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Friday, August 18, 2023
Vol. 83, No. 32
Educator receives BOCES award
Syosset BoE examines enrollments, trends BY RIKKI MASSAND
Megan Falck (center), a library media specialist at Walt Whitman Elementary School in Syosset, is congratulated on being a Nassau Association of School Technologists Award Recipient, by (left to right) Coleen Vereline, Kelly Fokiano, Coordinator of Instructional and Administrative Technology Christine Payne, and Principal Chad Snyder. This past June, Megan Falck, a library media specialist at Walt Whitman Elementary School in the Syosset CSD, was recognized by Nassau BOCES and the Nassau Association of School Technologists (NASTECH) as a pioneering educator who has contributed significantly to the advancement of technology in education. Ms. Falck was honored at the fifth annual Nassau Association of School Technologists Award Recipient (NASTAR) awards ceremony, held at the Nassau
BOCES Brookville Outdoor and Environmental Education Center. Thanks to Megan Falck, the Walt Whitman Library Media Center is a lively blend of traditional library resources and progressive learning tools. The center also boasts a “Maker’s Space” — a collaborative workspace for creativity, learning, exploring and sharing. She has created a library culture that balances creativity, passion and inquiry, incorporating the necessary digital literacy
skills that are required to support student success. She prepares students for the future through literacy, coding and STEAM education. “Ms. Falck is deeply devoted to her students and is passionate about creating exciting learning opportunities for them,” said her award nominator Christine Payne, coordinator of instructional and administrative technology. “She has a contagious smile, a generous spirit, and an enthusiSee page 7
The Syosset Advance Published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Telephone 931-0012 - USPS 3467-68 Postmaster: Send Address Change to: The Syosset Advance, 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208 Garden City, N.Y. 11530 • Meg Norris, Publisher
As the Syosset Central School District’s Board of Education anticipates discussing a priority list of capital projects at its August 28 meeting, the board discussion in late July turned to predictions of future district enrollment. As the report presented by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Thomas Rogers indicated, the “bubble” of higher enrollment currently found in Syosset’s lower grades will be shifting through the middle school and high school levels in the years to come, but
the surge in students is uneven. H.B. Thompson Middle School is currently seeing more of an impact than South Woods Middle School, and two district elementary schools are having their capacities soar. In the midst of the board’s reflections on district trends, Dr. Rogers commented on the steady increases in residential construction and new housing developments coming to the Syosset and Woodbury area. “With the new construction there is not only the desire for people to live in the community but the opporSee page 6
Town celebrates Indian independence Day BY RIKKI MASSAND India’s annual Independence Day and the many local contributions of the Indian diaspora were celebrated at the Oyster Bay Town Board meeting on Tuesday, August 15. Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino welcomed meeting attendees with a special greeting announcing, “Happy Indian Independence Day,” and discussing the ceremonies that took place in front of Town Hall, 54 Audrey Avenue in Oyster Bay. Prior to the Town Board’s meeting, Saladino and the Town Council members and other local officials joined
leaders of the South Asian community across the Town of Oyster Bay in raising the Indian green, white and orange flag in front of Town Hall. Supervisor Saladino said that in keeping with the Town Board’s tradition since he took office in 2017, the August 15 meeting would begin with a prayer. “We begin every Town meeting with prayer as we all believe that is very important as a society, and ecumenically we bring in a very diversified group representing so many different religions. It is our ecumenSee page 7
Waterfront Festival at TOBAY Beach PAGE 3 Town honors poster contest winners PAGE 3