Dear Syosset Community,

The cooler temperatures we’ve experienced over the last few days have many of us thinking of apple picking and pumpkin spice lattes, but here at the District we are squeezing every last minute out of the summer. Construction work will continue over the weekend, but I am very happy to report that everything we planned to accomplish this summer will be substantially complete by the first day of school.

As you know, the District undertook quite an extensive amount of work over a short period of time. We had good weather for the majority of the summer and were able to move efficiently on the work. The projects that are or will be substantially complete by the first day of school include:

- Addition of a car loop and additional visitor parking at the high school
- Widening of South Woods Road
- Renovated science labs at the high school
- Remodeled student lobby at the high school
- High school faculty parking lot repaving
- Installation new of E-wing lockers at the high school
- Installation of an HVAC ventilation system in the high school gym
- Walt Whitman playground relocation
- Walt Whitman parking lot expansion and repaving
- Baylis parking lot expansion and repaving
- Berry Hill parking lot expansion and repaving
- South Grove vestibule to connect the main building to the Annex
- Remodeled libraries at Walt Whitman and South Grove
- Roof repairs at A.P. Willits as a result of a fallen tree last spring
- New bathrooms at several elementary schools and the high school
- Addition of new flexible furniture
- Replacement of the pool deck
- Renovation of high school tennis courts
- Removal of aging underground fuel tanks
- Upgrade of fire alarm system

Please click here to view pictures of some of the completed work.

The larger-scale projects which are planned to continue into the school year are well underway, including the track and field, the high school security vestibule and fitness center. We were able to demolish the old fitness center and remove the debris so that the messiest and noisiest part of this project is complete prior to the students’ return.

The high school vestibule work will proceed through the remainder of the calendar year and a number of temporary accommodations will continue through the fall. More information about busing and parent drop-off during this phase is forthcoming. We would like to take this opportunity to encourage students to take the bus to school. Fewer cars traveling to the high school will aid in managing the new traffic flow.

I’d like to extend my gratitude to the crews who worked so diligently this summer to accomplish this immense amount of work. And once again, I’d like to thank the community for bearing with us during the noise and disruption.

This week, faculty and staff have been working hard to ensure an engaging and exciting school year for all students, and to develop innovative plans to cultivate inquiry, enhance intellectual agility, and support students in finding their passion. Everyone at the District is so excited to welcome our students back to school next week!

I wish you all a wonderful Labor Day weekend.

Sincerely,
Dr. Tom Rogers, Superintendent

Dear Syosset Community,

Construction work is continuing expeditiously around the District. Although it may look rough at the moment, the projects that were planned for completion over the summer will be substantially complete prior to the start of school, in some cases with minor punch-list work remaining. But as we’ve communicated previously, we are going to need every last day of the summer to accomplish this. We are working very closely with the construction manager and architectural firm and adding extra shifts in some cases to ensure deadlines are met. I’d like to thank the community for your patience and understanding as we work to complete these projects as quickly as possible.  

Please note that Varsity and JV Football practices, as well as sports medical clearances, will take place at H.B. Thompson Middle School during the week of August 19th. 

SHS Tennis Courts – Please be advised that the tennis courts at the high school will be closed to the public beginning Monday, August 19, 2019 through Labor Day weekend. We anticipate the renovation of the existing courts to be complete by the first day of school and the construction of the new courts to be complete by early October. 

South Woods Road – The widening of South Woods Road has begun, and the crew is moving very quickly. We expect this work to be done by the end of August. 

High School Bathrooms – The much-needed new bathrooms are being installed in the high school, though the motion-sensor sinks will be delivered in October. Therefore, the bathrooms will have temporary pedestal sinks in place for the start of school. 

High School Lockers – New lockers have been installed in the upper and lower E wing and are ready for student use.

Pool Decking – The new pool decking will be installed prior to the start of school. Swim practices the week of August 26 may be impacted while the pool is being refilled. Swimmers will be notified by the coach if necessary. 

South Grove Security Vestibule – The security vestibule connecting the main building to the Annex will be substantially complete by the first day of school, with minor work such as painting and possibly flooring remaining. 

Walt Whitman Site Work – The repaving work is on schedule to be complete prior to the start of school. The playground is being relocated to a more secure location behind the school and is expected to be complete prior to the start of school as well. The perimeter of the play area is being finalized to maximize the space.  

Parking lot expansion/repaving, Berry Hill and Baylis – The repaving project at Berry Hill is on-schedule and will be complete prior to the first day of school. The parking lot in front of the building at Baylis will also be complete prior to the start of school, and the rear lot will be complete in early September.

Willits – The emergency repairs to the roof, required as a result of the fallen tree last spring, are in progress and will be complete by the end of August. Replacement windows will be installed in early Fall. 

As a reminder, there are a few large-scope projects that were always planned to continue well into the school year, including the track and field, the high school security vestibule and the high school fitness center. We are anticipating completion of the track and field in November, the security vestibule after the new year, and the fitness center in March. We are working to complete the demolition in preparation for the new athletic center, the noisiest and dustiest part of the project, before students return. Please be assured a safe environment for students and staff will be maintained, and we will work to minimize noise and disruption. 

Please visit the Construction Overview section of the District website for pictures and more infomation on the projects being done. 

I hope you all are making the most of the fleeting summer weeks. Here at the District, excitement is building to welcome all our students back to school for what I know will be another year of excitement, innovation and amplifying students’ intellectual agility. 

Sincerely,
Dr. Tom Rogers, Superintendent

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope you are enjoying your summer and taking advantage of this welcome reprieve from the heat after the storms earlier this week. As construction work continues around the District, I’d like to provide a brief update on some of the many projects underway.

Turf Field/Track – The old track surface has been removed. The ground is now being preparing for installation of the new turf and new tennis courts. 

SHS Science Labs – I’m excited about the renovated science labs at the high school that will better support student learning with new lab desks, flexible furniture and new fume hoods. Demolition is complete and plumbing and electrical has started.

Bathrooms – A less glamorous, but no less necessary, project underway is the bathroom renovation at the high school, Walt Whitman, Village and Robbins Lane. Old fixtures have been removed and plumbing has begun.

Walt Whitman – The grounds have been cleared and graded for the relocation of the playground to the rear of the school building.

As a reminder, please monitor the Facilities section of the District website for updates and pictures of the many projects underway. The construction section can be found here. I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Dr. Tom Rogers, Superintendent

Dear Syosset Community,

As I’m sure you have noticed, we have begun construction work in earnest at several of our campuses. We have been fortunate with the weather and are off to a strong start. I’m pleased with the progress to date and excited to share some updates with you. This is the first of a regular construction update I will be providing in an effort to ensure you are informed on the work being done and aware of any potential impacts the construction work may have on the community. I also encourage you to monitor our District website, where we have created a dedicated section to keep you apprised of the status of the work. We will be posting pictures, videos and other information frequently throughout the construction process. The section of the website can be accessed here. 

July 12, 2019 Update:

Tree Removal and Replanting: We have had to remove a number of trees to make room for the parent drop-off and parking features at the high school. Each tree will be replaced, creating the opportunity for the replacement trees to be placed consistent with our building security plan and campus landscape design. During the removal process, we discovered that many of the trees were diseased, hollow, or had carpenter ants. Given the building damage that was done by the tree that came down at Willits Elementary during the spring storm, we are now in the process of evaluating the health of every tree in close proximity to our buildings or parking lots. The optimal time to plant the new trees won’t be until later in the fall, so the final look of the campus won’t be ready when school opens, but we envision that what we plant today will be the stately trees that shade a future generation. The renderings below show the new traffic pattern in front of the high school and the smaller tress shown are the new plantings (if you are unable to view these images by email, they can be found here).   

SHS Faculty Lot – Work has begun on expanding the faculty parking lot at the high school. The site is fenced, curbs are being cut, concrete walks are being demoed and tree removal is complete. 

South Grove – Work is underway and on schedule to construct a security corridor that will connect the main building and the Annex. 

Berry Hill – The repaving and expansion of the parking lot is well underway. Unfortunately, the planter will have to be moved but it will be reconstructed in a new location. The completion date of this work is currently projected for the week of August 19th. 

Turf Field/Track – The area has been fenced in preparation for the work to begin on widening the track and installing an artificial turf. We have changed the configuration of the tennis courts slightly to save construction costs and provide the community with an east-facing bleacher option. Three courts are being repaired and two are being constructed. Please note to maintain a safe environment and to complete the construction work in the most efficient manner, the community will not have access to the track and field area or the tennis courts this summer.

What to expect next – Work will begin very shortly on the parking lots at Baylis and Walt Whitman. The Jericho Turnpike entrance to Walt Whitman will be used by District staff for a brief period of time during the construction. Additionally, please note the tennis courts will be closed shortly for the summer so that construction work can begin in that area. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Sincerely,
Dr. Tom Rogers, Superintendent