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Northport-East Northport Union Free School District

Members of the Sophia Valsamos Foundation with staff from the Northport-East Northport school district. Photo courtesy the Northport-East Northport school district

By Sabrina Artusa

Mental illnesses claim thousands of adolescents and young adults each year. Chris Valsamos, founder of The Sophia Valsamos Foundation, is dedicated to enabling this vulnerable demographic with the skills to navigate the tempestuous reality of being a teenager in the era of social media and cyberbullying.

Valsamos lost his 13-year-old daughter Sophia to suicide in 2017. He realized that mental health is still not normalized in schools — that shame, ridicule and judgment are still associated with asking for help. Through his foundation, he aims to create an environment where mental services are incorporated both into classrooms and at home. He and his foundation launched wellness kits filled with items carefully chosen to normalize mental services by making them accessible. 

“There is a lot of red tape involved with programming. With the wellness kits we were able to reach past the red tape,” Valsamos said, adding that the foundation is his way to “honor” Sophia by providing “as many tools as possible.” 

“We wanted to help them manage stress, some of the components help them build resilience, and some components help them manage stress throughout their day,” he said.

This includes mindfulness cards, a stress ball, a “calm the chaos” journal and books like “Anxiety Relief for Teens” and “Stuff That Sucks” that include cognitive behavioral therapy strategies for building resilience. The kits also provide ways teachers can integrate the items into the classroom. Valsamos and president of The Sophia Valsamos Foundation Keith Senzer imagine exercises where students work on a prompt from the journal and discuss as a class. 

The Northport-East Northport Union Free School District received the kits a month ago. Teachers have the option to utilize the contents as a class, perhaps by initiating discussion and integrating mindfulness exercises into the daily routine. 

 “If you have a group you are breaking the stigma,” said school social worker Anthony Ferrandino. “Everyone has these social emotional issues. Everyone has stress…if your peers are currently sharing stuff, you’ll reduce things like bullying and feeling judged or alienated.” Instead, he added, “it is the exact opposite of that. Students are growing together.”

Senzer, Valsamos and Ferrandino emphasize the parental support to reinforce the beneficial resilience skills students will learn in schools. While it is important to initiate conversation about mental health, teenagers may not want to talk with their guardian. If a parent is observing warning signs of declining mental health, like if a child is locking themselves in their room or losing interest in socializing or in their hobbies, it can be helpful to ask another trusted adult in their circle to help. This could be an aunt, a coach or a teacher. 

Parents should be diligent. Adolescent suicide or mental illness “is unthinkable as a parent,” said Senzer. “So why would we think it?” 

The kits are just one of many programs offered by The Sophia Valsamos Foundation.

Additionally, teaching your child how to be there for their peers has proved to be invaluable. Ferrandino said students come to him about a friend who may need help more often than teachers do about a student.

“It is about changing the entire culture — the educators, the administrators, the security guards, the bus drivers. It is a whole culture shift where everyone there is understanding the importance of emotional regulation, how to manage [it], how to support one another, how to be kind and empathetic and caring toward one another,” Senzer said. “Once we raise that generation, we can change the world that way. These kits are amazing on their own but they are just step one to broadening our horizons.”

For more information visit the foundation website: www.tsvf.org.

The new Northport-East Northport teaching staff after their bus ride around the area. Photo courtesy NENUFSD

Each year, the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District welcomes incoming teachers during a two-day orientation filled with professional development and engaging activities to learn about the school community. 

Beyond the typical training and business formalities, there’s a special emphasis on showing the newest staff what makes the local area unique, including taking a bus ride through town and participating in a question-and-answer panel with students. 

During the bus ride, staff stop by each school and get a look at the many areas that make Northport-East Northport distinctive, from Main Street to its parks. This activity not only helps teachers become acquainted with the area but helps them become familiarized with what their students experience on a day-to-day basis outside of school. 

“Our hope is that while enjoying the bus ride around town, teachers can get a sense of not only where students go to school but where they live, where they hang out with friends, what they do on the weekends — essentially their life outside of school,” said Dana Boshnack, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning. “While every student’s environment is unique to them, it can be beneficial for new staff to get an idea of students’ surroundings and use that knowledge to build connections at the start of the school year.”

Later in the day, students from Northport High School joined the group for a Q&A panel. Teachers were encouraged to ask questions about the culture, what students enjoy most, how they can have the greatest impact on their students and more.

When asked about a favorite memory or experience with a teacher, senior Leah Ferrara shared that as an elementary student she was struggling with a particular essay, but the teacher took the time to call her mom and say she was proud of her for trying her best. 

“I think that’s really important, to focus on the positives,” said Ferrara. 

Another incoming teacher asked the students how they know when a teacher cares about them. In response, several students emphasized that teachers should get to know them as individuals and ask them not only about classwork but about their personal interests and feelings as well. 

Senior Nolan Keegel shared that it’s “all about respect,” and that placing an emphasis on learning who a student is outside of the classroom is just as important as teaching them the material. 

Former ENL student and senior Hannah Cho shared that when she remembers one of her favorite teachers, she thinks about how kind and thoughtful that individual was. “She doesn’t just care about how you’re doing in the classroom,” Cho noted. “She cares how you’re doing at home.”

Discussion continued as students shared ways that teachers can make an impact on their students and be successful in their first year in Northport-East Northport.  

Teachers will begin the new year during Superintendent’s Conference Day on Sept. 1, with the first day of school for students on Sept. 6.

North Shore residents stopped by their local polling places throughout the day May 17 to vote on school budgets and for board of education members.

Winning candidates are in bold.

This story will be updated as more results come in. Last updated May 18 at 11:33 a.m.

Commack Union Free School District

$ 214,645,326 budget passed

Yes – 2,392

No – 815

Proposition 2 to decrease transportation limits in grades 3 through 5 from ½ mile to a ¼ mile, passed

Yes – 2,376

No – 814

Candidates, two seats 

Steven Hartman – 2,277

Pauline Fidalgo – 877

Justin Varughese – 2,247

Christopher Jurkovic – 893

Comsewogue Union Free School District

The budget passed.

Yes – 998

No – 427

Robert DeStefano and Francisca Alabau-Blatter both elected for three-year terms. 

Cold Spring Harbor Central School District

$73,420,423 budget passed

Yes – 817

No – 276

Candidates, two seats

Amelia Walsh Brogan – 496

Alex Whelehan – 888

Bruce Sullivan – 648

Elwood Union Free School District

$69,181,071 budget passed

Yes – 804

No – 396

Candidates, one seat

Deborah Weiss – 965

Sean Camas – 183

Harborfields Central School District

$92,895,995 budget passed

Yes – 1,655

No – 353

Candidates, two seats

Hansen Lee – 1,490 votes

Colleen Wolcott – 1,530

David Balistreri – 603

Hauppauge Union Free School District

$123,913,904 budget passed

Yes – 639

No – 300

Candidates, three candidates

Rob Scarito – 624

Michael Buscarino -651

David Barshay- 617

Huntington Union Free School District

$142,968,343 budget passed

Yes – 834

No – 150

Candidates, two seats, incumbents unopposed

Bill Dwyer- 823

Michele Kustera- 838

Kings Park Central School District

$102.24 million budget passed

Yes – 2,229

No – 1,125

Candidates, two seats

Patrick Hanley – 1,879

Shala Pascucci – 1,737

Jaime Lelle – 1,529

Douglas Cerrato- 1,490.

Middle Country Central School District

The budget passed.

Yes – 2,036

No – 946

Robert Hallock – 1,500
Kristopher Oliva (Incumbent) – 1,452
Denise Haggerty (Incumbent) – 1,518
Leah Fitzpatrick – 1,440
Robert Feeney (Incumbent) – 1,513
Tifanny Lorusso – 1,434
Dawn Sharrock (Incumbent) – 1,481
Kimberly Crawford-Arbocus – 1,471

Miller Place School District

The budget passed. 

Yes – 1,394

No – 503

Proposition 2 (library budget) passed.

Yes – 1,590

No – 310

CORRECTION: It was originally misreported that Andrea Spaniolas received 628 votes. Spaniolas actually received 924 votes. 

Keith Frank – 830

Johanna Testa – 990

Andrea Spaniolas – 924

Jennifer Andersen-Oldenskov – 616

Kenneth Conway – 743

John Galligan – 625

Jenna Stingo – 782

Mount Sinai School District

 

Northport-East Northport Union Free School District

$177,856,084, budget passed

Yes – 2,285

 No- 1,674

 Proposition #2: Capital Expenditures: Passed

Candidates, three seats

Larry Licopoli – 2,528

Allison Noonan – 2,676

Thomas Loughran – 2,729

Frank Labate – 1,754

Port Jefferson School District

Budget passed: Yes – 642; No – 165
Proposition #2: Yes 673; No 130

Ellen Boehm – 550
Randi DeWitt – 563

Paul Ryan – 267

Rocky Point Union Free School District

Budget passed.

Yes – 1,017
No – 322

Proposition 2 – Capital Reserve
– 1,063 Yes
– 267 No

Susan Sullivan – 595 –  3yr term
Erin Walsh – 515 –  1yr term
Nick Contes – 514
Nicole Kelly – 485
Jason Ford – 221
Susan Wilson – 258

Shoreham-Wading River Central School District

Budget passed. 

Yes – 625

No – 167

Proposition #2

Yes – 652

No – 139

Tom Sheridan – 659

Meghan Tepfenhardt – 638

14 Write-in candidates received less than five votes each

Smithtown Central School District

$267,786,882 budget passed

Yes – 5,250

No – 2,241

Candidates, two seats

Michael Catalanotto – 4,582

Michael Saidens – 4,590

Charles Fisher – 3,201 votes

Angela Kouvel – 3,157.

Three Village Central School District

$224,060,618 budget passed

Yes – 2,584

No – 2,518

Candidates, two seats

Vincent Vizzo – 2,715

Jennifer Solomon – 2,650  

Reanna Fulton – 2,283

Evan Proios –2,122

 

Ms. Edwards celebrates her marathon finish with her children.

Norwood Avenue elementary school music teacher Maureen Edwards ran a very different race this year for the New York City marathon. Having been a runner for 17 years and running her first NYC marathon in 2017, Ms. Edwards has mastered the art of marathon running while raising money for a good cause in the process.

Since her first race in 2017, Ms. Edwards has raised over $12,000 for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, which treats children free of charge thanks to generous donations like Ms. Edwards. This year alone, she has raised over $2,600.

While the race this year was “virtual” and runners had to race individually, Ms. Edwards didn’t let that stop her spirit. “It was very challenging to run a solitary marathon without the excitement and crowds of the usual NYC marathon,” said Ms. Edwards. “However, I was incredibly blessed with family support.” In addition to her children and husband cheering her on from the sidelines with words of encouragement, some Norwood students even came out with signs and encouraged her as she ran past their homes.

When discussing how her lessons from running apply to her classroom, Ms. Edwards shared that, “Sometimes life requires grit and we have to buckle down and push beyond our limits to make amazing things happen.  Even when you want to give up, you can’t; someone is always counting on you. This is true for running and it is true for music!”

         Photo courtesy of Northport-East Northport Union Free School District

Huntington High School. File photo

Many students in Huntington’s North Shore school districts will experience a mix of in-person and online learning to start off the school year.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) gave the green light for schools to reopen come September during a media call Aug. 7.

“You look at the infection rate — we are probably in the best situation in the country,” Cuomo said.

The governor recommended that school districts offer community discussion to find common ground for families and teachers. School districts in New York state were required to submit reopening plans by July 31 unless administrators filed for an extension. 

Huntington Union Free School District

In a July 31 letter to Huntington school district families, Superintendent James Polansky said the 2020-21 academic year would begin with a hybrid model where students would be assigned to cohorts in each school. Each cohort will have days when they attend school in person and when they study remotely. Kindergarteners, however, will attend every day.

“The plan is set to work in ‘phases,’ which will support the incremental shift to more frequent in-school learning for a greater number of students at times when it is safe to do so,” Polansky said in the letter. “Recognizing the concern on the part of some families regarding those medically at risk or experiencing anxiety in the household, we will also offer the option of a full remote (distance learning) program.”

Out of 1,692 parents surveyed earlier this summer, in-school learning was slightly more preferred than a hybrid model, and more than 20% preferred in-school over remote learning.

According to the district’s reopening plan, students in grades 1-6 will be separated alphabetically into two groups. Those with last names starting with A to K will attend school Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while those with last names L through Z will go to classes in person Thursdays and Fridays. The cohorts will alternate attending school on Mondays.

Finley Middle School and Huntington High School students will return to school one or two days per week in four separate cohorts. When not physically in school, students will learn virtually with teachers livestreaming their instruction and mirroring the same in-school, period-by-period schedule. 

The superintendent added in the July letter that classrooms and other spaces were set up to maintain the required 6 feet of social distancing. Students will be required to wear masks but will have mask breaks during the day. Learning spaces will also include translucent barriers to help prevent the spread of aerosol particles.

Families are required to take their child’s temperature before the student leaves home, according to the reopening plan, and the parent or guardian will also be required to answer screening questions on an electronic application. Staff members will be required to do the same before they report to their buildings.

Northport-East Northport Union Free School District

Superintendent Rob Banzer wrote in an Aug. 2 letter to the community that a team of administrators and teachers created plans for three different possible scenarios. The plans included an in-person option, the continuation of 100% remote learning and a hybrid approach. The district was given an extension by the state to submit its recommended plan by Aug. 7 instead of the original deadline of July 31.

After Cuomo’s Aug. 7 announcement that school buildings could open, the district decided to go ahead with its hybrid plan. According to the reopening plan, all students will be divided into two cohorts, blue and gold. Students in the blue group will attend school in person on Mondays and Thursdays, while the gold group will report to buildings Tuesdays and Fridays. Remote learning will take place when they are not in school. Special education classes and English language learners will attend school every day but Wednesday.

“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of flexibility, adaptability and resiliency as we move towards the opening of school,” Banzer wrote.

All students and staff members will be required to complete a daily health-screening questionnaire, according to the plan. In addition to students and staff members being asked to distance at least 6 feet, there will be physical barriers in some cases. The plan also includes that masks will be worn on buses and when 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained. In addition to meals, students will not have to wear masks when sitting 6 feet apart in classrooms.

Commack Union Free School District

While elementary school students will attend school every day in person, secondary students will be in buildings every other day. The recommended plan depended on the district resolving transportation issues, which according to the Commack schools’ website, was accomplished recently.

The district offered families to opt out of transportation for the upcoming school year. The number of riders needed to be reduced was 50% to allow all elementary students to attend school daily, according to the district’s reopening plans.

“The Commack School District is committed to bringing all elementary students back into their school buildings this fall,” the plan read. “Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the number of elementary school riders by 50%. If we fail to reduce our elementary ridership by 50%, elementary students will not be able to attend ‘brick and mortar school’ daily, and students would attend every other day engaging in remote learning on the days they are not in a school building.” 

Currently, buses that usually seat 64 can only transport 22 to allow for social distancing.

Elementary school students in Commack will be divided into groups A and B, with A taking core classes in the morning and then lunch and gym, art and other enrichment classes in the afternoon. The B group’s schedule will be the opposite.

High school and middle school students will have capacity in the building reduced to 50% and students will attend schools on alternating days. There is also a plan for teachers to change classrooms instead of students to minimize traffic in hallways. An every other day school schedule will be applied where the A group will attend school Monday, Wednesday and Friday on the first week and Tuesday and Thursday the next week. Students in the B group will attend Tuesday and Thursday the first week and Monday, Wednesday and Friday the second week. 

Students will be required to wear masks when not seated at their desks and every desk will have a plastic sneeze guard. According to the district’s Q&A on its website, parents and guardians are encouraged to take children’s temperatures at home and will complete an attestation on a COVID app confirming that their child does not have a temperature above 100 degrees. Students’ temperatures will also be taken upon arrival at school with a temperature scanner.