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VOL. 74 NO. 5
JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 5, 2025
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Massapequa School Board honors its sports teams for championship success By MIKE POLANSKY Correspondent Honoring three Massapequa High School varsity teams that achieved major success during the 2024 fall season was the highlight of the Massapequa Board of Education meeting on Jan. 9. The varsity football team, which won the Long Island Championship, and the varsity girls field hockey and boys volleyball teams, both of which were Nassau County champions, were all there as they were lauded for their outstanding performances. Board of Education President Kerry Wachter opened the evening by congratulating the athletes for how well they represented Massapequa, both on and off the field. “We thank you for your dedication to your craft and your studies,” Wachter said, noting that all board members were wearing Chiefs gear in recognition of the
athletes. Wachter introduced Superintendent of Schools William Brennan, who introduced the head coach of girls field hockey, Morgan Ortega,who told her team, “We are so proud of all of you, not just as players, but as young women. This team truly has a special place in my heart.” She then introduced the team members: Olivia Capobianco, Corinne Schrammel, Aliya Hassett, Kiersten Farrell, Delanet Diesso, Ava Perakakis, Charlotte Focarazzo, Keira Lichtwar, Cassidy Morrow, Delaney Donato, Kali Humman, Emily Shapiro, Mia Holihan, Daniella Lucchi, Brooke Donnellan, Sophia Bologini, Nicole Heller, Tatum Brennan, Olivia DeTommaso, Kathleen Cooney, Lauren Clark, Kaitlyn Ogurick, Emma Villalta, Katie Mannino, Grace Wipperman, and Madison Tucholski. Then Brennan called up boys volleyball head coach Elissa DiSalvo, who praised
her team as “a very, very special group.” “I feel so fortunate to be your coach and to get to know you as players and as people,” DiSalvo said. “We’re very proud of you.” She introduced the team: Michael Fillinger, Andrew DiOrio, Brian Jarski, Matthew Pettis, Alex Fischetti, Braeden Vetro, Jake McBride, Liam St. George, Logan Coady, Jack Parkes, Joseph Trotta, Vincent Averso, Jack Stanley, and Christopher Sultana. The final recognition went to the varsity football team, which won both the Nassau County Championship and Long Island Championship for the third time in the last four years. Head Coach Kevin
recalled that the team’s only loss came in the opening game against Oceanside, a defeat that taught them valuable lessons in perseverance and continuous improvement. He introduced the team: Lucas Banuchi, Alex Bartolo, Christopher Bascetta, Thomas Biggin, Joseph Brooks, Tyler Byrnes, Alex Chillemi, Ben Cohen, Cooper Danielson, Jackson Davis, Ryan Decker, Michael Devlin, Joey Diesso, Anthony DiNello, Gavin Farley, Justin Farrell, Sean Florentz, Bobby Foran, Brady Gilchrist, Luke Hutchinson, Ethan Kaminsky, Brady Kemper, Peter Konstantinakos, Carlo Kurz, Jason LaRosa, Nicholas MelilPhoto Courtesy/Massapequa Schools
The team members and coaches of the Nassau County Champion Girls Field Hockey Team. Shippos spoke proudly of the team, noting, “This community breeds success and championships. This team was as mentally tough as I’ve ever coached.” Shippos
lo, Dylan Milio, AJ Molenko, Jack Mulligan, Bobby Painton, Joseph Palmer, Andrew Pedalino, Connor Pineda, Kellen CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
LI school districts file lawsuit against state’s regionalization plan By WILL SHEELINE and MIKE POLANSKY wsheeline@liherald.com Correspondent A coalition of 21 school districts, local governments, unions and individual petitioners has filed a lawsuit against the New York State Education Department, seeking to annul its controversial Regionalization Plan. The plan mandates that public school districts submit and implement regionalization plans, a move that critics argue would undermine local control and violate state law. The lawsuit, filed on Jan. 9 in New York State Supreme Court, includes school districts, municipal governments, state legislators, and advocacy groups representing thousands of residents and educators, including the Massapequa and Plainedge, school districts. The group, referred to as the Coalition of New York State School Board Members in the lawsuit, issued a scathing critique of the plan, citing widespread local opposi-
tion. “When 21 school districts, eight elected officials, thousands of residents, and unions unite in opposition to a regulation, it becomes clear that state officials have overstepped their bounds in using regulations to undermine local autonomy,” the coalition said in a statement. “If such measures were truly necessary or urgent, they should go through the proper legislative process—not be dictated by an unelected agency.” Nicholas Rigano, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, described the state’s plan as a “power grab” that could irreversibly alter local governance. “The unelected education commissioner has
T
he unelected education commissioner has mandated the regionalization of 731 public school districts, ceding centuries-old local control to herself. This power grab will transform public schools and local communities. NICHOLAS RIGANO
attorney for the plaintiffs
mandated the regionalization of 731 public school districts, ceding centuriesold local control to herself,” Rigano said. “This power grab will transform public schools and local communities.” Massapequa School Board President Kerry Wachter has been one of the strongest advocates for maintaining local control. Wachter, who led the district’s opposition to the state’s COVID-19 mask mandate and continues to
fight for the district’s Chiefs mascot, warned that the new rule could pave the way for further consolidation efforts that would diminish the power of locally elected school boards. “While no one has explicitly proposed a single Nassau School District, the framework introduced by this rule could pave the way for further consolidation efforts, which would diminish the ability of locally elected school boards to serve their communities effectively,” she said. “By joining this litigation, we’re taking a necessary step to ensure decisions about our schools are made by those who best understand our students’ needs—our locally elected CONTINUED ON PAGE 10