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Long Beach High School

Visual Arts Department

Director of Media, Visual & Performing Arts: Julia Lang-Shapiro

Office Phone: (516) 897-6500
   

 Faculty
    E. Fox              
    J. Harvey 
    S. Kornacki
    A. Pulice
    S. Presberg
    L. Rilling

 

About the Visual Arts

The visual arts are unique languages and symbol systems for communicating ideas, feelings, and different ways of knowing about oneself and the world.  The visual arts provide a record of civilization through diverse cultural artifacts that reflect aspects of human thought, action, and experience, and assist students in making connections across subject matter. Importantly, the visual arts develop essential workplace qualities of teamwork, collaboration, flexibility, and appreciation and respect for others’ ideas and personal expressions.

The visual arts engage the whole individual in the acts of creating and responding involving the intellectual, the intuitive, the emotional, and the physical being. The richness of the visual arts and its contribution to thinking and learning demand that every student have access to the knowledge, skills, and understandings of visual arts education. 

The Visual/Media Arts Program goals include having students experience the full range of the visual arts with an emphasis on the NYS Standards for the Arts.

• Developing a lifelong curiosity about the arts, and understanding that art transcends time is one of the Common Core Standards in the Arts.

• Through the process of art making, the study of art pieces, and art movements, the student will be able to make informed hypotheses about art and how it relates to common core disciplines and their world.

• The student will also understand that art is a human endeavor that reflects the values that are important to cultures, society, and individuals. 

Art is the lens in which we can learn not only about ourselves but also learn about the past, engage in present day society and collaborate with other individuals.

The varied curriculum of Long Beach High School Visual and Media Arts department provides students with an array of opportunities to develop their curiosity for the arts and understand how art not only relates to them personally but to the world around them as well. 

Our goal is to continue to provide opportunities for all learners to be able to develop the essential 21st century skills- the 4Cs- critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity- within our programs and help them make connections (the 5th C) to the other courses that they are studying.  

 

 

Visual Arts Sequences

 

Fine Arts

Foundation Course: Studio in Art

Drawing & Painting I

Drawing & Painting II

IB Visual Arts SL/HL or Advanced Visual Studies

 

Media Arts

Foundation Course: Media Arts or Studio Art

Digital Design I/Digital Design II

or

Photography I/Photography II
Advanced Visual Studies or IB Visual Arts SL/HL

 

Creative Crafts

Foundation Course: Creative Crafts or Studio in Art

Ceramics I

Advanced Ceramics

Advanced Visual Studies or IB Visual Arts SL/HL

 

Current News

Long Beach Students Participate in Business Olympics

A group of nine young adults in formal attire stand in a library, each holding a certificate. thumbnail268605
This year’s Business Olympics competition challenged teams to step into the role of business consultants, selecting an existing local business in the Long Beach, Point Lookout, Atlantic Beach, Lido Beach, or Island Park communities and developing a proposal to enhance its operations and market performance. Students showcase their skills in research, presentation, and creative marketing, applying real-world business concepts to local enterprises.

Congratulations to Sydney Brandt, Winter Collinson, Avery Schab, Jack Klang, Shane Haglich, Meadow Prafder, Alanna Damiani, Vanessa Leddy, Elicah Gabriel, Natalie Kwon, Kylie Duncan, and Rylee Albanese for their hard work, professionalism, and creativity. Their efforts reflect the strong academic and career-readiness opportunities within our district, and we are incredibly proud of their accomplishments!

Students and Staff Enjoy Annual Holiday Celebration

Five people are gathered around a table covered with a blue checkered tablecloth selecting food from various dishes. thumbnail268490

Recently at LBHS, the Israeli Culture Club, Aspire, the African American Club, and the Asian Pacific Islander Club hosted their annual holiday celebration featuring traditional foods from their cultures. It was a wonderful event that highlighted the rich diversity within our community!

Date Added: 12/11/2025

Long Beach High School Celebrates HOBY Students

Long Beach High School is proud to congratulate the 2025 HOBY Ambassador Thomas Jacoby and Alternate Ambassador, Karina Rios. thumbnail268457
Long Beach High School is proud to congratulate the 2025 HOBY Ambassador Thomas Jacoby and Alternate Ambassador, Karina Rios. The Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Award is a nationally recognized program that empowers young leaders through skill-building and service-learning experiences.

Both sophomores, Thomas and Karina impressed the committee with their commitment to service and their emerging leadership skills.

Additionally, the following 10th grade students, Rebecca Arden, Sophia Lipkin, Grace Haglich, Audrey Maggio, Quinn Radin, Rylee Varian and Hailey Vordermeier were nominated for the HOBY Award. These students were selected for demonstrating strong character, initiative, and leadership within our school community.

We are proud of all the HOBY nominees and look forward to what the future holds for each of these students.

LBHS senior named 2025 QuestBridge Match Scholarship Recipient

Long Beach High School is proud to announce senior Aidan Tarsia has been selected as a 2025 QuestBridge Match Scholarship Recipient. thumbnail268409

Long Beach High School is proud to announce senior Aidan Tarsia has been selected as a 2025 QuestBridge Match Scholarship Recipient, an honor earned through his outstanding academic achievement and completion of a highly rigorous application process. Aidan will attend Boston College on a full four-year scholarship.

Through the highly competitive QuestBridge National College Match, top students from across the country are matched with prestigious colleges that cover the entire cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, meals, books, supplies, and travel. This year, QuestBridge matched 2,550 seniors nationwide with full scholarships to its 55 partner colleges.   

We are incredibly proud of Aidan for this extraordinary achievement. His hard work, resilience, and dedication have opened the door to an incredible opportunity at Boston College.

 

Date Added: 12/5/2025


Long Beach High School Theatre Company Presents “The Man Who Came to Dinner”

Students performing play on stage. thumbnail268327
The Long Beach High School Theatre Company proudly presented The Man Who Came to Dinner by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The classic comedy is set in 1938 in a small Ohio town, unfolding inside the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley.

The production followed the play’s original structure:
                    Act One – Scene 1: A December morning; Scene 2: About a week later.
                    Act Two – Another week has passed; Christmas Eve.
                    Act Three – Christmas morning.

This year’s show featured a cast of 35 students and a backstage crew of 14. The production team was led by Director Mr. Alexander Austein, Producer Mr. Scott Scheinson, Student Director Sabrina Moy, and Stage Managers Mateo Flores and Tab Freeney. Students delivered three outstanding performances on November 20, 21, and 22.

“Our incredibly passionate and skilled students brought remarkable life to the stage, captivating everyone in the audience from start to finish,” said Julia Lang-Shapiro, Long Beach Director of Media, Visual and Performing Arts.

Date Added: 11/26/2025