2021-2022 Updates

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope you are all enjoying the summer. It’s hard to believe July is coming to a close, and the second “semester” of Summer School is already underway. Awaiting guidance from the State, I had hoped to communicate with you sooner, and while we haven’t yet received the definitive guidance we need to finalize our plans, we have been given a glimpse. So we’ll share with you what we know so far, along with some updates from the District.

2021-22 School Opening
I know many of you are eager for information about the specific protocols that will be in place when school opens in September. Unfortunately, we have not yet received official guidance from the New York State Department of Health for the 2021-2022 school year that would supersede the current guidance and dictate requirements for the new year. However, yesterday the State Education Department (SED) informed us the Governor’s office has indicated this guidance is in development and the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will serve as its basis.

Some of the most notable points from the SED update are as follows:

• SED and the current CDC guidance emphasize that students benefit most from in-person learning, and therefore in-person instruction for the fall is the priority. We are proud of what our teachers and leaders accomplished with virtual instruction this year, but share the belief in the importance of maximizing in-person learning to the extent possible.
• As you have most likely heard, in response to the recent increase of COVID-19 infections caused by the Delta variant, the CDC issued new guidance recommending all individuals wear masks in public indoor settings, including schools, regardless of vaccination status in areas of substantial or high transmission. Nassau County is currently assigned a Substantial level of community transmission. The increase in the number of positive cases in our community has mirrored that of the County as a whole.
• The CDC currently recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within the classroom, which is less than the 6 feet of distance we implemented last school year.

We will digest the official guidance from the State on opening schools as soon as we receive it, in order to provide additional updates on our planning efforts.

Summer Facilities Work
Summer is always a busy time for the Facilities and Operations team as they prepare our school buildings and grounds for another instructional year, and this year is no exception. Some of the projects currently underway include:

• A much-needed makeover for the beloved “barn” located at the Syosset High School track and field facility.
• Solar panel installation at Robbins Lane and Baylis.
• Classroom HVAC installation at both middle schools.
• Ventilation upgrades at the secondary schools.
• Ceiling and lighting upgrades districtwide as part of the Energy Performance Contract.
• Boiler replacement at Baylis, Robbins Lane & Village.

I’ve attached some pictures of the work to this email. Projects to begin in August include underground fuel tank removal at Whitman and Baylis, districtwide door replacement, installation of a dust collection system at the SHS tech room, and installation of a back-up generator replacement at South Woods Middle School.

Bright Spot
On most days this summer, I’ve started my morning at Syosset High School welcoming our Summer School parents and students, and it’s certainly the best way to start my day. This year, we have approximately 1,100 students enrolled in our Summer School program. For perspective, that’s the enrollment of some local districts for the regular school year! In addition to core curriculum classes, students are engaging in art, technology, music, and theatre and they are having so much FUN! I’m so proud, with the support of the Board of Education and community, that we are able to offer this program to our students and it gives me great pleasure to see so many of our students learning, growing and really enjoying themselves.

Enjoy the weekend and stay safe!

Sincerely,
Tom Rogers

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Dear Syosset Community,

Yesterday, the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health (DOH) issued a brief statement announcing that the State would not be issuing guidance on reopening schools in September and that school leaders should refer instead to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This was certainly unexpected news as prior to this announcement, state officials had indicated that guidance from the NYS Department of Health was imminent. Shortly after yesterday’s statement, the Commissioner of Education wrote the Commissioner of Health requesting DOH reconsider their decision and release guidance to schools.

These are the latest unexpected developments in a year and a half of seemingly endless unexpected developments. Our priorities, however, remain constant: protecting the overall wellbeing of our learning community from a health, educational, and importantly, social-emotional perspective, while returning as closely as possible to our pre-pandemic educational program. Anticipating the official guidance, we built multiple scenarios to jumpstart our planning, and now as we await the outcome of the exchange between the Commissioners, we are narrowing those scenarios into a reopening plan we hope to share soon. No matter what, we will be well prepared to welcome back our students in just a few weeks.

As mentioned above, State officials recommend that district leaders follow the current CDC Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools issued on July 28 and this guidance serves as the basis for our planning efforts. As we finalize our plans, we will continue to communicate with our families and staff on the plans and the layered mitigation strategies in place to keep everyone healthy and safe at school.


COVID-19 Test Site

The demand for COVID tests has increased sharply at our on-campus site. To meet this demand, the mobile test site operated by Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics at the old Woodbury School is once again operating 5 days a week, and expanded its hours of operation. Links to book an appointment for a test are available on the District website.

Bright Spots

As you know, I really enjoy highlighting the altruistic efforts of our amazing Syosset students in my community updates, but it’s really nice to see these students gain even broader attention from local media outlets.

• Exactly one year ago today, I highlighted SHS student Asmita Mittal as a Bright Spot for founding a youth organization named Teens Teach Technology that teaches technology skills to seniors so they may interact with others online and maintain connections with family and friends that are so essential to their well-being. This week, Long Island Press published an article on the organization’s efforts and success to date. They’ve grown from 20 volunteers a year ago to 11 chapters with 180 volunteers from various states in the U.S. and India, Egypt, and Dubai!
• The Syosset-Jericho Tribune featured another Syosset Bright Spot, SHS student Sabrina Guo, for her work through the two organizations she founded, Girl Pride International and Long Island Laboring Against COVID-19 (LILAC). Her work to improve the lives of socioeconomically disadvantaged, migrant and refugee girls’ lives has had an impact globally, and her efforts to aid medical professionals and first responders locally are truly remarkable. The article isn’t available online yet, but be sure to grab the July 21-27 edition to read it in full.

Their efforts are reminders that what starts as a tiny acorn can grow into a mighty oak. Please be safe as you enjoy the weekend and these remaining weeks of summer.

Still #Syostrong,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Last week, I alerted the community to the fact that the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) issued a brief statement announcing that his agency would not be issuing guidance on reopening schools in September. The Commissioner of Education subsequently announced that the State Education Department would do so instead. That “Back to School Guidance” to school districts arrived late this week, and we have been finalizing our reopening plans in alignment with that guidance for the beginning of school in September.

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) guidance closely follows that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations. The Nassau County Department of Health also issued a statement recommending that school districts follow this guidance from NYSED, as NYSED is the jurisdictional body overseeing schools.

An overview of our reopening plans can be found here, but some highlights are as follows:

• Masks will be required indoors, optional outdoors;
• “Physical distancing” in classrooms will be 3’ for students (6’ for adults). Lunch will take place with as much distancing as possible.
• Students will be in school full time, every day (i.e. no full-time virtual instruction, no hybrid instruction at Syosset High School, alternative instruction will be provided for students in quarantine);
• Buses will run on “normal” routes.
• Fall athletics will return to typical seasons (but games may need to start later due to bus driver shortages). High-risk sports will still require weekly testing for unvaccinated participants.
• Daily attestation forms are no longer required, but temperature screening will continue.
• Vaccinated individuals who are deemed close contacts do not have to quarantine (but are recommended to get a precautionary test 3-5 days after exposure).

I had hoped that the advent of effective vaccines would signal the beginning of the end of the pandemic, and falling case rates during the late spring and early summer fed that optimism. Nassau County enjoys high vaccination rates and the Syosset and Woodbury zip codes have particularly high vaccination rates.

Unfortunately, we are nevertheless seeing COVID cases rise in both Nassau and our community during this latest surge. So I share the sense of disappointment and fatigue that some of these mitigation measures are going to be required a little longer.

The State Education Department called their guidance “a living document”, signaling their intention to be nimble depending on how conditions change. We’ll follow both the data and the guidance as we adapt too.

Bright Spot
This week, members of the Syosset High School Robotics Team ELITE visited our summer school students for a robotics demonstration. The team is known for mentoring young students and sparking an interest in programming, and they certainly garnered some excitement as students programmed and then raced robots around the gym. It’s so nice to see our older students inspiring and engaging the next generation of STEM leaders!

Enjoy the remainder of the weekend.

Sincerely,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

We’re just a week away from welcoming back our students for the 2021-2022 school year, and last minute preparations are in high gear. We are understandably focused on community rates of COVID that are higher than they were last summer. However, that concern is tempered by several important factors:

• COVID rates still remain well below where they were for most of the last school year.
• Last year, vaccination started slowly after we were more than half-way through the school year, but this year vaccination rates are high in our community, and high in Nassau among students over age 12.
• We will soon be completing ventilation projects at the secondary schools that supplement the mitigation that was in place last year.

Governor Hochul announced yesterday that she has directed the New York State Department of Health to institute a universal mask requirement in all schools. Our “back-to-school” plan follows the recommendations of the New York State Education Department, Centers for Disease Control, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, so this requirement is consistent with what we previously announced -- all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear a mask while inside school buildings and on buses. Masks will be optional when outdoors.

Governor Hochul also announced she is pursuing a requirement for school employees to be vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID testing. She announced partnerships with BOCES, pharmacies, and local health departments to make testing more widely available.

As we await additional detail on these announcements, we are fortunate that our COVID testing site at the Woodbury school has remained open to the school and community all summer and has recently increased hours to keep up with demand. Links to book an appointment for a test are available on the District website. Please take note that the test site will be closed on Labor Day, Monday, September 6.

Reopening Plans

In my last update, I provided a summary document that highlighted an overview of our back-to-school plan. As we did last year, we’ve put together a more comprehensive document that outlines our plans in detail. This Back-to-School Guide can be found on the Reopening page of the District website.

Last year, we slowly worked our way back by restoring athletics, allowing spectators, sharing lab equipment, eliminating plastic desk partitions and removing masks outdoors. Each step was taken as new guidance became available, and we evaluated the impact of each step before taking the next. Our goal was to keep working our way back to “normal”, hoping not to take a step too far and have to backtrack.

This fall, we will be again taking significant steps forward:

• At every level, we will be welcoming students back in-person. While we are proud of the virtual program we put in place last year, we know we do our best work - and children develop best - in person.
• At the high school level, students will be in school every day and have access to their lockers.
• At the middle school level, students will return to a 9-period day with popular electives, class changes and locker access.

As we did last year, we will carefully observe the impact of each of these changes (and the COVID data around us) before proceeding with further changes to move us closer to our pre-pandemic model.

Mental Health

And while our health and safety protocols have been top of mind, we’ve been equally focused on supporting our students as they transition to this new school year after what, for many, has been a very challenging time. We have hired 2 additional social workers, and arranged for “catch up” support for students who may have fallen behind. We are committed to supporting our students, understanding their unique circumstances, and establishing meaningful connections once classes begin. Page 18 of the Back-to-School Guide outlines our plans to provide an emotionally safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment.

Transportation

Bus routing information will be provided in Infinite Campus this year instead of via postcards mailed to homes. Information on accessing this information has been sent by email and can be also found on the District website. Please remember all individuals will be required to wear masks on buses. I’d also like to point out the following important protocols in place to aid in adhering to the health and safety protocols and expediting the arrival and dismissal process:

• Students will not be permitted to board any bus that they have not been assigned to by the District. Drivers will verify bus attendance and record ridership. We cannot accommodate students going home with a friend at this time (whether for a play date or child care).
• Students cannot be released from school to the parents/guardians of other students unless for an established carpool.
• Except for emergency situations, students should maintain the same mode of transportation as schools cannot accommodate daily modifications to transportation schedules.

More specific arrival and dismissal information will be provided by the building principals. We still expect a much higher volume of car traffic than the pre-pandemic level, and we appreciate your patience and cooperation with the protocols in place.

You should also be aware that there is an industry-wide bus driver shortage. This will likely mean more substitute drivers (and delays) during the year, and busing to interscholastic athletics may require some atypical scheduling as drivers are spread thin. If you know of someone who might be interested in becoming a bus driver, please contact our Human Resources department.

Lunch

Meals at the elementary and middle school levels will need to be pre-ordered, as done last year. Information on placing lunch orders was sent by email last week and can be found on the District website. Spaces in addition to the cafeterias will be used for dining so that physical distance can be maintained. Please be aware that no outside delivery of meals or meal drop-off by parents will be permitted.

District Calendar

By now you should have received the printed District calendar. Please be aware that while we distributed a full print version of the calendar, the status and time-frame of many of the school events are uncertain at this time and modification may be necessary depending on circumstances surrounding the pandemic. Please refer to the online calendar on the District website for the most up-to-date information on events.

Bright Spot

Syosset High School student Sawyer Wayne, an All-Conference member of the Syosset High School Varsity Soccer Team, was recently recognized in the Long Island Press for donating new and gently used soccer gear to Samba 360, an organization that provides relief to disadvantaged children through donated sports and recreational equipment. Sawyer started collecting the gear for his Bar-Mitzvah and now organizes an annual donation drive to give back to those in need. Physical activity is so important for good mental health, and I’m so proud of Sawyer for contributing to the work of this organization.
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We’re all disappointed that the Delta wave has slowed the end of the pandemic and I share that sense of COVID fatigue. But this is when #syostrong becomes more than a slogan:

• We will not let our disappointment turn to discouragement;
• We will not let our fatigue overcome our stamina;
• We will not let our frustration diminish our patience; and
• We will not let our guard down until this virus meets its end.

We are about to start an amazing school year with so many of the things that were stripped out of last September’s opening added back once more. Let’s celebrate the progress we’ve made, keep making more and yes, let’s stay:

#syostrong,
Tom Rogers

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Every new school year brings a mix of excitement and anticipation, although the last two years have brought their own special emotions to the first day of school. These have been extraordinary years balancing our educational and safety imperatives against changing conditions and changing regulations.

I’m proud of how our community, staff, and especially our students have pulled together in the face of this challenge. It’s because of that resiliency that I’m confident we can face and adapt to the shifting challenges ahead.

Despite the current wave of infections due to the Delta variant of the COVID virus, we now have a year of experience with the measures that have kept our community safe - masking, distancing, and aggressive mitigation through contact tracing that prevent cases from becoming clusters that become outbreaks. Our ongoing commitment to these practices is not an exercise in compliance, it is a commitment to do our best to keep each other safe. It transforms us from a mere collection of people by knitting us together as a community.

Nevertheless, this year has presented shifting sets of challenges and opportunities, and we have been responding.

Busing
The biggest challenge has been busing. Two forces are colliding: we cannot escape the effects of an industry-wide bus driver shortage, and our return to every day school for all students has literally strained the community’s transportation infrastructure.

We are running more routes now than before the pandemic, but Huntington Coach lost over 100 drivers. While they have been aggressively recruiting all summer, until they reach their goals, even supervisors are pitching in to drive buses. Our routes are covered, but serious constraints still exist. When multiple delays occur simultaneously, they strain our capacity to communicate clearly and quickly with so many parents, so we are adapting quickly.

Those multiple delays occur because there are many more cars dropping off students than before the pandemic. Syosset High School is first to arrive in the morning, and first to dismiss in the afternoon. The traffic on South Woods Road was badly congested before the pandemic, and even worse these first few days. Any delays at the High School cascade through the busing at the middle and elementary schools.

Although this year has been worse than most, transportation typically improves quickly after the first few days and I’m hoping that trend continues this year. Three years ago, the Board rebid transportation services in order to secure GPS tracking and surveillance video on buses which we use regularly. As our communications adapt and the delays improve, I hope more parents’ confidence in the busing will improve and in turn, further reduce traffic-related delays.

Mandatory COVID Testing for School Employees
As of September 2, 2021, and effective immediately, the NYS Commissioner’s Determination on COVID-19 Testing requires weekly COVID-19 testing of all unvaccinated school district faculty or staff.

We are currently working with our District staff, and with our contracted staff to ramp up quickly to meet this requirement. Our partnership with Advanced Cardiac Diagnostics (which runs our COVID testing site at the former Woodbury School) will soon include a second location and additional capacity to serve both District and contracted staff. Staff or community members needing an appointment can do so through this link.

COVID Notifications
As families are returning to school, they have also begun notifying us of sick students, and we have resumed our community notifications. As we did over the summer, we’ll report twice weekly - on Tuesdays and Fridays - any cases identified since our previous report (we will report on Wednesday next week). Our contact tracing team will continue to call families 7-days a week, even on holidays, because we want to notify close contacts quickly to ensure they don’t unknowingly put a loved one at risk.

Pilot Universal Pre-K Program
Late this spring we were surprised to learn that we would receive a state grant to establish a Pre-K program. We had not pursued this because of our space limitations, but didn’t want the potential funds to go unused. We are now working with several external partners to offer as many seats as possible. Earlier this week, I had shared at PTA meetings that I was optimistically hoping the program could start as soon as October 4th, but as we’ve continued to work with our partners, that timeframe is proving ambitious to ensure the program is just right. We will delay at least another month, in order to ensure a smoother opening, a better lottery process, and a postal mail campaign to ensure we reach members of the community who might not yet have kids in school (or emails in our system).

We’re excited to cooperate with these new partners to offer this service to our community!
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It hasn’t all been navigating challenges, however. We’ve had an exciting start to school, not just for our students but for staff as well. We welcomed a total of 58 faculty and staff members, most new to the District, some new to their roles, and all inspiringly enthusiastic. Our faculty professional development prior to the start of school focused on connection, understanding and support for our students given all they have experienced this last year. I’m proud of what our staff has accomplished, and confident we are equal to not just the challenges ahead, but also the opportunities.

Bright Spot
I’m so proud of the work of Syosset High School junior, varsity tennis player and All-County student-athlete Eesha Kaushik. Recognizing that she had the opportunity to share her talents and make a difference in the lives of others, she created Tennis Empower Camp to serve underprivileged children. She created a website and social media account, solicited donations and recruited her Syosset teammate Zia Mukherjee as a coach. The camp served 10 students this summer and was recognized by the USTA Eastern Long Island Region. Eesha hopes to be able to run the camp during the school year and expand its membership, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Tennis Empower Camp!
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As a reminder, the District will be closed next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, September 6th, 7th and 8th. Please note the COVID testing site operating at the old Woodbury School will be closed Monday but will be open Tuesday and Wednesday.
Enjoy the long weekend. Stay safe by staying:

#syostrong,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Like many, I have been reading news stories of the day and its aftermath on this important anniversary.

New Yorkers and Long Islanders were particularly impacted and I’m sure that many, like me, are remembering where they were that day, or the tragic impact the events had on families, loved ones and our nation. But for our students, none of whom were alive at the time, the day straddles a place somewhere between a part of our nation's history and an important piece of local and family experience still present in our lives. So it falls to us as a community to help them contextualize the day and its significance.

Today, each building marked the day in age-appropriate ways. Students listened to tributes expressed by building principals during the morning announcements, observed a moment of silence, and honored those lost. I was in attendance at HBT and and thought Mr. Bonanno’s remarks struck just the right tone -- pride in the heroism of first responders and ordinary people alike, sympathy for our staff and families who were impacted by that day, concern for those harmed by the events and their ongoing aftermath, and marvel at the sense of unity that came of tragedy.

At tomorrow’s football game, we will have a ceremony with special guests including first responders, veterans, and members of the armed services. There will be a fundraising effort for the Wounded Warrior Project, and veterans from the local VFW were invited to carry the flags into the stadium and do the coin toss. There will be a moment of silence after the singing of the national anthem. I’ll hope you’ll join me, from wherever you are at 2:00 p.m., to share in that moment of silence, remembrance, and appreciation.

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Busing

As you know, the District’s transportation provider, Huntington Coach, is grappling with the bus driver shortage that is impacting school districts nationwide this fall. This week we worked closely with Huntington Coach and were able to ensure all our routes were covered. We thought it was best to alert parents to the potential challenges in the event that there was not an adequate number of drivers, though we will not continue with the practice of daily notifications moving forward. We do believe our efforts will help this situation slowly improve, but if there is an impacted bus, we will contact families directly. We will hold Huntington Coach to their obligation to provide transportation for all our students, and we are working on internal contingency plans as well. I appreciate your understanding of this situation.

We have received some questions about the number of students assigned to a bus route. During the first couple of weeks of school, ridership is monitored closely and adjustments may be made as the number of students riding the bus is compared against the number routed to a bus. We have asked Huntington Coach to remind drivers that windows should be opened a safe amount to increase the ventilation inside the buses. Last year, additional buses were added to help with physical distancing, and we have maintained the additional buses this school year.

Pilot Universal Pre-K Program

As I mentioned last week, we’ve been working out the logistics of a pilot Pre-K program with some external partners in our community, funded by an unexpected (but appreciated!) State grant announced this spring. Shortly we will be opening a lottery for the seats available in the program. Information on the program and how to enter the lottery will be sent to the community via email, posted on the District website, and mailed out in postcard form.

Bright Spot

As part of Mr. Bonanno’s program this morning, students were treated to a video and a story about 2 former HBT students, Dan and Mike Friedman, who lost their father in the Twin Towers. As adults, they started a sock company specifically offering big and tall customers (they are 6’9” and 6’11” respectively) flashy, colorful socks. But even more importantly, they have dedicated part of the proceeds of this business to 9/11-related charities like Tuesday’s Children. We’re just as proud of our alumni as we are of our students and they are a reminder that we never run out of opportunities to keep giving at any age.

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As a reminder, the District will be closed on Thursday, September 16. Please enjoy the weather this weekend!

#Syostrong,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope, like me, you’ve been enjoying the fall weather and the start of fall sports. I’m pleased to say that the busing situation, though still not yet where it needs to be, is nevertheless much improved from the first few days of the year. Here’s a quick update on other happenings.  

Universal Pre-K

Earlier this week the Board of Education approved 2 more providers for our new pre-K program. We’re very excited to be working with North Shore Synagogue, Greentrees, and Kiddie Academy to offer a combined 99 seats to 4 year-old children at no cost to families. The start date of the program is November 8th. Additional information on the program, and a link to the lottery registration form will be sent by email and posted on our website early next week.

COVID Testing

To accommodate increased community demand for testing and weekly surveillance testing of unvaccinated staff and students participating in high-risk sports, our partner Advanced Cardiovascular Testing has opened a second testing site just outside of Syosset High School (in the same location behind the gym where testing took place last year). In addition to daytime hours from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., this second location will offer evening hours from 6 to 10 p.m. and will operate in the same manner as the testing site at the old Woodbury School with drive-through service. Both sites are open to the Syosset community. The link to make an appointment is posted on the homepage of the website. 

Following the Data

We continue to watch local and regional data closely. We’re encouraged to see that the current Delta wave of the COVID crisis appears to have plateaued at a level that is a little over half the rate of incidence from Spring Break earlier this year. We’ve begun to permit some limited PTA functions as a result, but are postponing larger gatherings until we have a sense of how school reopenings will affect the plateau. Should case counts begin to fall, we’ll begin to consider additional opportunities to gradually work our way back to a normal schedule of activities.

Continuing Education

I’m so proud of the robust Continuing Education program offered here in Syosset, and so pleased that many members of our community take advantage of the engaging classes offered. A course catalog was mailed out to all residents in the community, and is also posted online here /Domain/137. I encourage you to take a look - with classes such as Yoga, Candle Making, Making Empanadas, and even Pickleball, I assure you there’s something for everyone! While mail-in registration has been ongoing, we will also be hosting an in-person registration event on Monday evening from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Syosset High School. Masks will be required and physical distancing will be enforced. 

Bright Spot

Last spring, I featured South Woods student Grace Chenxin Liu as a Bright Spot for her work with the student-led organization she co-founded, ABC Media, which showcases student-created multimedia works highlighting Chinese culture. Well, Grace didn’t stop there. She also co-founded the organization Sharing to Empower, a global alliance that promotes and supports the educational, professional, and personal development of scholars and students who seek to make a change in the world. And recently, she was invited as one of the highlighted speakers and panelists during the 2nd Global Conference on Women’s Studies. I am always so inspired by the positive global impact Syosset students have, and I commend Grace for her activism and sharing her talents on a global stage. 

Enjoy the weekend!
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

By now all the Open Houses have taken place, and I trust that parents and guardians found the evenings informative and engaging as you got to know your students’ teachers and learned a little more about the curriculum and the school day. I learned there was a technical glitch with some of the high school Meets, we’re researching what happened to ensure it doesn’t recur.

Earlier in the week, I had the opportunity to join the entire Syosset High School student body in a walk-a-thon to raise money and awareness for the Dezy Strong Foundation, which provides experiences that directly affect a positive mental well-being for cancer patients. Led by the school band, students and staff walked the perimeter of the athletic field behind the high school and raised over $2,000 for the foundation. Between COVID and construction, It’s been quite some time since we’ve held a walk-a-thon on campus, and I’m so pleased we were able to host this outdoor event for such an important cause. Click here to see some fun pictures of the event.

Pilot Universal Pre-K Program
This week we sent out information on our pilot Universal Pre-K program that will begin November 8th. We are working with 3 outside providers to offer 99 seats in the program, and a randomized lottery will be conducted and observed by our auditing firm to determine placement. So far, we have almost 200 entries into the lottery. The deadline to enter is Monday, September 27 at 3 p.m. There’s detailed information on the program, including the link to register for the lottery and a Frequently Asked Questions page, on our website at Pre-K / Overview (syossetschools.org).

COVID Testing
The second COVID testing location run by our partner Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics is up and running on the Syosset High School campus just outside the gym. As a reminder, the site offers rapid tests with results available in about 15 minutes, PCR tests with quick turn-around, and post-vaccine antibody testing. The added location at the high school offers evening appointments and is open until 10 p.m. The link to schedule appointments at both the Woodbury School and Syosset High School is posted on the homepage of the website.

Advance Child Tax Credit
The Internal Revenue Service has asked that we share information on the Advance Child Tax Credit with our community. They have created a website that outlines information in multiple languages that can be found at the following link: Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021

Bright Spot
You’re never too young to have a big impact on a community. Savvas Apsilos, a second grade South Grove student, was so inspired by a “Pay it Forward” project coordinated by his teacher Ms. Corritore in honor of the anniversary of September 11th, that he expanded his efforts beyond the school walls. Turning the project into a family affair, he put together care packages and handed them out to first responders to show appreciation and spread some cheer, and in doing so learned how rewarding spreading a little bit of kindness can be.

Remember, this weekend is Homecoming and I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s football game at 2:00 p.m. against Freeport. Please note: the Carnival that usually accompanies Homecoming had to be scheduled for October 22-24 based on availability, but I know Student Government is excited to have the carnival return after a 2-year hiatus.

Wishing our varsity football team a #Syostrong weekend!
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

We’re seeing some encouraging news in the latest data on COVID positivity rates and vaccination status. It is certainly my hope that the downward trend in positivity rate and the upward trend in vaccination rate continues, and we can thus continue to work our way back to a normal schedule of school events without increasing the risks to our students and staff

Earlier this year, the elementary principals shared that we had delayed some “back to school” type events in September as we evaluated whether the opening of schools would worsen the Delta wave case counts. We also observed some clusters of outbreaks attributed to outdoor activities among elementary (and thus unvaccinated) children. So it is encouraging that even with all children back in school on a daily basis, cases appear to have plateaued or even started to fall.

Consistent with our approach of calibrating activities to improving COVID conditions or availability of risk mitigation, the secondary schools have been in the lead as we continue to methodically add back events -- since large numbers of students are vaccinated, the risk to them from holding larger gatherings is diminished. We hope these trends continue and more restrictions can be lifted.

Some quick stats for Nassau County:
12-15 year olds - vaccination rate 65.5%
16-25 year olds -- vaccination rate 81.4%
11791 (Syosset) vaccination rate 81.2%
11797 (Woodbury) vaccination rate 93.0%

Solar Panels

I’m happy to report that solar panels have been installed at Baylis and Robbins Lane and should start providing energy within the next several days. The installation of solar panels was a conservation measure recommended as part of the Energy Performance Contract (EPC) for conservation projects, which permitted the District to reallocate budgeted utility and operational costs into energy saving capital Improvements without the need for increased taxes.

Transportation

I’m sure you’ve seen the news reports about the decision by Huntington Coach to cease (and then later restore) transportation services for the Huntington School District. As you may know, Huntington Coach is also Syosset’s bus company, and we have been working closely with them this school year to ensure our routes are covered despite a significant shortage of drivers impacting school districts nationally. We have been assured by Huntington Coach that this week’s situation was isolated to the Huntington School District and Syosset would not be impacted. Nevertheless, we continue to work closely with them on a daily basis to oversee and hopefully continue to improve our transportation services.

Pre-K

Earlier this week, we held our pre-kindergarten lottery under the watchful eye of the District’s auditor. We had about twice as many applications as we had seats available. Not everyone who was awarded a seat through the lottery moved ahead, so now we have begun the process of moving through the waiting list. I’m appreciative of our new partners - Greentrees, Kiddie Academy and North Shore Synagogue - and look forward to seeing this program serve a new generation of Syosset’s young people.

Niche.com Ranking (A Bright Spot for Grown-ups)

I try not to get terribly invested in national rankings, but during the pandemic, I’m committed to celebrating good news wherever it can be found. For the first time, Niche.com ranked Syosset among the Top 10 school districts in the country (we’re #9)!! It’s a nice bump up from #13 last year, and a big jump from #82 in 2016. The District also ranked 10th for Districts with the Best Teachers in America and 3rd for Districts with the Best Teachers in New York.
National listing: 2022 Best School Districts in America - Niche
NYS listing: 2022 Best School Districts in New York - Niche


Bright Spot

Last year I told you about the Syosset Relief Club at the high school, which has worked diligently to aid front line workers and those impacted by the pandemic. I’m not alone in my admiration of the accomplishments of these students. The group has recently been recognized by the American Red Cross, Legislator Lafazan, Senator Gaughran, and Representative Suozzi for their impactful work. And with over 200 members, Syosset Relief Group has earned the Top Hour Earning High School accolade from the American Red Cross by collectively accumulating over 2000 community service hours. These are impressive accomplishments by a newly-formed club, and I’m so proud of their work.

Enjoy this wonderful weekend.
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope you are all enjoying this delightful fall weather as much as I have been as I make my rounds to cheer on our student-athletes. I’m thrilled the warm temperatures have extended into October, making it possible to continue outdoor activities for students throughout the school day.

COVID Testing Sites

We are fortunate that our partnership with Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics (ACD) has allowed us to offer widespread and convenient COVID testing to our learning community, a key element in our mitigation plan to keep everyone safe, and I’d like to thank them not only for their dedication, but for the consistent feedback I receive about how pleasant and efficient they are to deal with. I’d also like to point out that ACD is an independent entity, and since they are not subsidized with District funds, the continued convenience of their on-campus locations is dependent on each site maintaining sufficient traffic to remain economical.

Recently you may have noticed an increase in traffic at the testing site operating at the old Woodbury School. When this site first opened, we restricted access to our students and staff as we assessed demand for the service. As we were able to scale and add capacity, it became possible to offer this service to our entire community – allowing the school district to be an asset for our older residents, and with the understanding that any effort to reduce community circulation ultimately helps the District. However, no one is turned away as the site is run by healthcare professionals who aim to provide service to anyone needing care. Moreover, since our students are circulating in neighboring community institutions (sports clubs, karate and gymnastics studios, houses of worship, etc.), identifying positive cases in neighboring areas likely also helps keep our kids safe. We do coordinate with neighboring districts and each remind our communities about testing available closer to home.

To address this uptick in traffic, we recently added a second testing site at the Syosset High School campus (accessed via the Pell Lane entrance to South Woods Middle School). This location is run by the same friendly professionals and often has less of a wait. Appointments for both sites can be made at the following link, which is posted on the homepage of the District website: Syosset | ACD (cardiovasculartesting.com) Please be aware both testing sites will be closed on Monday, October 11, in observance of Columbus Day.

Transportation

We are continuing to work closely with Huntington Coach on the challenges presented by the nationwide bus driver shortage. We have recently begun receiving requests for students to ride home with friends. I’m sorry we cannot accommodate these requests. As has been our policy throughout the pandemic, students may only ride on their assigned bus route. This is important not only to maintain our health and safety protocols, but also to avoid further stressing our stretched transportation system or creating overcapacity routes. Thank you for your understanding and patience with this policy.


Bright Spot

Inspired by news reports of wildfires and mass flooding, Syosset student Lawrence Hon created a film that highlights the importance of protecting and preserving our environment. His creative and compelling film, “Nature Matters” earned a silver medal in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, an Award of Excellence in the National PTA's Reflections Program, and it was also selected by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers to be displayed this past summer at The New School in Manhattan. I’m so impressed by his creativity and skills with 3D software. Take a look at the short film here - I have no doubt you’ll be just as impressed.


Enjoy this wonderful long weekend!
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I have just a quick update this week with some brief items of note:

Technology Presentation

At the monthly Board of Education meeting taking place on Monday evening, there will be a presentation on student data privacy and network security. District administration will review measures in place to keep students safe online, and our privacy and security practices that create a positive, safe and productive learning environment.

Digital Equity Survey

Shortly you’ll be receiving an email invitation to complete a survey for the New York State Education Department (NYSED) regarding access to the internet and electronic devices, with the goal of understanding, investigating, and promoting educational equity. The brief survey will be available in the Parent Portal, and you’ll be asked to complete one survey for each child. I thank you in advance for your cooperation in completing this survey. NYSED has ambitiously asked that we ensure 100% participation, so they’re expecting us to follow up with families if it is incomplete.

Bright Spot

I know how hopeful our PTAs have been to get back to some of the wonderful activities that bring parents and schools together. We’re thrilled that we have been able to reintroduce outdoor events, book fairs, picture days, spirit weeks, club activities, and PTA fundraisers. As with so many of the activities we’ve missed these past 20 months, my appreciation of these events, and the efforts behind them, has never been greater. So too is my appreciation for parents, staff and students alike showing patience with our safety protocols, and I sincerely appreciate the work of our staff for all the extra effort to make these events fun for all.

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I’m encouraged by COVID case counts that are falling once again after a worrisome, but fortunately brief, plateau. The plateau reminded me that like a forest fire that is mostly contained, we can’t stop fighting until the flame is completely extinguished. Although this fall weather has been absolutely amazing, as we begin more indoor activities this month and next, we know the renewed downward trajectory remains ours to control.

#Syostrong until it’s done!

Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

The New York State School Boards Association recognizes October 18 - 22 as School Board Recognition Week, and at Monday’s monthly Board meeting, the Syosset School Board received recognitions from Dierdre Dapice, President of our Syosset Council of PTAs, as well as county legislator Lafazan and Representative Suozzi (by mail). I’d like to add my appreciation for the countless hours they invest in their volunteer roles to provide leadership and act as stewards of the mission of the District. Their steadfast commitment to the Syosset students, staff, and community at large is unequivocal and I am grateful for their guidance, dedication, and service.

MercyFirst

I’m aware that some news stories earlier this week raised questions about the MercyFirst facility here in Syosset, and while I’m not the appropriate person to speak on behalf of the facility, I can respond to the issue of whether the Syosset School District offers educational services to the facility’s residents - we do not.

I recently had the opportunity to meet with the new director of the organization and I hope to enjoy the same good working relationship I had with her predecessor. They have prepared a short Q&A that provides information about their facility, who they serve, and the work they do, and they invited me to share it with the community. The Q&A can be found here.

Technology Presentation

As ransomware and other attacks on public entities become more prevalent, the administration gave a presentation to the Board of Education on the District’s comprehensive efforts to safeguard the District’s network, prevent any disruption of internet service, and protect student data and privacy. Also covered was how our students and teachers can work securely online and access digital content. The District has made remarkable strides in the use of technology in our instructional program - enhancing our students' mastery of the curriculum and making the learning process engaging. So we go to great lengths to be sure the District and our students are protected while engaging with software and apps that make that enhanced experience possible. Unfortunately, not every software provider agrees to keep student data safe, so, we are quite selective and continually look for tools that comply with the privacy standards we enforce.

Budget Presentation

Also on Monday evening, a presentation was given that explains the tax levy and how a homeowner’s assessed value determines the share of taxes paid. We typically receive questions this time of year as the school tax bills are sent, but this year has been especially confusing because of the multi-year phase-in of Nassau County’s county-wide property reassessment which has caused many property values to fluctuate significantly, which in turn has caused school taxes for some homeowners to fluctuate -- both up and down. While we can’t control the impact of the County’s efforts, we can help explain it. I encourage you to review this informative presentation. A recording of the meeting can be found here.  


Bright Spot

This morning, I joined the students who run WKWZ, our student radio station, at the grand opening of their new recording studio. Once located in a windowless basement room, the studio is now visibly in the heart of Syosset High School. The facility will not only host our radio shows, but will also serve as a recording studio for the latest in podcasts and streaming media. Syosset is fortunate to have one of only 4 high school broadcast radio stations on Long Island, and the student’s enthusiasm for their new studio was infectious. You can listen to their broadcast here.

Don’t forget, this weekend the high school student government is hosting the annual Carnival at the Syosset High School. For a little added safety, we’re asking that participants wear masks, but our students are thrilled to have the carnival back after missing several years due to the pandemic and our school construction work. Come support our student government volunteers!


#syostrong,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Today was such fun for our students as they took part in parades, pumpkin patches, DJ dance parties, and friendly competitions. And even our oldest learners got in on the action when the Syosset Fire Department stopped by the high school to partner with our teachers for an annual event that had been skipped because of COVID. Physics students calculated gravity’s effects by timing objects dropped by firefighters from atop an aerial ladder extended 60 feet into the brisk morning air, starting with golf balls and working up to a 76-pound pumpkin! You can see a quick video of the final pumpkin race here. Special thanks to our amazing Syosset Fire Department for restarting this annual tradition, and extra appreciation to our custodial staff for their patience cleaning the aftermath!

Digital Equity Survey

Thank you to everyone who has completed the NYS Education Department’s Digital Equity Survey that I mentioned in a previous update. For those yet to complete it, the survey is still available in the Parent Portal, and the State has requested full (100%) participation from all parents. The survey collects information regarding access to the internet and electronic devices, with the goal of understanding, investigating, and promoting educational equity. Please be sure to complete one survey for each child.

Reminders for Next Week

Next week, parent teacher conferences will be held for the elementary and middle school levels on Tuesday (Election Day) and there will be no school for all students. In addition, the District will be closed on Thursday, November 4th, in observance of Diwali.


Bright Spot

This week I received an email from the Service Manager of a local business commending a few of our students for their charitable efforts, and everyone knows how much I love celebrating the positive impact Syosset students have on our community. Last year, Syosset High School brothers Jack and Dylan Levine co-founded Dumpster Dudes when they recognized that many items left for trash could be donated to those in need. They’ve collected and donated toys, clothing, furniture and books to GoodWill, Book Fairies, and Savers thrift stores. The brothers have also started working with South Woods student Joseph Naim and together, they have been collecting bikes and scooters, which were brought to Trek in Plainview to be repaired and then donated to riders in need on Long Island with the help of Light House Mission and the Brookhaven Bicycle Cooperative. Their work has kept usable items from ending up in landfills and provided much-needed items to those less fortunate, and I’m so proud of their efforts.

I hope you all safely enjoy the Halloween weekend with your children!

#Syospooky
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I’m so proud of the incredible accomplishments of the SHS Varsity Girls Tennis team. On Wednesday, they won the Long Island Large Schools championship, the program’s first LI team title since 2012, and today they finished second in the state at the NYS Championship! It was an incredible end to the season after both the boys and girls teams were recognized by the US Tennis Association as the Long Island High School Tennis Team of the Year and Coach Shai Fisher was named Coach of the Year by Newsday. And earlier this fall, the Varsity Girls Swimming and Diving team was named Conference 1 Champions for the first time in school history. The success of all our student-athletes this fall blows me away, and speaks volumes to their perseverance and determination throughout the pandemic, and I just couldn’t be more proud. 

COVID-19 Protocols     

We’re now into cold and flu season, and we have been receiving questions from parents on what to do if a child is experiencing cold symptoms, what are the quarantine protocols, and how the protocols apply to fully vaccinated students. To help answer these questions, we’ve put together a one-page overview of the most important things to know regarding the protocols in place. It can be found in the Reopening section of our website. We’ve also added a page to this section of the website with the contact information for all our school nurses, a link to the COVID-19 hotline form for reporting positive cases or close contacts, and a link to make an appointment for COVID testing at the test sites located on our campuses so that all this information is easily accessible in one spot. While I hope this overview is helpful, every case is unique -- so please remember that the nurse or Contact Tracing Team member must take those particular circumstances into account when making determinations.  

Bright Spot

The students of the Syosset Rowing Club are always looking for ways to give back to the community, so one of the team captains, Michael Meneshian, organized a community service activity with Habitat for Humanity. He recruited teammates Xiara Lemoine, Forrest Phung, Samantha Rathman, Anoushka Rishi, Leela Tickoo, and Danielle Unson, and they spent their day off from school on Tuesday working on the construction of a house in Shirley for a young family met with hard times. The teammates had a great experience working together and making a difference, and are already working with Habitat for Humanity to schedule another volunteer day. 



As a reminder, the District will be closed for Veteran’s day on Thursday, November 11th. And as with all federal holidays, both COVID-19 testing sites located on our campuses will be closed that day as well. 

Don’t forget to set your clocks back this weekend, and enjoy that extra hour of sleep!

Tom Rogers
#syosnooze

Dear Syosset Community,

This week, we held our annual Athlete Commitment Day on the turf field and we honored a remarkable 24 student-athletes committed to play for NCAA teams in college. For perspective, this event was started in 2017 and that year, we honored 11 student-athletes. It has given me great pleasure to see the Syosset Athletics program grow and flourish in recent years, which is a credit to the entire Athletics department, and especially the dedication and commitment not only of the students who were honored, but by their teammates who helped make their success possible.

This number of committed student-athletes would be notable in any year, but achieving such success in this of all years is simply remarkable. Even though Spring sports were suspended in 2020 and all sports were delayed until their abbreviated seasons in early 2021, coaches continued to work with our athletes to make sure their strength and conditioning were uninterrupted so that as soon as we were permitted to get back on the fields, they would be in the best possible shape to pick up where they left off. Not only was that beneficial for their performance in competitions, it was essential for their mental well-being. And their perseverance and hard work truly paid off.

This fall, girls tennis won the LI championship and came in second in the state, girls cross country won their 10th consecutive Nassau County championship and will be heading to the state championships, girls swimming won their first ever Nassau County championship and will be heading to the state championships, girls soccer and girls volleyball made it to the county finals, boys soccer and boys volleyball made it to the semi-finals, and tonight, the football team is playing in the Nassau County semi-final round. GO #SyoSports!

And on the topic of persevering through challenging times, the Syosset High School Theatre Arts program and The Association of Creative Thespians (ACT) recently hosted a live production of the annual student directed One Act Play Competition in front of a live audience! This marked the 21st year of the event that provides an opportunity for young budding directors to engage their passion for storytelling. And next week, the fall production of Qui Nguyen's She Kills Monsters will take place Thursday through Saturday, November 18th through the 20th. You can get your tickets here.

As you have probably guessed by now, this week’s whole update is the “Bright Spot”. Congratulations to our athletes and thespians! And to all the veterans in our community and beyond, thank you for your service and sacrifice on behalf of our country.

So #Syoproud,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Congratulations to the 27 SHS students named NYSSMA All-State and NAfME All-National Musicians! I’m so proud of the Fine and Performing Arts program here in Syosset, and particularly the perseverance of our students and staff despite the challenges resulting from the pandemic. While it’s no surprise we’ve been named a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation over 20 times, I’ll never take the amount of time, talent and dedication that goes into earning that honor for granted.

Lighting for the Turf Field

Following a fall athletic season that was impacted by the bus driver shortage and resulting transportation issues that caused several home field games to be shortened due to darkness, and given the challenges of scheduling practice time so all of our students can take advantage of the turf field, the Board held a discussion last month and earlier this week, approved a resolution to include turf field lighting in the proposed budget for the 2022-2023 school year. The Annual Budget vote will take place in May. We’ll be sure to outline the project and associated cost in detail for the community in the months leading up to the budget vote. Notably, the District will not need to borrow any funds for the lighting project and the conduit needed to power the lights was laid under the field during the original installation.

Rowing Club

The Board of Education also voted to make Rowing a varsity sport starting with the Spring season. As the sport requires special equipment and coaching, Syosset will offer it in conjunction with a partner organization - as do several of the other school districts where it is a varsity sport. The club has agreed to engage in fundraising efforts to underwrite some of the expenses to keep costs consistent with other varsity sports. I’m so pleased that we’ve added yet another opportunity for students, especially one serving both boys and girls, to our varsity athletics program. And I’m thankful for positive dialogue with the club representatives and members throughout the process. I can’t wait to cheer them on this spring!

COVID-19 Positivity Rates

We have recently seen a rise in positive COVID-19 cases. While perhaps the inevitable consequence of the weather driving activities indoors, I’m hopeful that rising vaccination rates and eligibility may counteract this uptick. Until then, please remember to be safe and take the precautions necessary to prevent the spread of this virus. Based on our contact tracing efforts so far, we have not identified any changes in our mitigation strategies that are warranted at this time, but we will continue to watch the data closely.

Next week, both COVID-19 test sites operating on our campuses will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. They will both reopen on Friday. And to accommodate the increased demand we are experiencing, the COVID-19 test site operating at the old Woodbury Grade School will now open at 8 a.m., 7 days a week.

Bright Spot

In the spring of 2020, Berry Hill student Desiree Mohammadi wanted to show her appreciation for healthcare workers, so she donated all the money in her piggyback so that workers at Northwell Health could be treated to snacks, and she penned a letter to the CEO of Northwell Health expressing her support of their remarkable efforts. The CEO was so impressed by Desiree that she was given the opportunity to become a “doctor for a day,” complete with her own white jacket and stethoscope, and she was introduced to the first nurse in New York who received the COVID-19 vaccine, Ms. Sandra Lindsay, R.N. More recently, Desiree reunited with Ms. Lindsay, who held her hand as she was vaccinated. The pair was recently featured on CBS news.

I love seeing even Syosset’s youngest learners finding their voice and on the issues important to them. Desiree, keep making a difference and you’ll inspire others to do the same!
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There’ll be no update next week as we pause for the Thanksgiving holiday. I hope you get a chance to connect with family and friends to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. Personally, I’m grateful to be a part of this amazing learning community, that I get to work alongside some of the very best educators in the country, serving remarkable students who inspire me every day.

Tom Rogers
#syothankful

Dear Syosset Community,

This week our hearts are heavy as we learned of the horrific events at Oxford High School in Michigan, and our thoughts and condolences are with all of the families affected by this tragedy. Nassau County school districts received a letter from the Commissioner of Police indicating that while there is no direct threat to schools in our area, there would be an enhanced county-wide police presence at school buildings following the incident, which we’ve noticed on our campuses. I’d like to thank the Commissioner and the officers for their continued partnership in helping to keep our buildings safe.


COVID Update

We’re continuing to see a sharp upward trend in positive COVID cases both statewide and in our community, and the first confirmed case of the Omicron variant has been identified here on Long Island. About a year ago, I recorded a video for the community I dubbed a “family conversation” remembering the times when my parents would sit us kids down to share sobering news.

We’ve come a long way in a year -- our community and staff enjoy high rates of vaccination, we have ready access to rapid COVID testing, ventilation projects in the secondary schools are nearing completion, and promising new treatments are emerging. Students are back in school full-time, sports resumed their regular seasons and we continue to inch our way back to what we used to take for granted. But for the masks, things on the surface might appear normal.

But we’re not out of the woods yet, as the appearance of the Omicron variant unfortunately makes clear. The point I made in our “family conversation” remains relevant -- the risks we take individually are pooled when kids reach the schoolhouse door. The best way to continue our return to normal is to avoid being forced to retreat. So let’s continue the caution that served us so well, particularly as the colder weather drives more activities indoors and we evaluate the new variant’s impact.

Governor Hochul stated yesterday that the New York State Department of Health is monitoring the Omicron variant in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). She indicated that state and local governments were prepared for this development and there is no cause for an overreaction. So we are not changing any protocols at this point, but are prepared to be agile should State guidance change.

Fortunately, it appears that the mitigation strategies like mask wearing, hand washing and staying home when sick remain effective. And unlike this time last year, when we just started offering diagnostic testing, we now process up to 400 convenient COVID tests per day, 7 days a week, at two locations on our campuses through our partnership with Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics (ACD) to facilitate parents testing symptomatic children, just to rule out anything serious.

To facilitate this testing volume, we sent out some important reminders of the protocols in place at the ACD sites, which we’ve also posted to the website. I’d also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that our testing partnership with ACD is a tremendous courtesy and convenience to the Syosset community. Although we provide security at the two sites, there is no school district subsidy of their services, so we are particularly appreciative of our symbiotic relationship. Remember, the nurses and technicians are facing the pressure of high demand; I know they appreciate our community’s kindness and patience, even facing a pandemic.


Bright Spot
The day after Thanksgiving, elementary students from Walt Whitman, Baylis, Berry Hill and Village organized and participated in a flag football charity event they called the “Turkey Bowl.” During the event, which they hope to make an annual tradition, the students collected and donated a large assortment of items to the not-for-profit organization The INN, whose mission is to transform lives by addressing hunger, homelessness and profound poverty through awareness, action and generosity. I can’t think of a better way to get into the holiday spirit than coming together as a community, giving to those in need, and having some fun with peers.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a safe, joyous start to the holiday season.

Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

This has been a discouraging week as we communicated about two disturbing and disgusting incidents. While I know it is difficult to learn about these events, it is important to speak out in opposition to behavior that has no place in our schools or community. Our commitment to providing a welcoming and respectful environment for all remains strong, and we will continue our on-going efforts to combat racism, fight discrimination, and promote inclusivity.


COVID-19 Update

Today, in response to the continued rise in COVID-19 positivity rates, Governor Hochul announced additional mitigation measures being imposed. No changes for schools have arisen yet, but we have been watching our own data very closely and cases have been rising, particularly among our youngest students who only recently became eligible for vaccination. You can see vaccination rates, and COVID data here.

Our testing partner, Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics, has been working efficiently to meet the accelerating demand for COVID tests. While the test site at the old Woodbury School has been quite busy, there has been less volume at the Syosset High School site located on South Woods Road (enter the high school campus from Pell Lane at the entrance to South Woods Middle School, pass behind the bleachers and proceed to the trailer behind the high school). And for the safety of the health care workers, you are required to wear a mask during the testing process, even while you remain in your car, whether you are symptomatic or not. Our community’s cooperation is necessary to keep this partnership strong.

Concerning Social Media Activity

As you may have seen reported in the news media, some Long Island schools have been addressing non-specific threats that recently circulated on social media. These threats use initials or acronyms as opposed to school names, making the target of the threat, and the origination, difficult to track. The Nassau County Police Department continues to keep schools informed of their efforts in coordination with State authorities to investigate these issues, and have in several cases confirmed that they originated out of state, and there is no nexus to Nassau County.

We understand this is nevertheless an unsettling development. Please know that we take any concerning behavior very seriously. Syosset has been a leader in implementing school security initiatives and we appreciate our partnership with the Nassau police. We do not know of any such threats directed toward our schools, but we remain vigilant.

Bright Spot

Even in the shadow of discouraging news, I find our students are a beacon of hope and optimism. Recently, I attended a meeting of one of Syosset High School’s newest clubs: “Leaders for Literacy.” This group of a couple dozen students has a dual mission: improving literacy broadly by fundraising for partner organizations; and, closer to home, helping members of our Syosset community who wish to improve their command of English through casual conversation with pairs of student volunteers over Zoom. I was so impressed by the efforts of the students to empower individuals with literacy skills and their advocacy on behalf of literary organizations. If you are interested in learning more about the club, or having some conversational practice with student volunteers, please write: syoleadersforliteracy@gmail.com.

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Wishing you a weekend as inspiring as our amazing #syostudents.

Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

As you’ve no doubt noticed from our updates, Syosset has not escaped the surge in COVID cases being experienced across Long Island, despite our community’s high rates of vaccination. Fortunately, cases among the vaccinated and younger populations have been milder, but it’s a discouraging development considering that vaccination was barely available a year ago.

The NYS Department of Health (DOH) influenza surveillance report shows the incidence of flu. In contrast to last year’s all-time low, this year it’s off to an earlier uptick than in any of the past 3 years - even higher than the very heavy 2019-20 flu season. Taken together, the flu data and the COVID data suggest we should resume all of the individual precautions we took before vaccination was available to slow the spread of both respiratory viruses. Our contact tracing investigations continue to reveal very limited instances of transmission in school (where masking and distance are enforced), but amplified transmission elsewhere, particularly at large-scale public and social events. Unfortunately, we’re not out of the woods yet.

As the Delta variant is potentially displaced by the presumably more transmissible Omicron variant (the CDC Director on Tuesday announced that Omicron now accounts for 13% of cases in New York and New Jersey), this current surge could prove even more difficult for schools to manage than last year’s winter surge, and worse, appears to be superimposed on an unusually heavy flu season. All of which is to suggest that we should approach the next 6 weeks with as much caution as we can muster, no matter how exhausted we are.

Our goal is unchanged: to preserve in-person education, but already several Nassau schools announced closures this week due to COVID outbreaks and staffing shortages. Last year, we closed just prior to the holiday break as a precautionary measure (to avoid learning too late of a positive case). This year, we do not plan to close preemptively (the public now has ample access to prevention and mitigation resources). Rather, closures (if absolutely necessary) will be reactive – to evidence of uncontrolled in-school transmission or to staffing shortfalls (or, of course, mountains of snow). Despite high rates of vaccination among staff, breakthrough infections are seriously affecting staffing, thus, teachers, students, and families should remain prepared for a shift to virtual learning with little notice.

Speaking of snow…

It’s seems weird to write about snow with the thermometer in the 60’s, but I mentioned at the Board of Education meeting Monday night that we will approach snow days as we did last year - mindful that remote learning is difficult in situations where power and internet outages are likely, and thus intense storms would be appropriate for a “traditional snow day”. But we will keep “virtual instruction” as an option in order to help manage the calendar.

COVID Testing
Yesterday we announced that the two COVID testing sites operating on our campuses by Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics cannot accept walk-ins at this time. Appointments must be made, and proof of appointment must be shown to the security guard at the entrance to the test site. By making an appointment in advance, paperwork is processed ahead of time, operations at these drive thru locations run smoother and more efficiently, and there is less traffic back up, resulting in safer road conditions surrounding the sites. I thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

I’d also like to note that while at-home COVID tests may be helpful in assessing an immediate situation, an individual with a positive result is urged to take a follow up test at an official testing site, and to report the result to the District immediately.

Bright Spot(s!)
Without realizing it, on Wednesday night while watching the 8th grade girls volleyball teams from South Woods and HBT, I was standing next to Syosset’s newest Marine, Alex Wong. Alex just completed basic training and is home for the holidays. Congratulations, Alex, for completing the rigors of boot camp, and we thank you for your service! Also this week, Captain Robert Ziesermisenhemier visited the high school to present the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) - Marine Option Scholarship to SHS senior Gianna Vecchio. This prestigious scholarship program prepares young men and women for leadership roles in the Navy and Marine Corps. The highly competitive national selection process requires recipients to meet both academic and physical requirements, and only 50 students nationwide were awarded scholarships in the first round. We’re so #syoproud of you Gianna!

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This morning during arrival operations, I met some of our 5th grade Girl Scouts at South Grove Elementary School. They were scouting a location for a cherry blossom tree they plan to plant in the spring – doing their part to help scrub the atmosphere. They are thinking about the future, and so am I. Don’t let this week’s developments get you down – we know what to do and we WILL get through this. To paraphrase a meme I’ve seen floating around, I’m gonna stay positive, and hope everyone tests negative.

#SyoPositive
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

As the current COVID surge continues, I wanted to keep you updated with important information regarding our plans and protocols aimed at maintaining a healthy and safe environment for our learning community.

Our priority of preserving in-person instruction for our students remains unchanged:

• We know that being in school is what is best for kids, both academically and emotionally;
• We know we provide an essential service for the community while parents, especially health care workers and first responders, need to be at work;
• We’re concerned that teenagers will gather indoors if schools are closed, which would increase opportunities for exposure; and
• We have not seen much evidence of transmission in schools.

Although I share in the concern about steeply rising rates of COVID cases, closing schools would likely exacerbate, rather than mitigate, the surge and would carry consequences beyond the campus. As Governor Hochul emphasized yesterday, for all these reasons, we are working hard to keep our school buildings open.

Nevertheless, along with the increase in student absences, staff absences have been rising due to illness or close contact with sick family members. We have worked hard to develop contingency plans for these absences and have developed staff redeployment plans as a buffer. But we are literally evaluating staffing levels day and night.

Our highest priority remains the safety of students and staff. Should staffing levels fall below the minimum needed to operate safely, one or more buildings may have to pivot to virtual instruction. Should a building need to close, we will make an announcement as early as possible. We understand this decision may put parents in a difficult situation, and therefore it will only be a last resort, but please plan accordingly.

We are asking that you continue to work in partnership with us in fighting the spread of this virus to avoid school closures. As we prepare to head into the Winter Recess, we know many will be traveling and gathering to celebrate the holidays. Please be sure to follow the important safety protocols outlined below:

• Wear your mask correctly covering both your nose and mouth
• Maintain distance from others 3 feet while masked, 6 feet while unmasked (during mealtimes)
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, and/or use hand sanitizer
• If you have any symptoms at all, please stay home and get tested as soon as possible. Even mild symptoms that could feel like a common cold could be the result of a COVID infection. Vaccinated people in particular appear to be experiencing very mild symptoms.

Our Contact Tracing Team (CTT) has been literally working day and night to ensure that our classrooms are safe to open each morning. Should you be contacted, your partnership and cooperation is essential. The CTT’s efforts are only as good as the information they are given, and incomplete or inconsistent information puts others at risk. They take their obligation to keep others safe very seriously and they have been extraordinarily dedicated. Also, please know we follow carefully developed protocols when making determinations on quarantines and return dates. The virus doesn’t make exceptions and neither can we. I understand how frustrating this can be - particularly before a holiday break - but frustration is properly directed at the virus itself, not the people who are trying to keep us safe from it.

Test to Stay (TTS)
Last week the CDC announced its support for the concept of allowing students who are close contacts to take a daily COVID test before coming to school (instead of quarantining for 10 days). Yesterday, Governor Hochul announced her support for this approach. The current state guidance to schools indicates that TTS must first be adopted at the County-level before a school district can begin to implement it. Nassau County DOH previously indicated to schools that it was not adopting TTS for Nassau. We are awaiting additional communication from the County following the Governor’s announcement.

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The next several weeks promise to be some of the most challenging yet. They will try our patience, and our creativity. But we are in a very different place from March 2020 and January 2021. Case counts are comparable to the mid-January 2021 peak, but so far hospitalizations and serious illness have not spiked alongside the case counts. High rates of vaccination in Nassau, and in our community, mean that most infections are either among young children, or are breakthrough infections, which typically result in milder cases. So far, our challenge has come not from managing severity, but from the strain such a sudden surge places on a finite set of resources.

But, we are smart, we are resourceful, and we are determined. We are…

#SyoStrong
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

As we approach the end of 2021, I’d like to take this opportunity to reflect on another historic year. We started the year with hope and optimism, given the advent of remarkable vaccines and improving conditions that made our 18-month horizon seem plausible. But our path since then has not been linear; and this particular disease has proven particularly unpredictable. It has challenged our healthcare system, our patience, and frankly, our stamina for the necessary adjustments we’ve had to make. It’s easy to focus on what’s changed, but I remain buoyed by what has not: our strength, our resolve, our sense of community, and our commitment to never stop until we overcome this unique challenge. Maximizing this precious time in each child’s life is what we fight for every day.

Against that backdrop, it’s impossible not to be impressed by our faculty and staff. Their creativity and hard work have taken our incredible Syosset experience and adapted it to the current circumstances, saving the parts our kids love best, and regaining the academic momentum that carries students to excellence.

I want to also express my appreciation for our community. Your cooperation with protocols that also contributed to that preservation played just as large a role. We know so much more this year about what mitigation protocols are most effective (masks–yes; plexiglas–not so much), we have an experienced contract tracing team in place having performed more than 1,000 investigations, and we have a very high vaccination rate in our community, all contributing to very low transmission in schools. Although just over 3% of our students turned positive the last 10 days, it’s important to note that nearly 97% have not! The protocols that might have felt excessive in September are what have largely protected us through this sudden and rapid Omicron surge. Had they not already been in place, we would never have been able to erect them in time.

Although this significant number of students is still concerning, some context is in order. Many of these cases are in asymptomatic children who were only discovered through voluntary surveillance testing in advance of social gatherings or international travel. Such testing was largely unavailable last year, so asymptomatic cases last winter likely went unnoticed. Thus, the current “surge” appears partially reflective of better testing and surveillance. Moreover, many of the cases we report are not circulating. Rather, they represent close contacts or siblings who subsequently became positive while in quarantine. In other words, our contact tracing and quarantine system worked as intended!

Even while we mark this progress, I know there are many in our community dealing with extraordinary circumstances as a result of the pandemic, and we send them our love and support, and we hope everyone recovers quickly and completely.

My holiday hope is that everyone enjoys some well-deserved rest and rejuvenation during the Winter Recess. The new year will require a fresh dose of #SyoStamina, and similarly renewed optimism.

Return from Break – IMPORTANT!

Please be sure to monitor your email for any announcements from the District. As I mentioned in my email on Tuesday of this week, staffing levels remain a concern, both for school district employees and for Huntington Coach, our busing company. We have contingency plans in place and are working hard to address any staffing shortage proactively, but it is a good idea to have a backup plan should there be a need to alter our normal school schedule or pivot briefly to virtual instruction. We will do our best to alert you as early as possible should any changes be necessary.

COVID Notifications

During the break next week, we will be reporting positive COVID cases to the community on Wednesday only. Our normal schedule of community notifications will resume on Tuesday, January 4.

Bright Spots

One of the things that I have been most proud of this year (and last) is the extraordinary effort of our Syosset students to use their knowledge and talents for good. This week’s Bright Spots continue that tradition. SHS student Katelyn Lee founded “Healing with Strings,” a student chamber group with the mission of making a positive impact in people’s lives through music. Katelyn recruited fellow SHS string players Emma Hong, Sabina Kim, Mako Kobayashi, Warren Zhao, Jonathan Wong, Abigail Wu, Laura Oh, and Ryan Lam to join the group. Last weekend, the group performed for patients and staff at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, bringing holiday joy and lifting spirits. The students plan to continue their performances at hospitals and nursing homes over the Winter Recess.

And, also spreading holiday cheer, Nyah Panjvani (with some help from sister Reyna), partnered with NYU Langone Cancer Center for Kids to provide toys for all the children receiving treatment at the center. Through generous donations from family, friends and the community she was able to fulfill all their Christmas wishes with deliveries last week.

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I wish anyone celebrating: happy holidays; and to all: a joyous new year and peaceful break.

(And if, like me, you really admire a good pun – but appreciate bad puns even more – take a peek at my #Elfie with Bill, one of our awesome District security guards.)

#Syostrong,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope you are enjoying some downtime during the Winter Recess. In the face of the current surge in cases due to the emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, there have been many fast-moving developments and recommendations on the following topics:

• COVID testing for students and the distribution of at-home rapid test kits;
• The CDC recommendation to shorten isolation and quarantine periods;
• COVID Testing availability and increased turn-around time for PCR results.

NYS Plans for Schools, Rapid Test Kit Distribution:
Earlier this week, Governor Hochul and NYS Health Commissioner Dr. Bassett held a webinar with school superintendents to discuss developments in the pandemic and the State’s plans relative to the school community.

• The Governor emphasized the importance of keeping schools open – pointing to the negative impacts of virtual learning on students’ education and mental health.
• Dr. Bassett expressed concern with the increase in pediatric hospitalizations and emphasized the importance of universal masking, especially as students and staff return from possible social exposure over the break.
• The Governor announced a plan to provide school districts with millions of rapid test kits for distribution to families and staff. Subsequent to the meeting, school districts were given written recommendations on how to use the tests once they arrive:
• Implement “Test to Stay” programs (not eligible in Nassau County, see below).
• Test students and staff returning from holiday break (however, schools have no authority to mandate such testing).
• Use for ongoing surveillance testing (but it is unclear whether there will be ongoing supplies of kits made available).

Newsday reported that the kits began arriving today. We are currently working through delivery logistics with BOCES. Once the test kits arrive and we have a solid count of how many we were allotted, we will make future announcements for how parents can obtain them.

The Governor is scheduled to hold a press conference on New Year’s Eve to outline additional plans and guidelines for dealing with the current state of the pandemic. Obviously, we will follow developments closely and help interpret what they mean for schools.

CDC Recommendations
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced a recommendation to shorten isolation and quarantine periods for the general public. The CDC also announced it supports “Test to Stay” programs.

• “Quarantine” applies to unvaccinated people who were exposed to COVID-19 and might be at risk of developing illness.
• “Isolation” applies to people who have contracted COVID-19 and are avoiding others while recovering.
• Test to Stay is a program where people exposed to COVID-19 may continue to attend school (but not extracurricular activities) during quarantine if they continue to test negative for COVID-19.

For now the announcements’ impact on schools is limited. The CDC’s recommendations cannot override State guidance to schools, which currently provides as follows:

• Shortened Staff Isolation - The NYS Department of Health (DOH) issued updated guidance on shortening isolation periods for fully vaccinated school employees to as few as 5 days after becoming infected with COVID-19, provided they are free of major symptoms and have been fever-free for at least 72 hours. (Note: The guidance suggests that the isolation period should be shortened “in limited circumstances”, so we will be evaluating this on a case-by-case basis.)
• Mandatory 10-day Quarantine/Isolation for Students – Unvaccinated students who are close contacts must quarantine for 10 days. Students who have contracted COVID must isolate for 10 days. No change to the existing guidance has been adopted by NYS.
• Test to Stay (TTS) – As we have reported earlier, the NYS DOH delegated to each county’s DOH the decision of whether to adopt TTS. Updated State guidance issued last week reiterated that counties are “under no obligation” to adopt this plan. To date, Suffolk County has adopted TTS, but Nassau County has not. Therefore, it cannot be implemented in our schools at this time.

COVID Testing Availability
Newsday has reported on additional testing capacity that the State and County are making available to the public.

• To register to take a test at one of the State test sites, click here.
• The Town of Oyster Bay has made additional capacity available to the public: Town Updates and Notification – Town of Oyster Bay (oysterbaytown.com)
• Northwell Health’s link: PCR Testing - Coronavirus Digital Resource Center | Northwell Health
• Syosset’s testing sites have recovered from the pre-holiday surge and are performing testing by appointment only: /Page/866

Please be aware that due to the surge in demand for tests, PCR results are taking longer than they had been a few weeks ago at all of these providers.

Bright Spot
I want to give a shout out to the Contact Tracing Team and our terrific nurses who have worked in shifts every single day and evening (yes - even the holidays) during this break to do contact tracing and to speak to parents anxious about sick children. The virus never takes a day off and neither did they. The extra effort does not go unnoticed or unappreciated by all of us! #ThankAnurse

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I realize this has been a long and detailed update. Remember to stay tuned for additional updates on:

• Governor Hochul’s press conference tomorrow;
• Rapid test distribution plans;
• Staffing levels and school plans for the January 3 reopening.

Wishing everyone health and happiness in the new year.

Stay #SyoSafe,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

This has been the most challenging week so far of the entire pandemic. Yet our team has been able to preserve in-person instruction for the first 4 days of the year despite tremendous headwinds. And we successfully executed 3 events to distribute COVID-19 rapid test kits to parents of students in the district. I’d like to thank the many staff members who volunteered to help distribute the kits so efficiently and safely.

I want to update you on 2 important developments:

• Virtual Instruction Snow Day tomorrow (Friday 1/7/22)
• Future Staffing Concerns

Virtual Instruction Snow Day 1/7/22

As we announced earlier today, based on the current weather forecast for snow, we will be pivoting to a day of remote instruction tomorrow. This will allow us to preserve a day of instruction on the calendar while staying safe. Ordinarily, with a forecast of between 4-8” of snow, we would wait until 5:00 am to make the decision, in case the snow totals were at the low end of the range.

However, the current situation is anything but ordinary. Our Facilities team is diminished by quarantines/illnesses, and to open during snowfall, we must have enough crew to clear snow from not only the parking lots and entrances, but also from all the sidewalks, rescue/escape windows, emergency exits and assembly points & paths in case of evacuation. It is a big job even with a full crew, but we simply do not have sufficient staff to do so safely tomorrow.

Ongoing Staffing Concerns

However, even if there weren’t snow tomorrow, it would still have been necessary for Syosset High School to shift to remote instruction. At this point, we have about one-quarter of the instructional staff in quarantine or isolation. Our teachers, substitutes, and even administrators have been heroic in covering multiple classes for colleagues daily, but should staffing levels dip further, it will be necessary to continue virtual instruction until staffing levels recover.

We will monitor staffing through the weekend to determine whether the shift to virtual instruction must be maintained for the high school on Monday, and we will update the community Sunday night.

In addition, there are other schools where staffing levels are approaching minimum safe levels. If it is necessary for any other building to pivot to virtual instruction, we will make that announcement on Sunday as well. Please be sure to have a backup plan in place should we need to alter the normal school schedule.

Bright Spot

Today, four Syosset High School students were named semifinalists in the esteemed Regeneron Science Talent Search 2022 competition. Congratulations to Sabrina Chen, Ethan Chiu, Rohan Ghotra and Eric Huang! These students join an elite group of only 300 semifinalists from the entire national and international competition. We want to additionally congratulate the teachers who worked so hard to shepherd these students to their success. The perseverance of these students and educators amid the challenges presented by the pandemic is extraordinary!

Please be safe tomorrow during the storm.

Yay #SyoScientists!
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

We apologize for the frequency of communication, but as the last 2 years have shown, things can change quickly and we are now in an extremely fluid period of the pandemic. Our goal is to ensure our families are updated with important information as timely as possible. Tonight:

• Rapid Test Distribution Instructions for tomorrow (Tuesday) at Robbins Lane.
• Bus Driver shortages update and alert.

Rapid Test Distribution

The District will continue distributing rapid tests for Syosset students tomorrow night (Tuesday, 1/4/22) at Robbins Lane elementary school from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Based on the success of our distribution yesterday at Syosset High School, we accepted additional registrations, however, we have reached the maximum number of registrations we can safely process for Tuesday night. The online registration form will reopen Tuesday at 8 p.m. for the Thursday evening distribution, also taking place at Robbins Lane from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The Robbins Lane campus is smaller than the high school, therefore, please follow these instructions so we can have another smooth distribution.

1. Please stagger arrival by child’s last name so everyone doesn’t arrive at once:
• A - H 5:00 pm
• I - O 6:00 pm
• P - Z 7:00 pm
2. Please enter at the far south end of the campus into the faculty parking lot.
3. Please have a screenshot of your FamilyID confirmation on your phone to show to the security guard. We cannot provide test kits without a confirmation.
4. Bring a pen. When you arrive, you will be asked to fill out a short form you will leave with us when you receive your test kits.
5. For the safety of staff distributing tests, masks are required to be worn by everyone while picking up the kit(s), even though this is outdoors.
6. When you exit, please turn right as long waits to make a left turn at the stoplight will slow the whole line down.

Any tests remaining after the distribution event on Thursday will be distributed via individual schools to families who have not received test kits yet. Thank you for your patience.

Bus Driver Shortages

Thank you for your patience as we assessed bus driver levels coming back from the break this morning. We were pleased we were able to ensure we had sufficient drivers and could continue in-person education.

Unfortunately, shortages will remain the norm until the current COVID surge ends. We will return to the plan in place when we opened school in the fall:

• If in the evening we are certain that we have too few drivers for the following day, we will announce a pivot to virtual learning for the entire district.
• Otherwise, we will plan to operate on a normal schedule the following day, but it is possible that some drivers may wake up sick and all substitute drivers are already deployed to cover other absences. If a bus run has no driver available, we will communicate directly with the families impacted.
• Ideally, parents of affected students would drive their children to school;
• If that is not possible, we will make other pickup arrangements, but they will be delayed until after another bus has completed all its runs and is free to assist.

We realize this situation is far from ideal. We have consolidated several routes in order to free up additional drivers, and Huntington Coach has been hiring aggressively all fall. But the virus is spreading far faster than newly hired substitutes can be found.

In addition, the early morning elementary school bus pickup for before school activities will be canceled until the situation improves. Therefore, morning orchestra, band, chorus and extra help will be paused at the elementary level, beginning immediately. We will advise you as soon as we are able to resume these programs.

Bright Spot

One advantage to frequent communication is that it allows us to showcase more of our amazing young people! It’s hard to think of a brighter spot on the planet than Times Square in New York City on New Year’s Eve! But that’s where sophomore Alex Chen, junior Alan Huang and 8th grader Katie Yan were featured performing traditional Shaolin Wushu as well as Tai Chi, which originated in the Henan province of China. Take a moment to watch the video and see these Bright Spots shine!

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Digging deep for some more #SyoStamina!

Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope you and your families are safe after this morning’s snow storm. The pivot to virtual instruction for the day allowed us to preserve a day of instruction, which is beneficial at this point in the school year (especially with the unpredictability of the current circumstances), and keep everyone safe.

I’d like to provide some information on the following topics this evening:

• Mask Mandate
• Staffing Update
• COVID-19 Rapid Test Distribution

Mask Executive Order

You may have read that County Executive Bruce Blakeman issued an Executive Order yesterday directing Boards of Education to vote on whether to continue masking in schools. Later that same day, the Commissioner of Education issued a statement to school officials stating that “Counties do not have the legal authority to require boards of education to vote on specific issues”, and that school districts are required to comply with all New York State laws and regulations including the “COVID-19 face-coverings regulation (10 NYCRR 2.60)”.

Staffing Update

Please continue to monitor your email for communications from the District, and have backup plans in place should we need to alter the normal school schedule. We will do our very best to notify you as soon as possible, but in some cases, we may not have a final staffing count until the morning should absences be communicated to us overnight.

Also, as a reminder, due to the current shortage of bus drivers, the early morning elementary school bus pickup for before school activities has been canceled until the staffing situation improves. Consequently, morning orchestra, band, chorus and extra help have been paused at the elementary level. We will advise you as soon as we are able to resume these programs.

COVID-19 Rapid Test kit Distribution

As I mentioned in my update last night, we distributed thousands of rapid test kits to parents this week (and had quite a bit of fun doing it!). It was great to have the opportunity to see so many of you, and we sincerely appreciate the positive feedback we received. A huge thank you to our staff members (and several members of our Board of Education) who braved the cold and worked so hard to distribute the kits so efficiently. We also thank Ms. Panjvani and the Robbins Lane PTA, and the Cheng, Park, and Singer families who all dropped off provisions for the workers!

For anyone who registered to receive a test kit but was unable to pick it up this week, we will be providing instructions on how to pick it up shortly.

You may have noticed that the expiration date indicated on the box of kits is January, 2022. We were initially informed by the State that the tests were covered by the FDA’s 90-day extension of tests, but earlier this afternoon, we were notified that the kits do expire at the end of January. Earlier today, the Governor’s office indicated that additional kits had been ordered and will be delivered to schools. We’ll keep you updated on their status.

Bright Spot

Five years ago, the SHS Association of Creative Thespians began what has become an annual tradition of performing for the residents of the assisted living facility at the Northport Veterans Administration Hospital. Like most organizations, they have had to adapt past practices to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. This holiday season, the students recorded and edited a video performance for the residents and marshaled their artistic resources to create holiday cards to share their appreciation for those who so selflessly served our country. The link to the touching recorded performance is below. I encourage you to watch it and extend the holiday cheer!

ACT Performance for Veterans

Stay safe and warm!
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I’m writing to update you on the weekend’s developments so you can plan for the week.

• All Syosset schools will be open for in-person instruction tomorrow.
• Traditional and virtual snow days.
• Accessing test kits

In-Person Instruction

As of 6:00 pm this evening, all buildings appear to have sufficient staff to open safely for in-person instruction. We have also checked with Huntington Coach and their staffing levels have improved slightly from the end of last week.

Obviously, our goal is to have a predictable system so that parents can plan appropriately. However, the last 2 weeks have shown that things are anything but predictable. We will need to continue to monitor staffing levels on a daily basis for the foreseeable future, and we will update you accordingly.

Rapid Test Kits

Any parents who were unable to sign up or to participate in the drive-through rapid test-kit distribution can sign up to receive test-kits. We were allocated test-kits for students enrolled in Syosset’s K-12 schools. If you have already registered, but were unable to pick up your test-kit, there is no need to re-register as your original registration will be honored.

Register by completing this FamilyID form: Syosset CSD Covid-19 Home Test Kit Registration | FamilyID You will receive a confirmation email. This link will reopen again tonight and remain open for 48 hours.

After the registration window has closed, you will be sent an email with instructions for the next opportunity to pick up the Rapid Home test-kits.

Snow Days

We received some questions about the approach to snow days this year. I mentioned at the December Board of Education meeting that we would approach snow days just as we did last year. By using a combination of virtual instruction and traditional snow days last year, we were able to ensure that we didn’t get backed into a corner late in a year that both weather and COVID had made so unpredictable, and we were able to preserve the breaks later in the year. Our use of the virtual instruction snow day last week makes it more likely that we will have the flexibility to use a traditional snow day in the future.

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I hope everyone remains safe and warm now that winter appears to have officially arrived.

#SyoSnug,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I wanted to update you on an important change that New York State has made to its quarantine and isolation guidance to school districts, effective immediately. These changes reduce the duration of a quarantine or isolation from 10 days to 5 days. There are some other changes in the guidance to share as well:

Quarantine – Students, teachers, or staff who are exposed to COVID-19, but who have not become symptomatic nor tested positive (i.e. close contacts), must quarantine – in case the exposure results in illness.

• The length of the quarantine has been shortened to 5 days from the date of exposure (was 10 days). For the remaining 5 days, the student/staff member must wear a “well-fitting mask” per the CDC.
• The date of exposure is considered “Day 0”, after 5 days of quarantine, the person may return on “Day 6”.
• Exemptions from quarantine have also changed:
  • Fully vaccinated individuals (regardless of booster status) are now exempt from quarantine only for purposes of classroom instruction and riding the bus.
  • To participate in extracurricular activities (after-school and athletics) during the 5 days following an exposure, any individual eligible for a booster (at least age 12 and appropriate interval since 2nd dose) must be fully vaccinated and boosted.
  • When not in school, exempted individuals should still remain in quarantine (i.e. not circulate socially) for 5 days.

Isolation – Students, teachers, or staff who have become symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19, must isolate to avoid transmitting the virus to others.

• The length of the isolation has been shortened from 10 days to 5 days from the date symptoms first appeared (or from the date of the positive test for asymptomatic people);
• Release from isolation is not automatic. Please stay home until the following conditions are met:
  • Symptoms must not persist;
  • The person must be fever-free without medication for 24 hours.

These changes to the guidance will shorten the amount of time students spend receiving virtual instruction, and reduce the disruption to their participation in the school community.

Parents/guardians of students currently in quarantine or isolation will be contacted by email with a recalculated return date and contact information in case of questions.

As a reminder, we have designed the school setting with layered mitigation strategies to avoid transmission of the virus - because there is always the potential for an asymptomatic person to be present in the school setting. As a result of mask wearing, social distancing, and frequent hand washing, we have not seen much evidence of transmission in schools.

Rapid Test Kits

Thank you to everyone who registered to receive test kits. If you are registered on FamilyID (whether you registered a week ago or today) and haven’t received your kit yet, you will be sent an email tomorrow with instructions on how to pick up your kit. If you haven’t registered yet, the FamilyID portal will remain open until 9:00 pm tonight.

• Register by completing this FamilyID form: Syosset CSD Covid-19 Home Test Kit Registration | FamilyID You will receive a confirmation email. This link will remain open until 9:00 pm.
• After the registration window has closed, you will be sent an email with instructions for the next opportunity to pick up the Rapid Home test-kits.

Please be aware that at-home tests are useful for screening purposes but cannot be used for clearance to return to school. And please be sure to closely follow the instructions when taking or administering the tests.

Contact Tracing

Lastly, you may have read that New York State and the local health departments are phasing out contact tracing. The Syosset school district is not doing so at this time - the interview process is important to establish the start and end dates of quarantine/isolation and to notify any potential close contacts so they can protect themselves and their families.
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Bright Spot

Today my administrative cabinet and I met with my “elementary student cabinet” - 5th graders from every elementary school. I love hearing their assessment of how things are going (much more enjoyable than last year!) and their suggestions for how we can make it better. Some top ideas from these young leaders?

• Use all these new technology tools to create opportunities to make friends between the various buildings before going to middle school, maybe through friendly competitions;
• Provide virtual tours of the middle schools so we can visualize the next step in their Syosset journey;
• Take virtual field trips to places that are important to our parents or grandparents so we can share aspects of our family’s culture or history with our friends and classmates;
• Keep adding back fun events like Friday PJ day, Turkey Trots, and class parties; and …
• More experiments in science! (OK...who told them I was a science major in college???)

Brilliant ideas!! Challenge accepted!!

Our kids… So #SyoSmart!
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Thank you for your patience as we’ve worked through a challenging 2 weeks of school marked by staffing and busing difficulties, bad weather and the highest levels of community spread that we’ve seen so far.

I’d like to express appreciation for the extraordinary job our teachers and substitutes have done covering for colleagues and shifting support for students who are out of school due to COVID restrictions. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also thank our building leaders for solving the shifting jigsaw puzzle of coverages every day.

We have also been working through shifting iterations of safety guidelines from the State, with the most impactful by far being the reduction in the amount of time required for Isolation (for COVID-positive individuals) and Quarantine (for those deemed “close contacts”) from 10 days to 5 days.

While we have been communicating new information and updates frequently to keep the community apprised on a timely basis, we recognize it may be challenging to stay on top of each new development. Therefore, we’ve put together a document summarizing the recent changes and what’s most important to know about the updated health and safety protocols in our schools. We are also providing links to helpful State documents that outline the rules and provide Question and Answer format information for parents:

New York State’s Approach to Isolation and Quarantine | Department of Health (ny.gov)
FAQ for Schools_01.13.22.pdf (ny.gov)

Clearance for Physical Education and Sports After a COVID-19 Infection

In rare instances, students who have recovered from COVID-19 may have some lingering cardiac health issues. Our district physician has advised that students should receive clearance from a family physician before returning to Physical Education class or participating on a sports team. However, given the challenges of scheduling such appointments at this time, we have developed a screening questionnaire and waiver option for parents. Should your child become ill, the school nurse will give you more information on this topic.

Early Morning Bus Runs

We are happy to announce that the early morning bus runs at the elementary level will resume after the long weekend on Tuesday, January 18, and therefore morning orchestra, band, chorus and extra help will also resume on Tuesday.

Breakfast and Lunch Menu Substitutions

The District’s food service provider, Aramark, has been grappling with the nation-wide supply shortages impacting many industries. As a result, some substitutions to the breakfast and lunch menus may be necessary at times. Thank you for your understanding.

Bright Spot

I am so proud of the many efforts by our student body to give back over the holidays. I’m sure this year started off a little brighter for many local children as a result of the toy drives held at both middle schools. At South Woods, the combined Future Leaders of America and Student Council drive benefitted the Michael Magro Foundation, whose mission is to better the lives of children with cancer and other chronic pediatric illnesses. And toys collected by HBT students benefited Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, which has been making a positive difference in the lives of Long Island’s youth by developing and implementing a wide range of mentoring programs for over 40 years. What a great way to spread lasting holiday cheer!

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The juxtaposition of the pandemic’s most dramatic surge against this weekend’s celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. bring to mind Dr. King’s thoughts on perseverance:

“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

COVID case counts in Nassau County have been falling in the last few days, lending optimism that our perseverance may have sustained us through the winter peak. There were days last week when our staffing challenges nearly did bring us to a crawl. But if we can continue to follow Dr. King’s example of relentlessly moving forward, we know we will eventually come out on the other side and on our feet again.

#Syostrong
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope you were as delighted as I was to see this morning’s Newsday with Syosset seniors Ethan Chiu and Rohan Ghotra featured on the front page as Finalists in the prestigious Regeneron science competition. We are wishing them well (and keeping our fingers crossed) as they head to Washington DC for the final round of the competition. And it occurs to me that every student in our science research program is a winner – having worked since middle school to develop the skills and knowledge needed to pursue high-level research (we had 17 students prepare competition-worthy submissions this year!). That deep preparation will serve them well, no matter what their future holds. Ethan and Rohan are wonderful representatives for their peers, and for a program that illustrates the amazing synergy created through years of hard work and great teaching. Good luck!

COVID Update

The possible turning point in the Omicron surge I discussed at the January Board of Education meeting has persisted and we’re all relieved to see the number of cases falling sharply from their peak, which, in turn, has meant better student and staff attendance. It’s hard to believe that just 14 days ago, we were planning to close the High School if it hadn’t snowed. 

This favorable trend has lent a sense of relief that I share, but we are not out of the woods yet. The average daily case count for Nassau County still remains more than 25% above the peak of the January 2021 surge. Fortunately, current COVID cases appear to be less likely to result in severe disease, either because the Omicron variant produces milder symptoms, or because of the protective effect of vaccines (or perhaps both). Nevertheless, hospitalizations are slightly higher than last January and the more serious Delta variant still makes up about 1 in 8 cases in the US. Put another way, if this ratio is reflective of Nassau County, there is still about as much Delta variant in circulation now as there was last November before Omicron arrived. 

All of which is to illustrate that our optimism is not a reason to abandon caution. If anything, caution is likely contributing to these favorable trends that we all want to continue. We have not stopped focusing closely on this data and, just as we did last year, we are looking forward to methodically reintroducing more of the activities that make a Syosset school experience so special, as the situation hopefully continues to improve.  

COVID Rapid Tests

The District has COVID rapid tests available at the nurse’s offices in each of our 10 buildings and we’re starting to see some continuing availability in our short-term supply chain from the State. So, if you need access to an additional rapid test, please contact your school’s main office or write to parentportal@syossetschools.org to arrange pickup. 

Bright Spot 

When I first arrived on Long Island in 2010, I had the privilege of serving on the Executive Committee of the Long Island Arts Alliance when fellow board member Hon. Regent Roger Tilles was spearheading an initiative to develop a recognition for artists akin to the Scholar-Athlete designation. The “LIAA Scholar-Artist” award was born and since its inception, Syosset has had a remarkable 15 students achieve this wonderful recognition. This year, that honor belongs to Max Bass and Kayley Ji who have both been featured in Newsday. We’re so proud of them and of our amazing programs in the fine and performing arts!!

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It’s still cold out there! So bundle up, stay safe, and have a great weekend!

#Syostrong,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Obviously, this has been an eventful week because of the unfolding legal developments regarding the State’s indoor mask mandate and its impact on school buildings. This afternoon, we were sent the following message from the NYS Education Department updating schools on the status of those developments.

“Earlier this week, the Appellate Division, Second Department issued a stay order which upheld the Department of Health’s mask requirement in schools (10 NYCRR 2.60). Although the court set a hearing deadline for today, the State Education Department has confirmed that this deadline pertained only to written submissions. SED anticipates that the court will issue a further ruling in the coming weeks. Until such time, the mask rule remains in effect. School districts must also abide by any commitment to mask wearing contained in their publicly posted reopening plans for the 2021-2022 school year.” (emphasis in original)

Based on the above, we anticipate that the mask requirement will be in place for school on Monday and we will continue to keep the community informed of any further developments.

Snow Storm

Due to the impending snow storm, all weekend activities planned to take place at our school buildings, whether sponsored by the District or a community organization, will be canceled to provide our staff with time to clear the snow safely. Additionally, the COVID rapid test sites operating at the old Woodbury School and the high school will be closed Saturday, and will reopen at noon on Sunday.

COVID Rapid Test Kits

Our supply of rapid tests is steadily becoming more robust. If you need kits for any reason, please contact the nurse’s office at your child’s school to arrange to pick them up at your convenience.

Continuing Education

We’re getting ready to kick off the spring semester of our popular Continuing Education program. You should have received the catalog outlining the courses this past week. You can also find the catalog on our website. We’ve added some exciting new courses for the spring taught by our stellar Syosset faculty members, so I encourage you to take a look. Registrations can be mailed in or there will be an in-person registration event taking place on the evening of February 7th.

Information from the NCPD

Nassau County Commissioner of Police Patrick Ryder recently shared important information regarding the distribution of counterfeit prescription medication in a letter shared with school districts to raise awareness of this issue. This letter can be found here: Counterfeit_Prescription_Pills_Laced_with_Fentanyl.pdf

Bright Spot

I often say there is nothing that can stop our incredible Syosset students, and that’s especially true when they band together to accomplish lofty goals. SHS sophomores Aliyah Berkowitz, Samantha Elicks, Mia Kay, Julia Kessman, Ava Lubman, Neeka Oghli, Olivia Rollo, and Jessica Yao collaborated to establish Life’s Angels Kids, an organization that raises money to help local neighbors in need. To raise funds, the students marketed and executed a virtual Bingo Night in the fall that raised over $8,000 for Life’s Angels beneficiaries. The students are now brainstorming on their next event, and I can’t wait to see what they are able to accomplish next.
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As a reminder, schools will be closed on Tuesday of next week in observance of Lunar New Year.

Please stay safe during the storm.

#SyoSnow,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Late yesterday, we were informed by the Department of Health that the FDA granted an extension to the expiration date of the CareStart COVID-19 Antigen Home Test kits provided by the state and distributed by the school district earlier this month. At the time of distribution, the review of the shelf-life was not yet complete and as such, we were advised to follow the expiration date printed on the box. The review is now complete, and it has been confirmed the test kits have an extended shelf life through April 30, 2022.

Complete information is available from the manufacturer at: https://accessbio.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/CareStart-COVID-19-Ag-Home-Test_Exp-Date-Extension-Notification_01.pdf.

As a reminder, should you need additional test kits, a new supply is available at each school building. Please contact the nurse’s office to arrange pick up.

Sincerely,
Syosset Central School District

Dear Syosset Community,

As reported by the media last night, a state appellate court granted a full stay on the mask mandate for indoor places, including schools, for the duration of the state’s appeal. Until a ruling on the lawsuit has been issued, the mask regulation will remain in effect for all schools in the state.

We will continue to keep you updated as information becomes available.

Sincerely,
Syosset Central School District

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope everyone stays safe during tonight’s unsettled weather. Every time we have a storm like the one last weekend, my appreciation for all of the people who dig us out is renewed. After being reminded how much effort my own little driveway takes, I then multiply it by the acres of parking lots, sidewalks, rescue windows and assembly points our folks must clear to keep us running, not to mention the hundreds of miles of plowing the Town must do. Wow and thanks!

Kindergarten Registration

It’s that exciting time of year again when we prepare to welcome a new class of lifelong learners to the District! Kindergarten registration for the 2022-2023 school year is now open. Information can be found on our website. Please feel free to pass this information on to neighbors who do not yet have children in the District and may not yet be on our mailing list. The earlier we know who is coming, the better we can prepare for their arrival!

COVID Test Site Operating Hours

As the demand for testing has declined over the past couple of weeks (this is a good thing!), the hours for the testing site operating on the high school campus will be adjusted to 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekends. The site operating at the old Woodbury Grade School will continue to operate between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Please also note both sites will be closed on President’s Day, Monday, February 21, but will be open the remainder of the school break.

COVID Update

The very encouraging news is that COVID rates continue to fall sharply. However, it’s a sign of the extremity of the recent Omicron surge that even after several weeks of steep decline, COVID cases still remain elevated above the Delta peak of last September. Over the past 23 months, we have made tremendous progress methodically and deliberately restoring as many pre-pandemic activities as possible. While that progress was understandably paused while we endured the Omicron surge that nearly shut us down, we will soon fall below the Delta surge levels and resume those efforts.

We will soon make a series of announcements about:

• in-person activities for elementary families being planned once the weather improves,
• in-person Kindergarten and new (elementary) parent orientations,
• changes to indoor athletic spectator limitations,
• wonderful activities planned to recognize our “graduating” 5th graders, and
• some new conveniences in how building operations are structured that we think parents will appreciate.

Most importantly, despite the incredible Omicron surge, we didn’t retreat, and we are now regaining our forward momentum. Many of these updates will come from your building principal, so keep an eye on your email.

Bright Spot

Last year, I told you about then HBT, now SHS, student Henry Berkowitz’s impressive efforts to raise funds for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). His younger sibling Chloe Berkowitz is now making her own contributions to the organization, continuing a family tradition that started with their grandmother Rosemary Aace. Chloe, a fifth grade student at A.P. Willits, put together a team that raised more than $5,000 for the 20th Annual NAMI Collier County Walk at Baker Park, FL. That’s pretty impressive for anyone, especially a 10-year old! And it’s an important reminder for all of us of the importance of maintaining good mental health. Great job Chloe!

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I know the last 2 months have taken a toll on all of us, staff and community alike, and in many ways they’ve been the hardest months of the pandemic so far. Last year there were 574 cases of COVID identified in the Syosset school district for the entire 2020-21 school year; this year we have had almost twice as many — 1,124 — just since Christmas Eve. But I’ve also been amazed at our resilience and perseverance in the face of this adversity and I’m relieved that the wave has passed and we’ve regained our footing and restarted our progress.

Stay #Syostrong,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

As they do most years, many elementary schools today marked the 100th day of school with fun learning activities centered around the number “100.” I joined the staff welcoming students to Berry Hill where we celebrated the culminating event of a week of efforts to reduce bullying, promote kindness and support mental wellness: “PS: I Love You Day”! I was serenaded by some first grade Kindness Rangers with a hearty rendition of “Kindness is a Muscle” (“Gotta flex it everyday! We kids will show you the way!”).

For me, today was a milestone of another sort as well. On March 13, 2020, we had just learned of a potential COVID exposure to a member of our learning community and had announced that we would be closing the following Monday to assess how to proceed safely. Sensing the gravity of where we were headed, the administrative team gathered their courage as we contemplated our next steps. Though we all felt sobered, I left them with this thought — no matter what happens next, our job is very simple: make one day’s worth of good decisions, sleep, and repeat. Today marks the 700th day of doing our very best to keep people safe and keep kids learning against the backdrop of evolving: research, variants, regulations, and community sentiments.

At the Board meeting Monday night, we had a wonderful presentation from our 4 Regeneron winners, explaining their award-winning research. Their advisor, Ms. Ade, calls this competition “the Nobel prize” of student research, and they were indeed amazing. In my report, I also:

• reported on encouraging trends in COVID data showing the Omicron surge appears to be in its last phase;
• highlighted the many activities that we have restored in the schools since the pandemic started, and
• outlined the next group of activities to restart now that our “pause” during the Omicron surge is coming to an end.

Looking Forward

By now, the elementary principals have each communicated to their learning communities more detail about those next steps. At the secondary level we’ve tweaked the ventilation and filtration system in the high school gymnasium to support more spectator participation as we enter the senior night and playoff season. As more activities are restored, principals will continue to communicate with their families.

At the conclusion of Monday’s meeting, the Board of Education decided to send a letter to Governor Hochul and Health Commissioner Bassett requesting detail about the data and benchmarks the State is using to inform their decision-making around COVID mitigation measures, so the District can better anticipate when they might change, to assist with planning and thus avoid the disruption caused by abrupt changes in protocols.

Mask Mandate

Yesterday, an effort to have the State’s highest court to overturn the “stay” issued by the Appellate Division proved unsuccessful, so the existing mask mandate remains in force. According to Governor Hochul, although masks are no longer required in businesses, changes in mask requirements for schools are unlikely to take place until sometime after the February break.

Bright Spot

Over the last couple of weeks, students across the District thoughtfully crafted Valentine’s Day cards for veterans to express their gratitude to our brave service men and women. The cards are filled with artwork and inspirational messages sure to warm hearts and spread kindness beyond our school walls. Through a program organized by the Town of Oyster Bay, the cards will be delivered to veterans at American Legion and Veteran of Foreign War (VFW) Posts, as well as hospitals and nursing homes.

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Just before I sign off, I want to send positive thoughts to all of our athletic teams in the playoffs, with a special mention for our Hockey club, competing in the Semi-finals against Massapequa at Long Beach Arena later tonight at 9:15 pm and Boys Fencing competing against Great Neck in the County final at Valley Stream Central at noon tomorrow. Good luck to all!!

#SyoSports!
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

What an apropos week for third grade students at Robbins Lane to experiment with constructing houses built to withstand a hurricane as part of their current science unit! I hope you were all safe during the blustery conditions overnight and today.

The District has been buzzing with excitement and activity lately. The students (and staff) have been having so much fun engaging in activities centered around Spirit Week, Global Day of Play, Random Act of Kindness Day, Olympic celebrations, and playoff runs for athletic teams.

Before we take a break for Presidents Week recess, I have just a few updates to share.

COVID Test Sites

As a reminder, both COVID test sites operating on our campuses will be closed on Monday, February 21, in observance of Presidents Day. The site operating at the old Woodbury Grade School will reopen on Tuesday and remain open during the break. The site operating at the high school will reopen on Saturday, February 26.

Additionally, please be aware that we will not be reporting positive cases to the community during the break. We will resume reporting the week of February 28.

Art Exhibit at Syosset Library

If you’re looking for something to do over the break, stop by the Syosset Library where you’ll find HBT student artwork displayed in the Children’s section.

Bright Spot

I’m so proud of all the student-athletes in the Syosset Athletic program and am continually blown away by their success. We’re looking forward to celebrating the accomplishments of all our winter student athletes at the March Board of Education meeting taking place on March 21, but here are a few of the most recent highlights.

• Girls Basketball (playing the quarterfinals at 5:00 tonight)
• Boys Basketball (playing the quarterfinals tomorrow at noon)
• Varsity Girls Gymnastics won the Nassau County Championship, with 8 All-County gymnasts, and 4 All-State gymnasts.
• Varsity Cheerleading competed in the National competition in Orlando, and will be competing in the County Championship this Sunday at Hofstra.
• Boys Swimming and Diving team - 4-time county champions, and 10 boys qualified for the State meet
• Girls Track 4 x 8 relay team were named County Champions
• Boys Track Team was named Team County Champions
• Two of our wrestlers will be competing at States

There’s even more good news to share. We’re going to have a full Winter Season wrap-up in our next update! Good luck to the Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball teams in their quarterfinal matches tonight and tomorrow!

Bonus Bright Spot

An email found its way to me from the Section VIII Winter Track organizers that had this wonderful little story in it.
“On the boys side it came down to the final heats of the night. Syosset was in the "fast" heat of the 4 x 2 and Massapequa was in the "fastest" heat of the 4 x 2. Whichever team finished ahead was going to win. Syosset pulled it out from the 3rd heat to win 80 - 77. One of my favorite moments of the entire week came when the boys team scores were announced. Without any prompting from either coaching staff, the Syosset and Massapequa athletes came together on the infield to congratulate each other and show the level of respect they each had for the competition that night. An incredible show of sportsmanship after battling all night.”

I can’t tell you how much I love these glimpses of sportsmanship from our athletes (and their rivals!). I’m obviously thrilled with their success, but truly proud of their character.

I wish you all a wonderful, restful break next week. Safe travels to anyone on the move.

#SyoSportsmanship,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Earlier today, Governor Hochul announced that the mask mandate in schools would no longer be in effect as of Wednesday, March 2nd.

Accordingly, masks will be required in schools tomorrow (Monday 2/28/22) and Tuesday (3/1/22). However, wearing masks will become optional beginning on Wednesday (3/2/22). Students or staff may continue to wear masks if they choose. Effective 3/2/22, individuals will no longer be required to wear masks indoors (masks have been optional outdoors since last spring).

Although the CDC is amending its guidance on mask wearing on buses, during her press conference, Governor Hochul indicated that this change is still under review in New York. Accordingly, mask wearing will be required on buses for now. 

We have been informed that the State will be issuing updated guidance to school districts shortly. Once that guidance has been made available, we will summarize it and issue an FAQ document to the community that will hopefully address questions around implementation.

As a community, we have done a remarkable job of pulling together during these past 2 years. As we move into a phase where people will make differing choices with a very visible mitigation measure, it will be important for every member of the learning community, adults and students alike, to respect the choices others make and to treat everyone with the same kindness and understanding we would want for ourselves. 

I hope everyone had a peaceful and restful break.

Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Tomorrow will mark an important milestone in our recovery from the pandemic. Mask wearing will become optional in schools and school buses effective Wednesday March 2, 2022.

From the initial days of remote learning and the first reopened classrooms full of plexiglas, we have come a long way to this point. It’s worth celebrating what we’ve accomplished as a community.

Our strategy has been to use layered mitigation until such time as risks could be reduced through other means such as:

• readily available vaccination,
• widespread availability of COVID testing, 
• more effective treatments, and 
• reduced COVID incidence.

As each of the first three items on that list became available and as we’ve learned more about what health and safety protocols are most effective, we have methodically restored many of our pre-pandemic activities, digesting the impact of each change before making another. That strategy has served us well - even during the height of the Omicron surge we did not have to retreat, only to briefly pause.

Now that COVID incidence has dropped to levels not seen since last July, making masks optional will be a very significant next step, and over the course of the remainder of this week, we will be focused on helping students feel comfortable with that transition – making sure everyone feels supported, that no one is treated differently depending on whether or not they choose to wear a mask, and hoping everyone pulls together as a community.

I apologize for the late hour of this communication. We had been awaiting updated guidance from the NYS Department of Health which just arrived and addressed the issue with making masks optional on school buses. Over the next day, we will review this new guidance with our attorneys to produce an FAQ document for the staff and community. Over the coming weeks, we are looking forward to methodically taking advantage of any other opportunities within the guidance to continue returning to a more familiar school environment. However, until that review is complete, we will not make any other changes beyond making masks optional. 

At some point, I’ll have to determine what is the right decision for me personally; but for the next little while if you see me indoors, I’ll have a mask on — because my extended family just welcomed 2 preemie newborns into the world and I hope to keep them safe when we get the chance to finally meet them. But my personal circumstances illustrate that we shouldn’t try to read too much into other folks’ decisions. Our choices may be dictated by our circumstances as much as our preferences, and we can all spare one another a little grace. 

#AltogetherSyo,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Warm greetings on this chilly day! Though we’ve only just said good-bye to February, spring somehow seems nearer than ever. 

I want to start by complimenting our amazing students who took this week’s major development of optional masking totally in stride. As they have with all of the twists and turns of the last 2 years, our students have shown agility and resiliency far beyond what I would have expected or imagined, and they once again led by example through one of our biggest transitions yet. 

We have reviewed the updated guidance issued by the State along with an accompanying FAQ document and have released our own FAQ, which we hope will answer questions we’ve been getting. The major changes of note are:

• Face masks are now optional for students and staff both in school and on buses;
• The “3-foot” exemption to the determination of “close contact” does not apply if either student is unmasked — therefore, we anticipate larger numbers of students being deemed close contacts for any individual case in school.
• But, asymptomatic close contacts will no longer be excluded from school (i.e. quarantined) – irrespective of vaccination status – as long as they remain masked in school for 10 days and undergo COVID testing in the first 5 days post-exposure. 
• Individuals recovering from COVID may return to school after 5 days of isolation, but must remain masked in school on days 6-10 (where the first day of symptoms is considered “Day 0”). 

Unchanged is the weekly requirement for unvaccinated staff to be COVID-tested. Also unchanged (for now) are other aspects of our health and safety protocols. However, over the coming weeks, we are looking forward to carefully considering other opportunities within the guidance to continue returning to a more familiar school environment. Given the differing physical configurations of the buildings, it may not be practical for every change to be uniform.

There are some aspects of the State’s documents that appear ambiguous, so for safety’s sake we’re implementing the most conservative interpretations until clarifications are issued. 

As this week comes to a close, the impact from travel over the February break has been modest, and case counts both in Nassau and locally continue to fall. We will monitor the impact of this week’s protocol changes to masking, close contact, and quarantine before making other significant changes.

SHS Musical - “The Addams Family”

Syosset High School's Theatre Arts Spring musical is The Addams Family.  Performances will take place Thursday, March 10 (7 pm), Friday, March 11 (7:30 pm), Saturday, March 12 (7:30 pm) and Sunday, March 13 (2 pm). Plenty of tickets remain for purchase online at www.syossettheatre.com. This show is appropriate for audiences of all ages.  

Winter Athletics Successes

What an incredible winter season for our athletes! We still have several teams competing, so we will do a complete roundup of all our teams in a future update as well as recognize our athletes at the April Board of Education meeting. Still competing are:

Girls Basketball – Competing in the Nassau County Championships this weekend!
Gymnastics – Competing in the NY State Championships this weekend!
Competitive Kickline – Competing at Nationals this week!
Boys Swimming – Competing in the NY State Championships this weekend!
Boys & Girls Winter Track – Competing in the NY State Championships this weekend!

Bright Spot

I was treated to a visit at Village Elementary yesterday, hosted by two 5th grade members of my “Student Cabinet.” As they were proudly showing me around their school, they stopped to have me pose in front of a sign with an important message. Later, as we participated in a kindergarten art class, my guides began spontaneously assisting the younger students with their cleanup. Thanks, Matteo and Meera, both for the tour and for setting such a good example of kindness yourselves!

#AltogetherSyo

Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

We have just completed our second week with masking optional in schools and I want to share my pride in how well our students (and our staff) have adapted. Our incredible students have navigated the shifting demands and protocols of the last 2 years with remarkable agility and poise, and the last 2 weeks have been no exception. Everyone has different comfort levels and circumstances, and we’ve all been great at giving one another a little space - sometimes literal space - in order for us all to keep forging ahead. 

Yesterday, Nassau fell to 7 daily cases per 100,000 residents for the first time since last July. As case numbers continue to fall, we will continue to restore pre-pandemic activities and protocols. Starting next week, we will remove temperature scanning from the arrival protocol (but please assess your child each morning and keep them home if they feel unwell). We are also now reporting COVID cases online, instead of by email. We will also suspend testing of athletes in “high-risk” sports for the Spring season. 

Planning is well underway for spring concerts and other events and we’re looking forward to accommodating larger audiences and more typical performances. Speaking of which, I attended the SHS school musical – The Addams Family – last night and I was blown away by the quality of the production! Great seats are still available for this weekend’s performances!

The Winter sports season has finally wrapped up. We’ve compiled a complete list of all of the amazing performances and accolades earned by our student athletes here - you’ll see why it is so hard to do them all justice in this brief update. But special recognition goes to our kickline team which this week won the National Championship in “Small Varsity Hip Hop.” Congratulations to all our athletes and coaches for another outstanding season.

Congratulations too, to South Woods Middle School for winning the 4th annual “Hackathon.” What’s a hackathon? I’m glad you asked! It’s a computer coding competition where student teams with the quickest and most elegant solutions to challenging problems accumulate wins. A Syosset team has won 3 of the 4 years, even as the competition has grown from 10 teams to 19 teams. Our approach has been to treat coding from a very early age like a form of literacy – understanding how computers use algorithms to break down complex problems into simple logical tasks which can be reassembled as results. #SyoProud of the teams and their teachers!

Bright Spot

And, speaking of teachers, we’re also proud of Krista Hachadoorian (HBT) being named a NYS Master Teacher and Carisa Steinberg (SHS) being named a Harvard Club of LI’s Distinguished Teacher. You both represent our community and your colleagues so well, and our students are the beneficiaries of your dedication and expertise.

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Two years ago today was our last day of regular classes before the shut down. Seeing the high school musical reminded me of that last performance of The Little Mermaid just before things changed so dramatically. It’s wonderful to be getting back to normal. Have a terrific weekend!

#AltogetherSyo,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope everyone who had the opportunity to attend the high school production of The Addams Family and the HBT production of Legally Blonde Jr. The Musical was as entertained and impressed as I was. It is so refreshing to see our students back on stage in front of a live audience following their passions and displaying their incredible talent. Congratulations to the casts and crews of both productions! If you missed the high school play, we’ll be showing a video montage on Monday night at the monthly Board of Education meeting. The Varsity Kickline hip hop team will also be performing live the routine that won the Small Varsity Hip Hop 2022 National Championship!

COVID Testing

With the decline in case numbers, there has been a corresponding decrease in demand for COVID testing. Therefore, testing at the Syosset High School site has been paused at this time. All COVID tests will take place at the old Woodbury Grade School site. Please click here should you need to schedule an appointment for a test.

Bright Spots

I take great pride in the charitable endeavors of Syosset students, which have had profound positive impacts both locally and globally. This week, I’d like to highlight two such amazing efforts currently underway.

• The Syosset High School Student Government is partnering with the Brooke Jackman Foundation and hosting a donation drive to aid Ukrainian refugees. They’re collecting supplies for comfort backpacks for Ukrainian children, general supplies for refugees, and monetary donations. And … Student Government has pledged to double the donations received up to $5,000! Collection bins are available at the school buildings and information on making a donation can be found here.
• Last year I told you about “The 364”, an organization started by brothers and SHS students Joseph and Jake Gagliano to help those in need on Long Island (the name serves to remind that giving back to the community should be a year-round endeavor, not a once-a-year activity). Avid hockey players and fans, they’ve turned their passion into an event to raise funds to help families of those diagnosed with ALS pay for necessary home remodeling or healthcare costs. Syosset’s club hockey team will be playing a south shore rival. The brothers say: the game is “not about who wins, but who it helps.” I say: doing what you love while helping others in need is a win-win even before the first face-off. The game will take place on April 8th and tickets are only $10. Here is the flyer for more information.

Enjoy this weekend’s wonderful spring-like weather!

#AltogetherSyo
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

While I’m not one to get overly invested in rankings, it’s no reason not to celebrate good news. Niche recently ranked Syosset as the 2nd Best Place to Raise a Family in New York, and the 5th best in the country. The Syosset School District is currently ranked as the 9th Best School District in America by Niche. I’m honored to be a part of this community and proud of the relationships between parents, students, community leaders, and the school district that all contribute to making this one of the best places to live and raise a family.

2022-2023 Budget

At Monday evening’s Board of Education meeting, the second school budget information session was held to review the Program section of the budget. As we’re coming out of the pandemic, the District has seen some enrollment growth, and as you would expect, we anticipate some significant increases for health care and fuel costs. For more detail, the presentation can be found here.

COVID Protocols

We’ve had some questions about the COVID-related protocols that remain in place. We’ve updated our one-page overview of the most important things to know about illness, exposure, and isolation. It can be found here on the website. As always, please reach out to the school nurse at your child’s building with any questions or concerns.

District Calendar

At Monday evening’s monthly Board of Education meeting, the 2021-22 calendar was amended to move the school closure date for Eid-al-Fitr from Tuesday, May 3, 2022, to Monday, May 2, 2022. Additionally, the 2022-23 calendar was amended to reflect that schools will be closed on April 21, 2023, for Eid-al-Fitr. Updated calendars can be found here. I understand shifts to school closure dates can be troublesome and we are now working with a national organization to ensure our future calendars accommodate our diverse community without disruptions.

Bright Spot

It is so nice having students back in person at the monthly Board of Education meetings. This Monday was particularly exciting as Student Government President Caroline Zhu gave a report on the dizzying number of initiatives under way at Syosset High School. She was followed by an exciting and entertaining video montage showcasing highlights of the high school production of The Addams Family. I’m still startled by the talent of the cast and crew, and a comedy was just what we all needed. If you missed it, you can see the video here. (A special thank you to Ms. Eliassof for putting it together!)

And the fun didn’t stop there. Syosset Varsity Kickline's Hip Hop team was recently named the Small Varsity Hip Hop National Champions 2022 at the NDA National Championship Competition in Orlando, FL, and we were treated to a live performance of their winning routine. The energy was infectious and the talent amazing, with the cheers from the audience adding to the fun. What a way to start the week!

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The first few days of Spring sports are among my favorite days of the year. The fields, the track, and the tennis courts are full of student athletes preparing for the season, the winter weather has finally broken and the energy always feels like a renewal. That feeling was particularly palpable this year. Hoping for more bright spring days for us all!

#AltogetherSyo
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

This week, 368 Syosset seniors were inducted into the National Honor Society (NHS) and, for the first time since 2019, we were able to honor the students during an in-person event. The National Honor Society students work incredibly hard to earn high grades, participate in school activities, and provide service to their Syosset peers and community. The Society honors not only academic achievement, but also integrity and community engagement, exemplified by the four pillars of the National Honor Society (scholarship, service, leadership, and character). These qualities are reflected in Syosset’s commitment to prepare our students to take agency of themselves, their communities, and society as a whole.

Membership in NHS does not come easy, but this group of students has had to overcome more obstacles than most, being part of a class that had 3 of their 4 high school years impacted by the stresses of the pandemic and the instructional inconsistencies it created. Their resolve and perseverance make their accomplishment all the more remarkable. Click here for a list of the newly inducted National Honor Society members.

As we’ve navigated the challenges of the last two years, the mental well-being of our students has been a principal area of our focus. Since 2017, we have hired 4 social workers, including persons bilingual in Mandarin and Spanish, and this year, we have recommended that the Board add an additional 1.5 full time social workers for the fall. Mental wellness is also an area where we’ve seen our students amplify their involvement and voice. Recently four student leaders from the Bring Change to Mind club at the high school, Celina Chen, Griffin Gurewicz, Jia Walia, and Scott Wong, attended the Nassau County Youth Wellness Summit. The students, along with Ms. O’Rourke, social worker, and Ms. Jones, special education teacher, had the opportunity to engage with other Nassau County schools in workshops and discussions on mental health, coping skills, leadership, self-esteem, healthy relationships, and effective communication. The knowledge gained will further empower the students to carry out their mission of raising mental health awareness, encouraging dialogue, and eliminating mental health stigma. I’ve been so impressed by the events the student members of this club have held at the high school, such as test anxiety workshops, relaxation stations, gratitude tables, and more, and I admire their hard work and dedication to this important work.

Bright Spot

We all know how important it is to show gratitude, and just how good it feels to be appreciated. The Bring Change to Mind club members recently wanted to show their appreciation for the high school faculty and staff. Club members worked hard to put together over 300 wellness bags with items to remind the staff they are cared for and appreciated. The bags included notes of appreciation from the National Art Honor Society students, and students in the Work-Based Learning program assisted in delivering the bags to faculty and staff. It was a wonderful collaboration that brightened spirits all through the building!

No April Fools’ Day jokes from me - just a wish for a wonderful weekend as we hopefully shed the frigid air and head into warmer weather!

#SyoSpring,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

It has been great to see the transition to spring sports. After a frigid start to the season, the weather is finally catching up with the calendar. We’re also excited for many of the culminating concerts that highlight our students’ progress throughout the year.

This spring, we have enjoyed gradually adding back other activities and in-person events that are important parts of this season, and we certainly want to continue our momentum. However, we also promised to monitor conditions and alert the public of any concerning trends.

Since early March, there has been a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in Nassau County and our local area, but fortunately nothing quite like the steep surge seen last December. Nevertheless, in the past 10 days, there have been 84 cases identified in our learning community. We haven’t experienced a similar 10-day period since the end of January 2022.

In light of these trends, we want to share 3 things:

1. We’re not quite out of the woods yet. The current trend is attributed to the BA.2 subvariant which appears to be the most transmissible yet. Even during the initial Omicron surge, instances of potential school-related transmission in Syosset were very rare, but have become much more frequent in the last month.
2. We’ll return to the bi-weekly reports. Given this recent experience, we are informing all parents in a classroom where multiple cases have been identified and reporting building-level data to the community twice weekly again. Positive cases are also posted to the website in the COVID-19 section, where you will also find information on the health and safety protocols in place.
3. We’re offering reminders. Thankfully, COVID-19 symptoms in children resulting from the 2 subvariants currently in circulation have typically been mild, often mistaken for those from the common cold or allergies that are common this time of year. Still, we do not want the spread to accelerate, so please carefully review the following reminders:

• Please closely monitor your child(ren) for symptoms.
• As was always the case prior to COVID, if your child develops symptoms of illness, do not send them to school. As before, consult with your pediatrician and notify the school nurse.
• A child who has been exposed to COVID and subsequently develops symptoms is presumed positive (even if a rapid home test is negative) until you’ve consulted with your school’s nurse.
• If your child is identified as a close contact, you will be contacted by the school and notified of what to do next. Please monitor your email for notifications.

As we head into the April break, we are fortunate to have an ample supply of home COVID test kits available for families at the nurse’s office in every building. To request COVID home tests, please contact your child’s school’s health office. The kits may be especially helpful if you are planning to travel over the Spring Recess.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our community healthy and safe. We will continue to keep you updated with any new developments.

Sincerely,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Having gotten the more practical news out of the way earlier this week, tonight’s message can be devoted entirely to:

Bright Spots

1. I had a wonderful beginning to the week with a visit to Walt Whitman where I met with students in Ms. Schaefer’s class. The students had worked in groups to each send me a single Pringles potato chip through the US Mail. As you might imagine, there was quite a bit of imagination (not to mention cellophane tape!) used in packaging the chips so they wouldn’t be damaged in transit. I returned the packages to the classroom and the kids opened them with excitement. Not every chip survived the journey intact, but every child was a winner for learning how engineers design, prototype, test, and iterate their inventions.
2. A quick word of appreciation for our wonderful Syosset Fire Department. Not only do they keep us safe, they annually help our physics students test the laws of gravity by dropping pumpkins from a ladder truck. This week, the ladder truck gave us a little more practical assistance - helping us repair a flagpole whose rope had snapped. Always ready to help with things both big and small, SFD is the best!
3. A few weeks ago, I told you about the Syosset High School Student Government’s plan for a donation drive to aid Ukrainian refugees. I’m happy and most certainly not surprised to report that it was a huge success. Collection bins were overflowing in all our school buildings. Students from South Woods and Berry Hill teamed up with the high school students to collect, sort and assemble supplies to fill 250 backpacks for children, plus collect 50 bags of clothing, medical supplies, food, and toiletries, AND collect over $8,800 in donations. And at Baylis, students and staff partnered with the Baylis PTA and parents to collect, sort, and pack 5 carloads of donations including warm clothing, medical supplies, and personal hygiene products. The items were delivered to the Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lindenhurst on Saturday, March 26th. What truly remarkable efforts by students across the school district.

As a reminder, next Thursday begins our spring recess. Schools will be closed on Thursday and Friday, and the following week.

#AltogetherSyo,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Monday night, we brought back a wonderful event, the Syosset Council of PTAs’ Reflections Awards Ceremony. The event was held outdoors, but the crisp evening air couldn’t chill the warmth we felt for these student winners, who each had their own special take on this year’s Reflections theme: “I Will Change the World By…” I can hardly think of a more perfect theme for our students. Since arriving in Syosset almost 8 years ago, I’ve been astonished by our students’ efforts to fight disease, save lives, give through charities and start student-led organizations that make the world a better, kinder place. This year’s theme illustrated what Syosset’s students have known all along (to paraphrase Margaret Mead): “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Highlighting their efforts in these updates has been a delightful way to let our community share my pride and to allow these young leaders to inspire the next group of thoughtful, committed people! Click here to see the impressive work of our Reflections winners.

And speaking of in-person events, we are looking forward to the Syosset High School in-person, indoor graduation ceremony at Hofstra on June 22. The Moving Up ceremonies for the other schools are planned outdoors and details will be forthcoming shortly. I know we’ll all appreciate more than ever celebrating these important milestones together.

I’d like to express my appreciation to the students who performed for us at Monday night’s Board of Education meeting. The two Chamber ensembles that were invited to perform in the elite Lincoln Center Regional Competition earlier this school year, the Borodin Sextet and the Mendelssohn Octet, provided entertainment for us as we transitioned from the Reflections ceremony to the Board meeting, and it was a delightful way to start the meeting. A quartet from the SHS Adelettes then performed a moving rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

These Lincoln Center worthy performances are representative of the incredible music education Syosset provides. Just this week, we were again named to NAMM’s Best Communities for Music Education - for an incredible 21 years in a row!

I’d also like to thank the South Woods Student Council representatives for updating us on all the exciting things going on at the school.

It was particularly gratifying to honor the student-athletes on their successes during the winter season. Syosset now fields some 126 teams, all the more remarkable because of our limitations on gymnasium space - and some of our biggest successes have come from our newest programs. In Syosset, we pride ourselves on the breadth of opportunities we provide for students — both in and out — of the classroom, and they respond with all the enthusiasm of someone following their passions.

Lastly, at the Board of Education meeting, the Board asked the administration to revive our pre-pandemic effort to explore a later high school start time - to improve the quality and duration of students’ sleep which research has associated with several physical and mental health benefits. The history of our efforts, along with my presentation to the Board on Monday can be found here.

District Calendar

Since no snow days were used this year, all schools will be closed on May 26th and 27th, the Thursday and Friday before Memorial Day. I hope everyone will enjoy the extended weekend.

Bright Spot

I don’t know if you subscribe to Newsday’s Faces of Long Island series. I’m inspired by reading about some of Long Island’s “bright spots” and the wonderful ways they make this such a special place to live. This week, I spotted a familiar face in the feed - one of Syosset’s own young people, Desiree Mohammadi, whose efforts to fight hunger were highlighted. At the age of only 4, Desiree decided to take action so that those in need would have access to fresh fruit and vegetables. She began collecting seeds to plant, and eventually teamed up with the head farmer at Island Harvest. Now a 4th grader at Berry Hill, Desiree volunteers her time to plant the seeds she collects that will provide a bounty of fruits and vegetables to fill donation boxes. I’m just so proud of her determination and the results of her effort. You can read more about Desiree here: Syosset girl, 9, collects seeds to grow food for the hungry - Faces of Long Island 

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I don’t customarily offer religious holiday greetings -- I’ll inevitably overlook an important holiday, and thus an effort to give everyone a sense of belonging will instead leave someone feeling excluded. But I requested and received some advice from several leaders in our PTA’s Cultural Unity efforts. They understood my concern, but saw value in acknowledging this aspect of our diverse community. So, recognizing that there are so many faiths with holidays this month: happy, contemplative holidays to all who are celebrating. For those, like me, who are off to visit loved ones (or just taking advantage of great Spring weather) – safe travels.

#SyoSpringBreak,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Spring break and shares in my excitement as we enter the home stretch of the school year. We hope to update you on a few items.

District-Wide Art Show

Last night, Syosset High School was packed with students from elementary school through their Senior year whose art was featured in the annual District art show. Since coming to Syosset almost 8 years ago, I continue to be astonished at the quality of the work prepared by our students and the amazing art instruction they receive from their teachers. The many elementary art teachers in attendance had wonderful reunions with middle and high school students they had taught years before. Soon, many of our students, whose artwork was awarded the “All-County” distinction, will have their pieces displayed in an online gallery. Watch for the link in an upcoming Community Update.

Nice Recognitions

Although we try not to get wrapped up in rankings, there’s no reason not to share nice news. This week, US News and World Report listed Syosset in the upper third of its already prestigious list of top high schools. Syosset High School was also recognized as a “Top 300” school in the Jay Matthews Challenge Index which originated with Newsweek and the Washington Post. Congratulations to the hard work of all our students and teachers – from Kindergarten on up – which is ultimately reflected in these nice recognitions.

Catalytic Converter Theft

We are ever grateful for our partners at the Nassau County Police Department. From time to time, they ask us to distribute information to the public on their behalf and we are happy to help. They have recently noticed an alarming trend of thefts of catalytic converters from cars, trucks and even school buses. Please see this flyer they prepared to inform the public.

COVID-19 Testing

This week, the District and Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics PLLC (ACD) terminated their contract through mutual agreement. This organization had been using the Woodbury School as a site to perform community COVID testing (with an overflow site at Syosset High School). Prompted by recent news reports, we have received some inquiries about the nature of the relationship with ACD. They are an independent healthcare provider that was permitted to establish a satellite facility on school grounds as a convenience to the Syosset community. We do not have any financial relationship with ACD – we did not pay for their services, receive reimbursement for their use of our property or participate in their billing process or practices.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have made every effort to help our learning community and the Syosset community at large stay as safe as possible. We will continue to evaluate those needs as circumstances evolve in order to prioritize continuity of in-person operations. At the current time, the District has an ample supply of at-home rapid tests available to the community. Please reach out to your building’s nurse should you wish to pick one up.

School Calendar

As a reminder, the District will be closed this Monday, May 2 in observance of Eid al-Fitr (the closure date was amended from the originally planned date of Tuesday, May 3).

Bright Spot

Syosset High School 10th grader Alex Benson has a passion for preserving the environment, which blossomed during the time he lived close to the mountains and forests of Japan. In Ms. Amanda O’Rourke’s Computer Art class, Alex created an impressive original project using Adobe Photoshop, inspired by the work of famous pop artist Keith Haring. Alex then donated his artwork to the Coalition for Rainforest Nations, and the organization chose to use it to aid in their efforts to raise awareness of tropical forest stewardship, biodiversity conservation and global climate stability. Alex’s artwork was featured on all the organization’s social media accounts as part of their Earth Week content. Great job Alex!

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Please enjoy this beautiful weekend.
#SyoProud
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

This week is National Nurses Week, with National School Nurse Day celebrated on Wednesday. I’d like to recognize the efforts of our school nurses, especially through the challenging last 2 years. They provide compassionate care to our students and represent an additional layer of safety in our school buildings. We are truly grateful for their work and dedication to our community. And to all the nurses in our community serving on the front lines of our healthcare system, thank you for your selfless commitment to the well-being and care of others.

U.S. Presidential Scholar

This week, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars, and I was so proud and excited when I learned that Syosset High School senior Ethan Chiu was awarded this prestigious recognition. Ethan was one of 161 students nationally, and the only Long Island student, to achieve this honor. He was also a finalist in the elite Regeneron Science Talent Search competition earlier this year. Ethan, I’m so proud of what you’ve accomplished during your time here at Syosset, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for you as you head to Yale University this fall!

Seal of Biliteracy

Next month, an outstanding 116 Syosset students will graduate with the New York State Seal of Biliteracy, with two students earning Seals in two languages! This designation honors students who have attained a high level of proficiency in English and one or more languages. In addition to a special seal on their diplomas, the students will receive a medallion to wear at graduation. Congratulations to all the students who worked so hard to achieve this designation.

I’m so proud of Syosset’s World Language Program, which continues to evolve to meet the needs of students living in a multilingual society. The program currently offers courses in 9 languages, the most offered by any school district in the state, and an astonishing 3 out of 4 seniors remain enrolled in a World Language! For the first time this year, learners in grades 8, 10, and 12 will take the Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL), a modern proficiency and performance assessment which focuses on communication, and next year (along with Chinese, French, Italian, and Spanish) Korean will be added as a language option for 6th graders, increasing to 5 the number of world language choices a student can start in middle school and pursue through longer sequences to greater proficiency.

2022-2023 Annual Budget Vote and Board of Education Election

As a reminder, Tuesday, May 17, is the annual school budget vote and Board of Education trustee election. Voting will take place between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

• If you are unsure of your voting location, please click here.
• For the Syosset Pride Budget Newsletter, please click here.
• For additional information on the proposed budget, including the presentations given at the Budget Information Meetings, please click here.

Bright Spot

Syosset is renowned for the quality of its Fine and Performing Arts programs, and we are all so proud of the charitable endeavors of our students. You can imagine how exciting it is when I can talk about both in one Bright Spot! With the goal of aiding Ukrainian Refugees, SHS 10th grader Abigail (Abi) Ahn planned and performed in a benefit concert, playing her flute solo and in duets. Abi received just over $1,300 in donations from the concert, with all the proceeds going to Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Great job, Abi!

Enjoy the weekend!

#syoproud,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

We had an exciting week at the District as we ushered in the new month. On Tuesday, Syosset High School seniors celebrated each other’s post-graduation plans in honor of National Commitment Day, and it was such a joy to see the excitement on their faces as they took pride in their success during high school and looked towards their next chapters. On Wednesday, 8th graders from HBT and South Woods kicked off a host of year-end activities to commemorate their time in middle school and enjoyed a day of fun at Adventureland. And I had the opportunity to go to the Derby! The A.P. Willits first Annual Derby took place yesterday afternoon, complete with fancy fascinators, bonnets, and a classic bugle call!

This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and I’d like to recognize the extraordinary Syosset educators who inspire lifelong learners every day and play a pivotal role in our students’ lives. They work tirelessly, demonstrate care and compassion, and empower students with the skills and knowledge essential to achieving their dreams. While their work is never taken for granted, the challenges presented over the last two years make their accomplishments all the more remarkable. To all our amazing educators, you have my support, my admiration, and my sincere gratitude, this week and all year long.

Budget Vote and Election

This week, you should have received the Syosset Pride Budget Newsletter which outlines the proposed 2022-23 school budget and voting information for the upcoming school (and Syosset Library) budget vote(s) and Board of Education election, taking place on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. The newsletter is also available online, along with the presentations given at the Budget Information Meetings held during the monthly Board of Education meetings. This coming Monday, May 9, the Budget Hearing will take place at 8 p.m. at South Woods Middle School and via livestream.

All-County Art Exhibit

The 18th Annual Nassau All-County Art Exhibition is now live, and you won’t want to miss out on this virtual experience that showcases the work of exceptional student artists from across the County. An impressive 60 Syosset students have been honored with the All-County designation, and all their work is displayed in this fascinating online “walk-through gallery” where the technology is almost as captivating as the artwork!
Syosset All County Art Exhibit - 3D virtual exhibition by Art Supervisors Association

Bright Spot

This week, I was excited to hear about the work of South Grove Girl Scout Troop 3753. With the goals of helping the environment, increasing oxygen production, and making the world a better place, the girls created and executed a plan to earn their Bronze Award. First, they applied for and received a Difference Makers youth grant from Bethpage Federal Credit Union that allowed them to purchase all the necessary supplies for the project, then they spent time last Saturday planting three Kwanzan Cherry Trees at South Grove school. I first encountered these ladies in the fall when they were in the planning stages of this important community improvement project, and it is so exciting to see it come to fruition. I’m inspired by the initiative of these young students, leading their younger peers by example. Many future South Grove students will benefit from the fresh air and cool shade these trees will someday bring. Great job, ladies!

Wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing, caring, selfless moms and mother figures in our community. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

#SyoMoms
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

Thank you to all who came out on Tuesday to participate in the annual school budget vote and Board of Education Trustee election. The school budget was approved for the 2022-23 school year, and we sincerely appreciate your continued support of our schools and the exceptional academic, extracurricular, and co-curricular programs offered here in Syosset. And congratulations to Thomas Rotolo, who was re-elected to the Board, and to Lynn Abramson and Jack Ostrick on being elected as Board Trustees.

Board Tour

Today, we resumed one of my favorite activities, what has come to be known as the “Board Tour,” during which our Board of Education Trustees visit each of our 10 school buildings to experience our curriculum in action. While this event was paused for the last two years, we restarted with some adjustments in light of COVID, but maintained an engaging, productive and fun day!

We started our day being given green ribbons to wear in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Day, and the focus for this year’s tour was on student’s mental wellness and the skills we help students build from a young age to handle adversity, manage their emotions and treat one another with kindness. Board members had the opportunity to observe how topics such as relationship building, conflict resolution, collaboration, self-awareness, and self-management are woven into the curriculum, kindergarten through 12th grade. Since the day I arrived in Syosset, I’ve been impressed with what a caring learning community this is, and these important lessons continue to build on that extraordinary foundation. We hope to bring even more attention to the resources the District has developed to assist our students, and to continue adding to those supports.

The Board also focused on the physical infrastructure of the District – both the improvements resulting from our recent investments and the ongoing work of keeping our 60+ year old buildings in good working order. 

Student Cabinet

Twice a year, I gather groups of students from each of our schools (my “student cabinet”) to specifically gain feedback on District initiatives from the perspective of those they affect most. As you might imagine, there was universal enthusiasm for our return to “nearly normal,” students appreciated the technology updates (and had suggestions for further improvements!), and offered their thoughts on what we might want to preserve from what we learned about schooling in a pandemic. Older students gave us feedback on changing start times (which paralleled the feedback we got from adults when we studied this several years ago), their thoughts on finding balance in the face of Syosset’s many academic and extracurricular opportunities, and reflections on the advisory program that was instituted for their support. It’s a great opportunity for me to get to know these students a little better, and I appreciate their thoughtfulness and candor. My administrative team pauses after each meeting to debrief the feedback we get from these terrific young people as we plan the year ahead.

School Calendar

As a reminder, the District will be closed next Thursday and Friday, May 26 and 27, as a result of no snow makeup days being required. Schools will also be closed the following Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day. I hope everyone enjoys the extended weekend.

Bright Spot

In an earlier update I highlighted some of the extraordinary accomplishments of Syosset High School junior, Sabrina Guo, founder of both an organization that works to improve the lives of socioeconomically disadvantaged, migrant, and refugee girls, and a student-run initiative whose mission is to aid medical professionals and first responders during COVID. We’re not the only ones she impressed as she recently received some noteworthy accolades:

• This week, Sabrina was selected from among all regional winners to be honored as the State Winner of the NYS PTA Youth Humanitarian Award for displaying humanitarian principles and demonstrating outstanding volunteer community service.
• She will be featured in the August 5th publication of the Long Island Business News (LIBN) as a “Next Gen Award” winner, a special category of LIBN’s “30 Under 30 Awards,” honoring those under the age of 20 who contribute to the Long Island community through public service.
• The Princeton Prize in Race Relations recognized Sabrina with a Certificate of Accomplishment for her leadership and commitment to fighting hate and bigotry (the importance of which was underscored by last weekend’s horrific events), and I was privileged to be invited to attend the ceremony in New York City.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Musical?

What a treat last night to drop in on our thespians’ production of a venerated Shakespearean comedy with several modern twists, including a cello duet and a guitar-backed fairy chorus (I did not see that one coming!). The enthusiasm (and courage!!) with which this intrepid group of performers tackled this challenging material was admirable, as was their ability to find something new and current in their production of this classic work. As a special opportunity for the students, there was an Adjudicator from the Theater Association of NYS (TANYS) in the audience, who stayed after the performance to offer the students an hour of professional feedback on their performance, which the students thoroughly appreciated, despite their exhaustion. #SyoStage!!

Playoff Season

Many of our athletes are finishing their seasons or starting playoffs. To all those headed into this playoff season, we’re all cheering you on!! #SyoStrong

#SyoProud
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

I know that even as we grieve alongside the families dealing with tragedy in Texas, that our thoughts understandably turn to safety closer to home. Security has been and remains a major District priority. A comprehensive list of the initiatives implemented was compiled for the community in 2019. In the years since, the District has additionally:

• Further increased security staff, upgraded their credentials, extended their hours to include evenings, and hired an assistant director, who like our Director of Security, was formerly with the NYPD; 
• Installed ballistic doors on every classroom District-wide (despite the construction challenges of the pandemic);
• Implemented RAVE “panic buttons,” constantly monitored by Nassau Police;
• Hired 5 social workers; and with the budget passage, will hire 2 more (for a total of 5 full-time and 2 part-time people, including Chinese and Spanish speakers);
• Added Go Guardian monitoring of student-issued devices;
• Created a student assessment protocol to monitor at-risk student behaviors; and
• Formed a community partnership with Central Nassau Guidance (CNG) to provide counseling/psychiatric services to students and families in need.

As was mentioned last night, the administration and security team work closely with the Nassau Police on evaluating our facilities, training our staff, and updating our plans. Additional security work on our facilities is planned for this summer.

We know that events like this are not only tragic and painful, but they can often lead to anxiety for young people. We encourage you to reach out to your child’s school counselor, principal, psychologist or social worker should you need any support from the school district. Additionally, below are some resources that may be helpful:

• American Psychological Association: Helping Your Children Manage Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting
• National Association of School Psychologists: Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers
• Common Sense Media: How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings

We remain committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and welcoming school environment for our students and staff.  

US History and Government Regents Exam Canceled

The NY State Education Department canceled the Regents Exam in US History and Government, originally scheduled for Wednesday, June 1st. As a result, June 1 will now be a regular day of instruction for all students grades 9-12. All students who were scheduled to take the exam will be granted an exemption. 

Bright Spots

At times like these, I take solace in the good things that are happening.

• Last weekend, I had the opportunity to join more than 3 dozen girls from Baylis, Berry Hill and Village elementary schools (as well as a combined Syosset-Woodbury team)  at the spring Girls on the Run (GOTR) fun run at Eisenhower Park with over 900 participants. I’m so grateful to the parents and teachers who volunteer to coach GOTR teams after school, and the important lessons they teach about building a lifetime of wellness habits. I joined our girls and staff for the 5K run (after politely declining the face paint option) and tried hard despite the heat to keep up with South Woods student (and track athlete) Melody Chen. She set a great pace, but then left me in the dust a half-mile from the finish! GOTR can always use more adult volunteers, so please consider contacting your building principal if interested. 

• I’m delighted to share that two Syosset students were recognized at the national level for their entries into the annual National PTA Reflections Program! Only 12 students from the state were awarded national recognition, two were ours! Max Greene, a Syosset High School student, was recognized with an Award of Excellence for his work titled "Alla Vita, Alla Creatività." And Berry Hill student Jessica Chenjia Liu was recognized with an Award of Merit for her submission titled “Ripple of Kindness." 

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I hope everyone enjoys the extended Memorial Day holiday. We will be closed Thursday, Friday and Monday, with school resuming Tuesday 5/31. After a 3-year hiatus (rained out in 2019!), our middle and high school bands will again be marching in the annual Memorial Day parade up Jackson Avenue. While the event won’t be quite the same without Gus Scutari, who organized it until his 99th birthday, his tradition of appreciation for our Veterans’ service and sacrifice lives on in all of us.  

Warmly,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

There’s so much happening around the District as we enter the final month of the school year. It’s exciting to witness the buzz of spring concerts, field days, yearbook signings, staff recognitions and other end-of-year events. Today, approx 350 SHS juniors and seniors participated in a lively Battle of the Classes on the turf field. Congrats to the triumphant Senior class! We’re also coming to the end of an exciting spring athletics season and I’m looking forward to celebrating our spring athletes at the June Monthly Board of Education meeting.

Spotlight on Instruction

What a treat to visit Berry Hill Elementary’s STEAM Day this week. I arrived early in the day, as the 5th grade student “STEM Helpers” were leading their kindergarten peers through fun, creative activities that taught mathematical and scientific principles – and even computer coding with Ozobots! We’ve put a lot of energy over the past 5 years into enhancing our elementary science program to make it more inquiry-based, with richer lab experiments, and a focus on the “scientific method” – hypothesize, test, and revise. The kids’ enjoyment was an obvious validation of that effort, and I loved how our 5th graders were developing leadership skills while deepening the building’s sense of community.

Security

Last week, I shared some details about the many efforts the District has made to elevate our security in the past several years. As I said, we work closely with our partners in the Nassau County Police Department and we enjoy excellent communication and support. Commissioner Ryder asked us to share this letter with the community detailing some of the strategies they employ to keep our County safe.

Nassau County Shared Mobility Management Plan

The Nassau County Department of Public Works is hosting a virtual meeting to discuss its Shared Mobility Management Plan on Thursday, June 9 at 7 p.m. and has asked that we share this information with our community. The Plan will identify opportunities for new and enhanced transportation services, including options to complement/extend existing transit services, to promote environmental sustainability and economic development. To register to attend the virtual meeting, please click here.

Syosset Council of PTAs Celebration of Culture Event

This week, the final PTA General Council meeting of the school year was held in person for the first time in over 2 years and it was a wonderful feeling to be together once again. The partnership between the school district and the PTA is part of our “secret sauce” here in Syosset, and I am so grateful for the hard work and dedication of our parent leaders who help make a Syosset education extra special.

Just prior to the meeting, I was delighted to attend the Celebration of Culture reception. Earlier this year, the Syosset Council of PTAs Cultural Unity Committee created a new program for students to celebrate the many cultures in our community. Students were invited to submit a piece of literature, art, digital art, photography, or a dance/music/video composition that conveys what culture means to them, how it is celebrated in their homes, or what culture has taught them. The submissions, from kindergarteners to high school students, were heartwarming, creative, and so impressive. Seeing the students and their families at the event was a wonderful reflection of the many different cultures represented in Syosset – where over 20 different languages are spoken at home – all together in one room as one community. #AltogetherSyo!

Bright Spot

SHS 10th grader Kimberly Saltsberg has dedicated herself to raising funds for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, and over the last 3 years has raised over $36,000! For her most recent fundraiser, she teamed up with award winning sports artist Tony Capparelli and Blue Line Deli & Bagels in Huntington to run a New York Islanders’ themed raffle that raised over $11,000, which will aid the organization’s efforts to find a cure. I admire Kimberly’s commitment to this cause and am very impressed by the results of her hard work.

#SyoCommUNITY,
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

It is hard to believe we are nearly halfway through June and rapidly approaching the end of another year. We’re excited that most events are nearly back to normal, so our seniors are able to celebrate all of the fond traditions this season entails. Having seen the challenges that faced the classes of 2020 and 2021, I’m sure the Class of ‘22 has perhaps a little extra appreciation for these events that we once took for granted.

I know it’s also easy to take our music programs for granted. We shouldn’t. Last week, a musician friend was visiting from out-of-town and I invited him to the high school orchestra concert. Seeing the program through his eyes (or rather, his ears) was a treat. He remarked on just how special the performances were, and I was as proud as any parent in the audience. I can’t attend everything (sorry band - next year!), but I also managed to catch most of the SHS vocal program last night. I was equally impressed by the skill and the repertoire which ranged from fun standards to pieces that showcased diverse artists and fascinatingly intricate cross-cultural collaborations. I think my brain grew 2 sizes last night!

As we enjoy these last weeks packed with end-of-year celebrations, I hope you too approach them with new appreciation as we restore so much of what we love, and see with fresh eyes (or ears) what makes our learning community so special.

Spotlight on Instruction

I’m excited to announce that the District has secured grant money to fund the purchase of a Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES). PAES is a research-based hands-on assessment tool which will allow students enrolled in the Work-Based Learning Seminar and the Life-Skills program at Syosset High School the opportunity to explore nearly 300 jobs in 5 careers. In a classroom converted to a workplace lab, students will find a unique opportunity to engage in various employment experiences with support from faculty and staff to develop pre-vocational and work-readiness skills, while exploring their interests, strengths, and preferences. PAES encourages and promotes workplace independence, facilitates transition planning and job placement, and allows students to strengthen their skill set for future competitive employment, and I look forward to the program coming to Syosset.

Mercy First

The Syosset school district values our relationships with community institutions within the District. For example, we maintain close communications with Mercy First – both through representation on their Community Advisory Board and at a leadership level. While it is not our role to speak for them, from time to time they ask us to share important information on their behalf. Earlier today, they issued this statement and asked that we make it available to our learning community.

Bright Spots

• At yesterday’s high school staff recognition event, held by the PTA, staff were handed bags with a special gift assembled by students who participate in the Work-Based Learning program at Syosset High School. Under the guidance of Speech Teacher Ms. Krimitsos, Occupational Therapist Ms. Pantell and Library Media Specialist Ms. Holzweiss, students designed, created, and packaged buttons not only expressing appreciation for the staff, but also fostering mental wellness with positive messaging. In creating the packages, the students had opportunities to develop essential speech/language, motor coordination and career readiness skills, and they brought smiles to the faces of so many staff and community members. I was very impressed by their work and want to extend my gratitude to all involved in this rewarding experience.

• SHS student Alan Huang recently competed in the USA Wushu Kungfu Federation (USAWKF) Team Trials and was ranked first in 3 of the 4 events he competed in! Alan qualified to compete in two prestigious international events - the 13th Pan-American Wushu Championships in Brazil taking place in July and the 8th World Junior Wushu Championships taking place in Indonesia in December 2022. Congratulations to Alan and the other Syosset students who competed in the USAWKF Team Trial, including Alex Chen, Maggie Chen, and Katie Yan.

If you have the opportunity, I highly encourage you to visit the Syosset Library to see the work currently displayed in the Gallery by Syosset High School National Art Honor Society members. This year’s theme is “Our Hometown,” with works depicting our wonderful community in a variety of media. The exhibit will be on display through June 22.

#AltogetherSyo
Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

It’s been a joyful week of Moving Up ceremonies at each of our elementary schools. Click here to view some photos of the celebrations. I’m delighted to announce that we’ve overcome some technical challenges in order to livestream our outdoor Middle School Moving Up Ceremonies as well as the High School Commencement Exercises at Hofstra University. Each principal will send out a link to their families.

This week, we also celebrated and congratulated staff members who reached 25 years of service to the community, all our teachers and administrators receiving tenure, and all of our retirees, many of whom postponed retirement to help us through the pandemic. I am always moved by such an incredible accumulation of dedication and service – it is the backbone of this truly outstanding learning community.

Spotlight on Instruction

From my early days in the District, the Board of Education has recognized our wonderful STEM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) as both an asset and an opportunity. The Board set ambitious goals and invested in new curriculum, robotics programs, K-12 coding initiatives, and new science laboratories at the High School.

At this month’s Board of Education meeting, Mr. Ray Loverso, Coordinator of Science and Technology, and Dr. John Genova, Coordinator of Mathematics, shared how we built on these investments using a technology-rich, interdisciplinary approach to STEM instruction that not only increases student knowledge, but their capacity to think critically. Next up are plans to expand the robotics program, partner with Long Island University's unique artificial intelligence prototyping project (with applications in robotics, engineering and more), and add two interdisciplinary science electives.

I encourage you to view the presentation or view a recording of the meeting to learn more about the innovative and engaging programs, including an update on our rapidly expanding K-12 Robotics program. Also included are pictures of our newly renovated research laboratories at the high school, allowing students to conduct college-level, competition-worthy research and programming projects here on site. It’s very exciting work, and I’d like to thank the Board of Education for their vision and commitment to advancing STEM education in Syosset.

Facilities Planning

On Monday evening, I provided an update to the Board on the installation of field lighting on the turf field at the high school, which the Board approved last November and was enacted by the successful passage of this year’s budget. We are now awaiting building permit approval from the State Education Department, and dealing with supply chain issues. Knowing the long lead times on these items, we have been working to reduce the duration of the procurement and design processes so we can take advantage of the lights during this fall season. Our most optimistic timelines show completion at the beginning of October, but we will keep the community updated of our progress and any developments.

Also discussed was the need for restrooms closer to the fields. While bathrooms accessible from the outdoor fields were newly made available as part of the high school fitness center renovation, we recognize the need for additional outdoor restroom capacity and are currently exploring solutions for the fall sports seasons.

Lastly, due to extensive work being done at the High School, summer school will be housed at HBT Middle School, We hope to maintain some sporadic access to the high school pool when it is safe to do so.

Operation Natalie Video

Earlier this week, school district leaders met with Commissioner Ryder of the Nassau County Police Department. The NCPD has invested deeply in their efforts to protect schools, so there were few changes to share; however, the Commissioner wanted to reassure the school community that his officers were trained and equipped to engage right away should there be a threat. We admire and appreciate their courage.

One change they will be implementing is increased school visits. So residents should expect to see more police presence on school grounds as a normal course of events and not an indication that something is amiss. We have great relationships with our officers here in the 2nd Precinct who already know they are welcome here any time.

The Commissioner did express concern about a county-wide increase in overdoses among young people and asked that we share this video regarding Operation Natalie, a program that aims to raise awareness in the community on the dangers of fake and fentanyl-laced drugs.

Bright Spot

Syosset High School sophomores Riddhi Jain, Yannie Li, and Emily Su were looking to make an impact on the local community, so they reached out to Family Service League, an organization that serves Long Island’s most vulnerable citizens, to see how they could help. In collaboration with the Syosset Public Library and Shoprite, they organized two donation drives for local homeless shelters, during which personal care items and non-perishable food items were collected and donated to the organization. It can be easy to overlook the less fortunate, I’m so proud they instead chose to offer to help and, as ever, amazed by the generosity of this community. I look forward to hearing about their future endeavors! 

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As a reminder, all schools will be closed on Monday, June 20, in observance of New York’s newest state holiday: Juneteenth, a commemoration of the day Union soldiers brought the news of emancipation to the city of Galveston, Texas in 1865, some 2 ½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

I hope you all enjoy the long weekend. For those students with a few exams remaining: do your best and good luck!!

#SyoStrong!

Tom Rogers

Dear Syosset Community,

This week, we hosted moving up ceremonies for both middle schools at the track and field on our campus, and the high school Commencement at Hofstra University. Click here to view photos from the middle school ceremonies, and here for photos from the high school Commencement. I concluded my remarks to the Seniors (delivered by Deputy Superintendent Mr. Cardillo as I recover from illness) with this wit and wisdom from Winnie the Pooh:

“I always get to where I’m going by walking away from where I have been.”

Graduations are the bittersweet departure that starts the next big adventure. I’m so incredibly proud of all the students. The resilience and perseverance this class has shown is remarkable, and their accomplishments, achieved during such challenging times, all the more impressive. I have no doubt our students are well prepared for their adventures and I cannot wait to see where their journey leads.

Summer School 2022

We’re excited about the changes made to our Summer School program. Given the strong interest in last summer’s program, and wanting to support all our students as we transition past these pandemic years, we asked our summer school faculty to build a refreshed program with opportunities emphasizing play, exploration, and innovation. You can find the brochure here. Summer school will be held at HB Thompson Middle School while the High School undergoes extensive renovations.

Spotlight on Instruction

When we built the Fitness Center at Syosset High School, it was to replace 3 dilapidated “portable” trailers (over 20 years past their planned retirement date!) that had housed students' fitness equipment. The new facility was completed during the pandemic, so when interscholastic athletics weren’t permitted, we made “intramural” opportunities for our students and student-athletes to stay conditioned until sports resumed. We also began offering strength and conditioning classes to students as part of the physical education program - to enable them to learn the skills to pursue their own lifetime fitness goals as adults. Now into the facility’s 3rd year, interest in these classes has exploded - going from 3 sections to 18 - and encompassing a broad cross-section of the student body in addition to the interscholastic athletes. Our students are making great use of the community’s investment in this terrific resource!

Elementary Curriculum Celebrations for the 2022-23 School Year

Even though this school year has only just finished, we’ve been busy planning for next year, looking for ways to amplify not only the student experience, but the parent experience as well. I’m excited to announce we’ve planned an expanded Elementary Open House experience to kick-off the school year, with a “gallery walk” through the school building and teacher presentations in each classroom. Elementary-level parents and guardians won’t want to miss this event, so mark your calendars for September 8.

In addition, we are planning ongoing Elementary Curriculum Learning Celebrations, during which parents and guardians will be invited into the classroom to experience the Syosset curriculum first-hand and have the opportunity to observe how their child receives instruction, collaborates with peers, and articulates skills to engage with the learning concepts. We’ve also expanded the number of spring Parent-Teacher Conference time slots, ensuring all parents will have the opportunity to schedule a second conference in the spring. I know limited access to the classrooms, necessary to keep everyone safe during the pandemic, was challenging for us all, but we are more excited than ever to showcase the magic that takes place in our classrooms.

Bright Spot

Syosset students have long supported Sunrise Day Camp, a local summer camp that aims to bring laughter and happiness to children struggling with cancer, free of charge. This year, 78 Syosset students from the Community Service health class, the Interact Club and the Peers Reaching Out (PRO) club raised over $16,000 for the camp. They ran a variety of fun community events to raise this sum, including a Zumba-thon, and Chipotle and Ralph’s Ice fundraisers. Not only did they donate funds to ensure a fun-filled summer for these deserving children, they also tie-dyed 500 bandanas for them!

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This Friday update will come with less frequency over the summer months - I’m hoping to get some downtime and hoping you all do too. So until the next time, have a great…

…#SyoSummer,
Tom Rogers