Fair 52°
Schools
Families Rally To Support Long Island School Torched In Blaze Families Rally To Support Long Island School Torched In Blaze
Families Rally To Support Long Island School Torched In Blaze “I can speak firsthand to the way that Harmony and its staff have been there to support my daughter and myself during the most difficult times of our lives.” When Harmony Heights Residential and Day School went up in flames during the early hours of Monday, May 15, families and supporters of the therapeutic school wasted no time before springing into action. Earlier Report: Schoolhouse Blaze: East Norwich's Harmony Heights Catches Fire The school, which has been in operation for nearly 50 years, aims to provide an education to students who suffer from conditions such as depression, e…

SHARE

by Sophie Grieser
Schools
New Mascot Ban Guidance: Long Island Schools May Lose Funding 'As Last Resort' For Defiance New Mascot Ban Guidance: Long Island Schools May Lose Funding 'As Last Resort' For Defiance
New Mascot Ban Guidance: Long Island Schools May Lose Funding 'As Last Resort' For Defiance Official guidelines regarding a Native American mascot ban that affects a dozen Long Island schools warned that districts that do not comply could face a variety of consequences, but losing funding will be a ‘last resort,’ education officials said. The New York State Department of Education (NYSED) released its guidelines regarding the  Board of Regents' April 2023 decision to ban the use of Indigenous names, logos, and mascots by public schools, including what local schools will face as consequences and what will not need to be changed. Earlier Report: Native American Mascot Ban Prompt…

SHARE

by Sophie Grieser
Schools
Student Turned Politician: 18-Year-Old Elected To NY School Board Student Turned Politician: 18-Year-Old Elected To NY School Board
Student Turned Politician: 18-Year-Old Elected To NY School Board A New York high school senior is going from the classroom to the boardroom - the school boardroom that is. Long Island’s Quinn Bedell, an 18-year-old senior at West Islip High School, was elected to the West Islip Board of Education as a write-in candidate in the election held Tuesday, May 16. “I would like to thank the West Islip community for choosing me to be a trustee on the Board of Education. I am truly honored,” Bedell wrote on Facebook Wednesday, May 17. “I could not have done this without the overwhelming support of this community. I am forever grateful to every one of you and I …

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Schools
These Long Island School Districts Rank Among Top 10 In America, Report Says These Long Island School Districts Rank Among Top 10 In America, Report Says
These Long Island School Districts Rank Among Top 10 In America, Report Says When it comes to quality education, students on Long Island are in good company, according to the community and school ranking site Niche. Four local school districts were ranked among the top 10 in the country as part of the website’s 2023 “Best School Districts In America” report. They are: Great Neck Public Schools at No. 3 Jericho Union Free School District at No. 4 Syosset Central School District at No. 5 Roslyn Union Free School District at No. 6 Each district was given an overall grade of A+, earning top marks in the categories of academics, teachers, college prep, administration, …

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Best Music Education: 60 Long Island Districts Recognized For Excellence Best Music Education: 60 Long Island Districts Recognized For Excellence
Best Music Education: 60 Long Island Districts Recognized For Excellence Out of just 830 districts across the nation, 60 local districts have been selected as the stars of the show. Dozens of Long Island districts have been awarded by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation for having the Best Community For Music Education (BCME). The program, which is now in its 24th year, recognizes “outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders and their support for music education as part of a well-rounded education for all children,” according to the website. Only 830 school districts and 78 schools across 43 st…

SHARE

by Sophie Grieser
Schools
Native American Mascot Ban Prompts Change, Anger Among Long Island Schools Native American Mascot Ban Prompts Change, Anger Among Long Island Schools
Native American Mascot Ban Prompts Change, Anger Among Long Island Schools For at least ten Long Island school districts, a big change is underway. The New York State Board of Regents voted on Tuesday, April 18 to ban the use of Native American names, mascots, or logos by public schools across the state of New York. The ruling, which is an addition to the existing Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, will require school districts to make a commitment to the rule by the end of this school year. The amendment states that “the use of Native American mascots” could create a hostile environment for students, thus putting it in violation of the Digni…

SHARE

by Sophie Grieser
Schools
School Swatting Threats: 50 NY Districts Report New Round Of Incidents School Swatting Threats: 50 NY Districts Report New Round Of Incidents
School Swatting Threats: 50 NY Districts Report New Round Of Incidents More than 50 school districts across New York reported receiving swatting threats of an active shooter. The districts reporting the incidents on Tuesday, April 4 were located on Long Island, in Central New York, the Southern Tier, and the North Country, authorities said.  "I want to reassure parents that their children are safe at school - swatting threats are false and intended to cause panic and scare students, teachers, and families," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement on Tuesday. On Thursday, March 30, numerous school districts reported receiving swatting calls of…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Schools
School Swatting Incidents Occurring Across NY, State Police Say School Swatting Incidents Occurring Across NY, State Police Say
School Swatting Incidents Occurring Across NY, State Police Say Authorities are investigating numerous incidents of schools in New York state receiving swatting calls claiming there is an active shooter in the building, state police said.  The threatening calls were received by schools on Thursday morning, March 30, and have all been found to be false, state police announced.  The State Police is aware of swatting incidents that have occurred across the state, in which a caller states that there is an active shooter in a school. All of the reports are unfounded. We are working alongside our federal & local partners to investigate the threats. pi…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Schools
Wash Your Hands: Over 80 Students Sickened By Suspected Norovirus Outbreak At LI School Wash Your Hands: Over 80 Students Sickened By Suspected Norovirus Outbreak At LI School
Wash Your Hands: Over 80 Students Sickened By Suspected Norovirus Outbreak At LI School Dozens of students at a Long Island high school were sickened by a suspected outbreak of norovirus, health officials confirmed. More than 80 students were reported absent at Babylon High School on Friday, March 17, after suffering a gastrointestinal illness, according to Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott. Within hours, officials from the Suffolk County Department of Health Services visited the campus to inspect the kitchen and food services area. They found no indication that the outbreak originated in the school’s cafeteria, according to the department. Lab testing h…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Schools
'Potential Threat' Leads To Closure Of Patchogue-Medford High School 'Potential Threat' Leads To Closure Of Patchogue-Medford High School
'Potential Threat' Leads To Closure Of Patchogue-Medford High School A potential threat has led to the closure of a Long Island high school on Monday, March 13. Patchogue-Medford School District Schools Superintendent Dr. Donna Jones said that on Sunday evening, March 12, the district received a message concerning an unsubstantiated threat against Patchogue-Medford High School.  "No other schools in the district were mentioned," Jones noted. Suffolk County Police then opened an investigation.  "While this threat is still unsubstantiated, out of an abundance of caution, and in consultation with law enforcement, we decided to close the hi…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Schools
'With A Heavy Heart': LI School District Hiring Armed Security Guards (Poll) 'With A Heavy Heart': LI School District Hiring Armed Security Guards (Poll)
'With A Heavy Heart': LI School District Hiring Armed Security Guards (Poll) Students and teachers in a Long Island school district will soon be protected by armed security guards. In a message to parents Wednesday, Feb. 15, the Smithtown Central School District announced that its Board of Education had begun searching for a security firm to add armed guards to all 12 of its schools. The guards will patrol the exterior perimeters and will not be posted inside the buildings. “While our security enhancements related to staffing, infrastructure, training, and operational protocols have evolved and improved over time, we have come to the stark realization that there is…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Schools
School District Reassigns Superintendent In Westchester After Federal Subpoena School District Reassigns Superintendent In Westchester After Federal Subpoena
School District Reassigns Superintendent In Westchester After Federal Subpoena A superintendent in New York is no longer in charge of her school district, which is currently under investigation by federal officials.  On Monday night, Feb. 13 in Westchester County, the Mount Vernon City School District Board of Education voted to "administratively reassign" Superintendent Waveline Bennett-Conroy and instead appoint Veronica (Kim) Smith as the district's Acting Superintendent of Schools, district officials announced. The vote came after news broke on Friday, Feb. 10 that Mount Vernon Schools were under investigation by the United States Att…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic