Alumni Day

Having survived their first semester of college with much success, a group of a dozen graduates of the Long Beach High School Class of 2011 returned to their alma mater to share advice with this year’s juniors and seniors about everything from academics to dorm life.

Although their experiences with roommates, class sizes and dining hall food varied considerably, most students agreed that academics are more rigorous at college. The alumni urged the younger students to take advantage of the International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, SUPA and other college-level courses offered at the high school.

“Any subject you were good at in high school will become more challenging in college,” said Ben Weiss, who is attending Georgetown University. “AP English really helped me with college-level writing. It will be a much harder learning curve for you at college if you don’t take advanced writing classes in high school.”

“The outlining skills I learned in AP Government class also helped me in college,” added Michele Asarch, who attends Binghamton University.

“College is a lot more work, a lot of studying, a lot of papers,” said Damaris Swass, who is at Smith College. “As an art major, I also spend a lot of time in the studio.”

Although they found their first semester of college challenging, most of the alumni agreed that when they employed the organizational and study skills they learned in high school and planned their class schedules well, they were able to get their coursework done and still have time to get involved in sports, clubs and campus social life. They said that getting involved in activities outside of the classroom actually helped them make friends and better acclimate to college life.

click on image to view full size

Operation Medicine Cabinet

While conducting studies of local bay pollution for her Science Research class, Long Beach High School senior Arianne Papa was surprised to find that water samples taken from Reynolds Channel contained low levels of pharmaceuticals. Using a UV spectral photometer to test for peak wavelengths of certain drugs in the water samples, she discovered traces of over-the-counter and prescription formulas that people dispose of every day were contaminating the waste lines.

With the cooperation of the Long Beach Police Department, Arianne organized Operation Medicine Cabinet to help stem the flow of these drugs into our waterways and landfills. Working with fellow National Honor Society members Jordan Jaffe and Andrew Hurst, NHS advisor Nora Bellsey and Long Beach Police Detective Sergeant Karl Hayes and Officer Angelo Peppe, Arianne set up a collection station for unwanted and expired medicines at two recent High School concerts. The Long Beach Police Department will ensure safe and proper disposal of the medications.

“Sewage treatment plants are not testing for pharmaceuticals before discharging the water in the environment,” noted Arianne. “People don’t realize the impact on the environment.”

click on image to view full size

Ancient Egypt Lives at LBMS

Sixth graders at Long Beach Middle School joined forces to create an interactive exhibit about Ancient Egypt that included afterlife artifacts, pyramids, clay cartouches, ABCs of Egypt books, hieroglyphics, gods and goddesses, papyrus scrolls and even mummified apples.

After completing a unit of study in their social studies classes, each team constructed a separate “wing” of the museum, concentrating on a different aspect of the history, culture, beliefs, language and lifestyle of the ancient Egyptians. On the opening day of the exhibit, students gathered to visit the museum together, receiving a list of questions to guide them as they toured and learned from each other’s projects.

“This type of interactive project promotes critical thinking skills, communication, collaboration and creativity,” said Social Studies Director Sean Hurley. “Through projects like this, we encourage our students to be active, rather than passive, learners.”
   

click on image to view full size

NYS Zone Award Winners

The New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NYS AHPERD) recognized seniors Dylan Palacio and Zoe Papetti with Zone Awards. The award is given to students who exemplify and demonstrate an understanding for the NYS Learning Standards for Health and Physical Education by: exhibiting a physically active and healthy lifestyle; demonstrating sportsmanship, character, civility and citizenship; exhibiting exceptional achievement in physical education class; and achieving a high level of fitness on an approved fitness test.

The students were nominated for this honor by physical education teacher Lynn Tenaglia. They were recognized at a reception for all the Nassau County Zone Award winners on December 12 at the Crest Hollow Country Club.

click on image to view full size

Exploring Healthcare Careers

Long Beach High School students in Carol Henck’s “Health Professions” course took a trip to Long Beach Medical Center to get a firsthand look at the career opportunities available to them in the healthcare profession. Students heard presentations from a registered nurse, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, a social worker and a pharmacist. Careers in medical billing, hospital administration, risk management and mortuary science were also discussed.

After the presentations, students broke up into groups to tour the hospital’s diagnostic imaging, dialysis and hyberbarics/wound care units.

“Start thinking about where you want your story to go,” advised Dr. Paula Rayo, the hospital’s coordinator of medical education, as she told the students the story of her career in medicine. After their day of touring Long Beach Medical Center, these young healthcare hopefuls will have many new ideas for building their own personal success stories.

click on image to view full size

Class of 2012 Top Two Named

Long Beach High School has officially named Jonathan Klus the valedictorian of the Class of 2012. Jane Smyth has been named the salutatorian.

Jonathan, who is a member of the National Honor Society, was named a National Merit Commended Student and an AP Scholar with Distinction. He has won multiple awards at state and international science competitions, including gold and silver medals at the International Sustainable World (Energy, Engineering and Environment) Project Olympiad, first and third-place awards at the New York Science and Engineering Fair, and highest honors at the Long Island Science Congress. A New York State Scholar-Athlete, he competes on the Varsity Cross-Country, Track and Swim teams. Jonathan is the vice president of the Israeli Culture Club and president of the Future Physicians Club at Long Beach Medical Center, where he is also a junior volunteer. Outside of school, he participated in a summer internship at the Town of Hempstead Department of Conservation and Waterways Laboratory. He is also a Running Club coach at the Long Beach Recreation Center and a City of Long Beach Ocean Beach Park gate attendant.

An International Baccalaureate Diploma candidate, Jane is an AP Scholar, a National Merit Commended Student and a member of the National Honor Society. She is vice president of the senior class and a Model Congress executive board member. Jane was a two-time Finalist in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and a three-time medalist in the International Sustainable World (Energy, Engineering and Environment) Project Olympiad. She participated in the Simons Research Fellowship Program at Stony Brook University and co-authored a research paper that was published by the New York State Water Environment Association in “Clear Waters.” Jane is an editor of “Fragments,” her school’s literary magazine, and has won a certificate of superior writing from the National Council of Teachers of English, as well as a second-place award in the 2010 National French Week Essay Contest. Outside of school, she practices ballet and en pointe and has earned a third-degree black belt in tae kwon do.

click on image to view full size

Lindell Rededication Ceremony

A special reception was held on December 13 at Lindell School to mark the completion of renovation work, which included restoration of the exterior façade, installation of new windows and an elevator, and bathroom renovations.

Present at the reception were Lindell students and their families, past and present Board of Education members, administrators, and representatives of the architectural and construction teams that worked on the project.

“The building looks beautiful,” commented Board of Education President Dr. Dennis Ryan in his opening statements. He went on to thank the Lindell neighbors, students and staff who put up with inconveniences during the renovation process, and to acknowledge the dedication of Chief Operating Officer Michael DeVito who supervised every detail of the job, along with Facilities Director Steven Lahey, Building Principal Karen Sauter and Lindell Head Custodian William Snow.

Mr. DeVito welcomed representatives of the architectural firm CSArch, project manager Savin Engineers, and general contractor Lipsky Enterprises, who worked together to bring the job to fruition.

Former Board President Lynn Gergen was invited to officiate over the ribbon-cutting ceremony and Vice President Roy Lester unveiled the commemorative plaque, while trustee Patrick Gallagher recounted the rich history of the building.

click on image to view full size

Facilities Use Policy Forum

The Board of Education held two special forums at the Long Beach Public Library to gather community input about revising the district’s facilities use policy. The first forum took place on the evening of November 30, and the second was held on the morning of December 3.

Both forums used a World Café format in which participants broke up into groups to listen to each other’s opinions about who the facilities should be made available to, appropriate use of schools and facilities when school is not in session, acceptable hours of use, appropriate use of sound systems and scoreboards, and whether facilities should be used to raise revenue for the school district. Finally, group members were asked to suggest elements that can be built into the policy to promote pride in the Long Beach community and schools. Participants rotated to different groups for each question, which gave them a greater opportunity to share with one another.

click on image to view full size