the world. In addition, they raised $7,500 for hunger relief efforts. Under the direction and supervision of acting Youth Minister, Joe Viola, they began their famine in the rectory basement at 11:00 a.m. and continued to the Father Graham building.
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Education & Taxpayer Rally to Maintain Long Island School Aid February 28, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. Ellsworth Allen Park, Farmingdale, NY
NASSAU BOCES $AVE$ TAXPAYER$ THOU$AND$
"We have the technology" and when used collaboratively it will save taxpayers thousands of dollars yearly. That’s the message that Nassau BOCES Executive Manager of Telecommunications, Anthony Carfora, shared with parents, teachers, school administrators, board members and legislators at an Economic Summit hosted by the East Williston School District in January, 2009.
"When it comes to telecommunications – such as voice, data and Internet services – we have the pieces for cost-savings; we’re working with local school districts to put them all together," he said. Carfora, a 25-year veteran of the telecommunications industry, oversees more than 320 miles of fiber optic connections for Nassau BOCES. "Districts that work with us on integrating their telephone with data and Internet services are saving 15 – 65 percent compared to the cost of implementing these services separately," he said.
According to Carfora, the benefits of "connecting" school districts together are:
• significant cost reductions
• readily available back-up data by storing in an adjacent network
• sharing of expertise—as with technical support and user applications
• opportunities to inexpensively replicate equipment and solutions
• allowing for central network monitoring.
As an example, Carfora discussed a project Nassau BOCES managed on behalf of four local school districts. "We brought them together to connect five of their high schools and 13 elementary schools into one network for Internet services," he explained. "This resulted in savings of $3,200 per month for each district – those are real, measurable dollars that help to reduce costs for taxpayers."
He added: "At Nassau BOCES, the emphasis is always on cooperative services because we recognize the power of group buying. We are also looking to give districts the connectivity they need to save money on additional services, such as surveillance and security, environmental monitoring, transportation monitoring, wireless broadband and video on demand."
About Nassau BOCES
The Board of Cooperative Educational Services of Nassau County (Nassau BOCES) is a public agency that serves the 56 school districts of Nassau County. It provides cost-effective shared services, including career training for high school students and adults, special education, alternative schools, technology education and teacher training, as well as dozens of programs to expand educational opportunities and help districts operate more efficiently. Visit www.nassauboces.org for news, information and educational updates.
Robert Zabbia, Zabbia Insurance Agency
LOCAL INSURANCE AGENT RECOGNIZED
Robert Zabbia, President and owner of The Zabbia Insurance Agency, Inc. of Massapequa recently was awarded the designation of Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA), a professional designation conferred by the American Insurance Marketing and Sales Society (the AIMS Society).
Robert Zabbia successfully completed three Insurance Success Seminars as well as the course review required for each.The CPIA designation stands for professionalism, commitment to sales training and results, and technical knowledge.The designation does require a bi-annual continuing education update.
The Insurance Success Seminars have been rated very highly by both insurance agency sales support staff who have taken them and by participating company representatives.The interactive one-day format and nominal cost to attend each module has made these Seminars particularly useful and popular.
Position for Success (CPIA 1) assists participants in implementing risk identification strategies and systems that will prevent errors and omissions during the insurance prospecting process.
Implement for Success (CPIA 2) focuses on the development of the technical knowledge and skills needed to design a complete, yet innovative, insurance program for prospective clients.Participants will leave with detailed information for providing solutions in the complex insurance market.
Sustain Success (CPIA 3) provides participants with specific methods for maintaining high legal and ethical standards of operation while developing the agent-client relationship.
The AIMS Society is the only insurance organization dedicated solely to recognizing training and service quality among property and casualty insurance personnel.The mission of the AIMS Society is to improve the selling skills and insurance knowledge of its members by upgrading professionalism through information and education, which will result in providing better service to the insurance-buying public.
Attorney General Cuomo and Comptroller DiNapoli Return more than $104,000 in Retirement Settlement Money to the State Pension Fund and Local Governments
Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo and State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced on December 5, 2008 that $104,231.15 collected by the Attorney General has been returned to the New York State and Local Retirement System.
The funds come from settlements Attorney General Cuomo reached with Long Island, Capital Region and St. Lawrence County attorneys who were wrongly classified as employees at school districts and Boards of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) and thereafter erroneously received pension payments.
"Taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for these mistakes," Comptroller DiNapoli said. "Attorney General Cuomo acted swiftly to reach these settlements. Now my office can get this money back to local governments. Every dime counts when every level of government is facing cutbacks. We’ll continue to work with the Attorney General to return this settlement money to the public."
"For years there has been waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer-funded public benefit systems by lawyers and other professional consultants. We are holding them accountable and are starting to return some of their ill-gotten public funds," said Attorney General Cuomo. "Working together with Comptroller DiNapoli we will continue to identify anyone receiving public funds they are not entitled to and take the necessary actions to recoup the money."
Attorney General Cuomo’s ongoing statewide investigation of pension abuse includes more than 4,000 local governments and special districts across New York State, all school districts, and the 37 BOCES. The investigation has already revealed that many lawyers had improperly remained on public payrolls for such extended periods of time, or were included on the payrolls of so many public sector employers simultaneously, that they accumulated substantial credits in the New York State pension system. To date, Attorney General Cuomo’s investigation into fraud and abuse in the public pension systems has resulted in more than $1.5 million in settlements involving the conduct of more than 65 attorneys.
Comptroller DiNapoli’s office has now revoked membership or retirement service credit for 40 individuals. Comptroller DiNapoli recently announced the establishment of a Retirement Compliance Unit to actively monitor participating employers’, members’ and retirees’ compliance with regulations and reporting requirements. The unit, headed by former City of Albany Comptroller Thomas Nitido, will correct past abuses of the Retirement System and work to prevent abuses in the future.
Attorney General Cuomo’s investigation also led to a new state law that increases government accountability at all levels, curbs fraud and abuse in the state retirement system with tough new penalties, closes "double dipping" loopholes for retirees, and increases transparency and accountability in school spending plans.
Comptroller DiNapoli said the $104,231.15 will be used to make whole the pension fund and, where appropriate, pay back local governments for contributions made to the pension fund on behalf of these attorneys. Employers will see a credit for the money on their 2010 Retirement System invoices, which will be mailed in November 2009.
The funds that have already been returned to the Retirement System include payments by three attorneys who had retired and were receiving pension benefits from the State of New York: John D. Elmer of St. Lawrence County, E. Michael Ruberti of the Capital Region, and Gilbert Henoch of Long Island. Elmer and Ruberti collectively will repay the Retirement System another $119,795.96 for past benefits erroneously received. Ruberti, who was deemed eligible to receive reduced pension payments going forward based on his employment with the Hamilton Fulton
Montgomery BOCES, has agreed to forgo forthcoming pension payments of another $126,505.04 over the next several years until the pension fund can be made whole for past overpayments he erroneously received.
In March, DiNapoli announced regulations clarifying long-standing requirements for inclusion in the Retirement System and providing guidance for local governments seeking to determine the difference between employees and independent contractors.
Long Island Lawmakers Propose Landmark Bill to Combat Suburban Teen Heroin Epidemic First Law in the Nation Would Alert Schools of Heroin-Related Arrests
Nassau County Legislator Dave Mejias (D-Farmingdale) is proposing the first law of its kind in the country that would require law enforcement to notify school officials when an arrest is made for heroin possession and/or sale. This bill would combat the growing problem of teenage heroin addiction in the suburbs by improving communication between police and school officials. Legislator Mejias titled his legislation the “Natalie Ciappa Law” after the 18-year-old high school student from Massapequa who died of a heroin overdose at a party in June of 2008.
“Parents and schools need a head’s up on heroin use before it’s too late,” said Mejias. “The initial signs of heroin use are not easily detectable. This law would give everyone a fighting chance to combat this insidious epidemic. Schools notify parents when a child in their district has head lice; the county should notify schools about possible heroin use and sales in their districts.”
Legislator Mejias’ proposed law would require police to notify the school district about anyone arrested in connection with heroin possession within that specific school district’s boundaries or the arrest of a student from that district anywhere in the county. Private school principals would also be notified of an arrest of one of their students.
Overall heroin related arrests in Nassau County have increased 50% since 2002. According to the District Attorney’s office, since 2007 there have been 37 suspected heroin overdoses in Nassau County and the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse hospital admissions for opiate overdoses are up all across Long Island. Adding to the increase use of heroin among suburban teens is that it is cheaper than ever before—a bundle that had cost $150 in 2006 costs an average of $90 and, in some areas it’s as low as $70 today.
The National Drug Intelligence Center lists heroin and cocaine as the most serious drug threat in the New York area. Additionally, they say that heroin use among high school students is a particular problem with an alarming number of high school seniors in the United States using the drug at least once in their lifetime.
Suffolk County Legislator Wayne Horsley (D-Babylon) who is introducing similar legislation in Suffolk County said, “It is unacceptable for anyone with knowledge of heroin use or distribution to bury their head in the sand and not acknowledge that a problem is emerging on Long Island. The demons and drug-dealers that are peddling this poison to our children do not recognize county or district bounds and that is why Legislator Mejias and I are teaming up to effect an Island-wide approach that will do what is necessary to confront the demons that threaten the safety and lives of our children, head-on.”
Pictured (l to r): Adelphi University’s Richard A. Rotanz, special advisor to the provost for emergency management academic programs; Adelphi University’s Assistant Professor, Emergency Management & Health Services Administration K.C. Rondello, M.D., M.P.H.; Allstate Foundation Chairperson Inez K. Birbiglia; Zabbia Insurance Agency President Robert Zabbia
Through a generous $40,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation, Adelphi University presented three fall 2008 seminars on emergency preparedness, including the special issues faced by at-risk populations and those in hospital management. The grant reflects the Allstate commitment to protecting Long Islanders by helping to raise awareness and emergency preparedness in the face of disasters. The grant will also support the research and development of free publications on emergency preparedness with the goal to inform policymakers, elected officials, public school districts and Long Island residents. In addition, the Allstate grant will support scholarship opportunities for students enrolled in Adelphi?s Emergency Management Graduate Certificate Program, a curriculum that draws on the expertise of faculty, as well as the Federal, State and County offices of emergency preparedness and social services.
September 22 - 26, 2008 Spirit Week and Homecoming 2008 at Ames and Main Campuses of Massapequa High School Student government prepared a week of school activities that provide families, students and parents the opportunity to demonstrate school and community pride and spirit. Dress up day themes - "Profession Day; " "Would You Still be my Friend if I Wore this...Day;" "Disney Day;" "Pajama Day;" and "Blue and Gold Day"
Photos by: Katie Fuccillo, Jr. Photo-Journalist
Image:
Public Schools
Massapequa High Main 4925 Merrick Road Massapequa, New York 11758 Phone: (516) 308-5900
Massapequa High Ames Ames Campus Baltimore Avenue Massapequa, New York 11758 Phone: (516) 308-5800
Berner Middle School 50 Carman Mill Road Massapequa, New York 11758 Phone: (516) 308-5700
Birch Lane Elementary Birch Lane Avenue Massapequa Park, New York 11762 Phone: (516) 308-5100
East Lake Elementary East Lake Avenue Massapequa Park, New York 11762 Phone: (516) 308-5200
Lockhart Elementary 199 Pittsburgh Avenue Massapequa, New York 11758 Phone: (516) 308-5400
McKenna Elementary 210 Spruce Street Massapequa Park, New York 11762 Phone: (516) 308-5500
Unqua Elementary 350 Unqua Road Massapequa, New York 11758 Phone: (516) 308-5600
ATTORNEY GENERAL CUOMO ANNOUNCES GROUNDBREAKING SETTLEMENTS WITH 8 COMPANIES THAT MARKET STUDENT LOANS DIRECTLY TO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Companies Used Phony Mail Solicitations Designed to Look Like the Federal Government, Pushed Higher Interest Private Loans on Students, and Employed Unfair Bait and Switch Techniques
Following on His Nationwide Investigation of Conflicts of Interest Between Banks and Universities, Cuomo Secures $1.4 Million and Sets New Industry Standards for Companies Who Sell Their Loans Directly to Students By Mail, Internet, and Television
Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced on September 9, 2008 that eight major student lending companies have agreed to adopt broad new reforms of their direct marketing of student loans in order to protect students and their families nationwide. In settling with the Attorney General, these companies have agreed to abide by strict new standards which will put an end to many problematic practices the Attorney General uncovered in an extensive investigation of the industry.
The new standards, developed by the Attorney General’s student loan task force, ban a wide range of deceptive marketing practices such as: mailing phony solicitations designed to look like they come from the federal government; advertising interest rates that are not available to the majority of borrowers who take out loans with the lender; offering prizes and running contests and sweepstakes to induce students to take out loans with a particular lender; and paying off students to get their friends to take out loans with particular lenders.
The eight student lenders who have agreed to abide by these new heightened standards include Nelnet, Inc., Campus Door, Inc., GMAC Bank, NextStudent, Inc., Xanthus Financial Services, Inc., EduCap, Inc., Graduate Loan Associates, L.L.C., and MRU Holdings, Inc., doing business as My Rich Uncle. Seven of these companies have entered into settlement agreements with the Attorney General’s Office in which they agree to abide by a code of conduct and to donate a total of more than $1.4 million to the Attorney General’s national fund to educate and assist students and their families with respect to the financial aid process. One company, My Rich Uncle, has agreed to voluntarily adopt the code.
“These settlements are a major step forward in cleaning up an industry where false and misleading advertising practices have been all too rampant. Unsolicited and deceptive mailings that are sent to the homes of students are more than a nuisance, they can result in students being buried in mountains of debt for years to come,” said Attorney General Cuomo. AOur investigation of direct marketing in the student loan business found a wide variety of problematic practices that put business profits ahead of the borrowing needs of students and their families. I commend the eight lenders who have today signed the code thereby committing to help my office clean up this industry. It is unconscionable for lenders to entice students into loans that are not best for them.”
The Attorney General also called on the rest of the direct marketing industry to adopt the code of conduct. “These eight companies are setting the industry standard. If other companies won’t adopt the new code, it should raise a red flag and students should be asking those companies, ‘why not?’ Students and their families should certainly think twice before taking a loan from any company who has not signed on to the code. This industry has a spotty track record when it comes to protecting consumers and it’s time for the companies to be held accountable,” said Attorney General Cuomo.
The Attorney General’s investigation of the student loan industry began last year with the exposure of conflicts of interest in the relationships between lenders and universities that included kickback arrangements where lenders were paying universities to have the universities recommend the lenders to students. The Attorney General developed a code of conduct for lenders and universities that became the model for a New York law known as SLATE, as well as for a recently enacted federal law which now protects students nationwide.
After addressing these conflicts between lenders and universities, the Attorney General turned to combating deceptive and illegal tactics in the direct marketing of student loans through the mail, the Internet and on television without going through the colleges’ financial aid offices at all. Today’s announcement of a new set of agreements with some of the nation’s leading lenders of student loans marketed directly to consumers will bring much needed reforms to this other major channel through which students and their families obtain loans for college.
Barmak Nassarian, Associate Executive Director, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (“AACRAO”), said, “Attorney General Cuomo’s Office has once again broken new ground by obtaining significant protections for students and families. These settlements improve the amount and quality of information available to educational loan borrowers.”
Chris Lindstrom, Director of U.S. P.I.R.G. Higher Education Project, said, “Deceptive marketing practices can lead students to make ill-informed decisions at a serious financial cost to borrowers. We applaud the continued action and leadership shown by Attorney General Cuomo in protecting the interests of students and families.”
The student loan direct marketing investigation uncovered numerous deceptive practices, all of which are now banned under the Attorney General=s new code of conduct, including:
·using logos and return addresses that made it look like the lender=s solicitation to consumers was from the federal government or the student=s current lender;
·mailing fake checks or false rebates offers on current loans to entice students to take out loans;
·giving inducements to students, such as gift cards, iPods, and GPS devices, to distract students from focusing on the (sometimes onerous) terms of the higher education loans being promoted;
·offering inducements to students to convince their friends to take out loans with particular lenders;
·making false and misleading representations as to the advantages of private student loans over lower-cost federal loans;
·providing illustrations of loan costs or terms that are available only to a tiny fraction of borrowers without disclosing that fact;
·failing to guarantee that advertised borrower benefits, such as discounts on the interest rate of the loan during the repayment phase of the loan, follow with the loan, regardless of who purchases the loan in the future.
The Attorney General’s new code of conduct bans all of these practices and many others. In addition, under the new agreements, in connection with the marketing of private loans, lenders and marketers will provide a warning that students and their parents should exhaust lower-cost federal borrowing options before turning to private loans. Moreover, the code requires lenders to provide timely disclosures of the terms of federal and private loans, ensuring that students have the information they need to comparison shop for those loans.
The Attorney General urges students and their families to seek more information on the New York Attorney General’s website, at www.oag.state.ny.us. On the website, students can also order a free informational DVD to learn more about the student loan process and how to protect themselves.
The investigation and settlements were handled by Assistant Attorneys General Carolyn Fast, Mary Alestra, Melvin Goldberg, Brian Montgomery, Stephanie Sheehan, and Jason Garelick, under the supervision of Consumer Frauds Bureau Chief Joy Feigenbaum.
Federal Passage of Landmark Student Loan Legislation Based on New YorkState's Code of Conduct to Protect College Students
Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced on August 1, 2008 the federal passage of ground-breaking legislation to protect students and families who borrow to pay for college.
The United States Congress passed the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, a new law that addresses conflicts of interest and deceptive practices in the student loan industry. The Act codifies the Code of Conduct that Attorney General Cuomo developed after his nationwide investigation of the student loan industry exposed widespread conflicted relationships between schools and lenders. This new legislation prohibits these conflicted relationships and extends the Code’s protections to students and families across the United States.
“This historic legislation allows the rest of the nation to follow
New YorkState’s lead in cracking down on the deceptive student loan
industry,” said Attorney General Cuomo. “Last year my office’s
investigation set the benchmark for reining in unscrupulous student
lenders, who we discovered were all too intent to ensnare students in
loan packages that left them drowning in unnecessarily high debt.
Today's legislation will make it easier for millions of students to
afford a college education.”
Attorney General Cuomo’s Code of Conduct prohibiting conflicts of
interest between schools and lenders has been adopted by more than a
dozen lenders, including the largest student loan providers in the
country, and 26 schools. The Code served as the model for a law in New
YorkState, the Student Loan Accountability, Transparency, and
Enforcement (SLATE) Act of 2007, which passed the State legislature
unanimously in May 2007. With today’s passage of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act, the Attorney General’s Code of Conduct is about to
become the law of the land nationwide.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act addresses widespread conflicts of
interest in the student loan industry by requiring colleges and
universities to develop a code of conduct with respect to federally
guaranteed loans that:
● prohibits 'revenue sharing,' a practice where a lender provides a
payment or other benefit to a school in exchange for the school’s
promise to recommend that lender to students;
● prohibits financial aid officers from accepting any favors, meals,
entertainment, or other gifts from a lender;
● prohibits financial aid officers from assigning first-time
borrowers to particular lenders and from refusing to certify loans based
on a borrower’s selection of a particular lender;
● prohibits the college and university from using a lender’s
employees to staff the financial aid office or a financial aid call
center.
The Act also includes requirements related to private loans, such as:
● prohibiting private lenders from offering gifts or other items of
value to colleges or financial aid officers in exchange for advantages
related to the lenders’ loan activities;
● prohibiting private lenders from charging prepayment or repayment
penalties;
● prohibiting misleading ‘co-branded’ marketing, where a lender
or marketer uses a school’s name, emblem, mascot, and/or logo to
create the false impression that the school has endorsed the lender;
● requiring private loan providers to inform borrowers of the
availability of federal aid and the interest rates available in
connection with federal loans;
● requiring private loan providers to provide uniform, detailed, and
timely disclosures to borrowers regarding the interest rate and other
terms of offered loans, enabling borrowers to better understand the cost
of their loan and to comparison shop for the best deals.
The legislation also includes important measures to rein in the cost of
college through:
● increased accountability at the college/university level;
● making textbook costs more affordable.
Attorney General Cuomo commended Senator Edward Kennedy, Senator
Michael Enzi, Congressman George Miller, and Congressman Howard P.
“Buck” McKeon for their leadership on this vital issue, and all
the others who have worked to bring this important legislation to
fruition.
Massapequa Residents Headline Briarcliffe College Commencement
The 2008 Briarcliffe College Commencement featured not one, but two, Massapequa residents.Journalist Brian Kilmeade of the Fox News Channel delivered the keynote address and was conferred an honorary degree from the college; while, Valedictorian Patrice Watkins addressed her fellow graduates and their families with words to spur them on in helping one another to move ahead in life and their chosen professions.
Briarcliffe College is a proprietary institution with campuses in Bethpage, Patchogue and Queens, and a combined student body of more than 1800. Briarcliffe College is a career education college offering diploma, two- and four-year degree programs in Criminal Justice, Graphic Design, Business Administration, Digital Photography, Accounting, Office Technologies, and Information Technology.
Briarcliffe College President Dr. George Santiago, Jr. and Board Chairman Arthur Loeffler welcome Brian Kilmeade (center), keynote speaker for the College’s 2008 Commencement.
Briarcliffe College Valedictorian Patrice Watkins is joined onstage by Provost Kenneth Thigpen during the recent 2008 Commencement ceremonies.
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Election 2008 Results
The Massapequa Board of Education Election 2008, which was covered earlier by massapequaNEWS via "on-camera" interviews, results are in. The contested race's victors were Christine Perrino and Jane Ryan. In addition the budget passed, allowing a substantial increase in educational spending.
Christine Perrino
Jane Ryan
Massapequa Students Win Awards at National History Day
Secondary students in the MassapequaPublicSchool District used their knowledge of history and creative ideas when they participated in the National History Day (NHD) competition at HofstraUniversity. NHD provides students with the opportunity to research a topic in history in depth. This year’s theme was “Conflict and Compromise in History.” BernerMiddle School students and MassapequaHigh School – Main Campus students spent several months researching their topics with support from their classroom teachers and the technology available to them through the district. Upon completion of their projects, eighteen students competed against their peers from schools across Long Island. Winners and special recognition awards were chosen for several categories.This year’s Massapequa winners are:
Junior Division (Berner)
Historical Paper
1st Place - Jordyn Iger: Origins on Trial:Can We Design an Intelligent Compromise?
2ndPlace - Valentina Viscardi: Flying Second-Class: The Story of the Women Air Force Service Pilots
Individual Exhibit
2nd Place - Lauren Reisig: Equal Vote: Equal Voice
Group Exhibit
3rd Place - Alyssa Yurasits and Gabriella Johnston: United We Stand, Divided We Fell: Protesting Vietnam
SpecialSchool Achievement Award - Dylan Spiro and Jesse Spiro: MunichMassacre: Terrorism Wins Gold
Group Documentary
4th Place in runoff competition - Michelle Goss and Alexandra Giordano: The Cuban Missile Crisis: The U.S. and the Soviet Union Go Face to Face
Senior Division (MHS – Main Campus)
Individual Documentary
1st Place - Charlotte Burger: No Light at the End of the Tunnel. Conflict, Compromise and the Tet Offensive
Individual Exhibit
SpecialSchool Achievement Award - Monica Perrino: Bridge of Hope
All first and second-place winners will participate in the next level of National History Day at the state competition in Cooperstown, New York on May 2, 2008. Those winners will then have the chance to compete at the prestigious national competition held in June at the University of Maryland. Good Luck to everyone!
MassapequaPublicSchool District Employees Honored at SCOPE Awards Forum
The MassapequaPublicSchool District is pleased to announce that five staff members were honored by SCOPE at the Annual School District Awards Forum held at the Milleridge Cottage on March 10th. The forum is an opportunity for school district employees across Long Island to receive recognition for supporting the educational goals and aspirations of students in both instructional and noninstructional categories, and for having a profound impact on Long Island’s educational system. Awards were presented for Teacher Service, Community Service, Support Staff Service, School Board Service and Administrator Service.
MassapequaHigh School – Main Campus Physical Education teacher Kerry Regan, was nominated for her compassion and commitment to the social, emotional and physical well-being of her students. District administrators laud her as an educator who sees the potential in all students, and provides encouragement and assistance to those less able.
Jamie Bogenshutz, Executive Director of Youth Environmental Services (YES), was recognized at the forum as an outstanding social worker with expertise in the area of traumatic stress response. She has been an asset to district students, staff and parents, providing support and expertise during times when crisis management support is necessary in the district.
Anne Marie Bellizzi, the Massapequa Public School District Clerk, was selected for her ability to multitask while handling tremendous responsibilities with the utmost efficiency. Described by her colleagues as a “true professional,” Mrs. Bellizzi manages the day-to-day issues that arise in a calm and patient manner. Her commitment to the Massapequa Public Schools and her extraordinary service to the community are greatly appreciated by District administrators and by the Board of Education.
Massapequa Public School District Board of Education President Richard Krebs was recognized for contributing to the community as a steadfast advocate for all children. He is a supporter of the district’s “good to great” philosophy of never settling for the status quo. As Board president, he manages meetings to include the voice and concerns of all constituents.
Susan Woodbury, Massapequa Public School District Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education, was nominated for her extraordinary impact on students, teachers and programs. Mrs. Woodbury is dedicated to providing challenging, relevant and rigorous curriculum that addresses the needs of all learners.
The MassapequaPublicSchool District is proud to have these employees as part of their team, and thanks them for contributing to the success of Massapequa’s schools and students.
On January 24, 2008, the Nassau County Department of Health notified the school district that a student at Massapequa High School-Main Campus had contracted bacterial meningitis. In that regard, please CLICK HERE for important information on this illness. For further information, please contact your family's health care provider or school nurse.
Secure Your Oxygen Mask First by Christine Sohmer and Alyssa-Rae
Journeying through your child’s adolescent years is very much like traveling via airplane. With both choices, you prepare yourself for a turbulent ride, give up a fair amount of control and carry Godspeed until the ride is safely over. So, when you hear the stewardess instructing you to “Secure your oxygen mask first” in case of an emergency, the words sound foreign as you always place your child first. But, when you stop to consider what it truly means, it makes sense. How can you take good care of anyone else before you effectively take good care of yourself first? Between the ages of 13-19, your son or daughter will be more of a mystery to you than at “take-off,” so don’t wait for the emergency oxygen, secure a flotation device while supplies last. MassapequaSchool District’s “Parenting for Prevention” workshop educated parents about how to better understand their teenagers by retaining a healthy attitude, staying knowledgeable, and keeping the lines of communication open. Discussed in the “Parenting for Prevention” workshop, hosted by Kimberly Hession, LCSW, Maryann Sullivan and Joanne Waters, SW, was highly thought-provoking (and rhetorical) questions such as, “Do ideas shape society or does society shape ideas?” Let’s be reasonable here. Each parent reading this editorial right now survived his or her own adolescence. And if you looked back openly and honestly, you would admit that all of the evil influences of today existed way back then. The obvious protagonists include alcohol, drugs and violence. So, what interrupted YOUR life, how did it impact you and help shape who you are today.
Effective parenting includes a realistic look at one’s self and any discrepancy between how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you is confusing for the still developing teens in your world. We are shaping who our children become, not by talking any talk, but by leading by exampleas we walk the talk. Keep in mind that it is your son’s job to separate from you and develop his own decision-making abilities, so prepare him well.
Understand that while your daughter is exposed to life, she is trying to figure out what she will take with her for the rest of hers. This is where the giving up of control is at its worst. You, as a parent, must trust and have faith in the fact that your teenager will carry the very values you instilled in them, or at the very least come back to them. What you can do meanwhile is surround yourself with parents traveling on the same plane as you.
Parents who engaged in the School District’s workshop are now better armed with information relative to what potentially surrounds their children in their absence. Under the direction
of Ms. Hession, a parent herself, they were amused by the quiz portion of the workshop:
“How Well do you Know Your Teen?” (1) What is your child’s favorite sport? (2) Who is your child’s closest friend? (3) What is your child’s favorite food? (4) If your child could do anything for a day, what would they chose to do? (5)What does your child do that she/he is most proud of? (6)Do you know your child’s best friend’s parents? Used as a discussion tool, your “one-word answer teenager” is now an expert conversationalist, speaking with authority on the subject they adore most… Communication between parents and children is essential to promoting healthy teen choices.Imagine your surprise as your teenager will openly discuss issues afflicting their peers.Through conversation and connection with your teen, you can create an infallible means to encourage good decision-making skills for life.Ask your son or daughter: “What’s your plan for when (___________) is happening?” Adolescence is the most trying time of a person’s life, or so it seems to an adolescent.Exposed to peer pressure, stress, and the need to be accepted, not to mention hormonal changes within, teens are at risk for harmful influences, whether emotional, physical or intellectual.Parents can reduce “at risk” teens by adopting a healthy attitude, staying informed and keeping the lines of communication open. When parents join together and learn life skills for positive relationships, they form a bond with strength in numbers.It gives them the ability to connect with their own peers and have their own network of support.It is critical that they stick together. The “Parenting for Prevention” workshop provided not only information about themselves and their children – but how to bridge the gap and connect the two. For the parents that did not take advantage of the School District’s workshop, now is the time for them to unite and empower themselves.The next series of workshops, “Parent University,” will be held beginning Saturday, March 8, 2008, 8:30 am-12:00 pm, at McKenna Elementary and will cover such topics as; stress, study/organizational skills, bullying, nutrition, communication, substance abuse and current research on the adolescent brain.Empower yourself with knowledge about your teenager: education is key in understanding—and understanding is the beginning of effective communication.
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MassapequaSchool District Conference Day Revised
The MassapequaPublicSchool District announces that its second Superintendent's Conference Day has been moved from Wednesday, February 6th to Thursday, January 31st. This revision was made to better accommodate the scoring of the grades 3-8 NY State ELA assessments.
As such, school will be closed for all students on Thursday, January 31st and open for all students on Wednesday, February 6th. A revised school district calendar reflecting this date change has been made available on our website at http://www.msd.k12.ny.us/revisedcalendar. Please make a note of this important change.
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