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New York State Department of Education

Massapequa, NY
News
Ex-Principal Lied About Relationship With Student, Faked Job Applications On Long Island: DA Ex-Principal Lied About Relationship With Student, Faked Job Applications On Long Island: DA
Ex-Principal Lied About Relationship With Student, Faked Job Applications On Long Island: DA The former principal of a Long Island middle school has been charged with faking her employment application, leaving out that she had her license suspended years prior for having a relationship with a student. Jessica Bader, who was previously known as Jessica Zimbler, faced her arraignment on Monday, April 1, the Nassau County District Attorney announced. Bader, age 52 from Nesconset, applied for a position as the Director of Humanities at the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District (OBENCSD) in March 2022, the DA’s Office said. She was hired two months later. In July 2023, she…

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by Sophie Grieser
Massapequa, NY
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…

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by Sophie Grieser
Westport, CT
News
College Director From Westport Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says College Director From Westport Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says
College Director From Westport Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says A former director at New York University is being accused of embezzling millions in state funding and using much of the money to fund a lavish lifestyle at her home in Connecticut home, according to authorities. The six-year fraud by Fairfield County resident Cindy Tappe, age 57, of Westport, related to two NYU programs, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced this week. Tappe used her position as the director of finance and administration for NYU’s Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and Transformation of Schools to diver…

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by Joe Lombardi
White Plains, NY
News
Ex-Police Officer In Westchester Accused Of Stealing More Than $157K From State Ex-Police Officer In Westchester Accused Of Stealing More Than $157K From State
Ex-Police Officer In Westchester Accused Of Stealing More Than $157K From State A retired Westchester County police officer and a former BOCES criminal justice instructor has been charged with allegedly swindling the state and local retirement system out of more than $157,000. Anthony Sciacca, age 67, of Poughkeepsie, was charged Thursday, July 14, by state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Ulster County District Attorney David J. Clegg, and the state police. After retiring from the Westchester Police Department in 2005, Sciacca became an instructor at Ulster County BOCES teaching criminal justice and earning a salary of over $70,000, DiNapoli said. As a state retiree u…

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by Kathy Reakes
Clifton Park, NY
Schools
NY History Regents Canceled Due To Content That Could Cause Trauma After Buffalo Shooting NY History Regents Canceled Due To Content That Could Cause Trauma After Buffalo Shooting
NY History Regents Canceled Due To Content That Could Cause Trauma After Buffalo Shooting A new Regents exam for US history and government has been canceled over concerns that it could further traumatize students in the wake of the Buffalo mass shooting. In a letter to colleagues sent Tuesday, May 24, New York State Department of Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said the department had worked with state educators to review content from the June Regents Exams following the May 14 attack. “During that review, our experts determined that there is content on the new Regents Examination in United States History and Government (Framework) that has the potential to compound student t…

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by Michael Mashburn
Pleasantville, NY
News
COVID-19: Uncertainty Abounds After NY Supreme Court Strikes Down Mask Mandate COVID-19: Uncertainty Abounds After NY Supreme Court Strikes Down Mask Mandate
Covid-19: Uncertainty Abounds After NY Supreme Court Strikes Down Mask Mandate A Supreme Court justice on Long Island struck down the statewide mask mandate in New York, causing mass confusion and prompting a fight from Gov. Kathy Hochul and her administration. In Nassau County, Justice Thomas Rademaker ruled that Hochul’s office had overstepped its authority with its December mask mandate that was issued through then-acting Health Commissioner Mary T. Bassett. Instead, the judge said that it was not up to the Department of Health to approve the mandate, it instead should go through the Legislature, where it is potentially less likely to pass. Rademaker said that the…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
Schools
District Hopes To Bring Back Students To Westchester School NY State Ordered To Close District Hopes To Bring Back Students To Westchester School NY State Ordered To Close
District Hopes To Bring Back Students To Westchester School NY State Ordered To Close A Westchester school district is working around the clock to get students back in the classroom after being forced by the state to transition to its remote learning model due to certain safety concerns amid a massive renovation project. The Blind Brook School District in Rye Brook was forced to temporarily close the Ridge Street Elementary School by the state Department of Education, much to the disappointment of parents, students, and staff. Students were welcomed back into the building earlier this month as the building was under a massive renovation project, but it was promptly shut dow…

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by Zak Failla
Mt. Kisco, NY
Schools
COVID-19: State's Reversal On Face Coverings At Schools Creates Last-Minute Mask Confusion COVID-19: State's Reversal On Face Coverings At Schools Creates Last-Minute Mask Confusion
Covid-19: State's Reversal On Face Coverings At Schools Creates Last-Minute Mask Confusion New Yorkers are anxiously awaiting word from the CDC after the state was forced to reverse its stance on face coverings in schools for students. Late on Sunday night, June 6, state education officials said that masks will still be required during indoor classes, despite an announcement last week from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Health Commissioner Howard Zucker proclaiming that they will no longer be required. Earlier story - COVID-19: New York Loosening Mask Restrictions On Schools On Friday, June 4, Zucker said that masks will be “strongly encouraged” for unvaccinated people, but not requ…

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by Zak Failla
Kingston, NY
Schools
COVID-19: Cuomo Gives New Update As Uncertainty Surrounds Decision On Schools COVID-19: Cuomo Gives New Update As Uncertainty Surrounds Decision On Schools
Covid-19: Cuomo Gives New Update As Uncertainty Surrounds Decision On Schools It remains unclear when, how, or if schools will be opening their doors to welcome students into the classrooms in the fall due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a COVID-19 briefing in Manhattan on Monday, July 6 that no decision on the reopening of schools has been announced, and that students will not return to the classroom “until we know it’s safe.” Cuomo did not specify his definition of what “safe” entailed for students or faculty members. “We have 700 school districts in the state, and we’ve told all 700 that they must come up with…

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by Zak Failla
New City, NY
Schools
State Cites Three Rockland Schools As Needing Improvement State Cites Three Rockland Schools As Needing Improvement
State Cites Three Rockland Schools As Needing Improvement The New York State Department of Education has identified three Rockland County schools that are in need of improvement. This week, the Department of Education announced a new list of 370 schools that need improvement, including schools in East Ramapo and North Rockland. State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia identified 106 school districts as “target districts,” 245 schools for comprehensive support and Improvement and 125 schools for “Targeted Support and Improvement.” Those in the latter two groups require districts and schools to create improvement plans. In addition, NYSED ident…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
Schools
10 Westchester Schools Among 370 In State Needing Improvement, State Education Department Says 10 Westchester Schools Among 370 In State Needing Improvement, State Education Department Says
10 Westchester Schools Among 370 In State Needing Improvement, State Education Department Says The New York State Department of Education has identified 10 Westchester schools that are in need of improvement. This week, the Department of Education announced a new list of 370 schools that need improvement, including some in the Elmsford, Mount Vernon, Peekskill and Yonkers school districts. State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia identified 106 school districts as “target districts,” 245 schools for comprehensive support and Improvement and 125 schools for “Targeted Support and Improvement.” Those in the latter two groups require districts and schools to create improvement p…

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by Zak Failla
Newburgh, NY
Schools
This Orange County High School Has Among Worst Attendance Rates In Upstate NY This Orange County High School Has Among Worst Attendance Rates In Upstate NY
This Orange County High School Has Among Worst Attendance Rates In Upstate NY While New York is filled with some of the country’s finest schools, some Hudson Valley municipalities cannot boast about their attendance rates, according to a recently released report. Citing data from the New York State Department of Education, NewYorkUpstate has released its latest report of the municipalities that feature the worst attendance in the state, though 90 percent of schools have an average greater than 90 percent for student attendance. The report investigated all public high schools in upstate New York, with private, charter, alternative and religion-affiliated schools omitt…

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by Zak Failla
Mahopac, NY
Schools
These Area School Districts Rank Among Fastest Growing In Upstate NY These Area School Districts Rank Among Fastest Growing In Upstate NY
These Area School Districts Rank Among Fastest Growing In Upstate NY While many school districts throughout New York State are reporting a shrinking student body, some of the Hudson Valley’s most prominent districts are among the fastest-growing, according to a recently released report. Citing data from the New York State Department of Education, NewYorkUpstate has released its latest report of the municipalities that feature the fasting growing K-12 enrollment numbers for the years of 2012 and 2017. Only school districts from upstate were - north of Westchester and Rockland counties - for the report. According to the report, “the 50 fastest-growing district…

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by Zak Failla
Armonk, NY
Schools
Westchester HS Alum Wins Top Prize For Creating Brain Computer Interface Westchester HS Alum Wins Top Prize For Creating Brain Computer Interface
Westchester HS Alum Wins Top Prize For Creating Brain Computer Interface Since taking his academic talents from Westchester to the University of Buffalo, a recent high school graduate is making a name for himself as an up-and-comer in the tech field. William Phillips, a 2017 graduate of Mount Vernon High School, recently took top honors in his category as a Computer Science and Engineering student at the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) Research Poster Symposium. During a near nine-week boot camp, Phillips - an incoming sophomore and computer science major at the University of Buffalo - completed an extensive research program under the tut…

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by Zak Failla
Briarcliff, NY
News
Todd Elementary School Principal Nadine McDermott Announces Retirement Todd Elementary School Principal Nadine McDermott Announces Retirement
Todd Elementary School Principal Nadine McDermott Announces Retirement Todd Elementary School Principal Nadine McDermott will retire at the end of the school year after serving Briarcliff Schools for 14 years. Since joining the Briarcliff team in 2004, McDermott served in three administrative roles: middle school assistant principal, district director of performing arts and the principal of Todd Elementary School.  During her tenure, as District Director of Performing Arts from 2006-2008, she made significant improvements within the department that included staffing, curriculum, and facilities.  While at the middle school her work with "Habits of Mind&qu…

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by Kathy Reakes
Mount Pleasant, NY
Schools
Hudson Valley Has One Of State's Three 'Essential Elements Schools' Hudson Valley Has One Of State's Three 'Essential Elements Schools'
Hudson Valley Has One Of State's Three 'Essential Elements Schools' Fieldstone Middle School in Thiells has been recognized by the state Education Department as an "Essential Elements School." Also making a longer list of "exemplary schools to watch," were South Orangetown Middle School in Blauvelt and Van Wyck Junior High in Wappingers Central School District. In collaboration with its New York Essential Elements to Watch partners, the state recognized three new schools as 2018 Essential Elements: Schools to Watch (EE-STW), according to Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. The designation is awarded to exceptional middle level schools that mee…

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by Jon Craig
White Plains, NY
Schools
Upstate Teacher Accused Of Having Inappropriate Relationships With Students Upstate Teacher Accused Of Having Inappropriate Relationships With Students
Upstate Teacher Accused Of Having Inappropriate Relationships With Students An upstate high school teacher resigned her position amid allegations that she had inappropriate relationships with two students, according to school officials. A teacher in a temporary assignment at the Irondequoit High School in the West Irondequoit Central School District resigned this week, school officials reported on Friday, after an investigation led to evidence that she “engaged in inappropriate relationships with two students.” The teacher - whose name has not been publically disclosed - was immediately released from employment, and district officials said they will file any necess…

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by Zak Failla