Community Update - June 26, 2026

Dear Syosset Community: It’s been two weeks of transition and celebration for all of our learners. Special congratulations to students moving up from elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, and of course, graduating from high school. These joyful milestones represent more than just the passage of time. They represent years of hard work, growth, and challenges overcome...both big and small.    On Monday, our fifth graders proudly marched to accept their accolades and well wishes as they say goodbye to the first big chapter of their education and prepare for the next. Opening lockers and switching classes to a bell will be big adjustments, but I am confident that they will excel in middle school just as they have already!   The previous Monday, our Middle Schools returned to the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts to host their annual moving-up ceremonies. Nearly 600 students will enter Syosset High School as freshmen this Fall. The ceremonies celebrated so much more than just academic achievement—they honored the friendships, personal growth, and shared experiences that have shaped these students throughout their middle school years. Congratulations to our high school class of 2030… we are excited to watch you #SyoSoar.   The stands of Hofstra University’s arena were filled with pride as families celebrated the more than 600 members of the Class of 2026 on their graduation. Prior to the formal ceremony, attendees were treated to classical selections played by the high school chamber orchestra. The formal commencement exercises began with a shift to Pomp and Circumstance to accompany the solemn parade of leaders and graduates taking the stage and floor of the arena. The ceremony began with an acapella rendition of the national anthem, sung by the Senior members of the Adelettes and TBA (Tenor Based A Cappella). There were tears, hugs, and high fives. Many of the graduation speakers (including me) chose variations of the theme of change and the opportunities ahead. Our students are well-prepared to navigate both as they transition to what is ahead. As I reflect on the Class of 2026, I see all of their notable accomplishments in athletics, academics and the arts, but what will stay with me is their kindness and their dedication to their community.  Congratulations to the graduating class of 2026. The world is waiting for you. This Summer 🚜 🚧 What’s more fun than Summer? Summer School! We are excited to welcome students back on Monday, July 6th, for our enrichment programs, driver’s education, and more. We also offer our community a Learn to Swim Program that runs in three sessions – the first of which begins on June 29. There are still seats open! You can sign up at this link.  We will also be getting started on a slew of our bond construction projects, too. You will see lots of equipment and workers in hard hats roaming around our campuses. By the time we return in September, our new high school guidance center and science research rooms will be completed, and the high school gym will be in progress. The middle schools will have air-conditioned gymnasiums and new locker rooms. The gym air conditioning at Village and A.P. Willits should also be complete. At HBT, the track and turf field should be nearing completion and the new vestibule project will be well underway.  This construction will be ongoing for quite some time – and will certainly impact our summer athletics program – but the short-term inconvenience will be worth the long-term gains.   It’s been a joyful year, and for our students, every day has been a chance to learn something new and do something good. While this update has tracked many big moments, I know I’m just scratching the surface of all the good in Syosset and all the amazing things our 7,100 students do. I am so proud of each one of them. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of watching your children grow and leading this amazing organization.  Undoubtedly there will occasionally be news to share over the summer, but the typical Friday Update won’t return until September. Until then, have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing Summer. We can’t wait to see you again in the Fall!  #SyoSights😎 Tom Rogers Syosset Central School District Website • Instagram • Facebook • YouTube

Friday, Jun 26 2026

SYO SPARK - June 2026

As we reach the end of another exciting school year, this month’s SYO SPARK celebrates what it means to be Reflective. Reflective learners take time to look back on their experiences, think about what they have learned, celebrate their accomplishments, and consider how they have grown. Reflection helps us recognize our strengths, learn from challenges, and set goals for the future. As you read this month’s stories, take a moment to think about your own year. What made you proud? What new skills did you learn? What challenges helped you grow? Every experience—both the easy moments and the difficult ones—helps shape who we become. A special congratulations to our fifth graders as they prepare to move up to middle school! You have grown as learners, leaders, friends, and members of your school communities. As you begin this exciting new chapter, take time to reflect on the memories, friendships, and experiences that have helped you become who you are today. We are proud of all that you have accomplished and cannot wait to see all the amazing things you will do next. As the school year comes to a close, remember that every ending is also a new beginning. Keep reflecting, keep growing, and keep shining, SYO Stars! Monthly Read Aloud "In My Heart: A Book of Feelings" By: Jo Witek Two of our Syosset High School seniors joined Dr. Rogers for a read aloud this month as they prepare to move on to their next chapters. Thank you to our high school broadcast students for putting this together! Take a look. The People in your Neighborhood Two articles by the Village Voice and South Grove's "Extra! Extra!" By: 3rd and 4th grade Junior Journalists Village Voice At Village Elementary School, there’s a friendly face keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes: custodian Max Forrest. Mr. Max is known for being kind, funny, and always happy to see everyone. Many students say he is always smiling and ready to help. When asked what inspires him to be so kind, he said that being part of the Village community makes a big difference. “Coming here is so much fun,” he said. Mr. Max works very hard every day. Even though his job can be tiring, he says, “It’s easy!” He and his team are super fast too! They can clean the whole school in four hours or less when the building is empty. They also help set up assemblies, move classrooms in the summer, decorate the school, and clean up after big events. Have you ever wondered what happens to all the missing pencils? Mr. Max jokes that they end up in Pennsylvania! But really, many pencils are reused for creative projects around the school, like decorations for graduation. Every day at Village is a little different for Mr. Max. One time, he had to help guide a deer off the school property! In the winter, he has to deal with giant snowdrifts that can get as tall as 15 feet.  Before working at Village, Mr. Max had many interesting jobs. He worked in building management, hospitality, and even owned a dance studio called Dance Fever in Medford. All of this experience helped him become a great head custodian. When he’s not at school, Mr. Max likes doing DIY projects, carpentry, and helping the environment by reusing materials. He is also active in his church. Family is very important to him. He is married, has three grown children, and a 10-year-old granddaughter. Mr. Max does so much to help our school every day. Whether he is fixing something, cleaning up, or just saying hello in the hallway, he helps make Village Elementary a great place to be. We are so lucky to have him in our school and our neighborhood! Top 10 Reasons Village Is Thankful for Mr. Max: 10. He helps clean up after school events 9. He is always nice.  8. He is always happy to see everyone. 7. He helps set up for assemblies.  6. He helps move classrooms over the summer. 5. He helps set up the Thanksgiving Feast. 4. He decorates the school for different seasons and holidays. 3. He works hard every single day. 2. He clears the school during snowstorms and keeps it safe for everyone. 1. He is always there when the school needs him.   Mrs. Lee and Her Passion for Butterflies By: Chloe Su and Cynthia Yang South Grove’s “Extra Extra” Mrs. Lee is a music teacher at South Grove, but outside of school she and her daughters like to visit butterfly conservatories and enjoy the butterflies in her backyard. She enjoys butterflies not only because they are beautiful, but they also help pollinate plants and flowers. Mrs. Lee’s favorite local butterfly is the Monarch butterfly. Although Monarch butterflies only live about two weeks, every fall “Super Monarch” butterflies emerge. Unlike other Monarchs, they live much longer. “I like Monarch butterflies. Not only are they beautiful, but the Super Monarch is the only butterfly that makes the very long journey from North America to Mexico where they spend the winter. There are so many, they completely fill the trees,” said Mrs. Lee. Mrs. Lee plants milkweed for Monarch caterpillars. Even though milkweed is poisonous to humans if you eat it, she still grows them because Monarch caterpillars love to eat them and the poison they ingest acts as their natural protection. Birds know not to eat Monarch caterpillars because of their bright stripes. In addition to providing food for the caterpillars, she grows many types of plants to prepare for the butterflies that will visit her garden. Some plants are Black Eyed Susans, Bee balm, Liatris, Cone flower, Milkweed, and Parsley. She grows parsley to attract Swallowtail butterflies because that is where they lay their eggs. Mrs. Lee has worked with the Monarch Watch organization for almost 10 years now! Monarch Watch is a Monarch tagging program for anyone that wants to volunteer. She also puts tags on the butterflies so their tag number can be reported to Monarch Watch to track where that particular butterfly has been. A reason why she likes to help butterflies is because she doesn’t want the butterflies to disappear for future generations. Some tips she has for people that want to help butterflies is to admire the butterflies, don't touch them unless you have training, because it can do damage to them. Mrs. Lee also encourages people not to rake leaves in the fall because there might be some cocoons in the pile. When you rake and bag up leaves, you could be throwing out a chrysalis (for future butterflies).  Mrs. Lee's future goal is to make a butterfly waystation. A waystation provides a source of food and water for butterflies as well as host plants for caterpillars. Her passion for butterflies is huge, so if you ever see her around make sure to ask her about butterflies.   The Inside SYO Scoop 🍨 Two articles by the Berry Hill News Crew and the Robbins Lane "Daily Chirp" Extra Land, Big Plans: A Sit Down with Assemblyman Blumencranz By: The Berry Hill News Crew  We had an exciting opportunity to sit down for an interview with New York State Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz. He was part of a group of state representatives who helped give the Syosset Central School District the land we needed to expand Berry Hill Elementary. This extra land will let our school build a new extension so there is plenty of room for everyone! During our interview, we learned a lot about what it is really like to be an Assemblyman. Assemblyman Blumencranz has a busy schedule! From January to June, he lives in Albany making laws. The rest of the year, he lives right here on Long Island. When he is back home, he loves helping out in the community. You might even see him at local events like Toys for Tots or community blood drives. He told us that being an elected official means leading by giving back to others. He was elected four years ago and was actually the youngest Assemblyman in New York State! He said being young helps him talk to people of all ages, work together to solve big problems, and understand different points of view. We asked him what he was like as a kid. When he was in elementary school, he went to a Career Day and wanted to write a book report about being a politician. However, his school library didn't have any books about politics, so he chose a book on becoming an architect instead. His favorite subject in school was Social Studies. Before he was elected, he worked as an intern at a popular TV news station, which was his favorite experience. When he isn't busy working, he loves to swim, play tennis, go horseback riding, work out, and spend time with his family. Assemblyman Blumencranz taught the News Crew exactly how an idea becomes a law that everyone has to follow. First, you need a good idea for something that needs to change. Next, you write down the idea and conduct research, and this draft is called a bill. Then, you talk to your colleagues and convince them that your idea is great. After that, the bill has to pass through votes in both the State Senate and the Assembly. Finally, it goes to the Governor, and it officially becomes a law once the Governor signs it! The land given to Berry Hill was actually owned by New York State before they handed it over to Syosset. The state owns a lot of unused land that can be saved for future building and infrastructure projects. One of the most important lessons Assemblyman Blumencranz shared with us is the power of teamwork. He explained that you will always have to work with people who have different opinions, and you might not always agree. But he reminded us that we can always find something in common because, in the end, we are all human. He said this is a skill we can practice right now in school, since we all have to work on group projects with people we might not get along with perfectly. Thank you, Assemblyman Blumencranz, for helping our school grow and for sharing your story with the Berry Hill News Crew!   The Crayon Initiative By: The Daily Chirp Robbins Lane At Robbins Lane, our Student Council teamed up with The Crayon Initiative to help kids in need! The Crayon Initiative is a program that takes used crayons and melts them down into new crayons that are easier for children in hospitals to use. Many children color on hospital trays, and regular crayons can roll right off. The Crayon Initiative makes special triangle-shaped crayons that stay in place better. The crayons are also bigger, which makes them easier for children with injuries or weak hands to hold. Our Student Council, led by one of our fourth grade teachers Mrs. Segreto, worked hard to help with this project. First, they created and decorated donation boxes. Then they visited classrooms around the school to spread the word and encourage students to bring in used crayons to donate. Soon, the boxes were filled with crayons from students all over Robbins Lane! Another great thing about these crayons is that they do not have paper wrappers. Paper wrappers can be hard to peel off, create extra waste, and may even hold germs. Without wrappers, the crayons are safer and easier for kids in hospitals to use. So far, The Crayon Initiative has kept 59,558,531 crayons out of landfills and donated 797,200 crayons to patients. You can help too by dropping off unwanted crayons at a nearby Staples store or mailing them directly to The Crayon Initiative. Go check out The Crayon Initiative at thecrayoninitiative.org to learn more and help kids in need! SyoFunny 😂 Why did the student bring a mirror to school? Because they wanted to reflect on their year! 😄 Little Kids, Big Difference Two articles written by the A.P. Willits & the Walt Whitman Writers By: Grace Bae, Daniel Chen, Oscar Lu, Sophie Spielvogel, and Nathaniel Ricks A.P. Willits News Reporters A.P. Willits Elementary School is a place where we learn, grow, and help our community in many ways. In November, our school focused on helping families for Thanksgiving. Our school learned about healthy foods and ways to help people in need. We had a food drive. We also decorated placemats for people eating at the Mary Brennan INN soup kitchen. The colorful placemats helped make the meals feel special and showed that people care. In December, we all worked together to make hearts out of Lego bricks. Mrs. Holzweiss posted a picture of the hearts on the internet. When the Lego company saw them online, they donated Lego sets to kids who could not afford them. This helped more children have a chance to build and play.   On March 18, families came together for Willits Cares, sponsored by the A.P. Willits Elementary School PTA. They made birthday boxes for kids who need them. They also made friendship bracelet kits for children in hospitals and packed lunches for people in the community. Everyone brought bread and deli meat to help. It was a busy and fun night where everyone worked together to make a difference. On March 21, we celebrated World Down Syndrome Day, a special day that honors people with Down syndrome. We wore silly socks with different colors and patterns to show that being different is great. We rocked our socks to show we care about everyone. Here is an interview with 2nd grader Mia Marsilio, who has a brother with Down syndrome. What is Down syndrome? People with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome. A chromosome tells your body how to grow. My brother is a twin. He has Down syndrome, but our sister Ava doesn’t. My brother needs special care. My brother learns and practices sign language, and has speech therapy. He needs help getting his clothes on in the morning, eating breakfast, and getting his shoes on before he goes to school. Down syndrome sometimes makes him feel floppy, and he can’t stand very well. I help him get around the playground because he can’t climb or go down the slide without help from someone. You have a special shirt that says “My Brother is Down Right Perfect.” What is your favorite thing about your brother? My brother likes to do things his own way. He likes to do puzzles and draw. When I am sad he gives me a hug and makes me feel better. Are there any activities or hobbies that you and your brother love to do together? My brother loves to dance so I teach him new dances. He likes energetic music. Sometimes people think having a brother or a sister with special needs is very different. What do you think? My brother is like everyone else in my family. He just looks a little different and needs some more help. What is something you’ve learned about your brother that you think other students should know? Even though people can look different they can still be the same. What inspired you to share your family’s story during the Unity Day assembly? I shared my story because I love my brother so much! He is the best, and I wanted all my friends to know about him. I wasn't embarrassed, I was confident and proud to talk about him. How did it feel to see your friends and teachers “Rocking Their Socks” on World Down Syndrome Day? It made me feel good that they were learning about people who have disabilities like my brother. What is it important to celebrate days like World Down Syndrome Day? Some kids don’t know anyone with Down syndrome or other disabilities. They can learn more about other people. What advice would you give to someone who meets a person with Down syndrome for the first time? Smile and introduce yourself because other kids can be shy like my brother. Why do you think this story is important to share with our school community? Sometimes people with disabilities get bullied. I want people to know that we are all the same. My brother is a special person to me and my family!   Mental Health Awareness: “More Good Days, Together” By: Walt Whitman Writers Everyone, including kids, can make a difference when it comes to our own mental health. During May, Mental Health Awareness month, the students at Walt Whitman learned about healthy habits for our body and our minds. This year’s theme, More Good Days, Together, helps us think about what a good day looks like for ourselves and our friends and family.   Mr. Imbrogno, our Social Worker, organized a month-long celebration on how to help ourselves. One activity was writing positive affirmations. Positive affirmations is the practice of writing something good about yourself, or saying something positive to yourself in your head. For example, one student’s positive affirmation said, “I am peaceful and caring.” Another student wrote, “I will keep trying, and never give in.” Another student wrote, “My feelings matter. I care about myself.” The Walt Whitman Writers interviewed Mr. Imbrogno about this very important topic.   Mental health awareness is important because it teaches us how to practice healthy habits, set good routines, and solve problems. We become more aware of how to take care of ourselves. One of the best things about this, according to Mr. Imbrogno, is that you don’t need anything special to take care of yourself or your mind. It’s something you can do all by yourself, and you don’t need to buy anything! With summer vacation just around the corner, one of the healthy habits that kids can do to keep their minds healthy is taking a break from technology. Mr. Imbrogno suggests spending time with family or friends instead. It is always healthy to take a break when you can - go for a walk, play a sport, go swimming. When you move your body, you feel better! We decided to survey the students in our school with three basic questions. We asked the Walt Whitman students what they do to keep their bodies and minds healthy. This is what they said: Mental health is not just for May. There are things you can do all year long to keep yourself healthy. Our advice is to find time every day to give yourself a positive affirmation and do something healthy for your body. As Mr. Imbrogno says, “it’s just that simple.” Syosset Central School District

Wednesday, Jun 24 2026

Community Update - June 12, 2026

Dear Syosset Community: Our final board meeting of the 2025-2026 marked a number of culminations. We congratulated staff members of our Syosset family who completed 25 years of service to our students and community (and will continue on with us), said goodbye to two Trustees who are retiring, and congratulated our Spring season athletes on their many accomplishments.  It’s sobering to think that I have been here 12 years and still have less than half the service of these veteran staff. In earlier remarks, I thanked them for not only their hard work, but for serving as anchors for the organizational culture that makes Syosset so special and for inculcating that ethos in the new employees who join us every year.  The Board paused in its business to honor two of its anchors as well – Carol Cheng, our current board president, and Anna Levitan. They have both served nine years on the Board and had previous service in PTA leadership, totaling over 18 years each. So many of the accolades and accomplishments we celebrate as a community coincided with their efforts. I consider myself fortunate to have had the chance to work alongside them.  Also graduating from both Board service and Syosset High School is Nikhil Shah, who was our inaugural student representative on the Board of Education. Congratulations, Nikhil and good luck. #SyoSports Congratulations to our Boy’s Tennis Team, which had another extraordinary season, winning the County and Long Island Championships. Today, they defeated Bethlehem 6-1 to play for the State championship. Although I’m sure they’re disappointed to have come up just short against Scarsdale, getting to the State championship 4 years in a row is simply an incredible accomplishment – or put another way, there is no other team that has accomplished what they have these last 4 years! Also at our Board of Education meeting on Monday, we proudly recognized our Spring athletes who had achieved All-County honors and celebrated all of the teams’ success! Boys Lacrosse head coach John Calabria noted that although his team fell just short of their goal of a championship trophy, they accomplished something more enduring—coalescing into a team John called ‘historic’ for its profound sportsmanship and camaraderie—a wonderful reminder that winning isn’t the only mark of a truly great team. Congratulations to all of our athletes on an outstanding season – and a year to remember! Spotlight on Instruction 🔦 Berry Hill students arrived this week with clipboards and pencils in hand to take notes during their very first career fair. It’s never too early to start researching your dream career! Our remarkable parents, teachers and community members generously shared their time, talents, and experience with our students. From vascular surgeons, attorneys, and wedding band performers to firefighters, gastroenterologists, artists, and business owners, our classrooms and gymnasium were transformed into a hub of inspiration. Each presenter offered students a glimpse into their daily work, sparking curiosity and helping our learners connect classroom skills to real-world careers. Even our youngest students were fully engaged, asking thoughtful questions and beginning to imagine what their own futures may look like. After the special guests left, students met with their buddy classes to share exciting takeaways, discuss careers that sparked their interest, and even completed career aptitude activities to explore potential future paths.The week-long event culminated with: “Dress as Your Future Occupation Day,” where students literally tried their inspirations on for size! #SyoStars 🌟 Syosset High School librarian Dr. Sarah Wasser was named a NASTAR (Nassau Association of School Technologists Award Recipient). NASTARs are selected for their innovation, their ability to seamlessly integrate technology into education, and their exemplary technology leadership. Congratulations, Dr. Wasser, on this well-deserved recognition! Thank you for continuously keeping our library on the cutting edge! Is a collection of #SyoStars a #SyoConstellation? Our School Counseling Department was given the Exemplary Practice Guidance Award by the Nassau Counselors' Association (NCA). The award recognizes a noteworthy, innovative, and highly adaptable accomplishment by a counseling staff in Nassau County. Our counselors earned this honor for their newly established College Admissions Advisory Board, which was developed to better support our students as they navigate an increasingly complex college admissions landscape. The Board brings together our counselors, college admissions representatives, and educators to bridge the gap between high school preparation and college expectations. Congratulations! We can’t wait to hang the award in the new Guidance and Wellness Center next year. Senior Catherine Yu has just advanced to the final round of the 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. She is one of only 627 semifinalists nationwide selected to continue in this prestigious competition. Established in 1964, the program recognizes some of the nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors based on their outstanding academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character, and community involvement. Congratulations, Catherine, on this remarkable accomplishment! We are so proud of you and will be keeping our fingers crossed for the final selection. Bright Spot Today was our third annual Senior “Clap Out.” This wonderful new tradition has our graduating seniors riding a school bus for a trip back in time to their elementary schools. The halls were lined with our littlest learners clapping, holding signs, pom poms, and old class photos as the Seniors paraded down the halls proudly wearing their caps and gowns. Younger students reached up to high-five the seniors, looking up to them in more ways than one. And the elementary teachers and staff were just as excited as the kids to see their former students all grown up – so many tears and selfies! One special moment happened at Berry Hill. Two brothers met in the hall, one a senior and the other a third grader. Their last name: Sunshine! What could be brighter than that!? This new tradition has quickly become one of the brightest days of the year. Thank you graduates for being an inspiration to your younger peers and teachers alike!   A reminder our district is closed next Friday, June 19th – and then we’ll have a graduation wrap up on the last day of school. Enjoy the next few weeks of celebrations.  #SyoSpirit Tom Rogers Syosset Central School District Website • Instagram • Facebook • YouTube

Friday, Jun 12 2026

Community Update - June 5, 2026

Dear Syosset Community: S-101 has landed! No, it’s not a space shuttle, but it is a shuttle of another kind. The first of our *six* new Syosset school buses has finally arrived. You may remember last budget season, the community approved the purchase of three new vehicles – and again this spring approved three more – as part of a very long-range strategy to create a hybrid transportation system that reduces our reliance on commercial partners. Three of the buses will be smaller “vans” like this one, that can transport 30 kids (or 21 adults). We also ordered three full-sized buses with coach bus-type suspensions that can supplement the commercial coach bus fleet that we’ve had so much trouble securing.  The State budget that was just approved by the Legislature delayed by five years the mandate for schools to switch to electric buses, recognizing the need for the technology to improve, the electric grid to be expanded, and the prices to come down (EV buses are roughly twice the cost). Still, we are planning toward this future, placing underground electrical conduit as part of our construction projects so we’ll be able to wire future charging stations without ripping up as much of our parking lots. School buses are built to order and take about a year for delivery, but we are excited to finally be on the road to having our own small (but mighty) bus fleet. Board of Ed Meeting Reminder A reminder there is a Board of Education meeting on Monday, June 8th, beginning at 8pm at South Woods Middle School. You can find more information, including the meeting’s agenda, on our district website. Summer School It’s almost time for Summer School! Our Summer School program will run from July 6 to August 14 this year and registration opens this coming Tuesday, June 9, at 6pm. You can check out the course offerings on our website. Note: Because of all the summer construction projects, Summer School will be housed at two locations. Elementary programs will be housed at Robbins Lane elementary school, while high school programs (including Driver’s Ed) will be hosted at Baylis elementary school.  Spotlight on Instruction 🔦 Our high school technology department hosted their 44th Annual Architecture Showcase this week – providing us with a perfect example of real-world career readiness in action. This highly anticipated event features incredible architectural models designed and built by students as part of their work in the Residential and Commercial Architecture courses. The models, presented as part of a small-scale city, transformed the Syosset High School Student Lobby into a stunning gallery of creativity and innovation. The theme was “Summer and Winter,” challenging students to explore the contrast and harmony between two distinct seasons. This showcase is the culmination of a rigorous instructional approach that emphasizes design thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and technical skill development. Student work was reviewed and evaluated by a panel of local professionals—including architects, engineers, and professors—as well as alumni of the SHS Architecture Program. By presenting their innovations and defending their design choices to industry experts, our students are actively developing the creative innovator and critical thinker skills envisioned in the state's "Portrait of a Graduate. #SyoSports We are wrapping up our Spring sports season—and (like the Knicks!) a few Syo teams and individuals are still in the post-season championship hunt. Here is a quick Spring sports roundup: Girls Lacrosse were Nassau County Finalists. Boys Lacrosse were Nassau County Finalists. Baseball were Nassau County Semifinalists. Softball were Nassau County Semifinalists. Girls Badminton were Nassau County Semifinalists. Flag Football were Nassau County Semifinalists in their fourth season. Boys Track and Field finished 3rd in Nassau County. Girls Track and Field finished 7th in Nassau County. Boys Golf finished 3rd in Nassau County. The Boys Varsity Rowing team had three athletes qualify for Nationals in Sarasota, Florida. Our Unified Basketball team made another playoff appearance in their third season. Boys Tennis are Nassau County and Long Island champions again! Our boys will compete next Friday (6/12) for their fourth consecutive New York State championship title after a win over Harborfields last week in the LI Championship. Good luck, boys! We’re cheering you on. This week, our athletic department also honored our graduating senior athletes, celebrating their accomplishments and handing out end-of-year awards. The Frank Manarel and Connie Kulik Awards, which are presented to the most outstanding male and female athletes of the year, were awarded to Brody Waxer and Julie Shaughnessy—both of whom will go on to play lacrosse in college. We also introduced a brand-new award this year, recognizing 26 seniors with Three-Sport Medals. This means these incredibly dedicated students were varsity athletes in all three seasons (Fall, Winter, and Spring!). Also monumental: our football coach of 40 years, Paul Rourke, is hanging up his badge. He was recognized for his incredible decades of service and dedication to our community. Thank you, Coach Rourke! Congrats to all our members of our Syosset teams—you make us #SyoProud! #SyoStars 🌟 Our Syosset High School Model Congress team took civic engagement to the next level this past weekend by hosting its first conference. Recognizing a need for more debate opportunities on Long Island, our students took the initiative to plan and execute the region's first entirely student-run Model Congress. The nine-hour competition brought together over 80 participants to debate public policy across seven congressional committees. The event kicked off with remarks from former Nassau County Legislator Josh Lafazan (a Syosset alumnus), who encouraged the delegates to stay active in their communities and the democratic process. The team hopes to make this successful event an annual tradition. We are incredibly proud of the leadership and collaboration demonstrated by our students to make this day a reality! Speaking of debate—our incredible Forensics team spent their Memorial Day weekend in our nation's capital competing at the Catholic Forensics League championship tournament! The competition brought together 3,300 students from 400 schools across the country to compete in 10 different public speaking events. Unsurprisingly, Syosset shined on the national stage! An impressive 10 Syosset students advanced to the elimination rounds, with four bringing home major national awards in their respective events. And… the team’s season isn’t quite over yet—they will soon be traveling to Richmond, Virginia to compete in the National Forensic League championship. Good luck, team! Bright Spot Our students just raised over $57,000 for Jam Kancer, a foundation that raises money to help families facing pediatric cancer. Nearly 100 students from our Community Health and Peers as Leaders programs spent months fundraising. They did this through bake sales, bracelet sales, pizza sales, and other student-led efforts. To celebrate their phenomenal success, New York Islanders team captain Anders Lee, who supports the foundation, visited Syosset High School for an epic 48-team Kancer Jam frisbee tournament, complete with trophies and autographed Islanders swag for the participants. Local media and photographers were in attendance, too. As fun as the tournament was, the real highlight was hearing from a family who has benefitted from the charity’s work. Students left inspired to continue the momentum of doing good in their communities. Amazing!   After a January that felt like the North Pole, a March that felt like February, and a May that felt like March, it’s finally starting to feel like June outside. Enjoy!!  #SyoSunshine ☀️ Tom Rogers Syosset Central School District Website • Instagram • Facebook • YouTube

Friday, Jun 05 2026

Community Update - May 29, 2026

Dear Syosset Community: This week was a short one, but a good one! We returned to school on Thursday after an extended weekend — the last big opportunity to rest up before the rush of the end of the school year. Last night, I had the honor of installing the next slate of PTA officers for the Syosset Council of PTAs, the executive board that oversees all of our building PTAs. I’ve had the privilege of doing this several times now, and each year I try to come up with a uniquely Syosset way to install these officers (after all, they didn’t come with a manual!). I have to say, we may have outdone ourselves this year. With the help of the Syosset High School Adelettes and our boys quartet, we transformed the ceremony into a barbershop-themed celebration, giving each new officer a “haircut” while serenading them with a tune. It was a cheerful and memorable way to celebrate the machine behind the machine that is our wonderful school district: our parents and guardians. As tireless volunteers, our PTA members do so much to make our schools more welcoming places for students, support our hardworking teachers, provide valuable feedback and insight to the central administration, and organize events that are both informative and fun. We closed out the installation with a grand finale performance of “We Go Together” from Grease, which perfectly captured the spirit of our school-community partnership. It was an honor to be the first to congratulate and thank the new slate of officers in such a fun and unforgettable way. Thank you to all the members of our PTA. You truly make #SyoSing! You can watch the full installation below. #SyoStars 🌟 Senior Jake Dapice is the recipient of a prestigious four-year ROTC scholarship to Villanova University. Army Sergeant Hussain stopped by the high school to present Jake with the big check. You’ve read about Jake in this update before – a soccer star and team leader. We will miss seeing him around campus, but are so excited for his next chapter. Congratulations, Jake, and thank you in advance for your service to our country. Senior Jason Feldman has spent the last two years producing a phenomenal, feature-length documentary uncovering the 50-year history and legacy of our very own student-run radio station, WKWZ 88.5 FM. The station is one of only four high school broadcast radio stations on Long Island and has been for decades. Jason, who serves as a student station manager, has a deep personal connection to the program. His father was involved with WKWZ in the 1980s, making Jason a proud second-generation DJ! Titled “The Subterranean Penthouse: The Story of WKWZ,” the documentary explores how the station has shaped the lives of its students and includes stories from notable WKWZ alumni, including filmmaker Judd Apatow. Congratulations, Jason, on completing this incredible project and beautifully preserving our Syosset history. Our TV broadcast journalism students attended a BASH last week and came home with some serious bragging rights! Part awards ceremony and part learning conference, the BASH (Broadcast Alliance for Senior High) Awards are an annual celebration of student broadcast journalism and video production. The competition saw over 200 submissions from over 50 schools. Our Syosset students took home First Place for Best Sports Feature about our high school kickline team as they competed at Nationals -- and Second Place for Best Human Interest Feature highlighting our District’s partnership with The Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf. Amazing! Bright Spot Today was a gorgeous day for Field Day at several of our elementary schools! But at Baylis Elementary, our faculty and staff had some extra special helpers to amp up the fun—high school students from our Peer Leadership program. For the very first time, a group of 10th and 11th graders attended an elementary field day to lend a helping hand. Each high schooler was assigned a specific class and asked to serve as the official cheerleaders, water distributors, and ultimate "hype people" for the younger students. They brought incredible energy to the tug-of-war battles, potato sack races, soccer matches, and more.   At the conclusion of the action-packed day, everyone cooled off with ice pops and celebrated with a well-deserved dance party. I am always so incredibly proud to see our older students stepping up to give back and serve as role models for their younger peers. The enthusiasm, encouragement, and sense of connection shared throughout the day is a shining example of what makes Syo such a special community.   It seems like there’s a beautiful weekend on deck – enjoy! And we’ll see you all next week.  #SyoSings Tom Rogers Syosset Central School District Website • Instagram • Facebook • YouTube

Friday, May 29 2026

Community Update - May 23, 2026

Dear Syosset Community: On Monday, marching bands from HB Thompson Middle School, South Woods Middle School and Syosset High School will march alongside our Board of Education in the annual Memorial Day parade organized by our local VFW Post 6394. We are so appreciative of the relationship we have with our veterans, whose service to our community continues even after their time in the military has concluded. They are treated as dignitaries, and they volunteer their time with our students answering questions about patriotism and their time in service. It’s an honor to recognize them and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the beautiful weather the event deserves! I’d also like to express my appreciation for the community’s support of the 2026-2027 school year budget. The approved budget will allow us to continue to offer the robust curricular and co-curricular program our community expects and our students love. Spotlight on Instruction 🔦 Not even the hottest day of the year (so far) could slow down our 5th graders! In the past several years, we’ve been refining our students’ transitions – from preK to Kindergarten, from middle school to high school, and -- today's subject -- from elementary school to middle school. To get a jump start building the social fabric of the incoming 6th grade classes, for the first time ever, we provided graduating students from across the District’s elementary schools with an epic, end-of-year field trip to Coleman Country Day Camp. The experience was intentionally designed around team-building and student connection to help facilitate the transition to middle school. To help spark new friendships, students traveled in structured groups that mixed peers from multiple elementary schools to make that first day of middle school in the Fall feel less daunting.  Guided by our dedicated teachers and the camp’s counselors, the students spent the day rotating through a series of fun, hands-on challenges. They scaled a 40-foot rock climbing wall, navigated a Treetop adventure course, and conquered the Ninja Warrior course. The action-packed day also included friendly team sports, GaGa Ball, a multi-level maze, and even pedal boating! After working up an appetite, the students cooled off in the shaded picnic grove with a classic BBQ lunch followed by ice cream and a student-favorite trivia activity. As the day wound down, students boarded the buses for home energized from the day’s play and more importantly the new friends made! Thank you to everyone who made this special day a success and the beginning of a new transition tradition. #SyoSports Many of our sports teams are currently competing in the playoffs! One of them has already clinched the county championships.  Our Boys Tennis team served up a huge victory in an intense match against Roslyn to become the Nassau County Champions! This is the team’s fourth consecutive Nassau County Championship title. Next, the boys will advance to the Long Island Championship next Friday with an opponent yet to be determined. Good luck! Also competing in the post-season, our High School lacrosse team has two milestones to recognize: Senior Captain Brody Waxer scored his 300th point this week in a win over Hicksville. Way to go, Brody! And... earlier this season, head coach John Calabria earned his 300th career victory! Over his 25 years coaching, the team has won six Nassau County championships and two Long Island championships. Many of our alumni have gone on to play lacrosse in college thanks to their preparation here. Congrats, Coach Calabria!   I’ll keep you posted on all the playoff news and personal milestones. Let’s go Syo!! #SyoSTEM I also have a round up of our science research news. We had a great showing at ISEF (the International Science and Engineering Fair). Our students traveled to Arizona to present their work, connect with peers, and compete alongside 1,727 students from 67 countries. All three placed in their categories and brought home nearly $5,000 in prize money to support their future education. Congratulations to Gary Han (3rd Place, Physics and Astronomy), Daniel Ming (3rd Place, Behavioral and Social Sciences), and Nikhil Shah (2nd Place, Behavioral and Social Sciences)! Following ISEF, Daniel Ming was also one of six Syosset students invited to the Long Island Science Congress (LISC) awards ceremony, where he was named a New York State finalist. Long Island Science Congress, Inc. is an adjudicated exhibit of science projects sponsored by the Long Island Section of the Science Teachers Association of New York State (STANYS). Eleven additional students were recognized at the WAC Lighting Research Fair. Hosted by the Research Association, this invitational event brings together more than 300 students to present their work to judges from universities and hospitals across Long Island and New York City. The fair celebrates “science as a verb,” giving students authentic experience in the scientific process and the opportunity to share their work with professional researchers. Our math enthusiasts also had a phenomenal showing at the Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair, hosted by the Association of Mathematics Supervisors of Long Island (AMSLI). This competition encourages students to explore topics beyond the traditional curriculum and create original mathematical research. In total, 19 Syo students earned medals, including an impressive 11 Gold medals! Congratulations to all of these outstanding students—and to the dedicated faculty members who guide and inspire them every day. Bright Spot Our students are engineering a better future. Last weekend, middle schoolers Saavin Bahl (Gr. 8), Ciana Bahl (Gr. 6), and Jeremy Pedro (Gr. 8) joined forces with high school mentors Samarth Motaganahalli (Gr. 11) and Jaden Pedro (Gr. 11), to host the third annual Spring STEM Festival. More than 200 community members ages five through 14 attended the interactive afternoon of robotics, coding, and engineering — planned and led by these Syosset students (and others who volunteer!). Hosted by The Race Hub in Syosset, all proceeds by our generous community members went to LAnthropology, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing language learning and improving literacy worldwide. The irony of STEM students supporting literacy was not lost on me, and I just love seeing our students use their skills and interests to help others both in our community and the larger world. That’s an equation that’s always balanced.    A reminder that the District is closed Monday through Wednesday next week. We will see you back here for a two-day week on Thursday (5/28). The Memorial Day parade starts at 10:00 am Monday. Enjoy! #SyoSalute Tom Rogers Syosset Central School District Website • Instagram • Facebook • YouTube

Saturday, May 23 2026

Community Update - May 15, 2026

Dear Syosset Community: I was outside observing dismissal operations at South Woods this afternoon and soaking up some beautiful sunshine. I started chatting with a knot of boys, one of whom had been part of my student cabinet as an elementary student. I was unfamiliar to the others and after brief introductions, one 7th grade student asked me: “So wait, are you the most important person in Syosset?”  “Nope,” I told him, “you are.” His initial surprise turned to comprehension as he waved and ran to his bus. Everything we do is for and because of these students. Nothing matters more.     This week, I held my last student cabinet meeting of the year. These student counterparts to my administrative cabinet come from each of our buildings to provide perspective on what it’s really like to be a Syosset student. At the elementary and middle-school levels, we focused on age-appropriate topics ranging from our impending school construction, to the cell phone ban, to artificial intelligence. The high school group offered thoughtful recommendations for the future Wellness Center (construction is officially underway!), grounded in their perspectives on the stress they feel from academic competition. What struck me was their emphasis on wanting to pull together as a community despite those pressures – they specifically admired the cohesion of this year’s senior class – and the insightful ideas they shared for how we might facilitate that.   I appreciate our students’ perspectives and their candor. And it’s great to see their familiar faces as they mature and grow (one elementary cabinet member grew up to be valedictorian!). Hopefully I’ll see this year’s group again at arrival or dismissal – or while passing in the halls… especially now that they aren’t looking down at their cell phones (which they are mostly happy about, by the way!!).  Board of Ed Meeting Recap We kicked off our board meeting with the budget hearing – our final presentation about next year’s school budget. Then, the Board had the happy duty of awarding tenure to 33 (!!) probationary educators who have been proving themselves over the past three or four years. More than a perfunctory ritual, we take the award of tenure seriously. Educators have an awesome responsibility for nurturing the minds and building the character of all of the most important people in Syosset – our students. Those kids have grown accustomed to exceptional teaching – I often say that they’ve done more classroom observations than any administrator ever could – so we owe it to them to have the best instructors possible. Monday’s celebration included cheers, flowers, loved ones, and photos, as these educators became a permanent part of our Syosset family. We all know teaching is “hard work;" the only way to be sure our educators can persevere is to first observe their “heart work." Congrats to the Tenure Class of 2026, for all your heart and hard work, welcome to the Syo Family! In keeping with our theme of creating a connected community, our educators and #SyoStar students delivered a presentation to the Board on K-12 Community and Civic Engagement. Guided by Board of Education goals, our work to teach our kids to be both smart and kind utilizes explicit instruction to help students build the skills necessary to support an inclusive, engaging culture as they progress through the years. Our K-12 programming is intentionally designed to advance this connected community by helping students understand who they are, their role in relationships, and their responsibilities to contribute to something larger than themselves. Civic engagement is the natural outcome of this work as students collaborate and take the initiative to contribute meaningfully to our schools, the local community, and beyond. With hundreds of clubs and before/after school programs, every student has the opportunity at every level to explore something they love and take an active leadership role. Budget Vote and Board of Trustee Election A reminder that this coming Tuesday, May 19th, is the annual budget vote and Board of Trustee election. You can find all details about the budget on our website – along with how and where to vote. Polls will be open from 6am to 9pm.  #SyoBiz I wish I could buy stock in our business department… For the second year in a row, Syosset DECA has been recognized as the largest chapter in New York! This incredible milestone reflects the immense value of this club to our school community. Recently, nearly 70 DECA members qualified to compete and participate in leadership conferences at the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Atlanta. A special congratulations to Nitin Rajagopalan, Julie Kim, Julia Reiss, and Alicia Chen for their incredible international Top 20 finishes! Meanwhile, our Virtual Enterprise (VE) students took a bite out of the Big Apple! Out of over 150 Long Island teams at the Virtual Enterprise Long Island Finals, only 14 were selected to move on to the National Business Plan Competition, and three of them were Syosset teams! Two other national competitions selected just 10 teams from Long Island, and Syosset impressively secured two spots in each event. These teams then competed at the national level in New York City, bringing home incredible rankings along with Gold and Silver medals! National Competitions: National Business Plan: DormU (Top 25), Locked (Top 50), and Vitafuze (Top 50) National Finance Competition: Vitafuze (Top 12) At the National Tradeshow: Sales Pitch Competition: Hydrate (Gold) Booth Design Competition: Vitafuze (Silver) Social Media Campaign: Vitafuze (Silver) This has been a truly impactful year for our business department, and we are so excited to see our investment in SYOBIZ (+2.43%) grow. #SyoStars🌟 OOPS! Last week, we highlighted two of our talented student artists who were recently selected as winners in the statewide Trucking Coloring Book Project – turns out, we missed one more winner! HBT 7th grader Kavita Hansraj submitted a drawing which also won a coveted spot in the statewide coloring book. Congrats, Kavita (and please forgive us for the unintentional omission last week)! There was more than one Kentucky Derby winner this year! Junior Ella D’Auria is a member of our Forensics team, and qualified to compete in the prestigious Tournament of Champions, hosted annually by the University of Kentucky. It is one of the nation’s top high school speech and debate competitions. Competitors have 10 minutes to deliver an original persuasive speech on a topic of their choice. Ella’s speech, titled “Imma Let You Finish,” explored the importance of active listening and speaking your mind. She took first place in a field of 90 participants, bringing home a big gold horse trophy for her win. Way to go, Ella! Seventh grade twins Matthew and Milo Gu performed on stage at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center as part of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Young Artists Program. The two competed against chamber groups of various sizes from throughout the metropolitan NYC area for this opportunity. When they took center stage, the two wowed the audience (no surprise to us, we got a sneak preview of their performance at last month’s Board meeting). Congratulations Matthew and Milo! Juniors Juha Kim and Jaden Pedro were recently named finalists in the Conrad Challenge, one of the world’s most prestigious student innovation competitions. Chosen from more than 5,000 teams worldwide, they were one of just five finalist teams in their category competing at the Innovation Summit at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston — and the only finalist team from New York. Their project, SubStation, captures wasted heat and vibration from subway trains and converts it into usable electricity without requiring new infrastructure. At the summit, they pitched their idea to judges, connected with industry professionals, and presented at the public expo. Jaden and Juha also received the Donald James Citizenship Award, recognizing outstanding character, service, and public impact. They were the sole recipients among all finalist teams. Congratulations to Jaden and Juha for representing Syosset so proudly on the international stage! Bright Spot Several of our elementary schools took a special field trip to Citi Field for a New York Mets game – and an important lesson about kindness. Before the first pitch, students participated in programming hosted by #SameHere Schools, an initiative aimed at promoting respect for diversity and preventing bullying of all kinds. The program supports students’ social and emotional development by creating a safe atmosphere for them to express themselves openly and communicate when they are dealing with mental health challenges—whether they originate at home, in school, or out in the community.  Syosset’s school spirit and enthusiasm was so contagious… they ended up on the big screen (showing off dance moves, I’m told!).  After a losing streak last month, our kids saw the Mets pull off a win against the Detroit Tigers. Hmmm… Syosset in the bleachers and the Mets starting a comeback… Coincidence? I think not!   A reminder that you have tonight and tomorrow to catch the final Syosset High School Theatre Arts production of this school year. The play is Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” and you can buy tickets here. #SyoShowtime 🎭 🎟️ Tom Rogers Syosset Central School District Website • Instagram • Facebook • YouTube

Friday, May 15 2026

SYO SPARK - May 2026

This month, the SYO SPARK is shining a light on what it means to be resilient — someone who keeps going even when things feel hard. Being resilient means trying again after a mistake, staying positive when something doesn’t go your way, and believing that you can improve with effort and practice.  Everyone faces challenges, but resilient learners don’t give up — they learn, adjust, and grow stronger each time they try. As you read this month’s stories, look for the moments where students show determination, courage, and perseverance — and remember, every time you keep going, you are building your own resilience! Student Challenge of the Month This month, your challenge is to build your resilience superpower — the ability to keep going even when something feels hard. Think of one moment this week when something doesn’t go the way you expected — maybe a tough assignment, a tricky game, or something that feels frustrating. When that happens, try this: Take a deep breath and say, “I can try again.” Think of one small step you can take next Try a new strategy or ask for help Keep going, even if it’s not perfect If you start to feel stuck, ask yourself: What can I try differently? What did I learn from my last attempt? Who can help me keep going? How will I feel if I don’t give up? At the end of the week, reflect: What challenge did I stick with, and how did it help me grow? Every time you keep trying, you’re becoming stronger, braver, and more resilient — and that’s something to be SYO-proud of! Monthly Read Aloud "The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be" By: Joanne Gaines The People in your Neighborhood ​​Berry Hill’s Very Own Music Man By: Evangelia Konstas and Hassana Niazi Berry Hill News Crew Have you ever wondered what skills people might have that you probably didn’t expect them to have? McGregor Philippe is a security guard at Berry Hill. We found out he knows how to play the piano! Here are a few questions we asked him, then something cool will be shown at the end! What is your favorite song to play? Phillipe enjoys playing songs by Erik Satie. His current favorite is Gnossienne No. 1. He also enjoys playing songs by Ludwig van Beethoven and Frédéric Chopin. What age did you start learning to play piano? Phillipe started to play the piano at 9 or 10 years old. The most amazing thing is he learned to play by ear when he was young! This means he didn’t have lessons, but listened to music and then recreated it on the piano. He started formal piano lessons around age 18 at The Brooklyn and Queens Conservatory of Music. What inspired you to play the piano? Phillipe used to listen to many artists growing up, like Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Michael Jackson. These artists inspired him to play. Do you still play today? Are you part of any groups? Phillipe still plays the piano regularly, but he isn’t a part of any groups. When he can, he plays in Ms. Mercieca’s room and tries to practice 2–3 times per week. For the video, Phillipe will be playing in Ms. Neri’s room. Are you still as passionate as you used to be for piano now in contrast to when you started? Phillipe is retired from the NYPD, so his piano career got a bit sidetracked during his time as a police officer. However, he is still very passionate! He was more passionate when he first started, but he does his best to make time for it whenever he can. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Phillipe very much enjoys coming to Berry Hill every afternoon. He has a full life outside of our school! He is a brown belt in Jeet Kune Do, he enjoys working out, and he has a daughter in middle school. What is the hardest song you have ever played? Nocturne in F# Major is the hardest song he has ever played! It begins with a beautiful melody, then shifts into a much faster middle section. Finally, it returns to the graceful theme from the beginning and ends with a quick, shimmering finish. How often do you practice? His schedule usually allows him to practice at least 2–3 times a week. He aims to practice every day, but sometimes it simply does not work out. How often do you perform? Phillipe doesn’t perform yet, but he wants to achieve his goal of performing in front of an audience one day. Maybe solo, or maybe with a group. Have you ever felt like quitting piano? Probably at certain times, but Phillipe is currently still working on his goals as both a pianist and a security guard for Berry Hill. Do you know how to play other instruments? The answer is no. However, Phillipe would like to try learning the saxophone! He likes the saxophone because of the way it looks and the style of music it is used in. What advice would you give to an aspiring or beginner musician? Phillipe suggests: “Staying motivated and dedicated, even if it stays hard, keep fighting!” Those were his exact words. Young musicians (and anybody else reading this), keep this in mind! Did your parents play an instrument? His father used to play the guitar all the time when Phillipe was a kid, which led him to learn the piano and value music. If you could have any job what would it be? Phillipe would enjoy being a musician or a music teacher. Since he plays in Mrs. Mercieca’s room, he has even gotten the idea of teaching music! The Inside SYO Scoop 🍨 A Star is Born SyoFunny 😂 Why did the bouncy ball never get upset? Because no matter what happened, it always bounced back! Little Kids, Big Difference One Small Act Can Have a Giant Domino Effect on Others By: Aiden Lau, Phoebe Xu, Leyang Xuan, Chloe Su, Cynthia Yang Extra! Extra! (South Grove) South Grove has found a way to make donating fun: introducing the South Grove Cereal Box Challenge! The Cereal Box Challenge began here in 2022. At the time, food banks were low and they were asking for donations on the news. Student Council wanted to find a creative way to donate food. They asked students from the school to donate cereal boxes to a local food bank, Long Island Cares. The Student Council decided to end the challenge with a domino trail of cereal boxes because it was a fun way to present all our hard work and what we accomplished (the cereal boxes are the right shape to go down like dominos too). They also did this to get the school excited about donating food for those in need. The school record for the amount of boxes is 280 boxes, so this year we were hoping to beat it.  To prepare for this event, Student Council made flyers and announced speeches to their classmates about why they should donate. From April 13th - 24th, students and staff brought in cereal boxes to donate for the food bank. Then, on the morning of the domino event, Student Council’s executive board and some teachers collected all of the cereal boxes and set them up in the gym. The cereal boxes were placed in the shape of an S, to represent both South Grove and Syosset! After an exciting speech from the executive board, the students watching counted down Grover, South Grove’s mascot. Ms. An asked for a drum roll from the audience, and Grover knocked down the first box and started the trail of cereal box dominoes. The audience roared in excitement as we watched all of the flow of boxes falling.  During this year's cereal box collection, we collected a grand total of… 242 cereal boxes! We came really close to our school record and we hope we can beat it next year! In the end, it didn’t really matter about if we broke the record or not, the important thing was we raised over 200 boxes for people in need! Syosset Central School District

Wednesday, May 06 2026

Community Update - May 1, 2026

Dear Syosset Community: As you might imagine, the best parts of my days are spent with students, but only once a year do I spend an entire day with one (or two!). This is the fourth year of our "Superintendent for a Day" program, which gives seventh graders the opportunity to spend the day in my shoes after writing winning essays on positive community change as part of their social studies unit on governments and municipalities (like school districts). This year’s student Superintendents were Steven Li from South Woods, whose essay focused on ways the District could reduce its environmental impact ranging from EV buses to solar power to recycling; and Allen Xia from HBT, who focused on the mental health needs of students under pressure to perform. Both topics are incredibly timely and thoughtful. We tailored the day around their interests, starting with the infrastructure plans we have been creating for an eventual transition to EV buses, our Energy Performance Contract, and an ongoing solar project. We came away with a plan to expand our recycling efforts and think about working towards becoming a Green Ribbon school. In the afternoon, we visited Syosset High School to view the construction (safely through the window) on the new Wellness Center and to reflect on how our staff can maximize this as a space where students can decompress or get extra assistance, if needed. It’s not all heavy lifting: they each returned to their former elementary schools to read to Kindergarteners and participate in clubs. We tried some new menu items at the cafeteria (I like to sample what we’re feeding kids) and we even attended the high school's Senior (Citizens’) Prom so they could see how our student body gives back to the generation that built this community and these schools. Thank you Allen and Steven for your thoughtful contributions on a whirlwind day.  Spotlight on Instruction 🔦 To cap off Neurodiversity Month, Village Elementary held a “Celebrate Minds of All Kinds” culmination event to honor the many ways our students think, learn, and experience the world. This collaboration was thoughtfully organized and brought to life by over 30 Village staff members, our PTA, and our SEPTA. Village is home to a new program for our students needing the most support, avoiding costly outside tuition, but much more importantly enabling us to serve them in their home community alongside their peers and neighbors.  The final celebration began with a K–5 assembly that transitioned into a series of engaging, hands-on student experiences. Students rotated through accessible stations, including a sensory path and sand art. Each station was intentionally designed to help students better understand how different brains process information. As they participated in these activities, students built empathy, recognized that there is no one "right" way to learn, and developed a deeper appreciation for the unique strengths and perspectives we all bring. All month (and really, every day) the school was a sea of bright colors – neon and tie-dye – to showcase how everyone’s brain shines in its own special way. To leave a lasting mark, Village students are now working on an art project. Every student has contributed a handprint to create a collective masterpiece that will be proudly displayed in the building. It is a perfect visual reminder that we all learn differently, but with all hands on deck, we make one beautiful community. #SyoSports It is a record-breaking year for our graduating student athletes! We hosted our annual Athlete Commitment Day this week to recognize an incredible 28 student-athletes committing to collegiate athletic programs! To put this incredible milestone into perspective, when we first started holding this event back in 2017, we honored 11 NCAA athletes. Dressed in their new collegiate hats and sweatshirts, these seniors were joined by their families, coaches, and administrators to celebrate their remarkable successes. This is a special moment in the lives of our seniors, and while they’ve earned these opportunities with their athleticism and hard work, I was delighted to listen to their coaches praise them individually for their character and leadership. No matter where they play next, they will always represent Syosset athletics excellence. Please join me in congratulating this elite group of student-athletes – #GoSyo!  Giovanni Accardo (Lacrosse) Stevens Institute of Technology Georgia Antoniadis (Track and Field) Dickinson College Lucas Avni (Swimming) Worcester Polytechnic Institute Noah Berch (Lacrosse) Drew University Carter Bullaro (Baseball) The University of Scranton Aidan Cleary (Lacrosse) Long Island University Ethan Dizon (Football) Alvernia University Christian Eliane (Baseball) Illinois Institute of Technology Julia Elmoraly (Track & Field) Brown University Sloane Friedland (Lacrosse) Muhlenberg College Nathan Ji (Diving) University of Chicago Jonah Kim (Track & Field) Columbia University Ella Lanza (Softball) Georgetown University Madison Lin (Swimming) University of Chicago Julianna Macaskill (XC-Track & Field) SUNY Geneseo Cole Maguire (Soccer) Hunter College Stephanie Marcheret (Tennis) Air Force Academy Matthew Mianulli (Baseball) Nassau Community College Michael Mifsud (Football) Western Connecticut University Juliana Raigosa (XC-Track & Field) University of Rochester Sienna Renny (Softball) Seton Hall University Dylan Santucci (Baseball) Hofstra University Samantha Schneider (Basketball) Carnegie Mellon University Julie Shaughnessy (Lacrosse) University of Michigan Nick Stragalas (Lacrosse) SUNY Plattsburgh Huiling Tan (Track & Field) Adelphi University Brody Waxer (Lacrosse) University of Michigan Josh Weisenfeld (Lacrosse) Long Island University #SyoStars 🌟 Here’s an algorithm for success: last month, the high school “Girls Who Code” club took a field trip to Google’s New York City headquarters. The students got a firsthand look at a highly collaborative work environment – and, of course, perks like the snack kitchen! But the real highlight was conversing with a panel of female software engineers. The women shared their path to careers in computer science, what a typical day at Google looks like, the coding projects they work on, and how Artificial Intelligence is impacting their field.The panel also shared a special term they use: "Googleyness"—a person who will fit into the culture by being kind, helpful, and a great teammate! That sounds a lot like Syosset-yness. Senior Nikhil Shah has been honored with the prestigious Friedlander Upstander Award by the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County. This special honor recognizes students who demonstrate courage, empathy, and a fierce commitment to standing up against intolerance and injustice. As the student member of our Board of Education, and President of the student government, he continually supports others and leads with integrity. Congratulations, Nikhil, on this well deserved recognition. In a similar vein – Juniors Ryan Sakhai and Sophie Weisz have been selected to receive the prestigious 2026 Students Building Bridges Award from the Jewish Community Relations Council of Long Island. This honor “recognizes true role models whose efforts exemplify leadership and a commitment to strengthening community connections”. Ryan and Sophie were selected for their dedicated work in volunteering, fostering understanding across different groups, working on intergenerational projects, and striving to create a more civil society. The two were honored earlier this month at the Nassau County Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration at Adelphi University. Congratulations, Ryan and Sophie, on this well-deserved recognition! Nassau County Police PSA 🚔 We deeply value our strong partnership with the Nassau County Police Department in keeping our schools and neighborhoods safe. This week, the Department asked us to share this warning about a nationwide social media trend called “Senior Assassin,” where high school seniors chase each other with water guns. While that sounds harmless, both the water guns and the motions of using them can appear realistic, which might lead to devastating consequences. I’ve noticed (and spoken to) students I’ve seen wearing swim goggles nowhere near the pool. A reminder: goggles are for pools and water guns are not permitted on school grounds. You can read the PSA at this link. Bright Spot Hans Christian Andersen said, “Where words fail, music speaks” But when words become music, everyone sings! Earlier this month, members of the Syosset Tri-M Music Honor Society visited a local assisted living facility to share their extraordinary talents with the local residents. Our Tri-M students met the moment, and the residents, with incredible warmth, kindness, professionalism, and maturity. Student-led groups prepared and rehearsed chamber music and solos. Their repertoire was as impressive as it was diverse, ranging from Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer to Bach’s cello suites. The residents absolutely loved the performances (of course!). I was told the energy in the room was so contagious it sparked impromptu sing-alongs to classics like "You Are My Sunshine" and "Can't Help Falling in Love." I can’t help falling in love with the kids who are our seniors’ sunshine. Now that’s a #SoSyo moment if ever there was one.   Have a great weekend! We’ll see you back here next week. #SyoSpring🌷 Tom Rogers Syosset Central School District Website • Instagram • Facebook • YouTube

Friday, May 01 2026

Community Update - April 24, 2026

Dear Syosset Community: As you might imagine, much of my time has been spent navigating a deeply troubling situation and coordinating closely with law enforcement. I want to take a moment and express appreciation for their professional partnership and extraordinary efforts.  Candidly, I struggled with whether to write a typical Friday update this week, but concluded I wouldn’t give those events the power to deny or delay recognizing the people who deserve to be the focus of our attention for the right reasons. So, to drive out darkness with light, let me share some of our bright spots. Board of Education Recap We found out Wednesday that Syosset has been named a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation. After Monday’s BOE presentation on our music program, with illustrative performances by students and narration from their teachers, it was clear why we’ve earned this recognition for over 20 years.  Our Coordinator of Fine and Performing Arts, Dr. Hale, focused on the theme of "Process and Authenticity, Part 2." It was a follow up to an earlier presentation by the Visual Arts faculty that paralleled how music instruction, particularly our small group lesson and Chamber Music programs, helps prepare our students to be creative, collaborative and empathetic people in a time when artificial intelligence ironically increases the value of these skills. Each student performance – given by groups of students ranging from grades five to 12 – demonstrated a different aspect of how our students grow as both musicians and artists.  The Board will meet briefly on Tuesday, April 28th at 7pm as required by law to consider the Nassau BOCES administrative budget and BOCES Board of Education election. There will be no presentations or Audience to the Public. Spotlight on Instruction 🔦 April is Neurodiversity Celebration Month – where we recognize the unique strengths of every member of our learning community. Across our District, we celebrated our differences and reinforced the importance of kindness, acceptance, and belonging.  Berry Hill recognized the awareness month with the theme We Grow Together. Students explored the idea that there is no single “right” way to think or learn and that our differences make us stronger. Through read‑alouds such as All My Stripes by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer and Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor, students learned about embracing individuality and understanding the diverse ways people experience the world. Following these discussions, students created their own “Unique Blooms,” highlighting both their personal strengths and the supports they need to thrive as learners. This activity encouraged students to reflect on who they are and to appreciate the qualities that make each person special. The better we understand neurodiversity, the more we recognize the similarities and differences between how each of our own brains work and recognize that through our differences, we think more broadly together than any one of us can do alone.   We so appreciate the PTA’s sponsorship of PARP (Pick a Reading Partner) week! This program fosters a love of reading in children by making it a group effort. Postponed by snow, Baylis finally started their week with author Daniel Jude Miller who inspired students by sharing his writing journey. He discussed the drafting process and how he finds ideas in his environment. As part of his presentation, he brought a monster character he had made out of recycled materials. Mr. Miller challenged students to create their own monsters using recyclable materials and write a story about it in time for Earth Day this past Wednesday.  To connect the dots, students collaborated on upcycled projects and pledges to be kind to our planet. Thanks to our student council, all classes participated in planting flowers like geraniums and pansies along the walls in the school’s backyard this week. Students learned the importance of flowers and how they enhance biodiversity, providing clean air and water. Reading and gardening – a wonderful way to spend the week. #SyoStars 🌟 Senior Jaiden Ng and Sophomore Justin Cheung came up big in the High School Doubles Challenge last weekend. Sixty-four high school teams competed from both public and private schools across the five boroughs. Going into the finals they were in 9th place and slowly moved up to be tied at 6th, climbed to 4th place, and then… were crowned Champions! They won the final match with two high “baker games” (a special bowling format) of 256 and 226. What a way to cap off an already amazing season. Congrats! Village fifth grader Kathie Liu recently represented Team USA at the 10th World Junior Wushu Championships in Tianjin, China. The World Junior Wushu Championships is the highest-level international competition for youth wushu martial arts athletes worldwide. This year’s event hosted 1,179 top athletes from 78 countries and regions. She brought home one gold and one silver medal. Congratulations, Kathie, and thank you for representing our community so well! South Woods 6th grader Nora Cizmeciyan‘s art was on display at the New Atelier Middle and High School Student Exhibition. Her exquisite painting “Owl” was awarded Second Place in the 11–14 age category. Nora’s work stood out among submissions from talented young artists across the region in this juried exhibition. Congratulations, Nora! Bright Spot At Berry Hill, first graders in Mrs. Paradiso’s class are learning about their hometown: Syosset. The resident historians? Fifth graders, of course! Armed with magnifying glasses and sentence starters such as “Long ago there was…,” and “I see…”, our veteran elementary students encouraged younger peers to sharpen their observation skills by analyzing what they notice in historic photos to compare with what they know about Syosset today.  Our first graders were able to parse where our community has remained the same and how it has changed—not just by the old photographs, but by the older buddies leading them through the experience. The room buzzed with curiosity and energy, as fifth graders brought history to life and showcased their leadership, empathy, and teaching skills.  One thing I that I’m certain is unchanged – every time we make a #SoSyo opportunity for our older students to support their younger peers, both grow!   Have a great weekend! #SyoStrong Tom Rogers Syosset Central School District Website • Instagram • Facebook • YouTube

Friday, Apr 24 2026